The Student Voice of Howard University Since 1924 Volume 101, Issue 19
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Washington, D.C.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPECIAL ISSUE
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The Hilltop Editorial Office 2401 4th Street NW, 68B, Washington, D.C. 20059 (202) 806-4749
Paul Holston Editor-in-Chief
Pan-African Flag Information Courtesy of: www.theunia-acl.com
The Pan-African flag, also referred to as the UNIA flag, Afroflag or Black Liberation Almani Jackson American Flag, is a tri-color flag consisting Business Manager of three equal horizontal bands business@thehilltoponline.com colored red, black and green. The Universal Negro Improvement and African ComRushawn Walters Association munities League (UNIA) formally Managing Editor adopted it on August 13, 1920 in managing1@thehilltoponline.com Article 39 of the Declaration of Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World,ring its month-long conAkiah Singfield vention held at Madison Square Sales Manager Garden in New York City, United adsales1@thehilltoponline.com States. Variations of the flag can and have been used in various and territories in Africa Sylvester Johnson countries and the Americas to represent III Pan-Africanist ideology. Various Pan-African organizations and Copy Chief movements also often employ the flag’s colours for their activities.
Devin Barnwell Victoria Jones Copy Editor
Jason Ajiake News Editor
Gabrielle Oliver Culture Editor
Brittany Webb Sports Editor
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eic@thehilltoponline.com
Assistant Copy Chief
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The three Pan-African colors on the flag represent: RED: The blood that unites all people of Black African ancestry, and shed for liberation; BLACK: black people whose existence as a nation, though not
a nation-state, is affirmed by the existence of the flag; and GREEN: the abundant natural wealth of Africa. History The flag was created in 1920 by the members of the UNIA in response to the enormously popular 1900 coon song “Every Race Has a Flag but the Coon,” which has been cited as one of the three coon songs that “firmly established the term coon in the American vocabulary”. A 1921 report appearing in the Africa Times and Orient Review, for which Marcus Garvey previously worked, quoted him regarding the importance of the flag: Show me the race or the nation without a flag, and I will show you a race of people without any pride. Aye! In song and mimicry they have said, “Every race has a flag but the coon.” How true! Aye! But that was said of us four years ago. They can’t say it now.... Alternatively, it has been explained by journalist Charles Mowbray White that Garvey proposed the
HISTORY colours for the following reasons: “Garvey said red because of sympathy for the ‘Reds of the world’, and the Green their sympathy for the Irish in their fight for freedom, and the Black- [for] the Negro.” The flag later became an African nationalist symbol for the worldwide liberation of people of African origin. As an emblem of Black pride, the flag became popular during the Black Liberation movement of the 1960s. In 1971, the school board of Newark, New Jersey, passed a resolution permitting the flag to be raised in public school classrooms. Four of the board’s nine members were not present at the time, and the resolution was introduced by the board’s teen member, a mayoral appointee. Fierce controversy ensued, including a court order that the board show cause why they should not be forced to rescind the resolution, and at least two state legislative proposals to ban ethnic or national flags in public classrooms other than the official U.S. flag.
In the United States, the flag is presently widely available through flag shops or ethnic specialty stores. It is commonly seen at parades commemorating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, civil rights rallies, and other special events. Alternative Names The flag goes by several other names with varying degrees of popularity: -The UNIA flag, after its originators; -The Marcus Garvey flag; -The Universal African flag; -The International African flag; the Black Liberation flag; -The Pan-African flag; -The Black Nationalist, African Nationalist, or the New Afrikan Liberation flag. Although other designs are also considered to be International African flags or Pan-African flags, the horizontal stripes of red, black, and green, originated by the UNIA in 1920, is the design most often referenced.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
A student activism group Dawn Richard “Concerned Students, 1867” Layout Editor surfaced on Sunday, Feb. 12, and released a list of demands to Howard University and Howard President Wayne A.I. Frederick. The group was announced through Twitter after the recent, surprise visit of U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos on Thurs., Feb. 9. Stay updated on the latest Zora Neale Hurston (1891developments at The Hill1960), co-founder of The top’s official website: www. Hilltop Newspaper, is thehilltoponline.com and considered one of the social media: preeminent writers of @TheHilltopHU (Facebook/ 20th century AfricanAmerican literature. Twitter).
(Photo Credit: Twitter @HUResist)
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CAMPUS
(Photo Credit: Last Bison Standing, Instagram: @LastBisonStanding)
PROFILE — STILL STANDING: ‘Last Bison Standing’ Becomes Howard’s Signature Apparel By Paul Holston Editor-in-Chief
“Established For Bison By Bison.”
