The Syracuse Professor

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had to backpedal and apologize very quickly for a private conversation he had with Barack Obama during Obama’s presidential campaign. In the discussion, Reid stated that Obama could be a successful candidate because he is "light skinned" and that he speaks with "no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."
Two journalists, Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, made this assertion in a book to be released next Tuesday.
"He [Reid] was wowed by Obama’s oratorical gifts and believed that the country was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama – a ‘light-skinned’ African American ‘with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one,’ as he said privately. Reid was convinced, in fact, that Obama’s race would help him more than hurt him in a bid for the Democratic nomination," they write.

Tags: harry reid, negro dialect

Dr Boyce Watkins on AOL – 1/7/10

January 7, 2010 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars, syracuse professors · Comment

KFC Ad Considered Racist: Has Black People Chasing Chicken

KFC is in hot water after an allegedly racist ad that ran in Australia. In the ad, a white man is … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 7th 2010 5:46AM | Comments (4)

Michelle Obama is Livid with PETA Over New Ad

Michelle Obama is angry with The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) after the … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 7th 2010 5:04AM | Comments (0)

Woman Claims to be Michael Jackson’s Wife and Wants Money

A woman by the name of Shellie Doreen Smith filled legal papers laying claim to Michael Jackson’s … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 6th 2010 11:21PM | Comments (6)

Black United Airlines Pilot Charged with Trying to Fly Drunk

Pilot Erwin Vermont Washington was removed from United Airlines flight 949 in November, after a … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 6th 2010 11:14PM | Comments (0)

Washington State Judges Open Door for Felons to Vote

We know that one of the most egregious violations of civil rights in America has to do with the … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 6th 2010 1:44PM | Comments (0)

Funk Legend George Clinton is Broke: Can’t Pay for Mother’s Funeral?

One of my favorite rappers in the world is TI. He’s not just my favorite rapper because his lyrics … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 5th 2010 3:55PM | Comments (18)

B2K Member J-Boog Arrested on Domestic Violence Charges: What We Can Learn

Jarell Damonte (aka J-Boog) of B2K (pictured second from the right) was arrested yesterday on … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 5th 2010 3:07PM | Comments (1)

Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton Are Right About the Census

It’s kind of strange when the first person who calls you on the morning of New Year’s Day is Rev. … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 5th 2010 12:37PM | Comments (8)

Morgan Freeman to Replace the Voice of Walter Cronkite on CBS News

It’s been six months since news legend Walter Cronkite died. Cronkite’s voice has remained on ‘CBS … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 5th 2010 11:26AM | Comments (0)

Eunice Johnson, Founder of Ebony Fashion Fair, Dies at 93

An era came to an end on Sunday, when Eunice Johnson, widow of Ebony Magazine Founder John … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 5th 2010 1:57AM | Comments (11)

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Hazing Incident Halts National Member Intake

I’ll never forget the day that my friend at The University of Kentucky asked me to consider joining … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 5th 2010 1:43AM | Comments (6)

Bobby DeLaughter, Medgar Evers Prosecutor, Going to Prison

Bobby DeLaughter, a well-known former prosecutor and judge in Mississippi, is set to report to … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 4th 2010 3:07PM | Comments (1)

Black Men in Prison: What Obama Must Fix Right Now

The prison industrial complex affects all of us. Most of us in the African American community have … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 4th 2010 1:15PM | Comments (32)

Tags: black scholars, boyce watkins

Dr. Boyce on Black Voices – 1/4/10

January 4, 2010 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars, syracuse professors, syracuse university · Comment

Bobby DeLaughter, Medgar Evers Prosecutor, Going to Prison

Bobby DeLaughter, a well-known former prosecutor and judge in Mississippi, is set to report to … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 4th 2010 3:07PM | Comments (1)

Black Men in Prison: What Obama Must Fix Right Now

The prison industrial complex affects all of us. Most of us in the African-American community have … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 4th 2010 1:15PM | Comments (5)

Danny Glover vs. Barack Obama: Is Glover’s Criticism Justified?

