by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
George Desdunes, a 19-year old freshman at Cornell University, was found dead outside a fraternity house on Friday, according to the Cornell Daily Sun. Desdunes was from Brooklyn and a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
The cause of death has not yet been specified and is expected to be released after the autopsy.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
I saw an interesting article recently in which Idris Elba, one of my favorite actors, went out of his way to give his true feelings about the Oscars. You know the Oscars, those awards that black people never get unless they yank out a breast or act like they want to kill other black people.
In an appearance at a university, Elba made this statement: “Halle Berry and I were the only two black actors nominated for this year’s Golden Globes (Idris for Lutherand Halle for Frankie & Alice). The Oscars aren’t designed for us…let’s focus on making more films.”
by Dr. Boyce Watkins
I wasn’t sure what to think when I heard this audio, in which Creflo Dollar appears to be arguing that if you don’t tithe, you should be put in front of a firing squad. I did some research and found media outlets reporting the video, and I can only hope that he doesn’t truly believe this.
Click here to listen to Dr. Boyce Watkins talk about what it means to be a black achiever and the value of education.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
I have the interesting privilege of being on an email list owned by the White House. Whenever the administration holds an event that they believe to be of interest to African Americans in media, they shoot out an email to all of us. This week, at least two times in my email inbox, there was a message from the White House bragging about the administration's Black History Month celebration of Motown music.
I saw news of the event everywhere. Most interesting was the image of President Obama dancing with Michelle and his kids with Stevie Wonder, Smokie Robinson, Jamie Foxx and John Legend crooning in the background. The president, who appeared to be doing his best, had the stiffness of a corpse, and the posture of a 92-year old woman, but the nation appreciated his effort.
Interview done by Dr. Boyce Watkins
Quite a few people took notice when Bishop Eddie Long went to YouTube to issue a very direct challenge to young entrepreneur Ephren Taylor over money that Bishop Long felt Taylor to have shaken out of his congregation. According to Bishop Long, Taylor should give $1 million to the members of his congregation who made investments in response to a seminar being offered by Taylor. Long's video seems to imply that Ephren had been unethical and misleading in the way he delivered the information and that people had lost thousands of dollars as a result.
I've never personally met either Bishop Eddie Long or Ephren Taylor, but I watched the Eddie Long video with extreme curiosity. I felt it to be entirely possible that Taylor could have been less than ethical, since pure capitalism tends to put ethics at the bottom of the priority list (legality is not the same as morality, so someone could be unethical while remaining within the boundaries of the law) . At the same time, there was also the possibility that Long's parishioners may not have read the fine print or had a misconception about what it means to invest. Some investors believe that investing means that you are guaranteed to make money. This is far from the truth. You can easily lose everything, so you should make sure you're prepared to stomach the risk before putting up your money.
This video interview with the wife of former Bears star Dave Duerson who killed himself says that Dave was having problems with his brain before he died.
To read Dr. Boyce Watkins’ take on the case of Rodney K. Stanberry, please click here.
A note from Dr. Wilmer Leon:
Greetings All,
Here is the clarion call! As you know, I've been working with a very dear
friend of mine Dr. Artemesia Stanberry as she works to get her cousin Rodney
Stanberry out of prison.
Go to www.freerodneystanberry.com for additional information as well.
Please go to my web site http://www.wilmerleon click on Listen Now and go to
the
two interviews on this issue. During the latest interview we were able to talk
with Rodney directly. Your calls and emails have actually had an impact.
There's a new DA Ashley Rich who has put a new investigator, Mike Morgan (251)
574-6681 on the case. New eyes, fresh perspective; hopefully more progress.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
This weekend, I was driving through the middle of "Nowhere's Ville," Indiana, on my way to Chicago. Right as I was approaching South Bend, the home of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, I ironically received an email from former Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz. Holtz and I had recently debated whether college athletes should be paid (we disagreed on the topic), but the coach was gracious enough to email me twice since the interview to say that he now considers us friends. I have a tremendous amount of respect for both Holtz and his noble gesture.
