Volume 30 Issue 8

March 14, 2025

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

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Vol.30, Issue 8

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African-American News&Issues

“Addressing Current & Historical Realities Affecting Our Community”

HOUSTON

Former Mayor and Congressman Sylvester Turner passes away at 70. ___________________________________

FORT BEND

Fort Bend ISD could face a $16 million shortfall in funding for the 2025-2026 academic year. ___________________________________

THE WOODLANDS

Ketrese White named President of Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands & North Region. ___________________________________

GALVESTON

Galveston’s First Black lifeguards honored with a historical marker. The area where the marker is displayed is part of what used to be called Brown Beach, a segregated beach once patrolled by the city’s first Black lifeguards. ___________________________________

SAN ANTONIO

THE BLACK STUDENT LOAN DEBT CRISIS

By: Chloé Richards

For many Black students, a college degree is supposed to promise success. But for too many, the success comes with a heavy price, student loan debt.

With Black borrowers carrying the highest student loan balances and lower post graduate earnings.

They are struggling with repayment at unreasonable rates, the dream of higher education is turning into a financial nightmare, widening the racial wealth gap instead of closing it.

The racial wealth gap plays a major role in this disparity. The average Black family, holds signifi-

cantly less generational wealth than white families, meaning there are fewer resources to pay for college out of pocket. As a result, Black students are more likely to take out loans, borrow larger amounts, and rely on federal assistance to afford tuition. What is thought to lead to financial security (a degree), often becomes a long-term economic setback.

Studies show that after attending a four-year university, nearly half of Black borrowers owe more than they originally borrowed.

Student loans delay homeown- Debt Crisis on pg. 3

San Antonio Public Library offered a free workshop on creating African American Family Trees. ___________________________________

FORT WORTH

Fort Worth African American Roots Music Festival returns for the 5th year. ___________________________________

AUSTIN

The university of Texas at Austin celebrates their first Black graduates to earn a degree in Zoology. Exalton Delco was UT’s first Black person to receive a Ph.D. in Zoology. UT’s very first Black graduate Oscar Thompson also studied zoology.

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EDITORIAL

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A Revival of God Consciousness Bobby Mills, Ph.D.

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GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

The world order for President Trump and Co-President Musk is not multi-cultural democracy, but White Privilege Autocracy. This is precisely why President Trump glorifies Strong men, such as Putin. The ungodly press briefing fiasco and shake-down in The White House with President Zelinsky on Friday, February 28th, 2025, is the eternal classic example of privatizing and monetizing government. The Trump Administration was seeking to impose economic slavery upon Ukraine was simply side-show economic extortion. Of course, we all know that America’s original sin is economic slavery based upon a racialized institutionalized culture war. Even though, everyone should know that there is only one race, humans with different cultural distinctions and manifestations based solely upon spiritual values, mores, and folkways. Therefore: “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands, neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth life, and breath to all things, and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation:” (Acts 17: 24-26). Magnifying

and elevating cultural differences to a godlike status is idolatry and insanity to the nth degree. Magnifying and idolizing extremes are dangerous socio-political propositions.

God is found at the center of life, not in extremes. Sadly, we now know why it has been so profoundly easy for President Trump and his Co-President Elon Musk, the richest man, on planet earth to personalize, privatize, and monetize the federal treasury for personal gain, not universalized common good. No doubt about it, racism coupled with greed are mental conditions that drive individuals insane.

On February 28th, 2025, the Trump Administration became an ungodly international embarrassment to what we have constitutionally declared makes America Great. It is time for intellectual and moral integrity in our political discourse, because when good individuals say and do-nothing evil wins.

Moreover, when everything in a democracy becomes monetarily and materially transactional, nothing is moral. Everything is profane, and nothing is sacred. Everyone should strive to do their best and trust the democratic process for the rest.

Better still trust God to the rest, not greediness. America, by now, every American should know that President Trump and his administrative cabinet level cohorts are short-term thinkers, not long-term developers. One of America’s original sins is culture wars this is why magnifying cultural differences as extremes are so easy in American society. On the other hand, God (TRUTH) is found at the center of life, and “if ye continue in my word, then Read more at are ye my disciples aframnews.com

Reality Check

By Billy “Hollywood” Groves

GOD GOT US America is the world’s leader because we are a Nation of God. The reason America’s leadership is so important on Earth at this particular time, is because there are many evil, self-deluded, confused people trying to take over the world.

