Volume 30 Issue 8 by AFRAMNEWS.COM

AframNews.com

“Addressing Current & Historical Realities Affecting Our Community”

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

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

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 a ord tuition. What is thought to lead to nancial security (a degree), o en becomes a long-term economic setback.

Studies show that a er 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

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

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.

EDITORIAL

A Revival of God Consciousness

Bobby Mills, Ph.D.

PRIVATIZING AND MONETIZING GOVERNMENT

e world order for President Trump and Co-President Musk is not multi-cultural democracy, but White Privilege Autocracy. is is precisely why President Trump glori es Strong men, such as Putin. e ungodly press brie ng asco and shake-down in e White House with President Zelinsky on Friday, February 28th, 2025, is the eternal classic example of privatizing and monetizing government. e 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 di erent cultural distinctions and manifestations based solely upon spiritual values, mores, and folkways. erefore: “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 di erences 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.

Groves

fake news and information appearing to be the truth. ese 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.

America is the world’s leader because we are a Nation of God. e 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 o en shares blatantly untruthful information about local and world a airs, 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 di erent times in our existence, we have always had

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 di erences 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 are ye my disciples

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. e 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”. e 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!

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 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!

Reality Check

By Billy “Hollywood”

GOD GOT US

Debt Crisis Cont.

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

e 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. e default rate for Black borrowers is ve times higher than for white borrowers.

e Department of Education has removed access to applications for income driven repayment (IDR) plans in response to a court order. e SAVE plan is an IDR option created by the Biden administration; the courts have put a pause on this plan. According to ‘ e Hill’, president and co-founder of the Student Debt Crisis Center, Natalia Abrams said, “Let’s be clear. is 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 work-

the job market, and lending practices. Wealth is o en passed down through generations, providing nancial security, and opportunities for future generations, but because of centuries of racial discrimination in housing, employment and banking Black families have signi cantly less generational wealth than white families. e 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. is nancial gap means that before most Black students even step foot on a college campus they’re already at a disadvantage compared to white students.

ing families.”

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

repayment protections. Studies show that private lenders charge Black borrowers’ higher interest rates than white borrowers with the same credit pro le. Even a er 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 quali cations 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 signi cantly less than their white counterparts in the same elds. 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 tonancial instability that last for decades. Beyond the numbers, the weight of student loan debt can take a psychological toll on Black borrowers. Many

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

much deeper than personal nance, and fewer

logical toll on Black borrowers. Many delays major life mile- stones

like buying a home, starting a business, or even having children due tonancial instability. e constant stress of repayment can lead to higher rates of anxiety and depression. e 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 nancial hardship. e idea of student loans were meant to be a steppingstone to better opportunity, but for many Black borrowers, they have become a nancial trap. From the racial wealth gap, predatory lending, wage disparities, and systemic barriers have made it harder for Black students to succeed a er college, keeping them in a cycle of debt that prevents true economic mobility. E orts 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 nancial 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.

THROUGH THE LENS OF TIME: BLACK HISTORY IS

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. is 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 rst Broadway play produced by a Black woman, Lorraine Hansberry, debuted at the Ethel Barrymore eatre.

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

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

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

BLACK HISTORY FUN FACTS

- e oldest living Bu alo 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 rst Black artist to win a Grammy for Album of the Year for Innervisions.

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

- Gabby Douglas became the rst 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 rst Black woman to earn a medical degree.

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

By: Chloé Richards

ose

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NOTICE TO PROPOSERS

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LOCAL

By: Chloé Richards

“SEPARATE BUT EQUAL”

e university of Texas at Austin celebrated their rst Black graduates to earn a degree in Zoology. Exalton Delco was UT’s rst Black person to receive a Ph.D. in Zoology. UT’s very rst Black graduate Oscar ompson 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. ose 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. e 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 plainti 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. e state of Missouri tried to negotiate with Gaines by o ering him admission to an all-black law school that would have to be built (Missouri did not have any at the time) or o er Gaines assistance with his tuition at a neighboring states law school. Gaines declined both of these o ers and hired urgood 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. e 14th Amendment guarantees equal

protection of the laws of all persons born or naturalized in the United States. e 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 o er to pay for Gaines to attend law school at another state would not guarantee him a legal or equal education o ered to white students.

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

e NAACP prepared to argue another case forcing the University of Missouri to o er 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. e

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. is case almost mirrored Missouri ex rel Gaines v. Canada. Heman Marion Sweatt was born December 11th, 1912, in Houston, Texas. Sweatt is the plainti 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 eophilus 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. e 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. A er 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 quali cations 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. e Travis County Courthouse where the case originally took place, named the “Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse” on October 21st, 2005.

e same year, in 1950 a similar case took place in 1950. McLaurin v. Oklahoma Board of Regents of Higher Education. is case fought for the prohibition of racial segregation in graduate & professional studies. e plainti 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 urgood Marshall and other members of the NAACP legal defense