Your Black College

Racial Profiling? Dr. Boyce Debates U. Akron “Incident” on NPR

2011-09-14T07:53:00.001-04:00

Report Says NCAA Athletes are Worth Six Figures: Are You Really Surprised?

2011-09-13T08:52:00.001-04:00

Arizona State University Students Wear Black Face to a Football Game

2011-09-10T18:44:00.001-04:00

Black Teacher Suspended for Referring to a Student as “White Boy”

2011-09-07T20:43:00.001-04:00

The Shirley Chisholm Presidential Accountability Commission How President Obama Should Address the Black Jobless Crisis

2011-09-06T15:25:00.001-04:00

Julianne Malveaux: Don’t Paraphrase Dr. King, Just Change It!

2011-09-06T13:55:00.001-04:00

Hispanics Now Surpass African Americans in College Enrollment

2011-08-27T14:04:00.001-04:00

Morris Brown Officially Pays Off All Debts to the Federal Government

2011-08-25T11:08:00.001-04:00

by Shani K. Collins, Your Black World

Morris Brown, an Atlanta-based, private, coeducational, liberal-arts historically black college (HBCU) is now government debt-free after enduring years of financial woes. A news report from 11 Alive Atlanta confirmed that in April the U.S. Department of Education agreed to a $500,000 settlement which would absolve the college’s $9.4 million dollar outstanding debt, once paid in full.

The million-dollar debt was a result of years’ worth of unused, mounting financial aid that Morris Brown never returned to the Department of Education. The unreturned money was disclosed in a five-year audit of the school’s finances, prompting the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to pull the college’s accreditation in 2003. Dr. Dolores E. Cross was the college’s president from 1998-2002. In 2006, she pleaded guilty to charges of embezzling millions of dollars in federal funds from students and the college. Mr. Parvesh Singh was also charged with one count of embezzlement.

Until losing its accreditation and federal funding, Morris Brown was a member of the Atlanta University Consortium (AUC), the largest consortium of African-Americans in higher education. The consortium currently consists of four HBCUs in southwest Atlanta, Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman College. The consortium structure allows for students to cross-register at the other institutions in order to attain a broader collegiate experience. They also share the Robert W. Woodruff Library, a Dual Degree Engineering Program and Career Planning and Placement Services.

Despite its financial concerns, the college boasts a rich history, as it was founded by former slaves affiliated African Methodist Episcopal Church. Although enrollment is low, the college remains open, and is educating many of the country’s brightest African-American students, many of whom are first-generation college students. Dr. J. Pritchett, Sr., wrote in his “President’s Letter”: ”Losing our accreditation and access to federal funding has limited traditional revenue streams to support operational costs and to pay existing debts. We are working tirelessly to prepare for an accrediting agency to review our program this academic year. We are also identifying academic programs to support workforce development in a global economy and rebuilding our relationship with the United States Department of Education to provide students grants and loans. The college is working to regain accreditation and establish a Lifelong Learning Center.” Pritchett is the college’s 18th president.

Now that the college is debt-free, plans to apply for accreditation with the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools are underway.

Shani K. Collins is a freelance writer. You may visit her at www.shanicollins.com

Black Scientists Get Less Funding than White Ones

2011-08-20T10:53:00.001-04:00

Your Black World reports

College Student Killed over 50 Cents

2011-08-12T17:51:00.001-04:00

by Antoine Scroggins, Your Black World

Another promising young man’s life ended too soon over a senseless act of violence.

Are For Profit Universities Doing a Disservice to Minorities?

2011-08-10T09:52:00.001-04:00

By JasmineHughes

Selected for their potential to succeed or for their potential to become indebted? Many are now questioning the targeted recruiting practices of for-profit colleges.

Perhaps the President Should Begin to Speak Openly about Minority Education

2011-08-09T18:26:00.001-04:00

Your Black World reports

Russlyn Ali is no stranger to the huge disparity in the educational achievement gaps among blacks and whites. In fact, most of her professional career had been tirelessly spent on improving educational opportunities for low-income and minority students.

Your Black World, ThyBlackMan.com

William D. Jackson: The Importance of Black Male Teachers

2011-08-06T19:52:00.001-04:00

A third-generation black male teacher writes about the importance of black men in education.

Erin Harper: Language on The Morehouse vs. Howard Rivalry Fan Page is Getting Downright Embarrassing

2011-08-06T17:05:00.001-04:00

by Erin Harper, YourBlackWorld.com

I did not graduate from Morehouse College or Howard University. Neither did Sean Combs or many of this week’s readers of the “Howard v. Morehouse: Nation’s Football Classic Trash Talk” group page on Facebook. However, while at Spelman, I DID take one psychology class at Morehouse, served on the Miss Maroon & White court, and strolled in front of Kilgore Hall to Juvenile’s “400 Degreez” album enough to earn me at least 36 credit hours in Drama and Dance. Thus, I attended Morehouse College and I have granted myself with the right and the privilege to defend the institution whenever there is a need.

Ayvaunn Penn Presents: What if You Were Beat by Your Husband on Your Wedding Night?

2011-07-30T10:23:00.001-04:00

Ayvaunn Penn from Your Black Poets presents “The Power of Silence” by E. D. Arrington out of Wilson, North Carolina.

Dr. Boyce, Marc Lamont Hill, Steve Perry, Michael Eric Dyson Sign on for New Film, “Hoodwinked”

2011-07-08T11:10:00.001-04:00

Affirmative Action Ban Lifted in Michigan

2011-07-02T18:38:00.001-04:00

What Does It Mean to be a Dangerous Negro?

2011-06-27T08:00:00.001-04:00

Rapper Lupe Fiasco Says that President Obama is a Terrorist

2011-06-08T19:42:00.001-04:00

It appears that Lupe has a lot to say about President Obama and US foreign policy.

12-Year Old Boy May Be Greatest Chess Player in History

2011-06-03T08:22:00.001-04:00

Ayvaunn Penn Introduces Your Black Poets

2011-06-02T22:44:00.001-04:00

Outstanding spoken word artist Ayvaunn Penn introduces Your Black Poets. Check it out by clicking here.

Delta Sigma Keeps Black Males Out of Trouble

2011-05-27T10:18:00.001-04:00

Hilarious: South Park Mocks NCAA with “Crack Baby Basketball League”

2011-05-26T12:07:00.001-04:00

Florida Memorial University Has All Black Male Baccalaureate Service

2011-05-25T22:28:00.001-04:00

MIAMI GARDENS, FL [May 12, 2011] – According to the Schott Foundation, only half of black male students graduate from high school. In an effort to reverse this crisis, Florida Memorial University (FMU) President Henry Lewis III, along with other university officials will launch the first 2011 High School Black Male Baccalaureate Service on Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 5:00 pm. The event strives to honor extraordinary Black male students who will graduate from high school. It will take place at the Lou Rawls Center for the Performing Arts on FMU’s campus.

“In my Vision 2020 plan, we embrace a ‘Communiversity’ philosophy that merges needs and concerns of the community with the university,” Lewis commends. “We need these young men more than ever. They are our future leaders. They are indeed my heroes.”

FMU invites the community to congratulate the young men on their achievements and honor their cultural heritage. The program will also encourage the young men to continue their education.

“I refuse to believe the notion that ‘not all people’ are college material,” exclaims Kareem Coney, director of FMU’s Black Male College Explorers Program (BMCEP), which boasts a 100-percent high school graduation rate. “We have the opportunity to expose these young men to the resources that will help them achieve upward mobility and become successful contributors to their families and communities.”

Ninety-eight percent of BMCEP’s graduates earned college placement. Honorees may be eligible for BMCEP’s new summer dual enrollment program where attendees stay on campus and take college courses that focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The event’s details are as followed:

What: 2011 High School Black Male Baccalaureate Service

When: Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 5:00 pm

Where: Lou Rawls Center for the Performing Arts

Florida Memorial University 15800 N.W. 42nd Ave, Miami Gardens, Florida 33054

For more information on how to be a part of the new day at Florida Memorial University, please contact Ms. Joyce Forchion or Mr. Zachary Rinkins in the Office of Public Affairs at 305-6026-3624.

About Florida Memorial University:

Florida Memorial University is a private, undergraduate and graduate degree-granting institution located in Miami Gardens, Florida. Florida Memorial’s history and traditions date back to 1879. Its legacy of determination and accomplishment has made it one of Florida’s longest surviving centers of academic excellence. Offering 41 undergraduate degree programs and four graduate degree programs, Florida Memorial is a culturally diverse institution that is committed to transforming lives and helping to create a future for people from many races, ethnicities, countries, religions and socio-economic backgrounds. The University offers its students a promise and a future, and has opened doors to educational opportunities that may have been previously closed for many students. The university is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, the National Association of Schools of Music, and the Council on Social Work Education. Today, Florida Memorial is committed to the pursuit of excellence and continues to educate youth, intellectually and spiritually. Strong moral character, mutual respect, freedom of worship and a commitment to serve are the hallmarks of what it means to be a Florida Memorial Lion. For more information, please contact the Office of Public Affairs at (305) 626-3624 or visit www.fmuniv.edu.

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Morehouse Men Pay Tribute to Oprah

2011-05-25T12:09:00.001-04:00

Supreme Court Tells California Prisons to Release Nearly 1/3 of It’s Inmates

2011-05-23T21:07:00.001-04:00

This landmark Supreme Court Ruling can change the face of American justice.

The Lost Jailhouse Interview with Tupac Shakur

2011-05-23T07:42:00.001-04:00

In this video, Tupac lets it all hang out – talking about life, love, and being a black man in America.

Click to watch

Meet National Debate Champion, Dayvon Love

2011-05-21T22:48:00.001-04:00

Race-Baiting by NBC? White Females Claim Black Athletes Raped Them

2011-05-21T13:03:00.001-04:00

Two white female students claim that black athletes raped them. But the way the story is presented is racially-disturbing.

click to read

Student Says Wake Forest Basketball Player Forced Her to Have Oral Sex

2011-05-21T12:02:00.001-04:00

Maggie Hurt made some stunning allegations on The Today Show.

click to read more

15-Year Old Girl Gets Admitted Into Harvard

2011-05-21T07:39:00.001-04:00

Yes, this is what our kids are supposed to be.

PatriceJohnson: Your Environment Doesn’t Make You, You Choose to Make Yourself

2011-05-20T23:34:00.001-04:00

by: PatriceJohnson, Your Black World

Joseph “JoJo” Simmons Jr.

People always say that your environment is what inspires you to make the decisions that you make. Whether it be good or bad. Some people believe that if you are brought up in a stable home with a mother and father, for females, they are less likely to end up pregnant, more likely to go to college and less likely to end up on welfare. As for males, they are less likely to end up as dead beat dads, more likely to go to college and less likely to end up in prison.

