Kendrick Lamar And Dr. Dre Head Back To Their Alma Mater For Groundbreaking Ceremony
The ceremony kicked off a redevelopment effort for the school, and both artists attended.
More than a decade after reshaping West Coast hip-hop, Kendrick Lamar and Dr. Dre returned to their Compton roots on May 7. They were present at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new campus of Centennial High School in Compton, California.
The ceremony kicked off a redevelopment effort for the school, and both artists attended. Music producer and entrepreneur will.i.am joined the event, along with officials from the Compton Unified School District. According to Rolling Stone, district board president Micah Ali asked Dre to speak to students, faculty, and community members gathered for the occasion.
In his speech, Dre called the moment “full circle.” He reflected on his time at the school while stressing a broader mission focused on future generations. The Grammy-winning producer explained that the project is more than just construction; it is an investment in Compton’s youth and a promise to create opportunities for future innovators, engineers, and artists.
“Today is really nostalgic for me. Sometimes you hear that term ‘full circle.’ This is really a full-circle moment for me because I did actually attend this high school. Well, sometimes I attended. I was enrolled, I was here, sometimes. I’m making a commitment, and that commitment is to let go of the notion of giving back. Instead, I’m embracing the power of investing forward.”
Their appearance highlighted the strong connections both artists have with their hometown. Lamar, widely seen as one of hip-hop’s most influential lyricists, has often mentioned Compton in his music and public appearances. In 2016, the city honored him with the Key to the City for his cultural influence and for representing the community on a global scale.
Dre has also invested in educational and arts programs linked to Compton. In 2015, he committed royalties from his album “Compton” to projects that benefit the city, later donating $10 million to help build a performing arts center for local students.
85-Year-Old Charles Whitman Dabbs Receives Doctorate Degree From Tennessee State University
An 85-year-old scholar’s walk across the stage at Tennessee State University is a strong example of perseverance.
An 85-year-old scholar’s walk across the stage at Tennessee State University is a strong example of perseverance. Charles Whitman Dabbs earned his doctorate in education nearly 70 years after starting his academic journey.
The moment, shown in the WBIRvideo, captures Whitman Dabbs receiving his doctoral hood to applause. This marks the end of decades of lost ambitions and renewed determination. His achievement has spread widely online. Viewers celebrate both his persistence and the broader message about lifelong learning.
Whitman Dabbs began his educational journey in the mid-20th century but paused his studies due to life’s demands, including job obligations and family responsibilities. His experience reflects that of many Black Americans of his generation who often faced barriers to higher education. Returning to the classroom later in life, Whitman Dabbs remained dedicated to finishing what he had started, ultimately achieving the highest level of academic success.
“I started when I graduated high school in 1958. There were no jobs for Black boys, so I joined the Navy,” he told WBIR.
Leaders at Tennessee State University see Whitman Dabbs’ achievement as a symbol of the university’s mission to expand access and opportunity. As a historically Black college and university, TSU has long supported nontraditional students and offers flexible paths for those returning to education after long absences.
“The young people at this school have been so nice to me, and so helpful in terms of technology and where to go if I need something.”
Whitman Dabbs’ accomplishment is significant beyond just one ceremony. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics show that older adults are becoming a larger presence in higher education. This highlights a national shift toward lifelong learning and career changes.
For many, Whitman Dabbs’ story serves as both inspiration and guidance. His doctorate is not just a personal achievement; it’s a reminder that delayed dreams are still valid and achievable. In a society often focused on quick success, his journey changes the narrative: persistence, not timing, defines success.
Photo: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons)
POCANTICO HILLS|NY - NOVEMBER 12: CEO and founder of Mercaris
Trump Administration Sues The New York Times For Allegedy Discriminating Against A White Man
The Trump administration is accusing The New York Times of unlawfully favoring diversity over merit in a high-profile hiring decision
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a federal lawsuit against The New York Times, alleging the media company discriminated against a white male employee in a promotion decision tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Filed on May 5, the lawsuit alleges that the newspaper violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act after a white man was reportedly denied a deputy real estate editor role in favor of a multiracial woman from outside the company. According to the complaint, the selected candidate allegedly had limited experience in real estate journalism despite the role requiring that expertise.
EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas said the agency believes race and sex were factors in the hiring decision, arguing that “there is no such thing as reverse discrimination” because all forms of workplace discrimination are unlawful under federal law.
The complaint also points to The Times’ public diversity initiatives and internal goals to increase representation of women and people of color in leadership positions. Federal officials claim those efforts may have improperly influenced hiring practices.
