NUBIANMESSAGE NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY | RALEIGH, NC | THENUBIANMESSAGE.COM | wednesday, february 15, 2017
Looking black: Black history month
wednesday, february 15, 2017 | 2
Letter from the editor Hey family, I hope the semester is treating you well. As you already know, this month is Black History Month. I won’t go on a rant about the necessity of this month because I shouldn’t have to. However, I will encourage you to be mindful that Black History Month is for ALL black people. Oftentimes we silence the voices of black people who don’t fit into our narrative of what it means to be black. We downplay the accomplishments of leaders who are not necessarily as palatable as their charismatic counterparts. This manifests itself in a number of ways. We see it with Bayard Rustin, one of the main organizers for the March on Washington and a friend of Dr. King. He is left out of the conversation regarding civil rights because he was openly gay. Before Rosa Parks there was Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old girl who refused to give her seat on a bus to a white person. She was arrested but her name is not nearly as well known as Rosa Parks who has been revered as the mother of the Civil Rights Movement. Why? Because Claudette Colvin was 15, unmarried and pregnant. We scream #BlackLivesMatter but are silent when black trans-women are brutalized and murdered. This is not just wrong, but it does a grave disservice to our entire community. Hurt people, hurt people. If we continue to marginalize people in our community, then we eradicate the perspectives, contributions and ideas of those marginalized groups. We become nothing more than our own oppressors. That being said, use this Black History Month to do some research. Learn about other historical figures and don’t just focus on the faces of the movement. Use this opportunity to take control over what you are feeding your brain and channel your inner revolutionary. Most importantly, understand that your actions, your stances, your fight will be a part of history someday. Be on the right side of history. Happy Black History Month!
THISISSUE 3 BIAS INCIDENT RESPONSE TEAM BIRT’s purpose explained
3 BLACK STUDENT ENROLLMENT Recruiting black undergraduates
4 NCSU BLACK HISTORY TIMELINE A look at our own history
6 KENTON’S CORNER Importance of Black History Month
6 REVOLUTIONARY RAP ALBUMS Most woke rap albums
7 INNOCENCE COMMISSION PANEL Helping correct wrongful convictions
Nothing but love,
Stephanie
The Sentinel of the African -American Community at N.C. State Since 1992. Stephanie Tate
Editor-in-Chief
Ashley Darrisaw
LAYOUT DESIGNER
Anahzsa Jones
Managing editor
Allona Wilkerson
LAYOUT DESIGNER
Only with the permission of our elders do we proudly produce each edition of the Nubian Message:
Dr. Yosef ben-Yochannan, Dr. John Henrik Clark, Dr. Leonard Jeffries, The Black Panther Party, Mumia A. Jamal, Geronimo Pratt, Tony Williamson, Dr. Lawrence Clark, Dr. Augustus McIver Witherspoon, Dr. Wandra P. Hill, Mr. Kyran Anderson, Dr. Lathan Turner, Dr. M. Iyailu Moses, Dokta Toni Thorpe and all those who accompany us as we are still on the journey to true consciousness.
WEDNESDAY, february 15, 2017 | 3
news
Bias incident response team explains purpose
STEPHANIE TATE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) exists “to be a mechanism by which members of the campus community can report biased incidents,” according to Reggie Barnes, the coordinator of BIRT and the senior director of the campus community centers. BIRT is a product of a partnership between the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED) and the Division of Academic and Student Affairs (DASA). BIRT was not necessarily created in response to any specific incidents at NC State but rather because it was recommended by senior leaders as an initiative in the fall of 2015. According to Barnes, a number of senior leaders were appointed to serve on BIRT in December of 2015 but the entire structure of the team was reconceptualized when he was hired by the university in the summer of 2016. There are currently two levels to BIRT, one of which is the initial review team. The initial review team is comprised of individuals from the Office of Student Conduct, NC State University Police Department, the university’s general counsel and the Office of Equal Opportunity. This team reviews any incidents reported and then makes recommendations for further action. Recommendations from the initial review team then lead to the second level of BIRT where other campus
entities are involved. The second level is “a list of people called upon to provide direct support for individuals impacted by biased incidents,” according to Barnes. For example if an individual experienced a biased incident in their residence hall, University Housing would be contacted. Or if a student was to experience some sort of harassment they may be referred to the NC State Counseling Center. If deemed necessary, BIRT would be responsible for facilitating any restorative action between the impacted individual and the person responsible for the biased incident. Restorative action can take many different forms, from a simple conversation between the parties involved to community education programs. According to Barnes, “If it seems like there is a pattern of particular types of incidents, we would partner with other campus offices to provide community education and broader campus wide initiatives.” Because BIRT is not investigative, the team makes a point to advocate for due process and forward any incidents that might rise to the standard of criminality to the NC State University Police Department, the Office of Student Conduct and OIED. BIRT was a topic of conversation at the most recent Student Government Racial Climate Town Hall, which
