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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.

Published

3 years ago

October 29, 2023

Chicago Defender Staff

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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COMMENTARY: Jim Crow 2.0 at the Pentagon

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The American people are expected to believe that one extraordinary officer after another suddenly fails to meet some undefined standard of excellence. We are expected to ignore impeccable service records while accepting that political appointees alone possess the wisdom to determine who is worthy of advancement.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 3, 2026

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Pete Hegseth insists that he is restoring “merit” to the United States military. But after months of dismissals, blocked promotions, and ideological purges, the evidence tells a different story. His campaign against so-called “diversity, equity, and inclusion” has become something far more dangerous: an assault on equal opportunity that falls with particular force on African Americans, while also targeting women, Latinos, gay Americans, and transgender service members.

The latest example is both troubling and infuriating.

Once again, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reportedly blocked the promotion of an exceptionally qualified woman—Rear Admiral Amy Bauernschmidt. Bauernschmidt is no ordinary officer. She became the Navy’s first woman to command a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, one of the most demanding leadership assignments in the world. Her career reflects decades of exemplary performance, operational excellence, and leadership under extraordinary pressure.

Yet once again, a distinguished military career appears to have been subordinated to an ideological agenda masquerading as “merit.”

I call BS!

The American people are expected to believe that one extraordinary officer after another suddenly fails to meet some undefined standard of excellence. We are expected to ignore impeccable service records while accepting that political appointees alone possess the wisdom to determine who is worthy of advancement.

The pattern has become impossible to ignore.

General Charles Q. Brown Jr., only the second African American to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was dismissed despite a career that placed him among the most accomplished military leaders of his generation.

Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman ever to serve as Chief of Naval Operations, was removed despite decades of distinguished command experience.

Reports have documented interventions that blocked or delayed the promotions of Black officers and women selected through the military’s rigorous promotion system.

Now Rear Admiral Amy Bauernschmidt joins the growing list of highly accomplished officers whose careers have been derailed for reasons that have never been persuasively explained.

Where is Congress?

Its silence has become deafening.

Congress has an independent constitutional responsibility to oversee the armed forces. Instead, too many lawmakers have watched silently while one of the nation’s most respected institutions is subjected to ideological litmus tests and political interference.

This is not military reform. It is testosterone-fueled performative masculinity disguised as a philosophy of military excellence.

The irony is impossible to miss. Hegseth repeatedly invokes “merit,” yet his rhetoric begins with the assumption that Black officers, women, and other historically excluded Americans must somehow justify their achievements in ways that white male officers are rarely required to do.

That is not meritocracy. It is prejudice wrapped in patriotic language.

No one is asking that anyone be promoted because of race or gender. Americans simply expect that promotions be based on demonstrated competence, leadership, integrity, and service. The officers being targeted have already proven themselves repeatedly under one of the world’s most demanding evaluation systems.

Their records speak for themselves.

The attack on African American military leadership has been especially pernicious.

For generations, Black Americans fought in segregated units, earned decorations while denied equal treatment, and repeatedly demonstrated loyalty to a nation that often failed to extend them full citizenship. They broke barriers not because standards were lowered but because excellence finally overcame institutional discrimination.

Today’s campaign against “diversity” threatens to revive old assumptions under new slogans.

The implication that Black generals and admirals somehow owe their success to affirmative action rather than extraordinary performance echoes some of the ugliest stereotypes of the Jim Crow era. Yesterday’s segregationists claimed Black Americans were inherently less qualified. Today’s culture warriors simply employ more politically acceptable language while inviting the same suspicion about Black achievement.

That is why Hegseth’s campaign increasingly resembles Jim Crow 2.0.

The targets may now wear stars on their shoulders instead of military patches on segregated uniforms, but the underlying message is hauntingly familiar: Black excellence is presumed suspect, while white excellence is presumed earned.

America’s military became the finest fighting force in history because it opened its doors to talent wherever it could be found. It grew stronger after President Truman desegregated the armed forces. It became stronger when women assumed greater command responsibilities. It became stronger when every qualified American was given the opportunity to serve to the fullest extent of their abilities.

Diversity is not a concession. It is a strategic advantage.

The nation’s adversaries do not fear an American military because it is racially homogeneous. They fear it because it draws upon the talents of more than 340 million Americans whose diverse experiences, perspectives, and abilities make our armed forces unmatched anywhere in the world.

Every politically motivated dismissal of a distinguished officer sends a chilling message throughout the ranks: excellence alone may no longer be enough if you belong to the wrong demographic group.

That weakens morale. It weakens recruitment. It weakens retention.

And ultimately, it weakens national security.

Pete Hegseth has every right to pursue military readiness. He has no right to redefine merit in ways that repeatedly cast suspicion upon the accomplishments of Black officers, women, and others who have devoted their lives to defending this nation.

America deserves better. The men and women who wear the uniform deserve better. The Constitution deserves better.

And unless Congress finds the courage to exercise meaningful oversight, history may well remember this period not as a restoration of military excellence, but as the moment political ideology attempted to resurrect, in modern form, the old poison of exclusion.

