by Dr. Boyce Watkins – Scholarship in Action

When I first thought about getting a PhD in Business, I found out about the PhD Project. This ground-breaking initiative had the simple goal of creating more black professors to sit in the front of the classroom. It was established by the KPMG Foundation, and from what I understand, might have been in response to a series of complaints about racism that the organization had received in the past.

Since that time, the group has produced scores of black scholars in the field of business, an area that is in dire need of meaningful diversity. I was the only African American in the world to earn a PhD in Finance during the year 2002, and my university had never hired a black Finance Professor in its entire 130-year history. Business tends to be a very conservative field, where black people are still locked out at every turn (the Business School here at Syracuse, along with many others around the nation, has several departments that have never given tenure to an African American, which is downright racist and shameful).

I spoke recently to a friend about the PhD Project, which led to a tense discussion about how we train our black scholars. The models tend to be simple, primitive and somewhat counter-productive: Get your PhD, find a job at the best (typically predominantly white) university you possibly can, and spend the rest of your life doing research to publish in allegedly “prestigious” academicjournals that almost no one ever reads.  No one tells us who decided that one journal is more prestigious than the other; we are just expected to do what we are told.

As you spend your career writing one research paper after another, you also teach classes, with many of them having only one or two black students. White folks have all the money, so the dominant paradigm in this model of academic imperialism is to disappear from the black community and use your PhD as your ticket to “Never Land.” I know Never Land very well: As a “young negro prodigy,” (folks get excited when they see a black male with straight As) I was accepted into the best programs, studied under leading scholars and have more than my share of academic publications. I was brainwashed…I mean trained very well, and I know this system better than a man knows his ex-wife.

As a result of this antiquated approach to professional development, thousands of promising careers are ruined before they even begin. Our brightest minds are extracted from black America like barrels of oil from the soil of Nigeria. Even sadder is that the system to which so many black scholars dedicate their lives often leaves them used up, frustrated and feeling professionally worthless. Most predominantly white universities are willing to consider hiring black scholars for a few years, but almost never give them tenure, like the professional athlete who gladly sleeps with black women, but then runs off to marry the white girl.

I argue that it’s time for black scholars to re-consider the manner and creativity by which they pursue their career objectives. The academic plantation offers some black scholars a false validity; part of the “mama I made it” syndrome that adds almost nothing to the communities from which they came. Many of them are convinced that they are being groomed to be a lasting part of the infrastructure of their campuses, only to find that they were part of a superficial diversity quota. For the small number of black scholars who make it through this skewed and biased system, the rewards are a fancy office, a little bit of money, a contrived sense of prestige and the validation that we are constantly seeking from those who have been historically-positioned to control our thinking.  But when real impact on the black community is measured, an endless trail of intellectual aerobics is necessary to figure out where we’ve actually made a difference.

For the majority of black scholars who are spit out by the system, there is almost no reward. After the academic honeymoon is over, scores of black scholars are kicked to the curb, like the prostitute with messy hair, smudged makeup and a rip in her stockings the morning after a late-night date. They buy into the scheme lock, stock and barrel, only to find that the platform was designed to empower the blonde-haired, blue-eyed man down the hall. Some expect to change the way things are done on their campuses, but you can’t move into someone else’s house and expect them to let you shift around the furniture.  The best you can do as a black scholar is to do a very good job of imitating the white ones – but when you are trying to be someone else, you will never be perceived as anything better than a faulty version of the original.

I argue that it’s time to break the chains and get black scholars off the academic plantation. It is perfectly fine for scholars to teach at white universities and do research in journals controlled by white males. But it is also OK for us to re-engage our communities, earn multiple sources of income and find other relevant platforms through which we can share our expertise with our communities. Our value is undeniable, even if academia rejects us, and we cannot allow self-righteous judgments by culturally-incompetent colleagues to undermine our self-esteem.

The PhD Project, and other well-intended (albeit somewhat paternalistic) organizations would be wise to open the door for other ways of thinking among young African American scholars. In my own career, I was well-prepared for the possibility that my work in the black community would be undervalued by my peers. The Whitman School of management at Syracuse University had not granted tenure to any African American in over 100 years, so I knew that an outspoken black man would likely not be their most-favored son. Letters and calls of support from Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Michael Eric Dyson and Julianne Malveaux would make little difference in a place that has been conditioned to view black scholarship through a lens that is dusty with the sick poison of curdled American racism.