Adding to the irony of the trip was the fact that I also received a text message from a friend informing me that former Notre Dame/Chicago Bears football Star Dave Duerson had just been found dead in his condo. So, on a trip past Notre Dame on my way to Chicago, I receive both an email from Lou Holtz and a text message about a former Notre Dame/Chicago Bears star dying that day. Perhaps this was a signal from a higher power that I needed to dig further into the issue.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Dr. Artemesia Stanberry has been relentless in fighting to free her cousin, Rodney K. Stanberry, who appears to be in prison for crimes he did not commit. I first heard about the case from Dr. Wilmer Leon, as we were headed to Missouri last year to rally on behalf of Heather Ellis, a college student threatened with 15 years in prison for cutting in line at a Wal-Mart.
When I first heard about Rodney's case, I couldn't believe my ears. From what Dr. Leon was telling me, it sounded like a case of lazy police work, where officers didn't want to go through the efforts of going all the way to New York to find the true killers. Additionally, like so many others affected by our racially-skewed criminal justice system, Rodney K. Stanberry ended up in prison because he was the most convenient person to incarcerate. This is particularly true in Alabama, a state where the modern prison system has powerful links to slavery.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Most of you by now know about the case of Kelley Williams-Bolar. You also know that I've taken a personal interest in Kelley's case since we first hit the issue on Black Voices. Kelley, in case you don't know, was convicted of a felony after sending her children to a school district that was not her own. This case against a single mother seeking a better educational situation for her kids set off a firestorm of international support.
I arrived in Akron yesterday to prepare for the rally on Kelley's behalf, and Rev. Sharpton got here tonight. When we arrived at the church, the parking lot was full, the news trucks were everywhere and police were on hand to control us "rabble-rousing black folks."
The National Action Network was necessary in creating the infrastructure for the rally, for which I was extremely appreciative. The community was particularly gracious in coming out to take a stand for educational equality, which I found to be equally impressive. A glaring absence from the room was Ms. Williams-Bolar, but the issue is bigger than just one person, so I personally wasn't concerned. I honestly can't say why Kelley wasn't at the rally or why her attorneys advised her not to show up, but I hope it was for a good reason. I also hope that they will one day allow her to thank the citizens who came out in bad weather to support her case.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Well, they've done it again. Urban Prep Academy of Chicago, an all-male charter school with kids from the "worst" parts of Chicago, is sending 100% of its graduating seniors off to college. The school, founded in 2006, has stated that its continuous objective is to see to it that all of its students go to college. They are succeeding with flying colors.
The school started with kids whose futures had been left for dead by their public schools: Only four percent of the school's incoming freshmen were reading at grade level when they arrived on campus. But by sending all of their graduating seniors to college, they've not only gotten these kids up to speed, they've allowed them to zip past every other public school in the entire United States.
"No other public [school] in the country has done this," said Tim King, the founder of Urban Prep.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Football superstar Michael Vick initially made plans to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show. But it's just been announced that Vick is not going to appear on the show, citing personal and professional conflicts that have made the appearance impossible.
"Mike postponed the taping because of the timing of the interview for personal and professional reasons," said Michael Vick's spokesman Chris Shigas. "He does not have a reschedule date at this time."
Some speculate that Vick may have canceled because other groups have been sending emails and letters to the Oprah Winfrey Show, asking that the voices of Vick's critics be heard. One of Vick's strongest critics has been Richard Hunter, a stand-up comedian who also adopted one of Vick's dogs. Hunter claims that he and others who agree with him have been harassing Oprah's producers since it was announced that Michael Vick might appear on the show.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
CBS Los Angeles is now reporting new evidence that officers within the Los Angeles Police Department may have played a role in the death of the rapper Christopher Wallace, also known as The Notorious B.I.G (aka Biggie Smalls).
Wallace was murdered March 9th, 1997. According to witnesses, a lone gunman in the driver's seat of a black Chevy Impala pulled up to the truck where Wallace was sitting in the passenger seat and opened fire. Wallace died shortly thereafter.
The Wallace family filed suit against the LAPD in 2005, bringing forth additional evidence that was not considered, implicating LAPD officers that they believe were involved in the death of Christopher Wallace. The two officers under suspicion are David Mack and Rafael Perez. Both Perez and Mack are in prison now for unrelated crimes, Mack for bank robbery and Perez for stealing cocaine.
The rally for educational equality and the Kelley Williams-Bolar case is set to take place at the Mountain of the Lord Church in Akron, OH on Thursday, February 17 at 6 pm.