followed on the heels of a racial scandal that involved students at NC State using racial slurs in the messaging app GroupMe. According to Barnes, BIRT will not be responsible for punishment for issues of free speech. However, Barnes does recognize that “protected speech can negatively impact individuals. Which is why BIRT will work to help individuals see the impact of their statements and provide them with education.” BIRT has yet to make an official launch and the team is currently addressing incidents as they can. According to Barnes the official launch is set to take place in a few weeks after the online reporting form is connected to their website. So far BIRT has not had to conduct any restorative practices and Barnes could not yet provide concrete numbers on how many incidents had been reported to BIRT. “Because there was a lack of clarity about how and where incidents should be reported, incidents were reported elsewhere and I am still sorting through all that information,” Barnes said. Barnes wants students to understand that “We are not purposed with stopping all negative responses and comments, but to bring understanding to certain topics. We are definitely committed to supporting all students who are impacted by incidents that happen on campus.”
NC State Tackles Low Black Student Enrollment keilah davis STAFF WRITER
Last year’s percentage of black students admitted to NC State was notably high while the fraction of those students who ultimately enrolled in NC State was low, according to Dr. Mike Mullen, Vice Chancellor and Dean of Academic and Student Affairs. “Part of this change is related to new ethnicity classifications, such as a ‘two or more races’ category,” said Louis Hunt, Senior Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and Services. In 2007, the U.S. Department of Education changed its regulations to allow students to select more than one race on college applications. Enrollment data from the Office of Institutional Research and Planning show that the percentage of black undergraduate students at NC State decreased from 9.3% in fall 2006 to 6.0% in fall 2016. However, this data only includes students who identified as “black or African American.” In fall 2009, 7.5% of new freshmen selected “black or African American” only while 8.5% selected “black or African American” at all. In fall 2016, those num-
bers decreased to 5.8% and 7.0% respectively. Students who decline admission have the option to explain their reason for declining. One of the most common reasons for all students, including minority students, is the financial aid they were offered at other institutions. Another common reason is that NC State was their second choice to schools like UNC-Chapel Hill. Yet many minority students mentioned that NC State was “not the right fit” for them. “The black community at Georgia Tech in Atlanta was much stronger than NC State. I received countless emails from them about help and assistance and programs while I may have received one from NC State,” one black student said. Ronnie Chalmers, associate director of Undergraduate Admissions, noted the importance of minority student involvement with opportunities like University Ambassadors and pre-college programs. “When students come to campus, they need to see a diverse group of students involved,” Chalmers said.
Recently, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions began sending a “You Fit” brochure to admitted underrepresented students and a “First Generation Guide” to students first in the family to attend college. Additionally, the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity sponsors the University Diversity Mini-Grant program, which provides seed grant funding for proposals that improve recruitment from underrepresented groups. Programs like the Native Education Forum and 2016 Diversity Leadership Symposium were initiated through these mini-grants. The Native Education Forum is a sixday residential summer program where Native American high school students are exposed to a college classroom setting while interacting with Native faculty, staff and students. Another pre-college program at NC State is the Emerging Scholars Academy, an academic enrichment program for high school students interested in the African American experience and culture. “There has been new and continuing
[recruitment] efforts by the colleges’ diversity directors and assistant deans, in addition to work with the Office of Admissions,” Dr. Tracey Ray, assistant vice provost for student diversity, said. “In addition, many of the college’s diversity directors and assistant deans have added unique initiatives.” One of those college-sponsored programs, Wolfpack Weekend, is hosted by the College of Sciences and College of Natural Resources. Other programs include Brothers United in Leadership Development (B.U.I.L.D.), hosted by the College of Education, and African American Family Science and Technology Awareness Day, hosted by the college of Engineering. Some colleges also hold their own admitted student days in addition to those hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. “I think we could do a better job communicating what we do including the good news and the things we can improve on,” Chalmers said.
