Howard University Officially Becomes Only HBCU With Research One Carnegie Classification
The R1 classification will afford new grant opportunities and faculty to the HBCU.
Howard University is now the only HBCU with a Research One Carnegie Classification. According to Diverse Education, fewer than 150 universities have reached this status, with the HBCU achieving it this month.
To become a Research One institution, schools must allocate at least $50 million toward research and development as well as award 70 research doctorates. The Washington, D.C.-based school surpassed these requirements in 2023
“In Fiscal Year 2023, the most recent evaluation year in the classification cycle, the university’s productivity was significantly higher than the R1 base criteria, recording just under $85 million in research expenditures and awarding 96 doctorates in an array of fields,” said Dr. Bruce A. Jones, Howard’s senior vice president for research. “This includes the highest number of doctorates awarded to Black students at any college or university in America.”
With this classification, Howard enters a new era of competitive academics for interested scholars. The status will also help the HBCU with a wider range of research offerings, as well as establish more grant opportunities to fund these efforts.
Howard President Dr. Ben Vinson III noted how the university’s vast research portfolio fulfills the HBCU’s mission to use knowledge and strategy to combat societal issues. Howard boasts one of only 15 U.S. Department of Defense University Affiliated Research Centers (UARC), which focuses on tactical autonomy, human-machine teaming, and artificial intelligence, in the nation.
“Howard University’s achievement of R1 status demonstrates our research capacity and reaffirms our deep commitment to tackling society’s most pressing questions through cutting-edge scholarship and technological innovation,” Vinson said. “As a leader in the evolution of next-generation HBCUs, we are dedicated to ensuring that the benefits of discovery and progress reach all communities, including those historically overlooked and underrepresented.”
The school also hosts the nation’s first Center for Sickle Cell Disease and is the only HBCU to provide a cancer center for treatment and training in oncology. Furthermore, Howard’s renowned Moorland-Spingarn Research Center has sustained itself as the largest repository of materials on the global Black experience.
According to The Associated Press, Elaine Schlock, Flack’s publicist, said in a statement that the singer died at home surrounded by her family. In 2022, Flack revealed that she had been diagnosed with ALS, commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and had been rendered unable to sing.
Flack, a former schoolteacher, received her big break in 1971 when Clint Eastwood used “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” in his film “Play Misty For Me,” and Eastwood helped the song stay in its original format, as Flack recounted to the AP in 2018.
“The record label wanted to have it re-recorded with a faster tempo, but he (Eastwood) said he wanted it exactly as it was. With the song as a theme song for his movie, it gained a lot of popularity and then took off,” Flack said.
That song, which is one of the quintessential songs of Roberta Flack’s catalog, went on to win the 1972 Grammy for Record of the Year, followed in 1973 with “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” which made history as Flack became the first artist to win back-to-back Grammy awards for song of the year.
Flack was a classically trained pianist and a prodigy who received a full scholarship to Howard University when she was just 15 years old, but it took time for her to arrive on the charts after being discovered in the late 1960s by jazz musician Les McCann.
Flack became friends with Rev. Jesse Jackson as well as Angela Davis, whom she visited in prison when Davis faced charges from the United States government of murder and kidnapping, charges for which Davis was famously acquitted.
Flack also sang at the funeral of Jackie Robinson, the former Negro Leagues player who broke baseball’s color line.
Flack and Donny Hathaway, arguably one of the finest male voices in the history of music, recorded several sparkling songs together, one of which, “Be Real Black For Me,” became a touchstone for Black Americans and a representation of Black love.
As Flack told Vibe in 2022, as the pair’s million-unit-selling “Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway” album marked its 50th anniversary, they shared a deep musical connection.
“We were deeply connected creatively. He could play anything, sing anything. Our musical synergy was unlike (anything) I’d had before or since,” Flack recalled.
Tragically, Hathaway died in 1979 after suffering a breakdown during a recording session for the album of duets between the two and fell to his death from a hotel room in Manhattan later that night.