Just a few weeks ago, actor Danny Glover weighed in heavy on Barack Obama’s work as President of … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 4th 2010 11:35AM | Comments (4)

Detention Officer Fired for Being a Member of the KKK

Detention officer Wayne Kerschner admitted to being a member of the KKK and blogging for a KKK … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 3rd 2010 5:33PM | Comments (9)

Four-Year-Old Boy Dies in Church from a Stray Bullet on New Years

I was in Memphis this weekend, bringing in the New Year with my assistant and her husband. As we … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 2nd 2010 11:23AM | Comments (13)

Diddy Announces That He is Married on Twitter- Then Backpedals

OK, it’s official: Diddy is married to Kim Porter. Well, maybe he’s not. All of this seems … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 1st 2010 11:28AM | Comments (10)

Tyra Banks or Tyrant Banks? Employees Say She’s Over The Top

It appears that Tyra Banks may not be the most beloved figure in the eyes of her former employees. … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 1st 2010 10:49AM | Comments (46)

Diddy Allegedly Marries Kim Porter for the New Year

Update: It seems official: Diddy tweeted at 3:30 this morning that he is "juat [sic] married!" … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Dec 31st 2009 10:56PM | Comments (10)

Fox News May Be Taken Off the Air Because of Money

It turns out that Fox News may be taken off the air after the new year. Now, before you start … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Dec 31st 2009 6:13PM | Comments (15)

You Can’t Blame President Obama for The Recent Terrorist Incident

People want to blame President Barack Obama for the recent terrorist attack on an airliner from … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Dec 31st 2009 5:36PM | Comments (13)

Lil Wayne Says Goodbye to Fans on His Way to Prison

Part of me feels sorry for Lil Weezy, also known as Lil Wayne. I am probably too old to understand … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Dec 30th 2009 11:45AM | Comments (38)

Five New Years Resolutions that Black Folks Should Observe

I’m not one to tell anyone what to do, but I am about to do just that. Not because you should … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Dec 29th 2009 12:33PM | Comments (9)

Jesse Jackson Speaks on Man Shot in the Back by Police at Church

The Reverend Jesse Jackson has intervened in the case of Mark Anthony Barmore, the man who was … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Dec 27th 2009 12:38PM | Comments (12)

Mark Anthony Barmore: Unarmed Black Man Shot in Back by Police at Church

I recently found out about the case of Mark Anthony Barmore, an unarmed African American male in … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Dec 26th 2009 10:27PM | Comments (71)

Holiday Spending Tips: Cutting the Financial Fat – Dr Boyce Money

After the holidays, you are probably going to feel a little chubby: physically fat from all the … Read More
By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Dec 25th 2009 12:43PM | Comments (1)

Tags: african american scholars, black scholars

Dr. Boyce Watkins on Black Planet – 12/28/09

December 30, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, syracuse professors, syracuse university · Comment

OPINION: Black Males Plagued by Wrongful Convictions

By Dr. Boyce Watkins December 29, 2009 10:30 am

TAGS: black men, Eric Holder, justice system, Prison

OPINION: Police Who Shot Unarmed Man Must Be Held Accountable

By Dr. Boyce Watkins December 28, 2009 2:15 pm

TAGS: Police brutality

OPINION: Tiger’s Wife Wants Half? That Would Be Insane

By Dr. Boyce Watkins December 22, 2009 11:30 am

TAGS: sex scandals, Tiger Woods

OPINION: Florida State, NCAA Steal Education from Black Athletes

By Dr. Boyce Watkins December 21, 2009 10:32 am

TAGS: black athletes, education, NCAA

OPINION: Man Exonerated after 35-Years Should Be Given Recourse

By Dr. Boyce Watkins December 18, 2009 10:45 am

TAGS: Eric Holder, justice system, Prison

OPINION: Tavis Smiley Should Not Be Working With R. Kelly

By Dr. Boyce Watkins December 16, 2009 5:18 pm

Tags: black speakers, dr boyce watkins

A Presidential Candidate Writes SU on Behalf of Dr. Boyce

December 17, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers · Comment

Chancellor Cantor:

I write this letter with fond memories of interactions with the wonderful students at Syracuse University. While on your campus, I found the students to be both thoughtful and welcoming: perfect for a university campus.

