Jackson State University Tigers stays at #11 in FCS Coaches Poll

After stomping Mississippi Valley State (0-4) 49-7, Deion Sanders and the Jackson State University Tigers (4-0) stayed at #11 in the FCS coaches poll. JSU is the only HBCU in the FCS top 25.

To this point the Tigers have been dominant with an average margin of victory of 38 points while allowing opponents to score on 9.5 points per game.

JSU's next game is on the road against the (2-2) Alabama State University Hornets.

Full FCS Top 25 Poll

1	North Dakota State   (43)	3-1	1334	1
2	Montana   (6)	4-0	1267	3
2	South Dakota State   (5)	3-1	1267	2
4	Montana State	3-1	1108	4
4	Incarnate Word	3-1	1108	6
6	Missouri State	2-2	1091	5
7	Sacramento State	3-0	995	8
8	Delaware	4-0	963	9
9	Villanova	2-2	874	7
10	Chattanooga	3-1	831	10
11	Jackson State	4-0	818	11
12	Weber State	3-0	789	12
13	Holy Cross	4-0	742	13
14	William & Mary	3-1	610	15
15	Eastern Washington	1-2	559	14
16	Eastern Kentucky	2-2	449	19
17	Mercer	3-1	401	20
18	Tennessee-Martin	2-2	351	16
19	North Dakota	2-2	305	22
20	Rhode Island	2-2	232	17
21	Samford	3-1	212	24
22	Richmond	3-1	164	26
23	Stephen F. Austin	1-2	131	21
24	Southern Illinois	2-2	123	30
25	North Carolina Central	2-0	104	36

Mississippi Man Charged with Federal Hate Crime for Cross Burning

The Justice Department announced that Axel C. Cox, 23, has been charged with hate crime and arson violations for burning a cross in his front yard to threaten, interfere with and intimidate a Black family in Gulfport, Mississippi.

According to court documents, Cox is charged with one count of criminal interference with the right to fair housing and one count of using fire to commit a federal felony. The indictment alleges that on Dec. 3, 2020, Cox threatened, intimidated and interfered with a Black family’s enjoyment of their housing rights. According to the indictment, Cox burned a cross in his front yard, and used threatening and racially derogatory remarks toward his Black neighbors. Cox allegedly chose to burn the cross because of the victims’ race.

If convicted, Cox faces up to 10 years in prison for interfering with the victims’ housing rights and a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, for using fire to commit a federal felony. Cox also faces a fine of up to $250,000 with respect to each charge.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca for the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby for the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Cabell Jones for the Southern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Noah Coakley II of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock leading Herschel Walker by five percentage points

In Georgia’s race for U.S. Senate, Raphael Warnock (47%) leads Herschel Walker (42%) by 5 points statewide. Warnock (47%) and Walker (45%) are closely matched among registered voters who say they definitely plan to vote.

Warnock’s lead over Walker is bolstered by independents (+9 points) and women. A 23-point gender gap exists. 52% of women support Warnock while 49% of men back Walker.

70% of registered voters with a candidate preference for U.S. Senate strongly support their choice. This includes 74% of Warnock’s supporters and 68% of Walker’s backers.

43% of Georgians have a favorable opinion of Warnock, and 40% have an unfavorable impression of him. Walker’s favorable rating is upside down (37% favorable to 41% unfavorable).

[SOURCE: MARIST]

New Book: Pro Wrestling's Black World Champions by Julian L.D. Shabazz and David L. Shabazz

A new book entitled, “Pro Wrestling’s Black World Champions”, is co-authored by the late Julian L.D. Shabazz, historian and leading authority on the history of African-American wrestlers, and his brother professor and scholar David L. Shabazz.

The book profiles the African American wrestlers who have held the world heavyweight championship in one of the major wrestling companies. The title holders profiled range from Bearcat Wright and Ernie Ladd to The Rock, Booker T, and Jackie Moore.

