O My!

After taking a look at the point-counterpoint controversy of an American icon last week, and the scandal-ridden fall out of a former idol the week before, I decided to take a shot at writing about an American who has done more than most to reshape contemporary culture, as we have come to know it. But before moving to lay out the conversation for this week, I require your indulgence to briefly re-visit my last post.

Typically, reactions to stories I share with you are mixed. Each previous week, some respondents weighed in to agree, while others disagreed, challenged the core of my conclusions, or in one instance, suggested that I declined to take a clear and compelling position. Last week was different, however. Each of you, whom made the effort to holla back, whether in writing, by phone, or in person, sided with Dr. William Henry Cosby, Jr.

That is a point worth sharing. I am genuinely interested in your thoughts about contemporary issues. The point at which the issue was placed into finely detailed perspective, for me, occurred when an urbane, witty, avid-reading, close personal friend did not know Michael Eric Dyson, one of the Cos’ chief critics (on the issue of his current book and tour). Game, set match…to Bill!

That brings me to this week’s discussion. First, for the sports fans among you, no this has nothing to do with the legendary Dick Enberg, who popularized the expression, Oh My! Rather this post is intended to provide an abridged blogography of Oprah Winfrey.

While several of my posts have targeted controversies, challenges and dilemmas of a variety of protagonists and/or ill-fated characters, this is a Horatio Alger-quality good news story. O was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi, January 29, 1954 (1 month after I was born). Incidentally, Kosciusko is also the home of former civil right’s activist, James Meredith. Mr. Meredith is not deceased, by the way, but prefers to disassociate himself from the civil rights movement. But that’s a story for another time.

In a way today’s story is an anti-story. I awoke this morning to an e-message from a friend sharing an article citing the imminent demise of E. Stanley O’Neal, of Merrill Lynch, from the ranks of Fortune 500 CEO’s. I was momentarily tempted to write about it. It actually seemed particularly noteworthy when paired with news that Richard Parsons is expected to be forced out by Time Warner, any day now.

Those changes portend a seismic shift in this cohort, even though 2 is a relatively small raw number. After all, there are only 7 blacks among Fortune 500 CEO’s. A reduction by two will decrease the segment by a whopping 28.5%. The corresponding change in percentage of black Fortune 500 CEO’s of the total number of Fortune 500 CEO’s slides from a dismal 1.4% to an even more abysmal 1%.

Based upon my review, the 7 include, listed alphabetically:

· Aylwin Lewis, Sears Holdings
· Alfred Liggins, Radio 1
· E. Stanley O’Neal, Merrill Lynch
· Richard Parsons, Time Warner
· Russell Simmons, Rush Communications (Yep, Mr. Def Jam)
· John W. Thompson, Symantec
· Oprah Winfrey, Harpo Productions

In case you are wondering what the bull pen looks like, there are three African-American CEO’s on deck in the second 500, companies ranked 501 to 1000. Clearly, African Americans are not exactly knocking down the door.

But I digress. This piece is all about Ms. Winfrey. Her story is one of unquestioned success. According to Forbes Magazine, there were 946 billionaires in the world in February, 2007, as reported in the March 8, 2007 edition. While 663 of those were wealthier than Oprah Winfrey at the time, when the list is adjusted to comprise only Americans, the number of billionaires drops to 482. By the way of contrast, Italy had the second highest number of billionaires, 3.

Ms. Winfrey, estimated by Forbes to have had holdings worth $1.5 billion, easily makes the Forbes 400, delineating the 400 wealthiest Americans. The current year cut-off was $1.3 billion.

According to Forbes, Winfrey is worth over $2.5 billion, as of September, 2007[1] and has overtaken Ebay CEO Meg Whitman as the richest self-made woman in America[2] In July of this year, Ms. Winfrey was reportedly the highest paid TV entertainer in the US. She is said to have earned $260 million, or more than 5 times what was earned by the person in second place, July 2007 issue of TV Guide. [3] It is fair to say, 2007 was a very good year!

