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Section: Opinion

Hiding Behind Racism

A few weeks ago, I was part of a campus panel discussion that discussed the N-Word, racism and post-racism. I was invited to speak by Bakari Kitwana, author and CEO of Rap Sessions. Other panelists included Rosa Clemente, 2008 vice presidential nominee of the Green Party; MC Serch, host of VH-1 Shows, “The White Rapper […]

March 8, 2009

Of Watermelons, Chimps and Cowards

It was not that long ago that we were ushering in the “post-racial” era in American racial discourse. According to scholar John McWhorter, “So, in answer to the question, ‘Is America past racism against black people,’ I say the answer is yes.” In intellectual and ideological lockstep, Dinesh D’Souza proclaimed, “If Obama’s election means anything, […]

March 3, 2009

During an Economic Crisis, Don’t Make Cuts in Institutional Advancement

A few days ago, I was on the phone with a good friend, Nelson Bowman, who works as the Director of Development at Prairie View A & M University. We started talking about the economic downturn and its impact on HBCUs. Nelson is amazingly resourceful, and as such, was trying to get some “free” consulting […]

March 1, 2009

What the Media want to Know about HBCUs?

I often receive calls from reporters asking me to speak about HBCUs. Reporters like to include “facts” in their news stories and what better place to get them than from a professor/researcher. I enjoy talking to reporters because I think it is important to make sure that research has an impact on practice — getting […]

February 25, 2009

Arne Duncan on Tour and the Next Generation of Educators

One important area of concern that received little attention during this year’s monumental presidential election was education. Other than a brief nod during one debate — during which both candidates represented cursory and almost identical positions — education and the looming future of the No Child Left Behind Act was indeed left behind. Currently, understanding […]

February 16, 2009

Educators of Conscience Call for an Academic Boycott of Israel

On Monday, February 2, 2009, scholar Benny Morris gave a lecture, “The First Arab-Israeli War,” at Wesleyan University, which was sponsored by the Jewish and Israeli Studies Certificate Program. As a New Historian who supports Zionist ideology, Morris is one of Israel’s most distinguished historians. He became well known after accessing and analyzing Israeli military […]

February 12, 2009

Defining a Person’s Blackness?

Last October at an annual conference that highlights various aspects of the Black experience, I attended a panel where Dr. Ronald Walters, professor of government and African American studies at the University of Maryland, College Park and several other scholars were discussing the potential impact that the upcoming election could have on the Black Community. […]

February 11, 2009

“Full Measure of Happiness”

“The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.” — Barack Obama, 1/20/2009 […]

February 1, 2009

Let’s Talk about Race … in the Classroom

I am fortunate to work in a school of education that cares enough to examine itself in terms of its treatment of students of color. That said, I recently sat through a school-wide faculty meeting in which the results of a survey of our students of color were discussed. For anyone who knows the research in […]

January 21, 2009

Miss America’s Racial Milestones

While I was watching television the other day, I saw a commercial promoting the Miss America pageant which is scheduled to air January 24th on the TLC Network. The advertisement took me back to the late 1990s when a colleague of mine introduced me to some research that she was compiling on the annual event. Being […]

January 13, 2009

Much to do about Morris Brown College?

Over the past few weeks – since the Atlanta Journal and Constitution announced that Morris Brown College couldn’t pay its water bill – several of my friends in the Black college community have called to talk about the historic institution. The first question thrown out for contemplation is “Do we really need all 103 HBCUs?” […]

January 5, 2009

Faculty and Students of Color Face Various Dilemmas

Recently I was interviewed by a student reporter for our campus newspaper about a racially tinged incident that took place earlier in the semester. This past October five members of a prominent fraternity on campus dressed in blackface at a Halloween party as what they saw as an effort to portray rappers. The story does […]

December 14, 2008

The myth of a “post-racial” America: a global perspective

The conversations about race and its significance in America are ongoing. The election of Barack Obama as President of the United States has intensified the conversation. Some claim that his election is proof that race no longer matters (although a majority of whites voted for McCain), others claim that his election is proof that we […]

December 8, 2008

During an Economic Downturn, Why Suggest Closing the Public Black Colleges?

Last week, Republican Seth Harp, a senator in the Georgia state legislature suggested that in order to save money, several of the state’s public Black universities should be merged with nearby predominantly White universities. In Harp’s opinion, historically Black Savannah State University and historically White Armstrong Atlantic State University, both in Savannah, should be merged. […]

December 6, 2008

It’s Ph.D. Application Time: Here are a Few Tips

It’s that time of the academic year — the time when students begin to ask for advice, and more importantly, letters of recommendations to pursue their Ph.D. research. As I care greatly about the future of the professoriate (and I think being a professor is the last great job — one gets paid to think!), I […]

November 24, 2008

History in Their Own Words

On account of jury duty all last week, I was not able to be on campus at Lincoln the day after the election. I was looking forward to hearing about my students’ experiences of standing in line for hours upon hours, finally voting for the first time, celebrating wildly by climbing all over the Frederick […]

November 24, 2008

Congratulations Brother President! Congratulations Mr.President!

Think about the following: · 1789 – The U. S Constitution declares that Black Americans were only three-fifths of a human being. · 1857 – Dred Scott decision was handed down by the Supreme Court · 1896 – The separate but equal doctrine of Plessy v. Ferguson was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. · […]

November 18, 2008

America Is Saying ‘Yes We Can’ Because of President-elect Barack Obama

Six years ago many of us could not really say with any authority that we had heard of Barack Obama. Our first real glimpse of him came as he delivered a keynote address at the Democratic National Convention held four years ago. After hearing him speak that evening at the convention, I knew that he […]

November 6, 2008