Get Loose:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvb8mEupp48&version=3&hl=en_US]
The Plight of the Black QB
Many would have you believe that the hurdles and obstacles that black athletes have had to overcome ended with the integration in baseball with Jackie Robinson. At that time, black baseball players were supposed to be enjoying the spoils of their civil rights accomplishment. The reality is that Jackie Robinson became baseball’s first African American player in 1947; the last baseball team to integrate was the Boston Red Sox in 1959. To play the sport they love, whether baseball, basketball or football, black athletes in the past had to battle prejudiced owners and fans just to prove themselves before they even stepped on the field. Today, black quarterbacks have to deal with unyielding stereotypes that they are not adequate enough and not smart enough to play in their exalted positions.
Michael Vick, Donovan McNabb, Vince Young—all have been disrespected and undermined for playing the quarterback position in the NFL. They are playing a position that is the most heralded, most exalted and most celebrated in football. The leader of the football team is the quarterback, and the quarterback has always been white.
It wasn’t until Doug Williams became the first black quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl with the Washington Redskins that the black quarterback gained a little more credibility. Still, despite the efforts of Williams and Randall Cunningham, only one black QB is in the Hall of Fame: Warren Moon, the most underrated QB ever.
Being a black quarterback is a paradoxical occupation. If a black QB remains a pocket passer and doesn’t scramble, he is ignored or forgotten. The black, pocket passer is respected but never celebrated or admired. He just falls in line behind everyone else. Warren Moon held the records for most passing yards, most completions, and most touchdowns for a professional football player until Brett Favre broke those. Not Dan Marino, not John Elway, and not Joe Montana. Moon’s name is rarely mentioned among the ranks of other Hall of Fame quarterbacks, despite all of his accolades.
The other type of black quarterback is the exciting, scrambling, position revolutionizing quarterback the likes of which the NFL had never seen before. However, this new black QB prototype isn’t met with as much respect as the pocket passer because of the questions about his accuracy, intelligence and leadership. Those questions dogged Vince Young until he was ousted from Tennessee and Donovan McNabb before him in Philadelphia and Washington.
Michael Vick recently complained about not getting the same calls as other franchise quarterbacks get when they get roughed up. If Michael Vick gets hit after hit, well after the ball is out of his hands, no whistle is blown. Whereas if a white quarterback was hit like Vick was, a 15 yard penalty would be charged to the defense, described as “roughing the quarterback.” With so many new rules set in place to protect quarterbacks, why are QBs like Vick still getting slammed into the turf without penalty?
What does a black quarterback have to do to gain respect in the NFL? Cam Newton may be the best cross between pocket passer and black scrambling quarterback we have seen (thanks to his mentor Warren Moon). It may just very well be Newton who bridges the gap between black and white QBs. Still, Newton, Vick and others like him will have to face a new battle their predecessors never did: the plight of the modern era black quarterback in the NFL.
Clark Atlanta Homecoming Fashion Show 2011 – 7 Deadly Sins
2011 CAU homecoming fashion show produced by Terry Jones a student from Brooklynn Ny
VIDEO – Morgan State University Homecoming Concert – Wale w/ Meek Mill
THE UNTOUCHABLE MAYBACH EMPIRE PRESENTS WALE LIVE AT MORGAN STATE HOMECOMING. WATCH AS WALE PERFORMS “FITTED CAP” FOR THE FIRST TIME LIVE W/ MEEK MILL!!! THE NEW ALBUM “AMBITION” IN STORES NOV. 1ST 2011. PRE ORDER AT WWW.RALPHFOLARIN.COM/PREORDER . RICK ROSS NEW ALBUM “GOD FORGIVES, I DON’T” IN STORES DEC. 13TH!!
The SC State University Class of 1955 has committed to supporting current SC State University education majors. This commitment was made during the life of the BRIDGE Project. The BRIDGE Project was a three-year program funded by the South Carolina Legislature to recruit minority high school students who live along the I-95 corridor into the teaching profession by offering them, while still in high school, access to counseling, mentoring, on-campus summer enrichment programs, and opportunities for dual enrollment at SC State University. The purpose of the program was to prepare these students to: pass PRAXIS I, the required exam to be admitted to the SC State Teacher Education Program, major in education and become future teachers in South Carolina.
The Class of 1955 presented a $2,000 per year scholarship to a BRIDGE Project graduate for 2009 and 2010. Although the BRIDGE Project ended June 2010, the Class of 1955 has continued to give the scholarship to an education major who meets the set criteria.