Since its founding in
2014, ‘Last Bison Standing, Inc.,’ a 501c3 tax exempt non-profit organization, has become a brand that Howard University students, alumni, the local community and celebrities have grown to love. From it’s signature crewnecks, hoodies, and t-shirts to its unique collections such as the exclusive “Marcus Garvey Collection,” bodysuits and varsity throwback jackets, there’s no question that
‘Last Bison Standing’ is still standing three years after it’s creation. Howard alumnus (c/o 2012) King Griffin, founder of Last Bison Standing, says that the company has always been for the people first. “I wanted to create a platform that would connect all of the generations. We do that by selling clothes,” said Griffin, a Cincinnati, Ohio native. “The success is passing the money we receive forward and to give it right back to the Howard community.” Griffin expressed that the idea of Last Bison Standing came from its origin of an event entitled “Last Bison Standing,”
sponsored by the Aaron Bonner Foundation that held in 2010. Originally every year, Howard University partnered with the American Cancer Society to host an event called “Relay For Life.” “It [Last Bison Standing] was an event where people stayed up all night. Originally, it was an event for whoever could stay up the whole night…whoever was the ‘Last Bison Standing’, essentially.” The event helped raised funds to aid cancer patients, cancer survivors and care givers. Soon after, after trying to brainstorm on new, innovative ways to raise money, the idea
of Howard Apparel came up. Fast forward to 2014, the non-profit organization has raised money through selling licensed Howard Apparel. “The funds help pay and assist for a lot of things…such as paying for students’ cap and gowns, helping pay for students to go to Ghana for Young AfricanA Leadership Initiative (YAALI) every year at no cost to them and scholarships,” said Griffin. “It’s the idea of somewhat of a booster club, but much more organic.” The inspiration that Griffin sought after to create Last Bison Standing was molded out of the
Aaron Bonner Foundation, a foundation he also created soon after his close friend, Aaron Bonner, who was a Howard University student who lost his battle to cancer in 2008. “Bonner was a Campus Pal, HUSA Volunteer, a member of Alpha Phi Omega. I launched the foundation in 2010 in his honor,” said Griffin. When Griffin noticed that Howard University’s bookstore was being sold in 2014, he felt that the bookstore being sold took a part of Howard’s culture. “When that happened, I wanted to create a platform that would connect NEXT PAGE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 all of the generations,” said Griffin. “We do that with Last Bison Standing.” Griffin expressed the biggest challenge into making Last Bison Standing what it is now was licensing issues. “When we first started, like many of the hustlers or people pushing merchandising, we didn’t have a license. So, we were selling without paying royalties. Now, every product that is purchased, Howard receives [12 percent] royalties with each product sold,” said Griffin. “So, not only are we supporting our alumni and undergraduate, but we are also supporting the institution directly.” Although having challenges for the first couple of years, Last Bison Standing has become a notable success. On Instagram, the organization currently has almost 18,000 followers, ranging from current students, alumni, faculty, staff, and supporters near and far. Griffin expressed that while the organization has been on on-going success, he remains focused that all
of the work is for the next generation. “The key to success is the youth,” said Griffin. “I’m doing this for the next generation...I want somebody to be inspired like I was inspired.” Looking at the future, Griffin hopes that he can expand the organization across HBCUs nationwide, as well as hoping to purchase an open space to where he is able to create pop-up shops and allow the space to be a venue for Howard alumni and undergraduates to use. “At the end of the day, there are other ways to give back to Howard through philanthropy,” said Griffin. “When you do it for the people, it’s always about the people and the people supporting.” For more information on Last Bison Standing, visit www.lastbisonstanding.com, as well as their social media at @LastBisonStanding on Instagram and Facebook. **EXCLUSIVE: USE CODE “HilltopHigh’ ON www.lastbisonstanding.com
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Dear President Wayne Frederick, Howard University is the leading institution of higher education for the African Diaspora. In line with the University's mission to "provide an educational experience of exceptional quality," there has always been a tradition of scholarly excellence with regard to the experience of its inhabitants. As one of the first places where students can engage the history & culture of the African Diaspora, Howard's legacy is enveloped in her commitment "to the discovery of solutions to the human problems in the U.S. and throughout the world." And the opening of an Africana Studies Ph.D. program, under this administration, would be the perfect way to honor that commitment. As engaged students who are invested in continuing the tradition, we watched the webcast on October 11th, as it was a great sign for the President to be so accessible to and transparent with the Howard community. Furthermore, we were elated to hear your positive response in reference to the potential Ph.D. program. Demands for such an endeavor precede the founding of our present undergraduate Afro-American Studies department in 1968. And pushes a Ph.D. program specifically can be traced back to the 1980s. We are here to extend that discourse. It has long been our dream to continue our education at the Mecca. Under the guidance of Dr. Greg Kimathi Carr, Africana Studies positively impacts & provides a myriad of opportunities to the campus-community. Every Spring Break, Dr. Mario Beatty encouraged and preps students to present their research at ASCAC (Association for the Study of Classical African Civilization (ASCAC)’s annual conference. Those are just the opportunities in the states. Our department’s faculty and YAALI (Young AfricanA Leadership Initiative) ,advised by Dr. Amy Yeboah, coordinate trips abroad to Egypt, Ghana, Haiti & South Africa. Dr. Valethia Watkins’ role as Director of the Women’s Studies program is another contribution to HU Africana’s diverse offerings. As the first HBCU with a Ph.D program, The Mecca would have the opportunity to uniquely frame the discipline. We have the only Afro-American/Africana Studies department that with five professors who hold Ph.D’s in the discipline. Our professors have additional experience in the fields of Caribbean Studies, Egyptology, & Law. An Africana Studies Ph. D program at the Howard University would not only be an insurgent space for the production of knowledge about African people on our own terms, but also an interdisciplinary search for global solutions to human problems. We hope to hear from you soon. Sincerely, African Student Association Gates Millennium Scholars, HU Chapter Limitless COAS Council Nsaa Drum & Dance Ensemble YAALI
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Beta Chapter Kwame Ture Society NAACP, Howard Chapter Ubiquity Inc.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN CHAPEL? Want to invite the Howard Community to your next event or program? All colleges, schools, organizations, alumni, and community groups are welcome to have a “Call to Chapel.” All “Calls to Chapel” must be submitted no later than 10:00 A.M. Monday morning to be included in the Chapel service.
Over 400 students attend the first Participants Meeting for Alternative Spring Break this past Sunday!
Email: Chapel@howard.edu
Interested in Alternative Spring Break? For information on all things ASB, visit: http://www.huasb.com
Join us this Sunday for Chapel Service ! Cramton Auditorium – 11:00 A.M.
Deeper in Faith – Wider in Community!
