Outspoken Anti-Gay Pastor in New Orleans Caught Masturbating While Watching Children

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

A Christian fundamentalist pastor who has taken especially strong positions against the gay community has been arrested for masturbating in a public park in front of young children. The Rev. Grant Storms of New Orleans is known for campaigning against the Gay Southern Decadence Festival in New Orleans. The pastor has been booked for obscenity by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office.
Storms claims that he was just having lunch in Lafreniere Park in his van when he decided to relieve himself in a bottle instead of going to the bathroom. However, two women claim that they saw Storms through the open windows of his van and that he was masturbating while watching young children. The ladies got the attention of an officer, who then had Storms arrested. His bail was set at $5,000, but he was released due to jail overcrowding.

In an effort to stop Southern Decadence, Pastor Storms actually videotaped public sex acts and showed them to legislators. "There's no economic gain that justifies an orgy in the streets," Storms said. "That's all it is -- a three-day orgy in the streets."

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Carol Moseley-Braun Campaign Was Marred by Financial Problems

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

One of the most interesting political events in America was the race to become mayor of Chicago. After yet another seemingly endless regime under the Daley family, black Chicago had a chance to elect one of their own. Carol Moseley Braun, the seasoned politician and history-making former Senator, positioned herself to be the great black hope for the city of Chicago.

Unfortunately, the Moseley-Braun candidacy was simply not meant to be. After a series of missteps, Rahm Emanuel used the power of President Obama's backing to convince the vast majority of Chicago citizens, white and black, to give him their support. Apparently, unspoken endorsements from Barack Obama and Bill Clinton goes a long way, even if you can't readily prove that you've done very much for the African American community.

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Cornell University Student Found Dead in a Frat House

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

George Desdunes, a 19-year old freshman at Cornell University, was found dead outside a fraternity house on Friday, according to the Cornell Daily Sun. Desdunes was from Brooklyn and a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
The cause of death has not yet been specified and is expected to be released after the autopsy.

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Actor Idris Elba Says “Oscars are not designed for us”

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

I saw an interesting article recently in which Idris Elba, one of my favorite actors, went out of his way to give his true feelings about the Oscars.  You know the Oscars, those awards that black people never get unless they yank out a breast or act like they want to kill other black people. 

In an appearance at a university, Elba made this statement: “Halle Berry and I were the only two black actors nominated for this year’s Golden Globes (Idris for Lutherand Halle for Frankie & Alice). The Oscars aren’t designed for us…let’s focus on making more films.”

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Creflo Dollar Accused of Saying that Non-Tithers Should Be Shot by a Firing Squad

by Dr. Boyce Watkins 

I wasn’t sure what to think when I heard this audio, in which Creflo Dollar appears to be arguing that if you don’t tithe, you should be put in front of a firing squad.  I did some research and found media outlets reporting the video, and I can only hope that he doesn’t truly believe this.

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Dr. Boyce Watkins speaks on the value of education and being a black achiever

 

Click here to listen to Dr. Boyce Watkins talk about what it means to be a black achiever and the value of education.

Obama’s Motown Event: The Ultimate Political Insult

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

I have the interesting privilege of being on an email list owned by the White House. Whenever the administration holds an event that they believe to be of interest to African Americans in media, they shoot out an email to all of us. This week, at least two times in my email inbox, there was a message from the White House bragging about the administration's Black History Month celebration of Motown music.

I saw news of the event everywhere. Most interesting was the image of President Obama dancing with Michelle and his kids with Stevie Wonder, Smokie Robinson, Jamie Foxx and John Legend crooning in the background. The president, who appeared to be doing his best, had the stiffness of a corpse, and the posture of a 92-year old woman, but the nation appreciated his effort.

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Ephren Taylor Gives Interview about Bishop Eddie Long Financial Mix-Up

Interview done by Dr. Boyce Watkins 

Quite a few people took notice when Bishop Eddie Long went to YouTube to issue a very direct challenge to young entrepreneur Ephren Taylor over money that Bishop Long felt Taylor to have shaken out of his congregation. According to Bishop Long, Taylor should give $1 million to the members of his congregation who made investments in response to a seminar being offered by Taylor. Long's video seems to imply that Ephren had been unethical and misleading in the way he delivered the information and that people had lost thousands of dollars as a result.

I've never personally met either Bishop Eddie Long or Ephren Taylor, but I watched the Eddie Long video with extreme curiosity. I felt it to be entirely possible that Taylor could have been less than ethical, since pure capitalism tends to put ethics at the bottom of the priority list (legality is not the same as morality, so someone could be unethical while remaining within the boundaries of the law) . At the same time, there was also the possibility that Long's parishioners may not have read the fine print or had a misconception about what it means to invest. Some investors believe that investing means that you are guaranteed to make money. This is far from the truth. You can easily lose everything, so you should make sure you're prepared to stomach the risk before putting up your money.

