David Horne - Black College Monthly

Transcription

Black College Monthly
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On Every Campus
Doug Williams
Joins Redskins
Front Office
In Every Community
February
2014
Parents of Teen Found Dead
in Gym Mat File Lawsuit
Against Funeral Home
More US Prisoners
Exonerated Than Ever
Violet Palmer: NBA’s
Only Female Referee
People who have
made a difference:
David Horne
‘Beasts Of the
Southern Wild’ Star
Quvenzhane Wallis
Cast as ‘Annie’
Salutes
African
Americans
Who Have
Fought for
our Country
Now at
http://blackcollegemonthly.com
February 2014
2
BLACK COLLEGE MONTHLY — February 2014
People That have made a difference
DAVID L. HORNE, Ph.D
Dr. David L. Horne, is a tenured full professor of
Critical Thinking and African Political-Economic History, and is the former chair of the Pan
African Studies Department at Cal State University, Northridge. He has also taught graduate
public policy and introductory political analysis
as part of the MPA Program on campus, and is the
graduate advisor for the PAS department. He is
the original Executive Director of the California
African American Political Institute at CSU
Northridge (created by state legislation in 2000),
and he was the original Executive Director of the
revised California African American Political
and Economic Institute (AB 165) now housed at
California State University, Dominguez Hills.
BLACK HISTORY CAN’T FORGET DR. DAVID HORNE
DR. David L. Horne was a major contributor to
the elevation of civil rights in Gainesville Florida
that continues to be omitted from Black history
at the University of Florida and Santa Fe
Community College. The Black citizens of
Gainesville should stop allowing those people
that select people to recognize during February
the designated Black history month to really look
at the major contributors to our history in this
city and county.
Dr. Horne made the following happen;
1. He sued the city and county government to
hire more African Americans to positions that
were outside of working on the grounds and
cleaning bathrooms, and, before the suit was
activated, the city and county governments hired
more African Americans at one time then ever
before.
2. Dr. Horne spearheaded the installation of the
Institute of African American culture on west
University Avenue and was instrumental in
forming the Black Student union at the University of Florida and the Afro Student union at
Santa Fe College where, Willie Holden was the
first president to hold that office for three years.
3. Dr. Horne was a professor of African American Studies at Florida and Santa Fe teaching the
young student about their history and themselves.
4. Established the first on campus escort service
for female black students that were being beaten
and harassed by white students, to insure their
safety while attending evening classes at the
University of Florida. Because of the thrust of
the civil rights campaign in Gainesville, students
and citizens were being arrested for protesting
and anything that was related to civil disobedience to promote our civil rights.
In the years of 1971, 72,73,74,75, a legal
Defense fund with the Leagues of Blackness a
local civil rights organization comprised of black
and white student and members of the
Gainesville and Alachua County. For the hundreds of families that were a part of the working
poor and unemployed a food bank was established to feed families without the ability to feed
themselves. There was special attention given to
families with the help of local churches to
indicate families that didn’t have food for
holidays and children that were in jeopardy of
not eating or receiving Christmas presents. The
Leagues of Blackness provided these items to all
families that were Identified when no other
organization would or could.
Dr. Horne, with the help of students, formed a
tutorial center for all of the African American
students in elementary and high school that
needed tutoring in all educational areas of need.
The leagues of Blackness instituted the first free
Breakfast program for all of the minority
children years before the board decided to apply
for grants to have free and paid breakfast in all
schools. Dr.
Horne myself
and Otis Stover
Jr., Gwen
Jackson, Willie
Holden, and
over 150
students had
the only Black
History parades
in 1971 and
1972, from the
university of
Florida down
university
avenue to main
street and back
to 5th avenue.
This has never
been duplicated again here in Gainesville,
Florida.
I find it disingenuous that all of this real history
can be so deeply buried to not be remembered
by the elite’s and super elites that are African
American in this small city, or, is it that this is a
part of Black history that those who participate
in Black history month today and for the last 20
years find it embarrassing to recognize and
honor those of us that stood up to bigotry and
racism and survived without being ashamed of
being Black people but proud to a black man and
black woman .
I find it incomprehensible that churches invite
speakers to their churches every year to speak
about our history and never ask or invite those
of us who actually made some of this black
history. Dr. David L. Horne has never been
invited back to Gainesville to speak and set the
historical record straight about who did what to
improve and enhance the lives of Black people
in Alachua county
The students of the Black student union who
have the capacity to bring Dr. Horne back to
speak never do, even though I have discussed
this with them for over 10 years with no positive
results. They continue to invite others here to
educate and enlighten those African American
students who followed in our footsteps but have
yet to fill our footprints on campus. Their
imprints can only be seen on the football and
basketball team to soon be forgotten, when their
eligibility is exhausted and someone else takes
their place on the team.
All of the black sororities should definitely
recognize Dr. Betty Stewart Goston Didell who
was instrumental in getting the Delta Sigma
Theta sorority instituted at the University of
Florida in the early 1970’s. There is just too
much important history that is omitted and
suppressed by so many people and I feel these
decisions are conscious decisions. For those
who didn’t know this is just some information
about Dr. David L. Home.
He has a Ph.D in history and political economy
from UCLA, and two Master’s degrees, one in
Public Policy from CSU San Bernardino, and the
other in South African history from the University of Florida. He is the executive editor of the
Journal of African Studies and The Journal of Pan
African Studies, two peer-reviewed academic
periodicals. In 2005, he was selected in a poll by
the L.A. Wave Newspaper as one of the 25 top
Black movers and shakers in Southern California.
He is the author of Straight To the Point: An
Introduction to Critical Thinking, and Meeting
Maat: The Handbook of African Consensus
Meetings and Gatherings, as well as numerous
scholarly and community-based articles, including two Four-Part Series articles in Turning
Point Magazine, one on Pan Africanism and the
other on Reparations.
He has taught PAS 204 Critical Thinking, PAS
100 Intro to Pan African Studies, PAS 300 Advanced Black Culture, PAS 165 and 465 Intro and
Advanced Pan African Studies, PAS 600 Pan
African Methodology, and PAS 498 PAS Capstone,
among other courses. He spearheaded many of the
positive curriculum changes in the PAS department from 1997-2004.
He is the former faculty advisor for the Black
House (1997-2005), for the BSU (1997-2005), and
the former Chair of the college APC (2003-2005).
He delivered the keynote speech establishing the
Tommy Smith-John Carlos Memorial Center at
San Jose State University, 2003, and regularly
presents both scholarly papers and Black History
Month speeches across the country and in the
Diaspora (e.g., Winston-Salem University (2003),
Atlanta Education Center (2004), New York
University (2004), Bluefields, Nicaragua (2004),
Lagos, Nigeria (2005), Charles Drew University
(2007, Whittier University (2009), California
State University, Dominguez Hills (2012), the
University of the Virgin Islands, (2012), etc.). He
is currently writing a book, Organizing the
African Diaspora, and he is the author of the
Decade of the Diaspora theme currently in vogue.
He is also one of three regularly invited
diasporan delegates to African Union technical
workshops and analytical discussions in South
Africa, Nigeria, Uganda, Libya, and other African
sites (thus far, he has attended 8 of them), and is a
current delegate to the 8th Pan African Congress
scheduled for January 14-16th, 2014 in
Johannesburg, South Africa (not organized by the
AU)..
February 2014
3
Parents Of Teen Found Dead in Gym
Mat File Lawsuit Against Funeral Home
The Richest 400 Americans
Have Wealth Equal to the
Entire African American
Community
by: daphne R
Troubles continue for the grieving family of the
Georgia teen who was found dead in a gym mat a
year ago, Kendrick Johnson. Still awaiting answers
to what actually caused the teen’s death, the
Johnson family has now filed a lawsuit against the
funeral home which handled his remains. In the
lawsuit, the parents allege that Harrington Funeral
Home in Valdosta, Georgia mishandled their son
Kendrick’s remains, citing negligence and fraud.
Johnson’s family insists he was killed.
A federal prosecutor announced in
October he is reopening the case.
Johnson’s parents believe that the funeral home
intentionally played a part in the disappearance of
their son’s internal organs which were discovered
missing during a second autopsy that the family
ordered to dispel the state examiner’s initial findings.
Kendrick’s organs had been removed and replaced
with newspaper according to the Johnson family.
According to the funeral home’s attorney, Roy
Copeland, their clients had not been served as of
Wednesday. However, in the amended lawsuit which
was initially filed on January 31, the family of the deceased alleges that the funeral home disposed
of the organs to aid in a cover up and prevent them from finding the real cause of death.
The court documents state that, “This lawsuit challenges the morally despicable, fraudulent,
unlawful and unfair business practices” of Harrington Funeral Home and that the owner, Antonio
Harrington, “intentionally, willfully and secretly” disposed of the organs.
Officials at the Lowndes County Sherriff’s Department continue to stand by the results of the
initial autopsy which claims that Kendrick Johnson died by accident, reaching for his gym shoes.
It alleges that he fell from atop the bleachers into a rolled up gym mat where he became trapped,
suffocated and died.
According to CNN, who thoroughly examined the court documents and police report in this case,
investigators talked to a total of 111 people regarding the incident.
In court, the Johnson family argued for a chance to have their son’s body exhumed for a second
autopsy. A judge approved their request to have a second autopsy done at their own expense. The
examiner of the second autopsy, despite finding that Kendrick’s organs were missing, was still
able to determine the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the right neck and soft tissue which
would have occurred by an inflicted injury, challenging the findings of the initial autopsy claiming
it as an accidental death.
If you don’t believe that economic inequality is
real or think that Dr. Martin Luther King’s vision
has been realized, get this: The wealth of the
richest 400 Americans exceeds the entire net worth
of the entire African American community put
together. Yes, that’s 400 people compared to 41
million.
In an article written by Tax Attorney Bob Lord,
you can understand why economic inequality in
America is both severe and the result of hundreds
of years of misguided policies that have led to
white Americans being able to control nearly all of
the wealth in America. This is a differential that
can only be corrected via a strong campaign for
reparations. It’s not as if anyone can argue that we
don’t deserve them.