I write to lend my full support for Dr. Boyce Watkins and his tenure application at Syracuse University. Dr. Watkins has raised the profile of Syracuse University as he informs our national community on money matters as well as matters of the conscience. And at this particular time in our country’s history, financial literacy must be viewed as an important life skill. Dr. Boyce is doing for America what he does in Syracuse University classrooms every class meeting period. So why would Syracuse University not want such a prolific and publicly appealing face as its representative?

Ultimately, Dr. Boyce must be judged by what he does in the classroom and in publications. Does Dr. Boyce elevate Syracuse University and does he elevate his field? Dr. Boyce demonstrates "academics in action" and makes scholarship relevant. Why should Dr. Boyce’s scholarship and activism (which elevates Syracuse University) not be rewarded by a grant of tenure from Syracuse University?

As a former Member of Congress and Green Party candidate for President of the United States, I realize that political complexities can play a role in the decision to grant tenure to faculty on most American campuses. As I have just concluded successful organizing against war that brought together four 2008 Presidential candidates, I am reminded of the clean break that Dr. King had to make with his friends of the civil rights movement when he decided to speak out against the Vietnam War. But Dr. King intoned that he had been fighting segregation too long to segregate his moral concerns. Your decision with respect to Dr. Boyce is both political and moral. And so, I will end with one very famous Dr. King quote and hope that the leadership of Syracuse University will do in this decision what is right:

"Cowardice asks the question – is it safe?
Expediency asks the question – is it politic?
Vanity asks the question – is it popular?
But conscience asks the question – is it right?
And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular; but one must take it because it is right."

Sincerely,
Cynthia McKinney

–
http://www.livestream.com/dignity
http://dignity.ning.com/
http://www.twitter.com/dignityaction
http://www.myspace.com/dignityaction
http://www.myspace.com/runcynthiarun
http://www.twitter.com/cynthiamckinney
http://www.facebook.com/CynthiaMcKinney

Tags: cynthia mckinney, dr boyce watkins

Dr. Boyce Watkins: The President’s Grade for 2009

December 17, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars · Comment

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

The other night on the Oprah Winfrey Christmas special, President Barack Obama made an unwise move. When asked what grade he deserves as president, Obama gave himself a B+. Giving himself a grade was not necessarily the best decision, since there are over 300 million Americans who then realized that they should be giving him grades as well.
So, allow me to be the first to provide our president with a grade for his performance. I’ve been giving grades to college students for the last 16 years, and one thing my students will tell you is that I am fair. My other argument is that I never actually GIVE you a grade; I simply report the grade that you’ve earned.
1) Handling of the Economy (B-): President Obama is better than John McCain ever could have been when it comes to managing our economic downturn. The problem is that while the president has spiraled our deficit out of control, our nation has yet to see any concrete evidence that the economy’s fundamental strength has returned. He has made an enemy out of Wall Street by grandstanding around executive pay issues, but he has lost the backing of Main Street because job losses continue to mount. That’s the problem with always reaching across the isle: Sometimes, you don’t have firm support on either side of it. The president’s inability to translate massive spending into real jobs is going to cost him big time.
2) Management of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (B): On one hand, the president must face the stern reality that you can’t just walk out of a war in the middle of it. We all know that Bush got us into these messes, and Obama must get us out. At the same time, Obama pledged to get us out of the wars faster than he is actually doing it, and it is incredibly awkward for a man to accept a Nobel Peace Prize while simultaneously escalating the troop presence in an occupied country. Sure Obama didn’t give himself the Nobel Prize, but he still must be held accountable.

Tags: barack obama, black professors, black scholars

News: Syracuse Students Voice Their Thoughts on Dr. Boyce’s Tenure Battle

December 16, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars, syracuse professors · Comment

Reported in the SU Student Voice.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson and former Rep. Cynthia McKinney have now thrust themselves into the debate over Boyce Watkins’ tenure appeal, The Student Voice has learned.