Read Full Article at SCSU
The Prairie View A&M cross country teams returned to action on Friday as they both participated in the annual Houston Baptist/Puma Invitational In Houston. The men’s team placed fifth overall while the women finished sixth.
Lucio Rosas was PV’s top runner on the men’s side as he finished the four-mile run with a time of 21:32. Abel Simie placed 27th overall with a mark of 21:35 followed by Phillip Thomas (22:01), Errol Hampton (22:09), Pat Range (22:43), John Watkins (22:47), Edgar Bazen (23:03), Michael White (24:36) and Adrain Davis (27:25).
On the women’s side, Leticia Bustamante led the Lady Panthers as she placed 28th overall with a run of 19:23 in the three-mile run. Martha Bustamante placed second on the team and 32nd overall with a time of 19:29 followed by Claribel Quiroz (19:41), Guadalupe Bustamante (20:06), Corinna Brown (20:39), Chelsea Williams (20:52), Angel Brooks (21:00), Asha Dansby (22:31), Donna Gilbert (22:37), Terracia Moody (22:56), Drew Pitcairn (23:48) and Kia Allen.
Referenced Article from Prairie View A&M
UMES delegation lobbies for federal park
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – (Oct. 7, 2011) – Students and faculty from UMES joined two busloads of grassroots lobbyists from the Eastern Shore, including Cambridge Mayor Victoria Jackson Stanley, in a recent trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in “Harriet on the Hill” day.
The group met up on Capitol Hill Sept. 14 with supporters from Morgan State University, the town of Auburn, N.Y. and descendants of Harriet Tubman, an important historical figure who helped slaves escape to freedom in the 19th century.
The 150 “Harriet” supporters were advocating for passage of federal legislation that would create a national historical park honoring Tubman at two locations — one in Maryland and the other in upstate New York. Maryland’s Eastern Shore is where Tubman, or “Moses” as she was called, was born into slavery, escaped, led the Underground Railroad and became a Union spy in the Civil War. Auburn, N.Y. is where she lived in later years with her family, advocated for women’s suffrage and died at age 93.
“Participating in the rally … was an eye-opening experience,” said LaBasha Alexander, a UMES English major. “There is an exceptional amount of history on the Eastern Shore. Being involved in ‘Harriet on the Hill’ day has shown me why a Tubman national park is necessary.”
Before heading to Washington, UMES students did research by studying lobbying strategies with Sally Grant Kenyon, an aide to Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley who works toward passage of bills important to the state.
Read Full Article at UMES
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. commits itself to actively upholding the ideals of scholarship, sisterhood, and service. In the sorority’s dedication to be of service to all mankind, it remains the premier organization for outstanding African-American college educated women,.
More about the Alpha Kappa Alpha at http://www.aka1908.com.
More about Spelman at http://www.spelman.edu.
It is no secret; the nation faces a staggering unemployment rate – 9.1 percent in general and 16.7 percent specifically for Blacks according to the Department of Labor. That is not good news for the job-seeking college graduate. But, while the job market is tough, there are plenty of opportunities for the well-prepared and educated who enter the market.
Whether a student decides to pursue a career or an advanced degree after undergraduate studies, she must understand that college is a twofold journey. Those who simply get the education miss out on connections that move them from scholar to selected professional. For students who capitalize on internships, co-ops or speak a foreign language, the harvest is plentiful.
“I would encourage students to find meaningful internships during the school year and the summer,” said J. Veronica Biggins, C’68, managing director of Diversified Search, one of the nation’s top 10 executive search firms. “Internships expose people immediately to what you can do. If you do a great job as an intern, and do a lot more than is required of you as an intern, it will really set you a part.”
Setting yourself a part
Shevika Mitchell, C’2013, saw that Spelman College’s Office of Career Planning and Development sent out a lot of internships, but none of them seem to be for first-year students and sophomores. “I was enrolled in the FRESH program and when I told Ms. Toni Ireland there were not a lot of opportunities for freshmen, she advised me to attend one of their career fairs to make my face known,” said Mitchell, a psychology major who was born in Guyana and raised in the Virgin Islands. “A few weeks after the career fair, I got an e-mail from the U.S. Department of Interior for their Career Discovery Internship Program.”
Mitchell spent her summer working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island in Virginia. The internship included all expenses plus a salary. Calling it her “most amazing summer ever,” Mitchell’s responsibilities involved public speaking about the environment and endangered species; and creating brochures and newsletters.
Touted as the best public speaker who ever interned at the department, Mitchell was hired after her internship to become a U.S. Department of Interior ambassador. Her job is to inform her classmates and Atlanta University Center students in general about the opportunities the department has to offer to all majors.