Lord’s article (below) talks about this differential,
why it matters, and why we should confront it.
One of the things that Dr. King spoke about during
his life is the extreme poverty of the African
American community, which exists in contrast to
the prosperity that America has experienced over
the last 400 years. Without dealing with the
struggle of economic justice, then it is impossible
to aim for social justice. You can’t talk about Dr.
King without talking about black economics.
As we commemorate Martin Luther King Jr.’s
85th birthday, we’ve all come to know his dream.
Above all else, he dreamed that one day this
nation would rise up and live out the true meaning
of its creed: “We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal.”
Yet here’s the grim reality facing blackAmerica
today:
The net worth of just 400 billionaires, a group that
could fit into a high school gym, is on par with the
collective wealth of our more than 14 million
African-American households. Both groups
possess some $2 trillion, about three percent of
our national net worth of $77 trillion.
The Johnson family believes that the funeral home tried to interfere with the investigation by
disposing of their son’s internal organs, however, an investigation by the state board found
nothing unlawful in the handling of their son’s remains. Now, the family will have to await their
day in court to see what a judge says in the matter.
According to CNN’s Victor Blackwell, the parents claim they’re doing this to prevent something
like this from ever happening again at a funeral home and they want the jury to deliver a guilty
verdict and strong punishment.
Black College
Monthly
Ndamukong Suh to sign with Jay-Z’s Roc
Nation Sports
Add another superstar to Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports agency. Detroit Lions Pro-Bowler Ndamukong
Suh became the latest pro athlete to ‘throw up the Roc’ according to ESPN. TheGrio.com reports.
Every Jay-Z fans knows the verse, “Roc-a-fella is an army, better yet a navy” and that line is
becoming a reality with Roc Nation Sports.
Editor & Publisher
Charles E. Goston
President and CEO - Charles E. Goston
National Offices Florida and Georgia
Ndamukong Suh, Pro Bowl defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions, recently fired his former agent
and will sign with Jay-Z’s sport agency, according to ESPN.
Advertising rates on request. To Advertise
or contact Black Colege Monthly
He is Jay-Z’s highest profile NFL signing to date, adding another premiere athlete to a roster that
includes: New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith, point guard Skylar Diggins, Oklahoma City’s
Kevin Durant and Seattle Mariner Robinson Cano.
Phone # 1-352 335 - 5771
e-mail [email protected]
Jay-Z reportedly brokered a deal for Cano worth $240 million over 10 years.
Over the course of Suh’s career he has been considered an elite NFL athlete, but he also has a nasty
reputation. He was voted as the league’s dirtiest player in 2012.
4
“Its more than a College
Magazine”
BLACK
COLLEGE MONTHLY
— February
Black
College
Monthly February
2014 2014
Dr. Boyce:
10 Kinds of Black People Who Probably Hate Your Guts
By Dr. Boyce Watkins
How much unprotected intercourse do you
have to have in order to produce so many
kids? So, when you stack baby’s mamas to the
ceiling, not only are you a walking STD, you
may have also traumatized all of your children
by forcing them to grow up confronting the
struggles of abandonment, abuse and economic
despair. Don’t tell me that you’re being a good
dad by buying Christmas presents every year,
that doesn’t mean sh*t (excuse my French, but
I can’t help it). Being a father is a day-to-day,
consistent process of self-sacrifice on behalf of
those you love. Not a one-time, feel-good
indulgence on a drunken friday night.
Lets be real. Not every black person is
your friend. Not every black person cares
about the black community. So, the idea
of “black unity” has to evolve in such a
way that helps us to understand who our
friends are and who our enemies are.
When I spoke to Dr. Steve Perry this
week about our event in Washington DC,
one thing we agreed on is that we are
sometimes fooled into believing that we
should stand behind another black person,
just because they are black. This, my
friends, is a flawed strategy.
So, in order to further clarify my point on the
matter, I thought I’d compile a list of 10 black
people who probably hate your guts. These are
black people who look like you and me, but clearly
do more harm than good to us and our children.
Here it goes:
1) Rappers who hate black women and want to
put your kids in a casket
We know that rappers are controlled by their labels,
but they still hold some ability to decide what they
spit when they are in the booth. Also, most marketing experts will tell you that repeating a message to
young impressionable minds DOES have an impact
on their actions. So, let’s stop pretending that allconsuming lyrics telling black men to call women
b*tches and hoes, and encouraging drug addiction
among black kids isn’t hurting them. Stop acting like
it’s no big deal that Nicki Minaj used Malcolm X on
the cover of an album called “Lookin A$$ N*gga” or
that Lil Wayne compared Emmett Till’s battered
face to a woman’s v@gina after he has s*x with her.
Some of these record labels are as harmful as the
KKK.
2) Politicians who care more about protecting
their power than fighting for the black community:
A politician with a black face might actually be a
politician in blackface. Many of our political leaders
have pledged allegiance to the very same systems
that have served to oppress us for centuries. The
easiest way to perpetuate racism is to pay a black
person to do your dirty work. Don’t let the makeup
fool you.
3) Wealthy entertainers and business people who
see no reason to give back to their community:
If your community elevates you to economic
success and you feel no obligation to your community, you’re no different from the man who receives
10 Christmas gifts and doesn’t buy anything for
anyone. An appropriate term for someone who takes
everything and gives nothing would be a “societal
freeloader.”
4) Black people who think that being educated
means you’re “acting white”:
There is nothing white about being educated. This
kind of intellectual bully?ng should be stamped out
where it stands. Misery loves company, so anyone
encouraging you to stay inside the cage of ignorance
is simply keeping you down so they don’t feel bad
about their own lack of achievement.
5) Black leaders who take so much corporate
money that they don’t know who they are
anymore:
10) Parents who raise their sons to be little boys
instead of grown-ass men:
Part of the reason that black leadership doesn’t
really exist is because many of our most prominent
citizens are spending so much time trying to create
profitable alliances that they forget to advocate for
the people. When we have leaders that are spending more time fighting for immigration and gay
rights than they are against black unemployment
and incarceration, we know we’re in trouble.
Call me old fashioned, but I believe that men must
be prepared and taught to lead. They must be
equipped with the essentials of manhood, and
typically, it is the father that gives this to the son.
But the truth is that the lack of male role models and
rise in the number of broken homes has created
millions of young men who can’t fight their way out
of a paper bag. They know how to make babies, but
don’t feel it’s important to take care of them. They
want to have money in their pockets, but don’t have
the determination to go out and make it happen.
They can dribble basketballs with the best of them,
but can’t read the first chapter of their black history
books. We must understand that, similar to faulty
automobiles, WEAK MEN ARE BUILT.
6) Pastors who use the pulpit as way to get
access to your wallet and your vagina:
Preachers, p?mps and rappers can sometimes
have a lot in common. Unfortunately, some men
and women take prosperity gospel to heart by
seeing the pulpit as their own path to fame,
fortune, power and women. The way the pastor
repeats himself over and over again, with slow,
seductive music in the background is a common
technique in hypnosis designed to make your
subconscious mind open for suggestion (“God
wants you to give me all your money and he
wants you to do what I say”).
7) Black corporate types who make their
money convincing black people to consume
unhealthy products:
You know that guy who works for the marketing
company that helps white corporations sell liquor
and cigarettes to black people? That’s the guy I’m
talking about. They can make their money, fine.
But at what expense? There are quite a few of
“us” who make a living by exporting “the hood” to
white America and helping corporations figure out
how to profit from urban and black culture.
That’s my list, love it or hate it, and that’s what
Steve Perry, Etan Thomas, Janks Morton, Towanna
Freeman, Wilmer Leon and I spoke about in Washington, DC. It’s time to start having conversations
that are REAL, and political correctness must be
thrown out the window. MSNBC, FOX, Democrats,
Republicans and all the other groups seeking African
American assimilation are NOT invited to this
discussion, we need to talk about OURSELVES.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the author of the lecture
series, “The 8 Principles of Black Male Empowerment.”
8) The neighborhood drug dealer who gives
away turkeys at Thanksgiving:
Addictions are one of the most costly phenomena
in the African American community. It spawns
abuse, incarceration, homicide, and countless
tragedies in our families. If I could blow up every
liquor store, crack house and weed spot in
America right now, I would (wait, throw BET and
Vh1 into the mix too). We’ve lost too many
otherwise productive citizens to the vices of drugs
and alcoh?l. Nothing great has ever been achieved
by a group of people who sat around getting high
and drunk every day, that’s a fact.
9) The man with 10 kids by 8 different women
and the women who choose to make babies
with him:
Lt. Gen. George S. Patton, U.S. Third Army
commander, pins the Silver Star on Private
Ernest A. Jenkins of New York City for his
conspicuous gallantry in the liberation of
Chateaudun, France...” October 13, 1944
February 2014
5
Did You Know the US Government was
Brooklyn D.A.’s weed
Found to Have Murdered Dr. King?
By Yolanda Spivey
The trial of the century took place in
1999 and it virtually went unnoticed.
King Family versus Jowers and Other
Unknown Co-Conspirators was the
first successful trial conducted on the
assignation of Dr. Martin Luther King.
On December 8, 1999, jurors reached a
unanimous verdict—Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. was assassinated as a result of a
conspiracy. Basically, U.S. Government
Agencies were found guilty in assassinating Dr. Martin Luther King.
decriminalization plan
is a game changer
by David A. Love
The borough of Brooklyn, New York has a new chief
prosecutor, and if he has his way, there will be no more
charges for possession of small amounts of marijuana. And
the move could have a profound impact on young black
men.
The next day, an overjoyed Coretta
Scott King made the following statement to the press:
“There is abundant evidence of a major high level conspiracy in the assassination of my
husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. And the civil court’s unanimous verdict has validated our
belief. I wholeheartedly applaud the verdict of the jury and I feel that justice has been well
served in their deliberations. This verdict is not only a great victory for my family, but also a
great victory for America. It is a great victory for truth itself. It is important to know that this
was a SWIFT verdict, delivered after
about an hour of jury deliberation.
The jury was clearly convinced by the
extensive evidence that was presented
during the trial that, in addition to Mr.