Presiding Rev. Eugene Norris
Invocation Pastor Dennis Butts, Executive Director of Bethel Association of Churches
Welcome Bobbie Simpson, Akron Chapter President
Selection High School Chorus
Remarks Representative Vernon Sykes
Remarks Senator Tom Sawyer & Senator Nina Turner
Remarks Dr. Willis Lonzer, President Alpha Phi Alpha
Selection
Remarks Rev. Curtis Walker, President Akron School Board
Remarks Linda Lanrer, President Sigma Gamma Ro
Remarks & Intro of Keynote Speaker Dr. Boyce Watkins, Professor Syracuse University
Keynote address Rev. Al Shaprton
Remarks Kelly William-Bolar
Offering
Chapter Appeal Rev. De-Ves Toon
Benediction Rev. Drome, President of the International Ministers Alliance
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
It's nearly impossible for something I hear on television to wake me up in my sleep. Some exceptions might be the start of a nuclear war or the voice of Beyonce Knowles. But this morning, I heard a voice that yanked me out of La-La land faster than you could say, "Whatchu talkin about Willis?"
Sports commentator Dick Vitale was on the ESPN Show, "Mike & Mike in the Morning" talking about the possibilities regarding the trade of NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony. The hosts were discussing the rumor that Anthony may copy LeBron James and join forces with two other superstars headed to the same team.
In reference to his frustration about the idea of men like Anthony choosing their own fate in spite of the fact that NBA Commissioner David Stern objects to their behavior, Vitale said that such moves were like "Inmates controlling the asylum."
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
This weekend, Professor Cornel West gave a strong endorsement to Carol Moseley Braun in a heated and controversial race to become the next mayor of Chicago. West didn't have very many good things to say about Moseley Braun's leading opponent, Rahm Emanuel. He referred to Emanuel as an outsider and a candidate who is beholden to big business interests in the city and across America.
"I believe a Rahm Emanuel victory would be a slap in the face," West said. "I'm here to support poor and working people - specifically black Chicago."
One of the problems for Moseley Braun, however, is that the media is focused as much on her remarks about Emanuel as they are about the Cornel West endorsement. When she spoke, Moseley Braun made reference to a movie called "The Producers," which satirized the life of Adolph Hitler.
On Thursday, February 17 at 6 pm, Dr. Boyce Watkins and Rev. Al Sharpton will rally in Akron Ohio on behalf of the case of Kelley Williams-Bolar, the single black mother who was jailed for sending her kids to the wrong school district. The information for the rally is below:
Mountain of the Lord Church
Rev. Eugene Norris
1477 Copley Road
Akron, OH 44320
(330) 873-9793
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Mark Wattier, a professor of Political Science at Murray State University in Kentucky, is in hot water after comparing his black students to slaves. Arlene Johnson, a freshman from Sikestown, Mo says that she arrived to Wattier's class three to five minutes early and found that there was a film already playing. After class was over, Johnson went to the professor, along with another black student, DeVaunte Martin, to ask him why the film had been started before they arrived.
According the students, Professor Wattier explained to them that class starts 10 minutes early when films are being shown. But the students were confused, since the information is not in the syllabus. Wattier then said "I expect it out of you guys anyway."
The students asked Wattier to clarify his statement, which is when he made the comments that served to truly seal his fate:
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University
The first decade of the new millennium brought a lot of things that the world didn't expect: the ability to order a pizza on your home computer, cell phones that allow you to talk to your friends face-to-face, and our nation's first black president.
One other unexpected event of the last decade is the disappearance of a century's worth of progress in reducing the wealth gap between black and white Americans. As Rex Nutting at Market Watch so accurately notes, wealth levels of the black family in America have declined dramatically during the past decade, and they show no evidence of getting better any time soon.
According to Nutting, "In a country where access to capital is everything, most blacks have nothing."
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse university – Scholarship in Action
Hip Hop News 24-7 recently interviewed the rapper J-Kwon about his interesting child support situation. During an interview with Miss Georgia, J-Kwon informed listeners that he'd been paying $2,500 per month in child support for seven years for a child that was eventually determined to not be his.
The artist goes on to say that he was jailed for not making the child support payments, which derailed his entire career, killing his ability to earn income. He also said that when it was determined that he wasn't the child's father, the courts provided no remedies whatsoever for him to retrieve the tens of thousands of dollars he'd paid over a seven-year period.