Although Flack never repeated her early success, she did receive her flowers, both from the Recording Academy and one of music’s brightest stars, Beyoncé, who put Flack, Diana Ross, and Aretha Franklin in a pantheon of heroines in a remix to her song “Break My Soul” in 2022.
In her acceptance speech, Flack expressed her deep love of music, “Music is everything to me,” Flack said. “Thank you for letting me into your hearts and allowing my music to be a part of you. Together, we have shared life’s triumphs, sorrows, joys, and dreams. All of it matters, each story in each heart. Challenge yourself to never give up.”
According to Jason King’s essay on the singer, “The Sound of Velvet Melting: The Power of ‘Vibe’ in the Music of Roberta Flack,” Flack had an outsized hand in exposing people to pro-Black imagery through her fashion.
“Flack’s engagement with black pride and beauty was also cross-lateralized in her visual image. The singer emerged as a potent Black fashion icon in the early 1970s, sporting large Afro (captured in full glory on the cover of Quiet Fire) along with dashikis and Afrocentric baubles, bangles, and beads. In 1975 Flack was one of the winners of the ‘best dressed award’ given by the National Society of Fashion, an organization ‘committed to the development and instillation of self-pride by bringing honor and recognition to outstanding sartorial members of the Black race.’ Flack’s Afrocentric glamour was part of the way she expanded the aesthetic terms of Blackness toward the redefinition of soul,” King wrote.
According to The New York Times, Flack has no immediate survivors, but she mentored young singers Luther Vandross and Peabo Bryson. In Dawn Porter’s recent documentary on Vandross, archival footage shows him crediting her with “firing him” so he could start his solo career.
Her fans will dearly and fondly remember Flack as a legend thanks to the music she performed for them throughout her prodigious career and her contributions to Black pride and the conceptualization of Black beauty.
Michael Ealy Appears At Greater Atlanta United Way Luncheon Assisting Black Youth
Ealy said that the event appealed to his sense of community responsibility, so he agreed to be the keynote speaker.
On Feb. 22, actor Michael Ealy made a guest appearance at Atlanta’s Georgia Aquarium, where the United Way of Greater Atlanta was hosting its ninth annual African American Partnership Leadership Luncheon. The event is dedicated to helping young Black men in the Atlanta area find success.
According to WSB-TV, Ealy said that the event appealed to his sense of community responsibility, so he agreed to be the keynote speaker.
“It’s all about helping the community for me, and when I was asked to do this, it was in learning about what the organization is doing that I was able to say yes,” Ealy told the outlet. “I am a believer in the ‘It takes a village’ mentality, so I look at it more as a responsibility, not so much as an achievement. I think you have to one, keep up the good fight, there is no quitting when you get into this kind of work.”
“I don’t think there’s success without my community. I don’t think it matters to have success without community.”@MichaelEaly on the impact community has had on his success. pic.twitter.com/mRIDlv8ZEB
“When you join AAP, you’re not just signing up for a membership—you’re becoming part of a movement. A movement that creates opportunities, breaks down barriers, and uplifts the next generation.” -Youlanda Mack #LeadwithAAPpic.twitter.com/lKK8eRc1FE
According to Karina Mitchell, the Chief Community Impact Officer with United Way of Greater Atlanta, the event also celebrated the group’s 120th anniversary.
“We are celebrating 120 years. We have been in this community for 120 years, investing in this community,” Mitchell told WSB-TV.
According to the event’s description, “Together, we’ll explore critical issues shaping the lives of African-American young men in our communities. Through the Powering the Potential Program, we are improving academic outcomes for African-American boys and young men in Greater Atlanta—ensuring brighter futures for the next generation.”
Several corporations sponsored the leadership luncheon, including Atlanta Gas Light, Delta, Georgia Natural Gas, Coca-Cola, the Black Leadership AIDS Crisis Coalition, Kaiser Permanente, Publix Supermarkets Charities, Comcast, Cricket, Georgia-Pacific, and Enterprise Mobility.