Jowers, the conspiracy of the Mafia, local,
state and federal government agencies,
were deeply involved in the assassination
of my husband. The jury also affirmed
overwhelming evidence that identified
someone else, not James Earl Ray, as the
shooter, and that Mr. Ray was set up to
take the blame. I want to make it clear that
my family has no interest in retribution.
Instead, our sole concern has been that the
full truth of the assassination has been
revealed and adjudicated in a court of law… My husband once said, “The moral arc of the
universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” To-day, almost 32 years after my husband and
the father of my four children was assassinated, I feel that the jury’s verdict clearly affirms
this principle. With this faith, we can begin the 21st century and the new millennium with a
new spirit of hope and healing.”
In the past, the King family has tried on many occasions to bring about a criminal trial once
convicted murderer James Ray recanted his story. They were also denied on many occasions
to have an independent investigation done on King’s assassination.
Just imagine their joy when the verdict came back guilty. But what is now troubling is that the
trial and the guilty verdict were not covered in the mainstream media. Nor is it written about
in history books.
What was once a theory is now validated in court: The United States government was responsible for the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. No one has since challenged the jury’s
decision.
One of the main reasons some guess this trial never received the light of day is because of
Martin Luther King’s image. It’s squeaky clean. He is the father of the civil rights movement
whose “non-vi0lent” protest has been successful in enacting change. So why did the government decide to assassinate him? Aren’t they only allowed to assassinate citizens who are a
clear and present danger to the American people?
At the end of his life, Dr. Martin Luther King became more of a “radical.” He was outspoken
in his opposition against the Vietnam War, and further, he had launched a campaign to end the
war on poverty. The King family suspects that this may be a reason why the government
decided to murder the civil rights leader—to quiet his efforts.
After four weeks of testimony and over 70 witnesses, what we now know as fact is that the
United States government is guilty—guilty in the murder of Martin Luther King Jr.
6
Ken Thompson, the first African-American district
attorney elected in Brooklyn
In his inaugural address, Ken Thompson, the first AfricanAmerican district attorney elected in Brooklyn, and the
second in the state, has vowed to end the prosecution of lowlevel marijuana arrests. During his run for D.A., Thompson
pledged not to prosecute people arrested for under 15 grams
of pot, issuing a $100 fine instead.
Noting that the criminal justice system is clogged with
thousands of such cases, D.A. Thompson pointed to a report
finding that blacks in Brooklyn are 9 times more likely to be
arrested for weed possession than their white counterparts.
And of the 12,000 low-level marijuana arrests made in
Brooklyn in 2012, he noted that these were mostly young
black men. ”I not only want to keep Brooklyn safe, I want to
protect the future of our youth,” he added.
Thompson is getting to the heart of the problem with the war
on drugs and the costs of drug prohibition to poor communities, particularly communities of color. Does it take a black
prosecutor to understand the current drug policies are racially
skewed and only serve to criminalize young black and Latino
men? Certainly not. But at the same time, there needs to be
some sensitivity in the criminal justice system, with the
actors in that system—such as Ken Thompson— reflecting
the makeup of the communities they serve.
District attorneys have the discretion when it comes to who
to prosecute, from drug possession all the way up to capital
murders that are eligible for the death penalty. And it is worth
noting that while African-Americans are 14 percent of all
drug users, reflecting their overall representation in the U.S.
population, they are 37 percent of people arrested for drug
offenses. People of color are 30 percent of the population
and 60 percent of the prisoners—black men alone are 40
percent of the nation’s prison population—yet black prosecutors are in single digit percentages.
Over the past decade, the NYPD spent a million hours
making 440,000 low-level marijuana arrests under the socalled “stop-and-frisk” policy. In 2012, blacks and Latinos
were 87 percent of those arrests. Certainly, New York Mayor
Bill de Blasio, whose son Dante fits the demographic of
young men who have been stopped, searched, harassed and
humiliated by the police for years, campaigned on ending the
practice.
Black College Monthly February 2014
Martin Luther King’s children back in
court over his Bible, Nobel Peace Prize
By Dana Ford,
Atlanta — The children
of Martin Luther King Jr.
are back at loggerheads
— this time over his
Bible and Nobel Peace
Prize.
The estate of the civil
rights icon filed a complaint in Fulton County
Superior Court in Atlanta
on Friday to force
Bernice King, his daughter, to turn over the
items.
King’s heirs agreed in
1995 to give up their
inheritance to the Estate
of Martin Luther King Jr.
Inc., the complaint reads.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS



The civil rights leader’s estate filed a complaint to
force Bernice King to turn over the items
She says her brothers want them to sell them, but
“some things are not for sale”
The siblings have sued and countersued one another, including 2008 filing
Bernice King has “repeatedly acknowledged and
conceded the validity” of the agreement, but has “secreted and sequestered” the items in question, it says.
Specifically, the estate — which is controlled by Dexter King and Martin Luther King III —
wants his 1964 Nobel Peace Prize and his traveling Bible, which was used by President Barack
Obama when he was sworn in for his second term.
Bernice King says her brothers just want the items to sell them.
“Our Father MUST be turning in his grave,” she said in a Tuesday statement.
“While I love my brothers dearly, this latest decision by them is extremely troubling. Not only
am I appalled and utterly ashamed, I am frankly disappointed that they would even entertain the
thought of selling these precious items. It reveals a desperation beyond comprehension.”
The complaint does not mention the possibility of a sale, and attempts to contact the King
brothers, through the estate, Tuesday were unsuccessful.
This is not the first time the family has been at odds over King’s legacy. Over the years, the
siblings have sued and counter-sued one another.
Bernice King and Martin Luther King III sued Dexter King in 2008, accusing him of converting
“substantial funds
from the estate’s
financial account at
Bank of America”
for his own use.
They later agreed to
a settlement and
avoided a public
trial.
WWII’s “buffalo
soldiers” remembered
in new memoir
LOS ANGELES - Numbering
4,000 select officers and men,
Combat Team 370 was part of
the all-Black 92nd Infantry
Division, the only all-Negro
division to fight in Europe
during World War II. In “Black
Warriors: The Buffalo Soldiers
of World War II” (published
by iUniverse), author Ivan J.
Houston recounts his experiences, when, as a 19-year-old
California college student, he
entered the US Army and
served with the 3rd Battalion, 370th Infantry Regiment,
92nd Division of Gen. Mark Clark’s US Fifth Army from
1943 to 1945.
Drawn from minute-by-minute records of the unit’s
activities compiled by Houston during his deployment in
Italy, this account describes both the historic encounters
and the achievements of his fellow black soldiers during
this breakthrough period in American military history. It
tells of how the Buffalo Soldiers fought alongside other
American troops, including Japanese Americans and
soldiers from Great Britain, Brazil, South Africa, and India.
Years later, Houston would have a reunion with a member
of the Italian resistance he fought alongside with named
Bruno Tintori. He had become a highly regarded contemporary artist, and his and Houston’s meeting is described
thus: “Bruno Tintori’s expression of gratitude for what the
Buffalo Soldiers had done for Italy, fighting in the rugged
North Apennine Mountains and freeing them from the
yoke of Fascism and Nazism, will always be remembered.
To the Italians we were first class. To the Italians we were
heroes.”
With photos and maps included, “Black Warriors: The
Buffalo Soldiers of World War II” provides a compelling,
firsthand account of the segregated Buffalo Soldiers’
experiences while they fought not only the power of the
Nazi war machine but also racism and the widely held
belief they were not up to the task. Their achievements
prove otherwise.
“My brothers’
decision to sue me
is drastic and
grieves me greatly. I
have absolutely no
desire to be in court
or to fight yet
another public
battle,” Bernice
King said in her
statement Tuesday.
“Nevertheless,
some actions are
sacrilegious and
some things are not
for sale.”
Members of a mortar company of the 92nd Division
pass the ammunition and heave it over at the
Germans in an almost endless stream near Massa,
Italy. This company is credited with liquidating
several machine gun nests
February 2014
7
First Black Congresswoman Honored With
Postage Stamp
By: Stephanie Allen-Gobert
On Friday, January 31, at 11:00 am, black elected officials
and activists celebrated the legacy of Bed-Stuy native
Shirley Chisholm, with the unveiling of a USPS forever
stamp. The celebration and unveiling took place at
Brooklyn’s Borough Hall. Chisholm is the country’s first
black congresswoman who later ran for president in 1972.
The stamp, part of USPS “Black Heritage Series,” was
originally painted by American artist Robert Shetterly as
part of his “Americans Who Tell the Truth Series.”The
Black Heritage forever stamp kicked off black history
month.
FAMU Alumnus John W
Thompson Named
Chairman of Microsoft
REDMOND, Washington — Florida A&M University (FAMU) alumnus John W. Thompson was
appointed the independent chairman of computer
software giant Microsoft Corp., replacing company
founder Bill Gates.
Thompson, a 1971 graduate of the School of
Business and Industry (SBI), first joined
Microsoft’s board of directors in February 2012,
serving as a lead independent director, a role he will
continue in tandem with the appointment.
The born Democrat, Chisholm served seven terms in
Congress, from 1969 until her retirement in 1982, representing central Brooklyn and becoming a founding member
of the House of Representatives’ black caucus in 1969.
She died in 2005. Chisholm was characterized by her fire
and commitment. At the time of her 1972 presidential
campaign, Chisholm was the first person of color to seek
the presidential nomination of a major political party. She
ran in order to show underrepresented members of society that their faces could also be seen in the
spotlight, she said. Chisholm also was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) in
1971 and the Congressional Women’s Caucus in 1977.
“Florida A&M University celebrates this achievement with John as he continues to excel in the
world of business,” said FAMU Interim President
Larry Robinson. “This is an excellent example of
how the education our students receive at FAMU
will propel them from the classroom to the boardroom and beyond.”
Thompson was inducted into the FAMU SBI Hall
of Fame in 2011.
“I ran because somebody had to do it first,” Chisholm said at the time.
Chisholm’s campaign motto was “Unbought and Unbossed” and among issues that made her stand out
against opponent Farmer (they agreed on many points) she highlighted discrimination against women.
Her district with a liberal bend and 80% registered Democrats gave her 67 percent of the vote.