Fortunately, they will never be able to take over this planet without God’s permission.

God has a Nation of faithful followers who are brave, smart, strong and dedicated to real human kindness.

Unfortunately, our current American President Donald Trump often shares blatantly untruthful information about local and world affairs, a strategy which the World can clearly see is just another way of spreading division. A review of our American History reveals that what we are facing is not a new chapter, but simply pages taken from an old “divide and conquer playbook.

At different times in our existence, we have always had unstable people who were selected as U.S. Government representatives, whose major objective appeared to be to keep “We the People” saturated with

fake news and information appearing to be the truth. These crooked American leaders biblically speaking were referred to as “ wolves in sheep clothing”.

In times past these perpetrators were inevitably exposed by devoted Godly people, who were not afraid to stand up for the truth.

When I state that God got “US” the proof is clearly evidenced by the continuous reporting and spreading of the truth by God’s people. Unfortunately, since the reelection of Trump as the President of the United States, he has repeatedly tried to make America eagerly willing to cater to the unjust, devilish and mercilessly self-centered segment of our country’s population and he has adamantly sided with such leaders across the globe.

The good news is, that as a Nation we stand in the presence of a living God and have learned that we will “fear no evil, for the Lord is with us”.

The fear of evil people will never dominate America because of the spiritual commitment to God being made by our fellow Americans and other believers around the world. We believe that “God Got Us” and that evil, willfully corrupt, crazy people will never dominate America and the World without God’s permissive will. In God’s viewpoint as evidenced in his Holy Word, each individual person matters.

Each person who stands for truth and justice in America, does not stand alone. America must and will continue to stand with God’s backing as a true Nation of God! AA

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION Debt Crisis Cont.

ership, business ventures, and retirement savings, Black borrowers are left fighting an uphill battle for financial stability in a system that was never intended for them to win.

The numbers don’t lie, according to data from the Education Data Initiative, Black students typically graduate with around $25,000 more in student loan debt compared to white students, on average Black students owe 188% more than white students. The default rate for Black borrowers is five times higher than for white borrowers.

The Department of Education has removed access to applications for income driven repayment (IDR) plans in response to a court order. The SAVE plan is an IDR option created by the Biden administration; the courts have put a pause on this plan. According to ‘The Hill’, president and co-founder of the Student Debt Crisis Center, Natalia Abrams said, “Let’s be clear. This was a purposeful decision by the Trump Administration to harm borrowers and in no way needed to be done. Shutting down access to income-driven repayment plans was not the decision of the 8th Circuit, it was a malicious move by the Administration that will create serious hardship for millions of working families.”

For Black borrowers, the issue is much deeper than personal finance,

March 14, 2025 the job market, and lending practices.

Wealth is often passed down through generations, providing financial security, and opportunities for future generations, but because of centuries of racial discrimination in housing, employment and banking Black families have significantly less generational wealth than white families. The net worth of a white household is 8 times higher than the net worth of a Black household, according to Lending Tree between 2019 and 2022, the median net worth for Black families skyrocketed by 57.8% to $41,000, while the median net worth for white families spiked by 29.7% to $284,310.

This financial gap means that before most Black students even step foot on a college campus they’re already at a disadvantage compared to white students.

Predatory Lending is a lending practice that uses unfair an abusive loan terms on borrowers including high interest rates, and high fees.

Studies show that Black borrowers are more likely to be steered into high interest loans and predatory lending programs, worsening their debt burden. Black borrowers usually rely on federal PLUS loans, which come with higher interest rate and fewer

repayment protections. Studies show that private lenders charge Black borrowers’ higher interest rates than white borrowers with the same credit profile.

Even after degrees are earned, Black graduates face wage discrimination that makes it harder to pay back loans.

Research shows that Black workers, even with the same or higher qualifications than white workers earn less and face higher unemployment rates.

Studies show that the starting salary for Black graduates is on average, 17% lower than that of white graduates. 10 years post grad, Black professionals still earn significantly less than their white counterparts in the same fields.

Hiring discrimination is also a factor, meaning that Black graduates struggle more to secure well-paying jobs, forcing many into lower-paying industries, underemployment or at times unemployment. With lower wages and fewer opportunities for advancement, Black borrowers take longer to repay loans, accumulate more interest, and face higher default rates, which leads to financial instability that last for decades.