wednesday, february 15, 2017 | 4
features
BLACK HISTORY AT NC STATE ANAHZSA JONES MANAGING EDITOR
1880
1889 - Ellen McGuire, a former slave, begins a 50 year career at NC State McGuire worked at State for 50 years, retiring in 1939. According to a 1939 Technician article, McGuire was born into slavery on a North Carolina plantation. Most of her work was in the infirmary, but she did maintain many responsibilities. 1890 - Second Morrill Act becomes law The Second Morrill Act, which requires states to provide technical education for African Americans, becomes law. Any college that made distinctions between students on the basis of race would not receive federal funding. However, states could comply by providing separate colleges for blacks and whites. 1891 - North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College established In order to comply with the Second Morrill Act and still prevent African Americans admission to the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, the North Carolina state government creates the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College in Greensboro.
1950
Irwin Holmes’ tennis picture
1953 - First African-American graduate students admitted Robert Clemons and Hardy Liston two African-American graduate students are admitted into the School of Engineering. Clemons became the college’s first black graduate; Liston withdrew from the program. 1955 - Frazier v. the Board of Trustees of the University of North Carolina In Frazier v. the Board of Trustees of the University of North Carolina, the court determines that undergraduate colleges and universities should be open to African Americans.
1960
1960 - First African-American undergraduate degree conferred Irwin Holmes earns a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, making him the first African-American undergraduate to receive a degree at NC State.
1962 - First African-American faculty member Vivian Henderson takes a position as a visiting professor in the Department of Economics, becoming the first African-American faculty member. Henderson was a friend of Martin Luther King, Jr., and later became president of the historically black Clark College in Atlanta. 1963 - Integration on Hillsborough Street Baxley’s on Hillsborough Street becomes the first restaurant near NC State to serve African-Americans.
1956 - First African-American undergraduates In September, the first four African-American undergraduates enrolled at North Carolina State College: Ed Carson, Manuel Crockett, Irwin Holmes, and Walter Holmes. Irwin Holmes joins the tennis team in 1958, making it the first integrated team at State College. 1958 - First African-American academic staff member Mrs. Justina Williams is hired to work in the Department of Genetics’ Drosophila research lab, becoming the first African-American female academic staff member.
1970 1971 - Second African-American earns Ph.D. Augustus M. Witherspoon becomes the second African American to earn a Ph.D. (in Botany) from NC State, and the first African American to receive a doctoral degree and go on to join the faculty as Associate Provost.
1965 - First African-American instructor with faculty ranking Dorothy Williams becomes the first African-American instructor with faculty ranking, teaching in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
1971 - Increased equality The Division of Student Affairs makes financial aid available to African American students. Augustus Witherspoon
WEDNESDAY, february 15, 2017 | 5
features
1980
1987-1988 - Kevin Howell
Howell is the first African-American to serve as Student Body President.
1988 - NC State recognizes Martin Luther King, Jr. Day This marks first year the University recognized Martin Luther King Day. 1989 - Harassment Policy Adopted The Board of Trustees adopts a racial harassment policy. 1989 - Dwuan June, Editor of Technician June became the first African American to serve as editor of the student newspaper.
Kevin Howell
1990
1991 - African American Cultural Center opens African American Cultural Center opens in the new Student Center Annex (later renamed Witherspoon Student Center). The center was granted an operating budget in 1992. 1992 - The Nubian Message began publication On November 30, The Nubian Message begins publication in response to student protests alleging racial bias by the Technician. African American Center opens
2000
1995 - Witherspoon Student Center dedicated On April 1, the building formerly known as the Student Center Annex is dedicated to honor Dr. Augustus McIver Witherspoon. It became the first building on campus named after an African American.
2002 - African-American Student Advisory Council Report Cards The African-American Student Advisory Council begins issuing report cards and gave NCSU an F for recruiting black students. 2003 - Yolanda King speaks on campus Yolanda King, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s daughter, addresses students in Stewart Theatre as part of the NCSU MLK Commemoration. 2004 - 2004 - Students protest appropriations for African American clubs African American students participate in a sit-in at a Student Senate meeting to express concern for the lack of funding for African American organizations. Out of $40,000 of appropriations, African American organizations received $755. 2008 - President Barack Obama visit
Presidential candidate Barack Obama appears before a crowd at Reynolds Coliseum shortly after defeating rivals in the Democratic presidential primaries. On November 5, racist, threatening graffiti, directed at (then) President-elect Barack Obama, was found in the Free Expression Tunnel.