In addition, it also profiles the heavyweight champions from the days of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) to the current World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

Pro Wrestling’s Black World Champions offers insight into their careers, background, and signature moves and slogans that propelled each wrestler to the top of their respective federation.

The book is available now on Amazon and all bookstores across the United States.

BUY THE BOOK

Congresswoman Nikema Williams Introduces Resolution Commemorating Atlanta Race Massacre

Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) introduced a resolution commemorating the Atlanta Race Massacre. On September 22, 1906, a mob of 10,000 white supremacists terrorized Black communities throughout Atlanta. At least 25 Black residents were murdered by the white mob and not a single person was held accountable. 

The resolution has 51 original cosponsors. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) will introduce companion legislation in the Senate. 

Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) said: 

“As a Black woman from the Deep South who represents Atlanta in Congress, I have an obligation to tell this story. By introducing this resolution, I am honoring the victims of the massacre and reaffirming the commitment of the House of Representatives to condemn white supremacy. My resolution is also a step toward healing for the Black communities that were terrorized by the mob of white supremacists. Atlanta has the widest racial wealth gap in the country and one of the contributing factors is that Black families that were thriving fled the city after the massacre. As we atone and move forward, we must commemorate the truth of our past so that history does not repeat itself.”

Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) said:

“We must remember and acknowledge our history in full, and that includes the 1906 mob violence that targeted the Black community around Atlanta, took dozens of lives, and displaced thousands.”

Ann Hill Bond, Journalist and Preservationist at Ann Hill Bond Consultants in partnership with Fulton County Remembrance Coalition and Atlanta Voice News said: 

“The stories about African American people are vital to this land. What happened in 1906 was a massacre. We need to remember and honor the lives that were lost. Black residents were killed and terrorized, and truth-telling is our way to healing.”

Kendra Cotton, Chief Operating Officer of The New Georgia Project Action Fund said: 

“We applaud Congresswoman Williams for shedding light on this dark day in the history of Georgia – and Atlanta. For too long, the norm has been to gloss over the history of violence and oppression that Black people face and have faced in this country in the name of protecting white supremacy. This resolution speaks to the realities our ancestors faced and calls us to focus on the real impacts that still echo in our communities today.”

Click here for the text of the resolution. 

Former Minneapolis police officer gets 36 month sentence over role in George Floyd’s death

A Minnesota judge on Wednesday sentenced former Minneapolis police officer Thomas Lane to three years in state prison after he was found guilty earlier this year of violating George Floyd’s civil rights.

Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill sentenced Lane after he reached a plea agreement with state prosecutors for a 36-month sentence.

Lane, 39, is already serving a 2 ½ year federal sentence for violating Floyd’s rights when he pinned the 46-year-old Black man down by holding his legs while the officer in charge, Derek Chauvin, kneeled on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes in May 2020.

Lane pleaded guilty in May to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

HHS Awards $3 Million for Initiative to Promote Black Youth Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) announced more than $3 million in grants to eight organizations for a new initiative to demonstrate policy effectiveness to promote Black youth mental health (BYMH). This three-year initiative will help identify health and wellness policies that are successful in improving BYMH, including suicide prevention.

“Over the past decade, Black children under age 13 years are twice as likely to die by suicide compared to their White peers,” said RDML Felicia Collins, M.D., Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health. “With this new initiative, we intend to identify specific policies that exhibit a meaningful impact on mental health for Black youth and to spread the word about these effective policy efforts.”

Awardees are expected to use a policy assessment framework to identify existing policies that they expect to promote mental health in Black youth.  Awardees subsequently will test the impact of these policies on Black youth mental health in varied settings, such as schools, faith-based organizations, community centers, health centers, or other community agency settings.

In October 2020, HHS released a report to Congress on African American Youth Suicide. The report analyzed National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) data between 2014–2017, to examine the risk and precipitating factors in non-Hispanic Black children and non-Hispanic White children aged 10 to 17, who died by suicide. The report also examined youth suicide demographics and epidemiology, risk factors associated with higher suicide rates among Black compared to White youth, and evidence-based interventions to prevent youth suicide ideation and behavior.