In addition to corporate sponsorships, the group also sold tickets to the event, which was targeted at multi-generational business and community leaders of the Greater Atlanta area. An individual seat was priced at $249, a half table (5 tickets) was $1,299, and a full table (10 tickets) was $1,999.
Per the group’s corporate sponsor package explainer, the AAP is the United Way of Greater Atlanta’s signature program. Any stakeholders of the United Way of Greater Atlanta are expected to assist the mission of their program by offering career opportunities to Greater Atlanta area youth, particularly Black and Brown youth.
“Talent is everywhere, opportunity is not. To improve college and career readiness for Black and brown youth, we must prepare young people long before they reach high school. It is critical to ensure youth receive education and exposure to secure stable, high-paying jobs in the future workforce. All Greater Atlanta stakeholders – including schools, nonprofits, and government entities must foster equitable and collaborative approaches to accommodate the unique assets and needs of young people. With an intentional focus on college and career readiness, Powering the Potential considers the whole child – academic, physical, cognitive, social, and economic development- transforming the educational experience by addressing individual needs,” the United Way of Greater Atlanta said in its charge to their stakeholders.
Trump’s New Housing Lead Is ‘Ready to Rebuild’ and ‘Revitalize American Communities’
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner promises government accountability and to tackle the housing crisis.
President Donald Trump’s new housing lead, Scott Turner, is ready to rebuild and revitalize American communities. Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner promised government accountability and to tackle the housing crisis.
“We will be mission-minded at HUD, so I’m ready. I’m ready to do the work,” Turner said. “I’m ready to rebuild and revitalize American communities and ensure everyone has the opportunity to achieve the American dream.”
As The Daily Signal pointed out, Turner spoke from his own personal experience. He told the audience that his 24-year-old son questioned if he would be able to afford to buy a home. He also noted that young people he mentors share the same sentiments. Turner vowed that he would make the government more efficient and productive in addressing the housing problem.
“We will take inventory to see which programs that we have that are serving you and which programs we have that are not serving you,” he added. “As stewards of the American taxpayer, we will be detailed and deliberate about every single dollar we spend to serve all American communities, rural, tribal, and urban.”
Who Is Housing Lead Scott Turner?
The former NFL player cornerback is the only Black American on Trump’s cabinet team. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term. Turner thanked his predecessor, Dr. Ben Carson, a Black man who also served as HUD Secretary during Trump’s first term in office, who he said mentored him when he was executive director for the council.
During his speech, Turner confirmed that he would apply the concept of federalism.
“HUD will partner with local leaders, local leaders who know what their communities need to rebuild their lives and livelihoods, rather than imposing top-down solutions from Washington bureaucrats,” he said. “My only goal is to do what’s right by the American people.”
Beyoncé Brings Cécred To ULTA, Marking Biggest Haircare Partnership In Retailers History
The partnership will be the biggest exclusive haircare launch in Ulta's history.
Cécred, a haircare brand founded by Beyoncé, has officially announced its upcoming launch at Ulta. The release marks the store’s biggest haircare partnership to date.
For fans eager to try out the singer’s haircare line in person, Cécred will begin selling its award-winning products at Ulta stores nationwide in April. According to Businesswire, the nation’s largest beauty retailer will stock the collection at over 1,400 locations and online. Beyoncé also shared the news to her Instagram, using her own lyrics to announce the groundbreaking partnership.
The news also comes during Cécred’s one-year anniversary. Since its launch, the brand has sought to revolutionize and unify haircare techniques. With Beyoncé’s noted childhood in her mother’s salon, Cécred’s Foundation Collection introduced its bestselling products such as the Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner, Fermented Rice & Rose Protein Ritual, and Treatment Mask.
Buyers will also have the chance to purchase the popular Restoring Hair and Edge drops. Furthermore, Cécred will take part in Ulta’s first-ever salon integration. Ulta’s styling amenities, available at all locations, will also promote Cécred products to clients by offering the line during services.