“A necessary consequence of NYT’s intent to increase the percentage of non-White leaders would be a decrease in the percentage of White leaders,” the lawsuit states. “Particularly, decreasing the percentage of White males in leadership would contribute to the NYT’s dual goals of increasing the percentages of females and ‘people of color’ (as defined by NYT) in leadership.”
The Times dismissed any notion that the hiring process had violated federal labor law – and said it would “vigorously” defend against any lawsuit.
“The New York Times categorically rejects the politically motivated allegations brought by the Trump administration’s EEOC,” Danielle Rhoades Ha, a Times spokesperson, said in a statement.
The lawsuit marks another escalation in the Trump administration’s ongoing scrutiny of corporate diversity initiatives. Since returning to office, the president has aggressively challenged DEI policies across media companies, corporations, and universities. His administration has even argued that some programs unfairly disadvantage white employees.
‘Marketplace Morning Report’ Names Its First Black Woman Host
American Public Media announced Kimberly Adams as the next host of its flagship weekday program
American Public Media announced on May 7 that Kimberly Adams has been named the next host of its flagship weekday program, Marketplace Morning Report. Adams, currently senior Washington correspondent and host of the popular podcast Make Me Smart, will officially step into her new role June 8. This is the first time a Black woman has been named host of one of Marketplace’s flagship shows.
Marketplace Morning Report is included every weekday morning on Morning Edition on nearly every NPR affiliate across the country. It’s heard by 8 million public radio listeners live every weekday morning across the U.S. and is on podcast platforms worldwide, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, with more than 76,000 downloads each day across platforms.
“I grew up in St. Louis, where the economic divides across race, class, and geography were always present and visible. Those lessons have informed my decades of work as a journalist. While many people think about business and economics news as being focused on markets and companies, there’s really not many stories that don’t in some way circle back to money and power—and who has it and who doesn’t,” Adams told BLACK ENTERPRISE exclusively.
“I’ve focused my work at Marketplace thus far on translating economic policy into what it means for people’s everyday lives, and I’m looking forward to expanding that remit to include not just what policymakers are doing in Washington, but also what company leaders are doing in boardrooms, what consumers are doing at the grocery store, and what living in this economy means for all kinds of people,” she continued.
Before her tenure as a D.C. correspondent, Adams worked as a freelance journalist, winning awards from the National Association of Black Journalists, the Religion Communicators Council, and the Association for Women in Communication.
She’s also been a regular weekend fill-in host on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal and serves on the board of the International Women’s Media Foundation.
American Public Media noted that since joining Marketplace more than a decade ago, Adams has become a trusted voice to audiences for her sharp economic analysis.
“Beyond her diligent reporting, listeners have embraced Kimberly’s leadership and versatility as the host of Call to Mind, Marketplace Tech, and Make Me Smart,” said Neal Scarbrough, vice president and general manager at Marketplace, in a statement. “Kimberly has distinguished herself as a ground-breaking, multiplatform correspondent and host who has built an unwavering connection with our audience.”
Adams is looking forward to helping people start their day with a better understanding of how the global economy affects them personally:
“In this moment of economic transition, it’s vital our community has access to the best journalism about how money is moving in our society. I feel incredibly honored to step into this role at this time to help bring timely and relevant information to the folks who need it most.”
President Obama Blasts Trump’s Racist AI Video Depicting He And Michelle As Apes
The former president said Trump's attack on his wife and children in a racially charged AI-generated content crossed a line of common decency and respect
Barack Obama Responds To Donald Trump’s Racist Video
Former President Barack Obama recently condemned the infamous AI-generated video that President Donald Trump shared earlier this year, portraying him and his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, as apes.
“I don’t take it personally,” Obama said. “I’m always offended when my wife and kids get dragged into things, because they didn’t choose this. That’s a line that even people whose politics I deeply reject, I would expect them to care about.”
The controversy stems from a post Trump shared on Truth Social on Feb. 5 featuring an AI-generated video promoting conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. The video later cuts to edited footage of the Obamas’ heads placed on the bodies of dancing apes, with “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” playing in the background. The post was later deleted from Trump’s account following widespread backlash.
Civil rights advocates and political commentators criticized the clip for invoking racist imagery historically used to demean Black people. When asked aboard Air Force One whether he planned to apologize for sharing the video, Trump declined, saying posting it was not “a mistake.”
Obama Believes The Use Of AI On Social Media Is Unserious
During his interview with The New Yorker, Obama also expressed concern over the normalization of AI-generated political content that trivializes violence and public discourse.
