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Davis, Clarke, Jackson, Kelly Create Caucus for Predominantly Black Institutions

Predominantly Black Institutions represent an increasing cadre of 4-year and 2-year institutions that educate urban and rural Black students whose personal and financial situations limit their ability to pursue higher education in many states On Wednesday, Representative Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Representative Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Representative Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), and Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL) […]
The post Davis, Clarke, Jackson, Kelly Create Caucus for Predominantly Black Institutions first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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2 years ago

October 29, 2023

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Predominantly Black Institutions represent an increasing cadre of 4-year and 2-year institutions that educate urban and rural Black students whose personal and financial situations limit their ability to pursue higher education in many states

On Wednesday, Representative Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Representative Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Representative Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), and Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL) announced the establishment of a new Congressional Caucus focused on educating policymakers and uplifting the needs of Predominantly Black Institutions.

The Congressional Predominantly Black Institutions Caucus will unite policymakers who share the goal of understanding and advancing policies to support PBIs.

PBIs were established in 2007 via P.L. 110-84, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, to expand access to important federal grants to assist institutions with limited institutional wealth to include colleges and universities serving large percentages of low-income African-American students.

Prior to 2007, these support grants assisted only a subset of institutions that educate low-income students who are underrepresented in higher education, including: Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions; Hispanic Serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities.

The 2007 law created grants for PBIs, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, and Native American-Serving, Non-tribal Institutions to better support low-income and minority students.

Rep. Davis, Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), and Rep. Major Owens (D-NY) championed the legislation to establish PBIs because these under-funded institutions that serve hundreds of thousands of students could not receive institutional aid as similar colleges. Although there were grants to support the important work of HBCUs, PBIs cannot be HBCUs because HBCUs must have experienced affirmative discrimination by the federal government prior to the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Thus, Congress changed the Higher Education Act to better assist under-funded colleges in graduating low-income minority students.

PBIs represent an increasing cadre of four-year and two-year institutions that serve as the access point for a growing number of urban and rural Black students whose personal and financial situations limit their ability to pursue higher education in many states.

There are approximately 110 such institutions that serve over 480,000 students. These institutions have minimal institutional wealth and serve a population of students who are low-income, minority, and first-generation, and whose personal finances present special challenges to educational success.

PBIs are required to meet stringent eligibility requirements related to student enrollment, family income, institutional wealth, and percentage of minority students. The PBI Caucus will work to help policymakers understand the needs of PBIs so that policies better assist these important institutions.

“Predominantly Black Institutions play an essential role in educating Black students in Chicago and across the country,” said Rep. Davis. “I am proud that my work to create PBIs helped bring over $45 million to the PBIs in Chicago, including: Chicago State University; Kennedy-King College; Malcolm X College; Olive-Harvey College; Prairie State College; and South Suburban College. I am pleased to join with Reps. Clarke, Jackson, and Kelly to establish the PBI Caucus to help legislators understand the importance of these colleges and universities and to advance policies to help these institutions and their students thrive.”

“For decades, Predominantly Black Institutions have served to empower students of color with an equitable and quality education,” said Rep. Clarke. “I’ve long fought to ensure PBIs have the funding they need to support our nation’s future leaders and take great pride in my work to secure more than $31 million in funding for New York PBIs, including the City University of New York, Medgar Evers College, Borough of Manhattan Community College, Metropolitan College of New York, and others. As members of Congress, we have a moral responsibility to support these colleges for the students who rely on them, and I am honored to stand alongside my colleagues in the creation of this critical PBI Caucus.”

“Black Americans deserve institutions of higher learning that are focused on helping them grow and thrive,” said Rep. Jackson. “That’s why I’m so excited to join my esteemed colleagues to form the first congressional caucus whose sole goal is to advance policies to support Predominantly Black Institutions. Chicagoland is home to a number of these scholarly institutions, and I look forward to working to aid and uplift them and other PBIs across the country.”

“I’m proud to support Predominantly Black Institutions across the nation and at home in the Chicagoland area. PBIs foster Black student success, offer direct support to first-generation and low-income students, and address some of the most pressing challenges facing Black students,” said Congresswoman Robin Kelly. “I am happy to join with Reps. Davis, Clarke, and Jackson to establish the PBI Caucus to advance policies that support these institutions and ensure that their students can achieve their dreams.”

