NUBIANMESSAGE NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY | RALEIGH, NC | THENUBIANMESSAGE.COM | monDAY, JANUARY 22, 2018
remembering King at NC State
Monday, january 22, 2018 | 2
Letter from the editor Hello Lovely People and welcome back! Happy new year and all that jazz. I hope the first weeks of class weren’t too overwhelming (besides apparently apocalyptic ice and snow) and that you have a class in there for you. I understand we’re all here for a degree, but don’t forget to enrich yourself too. Take a yoga class, or some creative writing, something that you enjoy. I know I mention self care a lot in my letters, and that’s because it’s what’s kept me sane these past 2 years, and seeing as this semester is my home stretch, it’s only going to get more important. So for this issue, we’re pretty heavily MLK focused, in honor of the man himself. There’s a commentary on his visit to NC State back in ‘66, a mere decade after the first black undergraduate students were admitted to our illustrious university, and how he was received. There’s also a guest column reminding us to remember Martin Luther King Jr. as a whole man, a human being, and not the patron saint of black passivity he’s been turned into. Also, the Nubian Message would like to congratulate Marshall Scholar Kobi Felton for embodying Black Excellence. If earning one of the most prestigious scholarships in the nation wasn’t enough, Felton is the first African-American from NC State to be awarded the scholarship, which makes this even more special. A victory for him, but also for all of us here at State.
THISISSUE 3 NEW FREE SPEECH POLICY What new legislation means for you
4 KOBI FELTON WINS AWARD NC State’s 1st Black Marshall Scholar
5 KING VISITS IN 1966 Then. Now. Always.
5 CELEBRATING MLK JR.
Was MLK unwelcome at NC State?
6 OPRAH 2020
Everybody gets a presidency
6 #NEWYEARNEWYOU
Helpful advice for the new year
7 THE RADICAL MLK Honoring MLK’s true legacy
Lastly, I’d like to welcome some new writers to the Nubian Message. We may be half way through the year, but it’s never too late to join! If you’re interested, feel free to drop by a staff meeting in the office, Witherspoon 314, at 6:30 any Wednesday or contact us at nubian-editor@ncsu.edu. The next month will see a lot of events and coverage for Black History Month, so it’s a great time to jump right in and hit the ground running. Love always, Anahzsa
The Sentinel of the African -American Community at N.C. State Since 1992. Anahzsa Jones
Editor-in-Chief
Keilah Davis
Managing editor
Only with the permission of our elders do we proudly produce each edition of the Nubian Message:
COVER PHOTO courtesy of library of congress
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.
news
Monday, january 22, 2018 | 3
UNC SYSTEM Free speech policy passed How administrators will judge distruptive speech and wht that means for you more more more more more more more more carl hintz, erin elliot Correspondents
The University of North Carolina’s Board of Governors adopted Policy 1300.8 on December 15, 2017, a policy that changes the ways students are allowed to protest and hold demonstrations on colleges and universities within the UNC system. The board worked to create the policy after Governor Roy Cooper signed HB 527 on June 29, 2017, which mandated the UNC Board of Governors to develop and adopt the policy.
What this policy says: 1) Students, staff and faculty can freely assemble and protest as long as it is “lawful and does not materially and substantially disrupt” the campus’ functioning. 2) Campuses are open to any speaker invited by students, student groups or faculty members. 3) UNC system schools can’t take action on “public policy controversies” if it requires students, faculty, or administrators to express a particular view. 4) Disruptive students could be suspended or expelled. Disruptive faculty could be dismissed. 5) Disruptive guests could be barred from campus.
Why was this policy made: 1) The Board of Governors was directed by the General Assembly to develop a policy on free expression to “restore and preserve campus free speech.” 2) According to the policy, “the right to dissent is the complement of the right to participate in expressive activity, but these rights need not occupy the same forum at the same time.”
What this means for students: 1) Students have the right to dissent but they cannot disrupt another meeting, forum, discussion, speech etc. without risking consequences.
ANNA MATTHEWS/Staff Photographer NC State students fill the Talley Student Union atrium on Sept. 23, 2016 for a “die-in” as a form of nonviolent protesting. Students laid down and filled the floor to represent those who have been unfairly murdered.