So, to prepare for all possibilities and to ensure that my 10 years of hard work didn’t go to waste (getting a PhD in Finance was the most difficult thing I’d ever done), I learned how to start my own business. I knew that if I had multiple sources of income, I would not be fighting with my colleagues over a $3,000 raise, or end up thinking that getting a lifetime job via tenure was my only path to financial security.  One hilarious fact about many American business schools is that most of the faculty have never run a business or worked for one, so I also saw this as a test of whether or not I actually understand my field and have the intelligence to succeed outside the comfort of the Ivory Tower.

After starting my own business, I worked to expand the size of my classroom. The Internet and traditional media served as wonderful ways that I could re-engage my community by speaking and teaching on the issues of the day with those who respect my points of view as a black man. I also found that the appreciation I received from my community for my hard work (yes, I am a workaholic) more than compensated for the fact that my own campus always treated me like an academic leper. The teaching, research and service awards that many black scholars are conditioned to chase are not meant for us; a few of us get them, but most of us are left unrecognized for our accomplishments.

As a result of pushing outside of my comfort zone, the Your Black World Coalition has grown to over 72,000 members nation-wide. Also, over 1,000 appearances in national media during the last five years has given me an opportunity to find “students” around the world, creating a peaceful psychological escape from the petty and small-minded things happening in the faculty meeting down the hall.  I’ve had educators telling me that I am a “bad boy” since I was five years old.  Once I decided to stop being afraid to let the world know who I really am, I was able to find out what true academic freedom really means.   I am no longer a Finance Professor who just happens to be black….I am a black man who just happens to be a Finance Professor. 

Even Jesus reminded us that sometimes the church can stand in the way of truly connecting to God.  Similarly, academia can sometimes get in the way of one’s ability to pursue meaningful scholarship. By using the resources around us, thinking outside the box and letting go of our need for external validation from the descendants of our historical oppressors, black scholars can elevate our impact to levels that were previously unimaginable.

We must teach young black intellectuals what it really means to be a scholar without filling their heads with pompous, culturally irrelevant, counterproductive protocols that were designed without our people in mind. I am hopeful that the PhD Project and any other group in a position to mentor African Americans realizes that these young minds are not meant to be shepherded into a system that is designed to destroy them….they should be liberated so they might fulfill their greatest potential.

As my friend George Fraser once said, “The black community doesn’t need more PhDs…..it actually needs more Ph-Dos.” We must first elevate if we are going to properly educate.   If black scholars don’t  learn to define our own paths and gain the courage to pursue them, our wall full of credentials become as meaningless as the paint on the wall itself.  It’s time to give the middle finger to the academic plantation, you have no right to judge me.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black WorldCoalition and a national spokesperson for the Ujamaa Initiative to support black-owned businesses.  To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 

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One of the most iconic radio stations in New York City is now going to shut down after 30 years in business.  The legendary 98.7 Kiss-FM, known for owning the adult R&B market, is now going to merge with 107.5 WBLS, and disappear for good.  The station was one of the leading black stations in New York City, and fans are stunned by the revelation.

WBLS VP/General Manager Deon Levingston sent out this statement: “WBLS and WRKS have been the voice of the tri-state black community for 30 years and we plan to merge the best of both stations to create a stronger voice to deliver the best in R&B music while also super serving our community.”

The station also hosts one of the best African American radio talk shows in the nation, “Open Line.”  There is no word on whether the show will be allowed to continue.

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by Staff, YourBlackWorld.net

Star Jones has had enough with Basketball Wives and is launching a campaign against it.  After seeing recent episodes where women such as Evelyn Lozada have been fighting (with Evelyn climbing across the table to attack a woman), Jones says that it’s time to turn the corner on the destructive nature of the show.

Jones has this to say about the matter:

“It may be ‘comfortable’ to be quiet when women of color slap the crap out of each other & run across tables barefoot, but #ENOUGHisENOUGH.”

“About to put together a group of sisters to finally ‘tell the truth’ about the image of women of color in the media,” she said.

Star made reference to a recent episode, where Jennifer Williams was slapped.  Williams has decided to file suit against those involved, rather than responding with additional violence.

“And the thought that the woman from #BBW who was smacked doesn’t have the RIGHT to file assault charges is LUDICROUS! You NEVER give up your right not to have your ‘person’ intentionally assaulted unless you are participating in an agreed physical activity,” Star went on to write.