In fact, it has been a very good couple of decades for Oprah, to greatly understate the case. Her acclaim, influence, and wealth all register on a staggering scale. She has been:

· Ranked the richest African American of the 20 century
· Deemed the most philanthropic African American of all time
· The world’s only black billionaire for three straight years
· Assessed by some to be the most influential woman in the world
o “Arguably the World’s most powerful woman, CNN and Time.com[4]
o “Arguably the most influential woman in the world, the American Spectator[5]
o "One of the 100 people who most influenced the 20th Century" and "one of
the most influential people" of 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 by Time. [6]
o In 2003 Winfrey edged out both Superman and Elvis Presley to be named the
greatest pop culture icon of all time by VH1.[7]

O my! Oprah has towered over the American entertainment industry landscape for more than two decades, and shows no sign of relinquishing her lofty status. She has dominated multiple media, including TV, cinema, radio, magazine, and books. Her wealth is legendary, her philanthropic pursuits record-setting, and her influence, immeasurable.

The divine Ms. O is one-of-a-kind. Though parts of her story are played out daily on Syndicated TV, her accomplishments, and accompanying accolades are so numerous, it is worthwhile to pull them together in one place for review, every now and then. Hers’ is an amazing story. There may never be another like O!

That’s my take; what do you think?

Holla back!


Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com, or, Google: thesphinxofcharlotte. A new post is published each Wednesday.

To read and learn more about the life and times of Oprah Winfrey, click on the links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oprah_Winfrey

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosciusko%2C_Mississippi

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=health&id=5712396

http://www2.oprah.com/index.jhtml

http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/win0bio-1

http://www.oprah.com/about/press/about_press_bio.jhtml

http://education.guardian.co.uk/schoolsworldwide/story/0,,2201561,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=8

http://www2.oprah.com/tows/tows_landing.jhtml

http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Oprah_Winfrey/

http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/winfrey.html

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1187226,00.html

http://www.forbes.com/2007/03/07/billionaires-worlds-richest_07billionaires_cz_lk_af_0308billie_land.html

http://blogs.payscale.com/content/2007/09/payscale---the-.html

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/10/billionaires-up-america-down/

The Blame Game

Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow, Right! The venerable Cos is many things to many people. A septuagenarian, Cosby was born in Philadelphia in 1937. Since 2004 he has been barnstorming across America, brandishing his unique, newly minted version of the gospel truth. His message is aimed at edifying and elevating African-Americans out of what he and Co-Author, Dr. Alvin Poussaint refer to as a Culture of Victimhood.

Cosby and Poussaint jointly authored a book entitled, Come On People: On the Path from Victims to Victors. The book, the authors, especially Cosby, and the message, have stimulated robust conversation and debate in chat rooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and recently all have been prominently featured on the talk-show circuit.

Who is William Henry Cosby, Jr., anyway? When did he become the anointed African-American issues savant du jour? What has he done to captivate the so much of the focus of our…and at least the staunchly conservative segment of the larger community? Why do you care…what Bill Cosby thinks, or says? Where will the gospel according to Cosby lead us, if we choose to accept his wise counsel?

Cosby has led a full and richly rewarding life. He dropped out of high school after failing 10th grade, and later attained his GED through correspondence courses, working as an apprentice in a shoe repair shop, and serving a stint in the Navy. He was a scholastic athlete at Temple University, where he studied physical education, ran track, and played football. Cosby also dropped out of Temple, but returned to earn a BA. He also earned an MA, and an Ed.D from the University of Massachusetts. Oh by the way, for all my friends who cherish Purple and Gold, Dr. Cosby is a proud member of Omega Psi Phi.

Cosby has accomplished more than many remember, and more than most of us know. He started his professional career as a stand-up comedian, and in 1963 had his first album; Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow, Right! He broke through in TV two years later as a co-star in I Spy. Since then Cosby has gone on to garner an abundance of success in multiple endeavors. He has:

Authored 10 books
Made 36 albums
Been awarded at least 6 Doctorate Degrees
Received 2 Golden Globe Awards
Won 3 Emmys
Taken home 9 Grammy Awards
Served as a pitch man for Jell-O, Kodak, Coca-Cola, and Service Merchandise
Been a political activist
Honored as a humanitarian
Supported numerous philanthropic causes
Been married to his wife, Camille since 1964
Parented, with Camille, 5 children, one Ennis, who was killed in 1997.

Not a bad resume’ for a two-time dropout, born less than a decade after the Great Depression! The preceding summary helps answer the question, who is Bill Cosby? It may even cover, who does Bill Cosby think he is? It also fills in some blanks that serve as a proxy to validate when he was anointed, at least for some. Cosby has not only transcended the field of entertainment, but through his activism, humanitarian acts, and philanthropy, he has also made an indelible mark on issues that influence our daily lives. Indeed, Mr. Cosby is culturally relevant, and as such, absolutely, there are many reasons why we should care what he thinks or says.

