Black News: NCAA Scholarship Not What It’s Cracked Up to Be

‘Full scholarship’ can leave college athletes with as much as $30,000 in expenses

With the 2009 NCAA men’s basketball tournament heating up, the National College Players Association (NCPA), formerly known as the Collegiate Athletes Coalition (CAC), released results of another significant study revealing the estimated shortfall between college athletes’ full scholarships and the actual cost of attendance at each Division I university.

The NCPA asserts that, by and large, universities have been deceiving recruits, many of whom are under the age of 18 and from disadvantaged backgrounds, into unknowingly being responsible for paying thousands of dollars while on “full” athletic scholarship.

“The fact is, coaches fill high school recruits’ heads with promises of free rides and full scholarships, when in fact no such things exist. The NCAA designs full scholarships to fall short of the advertised price tag of a school, leaving recruits scrambling to make ends meet,” stated United Steelworkers International President Leo W. Gerard.

NCAA rules prohibit universities from providing athletic scholarships that equal the cost of attendance. That means that a full scholarship athlete is expected to pay out of pocket for expenses that are not covered by a full scholarship.

 

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

Black News: 14 Year Old Develops Surgery Technique

He will present his findings today to the medical community.

A Jacksonville researcher has developed a way of sewing up patients after hysterectomies that stands t;o reduce the risk of complications and simplify the tricky procedure for less-seasoned surgeons.

Oh, and he's 14 years old.

Feel free to read that again.

Tony Hansberry II is a ninth-grader who, as it happens, will be presenting his findings today before an auditorium filled with doctors just like any of his board-certified - and decades older - colleagues would. He would say he was following in the footsteps of "Doogie Howser, M.D." - if he weren't too young to have heard of the television show.

Instead, he says that his remarkable accomplishments are merely steps toward his ultimate goal of becoming a University of Florida-trained neurosurgeon.

"I just want to help people and be respected, knowing that I can save lives," said Tony, the son of a registered nurse mom and an African Methodist Episcopal church pastor dad.

To be sure, he had some help along the way, but, then again, most researchers do. The seeds of his project were planted last summer during his internship at the University of Florida's Center for Simulation Education and Safety Research, based at Shands Jacksonville.

 

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Technorati Tags: black youth,black education,black students,african american students,. tony hansberry

Your Black Sports: Ex-NBA Star Jason Williams Reportedly Suicidal

Officers stunned a drunken and agitated Jayson Williams with a Taser at a swank Manhattan hotel Monday morning after reports that the troubled ex-NBA star appeared suicidal, police said.

Police were called to the hotel in Battery Park City in lower Manhattan around 4 a.m. after a report that the former New Jersey Nets star was suicidal, authorities said.

When officers arrived, there were empty bottles of prescription drugs strewn around the disheveled hotel suite of the 6-foot-10 Williams, police said.

Emergency Services Unit police, an elite team trained to deal with emotionally disturbed people, responded and stunned Williams with a Taser, handcuffed him and took him to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.

Williams played nine seasons in the NBA with the Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers before retiring in 2000.

He was convicted in 2004 of trying to cover up the shooting death of his hired driver Costas "Gus" Christofi at his mansion in Alexandria Township, N.J., in February 2002.

 

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Hampton University Shooting Incident

A former Hampton University student armed with three guns followed a pizza delivery man into the student's former dorm early Sunday, shot the delivery man and a dorm monitor, then turned the gun on himself, university officials said. All three survived.

No current students were injured and both victims and the alleged shooter were expected to recover. Officials could offer no motive for the shooting.

Hampton President William R. Harvey, who said he arrived within 15 minutes of the shooting, told a news conference the campus shooting could have been much worse.

"I think we are very, very fortunate. This could have been another — you fill in the blank," Harvey said.

The 18-year-old former student, who is from New York City, apparently parked his car off campus to avoid a vehicle checkpoint at Hampton's main gate, then followed the pizza delivery man on foot and inside a freshman dormitory, Harkness Hall. Once inside, he shot the pizza man and entered the monitor's office and fired three shots at him, then shot himself, Hampton University Police Chief Leroy Crosby said.

Crosby said he didn't know what prompted the shooting.

The monitor, who suffered two gunshot wounds in his arms and a third in the leg, has been released from the hospital, Harvey said.

 

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Technorati Tags: hampton university,hbcus,black news headlines,african american news,black scholars

Racism and Double Standards in the Jeremy Tyler Story

The reaction to the news of California high schooler Jeremy Tyler's plan was as predictable as it was tired. The New York Times reported Thursday that Tyler, a 6-foot-11 junior at San Diego High, plans to skip his senior year in high school to play professionally in Europe. In two years, when his high school class is one year past graduation, he'll return to the U.S. and enter the NBA draft.

The tongue-clucking was deafening. You'd think the Book of Revelation had been revised to include skipping a year of high school to play pro basketball right between the sun turning black and the moon turning red. This will kill college basketball, some said. This kid is throwing away his future, others said.

Since no European newspaper sports editor offered me a six-figure salary to skip my senior year of high school, I don't feel qualified to rip Tyler's choice. I've never walked in his high-tops. But I do have a few questions for the folks who consider Tyler's move an abomination.

If he played golf, would you feel differently?

Click to read.

Technorati Tags: jeremy tyler,black athletes,black sports,paying college athletes

WTF? White Rapper Asher Roth Calls Black Women “Nappy Headed Hoes”

White rapper Asher Roth chose to put his foot in his mouth on Twitter:

“At rutgers stirring up a suckus,” Roth tweeted. Okay, not bad.

Then: “At rutgers stirring up a ruckus.” Oh no, is he tweet-rapping?

“Been a day of rest and relaxation, sorry twitter – hanging out with nappy headed hoes.” Boom.

Click to read.

Technorati Tags: asher roth,black women,nappy headed hoes

Your Black Celebrity News: Terrence Howard is Angry

Marvel "didn't honor my contract," says the actor, who was replaced in the sequel by Don Cheadle

Terrence Howard is not pleased he was replaced in the "Iron Man" sequel over a reported salary dispute.
"Marvel made a choice, and it was a very, very bad choice," the actor -- whose role was given to Don Cheadle -- tells Parade.com. "They didn't keep their word. They didn't honor my contract."

