YourBlackScholar

The 2010 - 2011 Mrs. Botswana, Nomalanga Mhlauli-Moses, writes about the exclusion of black women from the lists of finalists and judges at the 2011 Mrs. University pageant.

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Yvette Carnell: Why Eric Holder Shouldn't Be Playing the Race Card

2011-12-19T19:59:00.001-05:00

Yvette Carnell from Your Black World explains why Eric Holder shouldn't be playing the race card.

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Dr. Julianne Malveaux: Robert Champion is a Drum Major for Change

2011-12-19T14:18:00.001-05:00

by Dr. Julianne Malveaux, President – Bennett College for Women

Most parents of college students look forward to December, when their students come home for the holidays. Some are so excited to see their offspring home that they actually come to their colleges to pick them up. Others prepare special treats and goodies as an antidote to the oft complained about cafeteria food.

Robert and Pam Champion won't have that opportunity. Their son, Robert, died on November 19. His death has been ruled a homicide and he is allegedly the victim of hazing. Florida A&M University, one of our nation's most respected HBCUs, is in the headlines now, not because of its excellent academic programs, but because its celebrated marching band has apparently had a culture of hazing.

Robert and Pam Champion are to be commended for turning their pain into a force for change. In a recent media interview, they indicated that they have set up a Facebook page in honor of their son, who they describe as a "drum major for change" because they will use his story to help other victims of hazing. Mrs. Champion also indicated that she would set up an anti-hazing hot line so that young people can, anonymously, deal with issues of hazing. The younger Robert Champion has apparently not been the only victim of hazing in the FAMU Marching Band. In the past, one student has had her hip broken, and two have been hospitalized with kidney damage. And these are only the cases we know about.

The FAMU Marching Band isn't the only organization that hazes. Sororities and fraternities, whether part of the African American Divine Nine, or part of the larger Greek-letter organization atmosphere, seem to think hazing is part of the culture. Whether it is yelling and screaming at pledges, to the use of actual physical violence, hazing is prevalent. The National Study of Student Hazing, which got results from more than 11,000 students at 53 colleges indicated that 6"8 percent of women in Greek life have experienced hazing". This study didn't focus on HBCUs, but it would not be surprising to learn that our numbers mirror these. Two questions - why is membership in a group so important that you'd risk your life; and why must people verbally and physically abuse those who want to join their group.

Our young people are no better than what we show them they can be. I have heard sorority women make the distinction between "pledging hard" and "pledging soft", with the implication that the brutal former is better. Young men and some not so young men, sport brands, some of which have been infected, as symbols of their fraternity and their "manhood". Many of those branded were either willing or subject to coercion. When elders show their sons these brands, they may well co-sign the continuation of a brutal trend.

What is hazing about? It's bullying, it's coercion, and it's descent into groupthink in the worst way. I've got something you want, and I'm going to make you suffer to get it. In order to join a band you ought to be able to play music, not survive a beating. How does the beating make you a better band member? Actually, it allows some folks to play a game of false superiority to the detriment of others.

The bottom line, though, is that it has to stop. The college experience should not be a brutal experience, or an experience where coercion and intimidation are ingrained into the process of joining a group. To be sure, there are bonding opportunities in ritual - in learning songs, history, steps, or chants. And there may be penalties when band members or pledges don't toe the mark in learning things on time. But the penalties should not be physical abuse, and that abuse has become too acceptable.

What do we do about it? Some parents whose children have been hazed have brought criminal charges or civil lawsuits. Others have pushed for systemic change. Leaders in higher education must assert zero tolerance for hazing and enforce zero tolerance policies with appropriate actions. Four members of the FAMU band have been dismissed from school, but only after young Robert Champion's death. Had they been expelled sooner, might Champion still be among us?

Robert and Pam Champion are to be commended for turning their pain into change. But if hazing cannot be stopped, those organizations that allow it simply need to be disbanded.

Dr. Julianne Malveaux is President of Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, NC and the Founder & Thought Leader of Last Word Productions, Inc.

Last Word Productions, Inc. is a multimedia production company that serves as a vehicle for the work and products of Dr. Julianne Malveaux. For the last 15 years the company has centered its efforts on Dr. Malveaux's public speaking appearances, her work as a broadcast and print journalist, and also as an author. Currently, Julianne Malveaux is President of Bennett College For Women in Greensboro, North Carolina and author of Surviving and Thriving: 365 Facts in Black Economic History.

