I still remember the call from Allison Bantimba, former leader for the Fulton County Remembrance Coalition, a community remembrance project focused on healing and learning from the legacy of racial terror through reconciliation. Her voice carried the kind of reverence that comes when you’re about to be invited into sacred work. “We have another lynching […]
HBCU
Throngs of Black Students Move to Atlanta for College. What if They All Registered As Georgia Voters?
Morehouse College student Marchellos Scott performed some political calculus this summer when he registered to vote in Georgia’s Fulton County for this year’s presidential election instead of casting a ballot in his native state. “I understand that Georgia is a swing state and I want to ensure that I’m giving a lot to keep Georgia […]
Rising Rents, Housing Shortage Create Crisis for HBCU Students
Leron Thomas is one week away from the start of his junior year at Morehouse College, but the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native has no idea where he’s going to live. This would be Thomas’ fifth semester at Morehouse — and his first with no housing. He entered the school’s housing draft but wasn’t among the […]
How Morehouse College Is Challenging What It Means to Be a Black Man
A culture shift is underway at Morehouse College. The 156-year-old men’s college — among the nation’s most-selective historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) — was built upon the image of a serious, contemporary Black man fit within a uniquely American mold. But now, students, faculty members, and administrators are reconsidering what it means to be a […]
How a New President, Alums, and Current Students Kept Morris Brown Going
Julian Ross did not need to think twice about his decision. The lure of an education in a music department led by Sharon Willis, the first Black woman to own her own opera company, is what attracted the Baltimore native to Morris Brown College. When he enrolled for his freshman year in 2019, Ross, the […]
HBCU Stereotypes ‘Dampen the Light.’ Here’s What People Get Wrong.
Too often, media coverage of historically Black colleges and universities centers on tropes or repeats falsehoods. The reality is that HBCUs are a powerful and historically undercovered sector of higher education. And in recent years, the sector has notched some critical victories: a surge in applications, additional federal funds aimed at addressing inequity, and a […]
Young Black Voters Motivated by Issues, Not Candidates
It’s a late Saturday morning at Fort Valley State University, and Jayden Williams is sounding the alarm like Dap Dunlap in “School Daze.” “Knock knock! It’s time to vote!” the 19-year-old shouted inside a residence hall just before noon in mid-September. Williams serves as the youth and college division president for the Georgia NAACP. He […]
Morris Brown Is Back! ATL HBCU Regains Accreditation After 20 Years
Top of the morning! Here is Your AM Rundown, with news updates in 400 words or less. Get caught up on headlines and other developments you might’ve missed. Here’s what to know for today: After 20 years, Georgia’s first educational institution owned and operated by Black Americans regained its accreditation. Morris Brown College received accreditation […]
Meet The Next President Set To Lead Spelman College
Top of the morning! Here is Your AM Rundown, with news updates in 400 words or less. Get caught up on headlines and other developments you might’ve missed. Here’s what to know for today: Spelman College is getting a new president. Dr. Helene Gayle will step into the role on July 1 after the current […]
VP Harris Announces Funding for Spelman College, HBCUs Following Bomb Threats
Top of the morning! Here is Your AM Rundown, with news updates in 400 words or less. Get caught up on headlines and other developments you might’ve missed. Here’s what to know for today: “I want to stress to the would-be offenders out there that if you think you want to commit a crime in […]