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NEWS EyE on Africa 2 3 4
By Sophia Hussein Contributing Writer
EAST AFRICA
1
SOMALIA
On Wednesday, February 8, members of Somalia’s parliament and Senate casted their votes in the country’s first ‘one-person-one vote’ election since 1969. Ex-Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi “Farmajo,” who holds dual Somali-United States citizenship, was the favorite to beat the incumbent Hassan Sheikh Mohamed, who many believed to have participated in vote buying. Newly sworn-in President Farmajo declared the election “the beginning of the ear of unity, the democracy of Somalia and the beginning of the fight against corruption.” Thousands of Somalis poured into the streets of capital city Mogadishu to celebrate the election results. Many Somalis are hopeful that this will bring stability to the nation recovering from decades of civil unrest.
Over 11 million people in the East African nations of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia are at risk of facing severe hunger according to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The drought is believed to be brought on by last year’s El Nino weather system. The harsh drought has led to an unprecedented need for humanitarian aid. Gareth Owen, humanitarian director of Save the Children believes the situation resembles the 2011 drought that killed nearly 260,000 people in Somalia. Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta has declared the drought a national disaster, there the Kenyan Red Cross says over 2 million people could face starvation and are in urgent need of help. Aid workers are struggling to provide for relief to all those at risk, as resources are needed in the neighboring nations of Yemen and South Sudan as both countries are facing devastating civil wars.
TANZANIA
Tanzanian Defense Minister Hussein Mwinyi has announced that the government would begin to seek compensation from the German government for the atrocities that took place during Germany’s colonial rule. Then known as Tanganyika, the region was under German control from 1891 to 1919. Mwinyi said the government would seek compensation for the tens of thousands of soldiers allegedly starved, tortured or killed by German soldiers during rebellions between 1905 and 1907. In January, the German government had announced that it would compensate the former colony of Namibia financially for the killings of 65,000 people. The former British colony of Kenya also received approximately $21.5 million for the 5,200 Kenyans who had been tortured by British forces during the revolutions of the 1950s and 1960s. The German government has not made any official statement in response to the comments made by Minister Mwinyi.
SOUTH AFRICA
Chaos erupted as South Africa’s National Assembly convened in the capital city of Cape Town last Thursday, February 9, as President Jacob Zuma was scheduled to deliver his state of the nation address to parliament. Opposition parties such as the Economic Freedom Fighters accused President Jacob Zuma of corruption calling him a “scoundrel” as protests broke out outside on the streets calling for Zuma’s resignation. Lawmakers from the nation’s largest opposition group, the Democratic Alliance walked out of the chamber in protest, refusing to listen to Zuma’s address. The events inside of Parliament were also broadcast on national television. Zuma, who has been in office since 2009, has been found guilty of using government funds to upgrade his own private home and has been accused of making business deals that will benefit him financially. Opponents of Zuma opposed his deployment of military forces and riot police in response to the protests calling it a “war on civilians.”
Experiencing Culture: Howard Students, Professors Make Excursion Trip to Cuba By Kayla Irby Contributing Writer
H
oward Professor Edilberto Galvan organized a trip to Havana, Cuba for his Spanish News Media class in Winter 2016. The trip was organized so students could complete their final project by conducting reports. The staff and students described the experience as being an eye-opener as well as being extremely impactful on their views about Cuba. Alongside Galvan, Cathy Hughes School of Communications’ professors Dr. Frederick Kendrick and Prof. Yanick Rice-Lamb joined the trip. “What impacted me about this trip was that the students were able to learn to engage with Cubans in their language and
had a lot of questions. They were able to engage in a language they were not masters in,” Galvan said. During the trip, Galvan was impressed by the way Cubans lived their everyday lives despite their economic situation. “The level of comfort with their own economic situation is what stuck out. They haven’t seen any better,” Galvan said. “They’re very comfortable and humble with how they live.” Kendrick expressed that the Cubans are incredibly informed about the world and incredibly educated on United States policies and politics. “You will get eaten alive in Cuba when it comes to going there with the wrong impression and the wrong thought process. Cubans have a 99 percent plus
literacy rate, and there’s only 5 percent internet penetration in the country. So if you’re not looking at the internet, than you’re reading books, newspapers, and magazines, ” Kendrick said. “They have universal free education, so most of the island goes to school and takes advantage of that. So you have an incredibly large amount of people with master’s degrees and doctorates walking around. So you have this triumphant – if you will – of highly educated people, with no distraction of the internet.” Lamb spoke about how it was a good experience to witness Cuba with her own eyes. “I think growing up in the U.S. you hear so many different stories and misperceptions. It was just entirely different than I expected; I kind of didn’t know
what to expect and I tried to go in with open eyes. We ran into a lot of African-Americans who were there from different parts of the country too, and they were really excited to see Howard students there,” Lamb said. “My favorite part of this trip was meeting the people that lived there. They were happy we were there and encouraging us to come back. Also, learning more about the culture and history, and seeing some of the unique qualities of Cuba.” Lamb said. Monesha Woods, a senior broadcast journalism major from Queens, New York, says she had numerous amazing experiences in Cuba. “Just walking around the city and seeing Cubans in their natural element as well as doing things their way was my favorite
part of it all. I was able to really immerse myself in their culture and understand them beyond what the media feeds the world about their culture,” Woods said. “Going to Cuba made me appreciate the fact that I’m a citizen of the U.S. do much more. While there are many things wrong in this country, we are privileged to be able to simple things like access the internet and move freely without having to request government permission,” Woods said. Woods expressed that with the aesthetically and culturally, rich country of Cuba, she looks forward to coming back in the future. Woods said, “It was definitely an experience I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017
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Students of The Mecca React to U.S. Secretary of Education Campus Visit
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Seize The Time: Let’s Organize By Jason Ajiake News Editor Since the election of President Donald Trump, protests have been at an all time high. Millions of people who had been politically inactive all their lives are now finding themselves willing to march for hours, occupy intersections, face excessive force from law enforcement, and more. While the sudden burst of political fervor is quite an extraordinary phenomenon, mobilizing must also transition into organizing if the energy is to be sustained.