OK, the who, when, and why questions have been addressed. That leaves two questions, including the compelling what has this man done to warrant the hype, and the direction-laden, where will The Cos lead us?

What has he done to provoke this controversy? Bill Cosby has staked himself out as a contrarian. His critics, and there are many, posit he is an embittered old man who, frustrated by personal tragedy, and beset by his own demons, has lashed out against those least equipped to subdue the various challenges they face. In other words, critics say he has invoked a potent combination of blame the victim and personal deflection; The Blame Game.

Alternately, his supporters, and there are many of them also, insist he has merely summoned the courage to quote the Dane, Hans Christian Andersen, and say, in a clear, resonant voice, The Emperor Has No Clothes! They contend African-American leaders and spokespersons routinely refuse to hold us accountable, individually and/or collectively. Moreover, they argue, it is this lack of self-oversight and governance that have led to the dire consequences and circumstances in which so many of us are too often immersed.

I respect Mr. Cosby greatly; his vita speaks for itself. I think he is sincere in his efforts, and that he believes his plan will help African-Americans, too many whom are lost, find our way. But, quite frankly, the message of his gospel seems unbalanced to me. Cos’ call-to-arms singles out African-Americans, period! The algebra of that equation just does not stand up. There are two sides, and they must both be solved. I am all for responsibility and accountability…just apply the remedy across the board. Then I think you have a winning formula.

Where will we end up by playing blind mice to Cosby’s Pied Piper? My cursory examination of the debate leads me to conclude Cosby’s prescription is a GPS-quality diagram straight to a fractured community, polarized by a debate prompted by an African-American hero.

That’s right, Bill Cosby is an icon, who has done enough for African-Americans that if he were to take his proverbial ball and go home today, he should still be accorded hero status. But even Michael Jordan learned that if you keep playing the game, you have to develop new skills as your old ones erode, or you will be embarrassed, or worse, made irrelevant.

So, Come On Bill: Even Things Up, and Let Us Help You Make Us Victors! That is my take. What do you think?

Holla back!


Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/ ,
Or, Google: thesphinxofcharlotte. A new post is published each Wednesday.

To read and learn more about Dr. William Henry Cosby, Jr., click on the links below:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Cosby

http://www.amazon.com/Come-People-Path-Victims-Victors/dp/1595550925

http://www.searchforvideo.com/watchclip.php?title=Bill+Cosby+About+Gangsta+Rap%2C+Drugs+And+Youth&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2F%3Fv%3DVXrLnshM_ME&description=Incredible+engagement+of+a+wise+man.&source=YouTube.com&image=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.youtube.com%2Fvi%2FVXrLnshM_ME%2Fdefault.jpg&category=directory&searchterm=%2Fentertainment%2Factors%2Fbill-cosby%2F

http://www.blackagendareport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=396&Itemid=33

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/16/opinion/16herbert.html

http://sharoncobb.blogspot.com/2007/10/on-meet-press-this-morning-bill-cosby.html

http://www.racewire.org/archives/2007/10/bill_cosbys_book_bares_blacks.html

http://www.americasdebate.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=13814

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/11/11/cosby/

http://books.google.com/books?id=rs5mrCyaaTEC&pg=PA29&lpg=PA29&dq=dyson+on+cosby+poussaint&source=web&ots=0UNIrieSeG&sig=29hzeyIiOdCuVJIf-J84bZM08do#PPP1,M1

Et Tu, Marion: The Rise And Fall Of A Track Star

There are stories, and then there are stories. For several weeks I have shared contemporary stories with you, some from the news of the day, most of the rest, from the recent past. Some stories resulted from my own personal interest, others were prompted by interest from and/or requests by friends. But all were stories I wanted to write.

While this story details a current event, to write it, I am traveling a difficult path. In penning this piece about Marion Jones, who observed her 32nd birthday last Friday, I am exploring the meteoric rise and precipitous fall of a great sports heroine.

Ms. Jones, a University of North Carolina (UNC) alumna, a heritage and legacy we share, burst upon the scene as a high school track star, winning the California State Championship in the 100 meters four consecutive years. Marion went on to matriculate at UNC, where she played point guard for the 1993 NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship team, as a freshman.

This is where the difficulty emerges for me. This is a story I do not want to write; but I must! It is emotionally cathartic for me. Sure, I admired her and followed her career because she was a multi-talented athlete who dominated her sport, and at one time was considered the world’s fasted woman, and best female athlete. But really…for me, much of her appeal and inherent significance as an athlete accrued from her Carolina Blue lineage. There, I said it!