The eight new BYMH awardees will conduct their projects across eight states, including Arizona, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, and Rhode Island. The project period for the Demonstrating Policy Effectiveness to Promote Black Youth Mental Health initiative begins on September 30, 2022.

The awardees are:

Award Recipient	Award Amount
The Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board for Montgomery County	$400,000
The Amelia Ann Adams Whole Life Center	$350,201
Arizona Board of Regents, University of Arizona	$350,000
Board of Regents, Nevada System of Higher Education, on behalf of The University of Nevada, Reno	$350,000
Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies	$400,000
Minnesota Department of Health	$400,000
Morehouse School of Medicine, Inc.	$399,799
Rhode Island Department of Health	$350,000
Total:	$3,000,000

For more information about OMH, visit www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov.

The HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) is dedicated to improving the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of health policies and programs that will help eliminate health disparities. Through its demonstration projects, OMH supports the identification of effective approaches for improving health outcomes with the goal of promoting the dissemination and sustainability of these approaches.

BYRON ALLEN'S ALLEN MEDIA GROUP WINS SIGNIFICANT LEGAL VICTORY IN RACIAL DISCRIMINATION-BASED LAWSUIT AGAINST MCDONALD'S

Byron Allen's Allen Media Group (AMG) divisions Entertainment Studios Networks, Inc. ("Entertainment Studios") and Weather Group, LLC ("Weather Group") won a significant legal victory in federal court on Friday, September 16, 2022. The AMG lawsuit initially filed on May 20, 2021 against McDonald's Corporation ("McDonald's") seeks $10 billion in damages for racial discrimination. According to the lawsuit, McDonald's intentionally discriminated against AMG divisions Entertainment Studios and Weather Group through a pattern of racial stereotyping and refusals to contract in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, and the California Aruh Civil Rights Act, Cal. Civil Code § 51.5. On Friday, September 16, 2022, defendant McDonald's was denied a Motion to Dismiss by Judge Fernando M. Olguin of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The case will now proceed to trial before a jury in May 2023.

McDonald's is the world's leading global food service retailer with over 39,000 locations that generate over $100 billion in annual revenue. African Americans represent approximately 40 percent of McDonald's U.S. sales, with McDonald's taking billions of dollars each year from African American consumers. Per the lawsuit, of its approximately $1.6 billion annual advertising budget, McDonald's spends less than approximately $5 million each year on African American-owned media, and it has refused to advertise on Entertainment Studios networks or The Weather Channel since Allen acquired the network in 2018. Per the lawsuit, the McDonald's President and CEO Chris Kempczinski makes approximately $11 million per year, which is more than double what McDonald's spends per year on ALL of Black-owned media combined.

The lawsuit (case number 2:21-cv-04972-FMO-MAA Entertainment Studios Networks, Inc. et al v. McDonald's USA, LLC) alleges that McDonald's refusal to contract is the result of racial stereotyping through McDonald's tiered advertising structure that differentiates on the basis of race. The primary advertising tier for McDonald's is referred to as "general market" and it constitutes the vast majority of McDonald's advertising budget. McDonald's, however, created a separate "African American" tier with a much smaller budget and less-favorable pricing and other terms. McDonald's contracts with a separate ad agency, Burrell Communications, for this African American tier, thereby creating separate and unequal tracks for Black-owned media companies to earn advertising revenue. McDonald's has created a discriminatory environment that is separate but not equal.

According to the lawsuit, McDonald's relegated Entertainment Studios to the less-favorable African American tier even though the companies own and operate television networks that have general market appeal and do not specifically target African American audiences. McDonald's does so because the companies are owned by Allen, an African American. Through this stereotyping, McDonald's prevented Entertainment Studios and Weather Group from accessing McDonald's general market advertising budget and deprived the companies of advertising revenue that otherwise would have been paid if McDonald's treated the companies the same as similarly situated, White-owned companies.