Star then issued a call to other women with platforms to support her movement.

“I’m asking all my high profile, platform having conscientious sisters who STAND FOR SOMETHING to just say #ENOUGHisENOUGH & call folk out! Be mad. But think about what I said. WE ARE BETTER than that. You’re either part of the problem or part of the solution.”

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Tyra Banks made headlines this week by firing all of the judges from her show, “America’s Next Top Model.”  She claims that the show “needs a boost,” likely indicating that the ratings are not what she hopes they would be.

Nigel Barker, Jay Manuel and J. Alexander were removed, and no replacements have yet been announced.

“It’s very difficult because I love my guys. I mean, they’re my guys,” Banks told “Access Hollywood.” However, “it wasn’t a shock,” she said. “There had been a discussion that ratings were down and that something like this would happen.”

In spite of the firings, Banks says that Zigel and Jays will remain important parts of the show.

“They’ll still be there because my partner Ken Mok and I, we have projects that we’re developing, and we’re a family,” she said. “So it doesn’t end.”

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by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World

I love David Banner.  David is not the only brilliant hip hop artist that we hear on the radio, but he is one of the few who is proud of his intelligence.  Unlike brothers who fall for the temptation to mask their intelligence with counter-productive bo-jangling, Banner proudly uses his platform to promote the greater good.

My love and respect for David was challenged when I read a recent statement he made about the response of the hip hop community to the death of Trayvon Martin.  In an interview with TheGrio.com, Banner stated that hip hop artists don’t have a responsibility to speak on behalf of Trayvon and that they are only required to make good music.

Mind you, David Banner and artists like Vigalantee have been at the forefront when speaking on behalf of Trayvon Martin.   But his decision to conform and let his fellow artists off the hook requires those of us who aren’t on the corporate hip hop plantation to do Banner’s dirty work for him.   While Banner felt compelled to argue that hip hop artists have no obligation to speak up on either Trayvon Martin or any other social issue that comes to pass in black America, the truth is that many commercialized hip hop artists are already passionate activists when it comes to preaching the gospel of black self-destruction.

An activist is someone who, among other things, promotes a message that is internalized by others that translates into action which transforms a community.  Anyone who listens to the radio knows that many hip hop artists gladly promote numerous messages, including the following:  Get high and drunk every day, have sex with as many women as possible, shoot other black men who disagree with you, waste your money at the club instead of investing it, take pride in being ignorant and disrespect women whenever you can.

The message from leading commercialized hip hop activists is one that permeates all throughout black America, as young people look to these merchants of black death to teach them how to live, think, talk, dress and act.   If Malcolm X were to rise from his grave and appear at any high school in America, he could never draw a crowd as big as Lil Wayne.   So, when Lil Wayne repeats a chorus which says that he’s a “blunt smoking, polo drawz showing” gang member, who is “always strapped” and wants to “have sex with every girl in the world,” he is actively promoting a lifestyle that is reinforced in the psyches of millions of his disciples.   That’s no different from Martin Luther King changing history by saying “I have a dream,” with the only difference being that Lil Wayne might have a bigger audience.

So, what I encourage my good brother David Banner to understand is this simple idea: Your colleagues in hip hop are already activists.   Many of them are voluntary poster children for the promotion of gang violence, homicide, drug abuse, sexual irresponsibility and blatant ignorance.  They are deeply committed to sharing a set of very specific instructions to our kids on how to end up ignorant, uneducated, broke, incarcerated or dead.   These corporate-funded death certificates are signed for our kids before they even have a chance to make a choice, so the activism of hip hop artists has been quite effective.

So, does the hip hop community have an obligation to speak up on behalf of Trayvon Martin?  Who gives a damn.  The fact is that they are already speaking up on a whole host of issues, and our community is dying because of it.   It’s time to stop making excuses.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University and founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email,please click here.

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The legendary singer Beyonce Knowles was chosen as the most beautiful woman in the world, according to People Magazine.  Magazine Editor Alexis Chiu described Beyonce as “flawless, she’s gorgeous, she’s at the top of her game career-wise, she’s this music icon at 30 years old and on top of it she has this glow going on … She’s a new mom.”

“I feel more beautiful than I’ve ever felt because I’ve given birth. I have never felt so connected, never felt like I had such a purpose on this earth,” Beyonce told People.