2) Nor can students “substantially disrupt” UNC General Administration, UNC System Schools, or the “protected free expression rights” of others. Disruptions include behaviors such as invoking and participating in violent conduct, seizing any educational facility without the proper authority, and refusing to leave the official meeting/assembly in order. 3) Consequences are determined by each individual school. Students, faculty and staff could be sanctioned with punishments including suspension, expulsion, demotion or dismissal. 4) If a student would like to voice their opinions in opposition to an event on campus, the Board of Governors suggests navigating the proper channels rather than infringing on another person’s right to meet. 5) The policy does not protect defamation, unlawful harassment, threats that communicate a serious expression of intent to commit an act of violence and unjustifiable invasion of privacy.
kai anthony/Staff Photographer Two students attending the Blackout event in Wolf Plaza on Sept. 23, 2016 hold a sign naming Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old victim to police brutality.
Monday, january 22, 2018 | 4
news
Kobi Felton, NC State’s First Black Marshall scholar keilah davis Managing Editor
Photo Courtesy of Alsace Gallop
Kobi Felton, a fourth-year student studying chemical engineering, is NC State’s 3rd Marshall Scholar. Photo courtesy of the Fellowship Advising Office. An NC State senior was recently announced as a Marshall Scholarship recipient. Kobi Felton, a senior studying chemical and biomolecular engineering, was recently announced as one of the 43 recipients of 2018. Felton is NC State’s third Marshall Scholar and the first black Marshall Scholar from NC State. NC State has not had a Marshall Scholar since 2008. “I am honored and extremely grateful,”
Felton, 22, said in an email interview. “I stand on the shoulders of many people who have been role models for me. I have been supported by faculty members like Dr. Joel Ducoste, (of the) Department of Civil Engineering, and Dr. Christine Grant, (of the) Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.” Marshall Scholarships provide the opportunity for Americans to pursue one to
two years of graduate study anywhere in the United Kingdom. Recipients are evaluated and chosen based on academic merit, leadership potential and ambassadorial potential. These scholarships commemorate the Marshall Plan of 1948, an act in which the U.S. provided economic assistance to the rebuilding of European countries following World War II. Over 900 students applied for Marshall Scholarships in 2017 and only 40 recipients were selected. Felton began working with NC State’s Fellowship Advising Office (FAO) on his application and personal statement in February 2017. Dr. Tiffany Kershner is the director of FAO and Alsace Gallop is the advisor and recruiter for distinguished scholarships and fellowships. Both helped Felton with his application. “The personal statement is likely the most difficult essay to write because it requires you to explain yourself in 1000 words,” Felton said. “At about draft 20, I met with Ms. Gallop and she suggested I start over. This was hard to hear, but it was what I needed. As soon as I started fresh, the essay got significantly better! I am so thankful to Dr. Kershner and Ms. Gallop for their help.” Felton, who received a two-year award, will spend the first year at the University of Cambridge in England studying for a Master of Philosophy degree and the following year earning a Master of Research degree in nanomaterials at Imperial College London, according to the FAO website. Afterwards, he plans to earn a doctorate and eventually create a “cloud chemistry” laboratory that can facilitate scientific innovation.
“I am interested in learning about flow chemistry,” Felton said, “which is the concept of flowing reactions through narrow tubes. This technology can make chemical processes more environmentally friendly and bring laboratory discoveries to manufacturing quicker.” According to Felton, many experts in this field are located in the U.K. “There is actually a flow chemistry conference at the University of Cambridge, where I will be studying during my first year, so I look forward to attending that,” Felton said. “When I return to the U.S., I hope to start a flow chemistry symposium to bring together U.S. and U.K. researchers; this will be my way of sharing what I learned.” During his time at NC State, Felton has served as chapter president of the National Society of Black Engineers, a Chancellor’s Aide and an Engineering Ambassador. Felton is also a member of two engineering honor societies and a Park Scholar. “The National Society of Black Engineers and Minority Engineering Programs at NC State have been an essential part of my development,” Felton said. “There are many outstanding students from underrepresented backgrounds at NC State; I hope to inspire and support those who come after me in applying for prestigious scholarships.” FAO endorses students and alumni for Marshall Scholarships and 11 other prestigious awards. For more information, visit go.ncsu.edu/FAO.