“Congresswoman Chisholm’s groundbreaking and historic advocacy for women and the African
American community across the nation is a source of constant strength and inspiration, as I serve many
of the same communities she represented,” Assemblyman Walter Mosely said.
“Every day when I walk into my office at the Shirley Chisholm State Office Building and am greeted
by her portrait outside my door, I am reminded of her legacy as one of the greatest catalysts for change
of the 20th century.”
FAMU approves contract for new president
FAMU trustees approved Friday a three-year
contract for new President Elmira Mangum that
comes with an annual base salary of $425,000.
Trustees at Florida A&M University spent nearly
three and a half hours debating how much
Mangum should be paid and what other sorts of
financial compensation she should receive during
and after her tenure as the university’s first female
president.
In addition to chairman of the Microsoft board,
Thompson is the chief executive officer of privately
held Virtual Instruments. He is the former chairman
and CEO of Symantec where he served for 10
years. Previously, he held a number of leadership
positions at IBM, including sales, marketing,
software development and general manager of IBM
Americas.
Early last month, the board of trustees chose
Mangum, a vice president at Cornell University, to
replace former President James Ammons.
Ammons was pushed out in 2012 amid a growing
scandal over the hazing death of drum major
Robert Champion and other problems.
On Friday, the board made several changes to a
contract that Mangum already had agreed to.
While many changes were minor, the board
deleted a $1,000-a-month car allowance and
slashed the amount of money she would receive if
she decided to teach at FAMU after leaving the
presidency.
Trustees Chairman Solomon Badger warned that
Mangum might not accept the amended contract.
“If she does not accept it, I’ll have to bring it back
to you …,” he said during a teleconference.
8
“John’s selection as chairman of Microsoft, one of
the world’s most accomplished software companies,
is a testament to the preparation that students
receive at FAMU,” said Shawnta Friday-Stroud,
dean of SBI. “He has been a major supporter of
SBI through both his time and resources. We are
extremely proud.”
If Mangum agrees to the new contract, it is still
subject to approval by the Board of Governors of
the State University System.
Some trustees had raised concerns about
Mangum’s proposed salary of $425,000, especially
considering she has never been a college president.
Ammons’ base salary was $341,250 a year,
although he left the job with a pay package of
more than $440,000, which included two bonuses.
“One of my key contributions, I hope, will be to
engage with shareholders and keep focus on how
together we can bring great innovation to the
marketplace and drive strong long term shareholder
value,” said Thompson in a video statement from
Microsoft.
Thompson received his bachelor’s degree in
business administration from FAMU. He earned a
master’s degree in management from the Sloan
Fellows program of the MIT Sloan School of
Management.
According to Microsoft, Gates will assume a new
role on the Board as founder and technology
advisor.
Black College
Monthly February
2014 2014
BLACK
COLLEGE MONTHLY
— February
The Harlem Hellfighters
Henry Lincoln Johnson
was a United States Army soldier who
was awarded the Distinguished Service
Cross, Purple Heart, and the French
Croix de Guerre. He was the first American soldier in World War I to receive the
Croix de Guerre with star and Gold Palm
from the French government.
Early life and education
Johnson, an African American, was born
in Alexandria, Virginia in 1897 and
moved to Albany, New York when he
was in his early teens. He worked as a
redcap porter at the Albany Union Station
on Broadway.
Career
Johnson enlisted in the United States
Army on June 5, 1917, joining the allblack New York National Guard unit, the
15th New York Infantry, which, when
mustered into federal service was renamed the 369th Infantry Regiment, based in Harlem. Assigned to the French command in World War I,
Johnson arrived in France on New Year’s Day, 1918. While on guard duty on May 14, 1918, Private
Johnson came under attack by a German raider party. Johnson displayed uncommon heroism when,
using his rifle and a bolo knife, he repelled the Germans, thereby rescuing a comrade from capture and
saving the lives of his fellow soldiers. This act of valor earned him the nickname of “Black Death”, as a
sign of respect for his prowess in combat.
Returning home, Sgt. Johnson was paid to take part in a series of lecture tours. He appeared one
evening in St. Louis and instead of delivering the expected tale of racial harmony in the trenches, he
instead revealed the abuse black soldiers had suffered, such as white soldiers refusing to share trenches
with blacks. Soon after this a warrant was issued for Johnson’s arrest for wearing his uniform beyond
the prescribed date of his commission and paid lecturing engagements dried up.
Death
Johnson died in New Lenox, Illinois at the Veterans Hospital, on July 5, 1929, penniless, estranged from
his wife and family and without official recognition from the U.S. government. He is buried in Arlington
National Cemetery.
Legacy
Interest in obtaining fitting recognition for Johnson grew during the 1970s and 1980s. In November 1991
a monument was erected in Albany, New York’s Washington Park in his honor, and a section of Northern Boulevard was renamed Henry Johnson Boulevard.
In June 1996, Johnson was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart by President Bill Clinton. In
February 2003, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Army’s second highest award, was presented to
Herman A. Johnson, one of the Tuskegee Airmen, on behalf of his father.[2] John Howe, a Vietnam
War veteran who had campaigned tirelessly for recognition for Johnson, and U.S. Army Major General
Nathaniel James, President of the 369th Veterans Association, were present at the ceremony in Albany.
In February 1919.
Crowds thronged
New York City’s
Fifth Avenue as the
369th marched to
the music of their
now- famous
regimental jazz
band leader, James
Reese Europe. After
the parade, city
officials honored
the troops at a
special dinner
The New York National Guard 369th Infantry
regiment was entirely made up of AfricanAmericans. Since every single novelty produces
controversy, public indignation and official
objection, ‘The Harlem Hellfighters’ were looked
upon not as heroes fighting for the US, but
something necessary and bad at the same time.
For quite a long time there was such an impression that an anti-Black propaganda surfaced. It
goes without saying that it was inherited as a
dubious legacy from past traditions. Though
obviously born and raised in the US neither this
particular regiment nor any other Black one did
officially represent their homeland. They joined
the French troops, ally to the US.
General John G. Pershing serving under President Wilson issued a letter addressed to the
French in which he warns his ally about potential
hazards the non-white soldiers may bring to their
white comrades-in-arms. In a not too hiddenly
racist tone he reminds the readers that Blacks are
inferior to white soldiers, each of them is a
ticking bomb ready to explode, thus orchestrating
a mayhem against America (as if these brave
soldiers were not Americans themselves). No
one should seek their company outside compulsory military interactions, should not eat, drink
or converse with them.
He alerted about the dangers of Blacks mingling
with white ladies. Clearly, the General’s primary
concern was not to offend poor white soldiers by
the very presence of Blacks, whereas, the
outcome of the war was secondary to that.
The Hellfighters, on the other hand, were doing
fine on the front. They spent more uninterrupted
combat time than any other American white
troop. Their reputation, however, preceded their
actual involvement. It was proved that like the
Inglourious Basterds smashing Nazis, the Harlem
soldiers would not take prisoner of war. Consequently the Germans were afraid to encounter
them.
Although they fought the longest period of all
American regiments they were not allowed to
participate at the Paris Peace Parade, neither
could they show themselves at the Victory
Parade in New York. Still, as a sign of genuine
wartime savvy they organized their own march.
The event made the headlines of newspapers
and eventually The Harlem Hellfighters received
a small amount of gratitude they deserved in the
first place.
February 2014
9
Howard Univ. Struggles as Funding Dries
Up, Black Students Choose White Schools
Howard University’s financial troubles have been detailed, so as Dr. Wayne Frederick, acting president
of the historic university, prepares to blaze the path ahead, he has his hands full.
When the Obama administration began checking the last five years of a parent’s credit history—which
spans the deepest recession in modern history—for defaults, instead of just the last 90 days, as was
previously the policy, the rug was pulled out from under HBCUs.
Why? HBCUs typically have a disproportionate number of poor students. So this policy change forced
28,000 HBCU students to drop out, at a cost of $150 million to HBCUs. Eighty nine percent of Howard
University students receive financial aid. Add to that the fact that almost half of the students at all
historically black colleges are the first in their family to attend college.
Black Children
More Likely To
Go To Hospital
For Asthma
By Carolyn Hall
President Obama’s Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, has defended his move to create the new loan
requirements, which are bankrupting historically black colleges. Duncan said, according to the New York
Times, that the new requirements were “designed to protect parents and taxpayers against unaffordable
loans.” That doesn’t do much to help HBCU students who were forced to drop out thanks to the new
requirements.
Howard had in the past relied heavily on government funds, but the sequester has done much to reduce
those funds as well.
Also, as the New York Times reports, more of the best and brightest black students are opting for white
schools instead of historically black colleges:
Howard admitted almost 60 percent of applicants last year; among current freshmen, the top 25 percent
in SAT math and reading scored 1190 and up; 15 years ago the threshold was 1330.
At this point, no one knows what the future holds for Howard University, but “enrollment is down
11,321 since 1980? and if Howard is in trouble, then you already know that smaller, less well known
HBCUs are struggling.
If HBCUs are to be saved, it’s clear that the black community must rally to save them, but how?
Considering that many in our community were set on their heels due to the recession? There is no clear
solution, but if we want to save our HBCUs, we’d better find an answer fast.
African-Americans Disproportionately Affected
By Arthritis
- CDC Recommends Relief through Self-Management
Programs and Physical Activity Washington, DC - While it often takes a back seat to
other chronic illnesses, arthritis is the most common cause
of disability in the United States and has been for at least
the last 15 years.
To gather the evidence for this study, scientists
and researchers used a test group comprised of
over 800 children between the ages of 1 to 16.
The study was done at Cincinnati’s Children’s
Medical Center. 57% of the patients at the
hospital were Black.
Black children had a 23% chance of being
readmitted to the hospital for asthma related
issues, while their white peers only were 11%
likely to do so. This high rate of readmission
was attributed to the economic and social
difficulties of their caregivers; they cited such
problems as not having a job or money to buy
proper medications and not having adequate
transportation to take the children in for regular
doctor’s visits.