Read Full Article at Spelman
Norfolk State University, Norfolk Public Schools and Booker T. Washington High School signed a partnership agreement, Mon., Oct. 3, which seeks to promote learning and skills in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, (STEM) and allied health for Booker T. Washington High school students. Norfolk State officials also will provide mentoring and tutoring to the students and offer a tuition scholarship each year to Booker T. Washington’s valedictorian and salutatorian.
Norfolk State University, Norfolk Public Schools and Booker T. Washington High School are strengthening their longstanding relationship with a partnership signing. The partnership agreement seeks to promote learning and skills in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, (STEM) and allied health for Booker T. Washington High school students. Norfolk State officials also will provide mentoring and tutoring to Booker T. Washington students and offer a tuition scholarship each year to Booker T. Washington’s valedictorian and salutatorian.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The leadership of Booker T. Washington High School was instrumental in the formation of what is now Norfolk State University. For 75 years, Booker T. Washington graduates have pursued degrees at Norfolk State.
Watch Oakwood’s First Couple, Drs. Leslie and Prudence Pollard, on “Dialog on Comcast” on either Sunday, October 9 (8:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m.) or on Tuesday, October 11 (8:00 p.m.), hosted by Ms. Janet Martin. Oakwood University’s LEAP (Leadership Education for the Adult Professional) Adult Degree Completion Program is designed to help adults 25 and older who are employed full time complete their degrees while continuing to work. LEAP students can earn a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management, Psychology, Church Leadership, Information Technology, or General Studies. Classes are available year-round and meet one night a week or are taught partially online. All degrees are designed to be completed at an accelerated rate. Students with 60 credits or more can generally finish in about 18 months, though we accept students with as few as 24 credits. In addition to convenient evening and online classes, the program provides opportunities for personal and professional development in small group settings and in an adult-learner environment.
Virginia State University has named Dr. Muriel Hawkins as the new Associate Provost for Partnerships and Engagement. In this position, Hawkins is responsible for leading and serving as executive officer on various University projects as assigned by the Provost or President. One of her initial projects at VSU is establishing a Dual Enrollment Partnerships Program with the local school districts.
Prior to her appointment at Dillard University, Dr. Hawkins served as Assistant Vice Chancellor (AVC) at the University of Wisconsin (UW) Oshkosh, with programmatic and budgetary leadership for five departments, including representation at the UW System level as the campus’ diversity officer. She currently holds the status of Emerita as AVC and Associate Professor in the College of Education and Human Services. For many years, Dr. Hawkins served in a variety of capacities at Chicago State University in Academic Affairs and the College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions.
Read Full Article at VSU
North Carolina Central University received final approval today from the University of North Carolina Board of Governors to introduce a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) program in integrated biosciences. The university will now begin recruiting students to enter the program in fall 2012, and would award its degrees four years later. They would be the first Ph.D.s awarded by the university in more than 50 years.
The interdisciplinary doctorate will be offered on two tracks, biomedical sciences and pharmaceutical sciences. The program will be housed in the College of Science and Technology, but will draw also on the resources of NCCU’s Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (JLC–BBRI), the Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE) and the School of Library and Information Sciences. The curriculum will include offerings from the life sciences, physical sciences, computation and information sciences, pharmaceutical sciences and mathematics.
“Our Ph.D. in integrated biosciences is consistent with the UNC Tomorrow initiative, our own mission, and our strengths in health disparities research and biotechnology,” said NCCU Chancellor Charlie Nelms. “All 32 faculty engaged in the program have earned terminal degrees from some of the best research universities in the nation, and we have constructed nearly 150,000 square feet of state-of-the-art science space in the last 12 years.”
Research involving health disparities — the gaps between the health status of the nation’s racial and ethnic minorities compared with the population as a whole — has been explicitly part of the mission of BBRI since it opened in 1999, and a key focus of other NCCU science and public health programs for decades.
Shepherding the program to fruition was the NCCU dean of graduate studies, Dr. Chanta Haywood. “There is a diverse population of extremely bright students who want to be leaders in health disparities research,” Haywood said. “As graduate dean, I’m confident that we’ll attract them to our program.”
Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr., the 33rd General President of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. came to visit the ‘hollow grounds and dear old walls’ of Virginia Union University on Thursday, October 6, 2011. He has begun a tour of college campuses to fellowship with his fellow Alpha brothers as he comes to the end of his term as General President.