Howard says producers didn't share the profits of the flick -- which earned over $318 million -- with most of the actors.

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Technorati Tags: terrence howard,don cheadle,black celebrity gossip

Black Sports: Ex-NFL Star Arrested on Drug Charges

Former Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Jimmy Smith was pulled over Wednesday afternoon and found with crack cocaine and marijuana in his car, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Smith, who played 10 seasons for Jacksonville, was pulled over on Interstate 95 in Jacksonville for excessive window tint on his 2009 Mercedes Benz, Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Bill Leeper said.

The trooper reported that the inside of the car smelled like burnt marijuana. During a search, the trooper found crack cocaine, marijuana and a business card with powder cocaine residue in the car's center console.

Smith faces multiple drug charges, plus a charge of driving with a suspended license. He was being held at the Duval County Jail with no bond set.

 

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Black Sports: “The Fridge” in in Serious Condition

Former Chicago Bears defensive lineman William “The Refrigerator” Perry is in serious condition at a South Carolina hospital, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Perry, 46, was hospitalized to deal with complications from Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a chronic inflammation disorder of the peripheral nerves, the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune reported.

Aiken Regional Medical Center spokeswoman Melissa Summer declined to give additional details Tuesday.

Perry’s nephew, Purnell Perry, told the Sun-Times his uncle was admitted more than a week ago but was expected to recover.

 

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Black News: Cop Jokes about Killing a Black Man

The NAACP is telling the police department in Erie, PA to fire an officer who was caught on camera making jokes about shooting a Black man in the head.  Click the image to watch.

 

Technorati Tags: police brutality,black news,african american news,black politics,african american politics

Russell Simmons Responds to Dr Boyce Watkins in the New York Times

 

To the YourBlackWorld family:  Some of you saw my recent critique of the RushCard, the new prepaid debit card issued by Russell Simmons.  Some took my article about the RushCard and interview about the Rushcard on BBC World news and The New York Times to imply that I have serious problems with the way Russell Simmons does business.  While I do not feel that Russell, nor anyone else, is above being critiqued by the Black community, it should be made clear that I respect much of Simmons’ work, especially what he has done to reduce the severity of the drug laws that incarcerate so many Black men across America. 

I must admit that I’ve been disturbed by the recent trend of African American urban role models lending themselves out to companies such as Rent-a-Center to encourage people of color to participate in arguably one-sided financial transactions.  But I must be clear when I say that the RushCard is not necessarily a bad deal for those who need it.  My greatest challenge to President Obama is to find ways to ensure that all Americans have access to basic services, such as bank accounts, so they are not forced to pay high fees in order to access their own money.  I cannot endorse an argument which states that Russell is necessarily a philanthropist (as his ads claim) because his company provides an option that improves upon the horrific options already in place.  So, while I agree 100% that the RushCard is better than check cashing venues in the Black community, my greatest concern is that many members of the urban poor are still paying the high cost of poverty in America.  It is my hope that Russell sincerely fulfills his role as philanthropist, leader and financial enabler by genuinely working to solve critical liquidity and financial literacy problems in urban America.  I have complete faith that he can accomplish whatever he puts his mind to.

So, out of fairness to Russell, I want all of you to see his response to the New York Times piece, which is written below.  My goal is not to think for you, it’s to encourage you to think for yourself.

 Click to read.

Technorati Tags: the rushcard,black money,african american money,black wealth,african american wealth,russell simmons,hip hop,urban america

Black News: Obama Admin Boycotts UN Racism Conference

The Obama administration will boycott "with regret" a U.N. conference on racism next week over objectionable language in the meeting's final document that could single out Israel for criticism and restrict free speech, the State Department said Saturday.

The decision follows weeks of furious internal debate and will likely please Israel and Jewish groups that lobbied against U.S. participation. But the move upset human rights advocates and some in the African-American community who had hoped that President Obama, the nation's first black president, would send an official delegation.

The administration had wanted to attend the April 20-25 meeting in Geneva, although it warned in late February it would not go unless significant changes were made to the draft text.

Some revisions — including the removal of specific critical references to Israel and problematic passages about the defamation of religion — were negotiated for which State Department spokesman Robert Wood said the administration was "deeply grateful."

But he said the text retains troubling elements that suggest support for restrictions on free speech and an affirmation of the findings of the first World Conference Against Racism, held in Durban, South Africa, in 2001 that the U.S cannot endorse.

 

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Technorati Tags: racism,barack obama,black news,african american news,black politics,african american politics

Why CNN Got Rid of DL Hughley

Remember the short-lived show “DL Hughley Breaks the News”?  Well, it turns out that CNN ditched Hughley because thousands of Americans, black and white, found his humor to be offensive and pathetic.  Read some of the comments that appeared on the New York Times blog:

CNN please remove D.L. Hughleys’ new show! There is no space in this evolving society for such baffonery! Please seek to have ethnic diversity without embrassment! Why not a counter-part (African, Asian, Latino etc.) such as a Bill Maher. Let’s view someone and something where we can sit with our diverse friends and neighbors and not feel the need to flee ! Thank you, in advance for considering prompt action is removing this show.

— Julie Everett

2. October 25, 2008 10:35 pm Link

I am absolutely appalled at the content of this show. Why must we continue to revisit old stereotypes for the sake of “comedy?” This is truly an insult and a slap in the face. Where is our dignity? Senator Barak Obama does not need this type of connection. D. L. Hughley is very talented and can be funny and continue to succeed without the derogations.

— Judith Augustus

3. October 25, 2008 10:47 pm Link

CNN’s D.L. Hughley Show is a disgrace. D.L. Hughley is a Uncle Tom. We are trying to move this country in a new direction away from derrogatory comments and stereotypes. Hughley has made it possible for other cultures to look at African-Americans in a negative light. Just because Hughley is an African-American does not make it OK. CNN has masterfully accomplished what it has been itching to say but couldn’t because they don’t have any African-American anchors so they hired a Uncle Tom to do the lynching for them. There is nothing funny about calling Senator Obama a pimp. We have serious issues facing U.S. and if Senator Obama is elected President, we need ALL Americans to take him seriously.