Arthritis causes a surprisingly disproportionate amount of
pain and limitations for African-Americans. According to a
study released by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), when compared to whites, AfricanAmericans are:
• About as likely to report having arthritis, but:
• 26% more likely to report activity limitations due to
arthritis
• 43% more likely to report work limitations due to arthritis
• 60% more likely to report severe joint pain
While studies such as these highlight disparities, it is important to note that there are resources for
people living with Arthritis. The CDC recommends, self-management techniques be added to the daily
routine of anyone living with arthritis. Below are some examples of simple lifestyle changes that may
help African-Americans ease the burden of pain and limitations of arthritis.
• Self-Management Programs: interactive workshops such as the Arthritis Self-Management Program and the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program are low-cost and available in communities
across the country. Attending one of these programs can help a person learn ways to manage pain,
exercise safely, and gain control of their arthritis.
• Physical Activity: Thirty minutes of moderate low impact physical activity at least 5 days per week
helps to reduce pain and improve function, mood, and quality of life for adults with arthritis.
These tips, and other resources, are available at the CDC website. Putting them into practice will
could help increase the quality of life and lessen the everyday pain of the more than the 4.6 million
African-Americans living with arthritis.
10 According to recent health studies, the interplay
between poverty/lack and chaotic social environments can adversely affect the well being of
young Blacks. In particular, the two have been
cited as a major cause of high asthma rates
among the Black urban demographic. In fact,
these same studies suggest that a lack of
finances and negative societal factors make
Black kids twice as likely to suffer from asthma
as their white peers.
Obesity related asthma due to poor diets and the
high costs of healthy foods, coupled with poorer
air quality in urban areas also contributes to the
disproportionate numbers of asthmatic youth
within the Black community. Some common
irritants that can cause asthma-related symptoms to flare up include cigarette smoke as well
as allergies to pollen, dust, and even cockroaches.
In order to effectively address this problem,
there must be more community based prevention, and health education and prevention in
lower income areas. More must also be done by
senators and law makers to improve the living
conditions of the poor and the air quality in
areas that are heavily populated.
BLACK
COLLEGE MONTHLY
— February
2014
Black
College
Monthly February
2014
11
Samuel L Jackson: Hollywood Avoids “Kidney Sundays”
Reaches African
Real Issues of
American Faith
Racism
Communities
ByAaron Akinyemi
Actor Samuel L Jackson has said that the
popularity of Oscar-nominated film 12 Years A
Slave brushes over the racism still prevalent in
Hollywood and contemporary American culture.
- National Kidney Disease Education Program
Hosts Third Annual Nationwide Event 6.2 million African American adults in the United
States have signs of kidney disease – equal to the
population of Tennessee.
Jackson said the widely acclaimed film, which
stars British-Nigerian actor Chiwetel Ejiofor,
misses the point that Hollywood avoids the “real
issues” of racism in modern US society.
Speaking to The Times, the actor said 12 Years
A Slave only received funding because it was made by the British art house director Steve McQueen.
“I would think that if an African-American director went into a studio and pitched that particular film,
they would be like: ‘No, no, no’.
“It is a film about African-Americans – a dark period of history that they don’t like to explore in that
particular way.”
He added: “Look, I’m glad 12 Years got made and
it’s wonderful that people are seeing it and there is
another view of what happened in America. But
I’m not real sure why Steve McQueen wanted to
tackle that particular sort of thing.”
Jackson, whose films have earned a massive $9bn
at the box office over his successful 40-year career,
said he still faces racial discrimination in the film
industry on a daily basis.
The actor pointed out that the 2013 US drama film
Fruitvale Station tackles the issue of race in a far
more forthright and braver way that 12 Years A
Slave.
Fruitvale Station, based on the murder
of Oscar Grant by police in Oakland
Fruitvale Station is based on the events that led to
the death of Oscar Grant, a young African-American man who was killed by a police officer in
2009.
“It explains things like the shooting of Trayvon Martin, the problems with stop and search, and is just
more poignant,” Jackson said.
“America is much more willing to acknowledge what happened in the past: ‘We freed the slaves! It’s all
good!’ But to say: ‘We are still unnecessarily killing black men’ – let’s have a conversation about that.”
First African
American troops
the United States
has ever sent to
England, marching back to camp
after a rest at a
local pub, during
WWII. Location:
United Kingdom
Date taken: 1942
14 African Americans experience the highest rates of
kidney failure – rates approximately 3.4 times
greater than whites. Two major causes of kidney
failure are diabetes and high blood pressure. In
fact, 80 percent of new cases of kidney failure
among African Americans are due to one of these
conditions.
In recognition of National Kidney Month, the
National Kidney Disease Education Program
(NKDEP), along with the American Diabetes
Association’s Live Empowered initiative and Chi
Eta Phi Sorority, Inc., a national nursing sorority,
will host the third annual Kidney Sundays event on
March 2. Together with more than 85 AfricanAmerican congregations nationwide, NKDEP and
Kidney Sundays aim to:
• Help African Americans to gain a better
understanding of why kidney disease is a major
health concern,
• Encourage people at risk to get their kidneys
tested, and
• Support conversations about kidney disease
among families and faith communities.
“Kidney Sundays goes beyond March 2,” said Dr.
Griffin P. Rodgers, Director of the National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases (NIDDK). “Throughout National Kidney
Month, we hope to educate people on the importance of kidney testing and the link between
kidney disease and diabetes and high blood
pressure. Our goal is to create healthy, lifelong
habits and behavior change, particularly among
AfricanAmericans.”
Kidney Sundays provides African American
congregations with tools and materials, such as an
event checklist and health ministry talking points,
to help elevate kidney disease as a health issue
requiring attention. Congregations will conduct
kidney health education sessions and provide blood
pressure screenings.
“We are thrilled to partner with NKDEP on this
important initiative,” said Priscilla Murphy, 1st
Vice-President of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc.
“Kidney Sundays is an opportunity for our nurses
to directly affect the health of their communities.
Through blood pressure screenings and kidney
health presentations, we open the door to a
discussion on kidney disease and raise awareness
about risk factors.”
You’re Studying Black History, but Are
You Trying to Make Black History Too?
By Ron Busby, Sr.
As America begins the annual ritual of “celebrating” the countless achievements of African
Americans during the February observance of
Black History Month, I think it makes sense to
remind each other that the things we do every
day will be the historical recollections for future
generations.
By Dr. Sinclair Grey III
There is no question of the value of recounting
the daring exploits, the against-all-odds battles
won, or of revisiting the horrors and brutalities
that marked our journey through this country’s
history. I just don’t believe that enough of us
approach our daily commitments with an eye on
how our actions (or inactions) will impact the
lives of Black Americans in the future.
I could fill this space with the names of prodigious Black inventors, from Jan Matzeliger to
Norbert Rilleaux, Garrett Morgan to Dr. Mark
Dean. We all know the contributions of Samuel
Cornish and John Russwurm and their
Freedom’s Journal, the Sengstackes, Murphys,
Vanns and Scotts, the John H. Johnson and Earl
G. Graves and their heroic struggles to make sure
our stories were told – accurately. We know of
Madame C.J. Walker and A.G. Gaston and
Alonzo Herndon and Oprah and Bob Johnson
and Herman Russell and the empire builders of
the business world.
But today I want to give a Black History “shout
out” to the millions of nameless, faceless business women and men who rose before dawn and
got home long after everyone was asleep. The
barbers, hairdressers, shopkeepers, brick masons, carpenters, café owners, mechanics,
painters, printers, shoe shine and repairmen. The
tailors, grocers, ice, coal and wood
deliverymen…. All the folks whose toils paved
the way for us, paid the tuition to Howard,
Morehouse, Johnson C. Smith, Fisk, Xavier,
Dillard and all the “A&M’s” across the south!
After nearly fifty years of successfully aspiring to
“good jobs,” we are witnessing a boom in the
numbers of Black Americans returning to our
roots as entrepreneurs and business owners, and
this boom couldn’t have come at a better time.
When it’s clear that government solutions to
income inequality fail to factor for or include us;
when Black un- and underemployment threaten
the nutritional health and educational opportunities for our children; when globalization of
markets consigns our participation to the role of
consumers… that’s when it should become clear
the key role that Black business plays in our
communities.
The U.S Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC) is
acutely aware of the battle that African Americans face in the marketplace today. When online
purchases of clothing eclipses the purchases
made inside actual stores, the opportunities for
Black retailers practically disappears. Despite the
obvious love affair Black folks have with hats,
suits, shoes and boots, it is Nordstrom, Macy’s,
Neiman’s and local designer boutiques that get
their share of our income inequality, not Blackowned clothes sellers.
More US Prisoners
Exonerated Than
Ever, But It’s The Tip
Of The Iceberg
We struggle to find a Black-owned grocery chain,
even though African Americans spend a disproportionate share of their disposable income on
food. Black-owned restaurants are an increasingly endangered species, even as national chains
pad their bottom lines with the lion’s share of our
discretionary spending on food…including sushi!
Black automobile dealers fare a little better,
though the 80s and 90s wreaked havoc on the
number of franchised dealerships owned by
African Americans. Without question, we continue to provide the comfortable profit cushion,
particularly for luxury brand automobiles.
Telecom companies, high-end electronics,
“luxury” liquors, condo sellers and jewelers all
positively salivate when their coffers fill up with
Black dollars.
Among the goals of the USBC, we believe if we
are successful at reigniting our passion for
business ownership, we have the best opportunity
to solve the challenges faced by Black America.
The historical record of our ability to build
colleges, insurance companies and hospitals
proves that when necessary we can achieve
monumental “wins” through collective entrepreneurial activity.
So, we at the USBC and our affiliates across the
country encourage you to be more mindful, and
more intentional as you pursue your dreams.
Understand that 20, 50, 100 years from now
someone will read the record of your contribution
to life as they know it, and the fact that you
made a lot of money won’t be enough to get your
name in the record book. Business ownership
opens doors of opportunity, not just for you and
your family, but the families of your employees,
associates, customers/clients, vendors and
suppliers. That improved quality of life affords
access to opportunities for education, earning,
travel and the new worlds they discover will
create future generations of inventors and history
makers. Black History is made and celebrated
every day… make sure that your everyday
actions pave the way.
