National

Symbols are Important to Black America

Published

11 years ago

July 24, 2015

A Confederate battle flag flies in front of the South Carolina statehouse Wednesday, July 8, 2015, in Columbia, S.C. The House is expected to debate a measure Wednesday that would remove the flag from the Capitol grounds. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

By Jazelle Hunt
NNPA Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Five days after South Carolina retired the Confederate flag with much fanfare, a small group of protesters in Oklahoma City greeted President Barack Obama with Confederate flags. The following weekend, Ku Klux Klan members in Charleston, S.C. brandished both Confederate and Nazi flags for a rally at the capitol

It’s an appropriate reflection of the way American culture values symbolism, even when it doesn’t line up with reality.

“The problem is even though we see these symbols [and] events [such as] the removal of the Confederate flag…it only serves to remind us that deep down inside, these are still only symbols, gestures even,” said Tewodross Melchishua, award-winning filmmaker and visual artist, and professor at Bowie State University in Maryland.

“The systems of White supremacy, bigotry, racism and oppression still remain at the core of this country. The symbols are removed but we know deep down inside that the attitudes and beliefs behind them remain.”

But Black America suffers the same attachment to these symbols, for better or for worse.

From the significance of Black church burnings, to Serena Williams’ dominance, Black people often attach larger-than-life meaning to people, objects, and events. In some ways it is an essential part of Black culture, and a means of empowerment. Karanja Keita Carroll, professor of Black Studies at the State University of New York-New Paltz, points out that the Black experience in America has made this kind of symbolism necessary.

“Our unique circumstances within the United States, being victims of White supremacy and having very minimal representation of who we are – the best of who we are – forces us to emphasize, highlight, and uplift those people who represent us, and thus function as a symbol for who we are,” said Carroll, who is also the associate editor of the Journal of Pan African Studies.

In other words, lack of positive representation in mainstream society has made conditions ripe for overreliance on and defense of Black public figures.

“As people of African descent, we naturally gravitate to, use and respond to symbol and metaphor. It is indeed subconscious but also a subliminal means of communication and signifying, which is also rooted in our oral traditions, language, music, fashion and visual culture,” Melchishua explained. “We are still bombarded with negative images of our people. We reconcile this by uplifting ourselves and defending our figures, icons, sometimes for the good and some times for the bad.”

The bad side manifests when all that uplifting backfires. As Black America puts people, things, and events on a pedestal, the possibility for disappointment looms large. The latest example, of course, is Bill Cosby and his renewed sexual assault scandal.

“It’s a double-edged sword because that representation can quickly turn into misrepresentation. There’s something old people say – just because you’re my skin doesn’t mean you’re my kin,” Carroll said. “The Cosby situation is interesting, to say the least, because prior to this, he was saying things like Black people need to teach their children to read…need to stop giving their children ‘ghetto’ names…and a whole bunch of stuff that devalues our existence. I don’t know if Cosby represents us.”

The other downfall is in the lack of control of our symbols and images. Black culture sometimes becomes marketable in the mainstream – but only in White hands. Last year saw the birth of the term, “Columbusing” – a new word for the age-old practice of Whites “discovering” things that people of color have pioneered, or already know.

Carroll said, “I think that symbols historically, for African people, from the mdw ntr [hieroglyphs] found within Egypt, to Adinkra symbols found within Ghana…but we need to make sure the symbols represent our political, social, and cultural image as a community.”

Both Carroll and Melchishua agree that exalting people and objects as representative or heroic isn’t a bad thing in itself, but it is important to support this with knowledge, critical thinking, and self-determination.

“These events mean something different to the mainstream because the narrative is always being changed but not by us and usually not with our permission,” Melchishua explained. “I would add that as a country we are very ignorant of history. The only way to truly reconcile this is with having a critical study of history and to challenge all symbols; those we have created within our own community, and those that have been imposed upon us.”

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Six Months in, Probate Reform Coalition Marks Progress in Protecting Elders From Financial Abuse

Despite the cited obstacles, NPRC has made some promising inroads towards their mission. NPRC has identified that nationwide the Attorneys General must be engaged and encouraged to implement oversight, protection and enforcement of the law; members find support from each other as they advocate for redress via “letters of compassion” sent to judges, nursing facilities and law enforcement agencies and members are instructed on their rights, how to take constructive action to protect those rights through access to resources that allow them to intelligently represent themselves in court.

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By Tanya Dennis

The National Probate Reform Coalition, a loose-knit national coalition of advocates, victims, and families dedicated to protecting elder rights, especially within the probate court system, was formed by the Post Newspaper Group (PNG) after more than a decade of reporting on the mistreatment of elders and the plunder of their estates.

In response, PNG Publisher Paul Cobb set in motion a series of monthly town halls to address the problem and propose workable solutions, designating it a “year of action.”

At six months, the coalition has attracted families, advocates, and experts across the nation whose strategies have proven effective in their respective states, and who are moving forward collectively with the mission of engaging judicial, legislative, and enforcement agencies to ensure elders are not exploited or abused.

“The issue of elder abuse is multi-layered”, says NPRC planning committee member Venus Gist. “Elders are our most vulnerable population, next to children, and they are easily exploited by strangers, their own family members, and the judicial system designed to protect them.”

Since January, NPRC has, via monthly virtual meetings held on the first Thursday of each month, clearly defined the issues and formulated workable solutions that can be implemented nationwide.

“There are amazing laws on the books that protect elders and their assets,” said NPRC member Zakiya Jendayi. “The problem is they are ignored, and that lack of oversight has led to systemic abuse in the Probate Court system, not just in Alameda County, but nationwide.

“The scary part is the collusion and wall of silence NPRC has encountered when reaching out to the Judicial Council, legislators, and the State Bar for assistance. It’s so obvious that one hand is washing the other, that they’re protecting each other, that it’s difficult to initiate any type of meaningful reform much less dialogue.”

Stacy Drake, a Texas member, says, “I’ve been looking for help for over 10 years with my situation, and I finally found it within the NPRC coalition. God answered my prayers.”

Broadening its reach within Alameda County, NPRC has invited Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee to assist with outreach, education, and resolution.

“We hope to host an elder abuse/elder protection symposium annually, if not twice a year, to let our elders know that Alameda County and the City of Oakland are a safe place, a place where in their golden years they have no worries regarding exploitation and abuse,” said Cobb. “Society is defined by how the care for its children and elders.”

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UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

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Photo by Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley.

The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries

By Lila Thulin

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.

Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.

Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.

“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.

This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.

In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.

That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.

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