Little Girl Speaks 6 Languages, Plays 7 Instruments

2011-05-19T11:17:00.001-04:00

16 and Pregnant Star Faces Up to 74 Years in Prison

2011-05-18T14:50:00.001-04:00

by: PatriceJohnson, Your Black World

Josh Drummonds (left) and the mother of his son, Nikkole Paulun (right)

Just this week Josh Drummonds was arrested after his mother called the police on him for stealing five checks from her check book and writing the checks out to himself. Josh is a member of the newest 16 & Pregnant cast and the father of Nikkole Paulun’s beautiful baby boy.

Your Black World Speaks to Lou Gossett Jr.

2011-05-17T14:41:00.001-04:00

click to listen

First Lady Michelle Obama’s Remarks at Spelman University’s Graduation

2011-05-15T21:20:00.001-04:00

MRS. OBAMA: Well, goodness. Thank you. (Applause.) Let me tell you it is a pleasure and an honor -- yes, Chicago -- (laughter and applause) -- to be with all of you today.

And I want to thank President Tatum for her leadership and for that very kind and generous introduction. She is such an inspiration to all of the women who are part of the

Spelman family, so let’s give her our thanks and round of applause. (Applause.)

Predominantly Black Memphis High School Earns a Visit From President Obama

2011-05-11T08:19:00.001-04:00

President Obama is rewarding a Memphis high school that has really turned itself around.

A Group Calls for Prosecutor to Drop Charges Against Homeless Mom

2011-05-10T12:40:00.001-04:00

Technorati Tags: tonya mcdowell,tanya mcdowell

Yes, Our Kids Need Year-Round Education

2011-05-10T10:24:00.001-04:00

Should our kids go to school year round? This guy thinks it’s mandatory in order for the US to be able to compete.

50th Anniversary of the Freedom Riders: Thank You For All You’ve Done

2011-05-04T17:56:00.001-04:00

Five Things College Students Do to Ruin their Lives

2011-05-04T13:44:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University, YourBlackWorld.com

As a college professor for the past 16 years, I’ve noticed two things about college: It can be a place to make your dreams come true, and it can also be a breeding ground for your worst nightmares. So, I thought I would compile a list of things that I’ve seen college students do to ruin their lives over the years. Hopefully, you and your child can learn from what I am about to share.

1) Sex, drugs, alcohol and gambling
College is a great place to pick up a lot of really bad habits. The worst part is that people tell you that these things are ok. It’s not that all of these are bad things to do, but at the very least, they should be done in moderation. It doesn’t matter if you are in college: If you have sex with too many people, you are going to catch a disease or get pregnant. If you use drugs, you are going to become a drug addict. If you drink too much, you will become an alcoholic. Gambling can also ruin your life as much as drugs or alcohol. I have several dozen friends with really messed up lives to this day, all of whom started their downward spiral on a college campus. You should not think that because you are in college, you are immune to these problems. If something doesn’t feel right, then you shouldn’t do it. Be mature enough to make smart decisions.

2) Falling for the credit card scams and ruining your credit
There are no serious credit card scams in college, only the little people who stand out in front of the bookstore trying to get you to take their "free money". Credit cards are very tempting when you are in school, especially since you are broke. If you decide to take one, make sure that you are very careful with how much you buy with the card, and that you have a careful plan to pay it all back. Putting yourself in over your head can easily destroy your credit. That is not a good cycle to get into. Not taking care of your student loan obligations can ruin your credit as well. You should manage your debt as best you can, because if you don’t, it can take decades to fix the problems that are created.

Members of Kappa Alpha Psi Arrested for Hazing

2011-05-04T11:29:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action

The Bakersfield Police Department has confirmed that four men were arrested in a hazing incident involving students at California State University. As of Saturday, police were investigating an alleged felonious assault involving members of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

The report was initiated after a 25-year old man was admitted to the hospital as a result of the incident. The investigation found that between March 28 and April 25, four students were assaulted on multiple occasions. The assaults included beatings and being shot at close range with a BB gun.

The members of the fraternity involved in the alleged incident are not officially sanctioned by the university. They do, however, recruit students from the CSUB campus through a club they’ve established.

Ryan Nichols and Deandre Horn, both 22-years old, were arrested in the alleged incident. They are being charged with assault with a deadly weapon, torture and conspiracy. Darlington Agu, 24, and Ricky Joy Jr., 20, are being charged with hazing and conspiracy. Another student, 22-year old Philemon Norris, is wanted and police are searching for him.

NFL Star Was Found to Have Had Serious Brain Injury When He Killed Himself

2011-05-02T17:52:00.001-04:00

BOSTON — The suicide of the former Chicago Bears star Dave Duerson became more alarming Monday morning, when Boston University researchers announced that Duerson’s brain had developed the same trauma-induced disease recently found in more than 20 deceased players.

The diagnosis adds a new and perhaps pivotal chapter to football’s still-unfolding narrative surrounding concussions. Duerson shot himself Feb. 17 in the chest rather than the head so that his brain could be examined by Boston University’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, which announced its diagnosis Monday morning in Boston.

Dreams of Radical Democracy: Obama and the Crisis of Race in America

2011-05-02T13:16:00.001-04:00

by Professor Peniel Joseph, Tufts University

On Wednesday, April 27, 2011 the world witnessed a spectacle at once historic and humiliating: a sitting American president forced to preside over a press conference where he reasserted his citizenship. President Barack Obama’s release of his “long-form” birth certificate in the wake of withering criticism from conspiracy theorists, Tea Party activists, and Donald Trump cast a strobe light on the nation’s persistent and tortured racial history.

As a historian and public intellectual who comments frequently on national issues concerning race, democracy, and civil rights I watched Obama’s news conference with an eye toward the long struggle for black citizenship in America. When a reporter from Yahoo news asked me for my reactions to this stunning turn of events, I informed her that the entire affair revealed not only the nation’s “deep seated and vicious racism” but illustrated a “white supremacist vision of American democracy” intent on delegitimizing America’s first black president. My comments also reflected an over two decades long study of American history, race, social movements, and democracy. Historically, race relations in America has progressed in fits and starts, with each significant advancement inevitably accompanied by bouts of backlash, violence, and setbacks that cause many to turn inward.

That same day I also conducted a radio interview with Chicago’s WVON hosted by Cliff Kelley, the legendary “governor” of the Windy City’s black airwaves. Black folk reacted to the unfolding events with a mixture of anger and sadness, painfully aware that their deepest fears had been confirmed with this latest assault on the leader of the free world’s very humanity.

The hate e-mails began shortly after the story posted on line, with critics accusing me of race baiting, fear mongering, and publicity seeking. One of this story’s biggest tragedies is the continued and persistent gulf in racial perceptions between blacks and whites. In many ways, as a nation we remain mired in a stagnant monologue, rather than dialogue, over race a relation that lacks the creative imagination, collective goodwill, and intellectual courage to confront difficult historical truths. Reading the responses, which included supportive missives as well, highlighted the necessity for a national dialogue on race relations.

Key to this will be the courage to address painful truths about American history that go beyond the superficial eloquence of Obama’s celebrated March 18, 2008 “race speech.” Then, Senator Obama sketched out a narrative of racial resentment based on the false assumption that black anger and white resentment rested on a foundation of moral equivalence. The far more sobering reality is that America is a nation founded on racial slavery, a fundamental and enduring paradox that endured long past the civil war and subsequent period of Jim Crow into our contemporary present. That we still live in an era where the origins of the Civil War (slavery) remain contested in certain quarters is living proof of a collective inability to face racial ghosts that continue to haunt America.

Black Americans are the group of citizens who have lived in the United States for the longest amount of time, yet have enjoyed the unfettered right to vote for less than a half-century. Despite an at times massive gulf between democratic rhetoric and reality, blacks have been at the forefront of an expansive vision of radical democracy led by figures such as Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells, Sojourner Truth, and W.E.B. Du Bois.

Long past the “bullwhip days” of antebellum slavery, black radicals such as Malcolm X remained skeptical of the promises of American democracy. “Whenever a Negro fights for ‘democracy,’” noted Malcolm in 1964, “he’s fighting for something he has not got, never had and never will have.” The majority of blacks embraced a more optimistic vision of American democracy, inspired by the resilience, courage, and quiet dignity of black sharecroppers in the Mississippi Delta and the Alabama black belt, young college students including Stokely Carmichael (later Kwame Ture) bled for a radical notion of democracy during the Civil Rights Movement’s heroic period between the 1954 Supreme Court Brown desegregation decision and 1965’s Voting Rights Act. The subsequent call for Black Power amplified these freedom dreams and introduced Black Panthers, welfare rights and anti-poverty activists, and Black Arts icons like Sonia Sanchez into the local, national, and global political arena—all committed to the fundamental transformation of democratic institutions in service of a human rights revolution.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. sounded radical democracy’s clarion call during this epoch. From a dingy jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963 (the centennial year of the Emancipation Proclamation) King extolled the “great wells of democracy dug deep by the founding fathers” as a living historical bridge between 18^th century American revolutionaries and 20^th century black women, children, and men. That same year he touted democracy’s redemptive powers at the August 28 March On Washington, even as he reminded the nation that blacks were intent on reclaiming social, political, and economic reparations for centuries of racial oppression. By 1967 King, in the words of one of his biographers, became a “pillar of fire” unafraid to expose harsh truths about American racial, political, and economic violence. He wrote of the “fierce urgency of now,” citing materialism, racism, and militarism as triple threats to humanity’s very existence.

As a nation we collectively choose to ignore this King. And no wonder. Senator Barack Obama often invoked King’s name, memory, and words at the start of his presidential campaign, citing “the fierce urgency of now” as the reason behind his audacious bid for the presidency. Obama stopped short of acknowledging King’s revolutionary criticism of American democracy. Similarly, he failed to mention King’s comparison to racism as a cancer on the body politic or the civil rights icon’s repeated declaration that America was a “sick” society infected by the disease of racism.

For many, Barack Obama’s presidential election on November 4, 2008 offered a collective cure for past historic sins and contemporary inequality. This period of post-racial America lasted from Election Day to Obama’s January 20, 2009 inauguration.

America, indeed the world, basked in a period of unearned congratulations in the elections aftermath, reassured in the fact that they could regale children and grandchildren with tales of the nation’s remarkable political evolution from the dark night of slavery to a 21^st century post-racial Nirvana. Now, these same grandchildren must learn that the America that elected a black president forced him, within two years and three months of his presidency, to prove his citizenship in order to continue to govern. While blacks feel a special level of indignation, all Americans should be ashamed of this abysmal and race based spectacle. The entire world feels the echoes of “show me your papers,” from South Africans during apartheid to Jews during the holocaust, and antebellum era Northern Negroes forced to prove their standing as free citizens.