Prior to visiting Virginia Union, General President Mason was the key note speaker at the luncheon of the 96th Annual ASALH National Convention at the Richmond Marriot earlier in the day. His speech was entitled “The MLK, Jr. Monument: Struggle and Triumph.” He spoke on the making of the MLK Memorial that was unveiled in August, which was raised on the National Mall in August 2011 under Mason’s tenure as president.
After the luncheon at the Marriot, Alpha brothers escorted General President Mason to the campus grounds of Virginia Union University. Herman Mason applauded Virginia Union’s deep roots of legacy and history. Virginia Union is the alma mater to one of the founding Jewels of Alpha Phi Alpha: Eugene Kinckle Jones. Jones also founded the Gamma chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha at Virginia Union on December 30, 1907.
“As I countdown to my last 14 months in office, [I will] visit brothers and college campuses,” Mason said. “There is no more historic campus than Virginia Union.” Virginia Union was founded in 1865, and humbly began with freed slaves attending classes at Lumpkin’s Jail. Now it is home to some of the greatest achievers and leaders in medicine, ministry, politics, armed forces and more. Mason is no stranger to Virginia Union University, as he was the key note speaker of the Gamma chapter’s centennial celebration in 2007.
“We’re really excited about the fact that Brother Mason has been a major supporter of the Gamma chapter located here on the campus of Virginia Union University,” said Darryl Coker, Xi Delta Lambda graduate advisor for the Gamma chapter and Virginia Union alumnus. Coker said that Mason’s love for history drew him to Virginia Union and to the Gamma chapter, especially during their centennial celebration. “History is important here, history is important in Alpha, and this is a historic moment for him to be a part of”, Coker said of the centennial. “From that day on, he’s always been a supporter of this chapter on this campus.”
Michael Moore, the 2010 VUU Young Alumnus of the Year, expressed his enjoyment in organizations like Alpha Phi Alpha putting more effort into reaching out to the HBCU community. “A lot of people aren’t aware but this is a very historic campus that has produced a lot of great people,” Moore said. “It’s good to see that even on the national level of Alpha Phi Alpha, that they recognize the importance of this historic university.”
It was thanks to the social media network Twitter that Skip Mason found his way to Virginia Union. The Gamma chapter reached out to their General President on Twitter when they found out that he was coming to Richmond for the ASALH National Convention. “It was a blessing that social media worked out the way it did,” says James Fernandez, Gamma chapter president. “We’ve been in communication with him once on Twitter, but we didn’t expect this day to happen where we would be giving the General President a tour of our historic campus.”
It was indeed a pleasant surprise for the campus of Virginia Union to serve as host to Herman “Skip” Mason during its Homecoming celebration, and his visit is highlighted with more pictures below. All pictures courtesy of Victor Harper:
Jackson State University has named Pristina Jones its women’s head track and field coach. Jones brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Jackson with her.
“I want to thank the Jackson State University administration and Dr. Vivian L. Fuller for this great opportunity,” Jones said. “I am looking forward to a great year, both athletically and academically.”
She is a North Central College (Naperville, IL) graduate. While at NCC she became an 11 time All-American in track, with three of those times being National Championships. She won the NCAA D-III indoor and outdoor long jump titles in 1999, as well as being a member of the NCC 4×400-meter relay team that won the D-III indoor title the same year.
Jones also holds school records in the outdoor long jump, the outdoor 4×100 relay team and the indoor 4×400 relay team. She also won seven College Conferences of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) championships in her collegiate career, including three consecutive CCIW long jump titles from 1997-99. She graduated in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing, with a minor in computer science and emphases in communications.
Following her collegiate career, Jones joined the Indiana Invaders, an Amateur Elite Track and Field club in Indianapolis. From 2000 to 2005, she trained for competition, as well as mentored college and high school student-athletes. She concluded her post-collegiate career with a personal record of 20’6″ in the long jump.
In 2005 she joined the Jacksonville State University athletics department as the assistant women’s cross country and track and field coach. She spent one year at Jacksonville State. During the 2006 indoor season the women’s track team its first ever meet in the school’s history. During the 2006 outdoor season, she helped the program put on its first ever home meet. Later that season the Gamecocks finished second in the conference outdoor championships. Four members of the track team advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional.
Read Full Article at Jackson State names Pristina Jones women’s track coach
Its that time again where people come from all over to Greensboro, North Carolina to celebrate Homecoming at North Carolina A&T State University also known as GHOE. This video features the schedule of events for the week of HOMECOMING 2011, including a comedy show with Gary Owen & Lil Duval and the 2011 Homecoming Concert featuring Rick Ross, Meek Mill, DJ Khaled, Marsha Ambrosius, Miguel and Ace Hood