Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee dies at 74

Statement from the family of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee on her passing:

Read the letter 1,400 Black women signed in support of President Biden and VP Harris

More than 1,400 Black women and allies have indicated their support for President Biden and Vice President Harris in a letter to the leadership of the Democrat Party released Thursday. Prominent figures in the Black community, such as Carol Moseley Braun, the first African American woman elected to the Senate; Keisha Lance Bottoms, former senior adviser to Biden and ex-mayor of Atlanta; and Melanie Campbell, president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and leader of the Black Women’s Roundtable, have signed the letter.

Read theie letter below:

BlackWomenLeadersAlliesForB... by George L. Cook III

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES NAMES DR. RONALD JOHNSON INTERIM PRESIDENT

The Tennessee State University Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Ronald Johnson to serve as the Interim President of the University, effective July 1, 2024. Dr. Johnson’s distinguished career in higher education spans nearly two decades, with significant leadership roles at some of our nation’s most distinguished historically Black universities (HBCUs).

He is known for his commitment to amplifying student success and strengthening the financial health and long-term sustainability of colleges and universities through a culture of accountability, shared governance, mentorship, and continuous improvement.

Johnson is the former President of Clark Atlanta University (CAU) from 2015-2018, where he successfully led the transformation and comprehensive turnaround plans for the University. He recently served as Interim President at Kentucky State University (KSU), where he managed the day-to-day operations of the university and leveraged his leadership and financial expertise to build a foundation for long-term sustainability and to address the financial challenges facing the university.

“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Ronald Johnson and have him join the TSU family,” said Board Chair Dakasha Winton. “Dr. Johnson’s distinguished higher education career, along with his accomplishments as an exceptional administrator, makes him the right fit for TSU at this time.”

Johnson, a well-respected and recognized leader in higher education, is also a former member of the President’s Advisory Board of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and served as the Chairman of the Consumer Advisory Board of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau of the United States. He is also a co-founder and Advisory Board Member of the HBCU Executive Leadership Institute (ELI) at CAU and a recipient of its inaugural Frederick S. Humphries Leadership Award.

“Fellow trustees and I look forward to collaborating with Dr. Johnson,” Winton added. “His proven leadership in strategically addressing complex issues, while developing innovative paths forward will further lead the University during this transition. I know working with our students, staff, alumni and fellow board members, this next chapter will cement TSU’s legacy of excellence.”

Retiring President Glenda Glover said Johnson’s experience and professional leadership will continue TSU’s legacy of excellence.

“Dr. Johnson is an excellent leader and did an incredible job at Clark Atlanta. I am especially proud because I had the pleasure of attending Clark Atlanta for business school. I will provide Dr. Johnson with any necessary support as he takes the helm of our great institution to continue the legacy of excellence that is the hallmark of Tennessee State University.”

Johnson has served as a faculty member at Texas Southern University, Florida A&M University, Howard University, and Northeastern University.

Johnson earned a PhD and MA in economics from Stanford University, after completing an MBA in finance and a BA in economics from Adelphi University.

Johnson will serve as Interim President for one year, while the Board of Trustees conducts a national search to hire a permanent President.

African American Reports Founder, George Cook Honored For His Work Helping Black Students Attend College

George Cook Recieving Frank Bolden Award From UCCF Chair Deborah Enix-Ross

African American Reports founder, George Cook was honored with the 2024 Frank Bolden Honorary Award for his work helping Black students attend Union College Of New Jersey by raising funds for the school's Close The Gap Fund. Mr. Cook has raised over $12,000 to date to help Black students attend the college to date. Mr.Cook was honored alonside Angela Adderley who was awarded the 2024 Community Leader of the Year award.

Mr. Cook is a trustee on the Union County College Foundation, where he has served since 2018.

During his acceptance speech George thanked the Union County College Foundation for it's work in helping Black students achieve and acknowledged the founders of the Close The Gap Program, Deborah Ennix-Ross, Susan Hairston, and Sandra Rice. Watch some of Mr. Cook's speech below:

George L. Cook III has lived in Hillside for over 40 years. He is a 1986 graduate of Hillside High School and has always maintained a connection to his community as a public servant, most recently as Councilman-At-Large.

Former Councilman Cook started his public service in 2010 after being elected to the Hillside Board of Education. He served two terms on the Board and during his tenure served four years as Board President and two years as Board Vice President. He was also appointed to the New Jersey School Board of Directors in 2015.

Following his service as a School Board member, Cook ran for local office and was elected to the Hillside Township Council in 2017. During his tenure on the Council, he has served as Chairman of the Personnel Committee, liaison to the Zoning Board of Adjustment and Council Vice President in 2018, 2019, and 2020.

George's public advocacy is only matched by his volunteer work, specifically, his efforts to serve the youth of Hillside. He has been a volunteer basketball and football coach for the Recreation Center and has sponsored State legislators visiting with residents. He led the Juneteenth Ceremony and African American flag raising during Black History Month in 2020.

George has been a member of the Hillside Scholarship Fund since 1986, the Lions Club since 2017, and the Union County College Foundation where he has been a tireless advocate for our students and has lead a number of fundraising efforts to support theClose the Gap campaign. He also served in the United State Army New Jersey National Guard from 1991-1994.

If you would like to donate to the Close The Gap Fund please use the GoFundMe widget in the upper left side of this page to do so. Any amount would be appreciated.

2024 CLOSE THE GAP Fundraiser Photos

George Cook and his wife Quanda

George Cook Acceptance speech

From Left to right CTG Founder Susan Harrison, George Cook, AngelaAdderly, CTG FounderDeborah Enix Ross, and CTG Founder Sandra Rice

George Cook and UCCF Executive Director Doug Rouse

Senator Cory Booker calls for Senator Menedez to resign

U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the following statement following the trial verdict for Sen. Bob Menendez:

“This is a dark, painful day for the people of New Jersey.

“Representing people in Congress demands the public's trust. When any elected official violates that trust, it is a betrayal of the oath we take to serve the people who’ve elected us. Without that trust, our ability to do our work and perform our duties for our constituents is compromised.

“Senator Menendez was afforded his due process rights and mounted a full defense in a court of law, as every criminal defendant has the constitutional right to do. This verdict means that a jury of Senator Menendez’s peers, sworn to be impartial, reviewed the evidence and unanimously concluded beyond a reasonable doubt that he had broken the law.

“I call on Senator Menendez to resign. I originally did so last fall because of the severity of the allegations against him and how they shook the public’s trust. Now, with this conviction, the urgency for Senator Menendez to step down and for the governor to appoint a replacement has even more urgency.”