The positives of this spectacle, is the stripping away of some our most precious illusions about race, democracy, and social justice in 2011.

The fact that blacks are over-represented in every negative social economic indicator in the nation reflects the current depths of institutional racism. Mass incarceration, skyrocketing unemployment, healthcare, income, and wealth disparities, residential and public school segregation are all hallmarks of the New Jim Crow and not examples of black pathology, laziness, or a culture of urban poverty reflected in the behavior of an unassimilated black underclass.

Despite the stark reality of our contemporary times, I remain defiantly optimistic. It’s the kind of defiance that made Frederick Douglass, in the words of his biographer, “love to expose American lies.” It is a vision of American democracy embodied in the activism of Ella Baker and Fannie Lou Hamer, stalwart and robust genius organizers who risked their lives and bodies in hopes that the nation might one day, finally, live up to its democratic creed. The same feelings animated a nineteen-year old Stokely Carmichael as he languished in Parchman Penitentiary (Mississippi’s worst prison farm) for over a month in the aftermath of the 1961 Freedom Rides. Harold Washington’s long-shot 1983 mayoral campaign (cited by President Obama as influencing his own decision to enter politics), Jesse Jackson’s two campaigns in 1984 and 1988, and yes, Obama’s own presidential run sought to tap into a long, at times ill-fated, vision of a multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi-class, and multi-generational democracy that represents the best of what the nation can aspire to.

In 1968 the presidential authorized Kerner Commission traced the roots behind urban rebellions and racial strife to unemployment, institutional racism, and the politics and practices of white supremacy that presided over the flourishing of urban ghettoes across the United States. The president responded by refusing to meet with his own commission. Over four decades later this silencing remains deafening.

“Fighters fight. Writers write,” proclaimed the novelist Chester Himes. I plan on continuing to write and fight for a vision of radical democracy that remains more urgently needed now than ever. In May, America commemorates the 50^th anniversary of the Freedom Rides, a time where heroic bands of white and black volunteers defied Jim Crow in order to create their own democratic visions. Like the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC, pronounced “snick”) the Freedom Riders attempted to will a world they imagined into being through collective action. This anniversary coincides with the 150^th anniversary of the start of the Civil War and in truth both retain a kind of poetic symmetry in the nation’s arduous, often times halting efforts, to advance beyond racial slavery and Jim Crow into a new era of social, political, racial, and economic justice.

The current moment represents both a crisis and an opportunity. I hope that readers will join me as I organize an effort, one that will connect the local, national, and global, to establish a dialogue on race relations that will allow for constructive engagement the pressing issues of social, political, racial, and economic justice that we face in the 21^st century.

Dr. Peniel Joseph is a Professor of History at Tufts University. To join the Your Black World Coalition, please click here.

President Obama: Show Me Your Passbook

2011-05-02T11:43:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Julianne Malveaux

I am glad that President Barack Obama has a sense of humor about the birthers. I don't, and I am disgusted that Donald Trump, lacking in both sense and scruples, was able to push the President to releasing his "long form" birth certificate. Now that the birth certificate has been released, perhaps, we can get back to some of the business of government, except for the fact that those who want to embrace their racism and believe that President Obama was not born here, did not star at Harvard (despite his position on the competitive Law Review), did not "deserve" his election (which did not depend on hanging chads"), will continue to promulgate their nonsense.

Meanwhile, President Obama was maneuvered into analogously showing his passbook, the very same passbook that black South Africans had to show before the end of apartheid to prove their citizenship. They could be forced to show the passbook at any time, by any white person who questioned their right to be somewhere. While I never quite saw Mr. Trump as one of the arrogant Afrikaners who perpetrated the apartheid system, his use of birther logic was similar to the logic that white South Africans used to maintain their supremacy.

The birther demands remind me of the grandfather clauses of the post-Civil War era, when people of African descent were only allowed to vote if their grandfathers could. Since most of our grandfathers were enslaved and lacked birth certificates, the grandfather clauses were an effective way to limit, if not completely exclude, the black vote. The Trump cry to "show me your birth certificate" is reminiscent of the grandfather clauses that impeded equal rights.

The birthers who wanted to see President Obama's passbook are not only challenging his legitimacy, but the legitimacy of many of African descent who live in these United States and have achieved positions of power and influence. In their minds, African Americans are not "real" Americans, those who have immigrated here are not "real" Americans, and (gasp!) those of different religions are not "real" Americans. Thanks, President Obama, for skewering them with humor and with a bit of an edge. Masterful, to suggest that Congresswoman Michelle Bachman is Canadian. But Canadians are white, and they'd never be asked, as Latinos often are in Arizona, to show their passbooks. They can pass.

If the birthers want to see the passports of those who have come to this country from the African continent, they might try looking at the footprints of our nation's capital, the same capital that enslaved people built, the capital from which they spew their distortions. If birthers want to see passports, they might want to go to the Underground Railroad Museum to look at the chains slaveholders used to contain others. In showing the chains, we show the passports.

These birthers have a lot of nerve. They attack immigration, but they, too, are the descendants of immigrants. Just because they rode on the top of the boat (not in the hold, as cargo), does not mean they can claim superiority to those who have become immigrants just because they changed borders (remember, Texas and Arizona used to be Mexico). In demanding that President Obama show his birth certificate/his passbook, they are challenging the roots of our nation's already flawed immigrant history.

President Obama is a better American than I am. He put Trump and his birthers in their place with an incisive and biting humor while I have been hammering them with a silent rage. That Mr. Trump could not manage to crack a smile speaks volumes for his nature, and that he would take credit for pushing the President into releasing his birth certificate shouts out his shallowness.

Now that passbooks have been shown, it is time to get back to the salt mines. Debt ceiling, anyone? Budget cuts? Back in the day Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Today, candidate Trump talks trash and incites invective while the real issues around the future of our nation are neglected. Now that the long form birth certificate has trumped Trump, are there legislators who will deal with education, employment, health care, and human services?

Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist, author and commentator, and the Founder & Thought Leader of Last Word Productions, Inc., a multimedia production company.

Regal Black Women from Around the World

2011-04-30T16:27:00.001-04:00

Click here to read about these women and others on Black Enterprise

HBCU Student Not Allowed to Graduate Because of Facebook Post

2011-04-30T16:03:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, YourBlackWorld.com – Scholarship in Action

Roman Caple is a senior at St. Augustine’s College. He was set to graduate this weekend until he was informed by the school that he wouldn’t be allowed to walk with his classmates. Caple says that his punishment was due to a Facebook post that allegedly "jeopardized the integrity of the college."

Caple argues that the reaction of school administrators came as a result of his posts following a tornado that hit Raleigh, NC two weeks ago. But he says that most of his comments were meant to be uplifting. One of his posts said the following:

"We all need to set our differences aside and help one another. Falcons we will continue to fly high because that's what we do. Help your neighbor, if need be, Falcons are one."

According to what Caple said to ABC11, "Here's the post that I believe they are referring to as to being putting this college in a negative light. It says 'St. Augs is holding classes tomorrow and students in Falcrest still don't have power. Like, wtf. Really? #dumb.'"

Caple is an active student who is a member of the school band and choir. He also played tennis for St. Augustine for the past three years. He’s even had the school’s logo shaved into his head, which is a surprising act of school spirit.

The Reality of Being a Football Star

2011-04-30T10:01:00.001-04:00

Watch as YBW’s Eshe White interviews a former football star about the realities of playing in the NFL

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWeut5p3pLE]

Technorati Tags: black athletes,african american athletes,eshe white

Report Says that Obama’s Father Was Forced Out of Harvard University

2011-04-29T20:58:00.001-04:00

BOSTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's father was forced to leave Harvard University before completing his Ph.D. in economics because the school was concerned about his personal life and finances, according to newly public immigration records.

Harvard had asked the Immigration and Naturalization Service to delay a request by Barack Hussein Obama Sr. to extend his stay in the U.S., "until they decided what action they could take in order to get rid of him," immigration official M.F. McKeon wrote in a June 1964 memo.

Harvard administrators, the memo stated, "were having difficulty with his financial arrangements and couldn't seem to figure out how many wives he had."

An earlier INS memo from McKeon said that while the elder Obama had passed his exams and was entitled on academic grounds to stay and complete his thesis, the school was going to try and "cook something up to ease him out."

President Obama Meets with Participants in the 1968 Sanitation Strike

2011-04-29T16:18:00.001-04:00

“The President invited the living participants in the Memphis Sanitation Strike to honor their courage, and their fight on behalf of all workers for safe conditions, respect in the workplace and a better life for themselves and their families. As workers across the country continue to face challenges to their rights, the issues for which these men fought continue to be relevant and the President remains committed to the causes for which they marched.” – from the White House

Malcolm X’s Interpretation of Fox News Racism

2011-04-29T00:49:00.001-04:00

Watch the video below to understand the nature of Fox News Racism. There’s a historical context to all of this, whether we’re talking about the Birther Movement, the Tea Party or any of the other activity coming from the Right Wing. Check it out below or click here to watch.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYg4N1_9zEg]

Dr. boyce: Cam Newton Goes Number One - Some Quick Advice

2011-04-28T22:21:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action

Auburn University’s Cam Newton capped off his stunning win of the Heisman Trophy by being the #1 draft pick by the Carolina Panthers in this year’s NFL draft.

I’d like to make some quick recommendations for Cam as he begins his life of fame and fortune:

1) Save your money: Most of your fellow NFL players were sweating out the lockout because they weren’t able to make payments on all the cars and houses that they can’t afford. Get a good financial manager you can trust, learn to start your own business, and make sure you’re educated enough to understand what other people are doing with your money. If you lose everything, no one is going to care.

To have Dr. Boyce Watkins commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

Technorati Tags: cam newton,black athletes,black news

NFL Player Albert Haynesworth Allegedly Put Credit Card in Woman’s Cleavage

2011-04-28T18:44:00.001-04:00

By JESSICA GRESKO
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Redskins defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth allegedly slid his credit card into the bra of a waitress and then touched her breast, according to court papers filed Wednesday offering Haynesworth a plea deal in the sexual abuse case.

Haynesworth's lawyer, however, said the deal was not one he'd take and that his client would fight the charge. Prosecutors filed paperwork in Superior Court in Washington saying that if Haynesworth agrees to plead guilty to simple assault they would drop the misdemeanor sexual abuse charge. Both charges carry the same maximum penalty, however, up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

Haynesworth's attorney, A. Scott Bolden, wrote in an e-mail Wednesday to The Associated Press that the offer was "no deal at all, nor is it one we would entertain."

