Volume 101, Issue 5 Sept 22, 2016
The Student Voice of Howard University Since 1924 @TheHilltopHU
CAMPUS The Mecca
Jumps 11 Spots in College Ranking (Pg. 2) CULTURE Howard Professor Recalls Memory of Makaveli (Pg. 7)
@TheHilltop1924
Anticipation: The Grand Opening of the Smithsonian NMAAHC
Courtesy Photo: Nation’s Classic
Nation’s Classic: Second S Year Defeat OTNHEIES PPHAOSTTOWS FROM Brittany Webb Sports Editor
EEK OUR EN IN @TH EHIL STAGRA D LTOP M 1924 :
On Saturday, the Howard Bison faced the Hampton Pirates in their season opener at the 2016 AT&T Nation’s Football Classic. With the battle of “The Real HU” at hand, the matchup was more than a game. Despite the preparation and practice, the Bison lost to the Pirates for the second year in a row. In the first quarter, the Bison appeared to have it together. They were making successful plays, but they struggled to get on the board. Hampton also struggled to get on the board. However, come second half, Howard was playing a new team. The Hampton Pirates returned from the locker room dominating on the field. Freshman defensive back Bruce Perry returned a partially blocked punt 27-yards for the Pirate’s first touchdown. The Pirates kept dominating the scoreboard, scoring 24 points in the third quarter— Howard still at zero. DEFEAT CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
The exterior of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington. The museum’s grand opening will be on Saturday, Sept. 24. (Photo Credit: Paul Holston, Editor-in-Chief)
Amber Broaden and Justin Cohen News Editor, News Staff Writer After the nation’s highly, anticipated wait for another prominent archive of African-American collection, the Smithsonian will finally open the African-American History and Culture Museum on Saturday, September 24, its 19th addition to the Institution. “People are calling me from Japan, Nova Scotia, France, [etc.] who are planning to come to the opening,” said Dr. Frank Smith, director of the African-American Civil War Museum, during the press conference for the grand opening of NMAAHC. “This is a great opportunity for the Smithsonian and the city to bring people together to see this landmark,” he said. The NMAAHC is the only museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African-American history, life and culture. The opening of the museum will also showcase seven new exhibitions in the National Museum of American History. “I am excited to see the intersection of history and culture of the Black experience because it is full of robust art that
makes me feel connected to my childhood,” said Michelle Sanders, junior social policy and African American studies major at Northwestern University. “I do not want to see a linear representation of Blackness.” There are many museums around the United States that express Black life and culture, such as the Dusable Museum of African American History in Chicago, The Moorland-Spingarn at Howard University and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York, New York. But the founding director had a different perspective for the image of NMAAHC. Founding Director Lonnie G. Bunch III identifies the museum’s mission as inspiring “a broader understanding of African American history and culture in a national and international context.” The museum did not own a single artifact when Bunch began, so he instituted a program called “Saving African NMAAHC CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
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SEE THE REST OF THIS WEEK’S STORIES ONLINE AT THEHILLTOPONLINE.COM
CAMPUS
Howard Jumps Up in U.S. News & World Report Best College Ranking
sell the spectrum of and the Common Data life, annual expenses, largest freshmen class WHUT, the nation’s Set (CDS). Accordfinancial aid, instrucit had seen in years. only Black-owned The U.S. News and ing to the U.S. News tional faculty, student to President Frederick public broadcasting World Report released & World Report, “The faculty ratio and deadmits to this by stat- station, for hundreds its new 2016-2017 CDS is a set of stangrees conferred are all ing, “In the fall of of millions of dollars college rankings and dards and definitions used as benchmarks. 2016, Howard admitin order to revitalize Howard University was for higher education ted a smaller class parts of the university, placed in the 124th data that are collected Although the U.S. News despite the fact that Howard’s decision to spot. Its standing presby publishers and used & World Report disthe university had a 21 sell Meridian Hill Hall ents an 11-position in higher edupercent increase for a 99-year lease and improvement from last cation research. in applications. $22 million dollars year and 21-position It has been a This decision was upfront, an increase in jump over the past two collaborative made so that we operating debt, rounds years. effort between could increase of staff cuts along with publishers aid to our needi- credit downgrades “We are very pleased and higher est students.” have weakened its to see progress in the education offinancial stability. improvement of our ficials that has According to ranking status,” said improved the President Freder- The improvement in Howard President quality and acick, however, the rankings signifies the Wayne A.I. Frederick. curacy of inranking remains hard work done by “However, we realize formation that a