“There’s this sort of clown show that’s happening in social media and on television,” Obama said, adding that Americans are losing “decorum,” “propriety,” and “respect for the office.”
The former president previously addressed the video publicly during a February interview with progressive podcast host Brian Tyler Cohen, in which he emphasized that many Americans still value “decency, courtesy, and kindness.”
Jenifer Lewis Questions Celebrity Support Of Jeff Bezos-Linked Met Gala
"They showed up anyway," Lewis said in the now-viral clip. She then asked, "How much fame do we need?"
Actress Jenifer Lewis is joining the rising criticism of the 2026 Met Gala. She has called out celebrities who attended the high-profile event despite the controversy surrounding billionaire Jeff Bezos and widespread layoffs at major companies.
In a video shared on social media this week, Lewis asked why entertainers continue to take part in this extravagant fashion fundraiser while many Americans are struggling financially. She criticized attendees for prioritizing celebrity culture over issues that affect working families.
“OK, so I hadn’t seen any of it,” Lewis said as she opened the now viral clip. “I had been running around all day, and my girlfriend called and said, ‘Jenifer, they showed up anyway.’”
The annual Met Gala, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is one of fashion’s most exclusive nights, attracting actors, musicians, and athletes from around the globe. However, this year, the event’s glamour was overshadowed by growing public discussion about wealth, corporate influence, and celebrity responsibility.
The backlash grew stronger after Bezos and his wife Lauren Sánchez were announced as honorary figures. Critics highlighted recent layoffs linked to Amazon and raised concerns about Bezos’ impact on media outlets like The Washington Post.
Lewis pointed out cuts to children’s programs and the broader economic challenges in her remarks.
The Blackish actress was not alone in her criticism. Actress Taraji P. Henson also publicly questioned the celebrity attendance at the gala. She commented online that she was “confused” by those who chose to participate, given the increasing political and economic issues.
The conversation quickly spread across social media. Supporters praised Lewis for addressing wealth inequality and celebrity perceptions during a time of financial strain for many Americans, while others felt the criticism unfairly targeted entertainers attending an established fashion and fundraising event.
Effortless Gifting: Chic Picks Mom Will Actually Use And They’re All By Black-Owned Brands
This Black Enterprise gift guide highlights thoughtful products from Black-owned brands.
Mother’s Day is the perfect time to celebrate the moms, grandmothers, caregivers, and mother figures who pour so much into the people they love. This BLACK ENTERPRISE gift guide highlights thoughtful products from Black-owned brands, featuring everything from skincare and haircare to self-care essentials to fashion, and meaningful keepsakes. Whether you’re shopping for a first-time mom or someone who deserves a little extra appreciation, these picks make it easy to support Black-owned businesses while finding a gift she’ll truly enjoy.
Created by two first-time moms, this EADEM skincare set is a thoughtful gift for a loved one celebrating her first Mother’s Day. Safe to use during pregnancy and while nursing, the trio helps reduce dark spots, uneven skin texture, dullness, and hormone-related breakouts throughout every trimester.
Brown Sugar Babe- “Rich Aunty” Fragranced Glow Oil
“Rich Aunties don’t just walk in a room, they arrive.” This fragrance serves maturity, luxury, and confidence, with a scent that lingers long after you’ve left.
Centered around rich hydration, this shea butter–infused set is designed to leave skin soft and radiant. It’s a great option for moms who prioritize body care in their wellness routine.
San Diego Padres Set To Make History With Sale To Kwanza Jones And José E. Feliciano
The deal could make Kwanza Jones the first Black woman majority owner in MLB history.
The San Diego Padres are entering a new era. The franchise announced that the Seidler family has agreed to transfer control of the team to an ownership group led by investor and philanthropist Kwanza Jones and private equity executive José E. Feliciano, pending approval from Major League Baseball, according to MLB.com.
The reported sale price is approximately $3.9 billion, a figure that would shatter the previous record for an MLB franchise sale, NBC 7 San Diego reports.
In a joint statement, Jones and Feliciano said the acquisition is about more than baseball.
“The Padres are more than a baseball team; they are a unifying force in San Diego,” the duo said, adding that they are committed to “bringing a World Series championship to San Diego.”
The historic deal arrives nearly three years after the death of former Padres owner Peter Seidler, who helped transform the franchise into a National League contender through aggressive spending and high-profile player acquisitions. His brother, John Seidler, has served as chairman and control person since 2025.
Jones’ potential ownership stake carries major cultural significance across professional sports. According to Andscape, the deal would, if approved, make her the first Black woman in MLB history to hold a majority ownership stake in a franchise.