"My client is prepared to, and will vigorously fight these charges," he wrote.

It is typical for prosecutors to offer a plea deal at the start of misdemeanor proceedings and to share details of their case at that time.

An overview of the government's case, filed with the plea offer in court documents, includes a fuller description of the alleged incident at The W Hotel in Washington in mid-February. The eight-page document stated that Haynesworth was attending a birthday party the night of Feb. 12-13 and was ready to pay the bill of more than $800 when his waitress was called over with her hands full of dishes.

Technorati Tags: black athletes,african american athletes,black news

The Impact of Fatherless Homes

2011-04-27T17:42:00.001-04:00

Please watch this PSA that shows the devastating impact of fatherless homes on the African American community. The video is incredibly powerful.

Technorati Tags: black fathers,african american fathers

Tanya Pleads Not Guilty and We March Next Month

2011-04-27T16:58:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action

Tanya McDowell, the mother in Connecticut who was charged with larceny for allegedly stealing an education for her son, has pleaded not guilty today in court. McDowell faces up to 20 years in prison and a $15,000 fine for sending her child to a school outside his district. The problem is that no one seems to know where McDowell was living because she is homeless.

McDowell’s son, AJ Paches, was sent by his mother to Brookside Elementary in Norwalk, CT. As a kindergartner, Ms. McDowell wanted to ensure that her son had access to a high quality education. The problem is that when school officials found out that AJ didn’t belong, they put him out. The school system that he was sent to, in nearby Bridgeport, CT has significant problems, where many of the schools are in danger of being taken over by the state.

“It’s a pretty good school and that’s all I want for my son, is a great education,” McDowell told FoxCT. “I didn’t commit a crime by wanting my son the best education for my child.”

The city of Norwalk is working to stand firm against McDowell to see the prosecution to the end.

“This woman never claimed she was homeless, never told us she was homeless, was using an illegal address in a public housing complex, has a checkered past and despite all the protestation that she’s concerned about her son, if she had done things right, this would have never happened,” Norwalk Mayor Richard Moccia said.

At the site EqualEducationNow.com, we are fighting for Ms. McDowell. But our goal is not to presume that Ms. McDowell is perfect or that there weren’t extraneous circumstances around her arrest. Our point is simple: Mothers should not have to break the law in order to get their children access to an equal education. The idea that Mayor Moccia feels that it should be OK to banish Ms. McDowell’s son to an inadequately funded school is not only incredibly selfish, it is destructive and inhumane.

We will fight the prosecution of Ms. McDowell to the very end. I spoke with the national and state NAACP Presidents yesterday, who expressed interest in having a national march in the state of Connecticut next month. Your Black World Coalition members sounded the alarm on Tanya’s case, and our coalition to fight for Ms. McDowell is growing daily. Now, nearly every civil rights leader in America has his/her eyes firmly placed on the state of Connecticut.

Since we started with Kelley Williams-Bolar in Ohio, our goal has been to protect our families from this open season on the freedom of black mothers, and to help protect the black family in the process. The mayor of Norwalk has no idea that he just got into a fight to the death. Quoting brother Malcolm, I must say that our families will be saved and protected by any means necessary, starting with Tanya McDowell.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To join our coalition to support Tanya McDowell, please visit EducationEqualNow.com.

Students Fight to Save HBCU in Louisiana

2011-04-27T14:18:00.001-04:00

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Eye-level watermarks, gutted buildings and rows of mobile classrooms linger as reminders of the flooding from Hurricane Katrina that nearly wiped out Southern University at New Orleans in 2005.

Now the predominantly African-American university faces what students and administrators view as a new threat: Gov. Bobby Jindal's proposal to consolidate the school with the nearby, mostly white University of New Orleans.

"It will be the death of SUNO," student government vice president Ellis Brent Jr. said recently as he worked on a letter-writing campaign in hopes of killing the idea in an upcoming legislative session.

Jindal's proposal renews a politically and racially charged argument that pops up periodically in the roughly 20 states that have public, four-year institutions known as historically black colleges and universities, or HBCUs.

"Every time the economy tanks, and certainly, right now, these are dire economic times, understandably governments and legislatures look for ways of cutting costs while maintaining and increasing a level of educational excellence," said Lezli Baskerville, president of the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education. "We certainly applaud and salute that.

"The challenge comes when there are broad and diverse options and the first option appears to be 'let's look at submerging HBCUs into the historically white college and university system.'"

Jindal is adamant. "It makes no sense to have colleges blocks apart, neither one of them with graduation rates we can accept," he said Tuesday at his weekly legislative news conference in Baton Rouge. At the same time, more than 200 SUNO supporters were gathering on the Capitol steps to protest the merger.

Students have filed a complaint with the Department of Justice over the merger, saying the state has discriminated against minority students, the faculty senate president said Tuesday. Spokeswoman Xochitl Hinojosa confirmed Tuesday that the Justice Department has received the complaint.
A 2009 proposal in Georgia to merge two mostly black colleges with mostly white institutions failed. The following year, the Georgia NAACP sued the state for alleged systematic underfunding of black colleges. A 2010 proposal by Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour would have merged three historically black universities — Alcorn State, Jackson State and Mississippi Valley state — but it went nowhere.

This latest effort comes as Louisiana faces a $1.6 billion budget shortfall and it's being pushed by a governor with high approval ratings and no announced opposition so far as he campaigns for re-election in the fall. Still, it will require a hard-to-get two-thirds vote in the House and the Senate and has strong opposition from the Democratic Party, black lawmakers and much of the New Orleans political establishment, including Mayor Mitch Landrieu.

Jindal insists his proposal is about improving education, not saving money. Unveiled in January, it comes a little more than five years after both campuses were badly damaged when levees breached during Katrina and much of the city flooded. Lower post-Katrina enrollment and low graduation rates plague both schools, especially SUNO, where the percentage of students who graduate within six years is less than 8 percent.
A SUNO-UNO consolidation proposal adopted in March by Louisiana's top higher education board, the Board of Regents, involved something less than a full-blown merger. Based on a consultant's recommendation, it called for creation of a "University of Greater New Orleans" encompassing a consolidated administrative system running both an "urban research university" with tougher admission standards and a "Metropolitan University" having, in the consultants' words "a special role (and obligation) in serving the African-American citizens of the Greater New Orleans Region." It also

would keep the schools with separate academic officers and accreditations.

Last week, Jindal floor leaders introduced a bill calling for a more sweeping consolidation, with one accreditation and one academic chief.

Either recommendation removes SUNO from the governance of the Baton Rouge-based, historically black Southern University System. Students and administrators are uneasy about SUNO leaving the Southern fold and they question whether the consolidated university would truly serve the needs of New Orleans' black students.

"SUNO's mission is driven by the fact that it's part of the Southern University System," Ron Mason, president of the system, said.

Talk of SUNO's low graduation rate irritates SUNO administrators.

"It's directly impacted by Katrina," chancellor Victor Ukpolo, said during a recent news conference. The percentage is affected, he said, by the fact that the campus shut down after the August 29, 2005, storm and many students quit or transferred rather than wait for resumption of classes the following January.

Still, supporters of the merger point out that SUNO's six-year rate is the lowest in the state — much lower than that at UNO, around 21 percent, which was also hit hard by the storm.
"What they're not telling you is that, because the students here are older, work harder and have many life challenges, it takes them nine years to graduate," Mason said in a separate interview.

Anthony Jeanmarie agrees.

"Most people do not go to SUNO for four years. That's not going to happen," said Jeanmarie, a 35-year-old SUNO student. "If your life is complicated in any form or fashion and you want to go to a university, then SUNO is your place."
And Jeanmarie's life is complicated. A married, African-American father of three who preaches at a New Orleans church and was recently laid off from his job at a state Medicaid office, he finished high school at 16, but was a teenage father by the time he entered college. He said poor grades got him suspended from SUNO but he returned three years ago to major in psychology.

"Give this university a chance," he said, arguing that recently adopted higher admission standards are expected to increase graduation rates, and noting that enrollment is bouncing back.
National education officials will be watching.

During a recent visit to New Orleans, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan was careful to say he does not know details of the current proposal and couldn't comment specifically on it. He made clear, however, that HBCUs are an important part of the Obama administration's efforts to increase the number of people getting college degrees.

"A disproportionate number of students going to HBCUs are first-generation college-goers," Duncan said. "When they have these opportunities, it doesn't just change their life, it changes the life of their family for generations to come."

There is trepidation about the proposal, too, on UNO's campus, where enrollment is more than 11,000. Student Government Association President John Mineo said students there are concerned about the uncertainty involved as the consolidation debate heats up.

UNO currently is without a chancellor and the search for a new leader was suspended recently amid uncertainty over the merger proposal. Some students worry that they may be affected by tougher requirements will be adopted at ta new, hybrid university, And, he said UNO students he has talked to don't think a merger should be forced if SUNO students are opposed.

"I don't think race is an issue," he said. "SUNO students feel like they're losing their identity and UNO students feel like they're losing theirs too."
___
Associated Press writers Melinda Deslatte and Molly Davis in Baton Rouge, La., contributed to this report.

Are Black Children In Danger While In Their Mothers’ Wombs?

2011-04-27T09:04:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action

Tricia Fraser filed suit last Tuesday against a Texas-based pro-life group that used her daughter’s face on a billboard that ran in Harlem earlier this year. Beneath the face of her child were the words “The most dangerous place for an African American is in the womb.”

In the lawsuit, Fraser claims that the use of her daughter’s image was “defamatory, unauthorized and offensive.” She also said that it was racist. The image was obtained legally, however, as Fraser had allowed her daughter to be photographed by a modeling agency.

The billboard brings up the interesting pro-life/pro-choice debate that will probably never be resolved. Pro-life organizations seem to work overtime to push their message, in large part because they’re convinced that they are saving young lives in the process. To some extent, they may be correct, given that most of us would never allow a newborn baby to be hurt, but there’s hardly any protest to ending that child’s life while it lies within the womb.

On the other side, pro-choice supporters make the valid point that the child is part of the woman’s body until it has detached and that there’s little room for those on the religious right to make laws to determine a woman’s right to decide how to manage her own pregnancy. The pro-lifers who are quick to fight abortion are not always so quick to support young mothers who’ve had children before they are prepared to raise them. So, to that extent, many of their arguments are based on religious dogma, rather than a genuine concern for their fellow man or woman.