J-Kwon is now saying that he plans to start a foundation for fathers who are having their rights violated by the child support system. I support his initiative, because many of us forget about the millions of fathers out there who are doing all they can to have access to their kids and trying to do the right thing, but are left alienated by deceptive mothers and a court system that would rather see a man in jail than with his own children.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
The movie we all expected to see years ago is finally being brought to the big screen. Antoine Fuqua has committed himself to bringing the late Tupac Shakur back from the dead with a soon-to-be-released biopic about the life of the legendary rapper.
Tupac Shakur is nothing less than the most respected hip-hop artist in history, primarily because he lived an incredibly memorable life. His greatest claim to fame during life was his album "All Eyez on Me," which was one of the first to produce a double CD with a long list of hits. Only "Thriller" by Michael Jackson and "Straight Outta Compton" could compare in terms of an album's impact on an entire generation.
Some seem to feel that Tupac's career was just taking off when he died at the age of 25. He was just starting to come into his own as an actor, and he ended up releasing more songs as a dead man than most artists ever release during life. With everything that's come out of the studio since Tupac's untimely death, it appears that he was planning for several years of virtually unprecedented artistic productivity.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Jamail Johnson, the Youngstown State University student who died at an off-campus party Saturday morning, has been reported to have died trying to save his friends from gunfire. Jamail was a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
The Trumbull County Conservative Examiner says that when the gunmen began to shoot, Johnson ran toward them and pushed them out of the house. This, according to observers, saved the lives of dozens of other students. He even fought with the gunmen after being shot.
The two alleged shooters, Columbus Jones Jr. and Braylon Rogers, 22 and 19 years old respectively, are facing charges for aggravated murder.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, AOL Black Voices
Gospel Singer Marvin Sease has reportedly passed away at the age of 64. Online sources are reporting that Sease died in Vicksburg, Mississippi a little more than a week before his 65th birthday. His cause of death has not yet been revealed to the public.
Sease started his career at the age of 20 when he moved to New York to join the Gospel Crowns. He then formed his own R&B group with his three brothers called "Sease." His two biggest successes were "Ghetto Man" and "Candy Licker." The explicit lyrics of the latter song kept it from getting airplay, but it also helped him to substantially increase his following.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University
As the son of a preacher, I know how to avoid sacrilegious statements when I see them. I don't use God's name in vain, and I don't make nasty jokes about Jesus. But if hip-hop had a bible, it would start with the commandment that "Thou shalt not compare any living rapper to the great Biggie and Pac."
If you even briefly mention that any artist in America comes close to "the great ones," you are quickly slapped with a "shut yo mouth" by hip-hop heads who tell you that you're out of your damn mind. There is no living artist, at least not under the age of 30, who dares compare himself to Biggie and Pac, who've effectively become the God and Jesus of the hip-hop world.
Let's be clear: these artists were legendary in their talent level and deserve massive amounts of respect. But the idea that they are better than every hip-hop artist since is likely due to our stunning capacity to practically worship dead artists rather than a truly fair comparison of musical impact. Since Tupac Shakur died, he has been transformed into a visionary and a saint, when the truth is that he could be just as trifling as Lil Wayne, TI and the other artists who are living today. I was a huge fan of both Biggie and Pac when they were alive. I listened to Pac every morning before heading to campus, and I bumped Biggie when I rolled in my hooptie. They were like Burger King and McDonalds or Coke and Pepsi: two dominant versions of virtually the same product (gangsta rap). I never chose one over the other, because both of them were great.
Click to watch Dr. Boyce Watkins and Ed Gordon talk about the case of Kelley Williams-Bolar, the Ohio mother who was sent to jail for sending her kids to the wrong school district.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
A 17-year old boy is in custody after allegedly stabbing a girl repeatedly after she told him that she was pregnant. Cortae Diaz Kelly, a student at Ypsilanti High School in Michigan, is accused of stabbing the girl in a nearby wooded area. The girl is now in intensive care after getting surgery at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital.
