It took less than 30 minutes for white men with signs that read “Deport All Illegals Now” and “DEI Should Be Illegal” to know they weren’t welcome on Tennessee State University’s campus. The conservative group was quickly escorted off campus by law enforcement as Black students shouted phrases like, “Go, get out of here,” and […]
Education
Posted inHigher Education, Politics & Policy
Black Professors on Turning Point’s Watch List Face Harassment On and Off Campus
As the news spread of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination two weeks ago, a student in Professor A.D. Carson’s “Black Voice” class made sure the room door was locked. The University of Virginia professor had told them in passing that he was on the Professor Watch List, a website created by Turning Point USA, a […]
Posted inEducation, HBCUs
Trump Shifts $435M to HBCUs As Other Minority-Serving Colleges Lose Funding
This story has been updated.The Trump administration said it will redirect $435 million to historically Black colleges and universities and tribal campuses as it defunds grant programs for other minority students at other institutions. On Monday, the Department of Education also announced it will invest more than $160 million in American history and civics education […]
Posted inEducation, HBCUs
At South Florida’s Only HBCU, a Leadership Feud Ends in Court
A Florida judge has put an end to a monthlong controversy at South Florida’s only historically Black university, ruling a former board trustee is the institution’s next president. Florida Memorial University found itself in the news when Brandon K. Dumas, the now-former chairman of Florida Memorial University’s board of trustees, alleged that “rogue” board members […]
Posted inHigher Education, Public Safety
HBCU Lockdowns Lifted After Day of ‘Terroristic Threats’
Several Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country have lifted lockdowns after a series of threats. Early Thursday morning, Hampton University and Virginia State University said they received terrorist threats. Later, the list grew as Alabama State University, Clark Atlanta University, Southern University in Louisiana, and Bethune-Cookman in Florida reported threats. Spelman College ordered […]
Posted inHBCUs, Sports
HBCUs Are Keeping Black Baseball’s Legacy Alive With Limited Resources
Cydney Cooper has been playing softball since she was 5 years old. Playing the sport in South Carolina came with being the only Black girl on the team, or one of a few Black players. As a shy, dark-skinned girl, Cooper said people often thought she had an attitude, but she was just quiet and […]
Posted inHBCUs
Howard President Resigns Amid Housing Crisis and Student Outrage
Howard University will soon be on the hunt for a new university president for the second time in just two years. The school’s 18th president, Ben Vinson III, will step down on Aug. 31, the board of trustees announced Friday. His tenure was short-lived, as he stepped into the role just two years ago in […]
Posted inEducation, Federal Overhaul, Politics & Policy
Shuttering Civil Rights Offices Could Affect Students’ Ability to Address Discrimination
Federal Overhaul is a multipart series that explores the impact of the Trump administration’s restructuring of the federal government on Black communities. Black teenager Ja’Liyah Celestine said that last year at her Texas high school, an officer pepper-sprayed her, grabbed her by hair, and kneed her in her face. A federal civil rights complaint was […]
Posted inEducation, History
The Forgotten Girls Who Desegregated New Orleans Before Ruby Bridges
This is the first story in our series chronicling the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. In November 1960, three 6-year-old Black girls climbed 18 steps into history, forever changing the face of American education and democracy. While Ruby Bridges became a household name for integrating William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, Gail Etienne, Leona […]
Posted inHigher Education, Politics & Policy
Harvard Fights Trump in Court. Black Students and Academics Say The Real Battle Is on Campus
A federal judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration’s attempts to revoke Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students. The move comes after the nation’s oldest institution of higher learning requested a temporary restraining order against the federal government’s action. Harvard filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration earlier Friday. In the suit, the school […]