Meanwhile, Feliciano — co-founder of Clearlake Capital — would become one of the few Latino majority owners in Major League Baseball. The billionaire investor already has ties to global sports ownership through Chelsea Football Club.
The Padres were purchased by the Seidler-led ownership group in 2012 for $800 million. Since then, the franchise has grown into one of baseball’s most valuable organizations while building a passionate fan base in San Diego.
Fine Art Collector Charlotte Newman Wants To Expand Access For Black People In The Exclusive Industry
Newman sees fine art as a “way to create and transfer wealth
By Curtis Bunn
As a young girl growing up in Atlanta, Charlotte Newman was exposed to the transformative power of art through her parents and godmother, the renowned painter and mixed-media artist Tina Dunkley.
That passion stayed with her as she earned a degree in Art History at Wellesley College, an MBA at Harvard, and a working career that spanned multiple roles in the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, entrepreneurship, and serving as a global technology company executive.
Now, Newman, 43, has parlayed her educational and professional experiences with her passion to emerge in a $59.6 billion industry as one of the foremost collectors of fine art by Black artists and talent from the diaspora.
And while she has spent plenty on historic, original, and commissioned pieces, she said a commitment to expanding access to Black fine art to working-class Black people ranks at the forefront of her ambition.
“To me, art exists on a continuum; it is culture,” Newman said. “We put fine art on a pedestal, but I think that is almost to its detriment. We begin engaging art not through acquisition, but through seeing.”
Like her other endeavors, Newman finds herself a unicorn of sorts: a Black woman in a fine art industry dominated by white men, who represent 87% of collectors compared to 4% of Black collectors, according to a study conducted by the Public Library of Science. Also, only 2.2% of acquisitions by 31 U.S. museums between 2008 and 2020 were works by Black artists.
There is an important distinction between art and fine art. Art encompasses numerous practices and techniques. Fine art is visual art created primarily for aesthetic, intellectual, or emotional value rather than functional, commercial, or decorative use.
Newman sees fine art as a “way to create and transfer wealth. But it also transfers something less quantifiable: culture, memory, taste, and a way of seeing the world. That’s why I think collecting can be both an economic act and a legacy-building practice.”
To that end, she founded the Scott Newman Collection to support artists of African descent, continuing a family tradition that focuses on arts appreciation and stewardship. The collection embraces figurative and abstract work that draws on literary narratives, science, and mythology. Her artists explore politics, race, gender, and sexuality.
“It is intended to be a vehicle for legacy,” she said, “a way to preserve cultural value, contribute to generational wealth and steward the work of artists we believe should endure.”
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Newman said she has not sold any of the more than 50 works of paintings, photographs, works on paper, and mixed media. Her collection, she said, is “rooted in a specific thesis: that the market has historically undervalued work by artists of the African diaspora and that intentional capital can serve as a corrective instrument.”
But fine art, in general, is pricey, leaving many in the working-class Black community feeling priced out. Newman said the initial step of increasing access is vital to growing exposure to the industry.
“It’s not just about affordability,” she said. “It is also about information, proximity and confidence. The art world can feel closed because people do not always know where to begin, what questions to ask, or whether to trust their own perspective.”
Newman, however, believes access to audiences who feel left out is evolving through online viewing rooms, which began during COVID, fine art fairs, and the Clubhouse app—convenient ways to learn basic art history and gain an appreciation for the work. Also, Newman provides insight into the art world through her Substack column, Crown and Capital.
“It’s absolutely essential to have Black collectors and patrons be continuous stewards and support both living and historical Black artists,” said Lindsay Adams, a Washington, D.C.-area artist based in Chicago. Newman purchased Adams’ piece, The Source of Self Regard, named after Toni Morrison’s book of essays. “It helps to further ground our cultural legacy and voice. . . and the role that we play in the art historical canon.”
A prized piece in the Scott Newman Collection includes an 1880s work by the celebrated Edward Mitchell Bannister, who, in 1876, became the first Black artist to win a national art award—a bronze medal for his painting “Under The Oaks” at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition.
She also had a “full circle” moment in 2025 when she won a Gordon Parks photograph at auction during the foundation gala named after the famed photographer, filmmaker, and writer who documented social injustice and the civil rights movement. When working on Capitol Hill, Newman helped write the Congressional Resolution commemorating Gordon’s life and legacy.