Numerous key points from the court ruling (see attached PDF) that are favorable to the AMG/Entertainment Studios/Weather Group position include, on page 11 of its opinion, the court recognized that racist comments by senior executives—even if not directed to the plaintiff—can evidence racial bias to support a racial discrimination claim under Section 1981. The lawsuit alleges that senior McDonald's executives, including its current CEO, made racially derogatory comments that evidence a culture of racial hostility within the company.

"This is about economic inclusion of African American-owned businesses in the U.S. economy. McDonald's takes billions from African American consumers and gives almost nothing back. The biggest trade deficit in America is the trade deficit between White corporate America and Black America, and McDonald's is guilty of perpetuating this disparity. The economic exclusion must stop immediately," said Byron Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. "McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski got caught sending racist text messages and McDonald's has been sued by the Black franchisees, the Black executives, the Black employees, the Black vendors, and 52 percent of the McDonald's stockholders recently voted to hire a third-party firm to investigate McDonald's for civil rights violations. This is historic!!! The overt and systemic racism at McDonald's is undeniable and indefensible. McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski, McDonald's Chief Marketing Officer Morgan Flatley, and the Board of Directors must be fired."

"As alleged in our complaint, McDonald's has engaged in pernicious racial discrimination in violation of federal and state law," said counsel for Mr. Allen and his companies, David Schecter and Skip Miller, partners in Miller Barondess, LLP. "We are confident the jury will recognize the injustice that has occurred here and will award significant damages. We are looking forward to our day in court."

Sanaa Lathan's film "On the Come Up" being released this weekend

"On the Come Up" is a new film directed by Sanaa Lathan and starring newcomer, Jamila Gray is being released this weekend.

SYNOPSIS: Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Facing controversies and with an eviction notice staring down her family, Bri doesn't just want to make it, she has to make it.

The movie comes out on Friday, September 23, 2022 in theaters and on Paroumount+.

The film is rated PG-13 for strong language and drug use.

Xavier University of Louisiana women's tennis repeats as team champions at HBCU nationals

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Xavier University of Louisiana women's tennis repeated Saturday as team champion of the HBCU National Championships at South Fulton Tennis Center.

The Gold Nuggets, a longtime NAIA power, got a doubles title from Tianna Dixon and McKenna Wheatley and won team honors with 25 points, just ahead of North Carolina Central (22.5), Alabama A&M (22), Alabama State (21.5) and Florida A&M (21), all NCAA Division I members. Fifteen women's teams competed.

Dixon, a sophomore, and Wheatley, a freshman, won the B bracket with a 6-1 decision against Albany State's Asia Raulerson and Natalya Ogunwale.

The HBCU team title is the Gold Nuggets' third. They also won in 2018.

Are Black Men the Key to Stacey Abrams Becoming Georgia's Next Governor?

"The gap between Black men and Black women was the difference of 370,000 votes in Georgia, and so we do have to close that gap." Terrance Woodbury, Roland Martin, Cliff Albright and Tiffany Cross discuss the impact Black men can have on the Georgia elections.

Harlem street renamed after Cicely Tyson

A street in Harlem has been renamed after legendary actress Cicely Tyson.

A stretch of East 101st Street now bears the name of the late actress.

Tyson grew up on the block in East Harlem and people gathered to celebrate on Saturday.

Misty Copeland launches "BE BOLD" program for kids to encourage more diversity in ballet

BE BOLD is a new approach to afterschool dance education that aims to make ballet accessible, affordable and fun, especially for young children of color. BE BOLD emphasizes a comprehensive approach to learning: children explore the basics of ballet, including movement technique, vocabulary, and etiquette, while also gaining essential life skills and understanding to nurture overall development. BE BOLD intends to create a strong sense of belonging.

Under Misty Copeland’s direction, the BE BOLD program was developed with a diverse set of leaders from ballet, dance education, DEI training, and child development. The curriculum includes ballet basics as well as age-appropriate health and wellness content and instruction about music for ballet; mentoring and tutoring will be provided by the community partner sites. You can learn more about the evaluation and measurement of the BE BOLD program on our Evaluation page.