With that admission out of the way, I acknowledge there are both similarities and differences in this piece and others I have written. Specifically, the Barry Bonds post covered an athlete operating in the Twilight Zone that consumes competitors caught up in the specter of having been alleged to have used banned and/or illegal substances. At the moment, they are separated by the key distinction that Marion has copped to it, while Barry has not.

That is clearly a major difference. For all the certainty in the minds of Bonds’ accusers, the debate continues. The absoluteness regarding Bonds’ alleged doping is relegated to the province of skeptics, cynics, and other non-believers. Alternately, for Marion, there is no longer any debate, all doubt has been removed, she is a cheat, and a liar.

Looking back at the history of Marion’s athletic career, circumstantial evidence is preponderantly stacked against her. Ms. Jones’ brushes with the banned substance police include:

• Being successfully defended by Johnny Cochrane against charges of using banned substances during her high school track career

• Having married shot putter C. J. Hunter in 1998, who was banned from the 2000 Olympics in Sidney, Australia after testing positive for a substance known as nandrolone; the couple divorced in 2002

• Giving birth in June, 2003, to a son, fathered by Tim Montgomery, a World Class sprinter who broke the 100 meter World Record in 2002; Montgomery was subsequently banned from the sport and his record rescinded after admitting to using performance enhancing drugs
  
  
• Having been named by Victor Conte, BALCO Founder, in a 2004 ABC 20/20 interview, in which he claimed he personally gave Marion five different illegal performance enhancing drugs
  
  
• Receiving tutelage for a number of years from Trevor Graham who is being investigated by a Federal Grand Jury for ties to athletes who used banned substances
  
  
• Working with Charlie Francis, who admitted providing performance enhancing drugs to Ben Johnson, who tested positive for steroids after a record-setting performance in the 100 meters at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea
  
  
• Collaborating with Steven Riddick, who coached Tim Montgomery and other athletes involved in drug scandals
  
  
• Having a June 2006 “A” Sample positive urine test for Erythropoietin (EPO), a banned performance enhancing substance, at the USA Track & Field Championships; cleared by a later negative “B” Sample
  
  
• Admitting lying to federal agents about steroid use prior to the 2000 Olympics and pled guilty in US District Court in White Plains, NY, in October, 2007
  
  

There are numerous takes on the scandal that has ensued due to Jones’ admission. On one axis, the prevailing sentiment seems to be for analysts to take the “show no mercy to the abominably abhorrent she-devil” approach.

A middle ground segment opines there are lessons to be learned by her comeuppance. Her own of course, but more notably the hordes who emotionally invest in intangible qualities that make some human beings seem better, superior in fact, to the rest of us.

On the opposite polar extreme of the spectrum from the she-devil proponents, there are those who note Jones had a difficult and trauma-filled childhood, and should therefore be the object of pity. Her father left the family shortly after Marion’s birth. Her mother remarried when Marion was 8, and her stepfather subsequently died four years later, devastating Jones and her younger half-brother.

So, when one pulls it all together, what does it all add up to? Or perhaps more appropriately, when one subtracts all the fluff, hype, and non-essential (to the case) matter, what’s left?

For me, two key points resonate. First, for all her failings, Marion is most certainly not an abominably abhorrent she-devil. Second, I must add quickly, neither is she a victim, warranting pity.

After evaluating the sum of Marion’s skills talents, and abilities, her options, choices and consequences, and finally her meteoric rise and precipitous fall, I conclude Ms. Jones was undone by a vicious and continuous cycle of poor choices.

There can be no doubt she surrounded herself by an unscrupulous coterie of questionable intent. Moreover, in instances where her posse’s intentions were not questionable, they appear to have been worse; pernicious, clearly not in her best interest.

But that’s where personal accountability must prevail. If Marion is to leverage the lessons of her decampment from fame and fortune, she must make good on her pledge to use “the example of her bad choices and decisions to make the lives of many people improve.” That much is non-negotiable!

That’s what I think; holla back!


Read my blog anytime, 24/7/365, by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/ , Or, Google: thesphinxofcharlotte. A new post is published each Wednesday.