“In the past year, we’ve helped so many make a deeper connection with their hair, building a community that redefines what a typical hair care brand looks like,” Beyoncé said, as reported by MSN.
“Our historic partnership with Ulta Beauty represents a meaningful milestone in our journey of getting Cécred in the aisles and salons nationwide for everyone to experience.”
Its exclusive partnership at Ulta will also come with branded elements implemented throughout the storefronts. With life-size displays and custom fixtures, a Cécred takeover will engage fans and avid shoppers. The marketing rollout will also highlight the brand’s patent-pending bottles.
“It’s going to be very prominent, front-and-center with life-sized fixtures and bottle amplification,” shared Ulta’s CEO, Kecia Steelman, as well. “We’re going to amplify this in a way that we’ve never done before in our salons. It’s going to be a total 360-degree approach.”
Cécred has become a growing name for salon-quality products that produces results for healthier hair of all textures. With its mission also in uplifting beauty entrepreneurs, Cécred aims to expand its reach with Ulta as it begins the next chapter.
Elon Musk Demands Documentation Of Duties From Federal Workers Or Else …
Elon Musk told federal employees to provide a list of roughly five bulleted accomplishments to the Office of Personnel Management. Employees will have until Monday, Feb. 24, 11:59 p.m. ET, to provide their list to the Office of Personnel Management.
Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency, emailed federal employees over the weekend to warn them to account for the work they did this past week or lose their jobs.
“Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week,” Musk wrote on X.
“Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”
OPM told the outlet that the emails are part of the Trump administration’s commitment to an “efficient and accountable workforce.” It remains unclear what will happen next and if this will be a weekly requirement for federal employees. The legality of OPM’s request is also unclear, as many federal employees are protected by civil service protections that prevent them from being fired without cause.
Federal Employees Are Fighting Back Against Musk and DOGE
Since Trump took office, DOGE has orchestrated the mass firing of at least 20,000 government workers, a majority being probationary employees. Labor unions have since responded by suing the Trump administration. The unions argue that OPM has no authority to manage employees or federal agencies other than its own. The lawsuit points to the federal statute that states, “The head of an Executive department or military department may prescribe regulations for the government of his department, the conduct of its employees, the distribution and performance of its business, and the custody, use, and preservation of its records, papers, and property.”
Legal experts tell NPR that it is likely that Musk’s request will not stand up in court.
“Firing someone who was unable or unwilling to respond would be found to be a disproportionate punishment by a labor arbitrator,” labor attorney Suzanne Summerlin said.
However, choosing not to respond could result in disciplinary action.
“A letter of reprimand or a suspension would likely be found by an arbitrator to be proportionate,” she added.
Attorney Tony Buzbee Won’t Be Practicing Law In NYC After Failed Filings Against Jay-Z
He is not allowed to try any case within the five boroughs of New York as well as Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, and Sullivan counties
Attorney Tony Buzbee, who has filed multiple lawsuits against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, has been denied the ability to practice law in the Southern District of New York.
According to Complex, the lawyer, who had to dismiss a lawsuit filed against Diddy and recording artist Jay-Z recently, is not allowed to try any case within the five boroughs of New York as well as Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, and Sullivan counties. This is not good news for the attorney, who has filed several lawsuits against Diddy in the past year.
Court reporter Meghann Cuniff posted the ruling on her social media account stating that the ruling came from the Committee on Grievances for the Southern District of New York. That committee is responsible for investigating complaints of attorney misconduct.
His lawsuit against Jay-Z is dismissed and not coming back, and now Tony Buzbee is trying to ensure he can keep litigating his other lawsuits against Diddy because his admission application in the Southern District of New York was denied. pic.twitter.com/NuKOU7R38W
The committee said that Buzbee failed to ask permission to practice in the district before he submitted for admission on Jan. 29, 2025. He just recently performed that task because his negligence was pointed out in the lawsuit he filed that accused the two businessmen of sexually assaulting a then-13-year-old girl in New York City in 2000.