County assistant prosecutor Arianne Slay is saying that Kelly stabbed the girl 12 times in her head, back and hands. She played dead to get him to stop the attack. She also says that Kelly confessed to trying to kill her. He is being charged with assault with intent to murder and being held on a $1 million bond.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Two men opened fire after an argument occurred at an Omega Psi Phi fraternity house in Youngstown, Ohio this weekend. The two men shot multiple rounds into a crowd of people, killing a student and critically injuring a 17-year old with a head wound. The student who was killed was shot while trying to break the two disputing groups apart. The university said six of the injured were students.
The murder victim was 25-year old Jamail E. Johnson of Youngstown. Most of the 11 injured were shot in the foot. The men were arrested and charged with aggravated murder, shooting into a home, and felonious assault, according to Chief Jimmy Hughes of the Youngstown Police Department.
"These guys were in the location for a little while before the shooting occurred," he said. "Something happened that they became unhappy. They had some type of altercation."
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University
One year ago, the Cleveland Cavaliers were at the top of the NBA, on their way to possibly winning the finals. Everyone had high hopes for the Cavs, and we all marveled at the talents of the "chosen one," LeBron James.
My what a difference a year makes. The Cavs have now lost 24 games in a row, tying the NBA record for the most consecutive losses. Given that Dallas is next on the schedule, they will most likely break the record.
Since last year, the Cavs have lost their superstar to the Miami Heat, who are now title contenders themselves. The loss of LeBron was especially painful for Cavs fans, who were disgusted by the way he publicized his exit to the world. Then, there was the outburst of Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, who called James a quitter and said that James had engaged in a "cowardly betrayal" of his city.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
During a four-year college career, most students take roughly 40 courses. Personally, I went to graduate school for another 7 years after college, taking an additional 40 - 50 more classes. During my entire undergraduate, masters and doctoral experience, I never had one single African American professor.
This experience made the educational process incredibly uncomfortable for me. I never experienced the privilege of my white classmates, who had teachers they could relate to, work with and connect with on a meaningful level. I did meet one African American professor (I never took his class) named Dr. Tommy Whittler. He is the sole reason I became a professor today because he was the first faculty member who'd ever taken time to mentor me as a human being.
Click here to watch the video. To join the Your Black World Coalition, please visit YourBlackWorld.com.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Millry, Ala., is a town where racial tensions have allegedly been running high for a very long time. The boiling point was hit recently, when a white father came to the town's high school and threatened one of the black players on the basketball team.
The infuriated parent told one of the boys that if any of them made contact with his daughter, he would "kill him and his black friends," at least that's what was reportedly told to Latisha Mitchell, the step-Mother of one of the players.
Mitchell claims that her son was only friends with the man's daughter and that they would text message each other. TheNAACP took notice of the man's racial threats, and the town is in an uproar. There is even conversation about the Ku Klux Klan planning a retaliation against local residents who held a meeting to discuss what had occurred.
Since the incident, the father has been banned from school property, but some parents are saying that the father should be arrested for his public threats.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
The video-taped beating of 16-year old Chad Holley had me fuming. It's one thing when police use excessive force, but this video was startling for at least a couple of reasons. First, the kid is only 16-years old, and kids that age don't deserve this kind of treatment. While he appears to be a viable suspect for burglary (he was convicted of his crime), the truth is that we must move beyond a society that believes that any child who makes a mistake is beyond redemption. Black children tend to be the ones most likely to be sentenced as adults, and those kids who are lost at an early age can be thrown to the wolves as if they are worthless commodities with abolutely no long-term potential value. Secondly, it appears on the video that Holley does nothing to warrant any form of physical retaliation by officers. He has his hands behind his back and surrenders to the police immediately when they surround him. Yes, Holley might have broken the law, but police officers should not be the judge and jury of this young man, as well as the ones to administer his (cruel and unusual) punishment.
Here are a couple of other things to consider as the nation thinks about the Chad Holley beating by police:
Bishop Eddie Long did a Youtube appeal to former Capital City Corp CEO Ephren Taylor about members of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church who allegedly lost money as a result of their investments. Taylors reps have responded with this statement below:
FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION
January 31, 2011
MEDIA CONTACT:
Candace Reese J.