 

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Dave Duerson: Said Something was Wrong with His Brain when he Killed Himself

 

This video interview with the wife of former Bears star Dave Duerson who killed himself says that Dave was having problems with his brain before he died.

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All Black Male School in Chicago Sends 100% of It’s Students to College

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

Well, they've done it again. Urban Prep Academy of Chicago, an all-male charter school with kids from the "worst" parts of Chicago, is sending 100% of its graduating seniors off to college. The school, founded in 2006, has stated that its continuous objective is to see to it that all of its students go to college. They are succeeding with flying colors.
The school started with kids whose futures had been left for dead by their public schools: Only four percent of the school's incoming freshmen were reading at grade level when they arrived on campus. But by sending all of their graduating seniors to college, they've not only gotten these kids up to speed, they've allowed them to zip past every other public school in the entire United States.
"No other public [school] in the country has done this," said Tim King, the founder of Urban Prep.

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Oprah Winfrey and Iyanla Vanzant: The Breakdown of their Economic Beef

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

I watched with extreme curiosity as the great Iyanla Vanzant emerged again on the Oprah Winfrey show after being gone for a full 11 years. I wasn't entirely connected to the feud between Winfrey and Vanzant, primarily because we don't think much about people that we haven't seen in over a decade. Of course Oprah is on everyone's mind, and even those who don't follow her seem to know everything she has been up to.

As the guest came to the stage, even a man from Mars could tell that there was latent mega-beef between Oprah and Iyanla. Both women seemed to overcompensate when it came to doing all they could to prove that the past was the past and that everything was OK. But the tension was so thick that it seemed to suck the oxygen out of the room.

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Cornel West Goes to Work for Carol Moseley Braun in Chicago

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

This weekend, Professor Cornel West gave a strong endorsement to Carol Moseley Braun in a heated and controversial race to become the next mayor of Chicago. West didn't have very many good things to say about Moseley Braun's leading opponent, Rahm Emanuel. He referred to Emanuel as an outsider and a candidate who is beholden to big business interests in the city and across America.
"I believe a Rahm Emanuel victory would be a slap in the face," West said. "I'm here to support poor and working people - specifically black Chicago."
One of the problems for Moseley Braun, however, is that the media is focused as much on her remarks about Emanuel as they are about the Cornel West endorsement. When she spoke, Moseley Braun made reference to a movie called "The Producers," which satirized the life of Adolph Hitler.

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Academic Racism 101: Murray State Professor Makes Disrespectful Slavery Comments Toward Black Students

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

Mark Wattier, a professor of Political Science at Murray State University in Kentucky, is in hot water after comparing his black students to slaves. Arlene Johnson, a freshman from Sikestown, Mo says that she arrived to Wattier's class three to five minutes early and found that there was a film already playing. After class was over, Johnson went to the professor, along with another black student, DeVaunte Martin, to ask him why the film had been started before they arrived.
According the students, Professor Wattier explained to them that class starts 10 minutes early when films are being shown. But the students were confused, since the information is not in the syllabus. Wattier then said "I expect it out of you guys anyway."
The students asked Wattier to clarify his statement, which is when he made the comments that served to truly seal his fate:

 

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Obama and Declining Black Family Wealth

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

The first decade of the new millennium brought a lot of things that the world didn't expect: the ability to order a pizza on your home computer, cell phones that allow you to talk to your friends face-to-face, and our nation's first black president.
One other unexpected event of the last decade is the disappearance of a century's worth of progress in reducing the wealth gap between black and white Americans. As Rex Nutting at Market Watch so accurately notes, wealth levels of the black family in America have declined dramatically during the past decade, and they show no evidence of getting better any time soon.
According to Nutting, "In a country where access to capital is everything, most blacks have nothing."

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Rapper J-Kwon Sent to Jail on Child Support, but Baby Wasn’t His

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse university – Scholarship in Action 

Hip Hop News 24-7 recently interviewed the rapper J-Kwon about his interesting child support situation. During an interview with Miss Georgia, J-Kwon informed listeners that he'd been paying $2,500 per month in child support for seven years for a child that was eventually determined to not be his.

The artist goes on to say that he was jailed for not making the child support payments, which derailed his entire career, killing his ability to earn income. He also said that when it was determined that he wasn't the child's father, the courts provided no remedies whatsoever for him to retrieve the tens of thousands of dollars he'd paid over a seven-year period.

