• Education

by Sidnee Michelle

September 15, 2026

Howard University Appoints Carole Boyce-Davies, 1st Endowed Chair In Caribbean Studies

Boyce-Davies is chair and professor of African Diaspora Literatures in Howard’s Department of Literature and Writing.

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Howard University has named Trinidadian-born scholar Carole Boyce-Davies as the inaugural Eric Eustace Williams, Ph.D., Endowed Chair in Caribbean Studies, expanding the historically Black university’s scholarship focused on the Caribbean and African diaspora, the Miami Herald reports.

The endowed chair honors Eric Eustace Williams, a historian and scholar who taught at Howard before becoming Trinidad and Tobago’s first prime minister after the country gained independence from Britain on Aug. 31, 1962. Williams taught at Howard from 1939 to 1946, conducting research that contributed to his influential 1944 book, “Capitalism and Slavery.”

Boyce-Davies is chair and professor of African Diaspora Literatures in Howard’s Department of Literature and Writing.

Before joining Howard in 2023, she taught at Cornell University, Northwestern University, and Florida International University.
At FIU, Boyce-Davies served as director of African New World Studies from 1997 to 2006 and co-founded the Eric Williams Lecture Series with Williams’ daughter, Erica Williams Connell. The series remained at FIU for 19 years before moving to the University of Texas in 2021.

“Doing the work without knowing future impact is what we should all see as part of our personal demands as scholars, writers, thinkers,” Boyce-Davies told the outlet.

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“If what we contribute is recognized and is taken forward, we all benefit just as the beneficiaries of streams of prior intellectualism and activism.”

Boyce-Davies, a former president of the Caribbean Studies Association, organized the association’s first conference in Haiti in 2016. She said becoming the founding Eric Williams chair reflects Howard’s efforts to ensure “the Caribbean is seen as a knowledge field.”

Boyce-Davies earned a master’s degree in African Studies from Howard and a doctorate in African and Caribbean Literature from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. She has written more than 100 essays and articles, as well as several books, examining Black women, migration, Caribbean identity, and the African diaspora.

“Eric Williams understood that scholarship carries its greatest power when it moves beyond the academy and is put into service to people, communities, and nations,” Howard Interim President Wayne A. I. Frederick said.

Frederick, who was born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, said Boyce-Davies “represents that same tradition of rigorous scholarship, global engagement and service.”

Howard will formally install Boyce-Davies during a ceremony at 1 p.m. Sept. 17 at The Oliver in Washington.

RELATED CONTENT: UNC $1M Endowment Goes To Howard University After School Requests Anti-DEI Compliance For Eligibility

• Education

by Sidnee Michelle

September 15, 2026

HBCUs Expand Support As Black Male Enrollment Declines

Black male undergraduate enrollment across U.S. colleges and universities declined roughly 22% between 2010 and 2022

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Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are expanding mentorship, financial assistance, and campus support programs as Black male enrollment continues to decline, with the drop at HBCUs outpacing the national trend, Capital B’s Alecia Taylor reports.

Black male undergraduate enrollment across U.S. colleges and universities declined roughly 22% between 2010 and 2022, according to the American Institute for Boys and Men. At HBCUs, enrollment fell 25% during that period. Black men now account for roughly 26% of HBCU enrollment, down from 38% in 1976, when Black male enrollment peaked, according to the outlet.

Financial challenges, family responsibilities, mental health concerns, and a lack of belonging are among the factors contributing to the decline, according to colleges and organizations that spoke with the outlet. Several HBCUs are responding with programs aimed at recruiting, retaining, and graduating more Black men.

Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina, is bucking the trend. Men account for more than 54% of its student body this year, up from at least 42% in previous decades. The college has maintained a Black male enrollment rate above the national average for nearly a decade.

“We’re trying to create a resource-rich environment so that in all of these co-curricular curated experiences, there are ways for students to find belonging, find their people, their tribe,” Benedict President Roslyn Artis told Capital B.