(Photo Credit: Justin Knight, Howard’s Office of University Communications)
By Kaylin Young Contributing Writer
Howard marks new U.S. Secretary of Education’s first official university visit
As Howard University comes
closer to its sesquicentennial year, students can expect a myriad of events, visitors and surprises in light of the milestone celebration. However, the first surprise of the season was a visit from newlyappointed United States Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. DeVos stopped by Howard University Thursday, Feb. 9, to speak with Howard President Wayne A.I. Frederick and a few student representatives on her first official college visit since being confirmed. When the news broke on social media, the Howard University community was surprised and confused as they saw a picture of a smiling DeVos and Frederick together in the same room. One person who was not surprised by the visit, but is determined to put the pressure on Frederick to stand up for his students is Howard University Student Association Executive President Allyson Carpenter. “Howard University is the Mecca. If there’s any school to come to first, it should be The Mecca. However, if her visit did not include our university president putting the pressure on her to do right by HBCUs and for Black education, then this trip was nothing more than a photo op,” said
Carpenter. Sophomore political science major Taylor Rainey was also among the confused students. Rainey, who has worked in politics since high school, interning for state representatives in California and Washington, D.C. as well as Model NATO, has a few questions towards the surprise visit. “First of all, I want to know why she was here. Seeing her with our president made me think ‘who is our president?’ I don’t know President Frederick personally, but this is a bad image as he represents the student body,” she said. When reflecting on the nature of her university, Rainey had even more concern. “I think considering the atmosphere of our campus and the state of DeVos’ confirmation, President Frederick should have made the visit open to the campus.” On Twitter, Howard students had similar worries about the visit. Basil Niccolls, a senior, track and field athlete responded to photos of the visit by tweeting, “What y’all should’ve done was have a town-hall discussion open to everybody so DeVos would be forced to address our concerns as HBCU students.” Soon after the visit, DeVos
released a statement commenting on the meeting, saying “It was a pleasure to meet with Howard University President Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick and several student leaders this morning. We had a robust discussion around the many challenges facing higher education and the important role of HBCUs.” President Frederick was unavailable to give a comment about the visit, however, he also released an official statement on Howard’s website. In the statement, he praised DeVos for visiting Howard and abstractly commented on the content of the meeting, saying, “Our conversation today was a very meaningful one and I welcome the opportunity to continue discussing the many ways we can work together to forward the work of higher education, specifically that of Howard University, Howard University Middle School of Mathematics & Science, and HBCUs in general.” Carpenter, who believes Frederick’s track record has not proven him to take a hard stance on issues affecting minorities, said, “When we’re talking about social justice issues, he needs to speak up. It can’t just be when it’s time to take a picture with the President Frederick has to be vigilant and remember who he serves.”
In many ways, the masses have been trapped within a socially, applied version of Newton’s third law of motion: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Each time Donald Trump does something that is antithetical to our values, we protest for a few hours and then go home and wait until the next thing happens, creating a cycle. The protest cycle has certain limitations, however. First, demonstrations require energy, and energy runs out. Therefore, in order to sustain the cycle, energy must be renewed. Although symbolic, protest often fails to produce immediate substance, which creates a situation in which more energy is being used than renewed, causing mobilization efforts to eventually lose stamina. Secondly, to solely react is to be in a constant state of dependency. It takes a defensive approach to fascism, training us to believe that something has to happen before we can act. Radical social change is a process, not an event. It is the strategic unification of a million puzzle pieces. In the same way that soil quality impacts plant quality, certain preconditions must exist within a society in order to bring about growth. The duty of an organizer is to create the conditions necessary to sustain that growth. As Kwame Ture once famously said, “One of the characteristics of mobilization is that it is temporary. Organization is permanent and eternal. Clear differences must be made because the unconscious can usually be captured easily around one issue items around mobilization items. It is hard to organize them around mobilization. But these unconscious must be brought to organization. We must transform mobilization to organization. We say the enemy will use mobilization to demobilize us.” Mobilization is not inherently counterintuitive. In fact, it plays a crucial role in resistance efforts. However, it simply cannot exist on its own. Resistance efforts must also focus on attacking the problem before its wrath even has a chance to effect the masses. In this sense, organizing takes an offensive approach to fascism. When combined with organizing, mobilizing is able to maintain its stamina much longer.
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Howard College Republicans Make Return On-Campus, Still Seek To Be Officially Recognized By Kai Sinclair Contributing Writer
Howard University’s
chapter of the College Republicans has been dormant for 10 years, but they’re back and continuing to drum up interest both on and off campus following the premier of a PBS News Hour interview on January 27. The video package about the stigma of being young, Black and Republican featured Alexis Hasty and Daisha Martin, two Howard students and the copresidents of the organization. Since the video’s publication, it’s received almost 38,000 views and Howard’s College Republicans have since become the subject of articles published by Blavity, The Root, and HBCU Buzz. “The article does not say ‘Young, Black Trump-Supporters’ or ‘Young, Black Conservatives.’ The article says ‘Young, Black Republicans,’ so it’s about an experience of being a young, Black republican, being a republican wom-
an, being a conservative woman,” Martin said. As a Republican woman, Hasty openly express her support for President Donald Trump, adding that crime in cities like Chicago has worsened over the past eight years. She also said that Donald Trump will be able to keep those inner cities, and the country, safe. On the other hand, some students on-campus didn’t necessarily agree with the Howard College Republican representatives. “The video was wild,” said Christopher Johnson, a junior history major. “The claims they were making about the inner cities – some it was a little hyperbolic and exaggerated.” The organization has met with opposition stemming from its political alignment, as well as controversy on campus. Howard’s College Republicans may be in violation of school rules outlining the protocol to be followed in order to be an official, universityrecognized organization. Emails obtained by the Hilltop reveal that
#HowardULoveStory 1st Picture: Taken in front of Harriet Tubman Quadrangle “The Quad” in the fall of 1977. They were married in Washington DC in 1981. 2nd Picture: Taken in 2016. (Photos courtesy of Jerome Jackson) Here is the story. Jerome Jackson, BS ‘80, MSW ‘82 and Lorraine Powell Jackson, BSN ‘81, celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary in December 2016. They met on campus and their first date was at Cramton Auditorium where they saw the movie “Cooley High”.