Organizational Quotations:

Chicago State University

“We want to thank Reps. Davis, a Chicago State University alumnus, and Clarke, Jackson, and Kelly, for their leadership in forming the Congressional Predominantly Black Institutions Caucus, lifting up the importance of PBI institutions in supporting Black students in higher education all across the nation,” said Zaldwaynaka (“Z”) Scott, Esq., President of Chicago State University. “Minority Serving Institutions play an important role in providing college access to millions of students, often the first in their family to attend college, and the new PBI caucus will aid in bringing needed federal focus to the vital priorities which are unique to this important classification of MSIs.”

Complete College America

“Predominantly Black Institutions are a critical part of our nation’s college completion strategy, creating educational and economic opportunity for learners who have been historically underserved by higher education in America. Complete College America is proud to work closely with numerous PBIs who have been industrious in their work to level the playing field for Black students across the US. Supporting PBIs and providing these institutions and their students with resources and tools tailored to the specific needs of their campus communities will advance local, state, and national goals to educate and train a skilled, smart, and engaged future workforce.” – Yolanda Watson Spiva, President, Complete College America

Kennedy-King College, City Colleges of Chicago

“Funding from PBI grants has allowed Kennedy-King College to build essential systemic supports to ensure positive academic and economic outcomes for our Black students, who comprise over 70% of our student population,” said Dr. Katonja Webb Walker, President of Kennedy-King College. “The flexible nature of these funds leverages our ability to deploy innovative and responsive solutions in ways that traditional funding sources do not. We are truly appreciative of Congressman Davis, Congressman Jackson, Congresswoman Kelly, and Congresswoman Clarke for their continued support of the needs of our students.”

Malcolm X College, City College of Chicago

“PBI funding has served as a critical vehicle for community colleges to eliminate barriers to access, resolve equity issues and support students in successfully completing their educational objectives. Malcolm X College has received nearly $7M in PBI funding to help Black students realize the American dream. My deep appreciation goes to U.S. Reps Danny K. Davis, Yvette Clarke, Jonathan Jackson and Robin Kelly for their advocacy and support of our students.” – David A. Sanders, President, Malcolm X College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago

Medgar Evers College, City University of New York (CUNY)

“I am pleased Congressman Danny K. Davis (D-IL), and our Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, of the U.S. House of Representatives (Medgar Evers College’s Representative), along with House of Representatives Jackson (D-IL), and Kelly (D-IL), established a new Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI) Caucus to educate policymakers about PBIs and the great work that PBIs do in positively impacting the social mobility index. Because PBIs serve some of the nation’s neediest students, it is critical that these institutions are provided with adequate resources to positively impact student success and contribute to the knowledge economy of this nation. Many thanks to these Representatives,” said Dr. Patricia Ramsey, President of Medgar Evers College-CUNY

National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO)

Lezli Baskeville, President & CEO of NAFEO, the membership and advocacy association for all HBCUs and PBIs, is especially grateful to Congressman Danny Davis and the other Members of Congress who joined him in establishing a Congressional PBI Caucus. Baskerville recalls, “With leadership from Congressman Davis and then-Congressman Major Owens of New York, in 2004, NAFEO began leading the advocacy group effort that resulted in passage of the legislation establishing a grant program for under-resourced institutions that educate disproportionate of low-income Black Americans. The establishment of PBIs, as part of the class of American colleges and universities known as Minority Serving Institutions, assured that America’s richly diverse higher education system would open wider the doors of opportunity for Black Americans of fewer financial means for whom a high education might not otherwise be possible. Since then, as the ranks of champions for PBIs swelled with unstinting leadership from Reps. Davis, Yvette Clarke (NY), Robin Kelly (IL), and Jonathan Jackson (IL), funding for PBIs has increased but it still lags behind others in its class. The PBI Caucus will provide a potent vehicle through which to raise the volume and expand the ranks of those who will relentlessly advocate for more equitable congressional funding and other investments in PBIs. NAFEO will continue to provide leadership in this vital next step toward equity for PBIs.”

Olive-Harvey College, City Colleges of Chicago

“As a leader of a predominantly Black institution, I would like to thank the U.S. Representatives for creating the PBI Caucus to advance policies that improve Black student retention and graduation rates,” said Dr. Kimberly Hollingsworth, President of Olive-Harvey College (OHC). “Their leadership has been instrumental in increasing college access for Black students and has helped OHC recruit and financially support Black students as they reach their educational goals.”