Benedict recently launched its B.E.S.T. Men initiative, which stands for belonging, excellence, service, and thoughtfulness. The program provides mentorship, academic support, and activities, with all incoming first-year male students required to participate. A $100,000 grant from Sigma Pi Phi, the oldest Black Greek-letter professional fraternity, supports the initiative.

Howard University is also strengthening support for Black male students through its Men of the Mecca Initiative, which uses community-building activities to connect students with one another and campus resources, including counseling.

Outside organizations are tackling retention as well. Between fall 2021 and spring 2026, nonprofit InsideTrack provided retention coaching to more than 11,000 enrolled students and re-enrollment coaching to more than 23,000 students who had left college.

For HBCU leaders, the effort goes beyond getting Black men onto campus.

“The secret sauce is that we have men on this campus who are deeply committed to spending their off time,” Artis said. “We want to see the ultimate goal if we want to assess the efficacy of the program: equitable outcomes for men and women on this campus.”

RELATED CONTENT: NCAT Launches Program To Boost Enrollment Of Black Men At HBCUs

• News

by Sidnee Michelle

September 15, 2026

Federal Lawsuit Accuses Atlanta’s Pink Pony Of Taking Dancers’ Tips Through ‘House Fees’

Under the alleged payment structure, some dancers could leave a shift without any earnings.

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A former dancer at Pink Pony alleges the Atlanta-area adult entertainment club violated federal wage law by requiring dancers to surrender hundreds of dollars in tips while paying them no wages for their time at the club, WSB-TV reports.

The collective action lawsuit, filed July 7 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, accuses Trop Inc., which operates Pink Pony in Brookhaven, Georgia, and several executives of violating the Fair Labor Standards Act. Trop Inc., Dennis Williams, Michael A. Kap, and Eddie Stone are named as defendants.

According to the outlet, the complaint alleges dancers were required to pay a nightly “house fee” ranging from $60 to $532 per shift, depending on their earnings. Those fees allegedly came entirely from dancers’ tip income.

Under the alleged payment structure, some dancers could leave a shift without any earnings. A worker who made $60, for example, could be required to turn over the entire amount to the club, according to the report.

The complaint alleges the plaintiff and other workers she seeks to represent “were not paid wages for any work time on the premises.”

The lawsuit seeks to represent current and former Pink Pony dancers who worked at the club during the previous three years. The Fair Labor Standards Act establishes federal requirements governing minimum wage, overtime pay, and other employment standards.

“It’s just fundamentally unfair and a violation of the law,” attorney Jonah Flynn told the outlet.

“It doesn’t have to be this way. Not every nightclub, not every exotic dance club does this.”

The dancer’s case is not the only legal challenge involving compensation practices at Pink Pony. 

WSB-TV reported that a bartender and a “house mom” filed separate lawsuits, with workers similarly accusing the business of improperly taking portions of their tips.

Pink Pony has denied allegations in at least one of the lawsuits. An attorney representing the club declined to provide the outlet with additional comment, citing the pending federal litigation.

The lawsuits add to longstanding scrutiny over how adult entertainment businesses classify and compensate dancers, particularly when workers rely heavily on tips while paying fees to perform.

The claims against Pink Pony and the other defendants remain allegations. A court has not determined that the defendants violated federal wage law.

RELATED CONTENT: More Than A Party: Carmelo Anthony Says Strip Clubs Were For Team Bonding

• Politics

by Selena Hill

September 15, 2026

Sen. Bernie Sanders Reintroduces 32-Hour Work Week Bill

The new proposal seeks to protect workers’ pay and benefits in wake of the AI job revolution.

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The 40-hour workweek could face a major shake-up as lawmakers revive a proposal to gradually reduce the standard workweek to 32 hours.