the College Republicans are currently unrecognized by the university. “During the Fall 2016 semester a student inquired about reactivation and was provided the necessary information and documents. The student has yet to follow through with the necessary items as to date,” Tobias Morgan, associate director of Howard’s Student Life and Activities, said in an email. According to the Student Life and Activities website, only Howardrecognized organizations are permitted to use the university’s name. However, the organization received a check from former RNC chairman, Reince Priebus, under the assumption that Howard’s Republican Club had been reactivated. Martin, however, asserted that the club has been acting in accordance with university rules. While she did mention that they have had trouble securing an on-campus advisor, she
Courtesy Photo
felt that the organization followed the proper protocol. “We submitted our paperwork and got everything verified back in first semester, I would say before October or around October. So, I’m not sure what’s going on,” she said. Additionally, the timing of the club’s resurgence aligning with the controversial 2016 Presidential Election was seen as more than coincidence to some. Hasty said in her interview with PBS that the timing of the club’s return and the presidential race was coincidental. An article by HBCU Buzz says LeVell, a 21-year-old who worked on African-American initiatives and urban media for the Republican National Convention, and
the initiative’s national director, Telly Lovelace, helped facilitate it. “I feel like they just wanted the Black vote, so it may have been more manipulation on their [the Republican National Committee’s] part,” said Haley Ferguson, a junior psychology major. The few months since the College Republicans’ resurgence at Howard have already been marked with controversy, which leaves some students questioning the organization’s integrity. “I think there’s something going on. It doesn’t seem as wholesome as they made it seem,” said Daven Fowler, a sophomore marketing major. “It definitely needs to be looked into at this point.”
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Office of Residence Life and University Housing
2017 - 2018 Housing Selection Pay Your RSVP Deposit online through February 24th, 2017 online or at the Cashier. Download the RSVP Information Packet online at www.howard.edu/residencelife
WHERE DO YOU WANT TO LIVE?
IMPORTANT DATES Deadline to make deposit: February 24 Housing Selection: February 27March 1
Office of Residence Life (202)-806-6131 www.howard.edu/residencelife NOTE: Continuing students who are recipients of th Presidential, Laureate, Capstone, Founders, Hartford, Upward Bound or Gates Millenium Scholarships are not required to submit a RSVP deposit, but must make an online housing selection.
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PERSPECTIVE — Find the Dwayne to Your Whitley By Kyana Harris Staff Writer This is for those who want that one special person in their life. If you haven’t found them at Howard yet, don’t give up. Despite popular opinions, love is in the air.
Many of us HU students idolize the television
series “A Different World” and think we’re going to find the Dwayne Wayne to our Whitley Gilbert. Maybe some of us thought we’d already be on a study and chill vibe with our bae like we saw in movie, “Stomp the Yard.” But when we got here, the many of us quickly realized that wasn’t even close to reality. The reality for many of us now consists of a dishearteningly uneven gender ratio, being catfished, and for lack of a classy term, hoes. Despite odds and obstacles, there are some who have prospered romantically at HU. My parents are a perfect example. My mom, HU’ 93, was just a sophomore when she met my dad, a senior at the time. He still talks about the first time he saw her and her long ponytail outside of Founder’s library. “We met at the gate right by Founders,” my dad told me. “She and her two friends were coming across the street and I was with my boys. I introduced myself and we talked for a little while. I saw her around everywhere after that.” My mother was from Boston and my father is from Queens.
“We were young enough to grow together. Throughout our undergrad years we worked together, partied together and more importantly, studied together.” my mom said. After my dad graduated in ‘91, he stayed in D.C. and waited until my mother graduated. They married in 1994 and have been together ever since. In search of more success stories like my parents’, I spoke with current Howard couples about their dating experiences and finding that special someone. According to them, the Howard dating scene can be quite tricky to navigate. “A lot of people don’t even know themselves yet,” said sophomore public relations major Jael Williams. “They can’t find who they want without knowing who they are independently,” he said. Sophomore information systems major Robert Hardy said he thinks the female to male ratio makes it particularly hard for girls to find a guy. “Guys kind of take advantage and don’t really keep it real with girls because they know they can just find another one easily,” he said. Black love at Howard is alive and well. It just might not be someone you ever considered, which is the beauty of it. Be social, join a club, or just shoot that shot already. When asked how one should go about finding someone here, here are a few responses I received: “Know what you want and won’t you will not allow. Then stick to it.” – Jael Williams “Take the time to get to know the other person. Not just chit-chat, but deep conversations about where they come from, what their upbringing was
Marian Anderson
Contralto vocalist Marian Anderson was born Feb 27, 1897 in Philadelphia. Anderson’s love for music began at an early age when she joined the choir at Union Baptist Church at age six. When she turned eight, her father bought her a piano, but the family couldn’t afford lessons; so, she taught herself how to play the instrument. Her natural skill and commitment to music led Anderson’s church family to raise money for her to afford vocalist coach, Giuseppe Boghetti. In 1928, Anderson performed at Carnegie Hall and then began a tour of Europe. An invitation from President Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in 1935 made the opera singer the first African-American to perform at the White House. In 1955 she became the first African-American to perform as a member of the New York Metropolitan Opera. In 1961, Anderson performed The Star Spangled Banner at President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration and two years later Kennedy presented her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1991 she received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy award. Anderson died in Portland, Oregon where she lived with her her nephew in 1993.