To read and learn more about the life and times of Marion Jones, click on the links below:

http://www.charlotte.com/sports/story/312583.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Jones
http://cornellsun.com/node/25124
http://www.kansascity.com/273/story/318240.html
http://www.sportinglife.com/others/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=others/07/10/13/ATHLETICS_Jones_Nightlead.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19404801/#storyContinued
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/more/10/08/jonesmedals.ap/index.html
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15060426
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21138883/http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/trackandfield/news/story?id=2554924http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/trackandfield/news/story?id=2554924

Let Justice Run Down As Waters

Last week I wrote a good news story. One that was straight-forward, and not laced with negative nuances or undertones. This week I will discuss a topic the central figure will never read, and would not understand if you or I were to read it to him.

I decided nearly a week ago to write about the case of Floyd Brown. It is not nearly as wholesome and/or folksy as the Johnson C. Smith University Top 10 Among Black Colleges story. When I chose today's topic, it was also unclear how, or when, the case would end. Now that it has culminated as it did, it’s not just a good news story, or even merely great news. This is an epic and phenomenal story. Civil liberties and constitutional rights have been preserved, albeit too long coming. After all, William Gladstone noted many years ago, justice delayed is justice denied!

This case has at its central focus, one of “the least of these.” If you believe in the bedrock principles and fundamentals upon which this country was founded, what could be more compelling? Indeed, this has been 14 years of simmering high drama in the making.

Those who know me are aware of my position, and the fact I have labored to make sure we all keep episodes like the Jena 6 story in perspective. From all accounts, shameful atrocities occurred in Jena. Many have come to light, and number of them are being dealt with as a result.

But simply put, injustices abound. So much so, until it serves none of us well to put all our eggs in one basket, or feel we have made a huge dent in the problem when any single instance is righted. We have not.

On the contrary, there is more than ample evidence the problem is wide-spread and trenchant. We know, as a result, it will take significant, if not full-scale commitment by each of us, over the course of the foreseeable future, just to stem the tide. Floyd Brown's case is yet another prime example why I maintain the position I do on how we react, individually and collectively, to such matters.

Mr. Brown of Wadesboro, North Carolina, which is in Anson County, was charged with murder, and spent 14 years in jail, at a cost of more than $2.3 million…without a trial. That’s right, 14 years in jail, without a trial!

He was released Monday by Durham Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson, Jr., who dismissed the case. This is the same judge who suspended Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong for his actions during the Duke Lacrosse case, in the event his name sounds familiar to you.

As with the other cases I have previously discussed in this space, there were a number of inconsistencies, ambiguities, and peculiarities with Brown's case. Among them:

· The D.A. did not rebut claims Mr. Brown’s confession was faked
· The two-paged verbatim confession is the only evidence linking Brown to the murder
· Evidence is missing from the Anson County Sheriff’s Office
· Two detectives on the case were convicted of accepting bribes
· The two detectives were subsequently jailed for corruption
· A tipster’s description of a possible culprit does not fit Brown
· The NC Department of Justice has reviewed allegations of wrong-doing in the case

Floyd Brown is estimated to have an I.Q. of around 50. There is a lot about what has happened to him over the past 14 years he does not, and will never, understand. Nor should he have to. He is a member of the human race.

Brown’s attorneys filed a writ of habeas corpus. That’s Latin, and translates literally to, produce the body. In more straight forward lingo, it’s an appeal of last resort to free someone from jail, when all other efforts have failed. It is used as a protection against illegal imprisonment.

The writ was filed in Durham, NC, which is in Durham County, in part because NC law allows it to be filed in any County, but also because Brown’s attorneys believed they needed a change of venue to secure a fair hearing for their client. Two judges in Anson County had previously supported the Anson District Attorney’s position.

In the March 15, 1965 issue of The Nation, an essay by The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., entitled Let Justice Roll Down appeared. The theme of the essay penned by, and proclaimed in Dr. King’s uniquely clarion voice poignantly paraphrased Amos 5:24, “But let justice run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.”

After his case was dismissed, when Brown was asked if he thought he would ever be released, he replied, “I figured it was time.” Monday afternoon, justice ran down as waters for Floyd Brown. It was (past) time.

Holla Back!


To read and learn more about the case of Floyd Brown, click on the links below:

http://www.cityofwadesboro.org/
http://www.charlotte.com/floydbrown/
http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=3704228&page=1
http://www.netscape.com/tag/floyd+brown
http://news14.com/content/headlines/588102/hearing-set-in-floyd-brown-case/Default.aspx
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_7124678
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/crime_safety/story/730579.html
http://www.talkleft.com/story/2007/7/25/121014/837

Home Schooling

Fist things first; this is not a conversation about parents teaching their children at home. Two weeks ago I noted a friend challenged me and others to take more time to focus on positive aspects of life rather than negative. Rather nonchalantly I demurred and committed to do it later. Well, unable to shake the query or the challenge, I decided to, at least temporarily, abandon the great ship of procrastination and do it now!