— Theresa

4. October 25, 2008 11:13 pm Link

would love to see D.L. interview someone that knows that bailing out the tax payers with 100K each would have done more to “boost” the economy more than all the tax payers money that was given to the businesses and the money spent to have hearings, and playing the blame game big business.

And you know the “Black” people will go out and buy that Caddy, Big Screen TV, and move into the “White” neighborhood, etc. and “White” people will buy a new house on the other side of town in a gated community.

The money will go back into the economy and Government can recoup it with the sales tax that will go up.

Bottom Line…”IT’S OUR MONEY AND WE WANT TO USE IT NOW”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

— Christine Simpson

5. October 25, 2008 11:19 pm Link

He absolutely horrible..CNN get him off.

— BlkMan

6. October 25, 2008 11:22 pm Link

Great show. I especially liked the Haydn Planetarium discussion and the Interviews with correspondants in Russia, China and India.

— Chris

7. October 25, 2008 11:23 pm Link

I am a white, liberal woman who is championing Barack Obama. Tonight I watched “Breaking News” and I found the jokes were offensive to black people. D.L. Hughley is not an eloquent man. He’s hard to understand and his ghetto style of English does nothing to promote the views of black people in this country. He is doing a disservice to Barack Obama, in a time when many Americans, sadly, are basing their voting decisions on race. The show needs to be axed. Right away.

— L Rose

8. October 25, 2008 11:31 pm Link

CNN is bias for John McCain. Shame on them and DL Hughley. I hated DL’s show and was humilated and angered by DL’s step and fetch it, poor, black sterotype humor. It might be easy out there for a black comedian, but a lot of African Americans are having a hard time getting a good job and keeping it. We know our black entertainment history, but what makes a black comedian think that just because their black they can joke in this way about other black Americans. DL, what you say or joke about yourself is your business, but you have no right to put us all in those sterotype categories in the national media. A non-African American can’t make demeaning jokes about black people, so why do you and other black comedians think you have an open pass (or right) to do so? Please, please stop feeding the social and political rhetoric out there about black (African American) people! One bad “N….” joke or comparison is one too many. Change for format , end the jokes, or shut it down, now before the image of Barack Obama and the proud accomplishments of many African Americans is hurt even more.

— Louise

9. October 26, 2008 10:45 am Link

As a caucasian mother to bi-racial children and wife to an African-American, I was uncomfortable with this show. My husband and I enjoy DL in his other comedic appearances and he’s great on Bill Maher’s show. But, this was not the right format for CNN. This is the LAST thing we need right now as we embark upon the opportunity to have an eloquent President, who happens to have half African roots. Sure, DL was funny and sure the jokes were spot on for the most part. But, again, not for CNN! Put it on HBO or Comedy Central. Let’s try to at least pretend mainstream news has some modicum of impartiality and professionalism.

— marianne

10. October 26, 2008 5:37 pm Link

This show is just plain awful!!! How in the world did CNN allow DL Hughley to even broadcast this show. Our world has enough stereotypes about African Americans we really don’t need anymore especially coming from one of our own. What in the world is CNN trying to accomplish by having this show on the air? This show needs to be taken off of the air ASAP!!! It should have never been able to be broadcasted in the first place!!! CNN has really lost respect and integrity for viewers like myself. I just can’t believe that this was allowed to be shown on television!!!! A very important election is heading our way, how dare someone try to ruin the chances of an African American being President!!!!

— Tootie

11. October 26, 2008 7:04 pm Link

God Almighty Hughley where is your sense of pride and dignity. And CNN I can only wonder why you would air this type of “Amos N Andy” sterotopical depiction of Blacks just before the election of perhaps the first African American President. This is a time in history when American has the opportunity to put racist behavior and thought behind, here come Hughley trying to keep his retro comedy alive at the expense of America making an effort to put aside their differences and join together to tackle this country’s BIG issues like how do we regain our respect from our Global neighbor, solve the financial crisis and endure the damages of a Bush adminstration that operated on credit and left this country in shambles. Please CNN pull the Hughley show - it can only fuel more hate and reinforce the fears and anxieties around African Americans. Huglhey is young or too naive or little respect for Black history and freedom struggles. He’s obviousely forgotten the Noble men and women who were willing to die for freedom from the enslavement, lynchings and minstrel shows characterizing Blacks for the sake of cheap humor. I am crying my heart out and so are many others. Enough is Enough!

— Beverly Hemmings

12. October 26, 2008 7:14 pm Link

DL’s show is TRASH!! Take it off the air immediately!! I have never been more offended in my life. His humor shows his ignorance and I will probably start watching Fox or CNBC from now on. You have lost a faithful viewer with alot of friends!!

— Ann

13. October 26, 2008 11:10 pm Link

I am an african american woman who is disgraced by the show. DL you are really embarrasing us. There is a time and place for everything and CNN (especially around election time) is not the place for this. I really think your show is going to hurt Obama because blacks are being portrayed as pimps, pork chop eating, GED having individuals……who would want to vote for a black president after the way you have portrayed african americans on your show. After watching your show, I was really embarrased. Dont sell out. CNN take this show off the air. I am offended. There is a time and place for everything and CNN is not the place nor is this the time for us to be portrayed like this. We have come to far to have mainstream view us like that.

— Kisha

14. October 26, 2008 11:28 pm Link

To DL & CNN
You are not funny’.
Your show is not invited back into my living room.

GENE

— Gene Powell

15. October 27, 2008 12:15 am Link

am so disappointed in D.L. Hughley’s new show. It is time to move away from the negative stereotypes. This kind of humor is not appropriate for CNN. As an African American I am offended that D.L. would showcase tasteless jokes during this time on this network. Why do we as black always have to be associated with pimps, gold teeth, and a poor diet. Come on D.L. you can do better. It would be different if it were on HBO. Barack Obama has the chance to be the first black president and this may ruin it. People who watch this program may not be familiar with blacks or black culture and be spooked by this program and think Obama will not be suitable for the White House. I know D.L. is a Barack supporter but this show does him a disservice. Just be funny without all of the stereotypical humor. I suggest that this show has a makeover with more intelligent material or be pulled from the air.
Kenneth

— Kenneth

16. October 27, 2008 2:57 am Link

This show is not timely a week before this historic election we are facing. This is not funny, pimps, mistrels and all of the jokes about black people. It comes off very negative and offensive.
How do we get CNN to take this off the air? Too many died for us to be able to vote and we should be as serious as possible in the days leading up to this election. DL shame on you for accepting that show and making fun of black people.