“The best thing about having a daughter is having a true legacy,” she said. “The word ‘love’ means something completely different now.”

Other names that came up on the short list were Michelle Obama, Jennifer Hudson and a few others.  Last year’s winner was Jennifer Lopez, so maybe this is part of a trend.

Some have wondered if Beyonce’s skin complexion matters.  If she were a dark-skinned black woman, would she have won the award?  Most of us will never know the answer to that question.

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According to the website, 1976ad.com, the General President of Alpha Phi Alpha has been fined and removed as president of the organization.  Herman “Skip” Mason was accused this week of financial improprieties in a letter that circulated widely on the Internet.

According to the writers at 1976ad.com, the board of Alpha Phi Alpha decided to remove Mason, as well as suspend him from the fraternity.  This is the first time this has happened to a General President in the 105 year history of the organization.

You can read more about the situation by clicking here. 

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Two people were shot and killed outside a church in Denver this week.  The shootings occurred at 3 pm right after a service at the New Destiny Christian Center.   Police are saying that the shooting happened after an argument between two drivers, and one vehicle was chasing another at the time.  The associated press has reported that a man crashed his car outside the church, and when members of the church came to his aid, he pulled out his gun and tried to kill them.

A man being chased got out of his car and ran into the church for cover.  A woman came out to see what was going on, and she was shot in the parking lot.  An off-duty police officer at the service went outside and was shot by the man who shot the woman.

“We do have two people shot,” Frank Fania with Aurora police said. “An off-duty officer was in the congregation and was involved in the shooting, but he is okay.”

The woman who died was the mother of the pastor of the church, Delono Strahan.  The off-duty officer was Strahan’s cousin.  The suspect died in the hospital after being shot by police.

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by Dr. Boyce Watkins, YourBlackBloggers.net

I watched an ABC News special the other night featuring Steve Harvey, Jacque Reed, Sherri Shepherd and my homeboys Hill Harper and Jimi Izrael. The show covered a tried and true topic that is sure to get sky high ratings from the black community:  The topic was, Why successful black women can’t find a good man.   I am not going to risk bringing on the wrath of black women by saying things that some of them may not want to hear, but I have to be honest about what I saw on this show.  Let me just cut to the chase and lay the issues out one-by-one:

1)  Why are black women taking relationship advice from Steve Harvey? Not to disrespect Steve’s ability to drop knowledge, but isn’t he a comedian?  If we are taking relationship advice from a comedian and our relationship turns into a joke, who do we blame in the end?  Bottom line – perhaps learning how to love another person means that after you put aside the book by the comedian, you should go out and buy a book by a relationship expert.

2) Most good women have little trouble getting married to decent men:  One has to be skeptical of the beautiful, intelligent, fully capable woman who simply says that she can’t find a good man anywhere.  Most women I know who are well-balanced and who also appreciate the idea of respecting men in the same way they would like to be respected, have no trouble finding suitable mates.  Sorry to break this to you, but the only constant variable in your relationships is a person called YOU.

Rather than pointing the finger at the world, a bit more introspection might be called for:  perhaps you have to reconsider your laundry list of expectations or wonder if you’re not doing a good job finding men who are open to commitment.  It’s easy to find a man, just not easy to find a man who is willing to be with you and you only;  a lot of brothers simply play the field and allow you to buy an emotional lottery ticket, hoping that you’ll be the one he selects in the end.  You may be fishing in the wrong ponds in the first place or using the wrong bait to catch the fish you’re bringing home.

3) If you want something bad enough, take a class: There are classes on relationships and marriage out there that don’t cost much money.  If you are determined to be the best mate you can possibly be, it might make sense to take a class that explains all the subtleties and challenges of making a relationship work (not just the counseling you get from your pastor).  A relationship is not about a mate fulfilling your long and detailed list of needs and expectations.  The bottom line is that if you hope to receive more, you must first fully commit yourself togiving more.  Some of us are taught that we should expect the world and not offer anything in return:  that’s a perfect recipe for getting dumped.