Beyond the numbers, the weight of student loan debt can take a psychological toll on Black borrowers. Many delays major life milestones

AFRAMNEWS.COM

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like buying a home, starting a business, or even having children due to financial instability. The constant stress of repayment can lead to higher rates of anxiety and depression. The cycle of debt traps future generations, if parents are struggling with student loans, they are less likely to save for their own children’s education, continuing the cycle of financial hardship.

The idea of student loans were meant to be a steppingstone to better opportunity, but for many Black borrowers, they have become a financial trap.

From the racial wealth gap, predatory lending, wage disparities, and systemic barriers have made it harder for Black students to succeed after college, keeping them in a cycle of debt that prevents true economic mobility. Efforts like President Biden’s Loan forgiveness plan, IDR plans, and HBCU funding initiatives have been able to help some Black borrowers. However, President Trump and his administration is trying to do away with all of those things.

Policies like total loan forgiveness, zero interest plans, and an increase in financial literacy programs will help the Black community and Black borrowers. Black borrowers can also navigate the system by continuing to advocate, using scholarships, and alternative educational paths.

AA

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March 14, 2025

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GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

THROUGH THE LENS OF TIME: BLACK HISTORY IS 24/7/365 1864

1965

1913

1959

March 8th, 1964Malcom X publicly announced his departure from the Nation of Islam.

March 9th, 1965- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led a group of protestors from Brown Chapel to Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. This act was a part of the Selma Marches which were a series of protest in 1965 that took place from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.

March 10th, 1913Harriet Tubman died in Auburn, New York. March 10th is observed as Harriet Tubman day in the United States, to remember the contributions she made.

March 11th, 1959- A Raisin in the Sun, the first Broadway play produced by a Black woman, Lorraine Hansberry, debuted at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.

1917

2020

March 12th, 1917The first Black Girl Scouts troop was formed in the New York area.

March 13th, 2020Louisville police kill Breonna Taylor during a nighttime no-knock raid.

1835 March 14th, 1835The Missouri General Assembly passed a law that required free Black people had to apply for a license to stay in the state of Missouri. Those who failed to do so faced fines up to $100, incarceration, and expulsion from the state.

BLACK HISTORY FUN FACTS - The oldest living Buffalo Soldier, Sergeant Mark Matthews, died at the age of 111 in 2005 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

- In 1973, Stevie Wonder was the first Black artist to win a Grammy for Album of the Year for Innervisions.

- Vermont was the first colony to ban slavery in 1777.

- Gabby Douglas became the first Black gymnast to win the Individual All Around in the 2012 London Olympics.

- Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler graduated from the New England Female Medical College (NEFMC) in 1864 to become the first Black woman to earn a medical degree.

- Colin Powell served from 2001 to 2005 as the first Black United States Secretary of State.

“

THERE ARE NO SECRETS TO SUCCESS. IT IS THE RESULT OF PREPARATION, HARD WORK AND LEARNING FROM FAILURE.

” COLIN POWELL

READ MORE AT AFRAMNEWS.COM

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

March 14, 2025

REECE ACADEMY

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LOCAL

By: Chloé Richards

Students at Reece Academy participated in the Beulah Shepard Acres Homes Neighborhood library essay contest, they created posters of prominent local figures.

Those highlighted were: Former Mayor and Congressman Sylvester Turner, Actress Loretta Devine, Rapper Chamillionaire,

Chairman and Publisher of African American News and Issues Mr. Roy Douglas Malonson, Political Icon Mrs. Beulah Shepard Versa Reece Academy is an award winning MSA Magnet School in Aldine ISD.

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March 14, 2025

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LOCAL

“SEPARATE BUT EQUAL” By: Chloé Richards

The university of Texas at Austin celebrated their first Black graduates to earn a degree in Zoology. Exalton Delco was UT’s first Black person to receive a Ph.D. in Zoology. UT’s very first Black graduate Oscar Thompson also studied zoology. UT Austin did not always accept Black students and neither did many other predominantly white institutions there is deep rooted history that have allowed these men and many others to now be celebrated at their alma maters.

Brown v. Board of Education is the staple case that most people know about. However, there are 3 major cases that paved the way for Brown v.

Board. Those 3 cases are, Missouri ex rel Gaines v.

Canada in 1938, Sweat v. Painter in 1950 and Mc. Laurin v. Oklahoma which also took place in 1950. Despite, the landmark decision of Plessy v.

