Abstract: Professor William Julius Wilson is renowned in the social sciences. So much so that after being elected president of the American Sociological Association (ASA), his leading disciplinary association, he resigned a named, chaired professor position at the University of Chicago to secure a more prestigious named, chaired professor position at Harvard. His were humble beginnings of a Great Depression-era birth into an African American, single-mother household in a small town in Pennsylvania. From there, he rose to a status very few can claim. As Billingsley (1989) has stated, "his transition from the Black world to the white world was so complete that he has been quoted as saying that while he experienced racial ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: The 20th century birthed a plethora of religious and social movements influenced by the Black experience of racialized violence and alienation in the United States. Imbued with the spirit of exploration and the promise of freedom, early Black communities and individuals responding to policy, law, and cultural practice sought to fulfill religious and democratic ideals in and beyond the hypocrisies of Christian religious belief and those churches that seemed to support and to fuel dangerous racialized theology and belief. Movements such as "Holiness and Pentecostalism, Garveyism and Pan-Africanism, Black Moors and Black Muslims, Communism and Socialism, Father Divine and Daddy Grace" were led by people in search of ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: In his essay "Our Literary Audience," Sterling Brown (1930) appropriates Walt Whitman's famous quotation "without great audiences we cannot have great literature" to challenge Black audiences to be receptive to a full array of representations of African American life. As a generic statement, Whitman's words can be applied to any number of cultures and contexts. When applied to African American literature, however, the quote becomes a rallying cry. Brown's essay articulates the expectations he had for Black audiences, for African American literature in general, and for his forthcoming first book of poems, Southern Road (1932), in particular. In doing so, Brown's essay issued a call to future Black writers and ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Shortly after Gwendolyn Brooks won the 1950 Pulitzer Prize for Annie Allen, Melvin Tolson (1950) sent her a note that simply said, "Congratulations. I said you had it! Regards to Family. Tolson." Brooks kept the small note in her files for nearly 60 years, and that's hardly the only record of their personal and professional relationship. In an unpublished and undated piece of writing titled "One of the Indelibles," written about their common friend Langston Hughes, Brooks recalled this anecdote about Tolson:1Melvin Tolson. The mentions of Melvin Tolson take me back forty years to a lovely summer afternoon in the 63rd and King Drive apartment of Ebony's International Editor, Era Bell Thompson (also gone now). She ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Before 1880, there were fewer than a dozen formally trained Black dentists in the United States. African Americans were not accepted into dental school until 1867, when Robert T. Freeman was admitted to Harvard University's school of dentistry. Three years later, George Grant, another African American student, graduated and was subsequently appointed to the school's faculty. Fortunately, the founding of Howard University's dental school in 1881 and the establishment of the dental department at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1886 resulted in a significant increase in the number of Black dentists in the following years. In fact, to date, these two historically Black schools have produced more ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Joseph Amprey Jr. is professor emeritus, having served as dean and professor at Kutztown University for 21 years. Dr. Amprey also worked at three historically Black colleges—Philander Smith College in Arkansas, Coppin State College in Maryland, and Howard University, the pearl of HBCUs. Holding the positions of Academic Vice President and director of the counseling center at Philander and Coppin State, respectively, Brother Amprey proved to be an indispensable resource for both students, faculty, staff, and administrators alike. Also, worth noting is, during Brother Amprey's two-year stint at Howard University, he headed the master's program in Student Personnel Administration. Being a valuable resource to students ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Eugene Dudley, PhD, a 4th generation Hebrew Israelite and longtime resident of Plainfield, New Jersey, not long ago moved to Chesterfield County, Virginia, located 20 miles outside of Richmond, the state capital. Chesterfield County is the fourth largest county in the state, trailing only Fairfax, Prince William, and Loudoun counties. The area has seen some significant changes throughout the decades—the population being one of them. Since, the Great Depression, Chesterfield's population has grown steadily. The largest spike occurred between the years 1970 and 1980. During that 10-year period, the population increased by 84%, from 76,855 to 141,372. As for its political leanings, voters there tend to be rather ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: In 2007 Dr. John L. Fuller retired from West Virginia State University after a long and distinguished career as the university's registrar. After graduating from West Virginia State College (now University), Brother Fuller matriculated at the West Virginia College of Graduate Studies and earned a master's degree in higher education administration.1 He later earned his doctorate in leadership studies with a concentration in higher education and counseling at Kent State University. Born and bred on the East Coast, Fuller grew up in the town of Framingham, Massachusetts, less than 25 miles west of Boston. Rich in Black history, Framingham was an annual gathering-spot for abolitionists. Every 4th of July from 1854 to ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Richard E. Jackson, a son of Nashville, has made a lasting imprint on higher education administration, the legal community, and a number of grassroots efforts. For the past seven years Jackson has served as the executive vice president for Administration, Finance, and Legal Affairs at American Baptist College in Nashville, Tennessee, where he has oversight of all the college's non-academic operations. Prior to that, he was special assistant to the president at Middle Tennessee State University where he oversaw issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion. For eight years, Jackson