Jim Crow did not strengthen America. Jim Crow 2.0 will not strengthen America’s military. It will only diminish it

Wade Henderson
Strategic Advisor
Civil and Human Rights
wade@wadejhenderson.com

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New Judge Could Decide if Karmelo Anthony Gets a New Trial

By Emilie St. John (Contributor) Karmelo Anthony will return to court next month in his first step to overturn his murder conviction. Anthony was found guilty last month in the stabbing death of Austin Metcalf and sentenced to 35 years in prison. His new legal team has filed motions seeking the recusal of State District […]
The post New Judge Could Decide if Karmelo Anthony Gets a New Trial appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 31, 2026

Oakland Post

By Emilie St. John
(Contributor)

Karmelo Anthony will return to court next month in his first step to overturn his murder conviction.

Anthony was found guilty last month in the stabbing death of Austin Metcalf and sentenced to 35 years in prison. His new legal team has filed motions seeking the recusal of State District Judge John Roach Jr. from overseeing the appeals process.

Two hearings have been scheduled on the motion for Aug. 9 and 10 in the Collin County Courthouse in McKinney, Texas, according to Fox4 News.

On July 14, Senior Judge Sid L. Harle of the 226th District Court was assigned to preside over the defense’s motion to recuse Collin County Judge John Roach. The assignment took effect immediately and authorized Harle to handle all matters related to the recusal request, the filing read.

The Collin County District Attorney’s Office continues to defend its handling of the case by issuing a statement to NBC 5 DFW.

“The defendant’s new lawyers have filed a motion containing several inaccurate characterizations of the trial proceedings. The entire prosecution team and I conducted this trial ethically and in full compliance with the Court’s rulings and any agreements with defense counsel. We look forward to addressing these claims thoroughly in a Court of law in the coming weeks. The jury heard extensive evidence over the course of the trial and returned a unanimous verdict. We remain confident in that verdict and the fairness of the proceedings.”

Anthony’s new legal team, made up of appellate, civil rights, and criminal defense attorneys, was retained following Anthony’s conviction.

“Our responsibility is to determine whether a legal error occurred and to ensure that every issue supported by the record is fully and vigorously presented on appeal,” the team said in a statement.

“We recognize the profound loss suffered by one young man’s family and the uncertainty facing another, and we extend our respect to everyone whose lives have been forever changed by these events,” the release reads.

Anthony was charged with the stabbing death of Austin Metcalf during a track meet in Frisco, Texas, April 2, 2025. Anthony has long maintained it was an act of self-defense.

The attorneys are representing Anthony pro bono. The nearly 200-page notice of appeal seeks a new trial because his Sixth Amendment right to a public trial was violated.

“The cumulative and practical effect of these provisions was to exclude members of the public from proceedings at every stage,” the filing reads.

The filing also focused on an alleged “handshake deal” that kept Anthony from taking the stand in his defense.

The defense filing said the agreement was that the jury would not hear that Metcalf and his twin brother had been accused of racism and bullying in the past. In exchange, they also would not see Anthony’s cellphone records or his school disciplinary record, according to court documents reported by the Dallas Morning News.

Anthony’s former defense attorney, Mike Howard, said the defense relied heavily on that deal. The team chose not to ask certain questions of witnesses or call on a separate expert witness based on that agreement. It also abandoned plans to introduce testimony and evidence about the allegations against Metcalf and his brother.

Appellate attorney Russell Wilson is now handling post-trial proceedings and Anthony’s appeal. He recently sat down for an interview, stating, “The court committed multiple errors during the June murder trial, preventing him from receiving a fair trial.”

“You know, we file motions that we expect to prevail on, but we understand that there’s two sides to every story. And at the end of the day, it’ll be a judge that has to make these decisions, but we feel confident in the positions that we’re taking,” Wilson said during an interview with WFAA. “There were substantial issues that we thought a reviewing court needed to look at. We thought these were constitutional irregularities, and we could have them addressed now. And so, we put them into a motion for a new trial.”

Bree West, a former Dallas County Assistant District Attorney, found it startling that so little time was given to Anthony’s team for such a serious “life or death” situation.

“I do think that it’s really challenging that potentially a court decided that you have 10 minutes to make that level of decision when it has the potential of being life-altering,” said West during an interview with Fox 4 News.

Judge Harle is no stranger to high-profile cases, having presided over the prosecution of a police officer charged in connection with the 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.

Anthony was convicted on June 9 of the murder of Austin Metcalf and sentenced to 35 years in prison.

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COMMENTARY: LSMFT! Lord Save Me from Trump!

WESTSIDE GAZETTE — The author criticizes Donald Trump’s rhetoric, noting his use of terms like “Dumbocrats” and “Communist” to describe Democrats and democracy. The column asserts that Trump’s current strategy involves creating doubt about midterm elections due to a lack of Republican agenda.
The post COMMENTARY: LSMFT! Lord Save Me from Trump! appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 31, 2026

Oakland Post

Frankly Speaking

Wow! Wow! Wow! The swamp drainers have truly stepped down to new levels of stupidity. You remember Weapons of Mass Destruction? We now have Weapons of Mass Distraction. Trump has introduced Dumbocrats and Communists into the conversation about Democrats and Democracy.

Trump lies so much, and his current strategy is to set up doubt about midterm elections because he and Republicans have no agenda!

He has no “Trump “ card, but Iran has a strait! He called it a skirmish; it’s now a War. He said five days; now it’s five months. He said few casualties; now it’s 18 deaths. He knew nothing about Project 2025 but hired its architects! Trump lies about the lies and often forgets these little inventions called cameras and phones

We see and hear and then see and hear the inconsistencies.

I didn’t like 45 and dislike 47 even more!

The post LSMFT! Lord Save Me From Trump! appeared first on The Westside Gazette.

Based on reporting by Westside Gazette.

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