Obama Family Vacation is the Most Expensive in History

2011-12-19T11:24:00.001-05:00

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FAMU Band Member's Death Ruled to be a Homicide

2011-12-16T19:37:00.001-05:00

The death of FAMU band member Robert Champion is getting more interesting. Now that the case has been ruled a homicide, someone could be going to prison.

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FAMU Students Protest Governor's Mansion Over Recommended Suspension of Their President

2011-12-16T10:06:00.001-05:00

After the hazing death of Robert Champion at Florida A&M University, the governor of the state of Florida is getting some backlash from students.

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Beautiful: The Obama Release their Family Photo

2011-12-16T09:47:00.001-05:00

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How to Deal with Your Child's Teacher Without Being Confrontational

2011-12-16T01:15:00.001-05:00

Miranda Kincaid speaks with Dr. Boyce Watkins about how to have a successful relationship with your child's teacher.

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Dr. Boyce: Why All Poor Black Kids are Stupid

2011-12-15T17:35:00.001-05:00

Dr. Boyce Watkins takes issue with the column "If I were a Poor Black Kid" written by Gene Marks at Forbes Magazine.

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Mother Charged with Indecency for Breastfeeding Her Baby

2011-12-15T16:27:00.001-05:00

Simone dos Santos has been charged as a criminal for doing something that every mother might want to do.....breastfeeding her child.

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FAMU Marching Band Being Accused of Fraud During Hazing Investigations

2011-12-14T15:29:00.001-05:00

Florida A&M's Band is under investigation for alleged fraud. After that student was killed during the hazing incident last week, the situation just keeps getting deeper.

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Dr. Boyce: Tea Partiers, Skunks and a Mixed-Race President - Were they Over the Line in their Insults?

2011-12-12T20:45:00.001-05:00

Dr. Boyce Watkins and Yvette Carnell discuss the recent portrayal of President Obama as a skunk (half black, half white and stinky).

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Does Hollywood Drive Black Men Crazy?

2011-12-12T15:40:00.001-05:00

When you think about the crazy antics of Martin Lawrence, Katt Williams, Dave Chappelle and others, you have to ask: Does Hollywood make black men go crazy? Dr. Boyce Watkins and Yvette Carnell try to answer this question.

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The Right Wing Stalkers of Sasha and Malia Obama

2011-12-11T19:31:00.001-05:00

Sasha and Malia Obama apparently have a slew of haters who follow their every move.

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Dr. Boyce: Did You Know that Newt Gingrich's Middle Name is "Leroy?" No Kidding

2011-12-11T10:53:00.001-05:00

Wow, who would have thought that the first president with the middle name "Leroy" would actually be a white guy?

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Sara Bartman: The Original Video Vixen - How We Learned to Objectify Black Women

2011-12-10T21:17:00.001-05:00

You ever wonder where the concept of the video vixen comes from? This video about Sara Bartman, the original video vixen, reminds us of the tradition of objectifying black women and their bodies.

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Kirsten West Savali and Jesse Lee Peterson Debate Abortion, Margaret Sanger and Planned Parenthood

2011-12-10T19:05:00.001-05:00

Kirsten West Savali from Your Black World debates with Jesse Lee Peterson about the legacy of Margaret Sanger and abortion.

Is Obama a True Liberal On Reproductive Rights? Also, Should Men Have Any Say in the Process Whatsoever?

2011-12-10T11:38:00.001-05:00

Yvette Carnell and Dr. Boyce Watkins discuss President Obama's recent decision not to support the sale of the Plan B pill over the counter to women under the age of 17. They also allow Yvette Carnell to respond to the recent article by Deborrah Cooper, who says that men should have no say in the reproductive process after conception.

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Dr. Boyce: Newt Gingrich Calls Obama “The Best Food Stamp President in History”

2011-12-08T11:29:00.001-05:00

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Nigeria Won't Apologize for New Anti-Gay Legislation

2011-12-08T10:18:00.001-05:00

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13-Yr Old Boy Arrested for Burping Loudly During Class

2011-12-08T09:43:00.001-05:00

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Woman Writes Open Letter of Apology to President Obama for Not Supporting His Healthcare Plan

2011-12-07T22:17:00.001-05:00

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Compton Girl Becomes Youngest Black Woman to Fly Solo Across the United States

2011-12-07T21:15:00.001-05:00

Kimberly Anyadike becomes the youngest black female to fly solo across the United States.