The use of race in their argument against abortion is not an acceptable move by pro-lifers. If the argument is going to be made, it should be made without referencing race or trying to convince the public that abortion rights represent some kind of insidious conspiracy to kill off black people. I have no problem, however, with pro-life organizations showing parents exactly what they are doing when they kill their child (“out of site, out of mind” should not be used to justify this difficult and traumatic decision). I am personally happy that my 16-year old mother didn’t take a trip to Planned Parenthood, even though aborting me long ago would have been the most convenient choice – I was more than just a part of her body and I am glad she respected my right to live.

The abortion debate will never come to an end, and no one will ever win it. But when it comes to abortion choices in our own lives, all of us must make these decisions with a level of care and conscientiousness that goes deeper than our own inconvenience.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University and founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

Judge Says Kelley Williams-Bolar Can’t Visit Tonya McDowell

2011-04-26T17:36:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action

I just spoke with Kelley Williams-Bolar, the mother in Ohio who’d been arrested for sending her child to a school outside her district. Her goal had been to go to Connecticut this week to support Tonya McDowell, the second black mother in months to be prosecuted for the same offense. To our surprise, the judge in Kelley’s case, Patricia Cosgrove, denied Kelley the right to travel across state lines.

I find it interesting that this law-abiding mother, who simply wanted a better life for her children, finds herself forced to go through life with a probation hanging over her head, having her freedom restricted by judges and prosecutors who are determined to perpetuate the nightmare for Kelley and her family.

Kelley’s situation (as well as the fact that they are continuing to persecute her ailing father in Ohio, likely due to the attention her case received) is a reminder of how otherwise productive citizens are having their rights violated by a system that will spend scarce resources to keep them locked up instead of helping them to get access to equality in a broken and racist educational system. I am perplexed by the decision of Judge Cosgrove to keep Kelley trapped in Ohio, for I can’t imagine what illegal activity she thinks Kelley might be engaged in, other than (gasp) helping another black woman protect her family from a system that is determined to destroy them.

Welcome to American Racism 101, where it’s now open season on poor black mothers in America.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coaltion. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

NAACP Signs On to Help in Tonya McDowell

2011-04-26T16:51:00.001-04:00

PRESS RELEASE:

(For Immediate Release)

CONTACT PERSON: Scot X. Esdaile: tel. 203-668-4562

WHAT: Press Conference

Where: Crosland Attorney-Law Firm

1150 Summer Street, Stamford CT – (for directions call

(203) 921-1782

When: Tuesday, April 26, 2011 at 6:30 p.m.

Why: See below

The Connecticut State Conference of NAACP Branches announces that Attorney Darnell Crosland will represent Tonya McDowell as her attorney.

Ms. McDowell, a homeless woman, was charged in Norwalk with first degree larceny and conspiracy to commit first degree larceny for allegedly stealing $15,000 from the City of Norwalk. The CT NAACP State Conference will hold a press conference this evening at 6:30 p.m. at Attorney Darnell Crosland’s Law Office with Ms. Tonya McDowell to discuss the defense of the case.

Attorney Darnell Crosland is the Chairman of the CT NAACP Legal Redress Committee and 2nd Vice President of the Norwalk NAACP Branch.

The CT NAACP will partner with Gwen Samuels, President of Connecticut Parents Union, to mobilize community support for Ms. McDowell.

Technorati Tags: tonya mcdowell,tanya mcdowell

Dr. Boyce Spotlight: Dr. Tyrone Bledsoe Works to Save the Black Male in America

2011-04-26T10:15:00.001-04:00

As I mentioned last night on the Bev Smith Show, saving the black male in America is one of the most critical problems being faced by our community today. Over the last 30 years, black males have been subject to mass incarceration (mostly due to drug felonies after the Reagan Administration opened the door for the crack cocaine epidemic), subject to massive handgun violence (as guns followed the flow of drugs), and poor educational systems (we know how bad inner city schools are in America). As a result, many of these men are poorly equipped to become good husbands and fathers later in life, leading to the suffering of an entire community. The majority of black homes are fatherless, and our boys are bombarded with media that tells them to emulate the behavior of self-destructive hip-hop stars, or to toss away educational opportunities in exchange for an athletic lottery ticket. Something needs to be done.

Dr. Tyrone Bledsoe and his organization are working to solve these problems. Fighting for the black male is not popular in a society that is designed to destroy us. But even if society wants to see us dead and gone, that gives us no excuse to endorse the idea of killing ourselves and each other. It is for his outstanding work in the black community that Dr. Bledsoe is today’s Dr. Boyce Spotlight on Your Black World:

1) What is your name and what do you do?

My name is Dr. Tyrone Bledsoe and I serve as the President-CEO of the Student African American Brotherhood (SAAB) National Headquarters located on the campus of the University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio.

2) What is the purpose of your organization?

SAAB is a culturally sensitive organization with a very unique program model that aims to increase the number of African American and Latino Males who graduate from college by creating a positive peer community at institutions ranging from middle school through college. Since 1990, SAAB has been successfully replicated and grown to more than 200 chapters on campuses throughout the United States, with its National Headquarters housed at the University of Toledo in Toledo, OH. SAAB is recognized as a national leader and comprehensive, evidence-supported movement organized to systemically set the standards for organizational excellence by providing all students in 38 states, an opportunity to learn and to be involved. Chapters may vary in their specific structure and orientation, however, their core focus derives from the data collection and research coordinated by SAAB National Headquarters. Through leadership, mentoring, advocacy and action, SAAB addresses educational barriers for many males of color who are deemed at-risk and ensures that significantly more Black and Latino males graduate from college and go on to become productive young men and contributing citizens.

3) What do you think are some of the most significant problems being faced by black males today?

The issues confronting black males today are many. Simply the achievement of manhood is seen as a victory and major milestone for many black males today given this has been a historical and complex task for Black men in America (Lee 1996). Also, the economic challenges have intensified the problems for black males and have given way to increased poverty, unemployment, lowered life expectancy, and low expectations (Patton 1988). The health problems associated with sexual behavior of our young black males is a significant issue that requires ongoing education. Also, there are increasing numbers of black males under the control of the criminal justice system (i.e., prison, probation, parole, etc.). Moreover, the growing gap between the educational attainment of black men and black women is a serious problem with no clear solution in sight given the many set-backs that can be cited. All and all, Black males face unique challenges that oftentimes compromise their success in school. They are often described using disparaging terms such as lazy, endangered, dangerous and uneducable. The problem is further exacerbated by the internalization of these negative beliefs, which in many cases work to compromise their overall success as young men. Overall, these problems and factors coalesce and offer a profile of young men whose educational and social fate is in serious jeopardy.

4) What is your personal, educational and professional background?

I was born and reared in Grenada, Mississippi and currently reside in Toledo, Ohio. I am a distinguished member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc and the Rotary Club of Reynolds Corners. I am a very spiritual; thought-provoking, charismatic leader and lecturer, but most importantly, I am the father to one child (a son) 25-year old Tyrone, Jr.

I received my Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education degrees from Mississippi State University, and went on to complete a Ph.D. in Counseling and Student Affairs Administration with an emphasis in Counseling Psychology at the University of Georgia. My academic and professional prowess is underscored by my recognition as Outstanding Doctoral Student in the State of Georgia, and soon thereafter, my honor as Outstanding Doctoral Alumnus by the University of Georgia.

I am a contributing author to the book African American Men in College, and my scholarly contributions have been further solidified through my appearances on several talk shows to include Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.’s talk show, “Perfect Union”, where I discussed issues pertaining to African American and Latino males.

Further, my expertise was requested for an international research team to address issues affecting men of color in Europe. In 1999, I was invited to serve as guest lecturer at the Oxford University Roundtable Institute in Oxford, England to discuss my work with the latter. I have been highly recognized by several professional associations for my research, publications, presentations, and scholarly work. Because of my many contributions to Student Affairs in higher education, my membership with the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) led to my being distinguished as a Diamond Honoree. The University System of Georgia recently awarded me the “Impact Award” for my contributions to the State of Georgia. My international work has earned notoriety with Ashoka, a global association of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs, which recently selected me as one of the most outstanding social innovators in the world.

5) Do you have any advice for parents and others in the community who wish to have a positive impact on the young men around them?

I believe that successful strategies and initiatives to assist our young black males require involvement of the parents and other community stakeholders. We (as a Village) have to plan and be very systematic in creating awareness, consensus building, and generating participation from all stakeholders in processes of change and transformation. Experience has shown us that by fostering stakeholder partnerships, we can meet the expressed and sometimes “unexpressed” needs of our young people. We have to “Care” and actively show that we care about our young men’s lives and dreams. They (young men) are searching for this support and love and oftentimes find themselves creating it in alternate families (i.e., gangs). Overall, parents and community stakeholders have to be vested in creating a culture that allows young men to share, feel safe, validated and accepted coupled with a spirit of caring. We as parents and community stakeholders have to be effective, consistent and genuine “role models” who model appropriate behaviors for our young men and help them in many cases define “authentic success”.

6) Is there anything else you'd like to share with our Your Black World audience?

I would simply like for the audience to know about the effectiveness of SAAB as a national program initiative we desire to expand and replicate even more around the country. SAAB has attracted extensive national and international attention as an strategically structured, comprehensive prototype for personal and academic enrichment of young males of color ranging from middle school to college. SAAB has been successfully replicated at public/private schools, predominately white institutions (PWIs, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), middle and high schools, and 2& 4 year colleges. We regularly and consistently provide our members information and referrals on planning for college, financial aid, career and life planning, public service opportunities, academic assistance, counseling services and health-related services. SAAB creates and environment in which every individual member is affirmed and every activity of the organization is humane and inclusive. We believe that Caring as a “value” is the key to creating the ethos within the organization. Our members are cherishing in their independence to flourish within an organization like SAAB that provides and open and relaxed environment for them to grow and in some cases heal.

We distinguish ourselves from other groups such as fraternities in that there is no pledge or intake process, no GPA requirement for general membership (only for the officers/leaders within a chapter), no student membership fee and we are open to all students regardless of circumstances, economics, abilities, or beliefs. We (SAAB) are committed to breaking down barriers that typically separate and generally destroy our young men. We are dedicated to “Saving Lives and Salvaging Dreams”.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University and founder of the Your Black World Coalition. If you have a suggestion for a Dr. Boyce Spotlight on *Your Black World, please click this link and give us your information.***

Tonya McDowell in ColorLines magazine

2011-04-26T09:24:00.001-04:00

From Colorlines Magazine

A homeless Connecticut mother has been arrested and charged with larceny for allegedly stealing her son’s education from a public school police say he had no right to attend. Tanya McDowell is a 33-year-old Bridgeport resident who used her babysitter’s address in Norwalk, where the schools were better, so her five-year-old son Andres Justin Paches could go to school. A.J. was enrolled in Brookside Elementary School’s kindergarten from September to January. They’ve been living out of her van.