Ron Busby is President of the US Black Chambers, Inc.
Being locked up
for the wrong
reason can
fracture an
individual’s
spirit. Incarcerated for a crime
you didn’t
commit can
hurt as well as
damage a
person’s
psyche. When
you stop to
think about it for a moment, not only is the
individual who is incarcerated affected, but their
family and friends. There’s a stigma associated
with the one who was convicted that’s not easily
removed.
A new study in 2013 has shown the highest
number of exonerated inmates in U.S. History.
That’s right; people spending time in prison for a
crime they didn’t commit.
According to the National Registry of Exonerations, ‘Nearly half of those exonerated prisoners
had been convicted of murder. About one-third of
the exonerations involved cases in which no crime
had occurred, the Registry found, and fewer
convicts were exonerated through DNA evidence
than in the past. That slow trend has been occurring for much of the last decade. The report also
noted that 17 percent of those exonerated had
originally pleaded guilty to crimes they hadn’t
committed, specifically because those types of
plea bargains can lead to reduced sentences.’
The criminal justice system has made significant
improvements in trying to get the facts right. While
the system isn’t perfect, many prosecutors are
now willing to reopen cases that seemed shaky/
questionable. Even though there’s a confession
made, more work is needed to ensure that an
individual wasn’t coerced by law enforcement.
You may ask yourself why do more work when a
confession is made? The answer is simple – false
confessions happen often when plea agreements
are made.
A note of reference for you: “Texas had the most
exonerations with 13, followed by Illinois (9), New
York (8), Washington (7) and California (6).
Rounding out the top 10 were Michigan and
Missouri with five a piece, and four each for
Connecticut, Georgia and Virginia.” Of all those
exonerated, 92 percent were men and 47 percent
were black.
Justice for those wrongfully convicted is finally
happening. Hopefully, that same justice will spill
over to those who are still incarcerated with false
evidence.
February 2014
15
Five Things You May
Not Know about TV
Star and Spelman
Graduate Esther Rolle
By Yolanda Spivey
What ever happened to former
Florida State safety Myron Rolle?
by Todd Johnson
Myron Rolle was drafted by the
Tennessee Titans in 2010.
The former Florida State Seminole had
just spent a year in England studying
medical anthropology at the University
of Oxford. Rolle, selected as a Rhodes
Scholar upon his graduation from FSU,
chose books over bone-crushing hits.
Esther Rolle was
famous for playing
the strong matriFour years later, Rolle is now a firstarch in the hit
year medical student at the Florida
television series
State University College of Medicine.
Good Times. She
He never appeared in a NFL regular season
was also famously
game.
known to have
walked away from
So what happened?
the show at the
It was not Rolle who was uninterested in the
height of its success
NFL, but the NFL who was uninterested in him,
due to the negative
or perhaps even scared to have him around. He
images that were
never kept his desire to become a neurosurgeon
being portrayed and
a secret, and by 2010, the brain trauma issue in
played through
the NFL began to metastasize and enter public
fellow co-star Jimmie Walker. Esther Role was born on
November 8, 1920 in Pompano Beach, Florida. Here are consciousness. Given Rolle’s activism on health
care-related issues while at Florida State and
a few interesting facts about this great actress that may
Oxford, it’s easy to see teams imagining Rolle
interest you:
becoming an unofficial spokesperson on brain
Her family was large and in charge- Esther Rolle was trauma, just as Chris Kluwe and Brendon
the tenth of eighteen children, born to Bahamian immiAyanbadejo took on similar roles concerning gay
grant parents. Two of her sisters were also well-known
rights. Significantly, both were released in 2013.
actresses. Her sister Estelle Evans, starred in To Kill a
Much was made of Rolle’s decision to accept
Mockingbird and The Learning Tree—and her other
his Rhodes Scholarship then and the same
sister, Rosanna Carter, appeared in movies such as The
questions persist to this day – What if?
Brother from Another Planet and Night of the Juggler.
She also made guest appearances on Good Times, The
Rolle says his conversations with some Titans’
Cosby Show, I’ll Fly Away and Law & Order.
coaches had more to do with his off-the-field
pursuits than his football IQ:
Esther Rolle got the acting bug late in life- Esther
Rolle is pure proof that it’s never too late to live your
dreams. She started acting at the age of 42 after joining
an African American dance troupe which she eventually
directed. She appeared in her first film, Nothing But a
Man, by the age of 44 and landed the role of Florida
Evans in the hit television show Good Times when she
was 54 years old. The rest is HERstory!
She was an educated woman- Esther Rolle attended
Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. When she moved
to New York City, she attended Hunter College and then
to The New School. Finally she transferred to Yale
University in New Haven Connecticut.
Going for the Rhodes, it really put a label on me
that was hard to shake, and frankly I don’t think
that I did shake it.
Paul Kuharsky disagrees. He covers the
Tennessee Titans for ESPN and said other
players simply “outranked” Rolle on the field:
What the league wants, first and foremost, isn’t
just guys who will play football, and play along.
It’s guys who will play football well. The Titans
would have loved for Rolle to have worked
out. Any team would love for a sixth-round
pick to be a solid contributor or more [...]
I don’t believe a question about his commitment or a fear of his brain prompted them to
steer away. There was a far simpler reason he
didn’t make it.
He wasn’t a good enough player.
Rolle is still tapped by his alma-mater to help
recruits see the benefits of both athletics and
receiving an education. He’s intensely loyal to
the Seminoles because of all he says the
program did for him when he was a student
athlete.
For now, he’s just a student – but this is
certainly not the last time the sports world will
hear from him.
‘Beasts Of The Southern Wild’ Star
Quvenzhane Wallis Cast As ‘Annie’
NEW YORK — The young
Oscar-nominated star of “Beasts of
the Southern Wild” has been cast in
the lead role of a new version of
“Annie.”
She fought to maintain positive images of Blacks on
television- Although she spent the majority of her film
and television career playing domestic servitude roles,
Esther Rolle fought to keep positive images of Blacks,
specifically women, on television. When she was offered
the role of Florida Evans on the hit television show
Good Times, she told the show creator that she will not
take the role if the matriarch wasn’t married. Show
creator Norman Lear respected Esther Rolle so much, he
created the role of James Evans just to have her on the
show. She was awarded a NAACP Civil Rights Leadership Award in 1990 for her role in trying to destroy
negative stereotypes that often plagued Blacks in film.
Sony Pictures announced recently
that Quvenzhane (kwuh-VEHN’juh-nay) Wallis will playAnnie in a
contemporized adaptation of the
Broadway musical and the “Little
Orphan Annie” comic strip. It’s to
be directed by Will Gluck, who
loosely based his 2010 film “Easy
A” on “The Scarlet Letter.”
She was more than just an actress- Esther Rolle
released a musical album titled The Garden of My Mind
in 1975. In addition to acting and singing, she was also a
dancer
“Annie” is planned for release during the 2014 holiday season. Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith
and Jay-Z are among the producers. The Smiths’ daughter, Willow, had originally been slated to
playAnnie
16 The 9-year-old Quvenzhane is one of the youngest Oscar-nominated actors ever. She’s also
shot a small role in Steve McQueen’s film, “Twelve Years a Slave.”
17
HBCU Basketball
Standidngs
Violet Palmer: NBA’s Only Female
Referee
MEAC
By Jeff Mays
Sometimes longevity
under difficult circumstances deserves
praise. Palmer became
one of two women to
infiltrate the all-male
referee ranks of the
NBA in 1997. Her
fellow groundbreaking
female referee left
after five years,
leaving Palmer to hold
it down on her own
for the last several
years.
TEAM
CONFERENCE
North Carolina Central
Norfolk State
Hampton
Morgan State
Savannah State
Coppin State
South Carolina State
North Carolina A&T
Howard
Florida A&M
Bethune-Cookman
Delaware State
Md-Eastern Shore
W-L GB PCT
W-L
PCT
STRK
9-1
8-2
8-3
7-3
6-4
6-5
4-6
4-6
4-6
4-7
4-8
2-8
1-8
18-5
14-10
13-11
9-13
8-16
9-15
8-15
8-17
6-19
8-16
6-21
6-17
3-18
.783
.583
.542
.409
.333
.375
.348
.320
.240
.333
.222
.261
.143
W10
W2
W2
W1
L2
L1
L2
L1
L2
L2
W1
W2
L3
Palmer’s skill has also earned her the distinction of being the first woman to serve as a referee
during the playoffs of any major American sport.
The climb upward hasn’t been easy.
Palmer spent nine years refereeing high school and women’s college games, including two
NCAA Final Fours and the championships. The NBA took notice and recruited Palmer.
“The NBA was never my goal, because I thought it was unattainable. I was a college referee.
I was the No. 3 referee in the world for women’s basketball. I had everything. The Final
Four. Big TV games — all the limelight I wanted. But my personality is if you give me a
challenge, I’m going to take it. In the back of my mind, I said, It doesn’t cost me anything. I
can just try it. If nothing happens, the training will be good.”
But things were difficult at first.
“Generally it was a good ‘ole boys club, and I think that’s within any sport. There were a lot
of referees that resented me joining the ranks,” Palmer told PBS.
But looking back at her life, it wasn’t hard to predict that Palmer would be a trailblazer. If she
wasn’t challenging her brother in basketball, she was busy being the only girl on her Little
League team.
At first, players didn’t know how to deal with her, said Palmer, and the fans and the critics
were worse.
“‘You’re not going to make it.’ ‘Why are you here? Go back to WNBA.’ ‘Players and
coaches are not going to accept you.’ ‘Your guys that you work with, they’re not going to
accept you,’” Palmer said about her critics.