— Mrs Max

17. October 27, 2008 8:13 am Link

The D.L Hughley show was trash especially the Fredie Mack skit. The show should be take off the air.

— Larry

18. October 27, 2008 10:11 am Link

D.L. I really feel sorry for you. I’m sure in your mind you feel it is just fine to present African-Americans in such a negative light. You can justify it as long as you are getting paid. Remember D.L. that all money isn’t good money. If you have to sell your soul for it, then it’s not worth it. CNN will be around long after your core audience has kicked your sorry behind to the curb. Your humor is tasteless and does not reflect the lives of all African-Americans. You need to check yourself, and do it quickly!

— Anthony A. Nixon

19. October 27, 2008 11:00 am Link

This show is an outrage, Barack Obama’s race to the white house does not need an obstacle like this. No one is suggesting that you not make fun of Obama because he is black, but why does he have to be associated with such negative stereotypes. Most of the jokes were offensive and racist. If a white person made the same remarks D.L. himself would personally be offended. I am disappointed in D.L. I thought he was more intelligent than that. He is a disgrace to African Americans in this evolving society. The material seemed fifteen years old and stolen from an Def Comedy Jam. I am also disappointed in CNN for producing such a blasphemous show. Please take it off the air immediately.
Joe

— Joe

20. October 27, 2008 11:11 am Link

CNN, I am appalled that such a show exists on your airwaves. The D.L. show is horrific! I sat near tears as I watched the minstrel show unfold. I can not believe his staff, or any one with a vision for the future, thought this was a good idea. My best guess is that his staff consists of 1 self hating minority, and “other” folks who are more concerned with ratings than content. Furthermore, D.L. you should be ashamed! There are other ways to make money. Did your mother watch? What did she think? Draw a line of morality and dignity for yourselves and please don’t cross it again. That goes for you too CNN. Please remove this show or you will lose many faithful viewers. Don’t make us watch Fox News.

— Stacy

21. October 27, 2008 11:24 am Link

I, like other Americans, black and white, are totally offended by the D.L Hughley’s despicable show. He should be ashamed of himself putting on such a stereotypical show when we are trying to elect the first African American President. Is this CNN’s way of scaring some white people who just might be voting for an African American Candidate. If Barack loses, it will be DL Hughley’s fault for putting this show out there like that. Does he not have any real humor that he has to pick on Barack Obama for laughs? He could n’t hold a candle to Barack. I am sure he is jealous of Barack. This show needs to be taken off the air immediately! Cnn’s timing should be suspect being that the election is one week away. How could D.L. Hugley sell out the black community like this? He is indeed an Uncle Tom. He is not funny, he is not an intellect as he tries to pass himself off as since he’s been on Bill Maher maybe once or twice. It is evident that he is not intelligent nor funny. He is a disgrace to the black community and to his children. What does he think his children will think of their father promoting this kind of negative images about black people.? DL go back under the gang bangin’ rock you crawled from under and take your lousy show with you and CNN take this trash off the air! You have lost one viewer who will tell one, and then another, and then that person will tell another and so on and so on.

— Deborah Broadnax

22. October 27, 2008 11:35 am Link

I was shocked to see this show on CNN last night. It was humorous in parts, but mostly it appeared to be a DL Hughley sellout show, parading CNN’s racism and bias for John McCain by making a mockery of African American culture. Sure, it would have been funny on Comedy Central or HBO… when did CNN become a platform for so much silliness and editorializing???
By the way, I am a caucasion female, married to a black man with biracial children, so I embrace both my culture and that of my husband openly. This only made it more apparent that this mockery was intended to make white folks weary of voting for a black man… just look at what you’re gonna get if you do!
CNN is no longer the reliable source for non-biased journalism it once was long ago, they have sold out like the rest and should truly be ashamed.

— Melissa

23. October 27, 2008 2:10 pm Link

I was floored when I seen this show, this was a disappointment. Hughley needed to be more responsible, he knows how important this election is, people tune in to CNN because they want to hear the latest on the economy, election,poles, war, not buffoonery especially on African Americans. I’m sure this makes the McCain camp quite happy, what better person to help strike more fear in our undecided voters than Hughley a prominent African American comedian. This show needs to canceled immediatley or moved to Comedy Central.

— Sharon

24. October 27, 2008 2:22 pm Link

As a mature African- American middle-class female I was very disappointed in the new D.L. Hughley Breaks the News Show on CNN. My hopes were for high end political satire transcending race to reveal the truth. Instead I got the same old low-end smelly comedy club, limited black jokes. Ignorance is not funny. Why is it that this atrocious show was allowed to air 10 days before the election to remind the world how ignorant some people can be? STEP IT UP, D.L., You can still make this show work. The people who drink liquor from a brown paper bag is a minority audience and I’m sure your gutter brand of humor appealed to them. Give America your best and leave the trashy repertoire for the barbershop. Your representation of Black folks in your analogies of pimps and whores is not the image we want to see etched into the mind of Americans as the most important election day of our lives draws nigh. I am gravely offended by the show. Please fix it or remove it from the air.

— Peaches Dubois

Click to read more comments about DL Hughley.

Technorati Tags: dl hughley,black news,african american news,barack obama,black politics,african american politics

Click to watch the Trailer for Mike Tyson’s New Movie

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Hip Hop: Some Suggest Rapper TI Got Off Easy on Prison Sentence

One thing is now certain: T.I. is going to prison. A federal judge today approved a negotiated plea for one year plus a day in federal prison for trying to buy machine guns and ammo from undercover agents in 2007. As part of the deal, the rapper was also sentenced to 1,500 hours of community service, a $100,000 fine, and one year of home confinement (much of which he has already served). T.I. could reduce his time behind bars to about 10 months with good behavior. He is scheduled to voluntarily report to prison some time after May 19.