was Austin Peay State University's vice president for legal affairs and strategic planning and before that its senior advisor to the ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: In the early 1970s Henry M. "Mickey" Michaux Jr. was part of a nationwide effort to get more African Americans elected to public office. Spurred largely by the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Michaux rode a wave that saw an unprecedented number of Blacks run for and get elected to offices that had long been held by White politicians. Michaux has the distinction of being the longest serving member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. Elected to the North Carolina State Assembly in 1972, Michaux became the first African American elected to that body from his hometown of Durham, North Carolina. Michaux served the 31st district for more than 30 years. In 1977, Michaux enjoyed another milestone when ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Several months ago, I had the pleasure of speaking to Greg Pritchett, PhD, former Tuskegee University professor, retired US Army Colonel, and former president of the Department of Alabama Reserve Officers Association. In 2018, Pritchett was inducted into the prestigious Field Artillery Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame. A native Alabamian, Dr. Pritchett, with the exception of a few detours here and there, has spent the bulk of his life in the Heart of Dixie. What follows is a conversation extrapolated from several days of discussions during the months of February and March of this year.Let's dive right in Brother Pritchett, shall we'Ok, with me.I understand from talking to a friend of yours that you have been a ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Dr. Lynn L. Beckwith is one of the 8th district's most distinguished and accomplished members. He is a sought-after consultant and keynote speaker, having delivered addresses at venues ranging from Martin Luther King Jr. celebrations to symposia about urban education and Black males to high school graduations and university commencements. Well respected in the city of St. Louis and throughout the 8th district, comprising Missouri, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and North and South Dakota, Dr. Beckwith's imprint on the district, specifically, and fraternity, generally, is indelible. He is the 8th district's oldest living former District Representative. His commitment to the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Allen R. Sullivan, PhD, a 2009 inductee into the African American Educators Hall of Fame, is a distinguished educator as well as administrator, having won many awards and honors over a long career. During his lifetime, Brother Sullivan racked up many honors, merits, commendations, and badges. In addition to being a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., for nearly 60 years, he is a member of Phi Delta Kappa and Psi Chi, two prestigious national honor societies for education and psychology, respectively. It should also be noted that Brother Sullivan has the distinction of being a former student-athlete. As a track athlete, Sullivan won many important races. In addition to his athletic exploits, Brother ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Last spring I had the honor and privilege to talk with Fred Porter, one of Sigma Chapter's founding members at Michigan State University. Porter, a Lansing native and longtime community activist, retired from the Lansing School District in 1990 after working decades in governmental and automotive industries. Several conversations in March and April 2021 produced the following dialogue.Good afternoon, Brother Porter. I've been hearing a lot about you and your work in the community. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me.Good afternoon. Thank you for checking in on me. You know when you get to be my age, you're just happy to see another day. Do you know how old I am [laughing]'Yes. You're 86.You're correct. I ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: During the month of April 2021, I had the privilege of speaking with Brother Franklin J. Henderson, whom I have known since the early 1990s. Brother Henderson grew up in Miami, Florida, and was initiated into Omega Psi Fraternity, Inc., through Beta Sigma Chapter, Southern University, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He went on to have a long and successful career as an aerospace engineer in the Los Angeles, California, area working for Douglas Aircraft Company and later Hughes Aircraft Company. He retired from the US Army Reserve as a Colonel.What year were you initiated in the fraternity Brother Henderson'I was initiated in the fall of 1950.How many were on your line'There were 13 of us.What are their names Brother ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: In June I had the honor of speaking with Davidson L. Hepburn, PhD, a native of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. For those unfamiliar with The Bahamas, it is comprised of a chain of islands spread over 500 miles in the Atlantic Ocean, located east of Florida, north of Cuba and the island of Hispaniola, and west of the British Overseas Territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands (with which it forms the Lucayan Archipelago). The island's capital is Nassau, which lies on the island of New Providence. Andros is the country's largest island. The other inhabited islands, some of which have interesting names, are Grand Bahama, Rum Cay, Eleuthera, Cat Island, Long Island, San Salvador, Ragged Island, Crooked Island, Acklins ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Ricky L. LewisRicky L. LewisThe idea for Spectrum: A Journal on Black Men was born ten years ago. Given the state of Black males at the time, it was believed that an academic journal focusing on the lived experiences of this particular target group was long overdue. I think most people would agree that truer words had never been spoken, in fact, such thinking is no less true today than it was ten years ago. To mark this important occasion, the editor-in-chief issued a call for nominations for Spectrum's first ever Man of the Year Award.Nominations and recommendations flooded my inbox, but one candidate's name kept surfacing. Over the past 40 years, this Brother has given of himself as well as his time to any number ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: People are trapped in history and history is trapped in themFounded in the fall of 1911, the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., was birthed near the close of the Second Industrial Revolution, an era that produced unprecedented urban growth and technological advances, prompted