TEAM
Southern University
Alabama State
Alabama A&M
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Texas Southern
Prairie View A&M
Alcorn State
Jackson State
Mississippi Valley St
Grambling State
W-L GB PCT
W-L
PCT
STRK
10-1 —
8-3 2
6-5 4
6-5 4
5-5 4.5
5-5 4.5
5-6 5
4-7 6
4-7 6
1-10 9
14-10
14-8
9-12
8-15
9-13
7-15
8-15
8-15
8-16
2-18
.583
.636
.429
.348
.409
.318
.348
.348
.333
.100
W5
L1
W1
W4
L3
W1
L3
L1
L2
W1
18 .909
.727
.545
.545
.500
.500
.455
.364
.364
.091
East
School
Conf Overall
Albany State University
Fort Valley State University
Benedict College
Clark Atlanta
Morehouse College
4-0
3-1
2-2
1-2
0-4
5-4
4-6
4-6
3-7
2-8
West
School
Conf Overall
Tuskegee University
Miles College
Lane College
Stillman College
Central State
Kentucky State University
4-1
4-1
2-3
2-3
2-4
1-4
8-2
6-4
6-4
6-5
2-8
5-5
CIAA
Northern Division
Divi
Bowie State
Lincoln (Pa.)
Virginia Union
Elizabeth City St
Virginia State
Chowan
5-1
4-3
3-3
3-4
2-4
2-4
Conf
Win %
.833
.571
.500
.429
.333
.333
6-6
8-5
5-7
6-7
5-7
4-8
Win %
0.500
0.615
0.417
0.462
0.417
0.333
Overall
12-11
16-7
6-15
11-12
12-10
10-12
Win %
.522
.696
.286
.478
.545
.455
Southern Division
Now Palmer’s boldness has left that door she kicked open ajar for other women.
“Two more women have already been working two or three NBA games a month this season
for on-the-job training that will go through January,” Palmer said. “And I’m not sure anyone
even noticed much, which is great.”
OVERALL
SIAC
“Every now and then, I might have a little young fella come out, and I say, Oh wait, young
fella, I’ve got a lot more years of service than you. Check yourself,’ ” said Palmer.
“I think a woman should be able to do any job that she qualifies for,” Palmer told Scholastic.
“If she can go out and be the best at it like any man, why shouldn’t she have the opportunity
to do whatever sport or career [she wants]?”
.900
800
.727
.700
.600
.545
.400
.400
.400
.364
.333
.200
.111
CONFERENCE
And the rookies sometimes didn’t know how to act, Palmer told CNN.
But then the players began to see that she was just like any of the other referees. Some of the
players first looked at her as a Mother figure and then just began to realize she was a cool
person.
—
1.
1.5
2
3
3.5
5
5
5
5.5
6
7
7.5
SWAC
Palmer is currently the only female referee in the NBA.
“I didn’t just kick the
door — I knocked it
down,” Palmer told espnW.
OVERALL
Div
Fayetteville State
Livingstone
Winston-Salem St
Johnson C. Smith
Shaw
St. Augustine’s
5-1
5-1
4-2
2-4
1-5
1-5
Conf
Win %
.833
.833
.667
.333
.167
.167
9-3
8-4
8-4
5-7
5-7
4-8
Win %
.750
.667
.667
.417
.417
.333
Overall
17-6
15-6
13-9
13-9
7-15
11-11
Win %
.739
.714
.591
.591
.318
.500
February 2014
Miami holds off Seminoles
Had Florida State completed
its comeback attempt and
beat Miami after trailing by
double digits, it might’ve been
precisely the type of seasonturning moment that the
Seminoles desperately needed
after a month of mediocrity.
Florida State has suffered
losses in six of its last eight
games.
Instead, a 77-73 loss to the
Devon Bookert led the Seminoles with 17 points.
Hurricanes here at the Civic
Center may have put a
different kind of stamp on this season. A
rally that couldn’t come any closer than
was pleased with FSU’s defensive effort,
three points sent the Seminoles spiraling
especially in the second half. Miami made
to their sixth loss in eight games and put
contested shots and others that were put up
them at 14-10, 5-7 in conference play
with the shot clock winding down.
with difficult games against Wake Forest
“I thought that they just did a great job of
and North Carolina looming ahead.
making timely baskets,” he said. “I mean,
“Obviously,” FSU coach Leonard
we were right there. But sometimes it’s not
Hamilton said, “ we’ve dug a deep hole
as much about what we didn’t do as they
for ourselves and we’ve got to find a way
just made some very tough shots.”
to muster up enough energy to finish our
Each time FSU cut it close, Miami anseason with some wins, put ourselves in
swered. Davon Reed scored four consecuposition going into the ACC Tournament
tive points for UM after Boris Bojanovsky
to see how successful we can be.
and Aaron Thomas trimmed FSU’s deficit to
“We’ve still got a lot of basketball to play.
three on back-to-back possessions.
We’ve just got to be sure we take advanThen, after a pair of Okaro White free
tage of every opportunity.”
throws made it 49-46, Miami went on a 11But given a recent opportunity against
6 run to help keep the Seminoles at arm’s
some of the league’s middling teams –
length.
N.C. State, Virginia Tech, Maryland and
“It was pretty depressing to play hard on
Miami – the Seminoles came away with
defense and they hit a tough, challenged 3 or
only a 1-3 record.
tough, challenged fadeaway 2 just to shut
In a somewhat cruel twist, Florida State
down our momentum or get our crowd out
on Monday was done in by an inability to
of it,” said Ian Miller, who returned to the
get a defensive stop down the stretch.
lineup Monday after missing two games due
After trimming Miami’s lead to 45-42 with
to an ankle injury.
8:28 to go, the Seminoles surrendered
Miller checked into the game early in the
points on 17 of the Hurricanes’ next 18
first half and immediately made his presence
possessions to close the game.
felt with a 3-pointer that cut into Miami’s
Miami (12-12, 3-8 ACC) shot 47.9
eight-point lead. He finished the first half
percent (23 of 48) from the field, includwith 11 points, but only added three more in
ing an 11-of-23 mark in a first half where
the second.
they set a new season-high for first-half
He said after the game that his ankle feels
points in ACC play with 36.
80 percent healthy and that he entered the
The Hurricanes went into the break with a
night not knowing if he would play.
34-26 advantage while not allowing the
Sophomore guard Devon Bookert led FSU
Seminoles a single trip to the free-throw
with 17 points, but 15 of those came in the
line.
second half and he scored nine with less
Devon Bookert led the Seminoles with 17
than two minutes remaining as the Semipoints.
noles continuously fouled the Hurricanes in
hopes of extending their comeback bid.
“We scored 77,” UM coach Jim
Larranaga said. “I think that may be a
Sophomore Aaron Thomas had 16 points
record for us this year.”
and White added 14 points and seven
rebounds for the Seminoles, who shot 50
Not quite. The Hurricanes scored 84 in a
percent from the field and out-rebounded
win over Texas Southern and 81 in an
Miami 32-27.
overtime triumph against Georgia Southern.
“I think we waited a couple minutes too late
to pick it up,” Thomas said. “By that time,
FSU has now allowed opponents to shoot
they’d already smacked us in the face.”
at least 43 percent in its last three losses.
But Hamilton said after the game that he
FSU’s Class of 2014
By Brendan Sonnone
FSU compiled one of the country’s top recruiting classes on
National Signing Day by bringing in 28 players that represented
value in terms of quality and filling needs.
Top of the class: RB Dalvin Cook – By most national rankings,
it’s a tossup between Cook, WR Ermon Lane and WR Travis
Rudolph. All three have incredible potential, but Cook is the star
of this class. He dominated tough competition in Miami the past
two years and will have a chance to play right away because the
Seminoles need depth at RB behind presumed starter Karlos
Williams. Cook has the best chance of any prospect to make an
immediate impact at FSU.
Top position: Wide receiver – The Seminoles landed arguably the
top group of WRs in the entire country, so this one is easy. Lane
has a ton of potential and was a 5-star recruit. Rudolph (4 stars)
is maybe the most polished wide out in the country and Ja’Von
Harrison (4 stars) is an explosive target capable of playing right
away. All three should see the field as true freshmen.
Jimbo gushes over: DT Arthur Williams – To no surprise, Fisher
Lakeland Kathleen’s Ja’Von Harrison has helped
solidify FSU’s stellar haul of wide receivers.
had plenty of kind words to go around on NSD. For example, he
said that DT Demarcus Christmas could’ve been the top-ranked
recruit in the country if he went to more camps. But it was
Williams, a little-known recruit from North Carolina, that maybe
received the highest praise from Fisher. “Arthur is a guy that has
as much potential as anyone in our class,” Fisher said. “He came
to our camp, I was walking by the drills and will never forget, I’m
walking and I see some big guy running through the bags. I said
he’s as good or better than anybody we had on this team. The
way he moved, the way he changed direction.”
Most underrated: WR Ja’Von Harrison – While he had plenty of
scholarship offers and was highly regarded by recruiting analysts,
Harrison has simply gone under the radar as a member of this
class. FSU flipped him from Virginia Tech on NSD, but most of
the attention has gone to Lane and Rudolph. There’s a very good
chance that Harrison contributes as much, if not more, than Lane
or Rudolph by the time his career at FSU is over. He’s a dynamic
player that has an uncanny feel for getting open and finding soft
spots in defenses. “I think Ja’Von is right there in that same
caliber of them,” Fisher said.
Signing Day snub: WR Malachi Dupre (LSU) – FSU’s staff
seemed to think that it had a very good shot at Dupre, who ended
up staying with in-state LSU. A consensus five-star recruit, Dupre
would’ve added to the top WR haul in the nation. Losing QB/
ATH Treon Harris to Florida is a close second.
Could’ve done more: Quarterback – The Seminoles brought in
one QB, Pittsburgh Central Catholic’s J.J. Cosentino. Fisher
likes his arm strength and poise as a signal caller, but Cosentino
comes to FSU from a run-based offense, making it difficult to
project how he’ll grasp Fisher’s complex offense.
February 2014
19
FAMU SIGNING DAY RECAP: Holmes
pleased with new recruits
TALLAHASSEE, Fla – Florida A&M’s Head football coach, Earl Holmes, announced his team’s
14-man recruiting class on
Wednesday, which consists
of eight offensive lineman.
Yes, eight big fellas, but it’s
not surprising considering
FAMU’s o-line was the
team’sAchilles’ heel last
season.
Why Are People
Attacking Pam Oliver
For Her Hair?
The 2,330-pound O-line
class will look to booster a
Rattler offensive line that has
given up 23 sacks and only
paved the way for 10 rushing
touchdowns last season.