Blacks in the Arts: A MiniSeries By Chantè Russell Staff Writer
(Photo Credit: Kyana Harris) like, their values, etc.” –Kelvin Williams Jr. “Don’t be afraid to branch out from your circle. You have to actually get out and get to know other kinds of people. Or just slide in the DMs ” – Robert Hardy
Scott Barrie
Fashion designer Scott Barrie was born in Apalachicola, FL in 1941. By age 10, he was creating garments using his grandmother’s sewing machine. He studied at the Philadelphia Museum College of Art before leaving early to move to New York City in 1962. In 1968, Bloomingdale’s and Henri Bendel bought some of Barrie’s designs, and he used the money to open his own showroom. He gained recognition for his skill in draping chiffon and jersey. In 1982 he moved to Milan to work for Krizia. Five years later he began working for Kinshido Apparel, who sold his designs in Japan and New York. Because Kinshido never gave Barrie his own boutiques worldwide as they originally promised to, he left the company in 1991. Despite never being able to expand in the way he wished, his matte jersey dresses still made him one of the first famous African-American fashion designers. In 1993 Barrie died of brain cancer in Alessandria, Italy.
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poetry
CULTURE The Rose that Glo’d Rose Gold People don’t know about the Rose that Glo’d Rose Gold. It rose from a seed, an investment from the earth It came in abundance, with a code of rebirth, re-worth It was sold, with a rhythm so melodious, Cambodian... titty milk could not sever the pleasure Not now Not ever Not then Not never Forever, I clever-ly, remember vividly the times I’d dawdle September leaves, they’d never leave December was where I’d toddle Soon followed, A healthy waddle A healthy waddle that needed swaddle A healthy waddle that needed swaddle to fit the model of a Boon doddle. Soon, I attune, from my noddle...
Drink the bottle… slow! Cause now you know about the Rose that Glo’d Rose Gold.
By Alexander McDaniel II , Junior, Media, Journalism, and Film Major, Atlanta, GA
21st Century
By Gabrielle Oliver, Junior, English Major, Silver Spring, MD
See Your Poem or Artwork in The Hilltop! Contact: CULTURE@THEHILLTOPONLINE.COM for more details and guidelines.
Genealogy in the African Diaspora By Alexa Spencer Contributing Writer
On the campus of Howard Universi-
ty, diversity thrives amidst the African Diaspora. It can be seen on a warm day under the Carribbean tree, heard in the many accents that casually float amidst the air, and felt in times of social unrest, when despite cultural differences, unity overwhelms this space. Every year, hundreds of students pour in to obtain a Howard education—each one bringing with them a lineage rich and unique in history. Transatlantic histories are often lost in the centuries of oppression that followed them. For the ancestors whose legacies made it to today, these are their stories. From across the Atlantic Ocean, junior film major, Ahmed Uthman, left his home of Ghana, West Africa to attend Howard. On the same land of Ghana, his family worked for generations as farmers. Surrounded by trees and rivers, his great-grandfather, “Baba Alhassan,” lived well over 100 years in the village of Pusiga. As an elder, he was often consulted for his input on community affairs. “(Baba Alhassan) was a good man. He was very religious, too. He was always at the mosque or at home,” Ahmed described his great-grandfather. “He didn’t have a lot , but whenever we came around, he used to try to give us money.” As new life comes and elders transition, Ahmed’s family preserves the lineage by passing down old knowledge and traditions. Those values served as a guide throughout his upbringing and have now become his foundation for adulthood. “It’s one of the reasons that I am the man I am today and I love that,” said Ahmed. East of Ghana, the royal ancestry of sophomore biology major Sofiat Atoba presides on the soil of Nigeria. It is said in her family that an elder man was once a King. Either her grandfather or great grandfather held the title. Though the distinction is unclear, one fact remains indisputable: both men engaged in polygamous relationships. They each had multiple wives and children. As described by her father, Sofiat’s grandfather was rich and well
respected. “(My grandfather) was the first in the village to have a black and white TV. Neighbors would come to the house around 6 p.m. to watch,” Sofiat recalled. Though she never met her grandfather or great-grandfather, she was able to learn of their lives through her father’s storytelling. “Oral history is one of the most important ways you can pass down your family history,” she said. Sophomore chemical engineering major Johan Greene retraces the adventurous life of his great grandfather deep in the caribbean – a stern man that was informally exiled from his hometown of Barbados by his father after refusing to pick from a coconut tree. After the incident, he settled on the blue-skied island of Trinidad, where he went on to get married and start a family. Through his own investigations, Johan has uncovered some of his family history. While no one else seems to have an interest, he is determined to learn about his ancestry. “I intend on finding out more about my family before it’s too late,” Johan said. Restricted by the atrocity of enslavement, freshman Africana Studies major Carmen Cruscoe has limited knowledge of her maternal family origins beyond the United States. Her mother’s father, Willie Rice, was raised by his grandfather in rural South Carolina. The two lived in a shack with Willie’s mother and aunts. At the age of 12, he moved to Cleveland, Ohio during the Great Migration. His settlement there established what would become generations of Northern living. As an Africana Studies student, Carmen uses “long-view genealogy”– a concept that approaches African history from a pre-colonization context–to direct her research. She believes that in order to move forward, one must understand the past. “All your ancestors and the people that came before you literally laid the groundwork for you to exist today, so it’s good to honor them,” Carmen said.