Prairie State College

“There are not enough words to express my personal gratitude, and the gratitude of the Prairie State College community, to Reps. Davis, Clarke, Jackson, and Kelly for their formation of the PBI Caucus. Rep. Kelly is a resident of our district and a long-time supporter of our work. As a former faculty member at PSC, she knows that we, and other PBI’s, are on the front lines of teaching the next generation of Black and low-income scholars, while simultaneously meeting the workforce needs of our community and local employers.” – Dr. Michael D. Anthony, President of Prairie State College

South Suburban College

“At South Suburban College, we support the creation of the Congressional Predominantly Black Institutions Caucus, extending our appreciation to Representatives Davis, Clarke, Jackson, and Kelly for championing Predominantly Black Institutions. These institutions are vital in offering accessible higher education, particularly for marginalized students, and are often a gateway to the collegiate journey for minority and low-income populations. As a dedicated institution to student achievement, we recognize the invaluable role PBIs play in promoting educational equity. SSC looks forward to collaborating with the PBI Caucus, striving to advance policies that empower PBIs in their mission to deliver high-quality education.” – Dr. Lynette Stokes, President of South Suburban College

Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF)

“We extend our sincere thanks and congratulations to Representatives Davis, Jackson, Clarke and Kelly on the establishment of the Congressional Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI) Caucus,” said Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) President and CEO Dr. Harry L. Williams. “PBIs play a critical role in educating Black Americans, helping to close the racial wealth gap and educating the diverse workforce needed to ensure America’s global competitiveness. TMCF is proud to represent Chicago State University, Medgar Evers College and York College, three PBIs that do the tremendous work everyday of serving the underserved and we look forward to working closely with the new PBI Caucus for the betterment of these institutions and their students.”

The post Davis, Clarke, Jackson, Kelly Create Caucus for Predominantly Black Institutions appeared first on Chicago Defender.

The post Davis, Clarke, Jackson, Kelly Create Caucus for Predominantly Black Institutions first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Black Artists in America, Installation Three Wraps at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens

TRI-STATE DEFENDER — With 50+ paintings, sculptures and assemblages, the exhibit features artists like Varnette Honeywood from Los Angeles, whose pieces appeared in Bill Coby’s private collection (before they were auctioned off) and on “The Cosby Show.” Also included are works by Alonzo Davis, another Los Angeles artist who opened one of the first galleries there where Black Artists could exhibit.

Published

5 days ago

March 24, 2026

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By Candace A. Gray | Tri-State Defender

The tulips gleefully greet those who enter the gates at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens on an almost spring day. More than 650,000 bulbs of various hues are currently on display. And they are truly breathtaking.

Inside the gallery, and equally as breathtaking, is the “Black Artists in America, From the Bicentennial to September 11” exhibit, which runs through Sunday, March 29. This is the third installment of a three-part series that started years ago and illustrates part of the Black experience through visual arts in the 20th century.

“This story picks up where part two left off,’’ said Kevin Sharp, the Linda W. and S. Herbert Rhea director for the Dixon. “This era is when we really start to see the emergence of these important Black artists’ agency and freedom shine through. They start to say and express what they want to, and it was a really beautiful time.”

With 50+ paintings, sculptures and assemblages, the exhibit features artists like Varnette Honeywood from Los Angeles, whose pieces appeared in Bill Coby’s private collection (before they were auctioned off) and on “The Cosby Show.” Also included are works by Alonzo Davis, another Los Angeles artist who opened one of the first galleries there where Black Artists could exhibit.

“Though [Davis] was from LA, he actually lived in Memphis for a decade,” said Sharp. “He was a dean at Memphis College of Art, and later opened the first gallery in New York owned and operated by black curators.”

Another featured artist is former NFL player, Ernie Barnes. His work is distinctive. Where have you seen one of his most popular paintings, Sugar Shack? On the end scene and credits of the hit show “Good Times.” His piece Saturday Night, Durham, North Carolina, 1974 is in this collection.

Memphis native James Little’s “The War Baby: The Triptych” is among more than 50 works featured in “Black Artists in America, From the Bicentennial to September 11” at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens, the final installment of a three-part series highlighting the impact and evolution of Black artists through 2011.

The exhibit features other artists with Memphis ties, including abstract painter James Little, who was raised in a segregated Memphis and attended Memphis Academy of Art (before it was Memphis College of Art). He later moved to New York, became a teacher and an internationally acclaimed fixture in the art world in 2022 when he was named a Whitney Biennial selected artist at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.

Other artists like Romare Bearden, who had a Southern experience but lived up North, were featured in all three installments.

“During this period of time, he was a major figure,” said Sharp. “He wrote one of the first books on the history of African American art during a time when there were more Black academics, art teachers, more Black everything!”

