At a time when historically Black colleges and universities have experienced massive turnover, David K. Wilson at Morgan State University is an outlier: He has led the institution for the past 15 years. Amid another wave of sweeping change to higher education nationally, Wilson is now one of the longest-serving HBCU presidents in the country. […]
Education
Posted inEducation, Health, Partner Content
Parents Fear Losing Disability Protections as Trump Slashes Civil Rights Office
Devon Price, a 15-year-old boy with autism, has attended the largest school district in North Carolina for 10 years, but he cannot read or write. His twin sister, Danielle, who is also autistic, was bullied by classmates and became suicidal. Under federal law, public schools must provide children with disabilities a “free appropriate public education,” […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Culture, Higher Education
Hazing Death Prompts Soul-Searching for Divine Nine
The calls, texts and emails have been pouring in. Since news broke in late February that a 20-year-old student at Southern University died in what police called “a fraternity hazing incident,” messages and voicemails continue to fill the inbox of filmmaker Byron Hurt. Hurt heard from some of these same people three years ago, when […]
Posted inHigher Education, Politics & Policy
Black Students Confront Right-Wing Visitors as HBCU Security Tensions Grow
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 […]
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 […]