Holmes indicated how the
offensive line struggles of last
season needed to be corrected with this recruiting
class.
By Carolyn Hall
A lot of Beef in FAMU’s 2014 recruiting class
The Super Bowl is one of the most watched
sporting events of the year. However, it seems that
more attention was given to sideline reporter’s hair,
Fox News Pam Oliver, than what happened on the
field. According to innumerable news reports,
Twitter pandonium, and FACEBOOK feed madness, Miss Oliver had a “horrific hair day.”
“We really wanted to concentrate on the offensive line,” Holmes said. We really paid close
attention to what we need to be successful in the 2014 season.”
Joshua Addison, who led his Miami Central team to a 2013 6A state championship, recorded 70
pancake blocks during his senior season, and he’s only given up two sacks the last two seasons.
Despite being graded as a two-star athlete by rivals.com Addison is considered to be the best
player in FAMU’s freshman class.
Instead of all eyes on the field, arm chair commentators declared a foul on Oliver for her hair. In the
words of one twitter rant, “her hair was jacked up.”
Oliver, who is known for her stellar sports cast,
can’t seem to shake the “haters” with this hair
debacle. What is even more ironic is that her biggest
naysayers seem to be women. WOW. If anyone
should understand that “into every woman’s life, a
bad hair day must fall” (I’m paraphrasing scripture
here), it should be her sister fans. Well, heck,
maybe I’m just speaking for other sisters like
myself who seem to have five million things on
their plate and understand all too well what it means
to let your hair be one of them.
The 14 soon-to-be freshman will join FAMU’s junior college athletes and transfers, most of
whom, have already enrolled at the university.
FAMU 2014 Fresman Signees
Joshua Addison
6-5 305 OL Miami, Fla./Miami Central HS
Osman Aguilera
6-5 300 OL Miami, Fla./North Miami Beach HS
Jaderius Baxter
6-2 230 LB Haines City, Fla./Haines City HS
Joshua Calabro
6-3 280 OL Deltona, Fla./Deltona HS
Marcellin Daruche 6-6 300 OL Orlando, Fla. / Lyman HS
Daikwon Fuse
6-4 285 DE West Palm Beach, Fla./Dwyer HS
Jeff Hall
6-4 275 OL Panama City, Fla./Mosley HS
Gerald Harrison
6-6 300 OL Tallahassee, Fla./Florida HS
Gerald Hearns
5-9 205 FB/RB West Palm Beach, Fla./Dwyer HS
Fitzgerald Mofor 6-1 235 LB Brookeville, MD./Sherwood HS
Andrew Negron
6-5 275 OL Jacksonville, Fla./Christian
Elijah Price
6-4 230 DE/LB Jacksonville, Fla./Sandlewood HS
Ryan Rodgers
5-9 175 RB Panama City Beach, Fla./Mosley HS
Jestin Snow
6-4 295 OL Miami, Fla./Northwestern HS
Now, before the haters tackle me, I’m not excusing
Oliver but simply cutting her some slack. Keep in
mind that before she ever hit the field, she probably
had sleepless nights and countless hours of research
and prep time for THE SUPER BOWL.
Three HBCU Players Named to NFL Hall of Fame
Three products of HBCUs Michael
Strahan (Texas Southern), Aeneas
Williams (Southern) and Claude
Humphrey (Tennessee State) will be part
of seven new members of the 2014 NFL
Hall of Fame. They join Andre Reed,
Walter Jones, Ray Guy and Derrick
Brooks as the newest immortals headed
for enshrinement in Canton. Humphrey
and Guy were Veterans Committee
candidates.
While there was controversy about
that play, the gap-toothed Strahan
was one of the top two-way
defensive ends. Younger teammates said he taught them how
to work to become NFL players, and he walked away from
the NFL after winning the
Super Bowl in February 2008.
Williams, a walk-on at Southern University, was a shutStrahan set the NFL record for sacks in a
down cornerback in his 14
Michael Strahan
single season, getting 22 1/2 in 2001.
NFL seasons, the first 10
The one most people remember is the recordwith the Cardinals and the last four with the Rams.
setter in the final game of the regular season, when He had 55 career interceptions, getting at least one
Green Bay’s Brett Favre seemed to lay down on a in every season except his last. He had five or
play late in the game.
20 more in picks in six seasons, with nine being his
best in 1994.
Williams shared the NFL record for longest fumble
return with a 104-yarder for a touchdown against
Washington in 2000, his last year with the Cardinals. He started at cornerback for the Rams in the
2001 Super Bowl and played safety in his final
two seasons.
For Humphrey, the Hall of Fame doors finally
opened on his 28th year of eligibility and his fifth
as a finalist. The durable six-time Pro Bowl pick
had 122 career sacks in 14 seasons with the
Falcons and Eagles, who acquired him after a brief
retirement in the 1978 season. His 14 1/2 sacks in
1980 helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl
BLACK
COLLEGE MONTHLY
— February
Black
College
Monthly February
2014 2014
BCU GridIron Adds 19 During National
Signing Day
Doug Williams joins
Redskins front office
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. –
Recently completing his fourth
year at the helm in Daytona
Beach, Bethune-Cookman head
coach Brian Jenkins was excited
about this year’s class that hit on a
number of areas for which they
were seeking new additions.
“I’m very excited about our
recruiting class,” said Jenkins
Wednesday afternoon. “We think
this class is special because we
have a lot of height, and we added
guys that can really run. They
have great athleticism amongst the
big guys as well.”
Bethune-Cookman University inked 19 young men to National
Letters of Intent to play football for the Wildcats in 2014 on
Weds., Feb. 5, as part of National Signing Day for collegiate
football.
The faxes began rolling in at 8
a.m. for the Wildcats, and the
group of 19 comes into a program
that has won three of the last four
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) crowns, including the last two consecutive. In that span, the
Wildcats have advanced to the NCAA FCS Playoffs three times, including two home contests at Municipal Stadium.
This year’s class got not only height, but defensive and offensively, the Maroon and Gold got a number
of heralded players that solidified a good mix amongst the group.
In all, Jenkins and his staff added 17 players from high school/prep backgrounds and two from junior
college. Of the 19 signees in this year’s class, 16 hail from the state of Florida, with nine coming from
the South Florida area. Four come from Central Florida; two from the west coast around Tampa; and
another from the northern coast in Jacksonville.
Name
Trenton Bridges
Tysheem Bryant
Khaleel Castillo
Kendon Davis
Tyler Gildner
Barry Johnson
Derrick Johnson
Antonio Joseph
Deonte Mayo
Alexander Morales
Gerald Nesbitt, Jr.
Anton Paige
Cameron Rigby
Greg Taylor
Austin Walker
Broddrick Waters
Demetrius Weaver
Troy Wilkins II
Milton Williams
Pos.
LB
DL
DE
WR
TE
DL
DL
DE/LB
SAF
OLB/SS
DE/OT
DL
RB
QB
ATH
DB
OL
DL/OL
ATH
Ht.
6-2
6-4
6-2
6-3
6-5
6-3
6-6
6-5
6-2
5-11
6-3
6-4
5-9
6-3
6-3
5-11
6-3
6-3
5-10
Wt.
220
245
275
180
265
265
310
195
207
195
250
210
175
210
180
175
275
310
175
Hometown/High School
DeLand, Fla./DeLand HS
Lake Worth, Fla./Lake Worth HS/Garden City CC
Bellaire, Texas/Bellaire HS/Eerie CC
Lauderhill, Fla./Plantation Senior HS
Robbinsville, N.J./Robbinsville HS
Gainesville, Fla./Eastside HS
Jacksonville, Fla./First Coast HS
Tampa, Fla./Wharton HS
Ocala, Fla./Forest HS
Miami, Fla./Hialeah HS
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./Ft. Lauderdale HS
Pahokee, Fla./Pahokee HS
Miramar, Fla./Miramar HS
Atlanta, Ga./Riverdale HS
Sarasota, Fla./Riverview HS
Palmetto, Fla./Palmetto HS
Pompano Beach, Fla./Blanche Ely HS
Miami, Fla./Northwestern HS
Sanford, Fla./Seminole HS
“A platoon of Negro troops
surrounds a farm house in a
town in France, as they
prepare to eliminate a German
sniper holding up an advance.
Omaha Beachhead, near
Vierville-sur-Mer, France
by Jonathan Newton
The Washington Redskins have hired
Doug
Williams as a front office personnel executive.
The team’s former Super Bowl-winning quarterback rejoins the franchise to work for General
Manager Bruce Allen.
Williams previously worked for Allen with the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“It’s great to be home again,” Williams said in a
written statement released by the team. “It also is
great to be affiliated with a GM and coach who
are so focused and dedicated to winning. I have
only one mission: to help this team obtain the
talent it needs so the fans can experience the
Super Bowl they deserve.”
Williams and the Redskins had been discussing the
job in recent weeks, and by last week the hiring
appeared inevitable. It is not clear if Williams
considered any other job offers.
“We are focused on finding people with genuine
football insight and a passion for winning,” Allen
said in a written statement. “As a player, coach
and scout, Doug has seen it all and done it all, and
we believe he has an incredible talent for identifying the type of players we want with the
Redskins.”
Williams, 58, joins a front-office mix that also
includes Morocco Brown, the team’s director of
pro personnel, and Scott Campbell, its director of
player personnel.
Allen said when the team fired Mike Shanahan as
its coach following a 3-13 season that he would
inherit the final say over personnel decisions
formerly possessed by Shanahan. The Redskins
hired Jay Gruden, who also had worked with Allen
in Tampa, to replace Shanahan as coach.
Williams played for the Redskins between the
1986 and 1989 seasons. He was named the most
valuable player in their Super Bowl victory over
the Denver Broncos in January 1988. He threw
for four touchdowns, all in the second quarter, and
340 yards in that game.
He nearly joined the Redskins’ front office three
years ago, he has said, but went back to
Grambling instead for his second stint as its coach.
The school fired Williams in September.
February 2014
21
22 BLACK COLLEGE MONTHLY — February 2014
23
24 BLACK COLLEGE MONTHLY — February 2014

David Horne - Black College Monthly

Transcription

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