Howard University junior and WHCA scholar Madison Maynard was in the ballroom at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner when shots rang out. This is her account of the night that changed everything and confirmed her calling as a journalist.
HBCU
The NFL blinked. Now what?
Charles Hallman examines the NFL’s rollback of minority hiring mandates under pressure from Florida’s attorney general, and the NAACP’s new Out of Bounds campaign calling on Black athletes and fans to boycott SEC programs in states targeting Black voting rights.
Damenica Ellis – 2026 MSR Grad
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder congratulates staff writer and On the Radar host Damenica Ellis on her graduation from Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts in Media, Journalism and Film.
Growing diversity in volleyball an encouraging sight
The Big Life Series took more than 150 Big Ten student athletes and staff plus HBCU participants to Selma, Tuskegee, and Montgomery to learn Black history and build community. Minnesota and Rutgers players say the experience and growing on court diversity are reshaping volleyball culture.
HBCU interns work WNBA All-Star Weekend
At WNBA All-Star Weekend 2025, six HBCU students became the first interns in a new program aimed at building Black leadership in sports. Howard’s Beverly Robertson called it “amazing” as she gained experience in communications and media.
HBCU Coach Vickers earned his move up to Power 4 Auburn
Larry Vickers, a former coach at HBCU Norfolk State, was hired as the new women’s basketball coach at Auburn University, making him the only HBCU coach to successfully leave to a Power 4 school.
Omaha a leader in Black college coaching
Carrie Banks is in her fifth season as the head coach of the Nebraska Omaha women’s basketball program, making her one of the few all-Black coaching staffs in college basketball, while Leonard Hamilton retires after 22 seasons as the winningest coach in Florida State history.
Trump threatens funding cuts to HBCUs for teaching Black history
Democratic North Carolina Congresswoman Alma Adams is concerned that the Executive Order to pause federal loans and grants may impact programs focused on race and equity, and is urging HBCU presidents to meet with President Trump to discuss further investment.
Stillman to host HBCU Basketball Championships
Tuscaloosa, Alabama will host the 2025 HBCU Athletic Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships, marking a boost to the area’s economic fortunes and featuring a new tradition of a Family Reunion Community Tailgate.
College basketball’s snobs and SWAC teams’ scheduling
The Minnesota Golden Gophers have scheduled Bethune-Cookman and Morgan State, two Black schools from the SWAC and MEAC, respectively, and the SWAC has announced its postseason individual awards, with T.C. Taylor of Jackson State being named Coach of the Year.
Victoria Davis – 81
Kamala Harris is the first Black woman to be endorsed by the Democratic Party for President, and her candidacy is a motivating force for young women.
New funding for HBCU ‘educational powerhouses’
The Biden-Harris administration has committed a record $17 billion in federal investments to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) since FY 2021, providing unprecedented support to these institutions that produce a significant percentage of Black professionals in critical fields.
Branding HBCUs as places “Where Winners Thrive”
An interview with Conference Commissioner Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes is the winner of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Rise Leader of the Year award. She is the NAIA’s only all-Black conference commissioner, the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC). Formerly the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, Barnes became […]
HBCU team inducted into Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame
The first and only Black college team to play for a national championship, the 1982 Cheyney State Lady Wolves, was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame as Trailblazers of the Game.
HBCUs consistently underrated as seeds
HBCU teams are expected to receive low double-digit seeds on Selection Sunday, with only Jackson State and Norfolk State predicted to make the NCAA WBB field.
Many HBCU teams must play big schools to make ends meet
Visiting HBCUs and majority-Black schools were mainly disrespected by local media.
Minneapolis police officers head to Alabama for HBCU recruiting trip
This week, two Minneapolis police officers will staff a booth at a career fair on the campus of Alabama A&M.
Black college football post-Deion Sanders
‘We understand he was here. We understand we appreciate what he tried to do. And what he didn’t do.’
Tennessee State becomes first HBCU to field men’s hockey
Tennessee State University announced that it plans to have a hockey team next year, becoming the first HBCU to do this.
HUD announces $5.5 million award for HBCUs to conduct housing and community development research
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced awards totaling $5.5 million for HBCUs to conduct housing and community development research.