And for her supposed crime, McDowell is facing a 20-year jail sentence for making off with $15,686 in education funds from the Norwalk school district, the Stamford Advocate reported. What’s more, McDowell’s babysitter Ana Rebecca Marques has been evicted from the public housing complex she lived in for helping McDowell. McDowell is set to be arraigned on Wednesday morning.

“I had no idea whatsoever that if you enroll your child in another school district, it becomes a crime,” McDowell told the paper after she was arrested and charged with first-degree larceny.

No, You Can’t Find Out Who’s Viewed Your Facebook Page

2011-04-25T16:20:00.001-04:00

by Graham Cluley on October 11, 2010 | Comments (3)

FILED UNDER: Social networks, Spam

Earlier this year I blogged about how scammers were abusing Facebook users' curiousity about who might be viewing their profile. Surprise surprise, they're at it again.

Right now we're seeing messages spreading across Facebook claiming to have found a way to allow you to sneakily tell who has been looking at your profile. And it's no shock to see that many people are intrigued as to who might be checking them out online (maybe it's a secret admirer? or an ex-girlfriend or boyfriend? or a prospective employer?), and clicking on the link.

A typical message reads:

See who viewed your profilee original version 2.0:
now you can see who viewed your facebook profile
<LINK>

However, this is not new legitimate functionality that Facebook has built into its social network. Instead, if you click on the link you are taken to a third-party website which (to the untrained eye) may at first glance appear to still be on the real Facebook site, but is in fact designed to trick you into sharing their link further.

Diamond Breland: Spike Lee vs. Tyler Perry

2011-04-25T14:50:00.001-04:00

Listen to Your Black World’s Diamond Breland give her take on the battle between film icons Tyler Perry and Spike Lee. The video is below!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNuW0q83rBk]

Please join the Your Black World Coalition at YourBlackWorld.com

Bishop Eddie Long Tells His Accusers “You Ain’t Messing with Me”

2011-04-25T11:50:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action

The Bishop Eddie Long spoke to his congregation on Easter Sunday, stepping back into the public eye after a period of silence and detachment from the media. For whatever reason, Long decided to address the young men who are suing him for sexual misconduct, telling them that he refuses to be messed with.

“You ain't messin’ with me. I shall rise again and I ain't going through this,” Long said.

It is being reported that Bishop Long is close to reaching a settlement with the young men and his public remarks may be in response to frustrations over the negotiations. Four men who were once mentored by Long have come forth and accused him of using his influence to obtain sexual favors. Using Easter Sunday as his opportunity to share the message, Long continued to make comments about his ordeal to the audience.

“You have to go down there and let the devil know that what they thought was gonna kill you, didn't kill you. What they thought was gonna bring terror to you, didn't bring terror to you and you made the enemies public spectacle,” he said.

It’s interesting that Bishop Long has convinced some members of his congregation that the young men who’ve accused him of sexual misconduct are somehow the enemy and that they represent the devil. I’m not sure if Bishop Long committed these acts against these young boys or not, but if he did, then we must acknowledge that the devil could be represented by the man standing in the pulpit.

I stand by my statements early last year that if Bishop Long wants to regain the trust of the members of his congregation, he will open the door to full transparency of his ordeal. Negotiating things behind closed doors and not announcing details only makes him look like a guilty man. If the final settlement comes with a confidentiality agreement, then that will tell us all that we need to know.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University. To have Dr. Boyce Watkins commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

Student Gets Life in Prison after Harvard University Murder

2011-04-25T11:08:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action

When most of us think about Ivy League universities, we picture places of higher learning, tranquility and inspirational endeavors. Most of us don’t think about students getting shot over bags of marijuana. But it still stands that Jabrai Jordan Copney is going to prison for a murder that took place on the Harvard University campus.

The murder occurred in 2009 and Copney has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The jury took three days to come to its conclusions, and sentenced the 22-year old Copney to spend the rest of his life in prison. He was also convicted of possession of a firearm, but not of armed robbery.

“They took their time and they came to the right decision based on the evidence,” said Assistant District Attorney Daniel J. Bennett.

According to prosecutors, Copney, Jason Aquino and Blayn Jiggetts convinced Justin Cosby to go with them into the basement of the Kirkland House. According to prosecutors, the plan of the assailants was to steal marijuana from Cosby at gunpoint. When Cosby refused to give up the marijuana, he was shot by Copney. Aquino and Jiggetts received plea deals and got 18 to 20 and 9 to 12 years, respectively, for their roles in the crime.

“Each day I get up, I ache with loneliness and sadness for the loss of my son,” said Denise Cosby, the mother of the murder victim.

“I hope you think about what you did to Justin each and every day for the rest of your life, as I do,” she said. “You’re despicable. You’re the scum of the earth. … May the rest of your life be a continuous hell on earth.”

Harvard University student Brittany J. Smith may also go to trial for being involved in the murder. Smith, Copney’s girlfriend, allegedly hid the gun that Copney used to commit the murder. She’s been charged with accessory, along with other counts.

I didn’t know much about the case of Jabrai Copney, but I’d already heard about the case of Brittany Smith. Her situation reminds me of the case of Afrika Owes, the young Ivy League bound student who may go to prison after helping her boyfriend in his drug ring. The cases are interesting because in both situations, we are reminded of the toxic relationships that many of our most promising young people keep as they try to find a way to success.

The bottom line is that making good decisions is often not enough for our children. Instead, they must understand the importance of managing their relationships. While one might feel tempted to believe that Afrika and Brittany were mere victims of unfortunate circumstances, the truth is that there are quite a few young women who find “bad boy” thugs to be appealing, and choose to date these men over black men who are choosing to live productive lives. Possibly influenced by self-destructive imagery in hip-hop, the decisions by these young women to be with these men are as problematic as the men’s decisions to engage in criminal activity.

Our children must be often reminded to make good choices, even if they go to school at Harvard. It’s sad to write about wasted lives on a regular basis, for the potential of these young people had once been limitless.

TheRoot.com: Education Should Be A Right, Not a Crime

2011-04-24T23:33:00.001-04:00

by Helena Andrews, TheRoot.com

Start typing "mother arrested" into Google, and the Internet wastes no time filling in the rest: "for lying about her address." Not "for selling her daughters on Craigslist," "for feeding her sons drywall" or "for locking her kids in the basement like Boo Radley," but for trying to educate them beyond the borders of their block. In the United States of America, educating your children by any means necessary is a punishable offense.

Henry David Thoreau, the American father of civil disobedience philosophy, said, "Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison." How many of the schools in "low income" (fewer tax dollars) communities look like prisons? So when the government is imprisoning poor children unjustly, it might make sense that mothers seeking justice end up in jail. If you live in crazy town.

Since January, two African-American women have been publicly shamed for sending their children to a school district that was better than the one in which they lived. Both Ohio mom Kelley Williams-Bolar and Connecticut's Tonya McDowell have been charged with larceny for fudging official school documents. "I did this for them, so there it is," said Williams-Bolar, who used her father's address to get her two daughters into a better public school. Together, Williams-Bolar and McDowell owe more than $45,000 in back tuition, according to court documents.

Technorati Tags: tonya mcdowell,tanya mcdowell

Terry McMillan Finally Releases The Sequel to ‘Waiting to Exhale’

2011-04-21T21:38:00.001-04:00

from Mlive.com

Port Huron native Terry McMillantweeted in the early hours today that a script for "Getting to Happy," the film adaptation of her newest novel, is complete and it should be on screen in 2012.

"Getting to Happy" is the sequel to "Waiting to Exhale," the groundbreaking 1992 novel about four African-American women balancing love and life.

The 1995 film starred Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine and Lela Rochon and was directed by future Oscar winner Forest Whitaker. Its Babyface-produced soundtrack spawned a number of hits including Houston's "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)," Brandy's "Sittin' Up in My Room," and Mary J. Blige's "Not Gon' Cry." Detroiters CeCe Winans, who spoke about her contribution to the soundtrack to MLive last month, and Aretha Franklin also appear on the album.

"Happy" picks up on the four women 15 years after the events of "Exhale": Savannah is finally married, but unhappy; Bernadine is near-broke after her huge divorce settlement; Gloria seems to have finally found happiness; Robin is juggling her career with being a single mother.

In the years since "Exhale" roared into theaters, everyone involved with the original production has seen their own ups and downs. McMillan got her groove back, but lost it in spectacular fashion. Whitaker, as mentioned before, won an Academy Award for acting in "The Last King of Scotland," but his behind-the-camera work has been sporadic.

President Obama Holds a Townhall with Facebook

2011-04-21T00:18:00.001-04:00

By Peter Nicholas, Washington Bureau

April 20, 2011, 8:05 p.m.

Reporting from Palo Alto—

Hoping to rekindle excitement among younger voters, President Obama spoke at a town-hall meeting hosted by Facebook on Wednesday and asked for help in beating back "radical" Republican budget proposals.
He sat on a stage next to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who served as moderator and funneled largely friendly questions to a president who makes extensive use of social media in reaching out to voters.

Zuckerberg confessed to being nervous, but the two bantered easily. Obama made a light reference to the 26-year-old's billionaire status. In describing his tax plan, Obama said that he and "frankly, you, Mark," can afford to pay "a little more in taxes."
Taking questions submitted through Facebook and from an audience of company employees, Obama advised listeners not to get frustrated by protracted debates in Washington. He conceded that some of his 2008 voters might be asking why progress on many issues hasn't come sooner. But he urged them not to give up on his agenda.

What? Another Mom Jailed for Sending Child to Wrong School District

2011-04-18T23:51:00.001-04:00

Please click here to join our coalition to help Ms. McDowell

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action

When Rev. Al Sharpton and I went to Ohio earlier this year to rally on behalf of Kelley Williams-Bolar, I thought I’d be done with cases like this for at least a little while. However, the Your Black World Coalition has been informed today that another mother in Connecticut has also been put in jail for enrolling her child in the wrong school district.

Tonya McDowell, a homeless woman from Bridgeport, CT, has been charged with grand larceny and conspiracy to commit first degree larceny after enrolling her son in Brookside Elementary, in Norwalk, CT. McDowell used the address of a friend, Ana Rebecca Marques, to get her 6-year old into the school. The district is accusing her of stealing $15,000 in services for her “deviant” behavior.

Mob Wives: Are They Trying to Testify for their Husbands?

2011-04-18T00:46:00.001-04:00

by: Patrice Johnson, Your Black World

The Cast of the newest television series on VH1 ‘Mob Wives’

After watching the newest VH1 reality series, ‘Mob Wives’ I realized that the women on this show were the wives and daughters of the Staten Island mafia men that were arrested in January of this year. After I learned that these women were a part of these families that have been based on organized crime for decades I had to ask myself, ‘could this new reality show just be a way for these women to testify for their husbands?’