good sign. faculty, staff and stuthat Howard Univercolleges provide Courtesy Photo: Howard University dents over the past two sity is often faced with and that is made avail- plays Howard’s 21-point “Howard remains years, yet Howard’s specific challenges beable to consumers.” progression over the last committed to academ- score indicates there cause of our mission.” three years, the univer- ic rigor and providing may be still standards Retention and gradusity still faces its fair an enhanced academic that need to be imThe methodology beation rates, demoshare of obstacles. environment,” he said. proved upon in order hind national universigraphics, freshmen to find a path to finanties’ rankings are based admission, admission Just last year, Howard Howard’s financial cial turnaround. upon an annual U.S. requirements, transfer overextended itself by state can contribute News statistical survey credit policies, campus admitting one of the to this. The potential
Jacinth Jones Campus Staff Writer
THE HILLTOP EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The Hilltop Editorial Office 2401 4th Street NW, 68B Washington, D.C. 20059 Paul Holston
(202) 806-4749
BUSINESS MANAGER
Almani Jackson
MANAGING EDITOR Rushawn Walters ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER Nadaysia Brooks COPY CHIEF Sylvester Johnson III ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVE Akiah Singfield ASSISTANT COPY CHIEF Devin Barnwell Zora Neale Hurston (1891CAMPUS EDITOR Maya King EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: eic@thehilltoponline.com 1960), co-founder of The NEWS EDITOR Amber Broaden MANAGING: managing1@thehilltoponline.com Hilltop Newspaper, is considCULTURE EDITOR Xavier Handy-Hamilton HIRING: hiring@thehilltoponline.com ered one of the pre-eminent SPORTS EDITOR Brittany Webb BUSINESS: business@thehilltoponline.com writers of twentieth-century PHOTO EDITOR Crystal Smith African-American literature.
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Pursue your passions. Starting today. From day one, you will make a difference at A.T. Kearney. We promise immediate impact and growing advantage to our clients—and that same promise rings true for our people. You will work with peers to help our clients solve their most mission-critical issues, as you expand your capabilities and pursue your passions. The rich, diverse backgrounds of our consultants have a direct impact on what our teams accomplish with our clients every day—a dynamic that has defined our culture for nearly 90 years. Together, we drive meaningful results while growing lasting, transformational advantages. For more information, please contact your A.T. Kearney school manager, Brittany Hayes at brittany.hayes@atkearney.com.
www.atkearney.com/careers
Career Fair Tuesday, 27 September and Wednesday, 28 September, Blackburn University Center Corporate Presentation Monday, 3 October, 4:00 p.m., School of Business, Room 322 Case Interview Workshop Friday, 7 October, 9 a.m.– 12:00 p.m., School of Business, Room 300A
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***STAY TUNED FOR NEXT WEEK’S ISSUE AS THE HILLTOP REVIEWS AND ANALYZES HUSA’S ENTIRE 100-DAY REPORT***
100-Day Report: Highlights By 56HUSA Move-In Assignment: HUSA worked with Residence Life to streamline the fall move-in process. For the first time ever, students received their exact housing assignments and roommate information weeks before arrival. We believe this helped cut down on move in chaos and we will continue to work with ResLife to improve this process for next year. Visitation: HUSA successfully lobbied the administration to implement a more liberal, 24-hour visitation policy for upperclassmen. We were able to deliver on a revised policy that also expands hours for first year students. TurboVote: HUSA have brought Turbo Vote to Howard University! Now students will be able to register to vote and request absentee ballots in all voting districts with a cell phone or laptop! Wireless Printers: HUSA worked with ETS to bring wireless printers to every residence hall. Students will now be able to print from their cell phones or laptops without going to the iLab. Epson Boards: Over the summer, ETS installed 90 BrightLink boards in classrooms around campus. This is just another step in the right direction, moving Howard’s classrooms into the 21st century. Senate Confirmation: Immediately upon taking office, HUSA President released an executive order requiring that all paid and appointed student leaders be confirmed by the Senate. It is our hope that this process cuts down on cronyism in student government. Freedom of Information Act: We took unprecedented action to bring transparency to student government. We sent a bill to the Senate that requires that information on budgets, salaries, and official actions of government officials be public. We are proud that FOIA passed unanimously and hope that it will dismantle the culture of secrecy in HUSA. HUSA Helps: HUSA launched a program called HUSA Helps where students can bring their A-building troubles to us and we will act on their behalf. So far, we’ve resolved more than 30 cases with 80% resulting in a positive outcome. Reactivating College Republicans: We are committed to political engagement at Howard University and worked to reactivate the College Republicans, an important step during the 2016 presidential election season.