With the recent ruling, he will have to include the denial letter each time he wants to pursue a case within the Southern District of New York.
Brooklyn rapper Jay-Z is now in the clear after Buzbee dismissed the lawsuit against the “Hard Knock Life” lyricist, but the attorney has about 12 other suits against Diddy that may be in jeopardy due to this recent ruling against Buzbee.
CNN reported that attorneys for Diddy say that Doe dropping her lawsuit means that the other numerous allegations against Combs were also false.
“This is another confirmation that these lawsuits are built on falsehoods, not facts…[in] case after case filed by individuals hiding behind anonymity.”
Diddy has been in custody since September 2024 at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, as he awaits an upcoming federal trial on charges including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
2025 Women Of Power Summit Honorees Will Have ‘Conversations That Count’
These Conversations will include one-on-one chats with figures such as Valerie Jarrett, Robin Washington, and Glenda McNeal.
BLACK ENTERPRISE‘s 2025 Women of Power Summit returns this March with “Conversations That Count” featuring trailblazers like Valerie Jarrett and Glenda McNeal.
The four-day summit begins March 5 at The Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. With its theme of “Momentum: Our Future, Our Promise, Our Power!,” the event will continue its mission to provide professional development for women of color. Attendees will not only receive tips and treats to boost one’s professional journey, but also hear directly from the diverse women at the top of their industries.
Ahead of this, the summit will showcase its Legacy Awards Gala, whose honorees will take part in “Conversations That Count” later in the week.
Following registration provided through Equitable, these “Conversations that Count” will start during the second day of programming. Attendees can begin the morning at a workout hosted by UnitedHealth Group. BE‘s CEO Earl “Butch” Graves Jr. will then kick off the sessions with his opening remarks.
The first discussion, brought by Nationwide, will see Glenda McNeal, Chief Partner Officers at American Express, and Robin L. Washington, Strategic Adviser and Salesforce Board Member, sit down for a one-on-chat as Legacy honorees for this year’s summit. The esteemed industry leaders will share their insights into building a successful career and their climb to the C-suite.
Shortly after, Dell will host another exclusive conversation with BE’s Barbara Graves Award recipient Valerie Jarrett. Jarrett has earned recognition for her work as senior advisor to Former President Barack Obama, and currently serves as Chief Executive Officer at the Obama Foundation. With her historic rise as a Black woman in U.S. politics, Jarrett remains a revered figure for her continued public service. In her own chat, she will detail her journey and wisdom learned from beyond the White House.
While the entire Women of Power Summit hopes to inspire and unite women of color throughout their careers, these “Conversations that Count” aim to dig deeper into what makes a trailblazing woman in corporate spaces. As these intimate chats break down the wall between leaders and rising professionals, the summit will offer an immeasurable experience to start off one’s 2025 goals.
Registration is available now to take part in this premier experience.
Irv Gotti’s Brother Shares The Producer Suffered A Stroke While Eating Chinese Food
The legendary music producer and record executive was diagnosed with diabetes several years ago
On a recent podcast, Chris Gotti (Irving) revealed that his music-producing brother Irv Gotti died after having another stroke as he was eating Chinese food and playing poker.
The legendary music producer and record executive was diagnosed with diabetes several years ago and had been struggling with the disease. He died on Feb. 5 after suffering a “massive hemorrhagic stroke,” according to his brother Chris. Chris, who is the older brother of Irv, appeared on the 2Way podcast with host Mark Halperin, along with guest Damon Dash, to speak about the Murder Inc. co-founder and his recent death.
Irv was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, which means his pancreas did not produce insulin. Dash also revealed that he is also a Type 1 diabetic during the program. Chris also mentioned that their father, who died at the age of 86, was also a diabetic.
Chris said that Irv was diagnosed with the disease in his late 40s, and when told about his condition, he did not believe he had it.
