Monthly Archives: February 2016

In Memoriam: Holly Adrienne Hogrobrooks, 1940-2016

As a student at Texas Southern University in 1960, Hogrobrooks was one of the leaders of a student movement that staged the first lunchcounter sit-in Houston.

Journalism Schools at Jackson State and Ole Miss Enter Into a Partnership

Under the partnership the journalism schools at the two universities will exchange faculty members, cooperate on research projects, and have students from both journalism schools participate in annual media conferences at each university.

Three African American Men Among the Finalists for the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award

Claremont Graduate University in California has announced five finalists for the $100,000 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. Three of the five finalists are African American men.

Edward Waters College Celebrates Its Sesquicentennial

Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Florida, was founded in 1866. It recently kicked off its celebration of its 150-year anniversary with a ceremony on campus for all students, faculty, staff, and invited alumni.

New Faculty Appointments at Major Universities for Five Black Scholars

Taking on new roles are Debra J. Barksdale at Virginia Commonwealth University, Michael A. Nutter at Columbia University, Theaster Gates at the University of Chicago, Chris Swan at Tufts University, and Engda Hagos at Colgate University.

Bethune-Cookman University Dedicates Its New School of Hospitality Management

Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida, has named its new School of Hospitality Management for Bob Billingslea, a retired executive of the Walt Disney Company.

New Administrative Assignments for Eight African Americans in Higher Education

Here is this week’s roundup of African Americans who have been appointed to new administrative positions at colleges and universities throughout the United States.

Three Black Women Attacked on a Bus at the University at Albany

Three Black women students at the University at Albany of the State University of New York System said they were confronted by racial slurs and attacked by a group of White men and women on a local bus.

Online Articles That May Be of Interest to JBHE Readers

From time to time, The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education will provide links to online articles that may be of interest to our readers. Here are this week’s selections.

Student Researcher Learns More About the First Black Graduate of Pomona College

In 1904, Winston M.C. Dickson became the first African American graduate of Pomona College in Claremont, California. He later had a successful law practice in Houston, Texas.

The Role of Geography and Race in Remembrances of the Murder of Emmett Till

David Tell, an associate professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas, is working on a book project on how questions of geography and race have altered remembrances of the Emmett Till murder case.

Fielding Graduate University Names New Center for Marie Fielder

Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California, has announced the establishment of the Marie Fielder Center for Democracy, Leadership, and Education, a multidisciplinary research and advocacy center aimed at advancing diversity and inclusion throughout society.

Higher Education Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

Yale University Removes Portraits of John Calhoun, a Proponent of Slavery

John C. Calhoun graduated from Yale University in 1804. He went on to become vice president of the United States, serving under both John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson. A native of South Carolina, Calhoun was a major defender of the institution of slavery.

A New University Home for the National Alliance for Doctoral Studies in the Mathematical Sciences

The national mathematics organization strives to increase the number of underrepresented minorities who earn doctoral degrees in mathematics and related fields. It has been housed at the University of Iowa but will have a new home at Purdue University.

Washington State University Honors Its Late President

Washington State University in Pullman has announced that it will name its new cultural center after its late president, Elson S. Floyd. Dr. Floyd, who became president of the university in 2007, died in June 2015 from colon cancer.

University of Minnesota to Digitize Its Vast African American Collections

The University of Minnesota's collections on African American history and culture include nearly a half million pages of documents as well as photographs and videos. The materials range from the sixteenth century to the present.

Recent Books of Interest to African American Scholars

The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education regularly publishes a list of new books that may be of interest to our readers. Here are the latest selections.

The Racial Gap in the Selection of Students for Gifted Education Programs

A new study by researchers at Vanderbilt University finds that Black elementary school students are about half as likely as their White peers with similar standardized test scores to be assigned to gifted education classes. But when the gifted education teacher is Black, the racial gap disappears.

Robert M. Dixon to Serve as Provost at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

For the past two years, Dr. Dixon has served as interim vice president for academic affairs at the University of Maine at Fort Kent. He is the former provost and vice president for academic affairs at Grambling State University in Louisiana.

Ethnic Studies Courses in High School Can Lead to Academic Success for Minority Students

A new study by researchers at Stanford University found that minority students who took an ethnic studies course in high school had higher attendance rates and greater academic success than minority students who did not take such classes.

New Leader for the College of Arts and Sciences at Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville State University in North Carolina has announced the appointment of Samuel Adu-Mireku as interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Since 2012, Dr. Adu-Mireku has served as associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Study Finds Racial Gap in Salaries of Business School Graduates

The data showed that Black and White graduates of business schools earned similar salaries in their first jobs after graduating from business school. But six to eight years after leaving business schools a significant racial gap had opened up.

Mandara Savage Is the New Leader of the Extended Campus of Southern Illinois University

The Southern Illinois University Extended Campus includes all online courses and courses taught at off-campus facilities. Dr. Savage is an associate professor and chair of the department of technology at the university.

Latest News