FOLLOW @NUBIANMESSAGE
Feature
flashback: 1966 dr. king visits nc state No Wolfpack welcome for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Visit to NC State in 1966 Erin elliot Correspondent Throughout the years, NC State has invited incredibly dynamic speakers to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and birthday. NC State has joined alongside other institutions in hosting events that extend a week long in his honor, emphasizing his global impact and how his contributions will continue to spark change for generations to come. Recently, with the renovation of Reynolds Coliseum, the staff and faculty decided it would be an excellent idea to dedicate space to Dr. King inside the building for his visit in 1966. However, when NC State had the opportunity to endorse Dr. King, it missed the mark. On July 31, 1966, Dr. King was invited to speak at Reynolds Coliseum by Romalius O. Murphy, a local NAACP member, and Reverend W.B. Lewis. His message was about encouraging African Americans to vote, continuing to remain non-violent in the Civil Rights Movement and attempting to change the opinions of the Christian Church. Even with the Civil Rights Movement backing Dr. King, NC State never publicly endorsed him, nor was he greeted by any official person from the Mayor’s Office. Even more interesting, instead of being introduced by a NC State administrator to the audience, he was welcomed and introduced to the arena
by the President of Shaw University, according to Dr. Jason Miller. Dr. Jason Miller, the English department associate head and director of undergraduate studies, has done extensive research on King’s visits to North Carolina. He actually discovered King’s “I have a dream” speech was first delivered in Rocky Mount, NC in 1962. Unfortunately, “the coverage surrounding his visit was outshined by the simultaneous Ku Klux Klan rally stretching from Hillsborough Street to downtown Raleigh,” according to Miller. This was a deliberately timed rally of 1,200 people in white robes attempting to maliciously intimidate others from listening to Dr. King. Although this type of intimidation occurred in 1966, the same connections can be made to our society during Trump’s presidency. Universities across the country have witnessed a rise in hate crimes since the election of Trump. In the midst of peaceful protests, we have witnessed violent, hate-filled riots busting at the seams with white supremacy. We’ve watched the media attempt to dismantle credible social justice movements with fake news. Most importantly, we’ve had the privilege to stand next to our generation’s future freedom fighters, to listen to them and allow them to inspire us to also have the
courage to take a stand against injustices. As a university who didn’t admit its first black student until 1953, one can imagine what the campus climate was like for students of color just over a decade later. While reviewing articles from Technician, one quickly notices the absence of people of color and their narratives. It’s a reminder of why it was incredibly necessary for supreme court cases like Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 and laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to take place. In 1970, an anonymous NC State student organization published a pamphlet titled, “In A Black Perspective” in which former student Deborah Leonard said, “I encourage you to come to this university with an open mind and a determined spirit. I speak with all sincerity when I say, we need you.” I not only believe this to still ring true, but find it imperative to continue to uplift students of color on our campus. We have to make intentional connections and be a supportive network for each other in the face of adversity because we will continue to face it. It is only by doing this and inviting other students of color to our campus that we can actually help our university make a push for not just diversity but inclusivity and cultural competence.
Monday, january 22, 2018 | 5
Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration at NC State yesenia jones staff writer The month of January encompasses many holidays, however, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday is arguably one of the most important days to remember. In celebration of Dr. King’s birthday, NC State’s Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED) has planned various events to commemorate his life. In past years, NC state has hosted numerous high-profile speakers as a part of their annual Dr. King Commemoration events. Yolanda King, Dr. King’s daughter, delivered a speech in 2003 to a crowd of approximately 500 students. According to a historical timeline created by NCSU Libraries, her speech empowered students to stand up against human rights issues of the early 2000’s. To honor the legacy of Dr. King, NC State has continuously chosen commemoration themes that focused on social justice issues and student empowerment. The theme of this year’s calendar of events was entitled “The Power of Voice.” Following this theme, the events scheduled for the week contained empowering, human rights-centered content. The week began with a day of David tracey/Staff Photographer service held on January 15. Students The “I Am A Man” virtual reality exhibit, registered to volunteer at local on display at the African American Culhomeless shelters in partnership tural Center. The exhibit runs from Jan. with the United Way of the Greater 10 through Feb. 6, found on the 2nd Triangle. The events that followed floor of Witherspoon Student Center. included a speech from keynote speaker, Benjamin Jealous, a civil and human rights leader. Jealous’ speech was centered around the origins and consequences of racism in America. Events that discussed similar issues will follow later in the week. The African American Cultural Center hosted an interactive virtual reality exhibit: “I Am A Man.” The exhibit showcases the Memphis Sanitation Workers’ strike that was held after King’s assassination and will be on display until February 10. Universities in the surrounding area have also held their own versions of events to celebrate. Shaw University’s theme for this year was “Let Freedom Ring! Continuing the Dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Struggle for Freedom for future Generations.” The keynote speaker for Shaw Universities commemoration celebration is Dr. Eric Williams, a curator of religion at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Monday, january 22, 2018 | 6
opinion
Oprah for president 2020?