But is he getting off too easy? Given that federal sentencing guidelines recommend that a person who pleads guilty to these charges should serve four years and nine months in prison, some Atlanta defense attorneys have suggested that the megastar was able to use his celebrity to reduce the punishment. "This has been an unusual plea from the very beginning," says Page Pate, a criminal defense attorney with the Atlanta firm Pate & Brody and former chairman of the Criminal Law Section of the Atlanta Bar Association. "But they [apparently] felt he was in the unique position because of the things he could do with his celebrity that other people couldn't do. Is it right or wrong? I won’t get into that. But is it fair? No. Joe Smith isn’t going to get this deal."

But David E. Nahmias, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, who approved the deal,

Technorati Tags: black celebrity gossip,ti,hip hop,rap,rappers

Morehouse Professor Writes Open Letter to Barack Obama

Dr. Henrie M. Treadwell

I applaud your recent creation of the White House Council on Women and Girls to help ensure we are treated equally in public policies, by employers and in every other aspect of American society. I must also urge, however, that you place a similar emphasis on men and boys, particularly young men of color, who face some of the steepest hurdles in American society.

The reasons cited in forming the new council are just -- throughout our nation's history women have often been treated as second-class citizens when it comes to earning a livelihood, climbing the corporate ladder and even exercising the delayed right to vote. Let us not forget that the Equal Rights Amendment was first drafted in 1923--and has yet to be ratified.

To be sure, the new council will focus attention on continuing the progress that has been made through the decades as women have crashed through the glass ceiling.

But I would argue that young men of color face even more daunting circumstances. Young men of color face challenges ranging from a justice system that disproportionately incarcerates them to media and entertainment industries quick to portray them as worthless, violent and criminal. Even before the recession, our young men of color faced a bleak job market where discrimination, globalization and structural change made it difficult for them to find good jobs and succeed in life. With the nation's economy in a tailspin, the unemployment of young men of color has been spiraling out of control.

Consider this sampling of data:

* High school graduation rates for males of color--African Americans (42.8 percent), Native American/Alaska Natives (47 percent) and Hispanics (48 percent)--are far lower than for whites (70.8 percent).
* Minority youths are disproportionately in the juvenile justice system: African Americans (1,004 per 100,000), American Indians (632 per 100,000) and Latinos (485 per 100,000) compared with whites (212 per 100,000).
* More than 29 percent of African-American boys who are 15-years-old today are likely to go to prison at some point in their lives, compared with 4.4 percent of white boys the same age.
* The mortality rate from homicide for African-American boys ages 15-17 is 34.4 per 100,000, compared with 2.4 per 100,000 for non-Hispanic white boys.

Click to read more from Dr. Treadwell and other Black scholars.

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Black News: Obama’s Man, Lawrence Summers Attacks Cornel West, then Engages in his Own Hypocrisy

Frank Rich, The New York Times

"I am pronouncing the depression over!" declared CNBC's irrepressible Jim Cramer on April 2. The next day the unemployment rate, already at the highest level in 25 years, jumped yet again, but Cramer wasn't thinking about the 663,000 jobs that disappeared in March. He was thinking about the market. Mad money. Fast money. Big money. The Dow, after all, has rallied in the weeks since Timothy Geithner announced his bank bailout 2.0. Par-tay! On Wednesday, Cramer rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, in celebration of the 1,000th broadcast of his nightly stock-tip jamboree.

Given Cramer's track record on those tips, there's no reason to believe he's right this time. But for the sake of argument, let's say he is. (And let's hope he is.) The question then arises: What, if anything, have we learned from this decade's man-made economic disaster? It wasn't just trillions of dollars of wealth that went poof in the bubble. Certain American values also crumbled and vanished. Making quick killings by reckless gambling in the markets - rather than by investing long-term in new products, innovations, technologies or services that might grow and benefit America and the world - became the holy grail in the upper echelons of finance.

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Black Sports: Kevin Garnett Out for Celtics

1. What are the Celtics' prospects if Kevin Garnett is unavailable for the playoffs?

Ian Thomsen: They were able to stave off Orlando for the No. 2 seed without Garnett, so at the very least they're still one of the top three teams in the East. At best, they can exploit the home-court advantage to win a second-round series against the Magic, who have no latter-round experience in the playoffs. But I don't see how they'll be able to win a game or two in Cleveland's building unless Garnett miraculously returns or the Cavaliers themselves are weakened by injuries over the month ahead.

Jack McCallum: Garnett is their spiritual leader, and not just because of his over-the-top primal screaming. Playoff series are always partly about defensive schemes, figuring out how to stop a big scorer, like LeBron James or Dwyane Wade, over the course of five, six or seven games. Garnett keys the Celtics' schemes, and, without him, I don't think their defense is strong enough to get them to the conference finals. If he plays, I like them to beat the Magic and give the Cavs a test before going down.

 

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Your Black News: Allen Iverson Banned from Detroit Casinos

Allen Iverson has gone from being a one-man economic stimulus plan for the city's downtown casinos to persona non grata. He has spent a ton of money down there, but recently he's been banned from both MGM and Greektown casinos.

The NBA is looking into a disturbance at Greektown that involved one of Iverson's body guards. Iverson may have been trying to act as a peacemaker but his body guard was involved in some kind of tussle.

 

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Black Money: Ryan Mack, CEO

Dear Mr. Simmons:
My name is Ryan Mack and I have followed your career for most of my life. I have been a long-time admirer of your work, a tremendous fan, and believe that millions are inspired by the paths that you have created in the field of Hip-Hop. More importantly, as an advocate for financial literacy myself, I believe that the work that you have been doing through the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network as it relates to financial literacy has been second to none. However, I must admit to being somewhat disappointed with your recent pre-paid debit card venture - the "Rushcard."