Ferguson which created “Separate but Equal” things in fact continued to be unequal between Black and white people, causing a series of U.S. Supreme Court cases regarding the

injustices of race to take place. The NAACP took a stand to overcome racial discrimination.

Lloyd Lionel Gaines was an African American man born in Water Valley, Mississippi in 1911.

Gaines was the plaintiff in Missouri ex rel Gaines v.

Canada in 1938. Gaines had completed his undergraduate studies at Lincoln University, he applied to the University of Missouri Law School but was denied because of his race.

The state of Missouri tried to negotiate with Gaines by offering him admission to an all-black law school that would have to be built (Missouri did not have any at the time) or offer Gaines assistance with his tuition at a neighboring states law school. Gaines declined both of these offers and hired Thurgood Marshall to represent him.

In Gaines decision to sue the state of Missouri, the case eventually made it to the U.S. Supreme Court. It was argued in November 1938 that his denial to the University of Missouri Law School was a violation of the 14th Amendment. The 14th Amendment guarantees equal

protection of the laws of all persons born or naturalized in the United States. The state of Maryland made the claim that Gaines should have sued Lincoln University and forced them to open a law school. Charles Hamilton Houston a lawyer apart of Gaines’ defense team argued that the state of Missouri’s offer to pay for Gaines to attend law school at another state would not guarantee him a legal or equal education offered to white students.

In December of 1938, the state of Missouri swiftly created a law school for Black people to avoid desegregating the University of Missouri law school and to continue to uphold “Separate but Equal.”

The NAACP prepared to argue another case forcing the University of Missouri to offer Gaines admissions; however, Gaines shortly disappeared. Gaines was last seen leaving a fraternity house in March but was not considered missing until October; he was never found. Due to his disappearance the case was dropped. The

University of Missouri awarded Gaines an honorary law degree in 2006.

12 years later in 1950 the Sweatt v. Painter became a U.S. Supreme Court case. This case almost mirrored Missouri ex rel Gaines v. Canada. Heman Marion Sweatt was born December 11th, 1912, in Houston, Texas. Sweatt is the plaintiff in the U.S. Supreme Court case Sweatt v. Painter. Sweatt and his counsel challenged the “Separate but Equal” doctrine. Sweatt attended Wiley College in Marshall, Texas and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1934. Before making his decision to attended law school, Sweatt worked as a teacher and then went on to attend the University of Michigan to become a physician. However, he decided he no longer wanted to be a physician and decided to pursue law.

Sweatt applied to the University of Texas School at Austin school of Law, but the University president Theophilus Painter held on to Sweatt’s application while waiting to hear back from the attorney general regarding segregation laws. Painter in-

formed Sweatt that he had the credentials to be admitted into the law school but because of segregation laws he would not be able to attend. Painter also told him they only thing that would be available to him would be out of state scholarships. The attorney general decided to follow the segregation laws and denied Sweatt admission.

In 1946, the case went to court where the ruling was the University of Texas had 6 months to build an equal law school for Black people. After 6 months, the case was dismissed because Texas A&M had decided that would provide legal education for African Americans.

In June 1950, the Supreme Court decided that African American students had not received adequate and equal law education in the state of Texas, as a result the University of Texas at Austin school of law was to permit students who met the qualifications regardless of race. In September of 1950, Sweatt registered for classes at UT’s law school, however, due to emotional stress and trauma he was not able to maintain his

grades. He later dropped out and went to school for social work in Atlanta.

Sweatt died October 3rd, 1982. The Travis County Courthouse where the case originally took place, named the “Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse” on October 21st, 2005.

The same year, in 1950 a similar case took place in 1950. McLaurin v. Oklahoma Board of Regents of Higher Education. This case fought for the prohibition of racial segregation in graduate & professional studies. The plaintiff George W. McLaurin was born September 6th, 1887.

McLaurin had received his master’s degree from the University of Kansas, and he applied to the University of Oklahoma’s doctoral program. McLaurin was accepted but he was forced to stay away from the white students at all costs. He had to attend class separately, eat separately and sit at a reserved table in the cafeteria.

Finding this treatment unfair, McLaurin hired Thurgood Marshall and other members of the NAACP Read more at legal defense aframnews.com

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RENEE RHOTEN MORRIS, UNCLE FUNKY’S DAUGHTER

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You inspire us.

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