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. 

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.

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.”

By Theresa Sanders

People need to be very aware of the beliefs of the politicans they support as these people make decisions for the whole country. Many of these politicians are often out of touch with the struggles of the regular American citizen.

Just last week, during a radio interview, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (who happens to be the the CHAIR of the Higher Education and Workforce Training Subcommittee in the house) stated that she has

“very little tolerance for people who tell me that they graduated with $200,000 of debt or even $80,000 of debt because there is no reason for that.”

She goes on to boast how her education cost her $48,000 and that she paid for it out of pocket…in 1968. Listen to her comments below:

Here’s where the issue lies: She went to school in 1968! The cost of an education at her alma mater has TRIPLED since 1968 (and that’s with in-state tuition) and the cost of minimum wage was also 38% higher in 1968 than it is now. In 2007, the average American college education cost about $18,000+ a year.

Furthermore, does this mean that people who further their education, whether it be pursing master’s degrees, enrolling in doctoral programs, or in law or medical school have no excuse for the crippling amount of student loans they incur? Some of their students loans can be up to the amount of $200,000.

Considering it took her seven years to graduate, if she were in college in 2012 I wonder if she would still turn her nose up at student loans and if she accepted them, I wonder what price tag would be on her education?  Maybe she should look at the National Center of Education Statistics before she opens her mouth again on the subject.

Past honorees of the “Keepers of the Dream Awards”, among many others, have included: Coretta Scott King, Cicely Tyson, James Brown, Mariah Carey, Wyclef Jean, Johnnie Cochran, Myrlie Evers Williams, Sean “P-Diddy” Combs and Phil Griffith  who is the head of MSNBC.

This year’s highlighted gala event that was hosted by MSNBC anchor Tamron Hall, honored Denzel and Pauletta Washington, Karla Ballard, Chief of Strategic Development, Media and National Partnerships One Economy, Richard Parsons, Chairman of Citigroup and the former Chairman and CEO of Time Warner, and Doug Morris, CEO of Sony Music Entertainment. Philanthropist and actor Dr. Bill Cosby delivered the keynote address. During his brief remarks Cosby emphasized to African-Americans the importance of unity. “The time is now for self-reliance” he said. While stressing united efforts, the iconic actor referenced the Jewish community as a good example of self-help. “They build their own schools, hospitals, and banks. What’s stopping you?” He continued by encouraging African-Americans to accept personal responsibility. “You must understand that you’re being set up as you keep blaming someone else . . . we should not be waiting for others to do for us.” Towards the end of his address Cosby asserted, “For 400 years our fore parents have been waiting for us to accept the challenge.”

At the conclusion of the awards NAN President Rev. Al Sharpton briefly addressed the gathering. The Reverend expressed gratitude to the award recipients for their work in the community and stated to everyone, “You have more responsibility than your own success. The only thing someone should be saying is that you made a difference.” Sharpton referenced King by saying, “We remember King because he stood in the gaff and made a difference.”

As with all NAN events, this year’s gala was attended by a wide range of luminaries and dignitaries alike, ranging from Georgetown University Professor Dr. Michael Eric Dyson to New York City Comptroller John C. Liu to BET Reporter T.J. Holmes to television Judge Greg Mathis to actress Tatiana Ali.

Ms. Ali told YOUR BLACK WORLD, “I thought it was amazing. I was here for my friend Karla Ballard. It was my first time at this event and it was just absolutely beautiful”.

The ceremony officially concluded with a mini-concert put on by R&B sensation John Legend.

The nearly two and a half hour event was held at the District’s historic Lincoln Theatre. It was held in commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of D.C Emancipation Day, an event held in honor of Abraham Lincoln signing legislation that freed slaves living in the nation’s capital—nearly nine months before the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect. This historical fact inspired T.J. Holmes’ opening question to the panelists which set the tone for the evening’s discussion; “Are we still a nation divided?” The debate topics included but were not limited to; the economy, racism, unemployment, education, Trayvon Martin and the upcoming Presidential election.

One issue that was thrown on the table was Voter I.D laws and who they would affect in this year’s election. Rev. Sharpton criticized what he felt was a right wing conspiracy to suppress the black vote with new voter I.D. laws by accusing them of trying to introduce a “21st Century Poll Tax”. In response to critics who say that African-Americans should stop complaining about inequality because of Pres. Obama’s status he stressed that African-Americans should not become too relaxed. “You don’t win a round and think you’ve won the fight” he asserted.

Republican analyst and chairman of Students First, Joseph Watkins, mentioned how black and poor students were not receiving equal education. “We’ve got to do better. We have too many kids who are stuck in failing schools. My organization thinks that poor and middle income parents ought to have the same opportunities to send their children to the best possible schools. That’s what we’re fighting for.”

Dr. Malveaux, who attacked economic inequality, pointed out unfair practices in housing and bank lending. She also criticized the current gentrifying of urban communities across the United States by saying, “gentrification is a form of economic violence”. She pointed out how it is driving blacks from their communities.

After the program ended, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson spoke with YOUR BLACK WORLD. When asked if America was still divided despite having an African-American president, he responded, “Absolutely. Here we are dealing with radical forms of economic inequality, forms of social injustice, paralyzing forms of police brutality, racial profiling as well as the over incarceration of African-Americans.” “We are also witnessing the disproportionate slanting of our children into special education”, he continued. Dyson also referred to the jobless rate among African-Americans as being “devastating”. He pointed out the importance of collective success. “We are witnessing tremendous progress and extraordinary upward mobility for some and the downward spiral of economic inequality and injustice for many others . . . So we continue to celebrate Obama in the White house but we have to see that the gains and advantages move far beyond the quarantining of those benefits to one specific family to the universal family of African-Americans”.

The debate will be aired on Centric at a later time.

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.”

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.

This is a very interesting trend that I have noticed does not only plague Hollywood couples. We see it all the time; two people who date for a very long time and are seemingly happy together decide to get married and end up getting divorced soon after-the relationship that they had before they got married lasted longer than the marriage.

I was just having a Facebook discussion in which I suggested that the lesson that can be learned from a lot of these unfortunate “train wrecks’ that they call marriages is that when people get married, especially after dating for a long time, it is important not to suddenly come up with a new set of expectations.

The way I put is was this: When people get married they change their expectations but the truth is you can’t live with a “dog” for years and then hope that after the wedding it will stop barking and start purring like a cat. It is a dog and it will continue to bark. If you wanted a cat, you should have married a cat.

Now, just to be clear, I’m NOT saying men are dogs-okay? What I am saying is…Read the rest at www.successfulblackwoman.com