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SPORTS
ATHLETIC SPOTLIGHT Who Is Alice Coachman? The First Black Female Olympic Gold Medalist By Ayanna Alexander Contributing Writer
Track star Alice Coachman made history as
the first Black woman to win an Olympic Gold medalist at the 1948 London Games. Setting the high jump record at roughly 5-foot-6 and 1/8 inches, Coachman claimed the victory. Though she broke many records in her collegiate and professional career, Coachman went on to retire Olympic veterans and assist young athletes through the Alice Coachman Track and Field Foundation, which was founded in 1994. She was also the first Black woman to endorse an international product in 1952, after Coca-Cola made her a spokesperson. Coachman received backlash for being a black girl who excelled in the world of sports, even her own family did not support her aspirations. According to author Heather Lange, Coachman’s father felt “girls should be dainty and sit on the porch and drink tea and not do sports.” It was because of this, Coachman said that she didn’t have many female playmates. “I was really a boy in the sight of the other boys I was playing with,” Coachman said during a 2004 interview with NPR. “And when I look back, maybe if I hadn’t played with them, I wouldn’t have been as good as I am. That was my competition right there.” At age 24, Coachman got her chance to compete in the 1948 London Games. After she won, she was presented the gold medal by
(Photo Credit: BlackPast.org)
King George VI and was honored as, not only the first black woman to win the gold medal, but also as the only American woman to win gold in track and field at the Games. Unfortunately, she had to return to America’s reality after the games. She returned to the segregated south. During her victory ceremony in her hometown of Albany, Georgia, Coachman had to enter and exit through a side door. Some believe Coachman wasn’t widely remembered because she couldn’t participate in Olympic Games prior to 1948, since they were cancelled. She was finally recognized at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games as one of the “100 greatest Olympic athletes in history”. Seven years later, she was inducted in the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. Despite the lack of recognition, Coachman still felt she made a difference in the Black community. She told The New York Times that she “made a difference among the Blacks, being one of the leaders”.
“If I had gone to the games and failed, there wouldn’t be anyone to follow in my footsteps,” Coachman said.
(Photo Credit: biography.com)
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Who Is Arthur Ashe? Tennis Legend and AfricanAmerican Community Role Model By Nicole Hutchison Staff Writer
American to win the men’s tennis singles at Wimbledon and the United States Open, and to be ranked number one in the world, set the stage for African-Americans to compete in the sport of tennis. The Richmond, Virginia native was born on July 10, 1943. He is the eldest of two and by far the most driven, taking the initiative to learn to read from his mother by the age of four. Both parents, Arthur Ashe Sr. And Mattie Cunningham, held a tight leash at home. At age 7, after his mother’s death, Arthur picked up a racquet for the first time. Continuing with the game, he gained interest from Dr. Robert Walter Johnson Jr., an active tennis coach in the black tennis community in Lynchburg, Virginia. Johnson took him under his wing, and therefore Ashe took advantage. Ashe reached the junior national championships in his first tennis tournament. Coming to the conclusion that he could be great in the game, he moved to St. Louis to work with another coach who helped lead him to win the junior national title in 1960 and 1961. He moved up the rankings to fifth in the country and accepted a scholarship to the University of California, Los Angeles. He received his degree in business administration. In 1963, Ashe was the first African American to be recruited by the United States Davis Cup team. Pancho Gonzales, Ashe’s tennis idol, gained interest in Ashe’s game, and further helped him improve his skills. Ashe shocked the entire world when he won the 1968 U.S. Open title, becoming the first African American male player to do so. Two years later, in 1970, he took
the Australian Open title. Ashe took home the 1975 Wimbledon trophy after defeating Jimmy Connors, breaking a third barrier for African Americans in tennis. That same year, he became the number one player in the world. Ten years later, he was the first African American male to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Ashe was not only a tennis legend, but also a political activist who aimed to keep people aware of AIDs. After suffering a heart attack, he retired from the game in 1979. Ashe dealt with health
(Photo Credit: FamousAfricanAmericans.org)
issues for over 14 years of his life, but continued to raise awareness in the country, serving as the national campaign chairman of the American Heart Association, delivering a speech at the United Nations, starting a new foundation and laying the groundwork for a $5 million fundraising campaign for the institution. Ashe brought upon opportunity for the upcoming Black
community in the sport of tennis beside Althea Gibson. He did not relish in his uniqueness of being a Black star; he took advantage of it and continued to humbly become successful. Ashe died on Feb. 6, 1993, after suffering from pneumonia, a complication from AIDS. He died the only African-American man to win Wimbledon and in the U.S. and Australian Opens.