NMAAHC CONTINUED FROM COVER
Courtesy Photo: NMAAHC
American Treasures”, a take on the PBS favorite “Antiques Roadshow.” Now, the museum stands tall with 85,000 square feet of exhibition space, nearly 3,000 objects, 12 exhibitions, 13 different interactives with 17 stations and 183 videos housed on five floors.
that will enable visitors and participants to meet with conservation specialists and historians. “It’s gives the African-American community a sense of culture, community, and liberation again,” said senior psychology major Iyahna Smith. “I think it is essential that we have an attraction like this to bring our friends, families and organizations to.” As the opening day approaches, D.C.’s hosting committee is interested in sharing their festivities and even partnering with organizations who are celebrating the opening of the museum as well.
“Opportunities to expose Africans and Black people to their experience in America is a great opportunity to enhance identification and preserve historical understanding through cultural representations and values.” said Dr. Mario Beatty, an Africana Studies professor at Howard University.
“History has been written for us for a long time, so this is a great opportunity for Black people, and other organizations to explain it the right way,” said Rahman Branch, executive director of the D.C. Mayor’s Office of African-American Affairs. “This museum is commencement, the start of something great, to do something better.”
Bunch has also established the program called “Save Our African American Treasures” which will feature day long workshops
With other museums on the mall, such as The National Museum of the American Indian, and the Holocaust Museum,
DEFEAT CONTINUED FROM COVER Throughout the game, both teams struggled with holding and receiving penalties. Hampton was the only team to recover. “We have to eliminate those holding calls,” Bison head coach Gary Harrell said during the postgame news conference. “They had holding too, but they had good plays. We didn’t have those good plays.” Howard struggled to run the ball
effectively. The bad outweighed the good for the Bison in this year’s game. To keep the game from being a wipeout, Howard running back Anthony Philyaw scored a touchdown for the Bison in the last quarter of the game. The Pirates defeated the Bison 34-7. “We have to really watch this film and see what player is not giving maximum effort,” Harrell said. “I can accept losing, but not the way we [just] lost.”
In hopes of improving throughout the season and not seeing losses the way they did on Saturday, Harrell hopes to add new talent to the team from the quarterback to other positions. “We have to find guys that can help us win ball games,” Harrell said. Starting their season 0-1 at home and 0-3 overall, the Bison will face the Morgan State Bears (0-2, 0-0) on Saturday at Hughes Stadium in Baltimore.
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TELL US AND
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both representing their unique experiences, the inclusion of an African-American History and Cultural museum seemed long overdue. ”The NMAAHC has been an idea whose time has now come,” said Beatty. “Museums represent a relationship between the people’s identity and their memory.” NMAAHC was established by Act of Congress in 2003, and has then led to more efforts to promote contributions of AfricanAmericans in realms of resiliency, optimism, and spirituality. Unlike the Holocaust Museum and The National Museum of the American Indian, two museums that show an unapologetic look of the history of suffering those two ethnic groups endured, the NMAAHC is taking a more muted approach. Reports from The New Yorker claim that the artifacts alone will not be able to speak for themselves, but the meaning of the museum will be based on interpretation. Meaning that the museum represents memory and how objects are linked in time and space.