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Mark Takano of California reintroduced the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act Sept. 8, arguing that workers should share more directly in the productivity gains generated by artificial intelligence. The bill, which was first introduced by Rep. Takano in 2021, would not automatically mandate a four-day workweek. Instead, it would make working more than 32 hours more expensive for employers by triggering overtime requirements.

“At a time when artificial intelligence and robotics will radically transform our economy, it is imperative that the financial gains from this new technology benefit working families, not just a handful of billionaires and corporate CEOs. One important way to do that is through a 32-hour workweek with no loss in pay or benefits,” Sen. Sanders said in a press release.

“A 32-hour workweek is not a radical idea. What’s radical is that, despite an explosion in technology and productivity over the last fifty years, millions of workers are working longer hours for lower wages while nearly $80 trillion in wealth has been redistributed from the bottom 90 percent to the top 1 percent. That has got to change,” he continued.

The legislation would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to gradually lower the number of hours employees can work before qualifying for overtime. The threshold would drop from 40 hours to 38 hours in the first year, 36 in the second, 34 in the third, and ultimately 32 hours. Covered employees would receive overtime at 1.5 times their regular rate for hours beyond the threshold.

The bill also seeks to prevent employers from cutting workers’ compensation or benefits because of the new overtime rules. Ultimately, it aims to help “workers and their families to enjoy a better quality of life,” said Sanders.

Takano also pointed to the productivity gains of modern technology. According to his office, U.S. worker productivity has risen 93.2% since 1979, while wages have increased 33.7%.

“The 40-hour workweek was established in law nearly 90 years ago,” said the congressman. “Since then, cell phones, the internet, and now AI have increased worker productivity, but the profits have been largely concentrated at the top by billionaires and corporations. 

The proposal has backing from several major labor organizations, including the AFL-CIO, United Auto Workers, Service Employees International Union and United Food, and Commercial Workers. Still, the bill faces a difficult path through Congress. For now, the 40-hour workweek remains the federal standard. But as AI reshapes how work gets done, some progressive lawmakers are working so that Americans’ pay changes, too.

RELATED CONTENT: Your Boss May Be Watching: How Workplace Surveillance Is Reshaping The Future of Work

• Men

by Selena Hill

September 15, 2026

Big Tigger Returns To ATL’s V-103 Radio Station After Domestic Abuse Charges Are Nixed

The veteran broadcaster returned on-air after a two-month hiatus.

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Big Tigger is back on the air. The longtime Atlanta radio personality returned Monday to V-103’s morning show after the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office declined to prosecute him following his arrest earlier this year.

The radio veteran, whose real name is Darian Morgan, announced his return over the weekend after stepping away from “The Big Tigger Morning Show” in July, saying he wanted to focus on his family and allow his legal team to address his legal matters.

“For as long as I’ve been in this industry, my focus has always been to keep the spotlight on the culture and the incredible people I get to interview,” Morgan wrote when announcing his temporary departure, CBS News reports. “But right now, my personal life is in the public eye and has become the subject of overwhelming speculation and misinformation.”

Morgan was arrested in June and charged with aggravated battery and third-degree cruelty to children in Sandy Springs. The Fulton County DA’s Office subsequently declined to prosecute, bringing the criminal case to an end.

The broadcaster acknowledged the difficult period in an Instagram post before his return.

“It’s been one of the most difficult times for my family and I, but happily I can finally exhale and close this chapter,” wrote the former host of BET’s “Rap City.”

“As I continue to work through everything that has happened over the past few months, my full attention from this point forward will be focused on raising my son in a positive, loving environment, and my work on and off air,” he continued.

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Morgan is returning with Emmy Award-winning host Francesca Amiker, who previously filed a federal defamation lawsuit against his estranged wife, Alicia Brown. CBS Atlanta reported that Amiker accused Brown of making social media claims alleging an affair between Amiker and Morgan and suggesting the relationship helped Amiker secure a role at V-103. Brown has denied wrongdoing and filed her own lawsuit against Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat, seeking damages and a jury trial. Those civil matters remain separate from the criminal case against Morgan.