Photos courtesy of NCSU Libraries
2010 2014 - Blackout Students protest the Mike Brown verdict (Ferguson, Mo.) at the Free Expression Tunnel, in conjunction with Blackout protests nationwide. On Dec. 1 students hold a “Walkout” protest, marching from the Court of North Carolina to the Brickyard. 2016 – Racist remarks on GroupMe go public Racist remarks made by NC State students on the messaging app GroupMe became public in September. Chancellor Woodson issued a statement condemning the messages. 2016- First Lady Michelle Obama speaks at NC State Michelle Obama spoke in Reynolds Coliseum to a crowd of about 6,000 in support of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
wednesday, february 15, 2017 | 6
opinion
kenton’s Corner: In Defense of Black History Month
KENTON GIBBS STAFF WRITER
Year after year, Black History Month (BHM) is always a hotly debated topic. Questions like “should it exist?” or “why is it important?” are staples of said debates. Many of the arguments against it are fundamentally flawed and nonsensical in nature. In my opinion, BHM is not only important, it is necessary. In the words of President Barack Obama, “let me be clear” Black History Month ain’t
going anywhere. Many argue that it’s unfair for black people to have BHM while there’s no equivalent for white people. Well to them I’d simply ask: have you ever read any history books in school? America doesn’t need a white history month because we experience white history throughout every day of our lives. The fact that history remembers John Smith as a brave hero who Pocahontas fell in love with instead of a brutal colonizing rapist is why we don’t need it. When history books in Texas call the Civil War the War of Northern Aggression, we don’t need that month. There is no fundamental need for a month that truly embraces a culture if a society does such a task all
year round. Another argument that I constantly hear is the one used by Morgan Freeman. In a 2009 interview on the television show 60 minutes he said, “You can’t relegate my history to a month.” He further elaborated when he said, “Black history is American history.” Well the fact of the matter is that black history isn’t taught throughout the year as it should be. Having a nationally recognized month does not limit our history to only that. There can be a Black History Month while still teaching our history throughout the year. However, I do find it funny that with all the black history months that have come and gone, stories like the one of the women who “Hidden Figures” was based on was never told. Furthermore, BHM is for black people worldwide, not just for the history of black people in America. The Haitian revolution should be a must when teaching about black history. The fact that they successfully revolted against their slave masters and sent every other European nation that came for them away in defeat is black history. The history of African countries before the Trans Atlantic and Arab slave trades should also be taught during Black History Month. Black people worldwide are black history. Another reason we need BHM is the fact that we
are always being told to get over things. Everything in the world that happens to non black people seems to be tagged with the line “Never Forget.” Yet somehow, our story is always forgotten. There will never be such a thing as the Hitler Scholarship and rightly so because he was directly responsible for the murders of 6 million Jewish people. Cecil Rhodes on the other hand has a prestigious scholarship at Oxford despite the fact that estimates of how many deaths he caused are 5 million at the absolute lowest. Is it those last million dead bodies that separate genocidal monsters from honorable nation builders, or is it the skin color of the victims? Questions like this are why we need BHM. BHM will never be enough time to acknowledge the contributions that black people have given to the world but without it folks would continue to steal our work, gentrify it and repackage it as original. Or even worse, whitewash history to say that everyone loved docile quiet obedient Martin Luther King and no one opposed his message of equality. So next time someone asks you “should black history month be abolished?” Simply reply, “Like the legacy of oppression, whitewashing and cultural appropriation in America it is here to stay.
