Kean University Establishes New Center for Africana Studies

Kean University in Union, New Jersey, has established the Center for Africana Studies within the university’s College of Education to serve as an academic research resource for scholars, faculty, and students at Kean University, as well as cultural hub for Africana studies within the Union community.

The first initiative of the new center aims to support local public schools in developing programming aligned with New Jersey’s Amistad curriculum, which mandates teaching about the African slave trade, slavery in America, and the contributions Africans have made to American society. The new site will also offer cultural programming such as traveling exhibits to faculty, students, and the public. Additionally, the center will support Kean University’s minor in Africana Studies.

“This new center epitomizes the University’s commitment to equity and to serving our state, particularly our urban communities,” said Kean University president Lamont Repollet. “All young people deserve to know their past. We are dedicated to establishing the best, most effective curriculum and programming to ensure they have a full understanding of history to help them shape the future.”

[SOURCE: JBHE]

Dr. Martin Lemelle Jr. named new president of Grambling State University

The University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Thursday afternoon to name Dr. Martin Lemelle as the next president of Grambling State University.

“To this illustrious Board, to our Gram Fam across the globe, to our students, current and future, to our alumni community, my family, friends, and supporters … This is our story. This is the Grambling State University story,” Lemelle said.

The Grambling Presidential Search Committee narrowed the field to three finalists, Dr. Gregory Ford, Dr. Monica Williams, and Lemelle after interviewing six semifinalists on Grambling’s campus earlier this month.

“Dr. Lemelle’s appointment as the 11th president of Grambling State University guarantees a leader well-prepared on day one,” said Rick Gallot, who left the Grambling presidency to assume the role of UL System President and CEO at the start of the year . “I am confident that under President Lemelle’s leadership, Grambling State University will continue to thrive with its best days yet to come.”

Lemelle is a 2006 graduate and former student government association president of Grambling. He has most recently served as executive vice president & chief financial officer at Maryland Institute College of Art. Prior, he served as executive vice president and chief operating officer at GSU from 2016-2021.

Gallot and Board Chair Dr. Jimmy Clarke are authorized to negotiate Lemelle’s start date.

[SOURCE: GRAM.EDU]

UNCF Celebrates 80th Anniversary

UNCF was founded on April 25, 1944.

For eight decades, UNCF has been the nation’s largest provider of scholarships to minority students and the guiding light in propelling our nation’s HBCUs forward.

Throughout 2024 the UNCF will recognize and pay tribute to UNCF’s founders, supporters and beneficiaries, while inspiring a new generation to continue their mission of transforming the future of our nation through educational excellence.

Together, let’s celebrate. And let’s continue to make a difference and empower dreams for the next 80 years and beyond.

Donate to the UNCF using this link: DONATE TO THE UNCF

Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Set to Become HBCU Athletic Conference on July 1, 2024

The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference released the following statement on its name change to the HBCU Athletic Conference:

We are thrilled to announce that the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference is set to undergo a remarkable rebranding, emerging with a new name "HBCU Athletic Conference" and tagline "Where Winners Thrive". We are also announcing the contract renewal of Hope Credit Union (HOPE), the title sponsor for our basketball and baseball championships and our official banking partner.

Overview:

The HBCU Athletic Conference represents a dynamic evolution in our commitment to excellence and the empowerment of student-athletes. As we embrace this new identity, we are excited to showcase the vibrant legacy of our member institutions. We have set out to share stories of impact at the intersection of heritage and higher education.

In addition to our new brand identity, our banking partner, Hope Credit Union, has agreed to renew its contract for three years becoming the largest sponsorship contract in conference history.

CBS and the NAACP Developing New Soap Opera Centering on Black Family

CBS Studios and NAACP Venture announced they are developing a new daytime drama series for the CBS Television Network titled “The Gates,” with veteran writer Michele Val Jean (“The Bold and the Beautiful,” “General Hospital”) set as writer and showrunner.

Val Jean, who exited “The Bold and the Beautiful” last month as a scriptwriter after writing more than 2,000 episodes of daytime dramas and winning multiple Daytime Emmy and WGA Awards, will also serve as an executive producer for “The Gates” alongside Sheila Ducksworth, Leon Russell, Derrick Johnson and Kimberly Doebereiner.

The potential series will follow the lives of a wealthy Black family in a posh, gated community. It will be produced by the CBS Studios/NAACP production venture in partnership with P&G Studios, a division of Procter & Gamble. P&G, in particular, might sound familiar to soap fans as the company helped pioneer the genre with the likes of “As The World Turns,” “Guiding Light,” and “Another World.”

“‘The Gates’ will be everything we love about daytime drama, from a new and fresh perspective,” said Sheila Ducksworth, president of the CBS Studios NAACP venture. “This series will salute an audience that has been traditionally underserved, with the potential to be a groundbreaking moment for broadcast television. With multi-dimensional characters, juicy storylines and Black culture front and center, ‘The Gates’ will have impactful representation, one of the key touchstones of the venture.”

[SOURCE: SOAPOPERANET]