RELATED CONTENT: Big Tigger: Utilizing That Entrepreneurial Spirit to Strengthen the Brand

• Men

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

September 15, 2026

5 Things You May Not Know About XCEL IMPACT Honoree Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott

Mayor Brandon Scott has built a career around public service, youth investment, and changing Baltimore from the ground up.

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Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott has spent his career proving that leadership can start close to home and still make a national impact.

The 52nd mayor of Baltimore is among the 2026 BLACK ENTERPRISE XCEL IMPACT Honorees being recognized during the 10th anniversary of the XCEL Summit For Men for his work in public service and community leadership.

Here are five things you may not know about the Baltimore native.

1. He grew up in Park Heights

Raised in the Park Heights community, Scott witnessed firsthand the effects of disinvestment in neighborhoods and youth. That experience has influenced his focus on education, recreation, housing, and public safety.

Under his administration, Baltimore invested in new and renovated schools and recreation centers while dedicating $100 million to previously stalled housing projects in underserved communities.

2. He was inspired by Congressman Elijah Cummings

Scott has spoken openly about the importance of seeing Black leadership up close. During a BLACK ENTERPRISE XCEL fireside chat, he recalled former Congressman Elijah Cummings as the one elected official he could see regularly in his community.

“I can be for them what I didn’t have,” Scott said.

He added that he wanted to take Cummings’ example “to the next level” by showing up for young people in ways they had not seen before.

3. He entered City Hall before becoming mayor

Scott’s political career began on the Baltimore City Council, where he represented the 2nd District for eight years. He was later unanimously elected president of the council before becoming mayor in 2020.

His path into government also included working as a young staffer under former Baltimore Mayor Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake.

“She allowed me as a young staffer to have so much autonomy and really, authority, at 23, 24, 25 years old,” Scott said.

4. Public safety is a major part of his leadership agenda

Scott has made reducing gun violence a central priority. During his first term, Baltimore implemented its first Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan, while the city reported a significant decline in homicides and vacant properties.

Scott has also argued for a broader approach to public safety.

“We’re not making them the end be all,” he said of the police department during his XCEL conversation, emphasizing the use of additional community resources.

5. He wants more young Black people in government

For Scott, leadership development starts with participation. He has encouraged young Black professionals interested in politics to gain experience in their communities, campaigns, and government.

“You have to be in your community. You have to have a track record serving your community,” Scott said.

That philosophy reflects XCEL’s broader mission: recognizing Black excellence while encouraging the next generation to build influence across industries and institutions.

Scott will be recognized alongside fellow 2026 XCEL Impact Honorees Victor J. Glover Jr., Jalen Rose, Taye Diggs, and Everette Taylor at the XCEL Summit For Men, taking place Oct. 21-23 in Orlando, Florida.

RELATED CONTENT: 5 Things You May Not Know About Victor Glover Jr., A 2026 BLACK ENTERPRISE XCEL IMPACT Honoree

• Technology

by Selena Hill

September 14, 2026

Trump Condemns Warnings From AI Experts As A ‘Sick Conspiracy’

The president is rejecting calls for tighter AI oversight as tech leaders warn that rapid development could lead to catastrophic harms.

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President Donald Trump is pushing back against growing calls to slow the development of artificial intelligence, arguing that tighter guardrails could weaken the United States’ position in its race against China.

Trump said Monday that he is effectively the safeguard needed to prevent rogue AI, while dismissing concerns from technology executives and researchers who want stronger oversight of increasingly autonomous systems.

“The only control or ‘guardrails’ that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades!” Trump posted on social media, according to the Associated Press.

The comments come as the AI industry faces mounting questions about safety, cybersecurity, and the enormous infrastructure investments required to power advanced models. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei published a 3,800-word essay Saturday calling for a slower pace of AI development and greater safety controls. His proposal includes independent evaluations of AI systems and international cooperation around safety standards.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and other technology leaders have also raised concerns about managing AI’s rapid advancement. In July, an AI agent used during an OpenAI cybersecurity evaluation breached systems at Hugging Face after escaping its testing environment. OpenAI later said the incident demonstrated how increasingly capable AI systems can take unexpected actions and pose cybersecurity risks.