4) Big mistake – always chasing the alpha male: I know a lot of “regular guys” who are unable to find a woman that is interested in being with them.  This is especially true in their mid-twenties, when everyone is single and living fancy-free, with little expectation for long-term commitment.  Some of the women these  ”regular guys” are interested in are not paying them much attention to them, mainly because the woman has become enchanted with the dream-like alpha male in her life:  the guy who fits every single portion of the checklist (height, income, education, toe nail length, swag, etc.), but who may not be available for a monogamous, long-term relationship.  What many women seem to forget is that there are some men who always have room for another woman on the roster.  If you’re wasting all your time with the lying, cheating, super dog, you might miss out on the chance to be with the man who will love you forever and father all of your children.  He may not come in the same package, and by comparing the two without considering the differences in what each of them offers, you may be passing up on your opportunity.

5) Relationships should not be a pissing contest: One of the by-products of many black children growing up in single parent homes is that their relationships become highly contentious.  I once saw a neck swinging, energized woman say, “I need a man who can handle me!”  What I wanted to tell her is that your man should not have to “handle” you as if you are a wild bull with his testicles sewn together.  The act of love is a process of being open, feeling and sharing, not trying to dominate one another.  So, if you need to be “handled” in your relationships, realize that you are likely going to only attract men who are mean, rough and insensitive enough to handle you effectively.  In fact, you’re not searching for a mate, you may be actually looking for a pimp.  Fighting and domination is not the same as love – let’s not get it twisted.

6) There’s nothing wrong with a few gender roles: Sherri Shepherd, during an especially volatile segment of the ABC News show, swung her hands around in the air saying, “I don’t have time to validate you every day!” – referring to the fact that she doesn’t feel that it’s her job to make her man feel good about himself on a regular basis.  What’s interesting is that most women want their man to make them feel beautiful and to feel like a woman.  So, why is it not acceptable for a man to expect his wife to make him feel like a man?   A man doesn’t want to marry another guy – or rather, a woman who feels that any and all gender roles are an insult to her feminine independence and also expects the man to be willing to be regularly emasculated.   It’s O.K. to make your man feel like he’s THE man, a king and a leader.  A good man will surely return the favor and make you feel like a beautiful woman.

7) Let’s be real- many men aren’t as excited about marriage as women: As much as we want to believe that men grow up fantasizing about their wedding day the same way that many women do, the truth is that this is not the case.  Many men see marriage as a frightening commitment that will cause them to be vilified for actions they can engage in without consequence when they are single (notice the millions of dollars that Shaquille O’neal and the rapper Nas have paid to get out of their marriages – every man gets petrified when he reads these stories).

A woman who gets her husband is the one who makes the man WANT to be married: she let’s him feel free, strong, needed, loved and supported.   While this may seem to be a primitive concept, the reality is that the reverse is true for sex:  Men and women both want it, but men know they have to work just a little bit harder to “get some.”  They’ve got to buy flowers, take the woman to dinner, and make her feel comfortable.  It would be silly for a man to think that a woman should buy him flowers and beg him to have sex with her.  The converse is true for marriage – where getting a man to overcome his anxiety is a great way to get him to give you what you want.

I love black women:  My mother, daughter and grandmother are black women and there is not a more precious group of women on the planet.  But the truth is that this “woe is me, black men ain’t sh*t” attitude has to be replaced with something more constructive.  If not, we’ll be having these same forums 20 years from today.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and the author of the book,“Black American Money.” To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

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A man is being accused of killing his 13-year old sister and wounding his mother before being wounded by police during a firefight.  Steven Murray of Harlem, New York was arrested shortly thereafter.

“I was laying down when I heard the shots,” said Karen Williams, 55, a neighbor.  “I turned the TV down and I heard three more shots.”

Police got a 911 call and found the man’s mother, Christine Fryar on the ground with a head wound.  Her daughter was also shot in the head.

“She had a hole over the right side of her head above her eyebrow. She was alive. Her eyes were rolling side to side. I looked at her and I said, ‘God help her,’” said Wiliams

“Her face was swollen up. I couldn’t recognize her face … Blood was all over her. Her head was bleeding.”

Even though she was wounded, the mother identified her son as the shooter.   Police then found Murray and chased him on foot.  That’s when a firefight ensued.  He was shot in the legs and torso.

“It must have been 20 shots maybe more,” another neighbor said.

“The police were shooting at the guy from 10 or 15 feet away. It was horrible. Thank God it wasn’t in the daytime.”

Murray was taken to the hospital in serious condition.  His mother is at the same hospital in critical condition.  His sister Annie was pronounced dead at the scene.   Annie was described as a “sweet person” and a B student by her classmates.

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