Speaking of Black educators, Sharp said the head curator behind this tri-part series and Dixon’s partner in the arts is Earnestine Jenkins, Ph.D., an art history professor at the University of Memphis, who also earned a Master of Arts degree from Memphis State University (now UofM). “We began working with Dr. Jenkins in 2018,” he said.

Sharp explained that it takes a team of curators, registrars, counterparts at other museums, and more, about three years to assemble an exhibit like this. It came together quite seamlessly, he added. Each room conjured up more jaw-dropping “wows” than the one before it. Each piece worked with the others to tell the story of Black people and their collective experience during this time period.

One of the last artists about whom Sharp shared information was Bettye Saar, who will turn 100 years old this year. She’s been working in Los Angeles for 80 years and is finally getting her due. Her medium is collages or assemblages, and an incredible work of hers is on display. She’s married to an artist and has two daughters, also artists.

The exhibit catalogue bears some of these artists’ stories, among other scholarly information.

The exhibit, presented by the Joe Orgill Family Fund for Exhibitions, is culturally and colorfully rich. It is a must see and admission to the Dixon is free.

Visit https://www.dixon.org/ to learn more.

Fun Facts: An original James Little design lives in the flooring of the basketball court at Tom Lee Park, and he makes and mixes his own paint colors.

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Grief, Advocacy, and Education: A Counselor Reflects on Black Maternal Health

SAN DIEGO VOICE & VIEWPOINT — Last month healthcare leaders, birth workers, and community members gathered to honor the legacy of Charleston native Dr. Janell Green Smith, a nurse-midwife and doctor of nursing practice who died in January from childbirth complications. She had participated in more than 300 births and specialized in helping Black women give birth safely.

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5 days ago

March 24, 2026

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By Jennifer Porter Gore | Word-In-Black | San Diego Voice and Viewpoint

In 2024, the number of U.S. mothers who died as a result of pregnancy or childbirth dropped compared to 2023. But while slightly fewer Black mothers died that year, they still had three times the mortality rate of white women.

South Carolina’s rates of maternal deaths outpaced even the national rates. In fact, the state’s overall rate of maternal deaths between 2019 and 2023 was higher than all but eight states and the District of Columbia.

Last month healthcare leaders, birth workers, and community members gathered to honor the legacy of Charleston native Dr. Janell Green Smith, a nurse-midwife and doctor of nursing practice who died in January from childbirth complications. She had participated in more than 300 births and specialized in helping Black women give birth safely.

Her death shocked the community and her colleagues who are determined to address concerns about Black maternal health. The event also covered the importance of protecting mental health during grief and of men’s role in solving the maternal health crisis.

As both a therapist and a father, Lawrence Lovell, a licensed professional counselor and founder of Breakthrough Solutions, discussed ways the event’s attendees could process their grief over Green Smith’s death. He also shared ways male partners can advocate for women’s maternal health during pregnancy and childbirth.

Lovell spoke not just as a therapist but also as a father whose own family had briefly crossed paths with Green Smith. The event, he said, emerged organically from a moment of collective mourning.

Despite the grief, “it was still, like, a really beautiful event, a much-needed event, and it almost felt like we were all giving each other a collective family hug,” says Lovell.

His connection to Green Smith, Lovell says, was brief but meaningful during his wife’s pregnancy with their second child. Green Smith was practicing at the same birthing center where they had their child. She began practicing in Greenville a short time later.Even that short connection carried significance for Lovell, given the small number of Black maternal health professionals.

Lovell did not initially plan to become a mental health practitioner; he chose the career path after graduating from college, when someone suggested he consider psychology. His interest deepened when he noticed how few Black men work in mental health.

“Being Black man and playing football in college, there weren’t a lot of people that look like me talking about mental health,” says Lovell. “[I wanted] to give people that look like me an opportunity to work with someone that looks like them.”

Working with Expectant and New Parents

Lovell often counsels couples preparing for parenthood by, helping partners understand what a successful pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum recovery look like. That often means helping women manage postpartum depression.

As a man, Lovell says, it’s “humbling” that a woman “just trusts me enough to work with me through their pregnancy or their postpartum recovery.”

In his work, Lovell has noticed how few men understand pregnancy before they experience it with their partner. Because early pregnancy symptoms are often invisible, he says, men may underestimate how much support a mom-to-be actually needs.

“Sometimes they may not realize they don’t know much about pregnancy and what to expect in those three trimesters,” Lovell says. “I tell a lot of the men that just because you can’t see [she’s pregnant] doesn’t mean that she won’t appreciate your intense support in that first trimester.”

Education about pregnancy and postpartum recovery, he says, can change how men support their partners.