The pre-paid debit card industry has always been an industry that is built upon a lack of knowledge within the community. It is an industry based upon the legal phrase which demonstrates that "false imprisonment is an intentional tort." In other words, if I put someone in a room and do not lock the door but tell them that the door is locked, they will remain in the room because they believe the door is locked. As a result of my action, I have committed a punishable crime. I view pre-paid debit cards in the same light. Those who know the strategies to empower the community have a moral obligation to those, who may not be as knowledgeable, to fully inform them. There are other more efficient means to empower those in our communities than pre-paid debit cards and other financially destructive establishments such as check cashing facilities. The typical bank offers free debit cards that if used properly do not have any fees affiliated with them and can be used for the same purpose as the pre-paid debit cards.

If we compare the fees affiliated with the Rushcard compared to the typical bank offered debit card, we can clearly see the advantage of the cards offered by the banking institutions.

Rushcard vs. Typical Bank Card
Activation Fee: Rushcard = $19.95 Typical Bank Card = Free
Convenience Fee: Rushcard = $1.00 Typical Bank Card = Free
ATM Cash Withdrawal: Rushcard = $1.95 Typical Bank Card = Free (At Branch)
ATM Balance Inquiry: Rushcard = $.50 Typical Bank Card = Free
Bill Payment: Rushcard = $1.00 Typical Bank Card = Free
Inactivity: Rushcard = $2.95 Typical Bank Card = Free
Refund of Rushcard/Bank Card via Check: Rushcard = $5.00 Typical Bank Card = Free

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Numbers Drop for Black Men in Prison for Drugs

For the first time since the war on drugs became a national law enforcement obsession in the mid-1980s, the number of African-Americans in state prisons for drug offenses has declined, a criminal justice reform organization said.

The number of whites in state prison for drugs rose 42.6 percent since 1999, while blacks dropped 21.6 percent.

A study released Tuesday by the Sentencing Project found a 21.6 percent drop in the number of blacks incarcerated for drug offenses, a decline of 31,000 people, from 1999 to 2005.

The corresponding number of whites in state prisons for drug offenses rose 42.6 percent, or by more than 21,000 people, while the number of Hispanics was virtually unchanged, according to "The Changing Racial Dynamics of the War on Drugs."

The study, authored by Executive Director Marc Mauer, found that the differences between black and white imprisonments for drug crimes are partly because of how police target suspects and court sentencing guidelines, which vary by state.

Also, there has been a decrease in the use of crack cocaine in predominantly minority urban neighborhoods and an increase in methamphetamine abuse in many primarily white rural areas, Mauer said Wednesday.

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Bad or Good? Usain Bolt Admits that He Tried Weed as a Kid

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt tried marijuana as a kid, according toBild newspaper.

Bolt, who set world records in the 100 and 200 meters at the Beijing Olympics and was part of the Jamaican team that broke the world mark in the 400-meter relay, made the admission in an interview published online Sunday.

 

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Black News: Chris Brown No Longer Squeaky Clean

At this point, Chris Brown would have been better off getting caught with a bong. At least then, the scandal enveloping his white-hot career could have been dismissed by some as a youthful indiscretion.

But Brown's arrest in connection with an alleged assault of a woman has potentially devastating implications for the 19-year-old heartthrob because it unravels the charming, wholesome image that fans know and love.

"If it's true, his career is probably over," said Billboard magazine's editorial director, Bill Werde, although he cautioned that "it's important to withhold judgment until all of the facts are known."

On a night in which Brown was supposed to deliver a prime-time Grammy performance, he was instead being processed in a Los Angeles police station on a charge connected to an alleged assault on a woman reports have identified as Rihanna, the 20-year-old pop princess. Brown was booked on a suspicion of making a criminal threat after he and a woman had an argument that escalated into a fight in a ritzy Los Angeles neighborhood, according to police; Rihanna and Brown pulled out of the Grammys hours before the Sunday telecast.

 

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Black College Students Still Protesting Fox News

Fox News is not off the hook just yet.  A video criticizing Fox News’ portrayal of African Americans has received tens of thousands of views on Youtube.  Click the image to watch!

 

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Black Men in Danger: What’s Wrong with Our Prisons?

Harry C. Alford

There is one serious fault that America has yet to actually address: the medieval prison system that we have implemented and have actually enlarged over the last few decades.

No other nation imprisons its citizens the way America does. For a free democratic nation we have a system that belongs with some sort of tyranny or oppressive order. It is oppressive and targets people of color – particularly African-Americans.

There are more African-American males in prisons than in college institutions. That is not the stuff that makes a nation great.

I have a degree in Correctional Administration from the University of Wisconsin. It was during internships that I noticed the actual prison systems did not match the scholarly material I was studying.

There was no direct attempt to address recidivism or actually rehabilitate offenders. The prisons were warehouses that eventually developed into “cash cows” by the manipulative and greedy. US prisons for the most part have become predators on the general population.

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Black Sports: Terrell Owens Defends Himself in the Media

Terrell Owens is learning the Bills offense and happy to be participating in the team's voluntary workout program -- at least for a little while.

Owens, in Buffalo to work out with new teammates, said today it's wrong that there's been criticism of him for not participating in the team's voluntary offseason workout program from the start.

"What I find so unfair is that I'm not the only guy out of 32 teams that didn't show up to voluntary and optional weight sessions," Owens said at a midday news conference. "That's what so frustrating that everybody nit-picks anything and everything I do."

After Owens missed the start of the team's workout program last month, he told USA TODAY he did not plan on participating in voluntary sessions but added he might join the team periodically.

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The Great Johnny Cochran

 

In case you didn’t get a chance to see the great Johnny Cochran in action, you really missed something.  Johnny is no longer with us, but we are YourBlackWorld wanted to pay tribute to one of the most respected Black attorneys of all time.  Click the image below in order to see Johnny Cochran’s closing argument during the OJ Simpson Trial!

 

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What? Ya’ll Still Beefin? 50 Cent and Rick Ross Just Won’t Quit

The beef between 50 Cent and Rick Ross has gotten a bit more interesting, but this time the G-Unit leader is not the one firing shots.

Ross revealed in a video interview with TorchisNy.com that Nelson Gomez, a man claiming to be a G-Unit employee, contacted him and offered him a lump sum to end his rap beef with 50 Cent.