J-Kwon is now saying that he plans to start a foundation for fathers who are having their rights violated by the child support system. I support his initiative, because many of us forget about the millions of fathers out there who are doing all they can to have access to their kids and trying to do the right thing, but are left alienated by deceptive mothers and a court system that would rather see a man in jail than with his own children.

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Tupac Shakur Being Brought Back to the Big Screen by Antoine Fuqua

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

The movie we all expected to see years ago is finally being brought to the big screen. Antoine Fuqua has committed himself to bringing the late Tupac Shakur back from the dead with a soon-to-be-released biopic about the life of the legendary rapper.
Tupac Shakur is nothing less than the most respected hip-hop artist in history, primarily because he lived an incredibly memorable life. His greatest claim to fame during life was his album "All Eyez on Me," which was one of the first to produce a double CD with a long list of hits. Only "Thriller" by Michael Jackson and "Straight Outta Compton" could compare in terms of an album's impact on an entire generation.

Some seem to feel that Tupac's career was just taking off when he died at the age of 25. He was just starting to come into his own as an actor, and he ended up releasing more songs as a dead man than most artists ever release during life. With everything that's come out of the studio since Tupac's untimely death, it appears that he was planning for several years of virtually unprecedented artistic productivity.

 

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S. Tia Brown: Supporting Your Man as an Entrepreneur

by S. Tia Brown, Essence.com

First let me say this: I am single. However, just like you don't have to smoke crack to tell "rockheads" don't do it... well, you get the rest.
Second, I'm an avid, calendar-clearing, repeat-watching fan of the "Real Housewives of Atlanta." You know the type. I text my girls during the commercials. I feel like I know the "ins and outs" of the cast intimately. And, occasionally I pass judgment on their decisions.
With those two details out the way, it's time for my third assertion: When it comes to marriage, particularly to an entrepreneur, it can't always be tit for tat. Over the last few weeks I've watched Cynthia Bailey's now husband, Peter Thomas, try to pull out the dagger ripping his heart apart as his business -- their family's bread and butter-- revenue dropped lower than NeNe Leakes' cleavage line. Thomas shared his woes about picking up the pieces. Bailey worried about financing their wedding. Thomas grew angrier about not getting investors. Bailey balled about being owed her investment in his business. Thomas was forced to close his restaurant and rebuild. Bailey cried about not going on a honeymoon. All I kept thinking is, "where dey do dat at?"

 

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White Coach Uses the N-word toward His Players

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Coach may be fired for using inappropriate language toward players. ;

Grandma with 20 inch nails - Is this normal?

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Who told this woman that 20 inch nails is a good fashion statement? ;

Dr. Jennifer Caudle Talks about the Dangers of Bullying

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Dr. Jennifer Caudle on the dangers of bullying. ;

Omega Psi Phi Issues a Statement in Response to the Shooting at Youngstown State University

Statement from Dr. Andrew A. Ray,
Grand Basileus - Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

The collective thoughts and prayers of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. are with the family of Brother Jamail Earl Johnson. We pray for their comfort and peace during this difficult time. Our thoughts also are with the 11 victims of the senseless act of violence occurring in Youngstown, Ohio on February 6, 2011.

We wish to thank Youngstown State University President Dr. Cynthia E. Anderson and her staff for the sensitivity afforded to the Johnson family during this ordeal. The Fraternity would like to acknowledge the work of the Youngstown Police Department in the ongoing investigation.  Our International Chaplain will be available to assist the family.

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Dr. Boyce and Al Sharpton Discuss Black America – 2/8/11

 

Dr. Boyce and Al Sharpton discuss issues in black America.  Click here to listen.

The Value of Being “Ghetto Fab”: Come On People

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

I watched a video the other day about a woman named Jazz Ison Sinkfield and couldn't help but laugh. For some reason, Jazz thought it would be a good idea to start growing her fingernails for almost a quarter of a century without ever cutting them. Now, the woman is stuck with a set of peculiar monstrosities hanging from both of her hands that keep her from typing on a computer, tying her own shoes and perhaps even wiping her own behind. I'm not necessarily one to judge another human being so harshly, but I found it most interesting that Jazz truly believes that other women are jealous of her fingernails.

Jazz is not the only person in our community who has gathered a set of habits that some might consider to be a "ghetto fab." I am not sure where all of these habits come from, and when I see them, I try to process things without becoming a hater. But when I put it all together, I can't help but quote someone whom I disagree with regularly by the name of Bill Cosby, who once made this simple comment: "Come on people."

