Hubert Davis becomes first African American coach in North Carolina's men's basketball history

North Carolina has promoted longtime assistant Hubert Davis to replace Roy Williams as the Tar Heels' new head basketball coach, the school announced Monday. That makes Davis the first African American coach in North Carolina's men's basketball history.

Davis has been an assistant coach under Williams for the past nine seasons in Chapel Hill and was one of the favorites as soon as the job opened.

"I am honored and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead this program," Davis said in a statement released by the school. "I would not be here without Coach Dean Smith, Coach Bill Guthridge and Coach Roy Williams; they taught me so much -- and I'm eager to walk their path in my shoes and with my personality. I also would not be here without Chancellor [Kevin] Guskiewicz and Bubba Cunningham. I appreciate their faith in me and I look forward to working closely with them."

"I love this University. I played here, I earned my degree here, I fell in love with my wife here, I got married here, I moved here after I retired from the NBA and I have raised my family here," Davis said. "I am proud to lead this team, and I can't wait for all that comes next."

A Virginia native, Davis played for Smith at North Carolina from 1988 to 1992 before being a first-round NBA draft pick by the New York Knicks. He spent 12 seasons in the NBA with six organizations. Davis also spent time as a college basketball analyst for ESPN.

[SOURCE: ESPN]

Police arrest two over vandalism of African American monument in North Carolina

Police on Monday arrested two people over the vandalism of a memorial to slaves and African American workers who helped build the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a campus still roiled by last year's toppling of a Confederate monument.

The Unsung Founders' Memorial, erected in 2005 at UNC's flagship campus, was vandalized at about 1:30 a.m. on March 31 by two people, including one with ties to a group called Heirs to the Confederacy, the university police said.

Vandals wrote racist language on it with permanent marker and defaced it with urine, police said, adding that the suspects were later identified through security video.

Media outlets, including news website Chapelboro.com, said Nancy McCorkle, 50, of Newberry, South Carolina and Ryan Barnett, 31, of Sanford, N.C., were arrested on misdemeanor charges of vandalism and ethnic intimidation, and released on bond.

A police representative was not immediately available to comment to Reuters early on Tuesday, and it was unclear if McCorkle and Barnett had legal representation.

[SOURCE: YAHOONEWS]

HBCUs to be dropped from low-tuition proposal at UNC campuses

Historically black universities will be dropped from a legislative plan to slash tuition to $500 a semester, said Republican Sen. Tom Apodaca, the sponsor of a bill that would have affected several UNC (University North Carolina) campuses.

His comment came as opposition mounted to the low-tuition plan. Several hundred alumni rallied outside the legislature Wednesday, saying the legislation threatens the economic viability of three black campuses: Elizabeth City State, Fayetteville State and Winston-Salem State universities. The protesters expressed skepticism about the bill’s language that promised that the state would cover lost tuition revenue up to $70 million in 2018-19.

Apodaca, a Hendersonville Republican, said he would put forth an amendment that would remove the three historically black campuses but keep UNC Pembroke and Western Carolina in the tuition-reduction proposal. Asked whether the outcry on behalf of historically black colleges and universities was behind his decision, Apodaca said, “If you can’t give away $70 million, then I’m not going to try to.”

Read more here: HBCUs to be dropped from low-tuition proposal at UNC campuses, sponsor says