“This is not a Black museum. This is a museum that uses one culture to understand what it means to be an American,” said Bunch, “This is, in some ways, the quintessential American story. This is our story.” This raises the question if Black culture identifies with being American. As the museum seeks to quantify the African experience in America, it will compartmentalize the image at which one sees Black history and its variations of culture. “This museum will demonstrate the African experience in America, but the experience is not just ‘from slavery to freedom’,” said Beatty. “African people did not come to this shore of America as empty vessels, we came with our own humanity, spiritual cosmologies, beliefs.” Under Bunch’s leadership, the NMAAHC released its most recent exhibit “Through the African American Lens: Selections from the Permanent Collection,” on May 8th. This exhibit provides insight into the personal lives of those of African descent living in America. This is just one example of
how the museum is built on contributions of those whose lives it intends to put on display, further adding to the museum’s mission of cultural enlightenment. “What the African experience really reveals is the mirror to America. It’s the mirror of not what you say you are, but what you really are,” said Beatty. “This country doesn’t like to deal with who it really is. And to deal with the African experience in this country is to deal with the reality, not the rhetoric.” This public institution will be having its grand opening September 24, with President Barack Obama ringing the bell in honor of the opening of the NMAAHC. The museum anticipates at least 100,000 attendees. The NMAAHC will hold many items and treasures that will be of great exposure to its attendees, and will be a thoroughly depict the transition of African identity on American landscape. For more information on the opening of the museum, please visit: https://nmaahc.si.edu/visit/ opening.
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Awareness
CULT
profess a religious focus, but have potentially dangerous practices and influence. These groups and individuals will often target students, especially new students, Some groups on university campuses
because they are in an unfamiliar environment away from their established friends and family.
These groups are often identified as cult or “high pressure groups” and they operate without recognition or approval from Howard University nor the Office of the Dean of the Chapel. They: - Are often dishonest about their true identity - Aggressively recruit and sometimes harass and agenda. students.
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SOME THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR:
Leader claims divinity or a special relationship with God. Leader desires members to be faithful to him or her. Encourage members to separate from family and friends, especially if they do not share the group’s beliefs. Ask potential members to confess/tell all past sins/mistakes to members of the group.
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Seek to have total control over members’ lives. Want influence in every decision members make. Want members to keep things about the group secret. Desire to diminish members’ sense of self. Exploit members’ finances. Want members to be a part of this group and no/few other groups.
What’s the Harm?
Loss of free will and/or control over your choices. - Loss of long-term friendships and relationships. - Loss of independence and planning for your future.
What Should You Do?
- Only visit Bible Studies, Prayer Groups, and Spiritual Discussions on the APPROVED LIST from the Office of the Dean of the Chapel. (Our goal is to protect you & support your spiritual journey). - If you believe you have seen a group that may be a cult, have a friend being recruited by one, or have been recruited or harassed yourself, contact the Office of the Dean of the Chapel
immediately at 202-806-7280 or chapel@howard.edu.
You have the power to keep our campus safe!
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CULTURE Meeting Tupac Shakur: A Moment With a Flash of Our Spirit Dr. Greg Carr Special To The Hilltop An old photo circulating on social media has prompted my students to ask about the time, in the summer of 1993, that I spent a few hours with Tupac Shakur. We spoke as part of a panel conversation with Black teenagers at a session on education at the 23rd annual Indiana Black Expo. My dear friend (now Howard faculty colleague) Valethia Watkins, Brian Muata Harris, Dr. Khalid Abdul Muhammad, Tupac and I talked with them about self-knowledge and our collective responsibility to use it for community empowerment and transformation. Tupac channeled the content and energy in the room to connect that young audience to strategies for overcoming the often-harsh realities of Black life in America. He was growing before our eyes, surrounded in part by an entourage of elders from his mother Afeni’s generation who were clearly trying to partially shield him from the worst effects of popular culture forces that he fought to both appropriate and repurpose until the end of his life, 38 short months later. Tupac’s role the previous year as “Bishop” in “Juice,” the major motion picture and directorial debut by Spike Lee’s long-time collaborator and Howard alum Ernest Dickerson, had turbo-charged his rapid shift from rapper/celebrity to pop culture icon. I am still of the belief that the film played a major and unintended part in crafting America’s image of Tupac, fundamentally altering and in some ways narrowing the way he was
into the conversation. He was remarkably focused and engaged as we began to chart our collective trajectory. As we all talked and decided the order of presentation, a conspiratorial enthusiasm in our small circle took off: We made a pact to spit fire. We agreed that Tupac should go last, and that he should “take the crowd home” with a powerful summary.