Trump, however, is framing the debate around American competitiveness.

“There is a SICK conspiracy going on against AI and Data Centers, and the only one that is happy about it is China,” Trump said.

That position puts the administration at odds with parts of the technology industry that are asking for additional oversight even as companies continue pouring billions into AI infrastructure.

On the other hand, Vice President JD Vance said Americans should not be afraid of AI but acknowledged the administration wants to regulate the technology “smartly,” while warning that the U.S. remains in an AI competition with China.

Microsoft, meanwhile, released a draft code of conduct Monday emphasizing that AI systems should remain under meaningful human control, including the ability to correct or shut down systems when necessary, reports Reuters.

As AI becomes an increasingly important economic and political issue ahead of the midterm elections, the divide is sharpening: technology leaders are calling for more safeguards, while the Trump administration is betting that speed and scale will keep America ahead.

• Arts and Culture

by Ida Harris

September 14, 2026

Butter Art Fair, ‘Boogie Wonderland’ And Black Art Take Center Stage

The Butter Art Fair has created quite the name for itself.

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For many, Indianapolis, Indiana, is a quaint college town that is home to both Indiana State and Purdue University. Known primarily for Indy 500 motorsports racing, Indianapolis also serves as the headquarters of the NCAA—and in the past, Madame CJ Walker chose Indianapolis as the home base for her then-growing business, contributing to the Midwest city’s history. More recently, though, Indianapolis is the grand stage for the Butter Art Fair.

Mali and Alan Bacon stand on Walker’s shoulders, creating cultural significance by founding Butter Art Fair in 2020, while in the throes of a global pandemic, and have since created economic growth, power, and justice for Black visual artists in “Nap Town” and across the “global African diaspora.” The art fair has been bubbling ever since. 

“Year six marks a major milestone and tells of Indy’s commitment to talent retention, economic development, and innovation in the arts,” Alan said in a press release. “This year we work to eclipse $2 million in total sales for artists, and we hope to inspire thousands of people each day.”

The Butter Art Fair has made a name for itself as it pours into downtown Indianapolis’s art and culture scene. Now in its sixth year, the event brings together art lovers, collectors, and students of the arts at the city’s Stutz factory building at 1060 N. Capitol Ave.

In 2026, the art fair returned to Nap Town Sept. 3-6, with a fresh lineup of 53 exhibiting artists, including Gary, Indiana native comedian Mike Epps, and guest curators, Bianca Marks and Kia Davis. BLACK ENTERPRISE got a taste of Butter’s preview night for a first look. The exhibit floor covers 60,000 square feet and holds over 200 works of art, including installations, collage, conceptual art, drawings, lithographs, needlepoint, painting, sculpture, textile art, and print reproductions. As well, there is diversity among artists who participated. Seasoned heavy-hitters such as Atlanta-based artist Kevin A. (WAK) Williams shared wall space with emerging artists Jess Owens, Al-Basheer Holly, Lavett Ballard, Shenequa, and up-and-coming student artists. 

Butter was well curated, featuring a range of mediums: collage, textile, lithography, assemblage, painting, sculpture, and photography. Artwork ranged in price as well, from $300 to over $20,000, with total proceeds going to the artist. 

Standout works include:

“The Inheritance” by Ballard, 2026 winner of Butter’s Cultural Impact Award

“Heads of State Mini-Series 1-24” by Gavin Benjamin

“Mother’s Crown” by Shaunt’e Lewis 

“Where The Seams Don’t Show” by Nalaa Alexis

“Momzilla Vol. 2” by Paul Benjamin Smith

“Essence” by Jamaal Barber

“Class of 2003” by Al-Basheer Holly

—And “Choc City Shine” by Maryam Moma:

Why Kevin A. Williams’ “Boogie Wonderland,” a throwback to 1970s flyness, was the flyest artwork in the building. 

