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Los Angeles County Leaders Honor McNair as Tuskegee University’s First Female President

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — Met with cheers from dozens of Tuskegee University alumni clad in crimson and gold, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors declared Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019, as “Dr. Lily D. McNair and Tuskegee University Day.” The Board of Supervisors presented McNair with a scroll commemorating her day of honor at its regularly scheduled meeting at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration in Downtown Los Angeles. The document and specially proclaimed day celebrated the university’s impact on its students and the nation. It also marked McNair’s milestone as the first female president in the university’s 138-year history.

Published

7 years ago

October 28, 2019

Oakland Post

President McNair (center, left) and Supervisor Janice Hahn (center, right) are joined by (left to right) Tuskegee’s First Gentleman Dr. George W. Roberts, Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Tuskegee Board of Trustees Chair Norma Clayton, Supervisor Hilda Solis, Supervisor Kathryn Barger, and Victoria Pipkin-Lane, retired executive director of the County of Los Angeles’ Quality and Productivity Commission, who organized the Board of Supervisors’ recognition efforts. (Tuskegee University)

By Michael Tullier, Tuskegee University

Met with cheers from dozens of Tuskegee University alumni clad in crimson and gold, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors declared Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019, as “Dr. Lily D. McNair and Tuskegee University Day.”

The Board of Supervisors presented McNair with a scroll commemorating her day of honor at its regularly scheduled meeting at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration in Downtown Los Angeles. The document and specially proclaimed day celebrated the university’s impact on its students and the nation. It also marked McNair’s milestone as the first female president in the university’s 138-year history.

Supervisor Janice Hahn, who chairs of the five-person Board of Supervisors, commended McNair for her leadership and her focus on providing Tuskegee students — specifically those from California — with a quality education.

“Los Angeles is home to thousands of Tuskegee University alumni, and apparently the graduating class of 2019 was dominated by students from Los Angeles,” Hahn said.

Along an honorific scroll, Hahn presented McNair with a letter penned and signed by Tuskegee’s founding president, Booker T. Washington, on Oct. 17, 1910. Hahn’s father Kenneth, who served as a county supervisor for 40 years and is the namesake of the county’s governmental headquarters, acquired the letter, which he framed and hung in his office during his tenure with the county.

Fellow county supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas joined Hahn in touting the university’s noteworthy achievements — the nation’s only center for bioethics in health care and research of its kind included among those. He also mentioned the acclaimed Tuskegee Airmen of World War II and noted the Board of Supervisors recently celebrated some of the nation’s longest-living Tuskegee Airmen who resided in Los Angeles.

“Such an esteemed institution deserves an esteemed educator and leader at the helm. Thank you for that which you have done and that which you will do in the future for this great university and beyond,” Ridley-Thomas told McNair.

“I build on the legacy of Booker T. Washington, who said that ‘excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way.’ We can thank Dr. Washington and Dr. George Washington Carver for their efforts and vision,” McNair stated after accepting the Board of Supervisors’ commendations. “We are destined to become even better than Booker T. Washington imagined we could be more than 100 years ago.”

That vision, she noted, translates into excellence across many academic disciplines, including aerospace engineering and aviation education, veterinary medicine, architecture and agriculture — professional practice areas where the university is continually cited as being a top producer of minority graduates. She also highlighted areas such as food sustainability and bioenergy where the university seeks to expand its scope of influence.

The historically black university enjoys strong student representation from California. With 10% of its student body hailing from the “Golden State,” California ranks third behind Alabama and Georgia in terms of where its nearly 3,000 students reside. Likewise, 10% of the 642 graduates who comprised the class of 2019 had ties to the state.

California also is home to two chapters of its Tuskegee National Alumni Association Inc.: the Los Angeles Tuskegee Alumni Club and the Bay Area Tuskegee Alumni Club. Both are vital to the university’s alumni relations and student recruitment efforts in their local communities and throughout the state. In addition, some of these local club members serve the association in key district and national positions of responsibility.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is the governing body of the County of Los Angeles, which encompasses 88 incorporated cities and 4,084 square miles. Serving more than 10.1 million residents, the board, comprised of five members elected to serve their respective districts, is the largest local government in the nation.

This article originally appeared in The Los Angeles Sentinel.

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Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”
The post The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.” appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

By Jana Lang Propel Youth Reporter

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) and Youth Alive! came together on Aug. 21 to share with their community all that Black August means to them.

Held on EOBA’s patio at 816 98th Ave. in Deep East Oakland, the two organizations hosted their second annual Black August Experience, featuring a food tasting, financial literacy and mindfulness workshops, and voter registration with the League of Women Voters Oakland (LWV).

Black August is known as a time to uphold the legacy of prisoners who protested their conditions by fasting, fighting, and educating themselves on the economic and political circumstances that contributed to their incarceration.

According to its website, “EOBA is a multi-service youth and community development hub that goes far beyond the ring. While rooted in the discipline of boxing, for nearly 40 years EOBA has also integrated robust programs in workforce development, food justice, afterschool enrichment, financial literacy, mentorship, and wellness.”.

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Through Coro California, another leadership organization serving young people across the state for 80 years, they gained a broader understanding of Black August.

EOBA Executive Director Dawna Williams spoke about how much she learned about Black August from the youth who created it. “I let them educate me,” she said. Instead of talking about prison reform and mass incarceration, Williams and youth interns found that Black August meant so much more. “We would have done a disservice if we had just focused on who the people were and what their situation was…We tried to take their message from back in the day and make it relevant to the young people today. What do they need to know?”

Youth interns created and placed posters around the patio to help participants understand how traditional Black foodways, civic engagement, financial literacy, and the power of education are relevant to Black resistance today.

An EOBA member described Black August with Youth ALIVE! as “a whole vibe. “This year we added the Fun Zone for the kids, because you really cannot go wrong with a Fun Zone. I also loved seeing everyone chillin’ in the outdoor lounge, catching some Vitamin D and just enjoying a Friday evening together.”

The food tasting, a popular event from last year, featured traditional Black foods such as black-eyed peas, johnny cakes, and fried chicken. Led by Williams, the tasting included a talk about how these traditional foods were made and why they are forms of Black resilience.

The “‘Plate of History’ was a favorite of the online writers. “Fun, educational, and did I mention delicious? Our Taste of History cook, Angela Southall, served up some good eats while connecting food to history and culture.”

The writer also commended the “League of Women Voters Oakland for their civic leadership and for getting our young people informed, ready, and registered to vote.”

Overall, it was a “good Friday event in East Oakland,” the writer said.

Upcoming Black August events: Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The websites for East Oakland Boxing Association, Youth Alive! and CORO are sources for this report.

Jana Lang is an Oakland resident, teacher, gardener and poet participating in the Propel News Initiative.

The post The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.” appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts

Is your home EV charging setup ready? Dealerships may not warn you about critical outlet and circuit needs. Find out before you plug in!
The post EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

Dealerships won’t tell you: charging this big battery at home isn’t always simple. Verify your outlet capacity, circuit, and setup before assuming level one or basic outdoor outlets will suffice.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/A9Cd2SspoaQ

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The post EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts

Don’t get tricked at the dealership! Learn essential car buying secrets to secure the best deal and avoid hidden traps.
The post Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

Before stepping into a dealership, secure bank pre-approval for your financing rate. Then, get the out-the-door price in writing. Never discuss monthly payments until that number is fixed. Test road noise and rear visibility yourself. Decline add-ons with a simple ‘Not today’. Check backseat space with your tallest household member.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/maAOBjO1puY

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The post Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.