(Photo Credit: theburtonwire.com)
Arthur Ashe, the first African-
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Who Is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? African-American Basketball Legend By Darnell Dinkins Staff Writer
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is one of
the most accomplished players to ever touch a basketball. He was a star from his days as a high school phenom at Power Memorial Academy in New York, to his days playing at UCLA for legendary coach John Wooden. There, he won three consecutive national championships. Abdul-Jabbar says that it was his playing under coach Wooden that would shape, both, the player and the man he would become. “He was a great teacher,’’ AbdulJabbar said to The Boston Globe. “He was a molder of character and basketball was just a means for him to affect us and make us deal with our character issues, because what we learned on the court were really things that translated to life.” In the 1969 NBA draft, AbdulJabbar was the first pick, drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks. In his second season, after the team picked up the great point guard Oscar “ Big O” Robertson, Abdul-Jabbar won his first NBA championship. He would go on to be traded to the Lakers in 1975. Abdul-Jabbar’s signature skyhook shot is known to experts as one of the most unstoppable shots, in the history of the game. Wit AbdulJabbar’s shot and his team’s fast pace offense and key players Magic Johnson and James Worthy, the team would win five championships in the 1980’s. Abdul-Jabbar retired after playing 20 seasons. In his years as an NBA player, he won six MVP titles and two final MVPs. He was also a 19-time All-Star and set the alltime scoring record in the NBA for most points scored. With all of these achievements, it was the man that he was off the court that exemplifies his greatness. By many, Abdul-Jabbar was considered a shy and humble man, but he was not afraid to stand for what
(Photo Credit: slamonline.com)
he believed in. On June 4, 1967, he joined athletes Jim Brown and Bill Russell to support Muhammad Ali’s refusal to fight in the Vietnam War in Cleveland at a news conference known as the Ali Summit. Abdul-Jabbar had changed his name from Lew Alcindor after converting to the Muslim faith of Islam. “I was latching on to something that was part of my heritage, because many of the slaves who were brought here were Muslims,” AbdulJabbar said during an interview with Playboy Magazine. “When I was a kid, no one would believe anything positive that you could say about black people. That’s a terrible burden on black people, because they don’t have an accurate idea of their history, which has been either suppressed or distorted.” Abdul-Jabbar continues to be a man who voices his opinion. He recently spoke out against President Donald Trump’s campaign and his Executive Order that banned Muslims and citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering this the U.S. He recently said on CNN that the ban was “outrageous and certainly contradicts our constitution something that the president is obliged to uphold and defend.”
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Who Is Charles Haley? Five Time African-American Super Bowl Champion By Evan Brooks Contributing Writer
What do Tom Brady and Charles Haley have in
common? Five Super Bowl Championship rings. Charles Haley was the first African-American NFL player to win five Super Bowl rings in the Super Bowl era. Haley was born on Jan. 6, 1964 in Gladys, Virginia. Upon graduating from high school, Haley attended James Madison University and was named a two-time All-American. Haley would later be the 96th pick in the fourth round of the 1986 NFL Draft. He was drafted to the San Francisco 49ers. During his first years with the 49ers, Haley finished his rookie year with 12 sacks and was voted to the NFL’s all-rookie team. In 1990, Haley finished with 58 tackles, 9 passes defended, and was third in the league with 16 sacks. Haley was voted the United Press International NFC Defensive Player of the Year and was a consensus All-Pro. His career with the 49ers ended in 1991, after leading the team in sacks every season and
winning two Super Bowl Championships (XXIII and XXIV). In 1992, Haley was picked up by the Dallas Cowboys, for a second round pick. While with the Cowboys, Haley accounted for 39 tackles, six sacks and 42 quarterback pressures, helping the team improve from 17th in total defense, in 1991, to first. Once again, Haley received the UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year and was named an All-Pro. Haley continued to be one of the most dominating forces in the NFL, and in 1995, during his third season with the Cowboys, would help the team defeat the Green Bay Packers, 38 to 27,in the NFC Championship game. The Cowboys moved on to Super Bowl XXX, where they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers. Haley recorded one sack, three quarterback hurries and five tackles. Haley would eventually go on to win two more Super Bowl Championships with the Cowboys, bringing his total to five Super Bowl Championship rings. Haley was later inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame. In 2015, he was in-
(Photo Credit: Complex.com) ducted into the Pro-Football Hall of Fame. Since retiring, Haley has served as the assistant defensive coach for the Detroit Lions’ 2001-2002 season. Haley currently serves as a special advisor, mentoring rookies for the Cowboys and 49ers. He also spends his time helping fund several local initiates with organization such as the Jubilee Center and the Salvation Army.
Who Is Willie O’ree? First African-American NHL Player By Nathan Easington Contributing Writer
He was a legend on ice.
Historically, hockey is a sport that is populated, dominantly, by white athletes. But Willie O’ree, unfazed by the color of the sport, became the first Black man to ever tie up his skates as a player in the NHL. Starting his career in the Canadian minor league in the early 1950’s, it wasn’t until almost a decade later that O’ree began to dominate as a winger. In the 1957-1958 season, he was selected to play for the Boston Bruins, after a player on the team was injured. On Jan. 18 of that year, O’ree officially broke the racial barrier that was present in the NHL. The following year, O’ree was no longer needed by the Bruins. However, after a few seasons in the NHL’s minor league, the American Hockey League (AHL), he returned to play another season for the Bruins in 1960, netting 4 goals and 10 assists. O’ree was known throughout the NHL for not making excuses. He always present himself well and showed a great regard of respect when visiting stadiums that were known to make racist comments, such as “Go back to the cotton field” and “Who let you out of the South?”
And yet, those comments didn’t hinder him. If anything were to hinder him, it’d be the vision in his left eye, which he lost 95 percent of after getting hit by a puck. O’ree kept his injury a secret as he did not want to give himself an excuse to underperform nor did he want anybody’s pity. O’ree credited Jackie Robinson as one of his inspiration. Integrating the NHL during the Civil Rights Movement, O’ree would be an inspiration for future NHL players of color like the Subban brother and Ryan Reaves. Just before the start of the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals between the San Jose Sharks and the Pittsburgh Penguins, Joel Ward, a Black winger for the Sharks, said that O’ree inspired him to play hockey, and he believed O’ree’s jersey number should be retired league wide. Like Jackie Robinson, O’ree wore the number 42. Although the NHL is still a predominantly whiteleague, averaging about 35 Black players from year to year, O’ree was the barrier breaker for Blacks in the NHL, paving the way for future players of color, despite the numbers. Today, O’ree, 81, enjoys helping children through different charitable programs, something he believes to be more fulfilling than breaking the color barrier years ago.
(Photo Credit: Colorofhockey.com)
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