in part by the population boon from 76 million people in 1900 to 92 million in 1910—a 21% increase. Out of this explosion emerged a class of wealthy entrepreneurs and a content and well-fed middle class, both of which were dominated by Whites. Not surprisingly, this newfound prosperity, enjoyed by some, was supported by immigrants—many of whom came from Italy, Russia, and the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. That they were poorer and less well educated ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Over his 50-year career, Dr. James Anderson has sought to advance the idea that the African American community has relentlessly pursued and cherished learning, contrary to much of the written history claiming the opposite to be the case. Anderson has been a productive scholar and thought leader whose historical approach to the study of the American South offers insight into the political fabric and legal decisions associated with Black life and culture, particularly around education and political arenas.Anderson's (1988) seminal scholarly treatment of the subject, The Education of Blacks in the South, 1860–1935, represents a major contribution to both educational studies and history. In this book, he pulled back ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: On June 5, 1926, an article in the Baltimore Afro-American (colloquially known as the Afro) declared the end of a wave of campus protests against J. Stanley Durkee, Howard University's eleventh president and the last White head of the school. Written under the moniker "Alumnus," the article notes that for eight consecutive years, Howard had been "the seat of revolution, rebellion, and insurrection" under Durkee's "palpably weak administration" (Alumnus, 1926, p. 2). The article, which closed out a series of more than 40 such pseudonymously published editorials that appeared in the Afro since the previous spring, commemorated the end of demonstrations by students, faculty, and alumni that forced Durkee's resignation ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: You cannot understand Allison Davis and his contributions without first understanding who he was. Davis was born in Washington, DC, in 1902 to John Abraham Davis and Gabrielle Beale Davis, both of whom were part of the light-skinned, middle-class Black community in that hub of African American culture at the turn of the twentieth century. Under Republican administrations, John Davis rose within the Government Printing Office to become a clerk who supervised ten employees, nine of whom were White. The family, which also included a younger sister named Dorothy Davis and a younger brother named John Aubrey Davis (later an influential political scientist and civil rights activist), fared well until Woodrow Wilson was ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Arna Bontemps's (1936/1992) Black Thunder was written in the midst of the Great Depression, an era that had devastated the Harlem Renaissance of which he was a part. Bontemps would later characterize the fate of the Black literati: "The jobs we had counted on to keep us alive and writing in New York vanished, as some observed, quicker than a cat could wink" (1936/1992, p. xxiv). His own position at the Seventh-Day Adventist Harlem Academy did not survive the economic trauma. In 1931, "[n]ot knowing where else to turn," he "wandered into northern Alabama, on the promise of employment as a teacher … to wait out the bad times" (p. xxiv). When first arriving in Huntsville, Alabama, to teach at Oakwood Junior College ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: The resignation of the Spanish dictator Primo de Rivera in 1930 and the aspirations for democratization and modernization among many intellectuals within Spain led to the inauguration of the Second Republic (1931–1939). The democratic elections of 1931, which the Republican party won, entailed the reestablishment of a framework of guarantees that included freedom of worship and safeguards for the rights of all citizens. Over the years of the Second Republic, both left-wing and right-wing governments alternated at the helm of a country that underwent enormous change at a political, social, and economic level.1 However, this progressive atmosphere without precedent in the history of Spain hardly lasted a few years ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Rich and impactful lives are never straightforward or simple, for they are always the product of a combination of negative and positive experiences and influences that can either frustrate an individual's capacity to dream and achieve or inspire him to seek excellence in life. This fact is fully documented by Lawrence Edward Carter Sr.'s steady rise from a curious and precocious Ohio schoolboy to architect of "a global ministry that teaches and inspires ambassadors of peace" and community (Staples, 2021, p. 1). The Carter who emerges in this essay is very much the personification of the "organic intellectual" or "scholar-activist type" (West, 1988, p. 3; Nix, 2015, pp. 1–2; Stuckey, 1987, p. 267), which is ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Dr. Nathan Hare, often referred to as the father of Black studies, founded and was the first coordinator of a Black studies program in the US (Anderson, 1990; Chrisman & Hare, 1973; Zulu, 2018). As a pioneer of Black studies, his scholarly work and advocacy have been intricate in addressing issues relating to the Black family. His books The Black Anglo-Saxons, Crisis in Black Sexual Politics, and The Endangered Black Family shed light on race relations, sexual politics, child development, and well-being of Black families. The Black Anglo-Saxons (Hare, 1965) discussed intrapersonal stressors within the Black community to measure success by White standards and norms. Hare (1965) spoke of a "front" self that some ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: "April 1950 will long be remembered for the death of four eminent men," said James Hugo Johnston Jr., Black historian and former President of Virginia State College (now Virginia State University). Only one of the four men graced the cover of the widely read bulletin published by the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). It was not famed Black surgeon and college football coach Dr. Charles Richard Drew, former Dean of Howard Law School; Charles Hamilton Houston; or even the ASNLH founder, Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson. While assuring readers that "all four [men] made history," its cover boy was Dr. Luther Porter Jackson, longtime Professor of History at Virginia State College (Johnston, 1950a ... Read More PubDate: 2022-07-31T00:00:00-05:00
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