After her amazing speech at the 2018 Golden Globes on female empowerment in the film industry, many fans and viewers are urging talk show host, actress and philanthropist Oprah CaseyJohndon Winfrey to run for presCorrespondent ident in 2020. However, there are also those who oppose this sentiment. The internet was flooded with articles and social media posts rejecting the notion that she could be a great president. Many are claiming that her lack of political experience and status as a celebrity known for a daytime TV talk show make her a bad candidate for presidency. She hasn’t even confirmed she intends to throw her hat in the ring, yet people are still trying to take her down. Here are a few examples: Keith Smith, a Washington Post reader, wrote, “You don’t go from zero to 100 just because you are a celebrity. Work your way up. We are finished handing you the keys to the kingdom because you’re a bit famous. The vanity campaigns by the rich and famous have to end before they’re even allowed to start.” An opinion columnist for USA TODAY, Ellis Cose, wrote, “If we seriously believe that being a watchable TV personality sell-
ing fantasies qualifies one for the presidency, we might as well prepare ourselves now for the Kardashian presidential dynasty.” Here is why I think all of that is a bunch of nonsense: I can’t help but feel that a large portion of this belief is grounded in good old-fashioned racism, misogyny or just the general opposition to seeing a woman of color in a position of power. If Donald Trump can become president, Oprah can too. We all know Trump gained fame on the TV show “The Apprentice,” but other men who had positions in the government, like Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and President Richard Nixon, were also actors before taking office. The reason these celebrities win elections is because they use their already established platform to reach more people quickly. Politics is ultimately a popularity game. As we saw in the recent election, even the candidates with far more experience lost to the entertainment factor that Trump provided; media sources hopped on board the bandwagon to cover his latest Twitter beef while not taking his provocative statements and their ramifications seriously. If this is the way to win, Oprah might be the only one who can stand a chance against him. Help us Oprah, you’re our only hope. The phrase “fight fire with fire” comes to mind. If someone with experience being a senator
like Hillary Clinton can’t beat Trump in the polls, than maybe someone with the same celebrity status can. I also resent the notion that one has to be a lifelong politician in order to be taken seriously. I don’t think we should discount someone who wants to hold an office because he or she didn’t run for student body president in high school thirty or so years ago. The inherent drive to make the world a better place, something I would argue a lot of politicians nowadays don’t have, should be the first and foremost deciding factor. For example, Angela Merkel, the current chancellor of Germany and de facto leader of the Free World, was a scientist who studied quantum chemistry before delving into politics and I would argue that we need more politicians like her, people who are willing to do humane acts like accepting a million refugees from Middle Eastern countries despite the expected backlash. I want to know more about what Oprah would do if given an opportunity to make large scale changes before I write her off. I’m sure building a wall will not be high on her to do list. “But we have already had the experience of a TV star running for (and becoming!) president. And his lack of political knowledge, work ethic and experience in anything remotely akin to governmental issues may
bring us all down,” wrote Jess Vermont in the Washington Post. To be fair, all of us are just a little traumatized from the first year of Trump’s presidency, and it is true that any good citizen should be skeptical of a potential government official. But I think we can at least trust Oprah to have the decorum to not do overtly racist things like calling African countries “shitholes.” Or, you know, threatening foreign powers with nuclear war over Twitter. Of course, there other good candidates that have more political experience. But Trump could act as a catalyst that causes more politicians with good intentions to come out of the woodwork. Be skeptical, but don’t count the newcomers out just yet. I can only imagine the satisfaction that would come when we see her run and win against Trump who said, “I’ll beat Oprah. I don’t think she’s going to run.” Anyways, I officially endorse Oprah Winfrey as president with her running mate Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and look forward to her campaign.