Envision Global
(678) 367-3117
C.Reese@EnviGlobal.com
STATEMENT FROM EPHREN W. TAYLOR ON BISHOP EDDIE L. LONG
YOUTUBE VIDEO APPEAL AND NEW BIRTH MISSIONARY BAPTIST
CHURCH WEALTH TOUR 2009
ATLANTA, GA (EnviGlobal.com) – Business Accelerator and entrepreneur, Ephren W. Taylor releases the following statement regarding the recent Youtube.com video appeal posted by New Birth Missionary Baptist Church pastor, Bishop Eddie L. Long:
Due to many inaccuracies, and based upon what I view as a direct character assassination and an attempt to paint a picture of an inability, on my part, to take responsibility for the actions of City Capital Corporation during my tenure as CEO, I am extending facts relative to the aftermath of the Wealth Tour at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
One of my favorite television personalities is the great Stephen A. Smith. I met Stephen a few years ago when I appeared on his ESPN show, "Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith." Smith's show was my favorite in all of television, primarily because it was a place where black men could be men on the national stage and discuss the issues that mattered most (to us). I told Stephen A. that his show was effectively "The Black Man's Oprah," and we needed more like it.
It was Stephen's deep commitment to the black athlete in America that led me to realize that his television days were numbered. There is no way on God's green earth that a show so seriously committed to the black male would last on any of the major networks. Stephen's show should never have been canceled, but his show should probably have been on BET or TV One.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University - Scholarship in Action
The Onion does a hilarious skit about a blond white woman accused of killing her classmate. The punishment administered by the judge is not the death penalty, a long prison sentence or even community service. Instead, she is punished by forcing her to go on trial as a 300 pound black man. The skit goes on to show the girl's parents crying in court over the judge's cruel and unusual punishment. "No one in this country deserves the horror of being treated like a black man," they say in front of a group of news cameras.
While the skit was certainly funny in its own right, it was built on a very serious set of functional inequities in America's justice system: black men are more likely to be searched, arrested, convicted and incarcerated for crimes, even when they didn't do anything wrong. While we've heard about the cases of the Scott Sisters and Kelley Williams-Bolar, there are thousands of other men and women in prison after being found guilty of simply being black.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
One of the men for whom I have a great deal of respect is Dr. Khalil Muhammad, the new Director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Professor Muhammad is currently a scholar of African-American history at Indiana University.
Professor Muhammad's selection for the post was not without controversy. Some thought he was too young and unknown to be granted such a serious and prestigious post. I don't agree with the criticism, but only time will prove us all correct. From my meetings with Professor Muhammad, I found him to be sharp, insightful and down-to-earth. He is a scholar who fully understands, respects and appreciates the gravity of his appointment and the importance of The Schomburg.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Heads were turning this week as CNN announced that it was hiring Mark Whitaker as it's new Managing Editor. Whitaker, who is African American, once served as the Washington Bureau Chief for NBC News. He took his position at NBC after the sudden death of Tim Russert in 2007. He was also editor at Newsweek from 1998 - 2006.
The Managing Editor position was created when the CNN/US President, Jon Klein, left the network in September of last year. CNN Worldwide President Jim Walton said that Whitaker would be chosen as "an executive vice president and managing editor of CNN Worldwide to lead collaboration across all platforms and elevate CNN's unique journalism and analysis."
"Our aim is to position a strong managing editor, working closely with the head of each CNN network and Web site, to generate reporting and analysis that consistently stands out, sparks conversation and captures the true meaning and relevance of the events in the news," Walton said in a public statement. "Mark is a distinguished journalist and news executive who is experienced in leading large enterprises, and I am pleased that he will help direct our long-term editorial approach and strategy."
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in action
Bishop Eddie Long has made yet another public appearance, this time on Youtube. Rather than discussing his own legal issues, Long spoke about an investment company that allegedly left many of his members on the brink of financial ruin. In the video, Long discussed a dispute that his church is having with City Capital Corp, a company that came to the church to convince members to invest money with their firm back in 2009.
In the video, Long said that since City Capital Corp. came to visit his church, some members have faced bankruptcy, foreclosure, or significant losses in their retirement accounts. Bishop Long made a public appeal to the company's former CEO, Ephren Taylor, and the rest of the company to do the right thing and return the money to those who've been hurt.
In a press release issued on Monday, Bishop Long informed the media that several members of his church alerted him to concerns they had about City Capital. Roughly 20 members of the church invested with the company, according to published reports.