Athletes Sitting Out of the NCAA Tournament? It Almost Happened

2011-04-05T21:35:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

I was proud to watch Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel last week, as Gumbel decided to dig into the issue of college athlete compensation. Securing the labor rights of college athletes has been a passion of mine for quite some time, and I was excited that 2011 provided a tremendous amount of momentum around the topic. Our coalition, The Athlete Liberation Academic Reform Movement (ALARM) now has thousands of supporters around the country and Ben Jealous of the NAACP has joined Education Secretary Arne Duncan in a call to reform of one of the most exploitative systems in America.

The Real Sports episode had me on the edge of my seat, as one couldn’t help but laugh while the beneficiaries of the system, Rich Rodriguez (former University of Michigan football coach) and Billy Packer (CBS Sports commentator), were trying to defend a system that they themselves would never accept. Both of these men have been made into millionaires from the labor of college athletes, and have a direct incentive to keep the money away from the players and their families.

The most interesting part of the show was when Bernard Goldberg interviewed former University of Massachusetts player Rigo Nunez. Nunez shocked Goldberg by acknowledging that he and other players around the country were planning to sit out of the 1995 NCAA tournament. To protest the fact that coaches were earning millions while many of the athletes’ families were in poverty, prominent players around the nation decided that they were going to have no part of the NCAA tournament that year.

Here’s how the conversation went down:

Nunez: At one point it was pretty organized among players that maybe the biggest impact that we can have, and the biggest opportunities for us to have a stand, will be prior to the NCAA tournament.

Goldberg: Well, how was that gonna happen?

Nunez: We were not gonna play.

Goldberg: What?

Nunez: We were just gonna go to the middle of the court and sit down. Every game, in the whole country.

Goldberg: Because you weren't getting paid?

Nunez: Because it was not fair to us.

Dr. Boyce Watkins: NCAA President Agrees that Athletes Should Be Paid a Little More

2011-03-30T15:12:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

Every now and then, some families get to experience “that intervention moment.” This is when the uncle who’s been getting high, drunk and abusive every single day finally admits that he might have a problem. Of course he still minimizes the significance of his issues, but he has at least opened the door to getting the help that he needs.

For the American justice and economic systems, the NCAA is the addicted uncle. But rather than being hooked on drugs, the NCAA is addicted to the highs of capitalism and corporate greed. By being able to skirt the legal and moral parameters of our society, this professional sports league has been able to extract wealth from student athletes and the African American community to the tune of several billion dollars.

The NCAA’s new president, Mark Emmert, shocked the world when he admitted that it might be time for student athletes and their families to share in the massive revenue streams being generated by their kids. Emmert has admitted that he would like to “explore” the issue of modestly increasing the scholarship limits of student athletes in revenue-generating sports, primarily football and basketball. While remaining far from admitting that there should be significant changes, Emmert has confessed to the fact that the financial asymmetries might be a bit uncomfortable.

Why Do HBCU Grads Earn Less Money Than Their Counterparts at White Universities?

2011-03-30T08:54:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

A 2007 study by Roland Fryer and Michael Greenstone has found that graduates of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) suffer a wage penalty relative to their counterparts who attend Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). The authors conclude that in comparison to black students who attend PWIs, graduates of HBCUs earn 20% less on the job market than their counterparts.

Equally interesting is that out of the 20 universities with the highest black graduation rates, only one of them (Howard) is an HBCU. Some wonder if this result, as well as the wage differential, cuts into the perceived value of an HBCU education.

Dr. Boyce Spotlight: Carlos Thomas – Father, Husband, Scholar, Leader

2011-03-23T16:08:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

Professor Carlos Thomas is one of the sharpest, most powerful black men on earth. Sitting on two PhDs (not one), Thomas has built a career that embraces the essence of the black academic warrior. Not only is he typically the sharpest man in the room, he is a living personification of the essence of what it means to be a black man in America: To love your family, teach the children around you (not just your own), and to stand a stand for what is right. It is because he has chosen to live a life full of power and purpose that Dr. Thomas is today's Dr. Boyce Watkins Spotlight on AOL Black Voices:

Afrika Owes: 17-Year Old Ivy League Bound Student in Drug/Gang Ring Bailed Out By Her Church

2011-03-22T13:19:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem has taken a very active role in securing the legal rights of one of their parishioners. Afrika Owes is a 17-year old girl who will soon be on trial for felony charges related to gun and drug trafficking. What makes her unique is that she was also a top student, bound for an Ivy League University. The theory among those who support Owes is that her involvement with the gun and drug trade came largely from undue influence from her boyfriend, Jaquan Layne, who was allegedly running the gang from Rikers Island Prison.
Judge Edward McLaughlin of the Manhattan Supreme Court ruled that it is legal for the church to post bail, but only if the church gets permission from the board of directors.

"They can do if they chose to in the manner set out in what the board of directors can do or not do on their behalf," said the judge.

Dr. Boyce and Al Sharpton debate the attack on Libya

2011-03-21T22:59:00.001-04:00

Click here to listen to Dr. Boyce and Al Sharpton debate the attack on Libya

Anthony Robles: One-Legged Wrestler Wins National Championship

2011-03-19T22:54:00.001-04:00

Anthony Robles presents a lesson for anyone out there who thinks they can’t achieve their goals. With just one leg, this two-time All-American wrestler is a serious contender for the national championship. This is what happens to those of us who are absolutely determined to succeed.

Dr. Boyce: Kensley Hawkins: Asked to Pay for Incarceration with Jailhouse Savings

2011-03-18T01:20:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

Kensley Hawkins was sent to prison in 1980 for the murder of one man and the attempted murder of two police officers in Chicago. He had an 8-year old daughter and was going to be in prison for a very long time.
During his time in prison, Kensley earned $75-per-month building furniture in Joliet, Illinois. Somehow, he was able to save $11,000 during his stay in the penitentiary, a small tribute to his daughter, who is now nearly 40-years old. But the state of Illinois is not satisfied, and has asked that Kensley be required to pay for the costs of his incarceration.

The state is arguing that Mr. Hawkins owes them $455,203.14 for the cost of keeping him in prison. The case has now reached the Illinois Supreme Court.

"The reason you want Mr. Hawkins to keep his money is because he's gonna get out of prison some day, and when he gets out of prison, we want him to have saved his money so that he can take care of himself you don't want the public to have to pay for him," Hawkins' attorney, Ben Weinberg, told Fox Chicago.

Dr. Boyce: Ten Thing Every Black Father Needs to Do

2011-03-17T07:15:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

1) Tell your kids you love them every single day

Love not only makes the world go round, but every person needs to feel loved in order to have the balance necessary to be truly successful. If you love your kids, don’t just show it with your actions, say it with words. It will keep them from seeking love in all the wrong places.

2) Set an example for other fathers

The black male gets a bad rap for allegedly being an irresponsible father. We know that this stereotype is a misguided reflection of America’s historical hatred of the black male, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t encourage each other to do a better job. Demand that other brothers in your circle stand up as good fathers to their children, in spite of their circumstances. It can be tough to be a good parent with sky high unemployment and incarceration rates, but that doesn’t give you an excuse not to try. Those of us who ignore our children should be shamed into realizing how harmful such irresponsibility is to our community.

3) Always find a way to show respect to their mother

Even if you can’t stand the woman you had a child with, you should always give her as much respect as you possibly can. Kids don’t enjoy watching their parents fight, no matter whose fault it is. Also, in spite of your differences, you must always find a way to show appreciation toward the woman who gave life to your offspring.

4) Prepare them for the bullsh*t

We know that being black isn’t easy. You have to be twice as good to get half as much and life sometimes kicks you in the butt when you don’t deserve it. Prepare your kids for life as an African American, letting them know that they are going to have to be tough, smart and courageous to succeed in a world where the odds can be stacked against them. We all know that life isn’t fair, and it’s important to make sure your kids are prepared for the coming disparities.

Click to read.

Tom Joyner’s Cruise This Week: Partying with a Purpose?

2011-03-16T17:51:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

This morning, I got a text from my respected colleague, Roland Martin. I can't remember what Roland and I were talking about, but I do remember what he told me at the end of our conversation. Roland mentioned that he couldn't do anything next week because "the cruise is leaving in a couple of days." I immediately became jealous, because I knew he was talking about the Fantastic Voyage, hosted by Tom Joyner.

I'm not always big on black folks looking for another party, but there is something I love about the Tom Joyner Cruise. Anyone who's ever been on a cruise knows that seeing another black person on a cruise ship is like searching for Louis Farrakhan at a Klan rally. While cruises can be fun, comfortable and even exciting, there is a dryness that people of color experience from a lack of cultural diversity.

So, the NCAA Still Doesn’t Graduate Black Males? What a Surprise

2011-03-16T11:56:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida told us, once again, what most of us already knew: Black Division I men's basketball players are lagging behind white student athletes when it comes to graduation rates. Although the study cites a long-term increase in the graduation rates of both groups, African-American males are still pulling up the rear.

So, what do we make of these disparities? Well, most casual observers of sport know that the graduation gap is a persistent part of collegiate athletics, and not a problem that is taken very seriously. We've come to expect that the white guys are the ones who walk away with access and opportunity while many of the black athletes, unfortunately, get about 10 seconds of fame and a lifetime of regrets. Even when these black male former athletes show up to their alma maters seeking jobs as coaches, they are typically rejected.

Disproportionate sampling may also play a role in the gap. In a recent ESPN documentary about the Fab Five at The University of Michigan, Jalen Rose mentions the widely-known practice of allowing white guys with goodGPAs and perhaps family connections to become bench warmers in order to help maintain the team grade point average. Nobody cares about who rides the end of the bench. They only pay their millions to see the men (typically black) who are dunking the basketballs and scoring all the points.

Blast from the Past: Dr. Boyce at Madison Square Garden – Explaining Why College Athletes Should be Paid

2011-03-15T08:23:00.001-04:00

Part 1 is above

Part 2 is above

Why Was Bullying Never an Issue When It Was Happening to Black Kids?

2011-03-14T14:33:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

Holding its first ever anti-bullying conference last week, we found theWhite House quite concerned with bullying as a public health issue. Without doubt, the initiative is impressive - far too many children are left with nowhere to turn when cats with bad intentions follow them home, either to incessantly poke fun or to swipe their lunch money … or worse. Most of us will agree that it’s about time adults got involved.

