Dr. Hefner (1939-2015) earned his master’s degree in economics from Atlanta University in 1963. He served as a university president for 21 years, at Jackson State University, 1984-1991 and at Tennessee State University, 1991-2005. Previously, Dr. Hefner served as provost of Tuskegee University (1982-1984), and as the Charles E. Merrill professor of Economics and chair of the Department of Business and Economics at Morehouse College, 1974-1981. He also taught and served as a research associate at Harvard University, Princeton University, Clark College, Florida A&M University, Benedict College and Prairie View A&M University. Dr. Hefner also established two of the nation’s…
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By Esther Schrader It was a muggy Monday in 1964 and as darkness fell, Jacksonville, Florida, was ablaze with racial unrest. On a grassy roadside far from the tumult, Johnnie Mae Chappell was searching for her wallet. The housekeeper and midwife must have been tired. A Black woman of 35, Chappell had been cleaning houses since early morning. At home were six of her 10 children. Her husband, Willie, was headed to his second job of the day. And her wallet had fallen out of her grocery bag. That is why Chappell and two neighbors were looking down at the…
NASHVILLE, TN – Attorney Phillip H. Miller was awarded a Master of Laws in Litigation Management during the February 8, 2020 commencement ceremonies at Baylor University. In addition to successfully completing the LL.M. program, during his time in the program, Miller performed specialized research into Juror Centered Case Assessment. The Executive LL.M. program at Baylor Law is the first Master of Laws program in the country designed exclusively for lawyers who direct litigation strategy, to teach a concrete and practical framework to create and execute a successful, value-based litigation management game plan for high-volume and high-stakes dockets. Additional information about…
By Jane Schneider In 2017, Keith and Julie Schap, graciously welcome a steady stream of guests into their home as musicians set up amps and guitars in the middle of their living room. The Schaps, who renovated their East Memphis house to accommodate their popular house concerts, feature four jazz sessions a year. A concert pianist, Julie is the artistic director for Concerts International, a chamber music series, and the couple’s living room reflects their passion. Shadowboxes filled with autographed playbills and photographs of Leonard Bernstein, Dave Brubeck, and Frank Sinatra pepper the walls. The audience, an older East Memphis crowd,…
Nashville, TN (TN Tribune)–The Withers Collection Museum and Gallery on Beale Street in Memphis features photographs taken by Ernest Withers during the civil rights era. It is housed in his last working studio. Please make a donation to support the Black press and journalism produced by The TN Tribune by visiting https://tntribune.org/donate/
Nashville, TN (TN Tribune)–The co-editors of The Black Trans Prayer Book, an interfaith collection of stories, poems, prayers, meditations and more about the experiences of trans and nonbinary Black people, were the featured guests during a two-day virtual event hosted by the Vanderbilt community. Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi and J Mase III provided a historical overview celebrating the livelihoods and communal care of Black trans people from pre-colonization to present day in a Feb. 18 workshop titled “Where White Supremacy, Transantagonism and Religious Violence Collide.” The impact of colonization on trans communities often emphasizes conformity rather than autonomy, inspiring the…
Nashville, TN (TN Tribune)–Meharry Medical College held a Groundbreaking Ceremony for its first on-campus Living and Learning Center on Wednesday, Feb. 24th. The 156,000 square foot facility is expected to house 126 students and will include two fully functional classrooms, a retail space, business center, fitness center, mailroom and two outdoor terrace spaces. The Center is expected to be completed by June 2022. The Living and Learning Center will cultivate a collaborative work environment for students and teachers. Students in this community-based learning environment can partake in academic experiences with their peers, interact with faculty and enjoy the benefits of…
NASHVILLE, TN – Democratic members of the General Assembly have filed answers to three education bills passed by Republicans last month with 8 bills to fix the broken Basic Education Program (BEP) funding formula that provides state funding to k-12 education. The measures would boost the state’s share of teacher salaries, reduce class sizes in high-need elementary schools, increase the number of specialists to work with struggling students, and add more counselors, social workers and nurses in every school district. According to the National Education Association, Tennessee ranks 46th in the nation for funding per student. Democrats want to address chronic…
Chattanooga, TN (TN Tribune) – Chattanooga natives and other well-known media personalities Mariah Huq, Juanita Ingram, Reco Chapple, DJ AONE and Sammie Bush, Jr. have endorsed Wade Hinton’s historic campaign for Mayor of Chattanooga. Mariah Huq, Juanita Ingram, and Reco Chapple – all Chattanooga natives – and DJ AONE and R&B artist Sammie have joined the history-making Hinton Campaign to help elect the first Black Mayor of Chattanooga. These endorsements come on the heels of the launch of Women for Wade and the release of Hinton’s inclusive economy, affordable housing and COVID-19 recovery plans. Huq and Ingram both detailed why…
NASHVILLE, TN – Lauren Johnson lives in Texas with her husband and her three children. After her husband lost his job in 2008, the family received less federal food aid because both parents had felony drug convictions and couldn’t get food stamps (SNAP). “There’s no end to the collateral consequences of a criminal conviction,” Johnson said. “Here in Texas, 55,207 total individuals in the fiscal year 2014 were disqualified for federal drug convictions for SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. That doesn’t include all of the individuals that didn’t even apply because this had been the law for so long that…