In 2019, artist Alteronce Gumby of New York said Newman “slid into my DMs” on Instagram to inquire about his work. “We had a great conversation about art, my background, her background, and language around color and its relationship to astrophysics and astronomy,” Gumby added. “We shared some of the same cultural signifiers. I can get really deep into my interests and the ideas that matter to my work, and Charlotte truly seemed willing to go along for the ride.”
That ride continues with Newman serving as an executive producer on Gumby’s upcoming film, “Color In Nature,” a documentary that explores color as an elemental force, tracing it through climate, chemistry, and light across environments spanning Icelandic glaciers to Nigerian dye post pits.
This type of beyond-the-art connection is a part of Newman’s process. She seeks to unite with the talent—and then support the art and the artist. “I’m very often intrigued by what they are reading and how they are pulling ideas and literature together,” she said. “And that’s not the whole list.”
There are not many art collectors with Newman’s heterogeneous background. The influence of Dunkley, who preserved and developed the art collection at Clark Atlanta University, is palpable. “Charlotte tells me about these details that she remembers from her youth about conversations she heard about art between me and her parents and others, and it’s amazing,” Dunkley said. “She’s a shooting star with great sensitivity.”
Said Newman: “My godmother helped shape how I see art. Through her eyes and her practice, I learned how to appreciate art, how to live with it and how to understand its value.”
With that vantage point, she sacrificed and saved money post-college and began collecting. Her degrees from two of America’s most renowned universities helped Newman earn high-profile and high-income careers with a perspective of “the world in terms of gains and losses, assets and liabilities,” she said. “But they have also helped me understand that value is not only financial. Culture, relationships, reputation, access, trust, and ownership are all part of value.”
She’s a financial whiz who worked on Capitol Hill advising New Jersey Sen. Corey Booker, among other politicians, on economic policy. She also led Amazon’s multibillion-dollar international entrepreneurship division.
Newman, who lives in Washington, D.C., said her home looks like a gallery, with artwork adorning much of her wall space. She also learned in college how to exhibit art to magnify its beauty.
The most recent piece she purchased was “Wade In The Water” by Candice Tavares, a young talent based in Baltimore. “It’s really quite gorgeous,” she said. “I was drawn to the way she combines stained glass and woodcut techniques. There’s an intricacy to the work that makes it feel both delicate and deeply constructed.”
Tavares said support from a Black woman collector “gave her extra confidence. It’s really important to have my work live in spaces with people who value the story behind the work.”
That value increases over time, like art.
“The industry is underwhelmingly Black,” Gumby said, “which is why this kind of presence matters so much. It shows how important and special Charlotte’s role is. Knowing my work is in the collections owned by Black women and Black collectors more broadly signals that my work is being cared for by my community.”
Ghanaian Millionaire Gives $2M As First Payment In World Cup Pledge
The donation, made through Mahama's firm Engineers & Planners (E&P), was formally presented April 30.
Ghanaian industrialist and multimillionaire Ibrahim Mahama has solidified his role as a leading benefactor for the national football team, contributing the first $2 million of a pledged $5 million to support the Black Stars’ 2026 World Cup campaign.
The donation, made through Mahama’s firm, Engineers & Planners (E&P), was formally presented to the Black Stars Fundraising Committee Chairman and Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem on April 30. While the symbolic check was handed over this week, officials confirmed the funds had already been deposited into a dedicated World Cup account at the Bank of Ghana to ensure transparency and immediate use for the team’s preparations, Business Insider Africa reported.
The contribution is the largest individual or corporate donation to date in a broader $30 million fundraising drive launched by President John Dramani Mahama.
The funds are earmarked for critical needs as Ghana prepares for the expanded 48-team tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, including Logistics and Training: Support for high-performance training camps and international travel, and enhancements to the national team’s training facilities.
Ghana has drawn Group L, where they will face formidable opponents in England, Croatia, and Panama. The urgency of the fundraising drive reflects the high costs of competing on the world stage and the desire to maximize the “Black Stars” presence in North America.
Mahama’s $2 million installment has set a high bar for “Corporate Ghana,” sparking a wave of additional pledges from across the private sector and entertainment industry, the Pulse reported.
Major Pledges: Gold Fields Ghana has committed $2 million, while Christian Salamony Game Technology has also pledged $2 million.
Financial Institutions: GT Bank, First Atlantic Bank, and First National Bank have contributed a combined total exceeding GH₵3.8 million.
Celebrity Support: Musicians Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy have contributed a combined $200,000, emphasizing the cultural importance of the team’s success.
Mahama described the donation as part of his company’s social responsibility, noting that the Black Stars’ success fosters “national unity and pride.”