I recall being chased by an older kid on my way home from kindergarten every day. The boy was eight years old which made him appear massive in the eyes of frightened five-year old. Back then, thePresident of the United States wasn’t going to protect you, you had to protect yourself. So, I did what any reasonable five-year old might consider doing in that situation: I put a brick upside his head. Needless to say, the bullying problem ended right then, for I had personally reclaimed domination over that relationship.

Your Black World Survey: Should College Athletes Be Paid?

2011-03-13T15:24:00.001-04:00

In light of the start of March Madness, we’d like to get a feel for your take on whether or not college athletes should be paid. Please click here to take the survey.

March Madness Reminds us of the Importance of Reforming the NCAA Plantation

2011-03-11T18:33:00.001-05:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

I wrote about a new book regarding the NCAA’s alleged exploitation of black athletes, written by University of Georgia Professor Billy Hawkins. In his recently-released book, “The New Plantation,” Hawkins goes out of his way to help us understand that the method by which the NCAA does business is not much different from the mindset of plantation owners of the old south.

The analogies used by Professor Hawkins are thought-provoking and appear to be alarmist at first glance. After all, citizens are commonly comparing nearly every modern-day injustice to slavery in order to make a dramatic point. But in this case, the analogies are appropriate, in large part because slavery is not a dichotomy. Instead, it is actually a continuum, with complete freedom on one end and total servitude on the other. One could even argue that slaves themselves were not completely devoid of freedom, since they could have always chosen to run away, buy their freedom, maim themselves or even commit suicide as a way to escape their condition. The point of this very grim example is not to say that slavery was not entirely horrific; rather, it is to say that something does not have to be entirely horrific to be compared to slavery.

Your Child Isn’t Making the Grade? Then Take His Butt Off the Field

2011-03-11T17:44:00.001-05:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

Today I took my afternoon nap thinking about the days when I was captain of my high school track team in the 12th grade. I wasn’t the star of the team and I also wasn’t an academic star (my grades were terrible). Like many other black boys across America, I’d come to identify myself as an athletic commodity rather than an intellectual one.

I remember that one of the fastest boys on our team was also like a lot of other black males: He was in special education and had horrible grades. On his report card, he’d gotten two Fs, three Ds and a C. My coach was concerned about his grades, but not because he cared about the young man. He was only worried about his grades because he thought that the kid might not be eligible for the big track meet we had coming up.

Howard University Students Choose Productivity Over Partying for Spring Break

2011-03-11T14:37:00.001-05:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

Most college students are planning to waste time and money over spring break, partying hard, drinking till they vomit, and doing other things that might get them into trouble. Howard University is encouraging its students to engage in a more enlightened use of its time over spring break, by helping the students to raise money for a trip to support the people of Haiti.
WHUR, the Howard University radio station and one of the leading stations in the DC area, is helping the students raise the $150,000 that they will need in order to make the trip. The station is holding a radiothon to raise money on Sunday, March 6th from 6 am until 6 pm. In addition to going to Haiti, the students plan to go to other cities across the United States in order to provide "critical services to those in need." The students plan to travel to Haiti, Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans and Atlanta, in addition to providing support in the Washington DC area.

Howard University Students Raise Money to Help Out in Haiti

2011-03-11T12:59:00.001-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Renee J. Nash

Office of Information and Public Affairs 202-806-3623

rnash@whur.com

“WHUR LENDS HELPING HANDS TO ASSIST HOWARD STUDENTS”

Radio Station Launches Fundraiser to Help University Students Perform Good Deeds

WASHINGTON (February 2, 2011) WHUR 96.3 FM - Howard University will host a 12-hour radiothon Sunday, March 6^th from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. to help send hundreds of Howard University students to Haiti and cities across the United States to provide critical services to those in need. The “Helping Hands” radiothon will encourage listeners to phone in, drop by the radio station or to go on-line to make a contribution so students can travel to Haiti, Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans, Atlanta, and here in the Washington area.

Dr. Boyce Spotlight: Prof. Rodney Washington Helps to Keep Your Sons in Line

2011-03-11T11:08:00.001-05:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

I recently heard Rodney K. Washington speak at the Critical Conversations Summit at Jackson State University. I was instantly impressed with Dr. Washington's keen understanding of the experience of the black male in America and his willingness to attack the issue head-on. Skills like those of Dr. Washington are critical in a nation where black males have been placed into a cage that leads them to kill one another and commit homicide to their own futures every single day. We also need more black male educators put in front of the classrooms of public schools and universities who have yet to embrace the difference between true diversity and cosmetic window-dressing. It is for his decision to dedicate his scholarship to helping his community that Dr. Rodney K. Washington is today's Dr. Boyce Watkins Spotlight on AOL Black Voices:

Seminars for Fathers on How to Succeed in Family Court

2011-03-09T17:07:00.001-05:00

WEEKLY SEMINARS FOR FATHERS

HOW TO SUCCEED

IN FAMILY COURT

According to Eric Legette, President/Founder of Fathers With Voices (FWV), there are several major reasons that separated/divorced fathers would benefit from this seminar:

75% of fathers that contact FWV complain about the legal system and also state that they will not be successful within the legal system

40% of FWV cases involve visitation rights that have been violated

50% of FWV cases involve men who want to obtain their visitation rights

80-85% of FWV cases complain about their attorneys: they have spent thousands of dollars in legal fees and yet see no progress made in their cases

Since 1996, Fathers With Voices has accomplished its mission by assisting separated/divorced fathers throughout the United States to stay involved in their children’s lives. The success of Fathers With Voices has not diminished the fact that fifteen years later even more men are facing similar challenges related to their children. The most alarming concern is hearing men state over and over their belief that fathers cannot succeed within the legal system.

The Black Male Incarceration Crisis

2011-03-08T17:48:00.001-05:00

One of my very good friends, Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, speaks to a panel about the mass incarceration crisis that is affecting black males. Take a look.

Study Finds that a Strong Racial Identity Increases Your Happiness

2011-03-08T08:22:00.001-05:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

Researchers at Michigan State University have just found that those who identify with their race more strongly than others tend to be happier. The study, which is set to appear in the journal Cultural Diversity and Ethic Minority Psychology, is the first empirical study to document such a relationship.

"This is the first empirical study we know of that shows a relationship between racial identity and happiness," said Stevie C.Y. Yap, who is the lead researcher on the project.
While there have been studies linking racial identity to higher self-esteem, none have actually connected it to happiness. The study surveyed black adults in the state of Michigan. They found that the more the subject identified with being black, or the more important their blackness was to them, the happier they were with life in general.

City of Memphis Engaged in Fight Over School Funding

2011-03-07T22:05:00.001-05:00

Click here to hear an interview between Roland Martin and Pastor Kenneth Whalum about the pending merger of Memphis City Schools with those of Shelby County.

Click here to see the other point of view.

This is Dr. Boyce wrote on the issue on AOL Black Voices:

Memphis, Tennessee is a city that is rich with culture, history and opportunity. I've visited the city on several occasions and found the city and its people to be quite enjoyable on all levels. What's also interesting about Memphis, however, is that it's city schools are failing and it continues to be a town that is plagued with racism: The city itself is mostly black, while wealthier whites live on the outskirts, hoping that the black folks don't come and rain on their parade. The city is not nearly as disconnected from it's legacy of blatant racism as it might want to believe.

Voters in the city of Memphis are being sent to the polls Tuesday to decide whether or not to transfer control of the Memphis City Schools to Shelby County, which surrounds Memphis. The Memphis City School Board voted on December 20 to surrender its charter and relinquish control of Memphis City Schools to Shelby County, leading to tomorrow's showdown. The referendum effectively allows voters to validate the decision by the school board, overriding Shelby County's legal challenge to the Memphis City School Board decision.

Click to read more.

Dr. Boyce Spotlight: A Teacher is Successfully Educating Black Boys

2011-03-07T20:09:00.001-05:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

I was introduced to the work of Roszalyn Akins at a conference being held by the Mississippi Learning Institute. Roz (that's her nickname) was giving a presentation about her program called "Black Males Working." I was immediately impressed with the vigor and passion with which Roz approached the important task of mentoring and educating young black boys. Without having the funding nor the fanfare that her program truly deserves, Roz has taken the "worst" kids in her district and turned them into academic champions. She reminds us that there is nothing that our kids can't do when they are given an opportunity and a little bit of encouragement. Saving the black male is not just something just that helps black men. It is important to any woman who cares about her son, husband, brother or father and the abysmal outcomes that occur in a society that is designed to destroy you. So, saving the black male is critical to protecting the black family in America. It is for her never-ending commitment to empowering black boys that Roszalyn Akins is today's Dr. Boyce Watkins Spotlight on AOL Black Voices:

Dr. Boyce: Does Education Always Lead to a Better Job? Nope

2011-03-07T12:43:00.001-05:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

An economist for whom I have tremendous respect, Paul Krugman, recently wrote a New York Times article which put the debate over education into context. I found the article interesting as I prepare to speak at the National Black Law Students Association Convention with my colleague, Charles Ogletree at Harvard University.
I've been thinking a great deal about how to help our community understand the meaning and value of a good education (here are some of my thoughts on the matter if you're interested). I've preached relentlessly that being well-educated is incredibly important for all of us, and that we should be willing to fight to the end to make sure our kids get what they need from our woefully inadequate school systems. At the same time, my recent appearance at the Black Achievers Banquet in Louisville, Ky led me to conclude that further discussion is necessary. I saw quite a few young people doing amazing things, but it's my hope to help us all understand that an education is not simply a path to getting a job with some corporation that will have you doing meaningless work for your entire life. Sure, that can be part of the plan, but it can't be the entire plan altogether.

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Educated Black People and the National Black Law Student Association: What I think About Both

2011-03-06T16:41:00.001-05:00

From Dr. Boyce Watkins

In the video below, I talk about my upcoming appearance at the National Black Law Students Association conference, as well as ways that African Americans can learn the difference between going to school and being educated. There is also a difference between being free and being INDEPENDENT, which many educated African Americans may want to consider.

Dr. Boyce: Fifth Grader Made into a “Slave” in Classroom Slave Auction

2011-03-04T13:04:00.001-05:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

A black fifth grader in Gahanna, Ohio was used as a slave in a social studies class in order to teach a lesson to the children. Since that time, the mother of the boy, Aneka Burton, has demanded an apology, citing the psychological damage that was being done to her child. The principal at the school, Scott Schmidt of Chapelfield Elementary, called the mother to offer his most sincere apologies for the incident, stating that no harm was intended.

According to 10-year old Nikko Burton, the students were divided into two groups: “Slaves” and “masters,” with the other black student in class being made into a master. The teacher then had the audacity to do a simulated slave auction, which the boy refused to be a part of. At that point, he was sent back to his desk.