Five Rap Albums to Awaken Your Inner Revolutionary It’s Black History Month again. Don’t have any time to attend any of the programs, but still wanna brush up on a bit of cultural knowledge? The following albums have all had tremendous effects on hip-hop music and black culture in general, and their overall messages are to inspire and educate the dion figueroa CORRESPONDENT black community. Without further adieu, the list: 1. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back - Public Enemy The militant black power-esque rap group’s second studio album released in 1988 and set the standard at the time for what a culturally aware rap album should be. It was politically charged in not just lyrical and thematic content, but the production sets the mood perfectly for rapper Chuck D to deliver his message to the people. From a lyrical standpoint this album is a perfect glimpse into the mind of a black nationalist growing up in a “post-racial” society. 2. Straight Outta Compton - N.W.A. Around the time of N.W.A.’s rise to prominence the hip-hop world had already been exposed to the everyday experiences of blacks growing up in many of the Northeast’s roughest areas through the eyes
of the east coast’s many great rappers of the time. Straight Outta Compton served as the west coast’s premier debut into the gangster rap genre. New listeners should be aware that this album covers the urban life from the eyes of a drug dealer, pimp, etc., but serves as a raw and real portrait of the streets that Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, MC Ren, and DJ Yella grew up on. 3. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill The history of rap music has been ruled by a large majority of male rappers and female rappers seem to mostly be an afterthought or come few and far between. However in 1998 Lauryn Hill dropped her debut and only solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Arguably the greatest female rapper of all time, Lauryn Hill blessed the hip-hop culture with an exemplary album empowering not just black people, but even more specifically black women to educate themselves not just on culture, but how to better navigate through life in America as a black woman. 4. Good Kid, M.a.a.d. City - Kendrick Lamar There are many old school classic rap albums that could easily make this list, however every now and then a newer artist deserves recognition. In the fight to reawaken modern black youth, Kendrick Lamar leads the charge with his no filter approach to mak-
ing culturally relevant music that caters to the needs of modern listeners. Kendrick Lamar’s sophomore album has some of the more aggressive tunes on this list, however, manages to balance that out with an equal number of softer and more thought-provoking tracks. The production style of songs like the title track “m.A.A.d. City” featuring west coast great MC Eiht present the perfect background soundtrack for the modern revolutionary. 5. Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star - Black Star The closing album on this list is the first collaborative album from rappers Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def) & Talib Kweli released under the group name of Black Star. Bey and Talib Kweli have always been very socially conscious in their lyrics, but most times their albums fell flat when it came to replayability or even how well they withstood the tests of time. Black Star’s self-titled album does not fall under the same umbrella. The album delivers socially conscious and positive music that touches everything from the appreciation of black women on “Brown Skin Lady” to normal tales about New York City street life on “Thieves in the Night.” Every aspect of this album spells classic.
WEDNESDAY, february 15, 2017 | 7
news
Innocence Commission Panel On Thursday, February 9th, the University Honors Program’s From Awareness to Activism Series continued with the “Innocence Commission Panel.” The event, held in SAS 2203, was held to help shed light onto the work done by the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission. Lindsey Guice Smith and Sharon Stellato, the executive director and associate director of the commission respectively, were open to sharing some major details and answering any questions from the public in a later Q&A session. Per the commission’s website, there are eight members of the commission that “include a superior court judge, a prosecuting Attorney, a defense attorney, a victim advocate, a member of the public, a sheriff, and two discretionary members.” The mission of the agency is to “investigate and evaluate post-conviction claims of factual innocence.” In addition, with the information that the commission finds, a wrongfully convicted person may be exonerated. When asked for further details on the commissions, the panelists revealed that the agency is not political or policy-driven despite the members being appointed by the Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court and the Chief Judge of the
VLADIMIR URENA CORRESPONDENT
North Carolina Court of Appeals. In addition, they informed the audience that the Commission does not speak to the media, nor do they reveal any case names or lists unless they are presented at a hearing and become public record. However, they did reveal specifics about their history of cases. Since 2006, when the agency was commissioned, they have looked at over 2000 cases, of which 1946 have been closed. In just 2016, they received and looked at over 179 cases. But despite the high number of cases reviewed, only ten cases have resulted in exoneration. Greg Taylor from Wake County who served 17 years and Willie Womble from Butner who served 38 years are two of the few people who have been proved innocent. When an audience member questioned what caused a case to be rejected, the panelists confessed that 28% of the cases presented no new evidence for the commission to evaluate. They later also acknowledged that a small percentage of the people applying for their cases to be looked at are women, and most people do not claim complete innocence of the crime. Near the end of the panel discussion, the panelists revealed that the commission accepts donations and that they receive support through the state legislature.
Dr. Genia Sklute, the associate director of the University Honors Program, said that she hoped everyone in attendance came out of the event realizing “how important and impactful the work done by the North Carolina Inquiry Commission is and that without it there would be no way to address unlawful incarceration in North Carolina.” The commission is the only agency in the state to conduct any kind of work in this field. “I believe that we should continue this conversation on campus and in our community,” Dr. Sklute said. “It is crucial for people to know about their work.” The Innocence Commission Panel was hosted by the University Honors Program and co-sponsored by Interdisciplinary Studies in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The University Honors Program will continue their From Awareness to Activism Series on Thursday, February 16th with “Lynching: Remembering Our History” in the Honors Village Commons from 12-1 PM. For more information on the Black History Month calendar, visit https://oied.ncsu.edu/MSA/black-history-month-2017/.