“Nelson Gomez offered me a sum of money to fall back,” Ross claims in the video. “I told him, “Make it a half a million and I’ll chill on Curly [50 Cent]. But that don’t go for Yayo and the other guy. I’mma still see them. Ya’ll got to pay separate.’”

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Black Sports: Paul Williams Can’t Find an Opponent

Paul Williams hasn't been able to pick a fight with anyone in his preferred weight class, so he's moving up again Saturday.

The career 147-pounder, whose last two bouts have been at junior middleweight (154), is climbing to middleweight to face Winky Wright in a non-title bout (HBO, 10 p.m. ET).

"Forty-seven is my weight class, if I can get anybody to fight me at '47," said Williams, who stands 6-1 with an 82-inch reach, after a recent training session. "The only reason we're going up is to get people to fight us."

Wright, 37, is the former undisputed champion at junior middleweight. His last fight was against Bernard Hopkins, but that was two years ago.

That unanimous-decision loss was Wright's first loss in eight years. Not noted for his punching power, Wright (51-4-1, 25 KOs) — like Williams, who is also a southpaw — is known for having a high work rate, a steady jab, a solid chin and a tight defense.

 

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Black Politics: Most of Obama’s Team Consists of Millionaires

When President Barack Obama moved into the White House earlier this year, he took several of his fellow Chicago millionaires with him.
Newly released disclosure reports show virtually all of the top Chicagoans serving in the West Wing had assets valued at a million dollars or more at the end of 2008.
In several cases, the reports provide the first detailed look at the finances of some of the president's top aides and friends from Chicago who have risen with him. They also show the salary haircut many have taken to be in the White House, at least until they return to the private sector.
Some of the wealth can be attributed to the fact that the top staff members surrounding Obama — such as Chicagoans Rahm Emanuel, David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett — are from a big city where salaries tend to be higher. Many of the comparable senior staffers with the previous two presidents came from Austin, Texas, and Little Rock, Ark., where salaries for top professionals tend to be the lower than in Chicago.

 

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Dr. Marc Lamont Hill: Obama Advisor Summers on the Take?

Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, Columbia University

Matt Tabibi wrote an interesting piece on Larry Summers, President Obama’s chief economic adviser. One of the main critiques is that he accepted major payoffs speaking fees from corporations that would soon demand billions of taxpayer dollars. He writes:

So I guess that $45,000 speaking fee from Merrill Lynch wasn’t technically a bribe because Summers wasn’t named to Obama’s economic transition team until Nov. 24 — a full 12 days later. I’m sure Larry Summers had absolutely no inkling whatsoever that he was going to be one of the key advisers to the new administration on Nov. 12.

It likewise makes perfect sense that Merrill Lynch, a company just months removed from having to be rescued from bankruptcy by an 11th-hour, pseudo-state-subsidized buyout by Bank of America, would decide to spend $45,000 on a speaking appearance by Summers because, well, they really valued his economic expertise and his proven ability to rally the troops with his stirring rhetoric.

It certainly had nothing to do with the fact that a) it was eight days after a Democrat was elected to the presidency; b) Summers had a long history of being one of the key policymakers in Democratic Party politics; and c) Merrill was absolutely not going to survive more than a few more months unless taxpayers forked over another 20 billion or so to cover the giant hole in Merrill’s balance sheet that was, at that time, still being hidden from Bank of America and its shareholders.

And how about that $135,000 appearance for Goldman Sachs in April, when Summers was already involved with Democratic Party politics again? That wasn’t a surreptitious campaign contribution at all!

For the rest of the story, click here.

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Black Scholar Billy Hawkins: Black Athletes Are Driving Ms. Daisy

Dr. Billy Hawkins, University of Georgia

Excerpts from the forthcoming book – The New Plantation: The Internal Colonization of Black Male Athletes

It should not take a long stretch of the imagination to see how Black male athletes contribute significantly to the athletic labor class at predominantly White National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Institutions (PWI’s); thus, to the overall bottom-line of the revenue generated. Their presence as starters and their representation on the top football and basketball programs in the country speak volumes to PWI’s need for Black male athletes. Tables 1 &2 illustrate the contribution Black male athletes make for some of the top athletic programs in the nation.

Within this current economic configuration, another area to consider is the contribution Black male athletes are making towards “Title IX sports”[1]: those sports that are added to meet gender equity requirements, which undoubtedly are played mostly by White women (e.g. rifle, golf, equestrian, rowing, bowling, and lacrosse). According to Welch Suggs:

…Only 2.7 percent of women receiving scholarships to play all other sports at predominantly white colleges in Division I are black. Yet those are precisely the sports – golf, lacrosse, and soccer, as well as rowing – that colleges have been adding to comply with Title IX.[2]

Therefore, since Title IX has provided very limited opportunity for Black females but additional opportunities for White women to compete and Black male athletes make-up the greater percentage of the revenue generating sports that contribute to athletic departments’ revenue, and thus their ability to support these additional sports, a reoccurring historical relationship between the White female and Black male has been resurrected. I refer to this contribution and connection as the “Driving Miss Daisy” syndrome.

 

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Dr. Boyce Sends Congrats to Roland Martin

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

www.BoyceWatkins.com

People have asked me what I think about Roland Martin getting his new gig on CNN.  I can only say that IT’S ABOUT TIME!  I’ve been waiting and hoping that CNN would choose a Black personality to brand that matches all the other personalities they’ve chosen to back financially.  Their original choice of DL Hughley as the first African American personality to grace their airwaves was incredibly disrespectful, as he turned the historic election of President Obama into a modern day minstrel show.

When I first met Roland, he rubbed me the wrong way, in large part because I secretly wondered if he would ever stop talking to me (I tend to go to a quiet space when making media appearances, to help me focus on seeking truth in my commentary).  But I eventually learned that Roland is a righteous Black man who believes in what he is saying, and like my other homeboy Marc Lamont Hill, Roland has made tremendous sacrifices in order to get to where he is today (you have no idea how much sacrifice is made behind the scenes).  I’ve appeared on shows with Roland and I find him to be the most intriguing media personality to hit the national airwaves in quite a while. Roland sent me supportive text messages during my feud with Bill O’Reilly and he has always shown me love when I’ve stopped through WVON, his home radio station.

