James B. Ewers Jr.Members of the academy offer insight into current events and higher education issues that impact people of color.OpinionObama Is Being Lifted Up by the EldersSen. Barack Obama made reference to a preacher who made America better in his acceptance speech on Aug. 28, 2008, at the Democratic National Convention. Obama is now officially his party’s nominee to be president of the United States of America. Let’s not forget the “preacher” that Obama referred to was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., arguably […]September 3, 2008OpinionBeing Black, Male and Educated in Today’s WorldThere are far too many black males being portrayed as useless citizens in our society. We see pictures of us being sent to jail or being expelled from school. Some of us still turn a blind eye to what is going on around us. The CNN Special, “Black in America” pointed out that African Americans […]August 20, 2008OpinionCNN’s Black in America Sounds Clarion Call To Do MoreI am black in America so the recent two-part series produced by CNN entitled “Black in America” did appeal to me. This special program to my mind was not only for black people but for white people as well. For whatever judgment you rendered about the series let us give both CNN reporter Soledad O’Brien […]July 28, 2008OpinionBlack Colleges Continue to Provide An Excellent EducationHistorically black colleges and universities have been educating students, the majority of them being African American, for centuries now. I am a graduate of Johnson C. Smith University located in Charlotte, N.C. There are hundreds of graduates of HBCUs who have achieved prominence at every level. The employment landscape is full of men and women […]June 15, 2008OpinionAn Open Letter to the High School Class of 2008–And Their ParentsIt is that time of year when high school graduations are front and center. These festive events are filled with congratulations, high fives and tears of joy. It is my opinion that in many ways the high school graduation is a rite of passage. It signals that a young person has crossed into adulthood. The […]June 2, 2008OpinionVoting is our privilege and our responsibilityThank goodness we live in a country where we can freely vote. It is something that we should not take for granted as we only have to look at other countries to see the chaos that has occurred because of voting or the lack of it. Whether you are a Democrat, a Republican or an […]May 18, 2008OpinionLove and responsibility are keys to the CovenantTavis Smiley’s “The Covenant With Black America” has been out a couple of years and it, along with the the companion book entitled “The Covenant in Action,” is a must read if you are interested in grass roots change. As many of you will recall, Tavis Smiley had a talk show with Black Entertainment Television some years […]May 13, 2008OpinionGood health as a priority in the black communityIf you don’t have your health then you don’t have anything is an expression that I have heard for many years. As I grow closer to eating free in some restaurants, I am paying closer attention. Reports suggest that black people get sick more often and die sooner. While some would groan, I think it […]May 12, 2008OpinionAfrican American teacher numbers need improvementHow do you become what you want to be? When you ask children what they want their life’s work to be, you will hear a variety of answers. They gain their perspectives obviously from a lot of sources. Parents, grandparents, other love providers, coaches and teachers are just a few of the resources that kids […]May 5, 2008Previous PagePage 10 of 10