Monthly Archives: January 2019
In Memoriam: Leon J. “Stan” Lomax, 1923-2018
Throughout his 14 years as head coach, he led Fort Valley State University to four Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships. In addition to his football tenure, Lomax served as assistant to the president of the university.
The State of Illinois Now Requires Public Universities to Offer Courses on Black History
A new bill passed into law in the state of Illinois requires all state-operated colleges and universities in the state to include at least one course on Black history. The educational institutions can meet the requirement by offering an online course.
A Racial Gap in Physical Stress Biomarkers of Mothers One Year After They Give Birth
A new study from researchers at a large number of universities has found that African-American women undergo more physical "wear-and-tear" during the first year after giving birth than Latina and White women.
Maryland HBCU Litigation: Déjà Vu, All Over Again
In litigation that has been going on for 12 years and had been sent to mediation in 2013, a three-judge panel ordered the state and representatives of Maryland's four HBCUs to once again enter into mediation. The court gave the parties only to April 30 to come up with a solution to address inequities in the state's higher education system.
Study Finds Black Women Have Higher Risk of Stroke at an Earlier Age Than White Women
The researchers believe it is the first study to evaluate whether the stroke risk in men and women at a particular age is similar for White men and women compared to Black men and women.
Kimberly Mutcherson Is the First African-American Law Dean at Rutgers University in New Jersey
Kimberly Mutcherson has been named co-dean of the Rutgers Law School in Camden. Her appointment makes her the first woman, the first African American, and the first LGBT law dean at Rutgers University.
Florida State University Links Unfair Police Treatment and Length of Black Men’s Telomeres
Telomeres are found on the end of chromosomes and protect DNA integrity. The length of telomeres reflects psychological stress, with shorter telomeres being an indication of higher levels of stress. Other studies have shown that telomere shortening contributes to cardiovascular diseases.
Coppin State University President Maria Thompson to Step Down at the End of the Academic Year
Maria Thompson,the first woman president of Coppin State University in Baltimore, Maryland, has announced she will retire at the end of the academic year after overcoming recent health challenges. She became president of Coppin State University in 2015.
Three African Americans in New Administrative Positions at Alcorn State University in Mississippi
Ladonna Eanochs has been named interim director of institutional research at Alcorn State University in Mississippi. Everson Martin has been named interim director of bands and Tracee Smith has been named director of the Office of Student Records and University Registrar.
The Bowie State University Cybersecurity Academy Kicks Off This Month
The Bowie State University Cybersecurity Academy will provide specialized skills development and practical experience for students to successfully complete examinations for five recognized information technology certifications.
Two Black Male Medical School Professors Who Are Taking on New Roles
Russell Reid has been named the first Bernard G. Sarnat M.D. Professor in the department of surgery at the University of Chicago School of Medicine and Patrick Nana-Sinkam, a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, has been elected as a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation.
Morgan State University in Baltimore Now Offering Courses in Italian Language
Morgan State University, the historically Black educational institution in Baltimore, is now offering courses in Italian within its department of world languages. Many of the students taking Italian language courses are music majors.
Three African Americans in New Administrative Posts in Higher Education
Assuming new duties are Noelle Chaddock at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, Domonic Cobb at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Cynthia Downing at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro.
Winston-Salem State University Joins Initiative to Create Four Research Design Studios
Historically Black Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina has entered into a partnership with the University of North Carolina School of the Arts to create four interdisciplinary design studies that will be housed at the Center for Design Innovation of the Wake Forest Innovation Quarter in Winston-Salem.
In Memoriam: Rita Smith-Wade-El, 1948-2018
Dr. Smith-Wade-El served as a professor of psychology and the director of the African Americans studies minor program at Millersville University in Pnnsylvania. She was also co-director of the Ethnic Studies Learning Community Freshman Experience at the university.
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. The books included are on a wide variety of subjects and present many different points of view.
Online Articles That May Be of Interest to JBHE Readers
Each week, JBHE will provide links to online articles that may be of interest to our readers. Here are this week’s selections.
Silent Movie Shows the Earliest Depiction of African American Affection Captured on Film
Researchers at the University of Chicago and the University of Southern California recently discovered a silent movie that was filmed in 1898. The film, entitled Something Good-Negro Kiss, is believed to be earliest depiction of African American affection captured on film.
Two American Universities Help Build Dental Surgery Program in Rwanda
The African nation of Rwanda has a population of more than 12 million. Yet there are only 40 registered dentists in the country. A new program established with the assistance of scholars at Harvard University and the University of Maryland aims to help reduce the shortage.
The First Cohort of E.E. Just Postgraduate Fellowships in the Life Sciences
Bianca Marlin is a postdoctoral researcher in neuroscience at Columbia University in New York City and Elizabeth Ransey is postdoctoral researcher in neuroscience at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
University Students Examine Slavery at Richmond’s Wilton House
Students at Virginia Commonwealth University spent the fall semester studying the enslaved population at Wilton House, the main building at a former, 2,000-acre tobacco plantation.
Clemson Aims to Increase the Number of Black Ph.D. Students in Chemical Engineering
Clemson University will recruit these students from its own master’s and undergraduate programs as well as at historically Black colleges and universities throughout the South.
Higher Education Grants or Gifts of Interest to African Americans
Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.