I respect Roland Martin and I am damn glad to see him finally get his shot.  It is my greatest hope that this temporary filler will turn into a show of his own.  He is a helluva lot better than Glenn Beck!

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Black News: Kwame Kilpatrick Might Be in Trouble AGAIN

 

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick used his re-election fund to pay lawyers nearly $1 million for their ultimately futile efforts to keep him out of jail -- a move that possibly violates state campaign finance laws.

Kilpatrick’s lead attorney, James Thomas, defended tapping the campaign account but Maurice Kelman, a retired Wayne State University law professor, said it was improper. Kelman has been calling on Kilpatrick to disclose his spending.

A spokesman for state Attorney General Mike Cox said Wednesday that such matters are typically referred to local prosecutors.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy’s spokeswoman Maria Miller declined comment on the legality of tapping the fund but said prosecutors will look at the $215,000 that Kilpatrick said he had left in the fund at the end of 2008.

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Black News: Dr Boyce Watkins Talks Black Athletes w BBC World News

Dr Boyce Watkins, Finance Professor at Syracuse University, tells BBC World News that the NCAA has done a terrible job of seeing to it that African American players graduate.  He also explains the massive multi-billion dollar wealth extraction taking place via college sports.  Finally, Watkins mentions that the NCAA does a poor job of allowing Black coaches the chance to coach the sport to which Black males give so much.  Click the image to listen!

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Black News: OJ Simpson’s Sister Passes Away

Carmelita Durio, believed to be in her 60s, who, attended every day of the first and second trial, died Monday. The exact cause is unknown but her health hasn't been good since the day she passed out in the courtroom. Durio passed out in the courtroom when OJ was convicted of robbery and kidnapping.
The family is hoping that by some miracle, OJ Simpson would be able to attend the funeral.
Even if he could afford to be transported, its unlikely, he'll be allowed to attend.

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Chris Brown Cops a Plea

..."Not Guilty, your honor." Thats what Chris Brown hushed quietly this afternoon during the arraignment hearing, at the Los Angeles Superior Courthouse regarding two felony accounts stemming from his alleged February 8 assault against pop star, Rihanna.

Brown kept his hands clasped in front of him and his lips shut in silence, Brown stood by quietly as his lawyer Mark Geragos addressed the judge. Brown pled not guilty on the two accounts of assault and making criminal threats. He spoke to the judge directly, softly muttering his plea.

The singer was expected to plead not guilty. While her lawyer Donald Etra was present, and addressed reporters outside the courthouse after the hearing, Rihanna was not present. The two had seemed to reconcile late Februrary following the incident, however recently the two have seperated with Rihanna returing to her home of Barbados, and Brown has been in Virginia with family.

If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of four years and eight months in prison. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for April 29.

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Dr Boyce Watkins: Have some HBCUs Started Pulling Our Legs?

By Dr. Boyce Watkins

www.BoyceWatkins.com

I recently saw a study stating that our Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are not graduating Black students at the same rate as non-Black institutions. This study was particularly disturbing, since many consider HBCUs to be a place of protection and support for students of color. We shouldn’t jump to immediate conclusions based on the results of the study, since piling all HBCUs into one category would be silly. Some universities have more rigorous admissions standards than others, and many top HBCUs do an excellent job of graduating students.

I was not able to attend an HBCU for college, since I had both bad grades and an empty wallet. I later hoped to teach at an HBCU, but getting a position with one is not as simple as you might think. During recent visits to a couple of prominent HBCUs on the East Coast, and speaking to many of my colleagues in the profession, I figured out what might be going on. I expected that my visits would be overrun by African American professors, all in support of strong, progressive Black scholarship. I assumed that those nurturing young African American students would be, for the most part, African American as well.

I was wrong.

Not only was I wrong, I was DEAD wrong. In fact, for many HBCUs, African American professors are as rare as popsicles in a forest fire. This is especially true in Schools of Business. To say that I was shocked and confused would be an understatement. I was devastated and curious to find out why African American professors have disappeared from HBCUs. How could HBCUs be given so much credit for nurturing young African American minds when there are few African American minds available on campus in the first place? Were Black professors choosing not to apply for positions with these schools? Were our most brilliant Black scholars forgetting about HBCUs and abandoning them?

It turns out that, in many cases, it is actually the other way around.

You see, in academia, there are cliques. Many of these cliques are formed around the ethnic background of the scholar. Some scholars protect those in their cliques and ensure that academic cronyism works in their favor. When African American scholars apply to many HBCUs, they are rejected for hire by someone who is not African American. The applicant is arguably at a disadvantage because they are not in the gatekeeper’s clique.

In other words, many of the primary decision-makers at American HBCUs are not African American, and they are refusing to hire African American faculty. So, rather than sending your African American child to learn from other strong African American professors, your child may go through his/her entire 4 years without having a single Black American professor in class. The nurturing support you expect your child to receive from people who look like him/her may instead be coming from BET or Maya Angelou books. HBCUs have, in some cases, become America’s next great plantation, where, like NCAA sports or our public school system, the product is Black, but African American managerial influence is kept outside the gate.

Does this mean that HBCUs are not a good investment for your child? Absolutely not, it depends on the institution. I am a huge fan of HBCUs and I feel that some HBCUs, such as Spelman and Morehouse, are better than any university on earth when it comes to creating intelligent and empowered students of color. Am I saying that only African American faculty should teach at HBCUs? Of course not. Some of the greatest minds in the world are non-Black. What I am clearly saying is that if you are sending your child to an HBCU because you assume they will be taught by African American professors, then you may want to do a double take…..the African American professors may not be there.

So, when I see that HBCUs are not graduating African American students, I am not surprised. It may be the case that they are unable to graduate Black students for the same reasons that the public schools don’t graduate our kids either. The mentors left in charge of our children are, in many cases, not from our own community. So if you want your child to learn from other African Americans, be sure to check the stats – don’t judge the book by its color.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of “What if George Bush were a Black Man?” For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com.

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