As I settled in this evening to ponder what I assumed would be a seemingly endless list of possibilities, I came face-to-face with the reality of the point my good friend was making. I can now say without equivocation, if one is sifting through the lens of traditional media for positive, or otherwise affirming topics, the Pimp’s Credo comes to mind; “It ain’t easy”…to find one.

Taking stock of the daily news, I was reminded of what is meant by the concept of Culture of Complaining. It’s almost as though the information testers and measurers have decreed we must consume our MDR (Minimum Daily Requirement) of negativism.

If you have angst, there are stories to feed your anxiety. If you are angry, there are topics to fuel your hatred. If you tend to be scared, there are reports to validate your fear. If you harbor visions of conspiracies, there analysts ready to provide confirmation.

What if you have hope? Well now, that’s a totally different matter. The Bible verse found at Matthew 19:24 comes to mind, “Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Comparing a camel going through a needle’s eye to finding a positive news story seems apropos.

But hey, just as I believe wealthy people can qualify for a heavenly home, I not only believe, but am committed to providing a vehicle for conducting a positive conversation in the public domain. After pushing through the initial wall of inertial resistance, I concluded the perfect opportunity is right under my nose.

On Monday, the October 8th Edition of U.S. News and World Report hit newsstands, and included in it is the magazine’s first ranking of “America’s Best Black Colleges.” This news takes on added significance as Johnson C. Smith University is #10 on the list.

That is great news. It’s a positive story over all; it is great for North Carolina, it is outstanding for Charlotte…my adopted home town, and it is a wonderful thing for JCSU, the home school.

Guess what! The story does not end there. There are 114 black colleges in America, 11 in North Carolina. Of those 11, the split between public and private is close to even, 6 private, 5 public. The ranking’s first tier totaled 34 schools, including 7 of North Carolina’s 11, and all five public schools. Three additional private schools, Livingstone College, Shaw University, and Saint Augustine’s College made the second tier. Only one North Carolina HBCU (Historically Black College and University) failed to make either first or second tier, Barber-Scotia College in Concord.

In addition to Johnson C. Smith University, Bennett College was the second private school on the first tier list, coming in at #16. The North Carolina schools were ranked or classified as follows:

First Tier
- 10. Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte
- 12. Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem

- 16. Bennett College, Greensboro
- 16. Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City
- 16. North Carolina Central University, Durham
- 19. North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, Greensboro
- 34. Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville

Second Tier
- Livingstone College, Salisbury
- Shaw University, Raleigh
- Saint Augustine’s College, Raleigh

Unranked
- Barber-Scotia College, Concord

The total undergraduate enrollment at North Carolina’s 11 HBCU’s is estimated at 30,327. That the vast majority of these schools provide great educational opportunities is definitely a good news/feel good story.

Work with me now. Suspend your tendency to play devil’s advocate for a moment. Forget about prison population vs. college enrollment statistics for blacks, let go your righteous indignation about issues of historically denied access, push back the temptation to contest the value proposition of Best College rankings, and in general just squash all negative, nay saying notions. Go ahead, you can do it.

Focus instead on the pathway to success that over 30,000 mostly young African-Americans have undertaken. Think of the new careers, the high-achieving professionals, and the proud parents and family members that serve as their safety net and primary support group. Inhale it, marinate on it, allow yourself to take time to savor something you probably had not thought about…but when you did, after a little prompting, you smiled.

Come on admit it…that was cool. Make yourself a promise; you will do it again. Soon!

Holla back!

To read more about Johnson C. Smith University, the U.S. News & World Report "Best Black Colleges in America ranking, North Carolina HBCU's, and/or HBCU's across the Nation, click on the linkes below:

http://www.jcsu.edu/news/newsreleases/jcsunatllist.htm
http://www.charlotte.com/breaking_news/story/296557.html
http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/2007/09/27/the-crossroads-of-history-americas-best-black-colleges.html
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/t1_hbcu_brief.php
http://www.answers.com/topic/johnson-c-smith-university-1?cat=travel
http://www.topix.net/content/kri/2007/09/ratings-ready-today-jcsu-on-list-of-top-black-colleges
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_historically_black_colleges_of_the_United_States