BE BOLD launches in fall 2022 as a twice-weekly, twelve-week program in partnership with the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club and the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club in New York City.

BE BOLD is led by exceptional Teaching Artists who share a deep devotion to child development through dance and complete a specialized professional development training.

BE BOLD was designed especially for young children of color who do not have access to formal dance instruction, in general, and ballet, in particular. At the outset, BE BOLD will primarily serve Black and brown girls and boys ages 8-10. Their family members and other attentive adults are valued and crucial supports for BE BOLD participants. The participants will become empowered by an unmistakable understanding that I BELONG, and their caregivers will be acknowledged through an I BELONG TOO recognition.

In creating BE BOLD, Copeland aims to build upon her own formative experience at the San Pedro Boys and Girls Club and to advance young children and meet their developmental needs. There is immense unmet need for quality afterschool programs in the United States, and the unmet demand disproportionately impacts communities of color. Further, current access to formal dance instruction, in general, and ballet, in particular, is a matter of chance for children in under-resourced communities. To learn more about the need for BE BOLD, please visit our Facts & Figures page.

More questions?
Check out our Frequently Asked Questions or email info@mistycopelandfoundation.org.

President Joe Biden meets with wife of Brittney Griner

President Joe Biden met on Friday with Cherelle Griner, wife of Brittney Griner, and reassured her that he is working to gain the WNBA star's freedom.

Biden sat down in the Oval Office with Cherelle Griner as well as Elizabeth Whelan, sister of detained former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan. Biden conducted the separate meetings to assure the families that the detainees "are at front of mind," said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

"We're going to continue to do everything that we can, working tirelessly every day, to make sure that we get them home," she told reporters.

Biden "appreciated the opportunity to learn more about Brittney and Paul from those who love them most, and acknowledged that every minute they are being held is a minute too long," Jean-Pierre said in a statement after the meetings.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan joined Biden at the meetings, the White House said.

Cherelle Griner thanked Biden in a statement, saying it was an honor to speak to him about "the Brittney we know and love."

"I've felt every minute of the grueling seven months without her," she said. "I look forward to the day my wife is back home. As my family and I continue on this journey, I'd like to thank the broad coalition of friends, leaders and supporters who continue to stand with us and advocate for Brittney's swift and safe return. Let's share a unified commitment to bringing all Americans home to their families and loved ones. Together We Are BG."

[SOURCE: ESPN

Department of Education giving grants to HBCUs that received bomb threats

The Department of Education on Thursday is announcing grants for two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that have received bomb threats this year.

The Department will award $420,000 in Project School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) funds to Tougaloo College in Jackson, Miss., and $80,000 to Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, N.C.

“As Secretary of Education, I want to make it abundantly clear that the Biden-Harris administration will not tolerate bomb threats or any efforts to terrorize students of color and everyone who lives, works, and studies at our Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said.

“The bomb threats made against HBCUs earlier this year not only strained institutions’ resources by prompting costly campus lockdowns, class cancellations, and law enforcement activities, but shattered students’ sense of safety and heightened anxiety throughout these campus communities,” Cardona added.

The grant money is targeted for the universities to support student trauma recovery programs, adding security officers, and expanding their mental health support.

In a press release, the Department of Education said it will announce more Project SERV grants following the Tougaloo and Fayetteville grants, and a $133,000 grant to Southern Law University Law Center last month.

According to the Department of Education, more than 50 HBCUs – out of 101 total – have received racially motivated bomb threats this year.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

Help make The Woman King a boxoffice success this weekend!

By George L. Cook III African American Reports

The Woman King starring Viola Davis opens this Friday and is expected to open #1 at the box office, but only with a $15 million opening per Variety.

That is simply not good enough if we wish to see different African American or Black stories told on the big screen. Black people, we need to show up at the theater this weekend and support this movie!