Teaching Advocacy in the Delivery Room

Another major focus of Lovell’s counseling is preparing men to advocate for mothers during labor.

“Helping men understand what pregnancy looks like: what delivery is going to look like, and what are the realistic expectations that I should have of myself in postpartum,” he says.

Lovell encourages partners to be honest about their expectations for what will happen during delivery. He helps them prepare for the big day by discussing the birth plan and knowing how to quickly recognize problems. Clear communication, he says, prevents misunderstandings.

He regularly trains men to ask their partners detailed questions about their expectations during and after pregnancy. Advocacy in medical settings can be especially important and requires attention to details the mother may not be able to address.

“It’s always important to fine-tune things and truly understand what helps your partner feel most supported,” Lovell says. “Instead of guessing, you should ask.”

Lovell recalls a moment during the birth of his first child when he had to take that role.

During the delivery, “I felt like something wasn’t as sanitary as I’d like it to be,” he says. “I asked, ‘Hey, can you switch those out? Can you change your gloves?’”

Lovell has a succinct but powerful message he regularly shares with clients’ families, and he shared it with attendees at last month’s event.

“Just to believe women,” he says. “I’ve worked with different couples, and sometimes I’m not really sure that there’s enough empathy from the men.”

That includes how women express pain.

“If a woman says, ‘my pain is at a nine,’ just because how you would express yourself at a nine is different than how she’s expressing herself at [that level] doesn’t mean you shouldn’t believe her,” he says.

Empathy, he says, can change outcomes far beyond the delivery room.

“We’ve got to believe women when they’re talking about their experiences and their feelings and their pain,” he says. “I think there’s a lot that we can prevent if we empathize better.”

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Future of Florida’s Black History Museum in Limbo

JACKSONVILLE FREE PRESS — A proposal sponsored by Tom Leek, a Republican from Ormond Beach, has now passed the Senate in back-to-back legislative sessions. But the House version, filed by Kiyan Michael, a Jacksonville Republican, did not receive final approval in either year, effectively stalling the effort.

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5 days ago

March 24, 2026

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Jacksonville Free Press

Plans to establish a long-awaited Black history museum in Florida are once again on hold after legislation needed to advance the project failed to clear the state House for a second consecutive year, despite repeated approval in the Senate.

A proposal sponsored by Tom Leek, a Republican from Ormond Beach, has now passed the Senate in back-to-back legislative sessions. But the House version, filed by Kiyan Michael, a Jacksonville Republican, did not receive final approval in either year, effectively stalling the effort.

Under Florida law, identical or similar bills must pass both chambers before heading to the governor’s desk. Without House approval, the legislation has been unable to move forward, leaving the project in limbo. Long journey, contested location.

The proposed museum, formally known as the Florida Museum of Black History, has been years in the making, with lawmakers and community leaders framing it as a long-overdue institution to preserve and showcase the state’s African American heritage .A central point of contention has been the museum’s location. St. Augustine — widely recognized as the nation’s oldest city and a site deeply tied to both slavery and early Black history — emerged as the leading contender. Supporters argue the city’s historical significance makes it a natural home for the museum. However, competing interests and regional considerations have fueled debate, slowing consensus among lawmakers.

While the Senate-backed measure has consistently advanced, the lack of alignment in the House has underscored ongoing divisions about how and where the project should take shape.

The holdup in the Florida House appears to be less about opposition to the museum itself and more about a combination of procedural bottlenecks, unresolved structural issues, and lingering disagreements over how the project should be formalized and governed.

Despite the legislative setbacks, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has publicly voiced support for the museum. Speaking last month during the unveiling of a statue of abolitionist Frederick Douglass in St. Augustine, DeSantis said the project would move forward “one way or another,” signaling an intent to see the museum built regardless of legislative hurdles.

The anticipated museum has already cleared several hurdles. St. Johns County signed an agreement last year with Florida Memorial University to use the land that once housed its campus last year’s legislative session netted $1 million in funding for St. Johns County to work on planning and design for the museum. However, its anticipated that a million $3 million is needed.

Still, without statutory approval to finalize key components — including governance, funding mechanisms and site selection — the project remains largely conceptual.
With the House bill failing again, the timeline for the museum’s development is unclear. Lawmakers could revisit the proposal in the next legislative session, but any further delays risk pushing the project back several more years. Advocates warn that continued inaction could stall momentum for a museum many see as critical to telling a fuller, more accurate story of Florida’s past. For now, the effort remains paused — caught between political support at the top and legislative gridlock within the Capitol.