The scene and its subjects are thoughtfully rendered. The regal, bejeweled, Afro-wearing couple, sitting in a living room setting among vintage items that signified the era—wooden wall panels; mid-century furniture; a framed picture in the background; shaggy throw pillow; ball-and-chain chandelier; crystal drinking glasses; a Sony record player with an AM/FM frequency dial; a Crown Royal liquor bag, and a lit cigarette resting in an ashtray—is not just an ode to Blackness, but a historically accurate depiction of African American culture, expression, and existence. Williams’ attention to detail and execution is exquisite. The mood and lighting are created through a combination of flat color and highlights that emphasize the subject’s shadows on the wall, the sheen on their mocha skin, the bling in their jewelry, crystal effects, and the movement of smoke.

The subject’s gaze is piercing—and triggering. The look on the couple’s face is reminiscent of days of yore, when the viewer might remember being a curious child who wanders into grown folks’ business late at night. The stern look usually precedes a memorable statement: “Take your ass to bed.” “Boogie Nights” makes us wonder about the conversation, the music playing in the background: is it “Going In Circles” by Friends of Distinction or “Backstabbers” by The O’Jays?

It’s a beautiful matrix.

While the artist’s print was the star of the fair (priced at $3,000), one can only imagine that the original version is the sun. 

To learn more about the Butter Art Fair’s initiatives and upcoming year, tap into the website or the organization’s social media. 

RELATED CONTENT: A ‘Little’ Art Show Opens With A Big Bang At Atlanta’s Zucot Gallery 

• Entrepreneurship

by Sidnee Michelle

September 14, 2026

Childhood Friends Leave Major Corporations To Build 8-Figure African Supply Chain Business

Their experience helped them identify gaps in the chemical supply chain serving African manufacturers.

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Childhood friends Taiwo Ilesanmi and Gbenga Akanmu left careers tied to two of the world’s largest chemical companies to build an African chemical supply chain business that has increased its revenue by 1,400% in four years, according to Business Insider Africa.

The entrepreneurs founded Alliance Chemicals Global in 2022 after gaining experience at BASF and Dow Chemical, respectively. The company, which supplies commodity and specialty chemicals to manufacturers, reached eight figures in annual revenue by 2026, according to the outlet.

Ilesanmi and Akanmu grew up on the same street in Ibadan, Nigeria, before pursuing careers abroad. Ilesanmi moved to the United Kingdom and worked in management consulting at KPMG before joining BASF. Akanmu relocated to the United States, where he worked in technology and financial services before entering Dow Chemical’s finance leadership development program.

Their experience helped them identify gaps in the chemical supply chain serving African manufacturers. Alliance handles sourcing, quality assurance, inventory, storage, and delivery rather than operating solely as a chemical distributor.

“We call ourselves a chemical supply chain company,” Ilesanmi told the outlet. “There’s a big difference between what we do and what a trader does.”

Launching the supply chain company required substantial capital. The founders invested more than $200,000 of their own money before raising additional funds from friends and family. Alliance later secured institutional capital, including an investment from Africa-focused venture capital firm Oui Capital.

The company has since recorded significant growth. Akanmu told the outlet that revenue increased roughly fivefold during its first year and grew 1,400% between its first and fourth years.

Ilesanmi and Akanmu are now looking beyond chemical imports and distribution. Alliance plans to begin blending products and expand into manufacturing at the Lagos Free Zone, with two product lines expected to begin operations in January 2027.

The company employs 45 people and plans to increase local production of chemical inputs, a move aimed at reducing its reliance on imported products.

“We may not see the full reward this decade,” Ilesanmi told Business Insider Africa. “But we’re building for the long term.”

RELATED CONTENT: Managing data center construction supply chains