When one rolls through "the hood," they will usually see a few interesting things. First, we see the pants sagging down below the butt, with a brother who has to use one hand to constantly keep his pants from falling to the ground. You might then see someone else with tattoos up and down both arms, and maybe some additional tattoos on the neck. Actually face tattoos have become all the rage among rappers who don't seem to remember that these things are difficult to remove.

 

Click to read.

Girl Caught in Boston after Swallowing a Pound of Cocaine

by Dr. Boyce Watkins 

Luisa Gil of Union City, NJ was arrested in Boston after swallowing a pound of cocaine.  Authorities are holding her on $200,000 bail on a charge of Class B substance trafficking. 

The 21-year old woman flew into Logan airport from the Dominican Republic.  When authorities questioned her, her answers seemed suspicious.  She then admitted to swallowing 50 pellets of compacted cocaine.  The cocaine had been wrapped in condoms.

After hearing the woman tell her story, police took her to the hospital, where the dope was recovered.  The drugs had a street value of $50,000.  She was allegedly paid $2,000 to make the transfer of the drugs to the US.

Yes, we wonder how desperate people have to be in order to do something like this to earn money. 

Your Black News – 2/8/11

 

• Congressional Black Caucus confronts GOP on budget
• Man critical after shooting outside Eddie Long's church
• Charles Taylor lawyer storms out of war crimes trial
• Skype makes Black History connection
• President Obama to CEOs: Ask what you can do for America
• Black population drops to 3.9 percent in San Francisco
• Karrine Steffans releasing new book 'Satisfaction'
• Chevron to donate $15K for Black student scholarships
• Janet Jackson: 'I didn't feel attractive.'
• Report: Huffington takes control of AOL Black Voices
• NY exhibit pays homage to Apollo, Black music greats
• Haiti issues new passport to ex-leader Aristide

Survey: Two in Three Black Women Offended by the Pepsi Max Ad with the “Angry Black Woman”

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

In a recent survey taken at YourBlackWorld.com, two-thirds of the female respondents said that black women should be offended by the recent Pepsi Max Super Bowl ad featuring the violent African American female. In the survey, when asked, Do you feel that African American women should be offended by the Pepsi Max ad featuring the "angry black woman?", 63.7 percent of the black female respondents said "yes," while 32.4 percent of the male respondents gave the same reply.
When asked if African Americans should boycott Pepsi because of the ad, women were more than twice as likely to advocate for a boycott than men. Thirty-seven percent of all female respondents to the survey said that a boycott is necessary, while 16.2 percent of male respondents agreed.

 

click to read. 

 

 

To see the survey results graphically, please click here.

Please Respond to Survey: Are the NAACP and Urban League Still Relevant and Effective?

The survey below asks if the NAACP and Urban League are still relevant and effective for African Americans in the 21st Century.  It will only take 30 seconds.

Please click here to take the survey.

Your Black News – 2/7/11

 

 

• Shooting at Omega Psi Phi frat house kills 1, hurts 11
• President Obama to O'Reilly: Egypt not going back
• Pepsi Super Bowl ad features the angry Black woman stereotype
• Angela Burt-Murray out at HuffPost's Black project
• Man wrongfully imprisoned offers message of hope to teens
• Nearly half of Black students have never had a Black professor
• Michael Vick wins comeback player award in landslide
• Number of Blacks in elected office on the rise
• Nigerian president launches election campaign
• Journalist calls for more action in Black leadership
• In Haiti, another presidential ouster brews at the polls
• Sharpton owes a total of $3.7 million in city, state and federal taxes

Why Are Most Universities Missing Black Professors?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

During a four-year college career, most students take roughly 40 courses. Personally, I went to graduate school for another 7 years after college, taking an additional 40 - 50 more classes. During my entire undergraduate, masters and doctoral experience, I never had one single African American professor.
This experience made the educational process incredibly uncomfortable for me. I never experienced the privilege of my white classmates, who had teachers they could relate to, work with and connect with on a meaningful level. I did meet one African American professor (I never took his class) named Dr. Tommy Whittler. He is the sole reason I became a professor today because he was the first faculty member who'd ever taken time to mentor me as a human being.

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Madam Prezident on Having Will Power in Relationships

 

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Nicki Minaj as Bride of Blackenstein: Funny or Insulting?

 

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Dr. Boyce Watkins and Rev. Al Sharpton Discuss the Importance of Black Radio

Dr. Boyce Watkins Talks About The Power of Black Radio With Rev. Al Sharpton

White Man Threatens Black Boys for Talking To His Daughter: Should He Go to Jail?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

Millry, Ala., is a town where racial tensions have allegedly been running high for a very long time. The boiling point was hit recently, when a white father came to the town's high school and threatened one of the black players on the basketball team.
The infuriated parent told one of the boys that if any of them made contact with his daughter, he would "kill him and his black friends," at least that's what was reportedly told to Latisha Mitchell, the step-Mother of one of the players.