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Why Don't Barbie Dolls Have Natural Hair? A Woman Seeks to Answer This Question with Her Product

2011-12-07T20:16:00.001-05:00

Do you ever wonder why none of the Barbie Dolls really look like "us?" A woman seeks to answer this question with a new and exciting product.

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Al Duncan: Should Michael Eric Dyson Be Teaching a Class on Jay-Z?

2011-12-07T17:52:00.001-05:00

Al Duncan asks whether Michael Eric Dyson Shoudl be offering a class on Jay-Z.

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Ryan Mack: A Poor Man's Appeal to Black Corporate America

2011-12-07T17:43:00.001-05:00

Ryan Mack argues that black people should do more for the homeless and impoverished.

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Mother Sent to Jail Because Her Son is Obese

2011-12-06T11:23:00.001-05:00

Should this mother be arrested because her son is 555 pounds at the age of 14?

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NAACP Takes Voter ID Racism Issue to the United Nations

2011-12-06T11:06:00.001-05:00

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Donald Trump Says that Black People Have No Role Models

2011-12-06T09:05:00.001-05:00

Donald Trump seems to believe that black people have no role models. Just a reminder of how intelligent he is.

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Dr. Jennifer Caudle: What Does the Howard University HIV/AIDS Incident Say about Our Fight Against STDs?

2011-12-05T11:19:00.001-05:00

The case of William Brawner, the HIV positive student at Howard University, sent shock waves through the black community. He knew he had HIV, but kept having unprotected sex. What do incidents like this one mean for the black community? Dr. Jennifer Caudle helps break it down.

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If a Woman Has the Right to Choose to Have a Child, Can the Man Choose Not to Pay?

2011-12-05T09:36:00.001-05:00

Dr. Boyce Watkins and relationship therapist George James discuss the concept of the "Financial abortion."

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Dr. Boyce Watkins: It's Time For Black People to Own Our Own "Stuff"

2011-12-04T23:45:00.001-05:00

Lawrence Watkins and Tre Baker from Ujamaa Deals are paving the way for a new paradigm of black economic thought.

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9-Yr Old Boy Accused of Sexual Harassment for Calling His Teacher "Cute"

2011-12-04T22:27:00.001-05:00

Emanyea Lockett is in serious trouble for finding his teacher attractive. But does he deserve to be suspended and given a two day suspension?

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Shocking: Black Unemployment Rises in Every Category, While White Unemployment Drops for All Demographics

2011-12-04T13:08:00.001-05:00

Black unemployment keeps rising, while white unemployment goes down in every single category.

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Yvette Carnell: Howard University Silent After HIV Positive Student Reveals Unprotected Lifestyle

2011-12-03T18:52:00.001-05:00

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Dr. Boyce Video: How Do We Stop Diabetes in the Black Community?

2011-12-03T18:07:00.001-05:00

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Dr. Boyce: Eddie Long, Herman Cain and Powerful Black Men in the Pulpit

2011-12-03T17:51:00.001-05:00

Herman Cain, Eddie Long and other southern black men in the pulpit give us reason to reconsider how African Americans perceive money, power and entitlement.

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Dr. Boyce: Should Vanessa Long Be Standing By Her Man or Should She Have Continued with the Divorce?

2011-12-02T20:08:00.001-05:00

Does her decision to stand by her man make Vanessa Long a hero, a victim or both?

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Eddie Long's Wife Files for Divorce

2011-12-02T12:56:00.001-05:00

Vanessa Long, after enduring a ton of craziness from her husband, Bishop Eddie Long, is finally hitting the road.

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The Media Believes that the Herman Cain Campaign is Effectively Dead

2011-12-01T18:28:00.001-05:00

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Former Howard University Student with HIV Admits to Lots of Unprotected Sex on Campus

2011-12-01T17:50:00.001-05:00

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Dr. Boyce: How Oprah Helped to Fuel the HIV Epidemic in Black America

2011-12-01T12:42:00.001-05:00

Did Oprah Winfrey's show about Living on the Downlow play a role in the spread of HIV/AIDS in the black community?

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Church in KY Says Interracial Couples Can't Join

2011-12-01T11:02:00.001-05:00

The Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church in Pike County doesn’t seem to believe much in free will - interracial couples can't join.

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