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

Feds say no civil rights prosecution in Jamar Clark's death

U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger announced that no federal criminal civil rights charges will be filed against the Minneapolis Police in the shooting of Jamar Clark last fall.

Federal authorities announced Wednesday that Jamar Clark’s civil rights were not violated when two white Minneapolis police officers fatally shot the 24-year-old black man during a confrontation last fall outside a North Side apartment building.

U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger, leaning heavily on whether Clark was handcuffed by police before being shot and other factors, said there was “insufficient evidence” to bring a federal case. He said Clark’s family has been informed of the ruling, which was harshly criticized by the Minneapolis leader of the NAACP and firmly supported by the city’s police chief.

“I want you to understand that this is one of the highest legal standards under criminal law,” Luger told reporters at FBI offices in Brooklyn Center. “It is not enough to show the officers made a mistake, that they acted negligently, by accident or even that they exercised bad judgment to prove a crime. We would have had to show that they specifically intended to commit a crime.”

Read more: Feds say no civil rights prosecution in Jamar Clark's death

Stopping the violence in black communities starts at home

By George L. Cook III EMAIL

Every Memorial Day Weekend we all read or watch the stories on Facebook or other media about the number of people shot over the weekend in Chicago. Every year I hope that it's an old story from the previous year, which of course it is not. So far this Memorial day weekend at the time of this posting 49 people have been shot and 4 killed in Chicago.

There will be the usual cries that Rahm Emanuel is not doing enough and that the current police superintendent, Eddie Johnson is not doing enough. Those statements will be followed by the usual calls for better schools and tougher gun laws. Some will blame institutional racism or white supremacy, but no white supremacist shot anyone in Chicago this weekend.

That's all well in good and is most likely those things are true, but that doesn't negate the fact that we the black community must take some of the blame here too.

This is not about agreeing with Bill O'Rielly, Sean Hannity, and those of their ilk, f*ck them! This is about saving our young people dying on the streets including innocent young children riding their bikes or jumping rope. This is about us taking care of us.

Now I know that there are several organizations and churches out there working to stop the violence in black neighborhoods who get little to no press. I know some somehow think that President Obama can somehow do more to keep teenagers and young men children that live in OUR communities from killing each other.

But the fact is church leaders, organizational leaders, and President Obama are not in our homes teaching OUR/YOUR values and right from wrong. That's the parents job. If for some reason the parent can't or won't teach their children to value life then it falls on extended family and the community.

Our children must be taught from an early age that all life including theirs and those that look like them is valuable and not to be taken on a whim. The simple fact of the matter is that when people know better they do better. If a child does not learn that it's not the child's fault but ours.

Yes, we need more programs offering our young men and women more choices of things to do when not in school to keep them off the streets, but the onus is on us to not only demand but to implement those programs. Waiting on the government to fix this problem is like waiting on your cousin who owes you money to pay you back, it isn't happening. We have to not only march and holding prayer vigils but get to work actually doing something in our communities. As individuals, we can volunteer to coach or start a basketball team/league, start scouting troops in your community, mentoring programs, or after-school enrichment programs. I'm sure many of you can think of many more things that we as individuals can do.

We have to do better in keeping OUR children alive. Yes, we must call out government for their part in this, but we must also do our part.

George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com

Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka to host UNCF 4th annual Mayor's Masked Ball

The New Jersey local office of UNCF will hold its fourth annual Mayor’s Masked Ball on Friday, June 24. More than 300 business, education, and civic leaders including Mayor Ras J. Baraka will gather to raise funds to help provide New Jersey students the necessary resources to get to and through college.

“I am elated to host the fourth annual Mayor’s Masked Ball,” Baraka said. “As a graduate of Howard University, a historically black college and university, I understand the importance of UNCF’s work. I am a dividend of the organization’s commitment in providing quality education for minority students and work diligently to pay it forward for the next generation of leaders.”

Vaughn and Marnie G. McKoy serve as event co-chairs. Masked Award recipients are Elnardo and Samantha Webster, Community Baptist Church of Englewood and Johnson & Johnson for their generosity in providing hope and opportunity to deserving minority youth. Sponsors to date are PSEG, Fountain Baptist Church, Suez, Berger Organization, PNC Bank, Gibbons PC, Johnson & Johnson, Community Baptist Church of Englewood, Becker LLC and Hayward Industries.

WHO: New Jersey local office

WHAT: Newark UNCF Mayor’s Masked Ball

WHEN: 6 p.m., Friday, June 24

WHERE: 
Newark Club 
1085 Raymond Blvd. 
New Jersey, NJ 07102

For tickets or more information about the New Jersey local office Mayor’s Masked Ball, please visit: http://give.uncf.org/NewarkMayorsMaskedBall

Follow this event @uncf #MMBNJ

About UNCF 
UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding nearly 20 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF awards more than $100 million in scholarships annually and administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste, but a wonderful thing to invest in.”® Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at more than 1,100 colleges and universities. Learn more at http://www.uncf.org/ or for continuous news and updates, follow UNCF on Twitter @UNCF

Dazhane Jackson is misssing

16 year old Dazhane Jackson is missing. She was last seen in Perth Amboy NJ on May 23,according to police.

She is described as a light-skinned African-American girl with brown eyes and black hair. She is about 5 feet 4 inches and 110 pounds.

Police ask that anyone with information on Jackson's location to call 911 or the Perth Amboy Police Department at 732–442–4400.

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