There is a full video recording of that day, although a snippet of only Tupac’s remarks have made it to social media and to the documentary “Tupac: Resurrection.” We laughed afterwards that Pictured Above: Dr. Greg Carr, left, currently the chair of Howard University’s Department of Afro-American each of us had upped the Studies, Dr. Khalid Muhammad, middle, and rapper Tupac Shakur, right, during an Indiana Black Expo in energy ante and set him up 1993. 2016 marked the 20-year anniversary of Shakur’s death. One of the most iconic faces and lyricists in hip hop, rapper Shakur died on Sept. 13, 1996, of gunshot wounds in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Courtesy photo) to have to top our intensity. He agreed, laughingly, and engaged by individuals and workers and founding leadBlack Expo two years earlier. we talked with him and his institutions for the rest of his ers of the National Coalition In his absence, we discussed elders about all the conneclife. of Blacks for Reparations how to integrate Tupac into tions we shared in common. in America (N’COBRA), our plans. In that small group were Only four months before had mastered using IBE as members of most of the ma“Juice’s” release in January a place where annual interThe next day, as we arrived at jor Black Nationalist forma1992, Tupac’s debut solo generational meetings of the Indianapolis Convention tions of the previous thirty album, “2Pacalypse Now,” African community workers Center for our panel, hunyears. I have often remarked a mix of social critique and took place. They hosted a dreds in the young audience since that Tupac had some sensationalistic riffs in the screening earlier in the week were already in place, crackof the best women and men vein of Hip Hop’s newlyof the remarkable and newling with anticipatory elecof the Black Power era as ascendant “gangsta pose,” ly-released film “Sankofa,” tricity. We had barely arrived his advisors, but America had produced two signature followed by a talk and dinner when Tupac entered the refused to stop until they tracks, “Trapped,” and a song with its director, the legend- room from a side entrance had robbed him of his time that will echo in the oriki of ary filmmaker and Howard near the stage, a smallish figand place to grow into his African America for many University professor Haile ure, dwarfed and surrounded birthright. generations, the haunting Gerima. It was my first time by a small group of elders. “Brenda Got a Baby.” The meeting Gerima, now my The audience exploded with Twenty-three years later, so latter song had endeared him long-time brother and colcheers, shrieks and flashes many of the points Tupac to a nation of young Afrileague. A master teacher, from disposable cameras. raised echo in today’s young cans, as would later anthems he had trained Dickerson, He grinned his trademark movement leaders and like “Keep Your Head Up,” Bradford Young and many mega-watt smile, mounted artists. A new generation “Dear Mama” and “Changother Black filmmakers at the stage and embraced each calls out. And I remember es.” Howard. of us warmly. We retreated previous moments of selfto a space behind the stage awareness, proto-revolutionWe had planned to sit with Tupac had a last-minute curtain where we reviewed ary desire, and a man with a Tupac a day earlier at the change of plans: He was tak- what each of us would boyish enthusiasm and the request of Marshariki Jwanen that day to visit his friend discuss and how it would fit heart of a warrior, only a few zaa, who organized the panel Mike Tyson, who was servtogether. Tupac’s smile was years younger than I was at for IBE on behalf of the ing a prison term in Indiana gone, replaced with a deeply the time, whose body is gone Indianapolis Public Schools. after a rape conviction for engaged demeanor. As we but whose spirit, like that of Marshariki and her husband an incident that happened, talked, I remember thinkall his and all of our ancesKamau, long-time cultural ironically, at the Indiana ing how comfortably he fell tors, endures.
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