Saturday marked the one-year anniversary of the death of former congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis. But his successor, Congresswoman Nikema Williams, is determined to carry on Lewis' legacy by continuing to get into "good trouble."
Sunday, July 18, 2021
Edward Waters College in Jacksonville Transitions to University Status
On July 1, historically Black Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Florida, transitioned to university status. For the first time, the university is offering a graduate degree program – a master’s degree in business administration.
In 1866, the African Methodist Episcopal Church founded the Brown Theological Institute to educate former slaves for the ministry. Ground was broken for the first buildings for the new school in 1872 on a 10-acre lot in Live Oak, Florida. In 1892 the institute changed its name to Edward Waters College to honor the third bishop of the AME Church. It moved to Jacksonville in 1893. In 1901, the campus was destroyed by a fire and a new campus, where the college is located today, was opened in 1904.
After restructuring its finances, in 2020 the college achieved its first institutional operating net cash surplus in more than a decade. In addition, the state legislative budget allocated an additional $3.5 million to Edward Waters College. This influx in funding has emboldened the institution to make the jump to university status.
University president A. Zachary Faison, Jr. stated that “Edward Waters University will continue to emerge as the state of Florida’s premier destination institution of higher education through the growth of its academic programs and strengthening of its fiscal viability that will sustain the institution for yet another 155 years and beyond."
Felician University in New Jersey Appoints James W. Crawford III as Its Sixth President
The board of trustees at Felician University in Lodi, New Jersey has named James W. Crawford, III as the sixth president of the university.
Felician University, which is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, enrolls more than 1,800 undergraduate students and about 400 graduate students, according to the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Education. African Americans make up 20 percent of the undergraduate student body.
Crawford has been serving as interim president of the university since last fall. He is a retired admiral and the 43rd Judge Advocate General of the United States Navy. In the U.S. Navy for more than three decades, Admiral Crawford served under six Presidents and was lead counsel for the principal military advisor to Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Crawford is a graduate of Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, North Carolina. He earned a juris doctorate from the University of North Carolina. He also holds a master of laws degree in ocean and coastal law from the University of Miami, and a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.
Navy Christens USNS John Lewis
The future USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205), the first ship in the U.S. Navy’s John Lewis-class fleet oiler program, was christened July 17 during a ceremony in San Diego.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), served as the principal speaker at the ceremony.
“As House Speaker, I am deeply honored to lead this Congressional delegation of many friends of our beloved late Congressman John Lewis to honor his beautiful and saintly life,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “John Lewis was a warrior for freedom and, as a titan of the civil rights movement, his courage and goodness helped transformed our nation. In the halls of the Capitol, he was fearless in his pursuit of a more perfect union, whether fighting to defend voting rights, end anti-LGBTQ discrimination or respect the dignity and worth of every person.”
Following Pelosi, the ship's sponsor, Alfre Woodard Spencer spoke briefly about the ship's namesake.
John Lewis “lives in the unalterable truths he spoke to power," said Spencer. "John Lewis lives in all those spaces where people reach out their hands to pull others up to the lives that they deserve. And now he lives in the name and the embodiment of this mighty sailing vessel and its mission of fortifying and sustaining those who have committed themselves to the service of our nation.” Following her remarks, Spencer christened the ship with the traditional champagne bottle break alongside the hull.
Additional remarks were provided by U.S. Navy representatives, Mr. Marcus Tyner, nephew of the ship’s namesake.“The christening ceremony today takes on a very special meaning, for it marks the one-year anniversary, to the day, of John Lewis’ passing.” said Carver. “Just as its namesake, this majestic vessel will be instrumental in shaping the future of our Nation. The shipbuilders of NASSCO are proud to ensure Congressman John Lewis’ legacy will live on in this ship.”
The USNS John Lewis is a 742-foot-long vessel designed to transfer fuel to US Navy carrier strike group ships operating at sea, the Navy said.
It is the first replenishment oil ship in its class, and it will be operated by the Navy’s Military Sealift Command. The rest of the six ships in its class will also be named after civil rights leaders.
Saturday, July 17, 2021
Pioneering Black race car driver Charlie Wiggins to be inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame
Pioneering Black race car driver, Charlie Wiggins will be inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame next on July 22, 2021 in Detroit.
Charlie Wiggins, a race car driver and engineer, challenged the segregation in auto racing in the early 20th century. His legacy on the race track was secured by his success at the Colored Speedway Association’s Gold and Glory Sweepstakes race in Indianapolis, which he won four times between 1924 and 1936.
Wiggins was born in Evansville, Indiana in 1897, an area where the Ku Klux Klan was entrenched. As a young man, he shined shoes in front of an Evansville auto repair shop, where he quickly learned to diagnose vehicle problems as they drove onto the lot. He was hired as a mechanic’s assistant and when the U.S. draft for WWI opened, most of the shop’s employees were called to war. As a result, Wiggins landed a job managing the shop floor.
Around the same time, he married Roberta, a fashion model with a career on the rise. Together, they moved to Indianapolis for better opportunities. Wiggins found work at an auto body repair shop in downtown Indianapolis, which he later purchased. Wiggins’ garage was a gathering spot for young men of all backgrounds who were enthralled by the speed of the modern automobile. This included future Indy 500 winner Bill Cummings.
As Wiggins’ shop and reputation were growing, the Indianapolis 500 was a new, but instantly popular, event. In 1920, Wiggins designed his own “Wiggins’ special” car with the hopes of participating in the Indy 500 that year. He studied the race cars of 2003 AHF Inductee Harry A. Miller as well as European Grand Prix cars. The Indy 500 rejected Wiggins’ 1920 application because of the color of his skin.
Wiggins, undeterred, joined the Colored Speedway Association for black race car drivers in the Midwest. The association was funded by William Rucker, a wealthy promoter with a passion for politics. The success of the Colored Speedway Association lead to the birth of its own race. The first race occured at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on July 4, 1924. The event attracted a sold-out crowd of 12,000 spectators.
These races were reported in black newspapers across the Midwest. One journalist from the Chicago Defender famously wrote about the racers saying, “they are racing for the Gold and the Glory,” which inspired the association to name the event “The Gold and Glory Sweepstakes.” The event ran from 1924 – 1936, and Wiggins was crowned champion four times driving cars he built himself, often beating drivers in hand-me-down Indy cars.
Although Wiggins was not allowed to stand in Victory Lane with his fellow crewmates after helping to engineer the winning car for the 1934 Indianapolis 500, his role was respected by the entire racing community. He spent the rest of his life supporting and encouraging young black racers to compete at the highest level. The nobility of Charlie Wiggins stood against the prejudice of his time and surroundings. Whether his victories were obvious or not, Wiggins was a lifelong champion.
ABOUT THE AUTOMOTIVE HALL OF FAME
The Automotive Hall of Fame was established in 1939, to perpetuate the accomplishments of the early automotive pioneers. Called the “Automobile Old Timers,” the group was dedicated to honoring automotive innovators from all parts of the worldwide automotive industry.
The current mission of the Automotive Hall of Fame is to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of individuals in the international motor vehicle industry through awards and educational programs that challenge young and old alike to higher levels of personal achievement.
The Automotive Hall of Fame’s mandate is to increase the public’s understanding of the contribution that the international motor vehicle industry has had on our freedom of personal mobility and on our high standard of living. In the process of preserving international motor vehicle industry history, the Automotive Hall of Fame is dedicated to shaping a better future for all.
The Hall of Fame tells stories about the people, their companies and how the industry has impacted culture, society, pop culture, the world in general.
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