For an extended version of this article visit TheNubianMessage.com
opinion
Remembering the true politics of dr. king As is often the case with many philosophically profound phenomena in our society, like the Old Testament or Ralph Waldo Emerson’s mid-19th century transcendentalist musings, Dr. Martin Luther King, aaron sanchez Jr. is sold off in packguerra aged, polished fragGuest Columnist ments in high-school senior quotes, mugs and t-shirts, and also in brief tweets and Facebook posts. The evidence lay in the sharing of fragments of his words, famous ones such as “The time is always right to do what is right” and “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” This is often done to undermine the struggle for civil rights and for the privileged to dictate the protest of the marginalized. It is done also to reduce his philosophies to the desire of different races simply getting along with one another. It is done to paint him as a pacifist, a soft, taciturn character who would prefer the status quo to civil unrest. Out of a moral lassitude, we desire the cognitive pleasure of social justice education to be delivered to us with instant gratification. We take the timeless philosophies of Dr. King and his valiant calls to a nation crying out for social justice and consume them in small, child-safe doses that will not give us indigestion or dizziness. I believe that students are gradually accepting the radical truths of Dr. King and not settling for a filtered, easy-to-digest version of his words. His words are arguably more relevant to youth and marginalized groups now than in recent history, since the civil rights and dignities of African Americans, Latinos and Afro-Latinos (among many others) have been caught in the crosshairs of the current president and of evil organizations awoken and abetted by his ideologies. It is because of this reality that students, of all political affiliations and identities, should be widely conscious of the whole,
not partial, claims of one of the greatest social justice activists and orators in the world. These claims must be heard by students and individuals from the most benign to the most extreme ends of the political spectrum so that those indifferent or adverse to Dr. King’s visions may recognize the truth and magnitude of them and embrace the duty of racial and social justice. It is on January 15 that we remember Dr. King loved peace, but only loved true peace. He acknowledged in his famous sermon “When Peace Becomes Obnoxious” that “if the Negro accept his place, accepts exploitation, and injustice, there will be peace. But it would be an obnoxious peace. It would be a peace that boiled down to stagnant complacity, deadening passivity and if peace means this, I don’t want peace.” True peace would not mean only the absence of tension, but the presence of justice. Dr. King said that the manifesting of unrest would surface the reality that tension had already been present in latent or subconscious ways. Although King was not an advocate for riots himself, he believed they were valid, as he famously quoted in his speech, “The Other America.” He claimed that riots were the language of the unheard, and that America “had failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity.” In a more than poetic manner, he indicted white people for prioritizing peace without tension — a negative peace — over tension that meant fighting for justice for black America, for a positive peace. It is on January 15 that we acknowledge Dr. King’s radical love, and spread it to as many people as we can, though it may not always be accepted, while we do the fieldwork of social justice. When we speak of Dr. King’s words, we must be aware that we are speaking of something radical, something that shines light on America’s darkness, on America’s failed promises. To truly honor his work, we will not disrespect him and use his words inaccurately, even for a second.
Monday, january 22, 2018 | 7
The only black king in their history books Replaced “black” with My legacy has been “diverse” whitewashed And pretended racism had My words bleached ended Scrubbed clean by hands In my name that have never known Condemned the Baltimore callouses riots Or what it’s like to work In my name for someone else’s living Created a “War of I am the only black king in Northern Aggression” their history books In my name Which makes me a Murdered 12 year old weapon children Contorted from a man into In my name the rifle that shot him Because my name is Placed in the same nothing but a name to alabaster hands and them gnarled Jim Crow fingers My legacy nothing but a that pulled the trigger legacy I was the least threatening But it had to be me black leader they could Because I’m the only find So they sewed my thread black King in their history books into their tattered tapestry Scribbled out the ugly -William Stewart, NC parts State, 2016
WKNC PRESENTS
DOUBLE BARREL
BENEFIT 15
FEBRUARY 2 & 3 KINGS @ 1 4 W MARTIN ST, RALEIGH FRIDAY WELL$
JOOSELORD MAGNUS DIASPOURA RGB
SATURDAY THE FUTURE KINGS OF NOWHERE
PIE FACE GIRLS THE MUSLIMS DRUGCHARGE