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Mitchell claims that her son was only friends with the man's daughter and that they would text message each other. TheNAACP took notice of the man's racial threats, and the town is in an uproar. There is even conversation about the Ku Klux Klan planning a retaliation against local residents who held a meeting to discuss what had occurred.
Since the incident, the father has been banned from school property, but some parents are saying that the father should be arrested for his public threats.

Click to read.

Black History Month Presented by AOL Black Voices

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CEO Ephren Taylor Responds to Eddie Long Allegations

 

Bishop Eddie Long did a Youtube appeal to former Capital City Corp CEO Ephren Taylor about members of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church who allegedly lost money as a result of their investments.  Taylors reps have responded with this statement below:

FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION
January 31, 2011
MEDIA CONTACT:
Candace Reese J.
Envision Global
(678) 367-3117
C.Reese@EnviGlobal.com

STATEMENT FROM EPHREN W. TAYLOR ON BISHOP EDDIE L. LONG
YOUTUBE VIDEO APPEAL AND NEW BIRTH MISSIONARY BAPTIST
CHURCH WEALTH TOUR 2009

ATLANTA, GA (EnviGlobal.com) – Business Accelerator and entrepreneur, Ephren W. Taylor releases the following statement regarding the recent Youtube.com video appeal posted by New Birth Missionary Baptist Church pastor, Bishop Eddie L. Long:
Due to many inaccuracies, and based upon what I view as a direct character assassination and an attempt to paint a picture of an inability, on my part, to take responsibility for the actions of City Capital Corporation during my tenure as CEO, I am extending facts relative to the aftermath of the Wealth Tour at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.

 

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Black News: Chad Holley Beating Caught on Video – Unbelievable

 

Chad Holley is brutally beaten by police, although he’d clearly surrendered before the beating.  Click here to see the video.

The Rapper Diddy Speaks Up on Behalf of Kelley Williams-Bolar

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

It appears that the case of Kelley Williams-Bolar is getting the kind of traction that can make a difference. Since we first wrote about Kelley on AOL Black Voices, the entire nation has taken notice. Change.org and ColorofChange.org have launched petitions that have garnered hundreds of thousands of signatures. Also, the story has gained national attention as a clear example of all that's wrong with the educational system in America.
In case you haven't seen the story, Kelley Williams-Bolar is the single mother of two who was sent to jail for sending her children to a school outside their district. In addition to being sent to jail, Williams-Bolar would have a felony record and not be able to ever teach again in the state of Ohio.

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Dr Boyce Watkins Video: Prof. Khalil Muhammad Takes Over the Schomburg Center

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

One of the men for whom I have a great deal of respect is Dr. Khalil Muhammad, the new Director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Professor Muhammad is currently a scholar of African-American history at Indiana University.
Professor Muhammad's selection for the post was not without controversy. Some thought he was too young and unknown to be granted such a serious and prestigious post. I don't agree with the criticism, but only time will prove us all correct. From my meetings with Professor Muhammad, I found him to be sharp, insightful and down-to-earth. He is a scholar who fully understands, respects and appreciates the gravity of his appointment and the importance of The Schomburg.

 

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Depression in the Black Community: Why Do We Remain in Denial?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

Many of us are familiar with author Terrie Williams and her popular book "Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting." I decided to bring Terrie back into the studio last month to discuss the black community's denial when it comes to dealing with mental illness, specifically when it comes to managing the spike in depression during the holiday season.
The video was shot before the holidays, but was delayed due to production problems. But the holiday season will always be here, and so will depression. The video is below, enjoy!

Click to read.

Eddie Long Goes to Youtube to Talk about Financial Fraud within New Birth

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in action 

Bishop Eddie Long has made yet another public appearance, this time on Youtube. Rather than discussing his own legal issues, Long spoke about an investment company that allegedly left many of his members on the brink of financial ruin. In the video, Long discussed a dispute that his church is having with City Capital Corp, a company that came to the church to convince members to invest money with their firm back in 2009.
In the video, Long said that since City Capital Corp. came to visit his church, some members have faced bankruptcy, foreclosure, or significant losses in their retirement accounts. Bishop Long made a public appeal to the company's former CEO, Ephren Taylor, and the rest of the company to do the right thing and return the money to those who've been hurt.
In a press release issued on Monday, Bishop Long informed the media that several members of his church alerted him to concerns they had about City Capital. Roughly 20 members of the church invested with the company, according to published reports.

 

Click to read.