“He’s 54. I believe he was diagnosed in his 40s, late 40s. But Irv doesn’t go to the doctor so that’s why he’s so late being diagnosed,” Chris stated. “And when he finally did go get a real physical and a check-up, they were like, ‘You’re diabetic,’ and he didn’t believe it.”
Chris also said that when Irv was initially diagnosed, he was labeled a Type 2 diabetic, meaning his pancreas was able to produce some insulin, but not enough to sustain sugar levels at a normal rate, but Irv did not keep up with the rigors of keeping his sugar in control.
“We all have to go at one point in time we just really wanna go on our terms. That’s how I look at it. And Irv, sadly enough, he did go on his terms. He just didn’t believe it and he was like, ‘I’m going to go the way I wanted.’ He ate a bunch of Chinese food while playing poker and had a massive hemorrhagic stroke, which is bleeding on the brain.”
Chris did bring up a valid point when discussing his brother’s death. He said that diabetes does not kill you, it’s always something else due to not taking care of the condition itself.
Galveston’s First Black Lifeguards Honored With Historical Marker
The area where the marker is displayed is part of what used to be called Brown Beach, a segregated beach once patrolled by the city's first Black lifeguards.
Galveston, a city deeply tied to the history of Black freedom through Juneteenth and the emancipation of enslaved people in Texas, revealed a hidden chapter of its past with the installation of a new Texas historical marker along the Galveston Seawall on Feb. 1.
According to ABC 13, the area where the marker is displayed, near 27th Street, is part of what used to be called Brown Beach, a segregated beach that was once patrolled by the city’s first Black lifeguards.
David Mitchell, the chair of the African American Beach Lifeguard Memorial project, one of the groups that pushed for the creation of the marker, told the outlet that Black lifeguards served the area for over 30 years.
“This is an area of where they protected and served African American beachgoers during segregation between the years of 1930 up until 1962,” Mitchell said.
The marker tells a story that some Black residents of Galveston, like Sharley Adams, lived through parts of.
“We wanted to integrate downtown,” she recalled. “Our parents pay taxes here in Galveston…and yet, we could not sit on the counters.”
Adams continued, recalling how she felt when she and some of her friends tried to integrate Galveston’s whites-only beach.
“I was traumatized and really realized that it was because of my color,” she said. “I think it was just like this because I was African-American.”
According to Mitchell, the story of Galveston’s first Black lifeguards is important, particularly given the context of today’s anti-diversity, equity and inclusion movements.
“It’s important because it actually speaks to the necessity to make sure that inclusiveness is literally a way of life,” Mitchell said.
According to The Galveston Daily News, the Texas Historical Commission awarded the site an “under-told” history marker in commemoration of the “fascinating history of heroic African American lifeguards” like James “Jim” Helton, Waverly Guidry, Leroy Green Jr., Lynn Stephens, John Ned Rose, Willie Diggs, and Oliver O’Conner.
In 1921, Black residents of Galveston asked for a lifeguard to oversee the beaches of the city, and in 1935, Helton officially became the city’s first Black lifeguard, followed by Guidry in 1943. The pair have been credited with saving the lives of over 30 people and were also tasked with recovering those who had drowned.
The project has three phases, phase one was erecting the historical marker, phase two involves the development of a database profiling Black lifeguards and Black beach history on Galveston Island by historians, and phase three involves the creation of a sculpture that is a representation of past and present Black lifeguards in an artistic representation of their contributions.
According to Carol Bunch Davis, an island researcher specializing in African American culture, the state’s under-told marker series is “intended to address historical gaps, promote diversity of topics and proactively document significant underrepresented subjects or untold stories.”
She continued, discussing the monument’s significance and the stories of the pioneering lifeguards.
“Their stories offer insights about the different roles the guards played in the community. They were often longshoremen who sometimes ran small businesses or held a variety of jobs to support their families. They were held in high esteem and served a pivotal role in the community by providing protection to all,” Davis said.