I read all the time on social media how many in the Black community love Viola Davis. I read how great of an actor many believe she is. I read how everyone is proud and supports her work to support women and Black people in the entertainment industry.

 I read how many African Americans are tired of comedies and "gangsta" movies featuring a majority Black cast. I read how you want to see different stories featuring Black people! I read how you would love to support different and something that was a quality motion picture.

If all of that is true then those same people who love Viola Davis on social media should show up to the movie theater this weekend and help The Woman King gross over $25 million.

Don't just show up because the cast is majority Black (although if that's your reason I ain't mad at you), show up because the reviews are excellent and The woman King currently holds a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Go see it because many reviews say that it's a rousing action adventure.

Most importantly go see it if you truly want to see different Black stories told!

Support The Woman King!

NAACP statement on Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver suspended, fined $10 million

The NAACP has a released a statement on Robert Sarver, owner of the NBA's Phoenix Suns and the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, who has been suspended one year and fined $10 million by the NBA for racist and sexually suggestive comments made to players,employees, and staff.

NAACP statement via Twitter:

So remind us again why a $10 million fine and a 1 year suspension is really teaching anyone a lesson with as extensive a track record of just not caring what anyone thinks or fearing what the consequences of those actions are?

This punishment is a JOKE!

Broadway theater renamed in honor of James Earl Jones

Legendary stage and screen actor James Earl Jones received a rare honor Monday as a Broadway theater was renamed after him.

The Cort Theatre is now, the "James Earl Jones Theatre."

Malcolm X now 1st Black honoree in Nebraska Hall of Fame

Fifteen years after being rejected as too controversial, Malcolm X is the first Black honoree to be inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Fame.

The organization’s commission selected the civil rights icon on Monday with a 4-3 vote, edging out the late University of Nebraska educator and author Louise Pound.

“Malcolm X used the lessons he learned early in life and his intellectual power, dedication and perseverance in the fight for freedom and equality for all during the civil rights movement in America," said commission chairman Ron Hull. "His work and his legacy continue to impact the citizens of the world.”

Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1925 as the son of a Baptist preacher. His family left for Milwaukee the following year after threats from the Ku Klux Klan.

The firebrand was first nominated for Nebraska's Hall of Fame in 2004, but passed over by a commission made up solely of white men who instead selected a mid-1900s U.S. senator who made a name for himself with his campaign to remove gay men from government posts in the 1940s and 1950s. The pick of Sen. Kenneth Wherry was later nixed because of an open-meetings violation.

Malcolm X was passed over again in 2007 for little-known botanist Charles Bessey.

Each Nebraska Hall of Fame member is immortalized with a bronze bust displayed in the state Capitol.

[SOURCE: AP]

Howard University: The only HBCU to make U.S. News & World Report’s list of Best National University Rankings

Howard University is the only HBCU to make U.S. News & World Report’s list of Best National University Rankings. Howard University's ranking in the 2022-2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #89.

Howard University is a private institution that was founded in 1867. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 8,964 (fall 2021), its setting is urban, and the campus size is 257 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar.

At Howard University, a historically Black college in the heart of the District of Columbia, all undergraduate students complete a universitywide core curriculum. Required courses include those in English composition and Afro-American studies. Students then have dozens of majors to choose from, including Afro-American studies, French and music therapy. Outside of class, Howard students may choose to get involved in one of the school's many student organizations, including fraternities and sororities and academic clubs.

The university has its own stop on the city's public transportation system, the Metro, and students are also permitted to bring cars to school. Freshmen, however, are not eligible for campus parking. The school offers a range of male, female and coed housing, both on and off campus.

Howard University has many graduate programs as well, including those in the School of Business, School of Law, College of Medicine and College of Engineering, Architecture and Computer Sciences.

Notable alumni of Howard University include Vice President Kamala Harris – the first woman, the first Black American and the first South Asian American to be elected vice president; former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall; Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison; and Emmy Award-winning actress Phylicia Rashad.