Three days after the Rev. Al Sharpton sent Syracuse University Chancellor Nancy Cantor a letter in support of Whitman professor Boyce Watkins’ pending tenure appeal case, Jackson told Watkins that he wanted to get involved. Watkins sent SV writer Naresh Vissa a text message early this morning saying Jackson wants to speak with Cantor as soon as possible.

Watkins and Cantor are scheduled to meet today to discuss Watkins’ future at the university after he was denied tenure, first reported in The Student Voice.

And McKinney, the Green Party presidential candidate in 2008, wrote what Watkins called “the most astonishing letter in support of my tenure case” to SU administration yesterday. Prominent African-American syndicated columnist Julianne Malveaux has also voiced her support for Watkins.

Tags: boyce watkins tenure, syracuse university

Dr Boyce: Where Eric Holder Got it Wrong

December 16, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars · Comment

Elliot Millner brought it to my attention that Attorney General Eric Holder has been apparently spending a lot of time with Bill Cosby these days. In a recent speech at a black church in Queens, NY, Holder took a page out of the Barack Obama Campaign Catalog and chose to win favors with the black middle class by recklessly bashing away at absentee fathers and returning to the whole "ya’ll just need to grow up and be more responsible" argument that allows any politician to explain away a blatant disregard for meaningful public policy. Rather than talking about things that we can do as a society to take our collective foot off the necks of black men, he chose to say that black men are choosing to put the foot on their own necks.
Elliot Millner, who is also in the legal profession, intelligently said the things that I am sure Eric Holder wanted to say. But unlike Holder, Millner is not constrained by the political shackles that come with being an appointed leader in a society that makes a habit of oppressing, destroying and marginalizing black men.
In his speech, Holder said that, "It should simply be unacceptable for a man to have a child and then not play an integral part in the raising and nurturing of the child."
That quote is a nice way of reflecting on the obvious. It’s sort of like saying, "It should be unacceptable for a black man to become the Attorney General of the United States and not play an integral part in helping other black men overcome the blatantly racist and destructive justice system over which you preside."

Tags: black fathers, eric holder

Black Attorney Takes Eric Holder to Task for Attacking Black Fathers

December 15, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars · Comment

by Elliot Millner, J.D. – Your Black World

Attorney General Eric Holderrecently spoke at a Black church in Queens, NY, and during his speech he gave Black fathers another talking to, stating that:
"It should simply be unacceptable for a man to have a child and then not play an integral part in the raising and nurturing of the child."
Sounds good on face value. Who doesn’t think that any man who has a child should play a vital role in that child’s growth and development? A.G. Holder is 100% right on that point, and I have no disagreement with him whatsoever.
However lets look beyond the truthfulness of the words. When communicating, there are many other factors to consider other than what is being said. So, let’s consider the question: If a person is truly concerned about promoting the increased participation of Black father’s in their children’s lives, what would that person do? Seemingly, a person sincere about achieving that goal would go speak to the people most in need of that talk, in this case Black fathers who were not being responsible for the children they had helped bring into the world. Although I’m sure it may have been some people in Memorial Presbyterian Church who were being negligent in their parental duties, I doubt that A.G. Holder’s message applied to the majority of them.

Tags: black fathers, eric holder

Dr Boyce: The “OJ Simpsonization” of Tiger Woods: Could it Possibly Happen?

December 14, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars · Comment

Tiger Woods is a black athlete. He isn’t "Caublinasian," mixed or any other ethnicity. He is, officially, a black man – especially after being reduced to being an adulterer who sleeps with porn stars. At least that’s what guests on the Joy Behar Show seem to think.

During a recent episode, a guest on the show, Karith Foster, was asked what she thought about Tiger’s recent indiscretions. In response to the question, the comedian said (without cracking a smile) that Tiger is "acting like a black athlete now."

I was shocked to hear these words come out of the mouth of any person, let alone an African-American woman. Dr. Deborah Stroman of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was the first person to bring the comments to my attention. She and I both agreed that the statement was an outrageous, irresponsible choice of words, and the host should have challenged her immediately. But Foster’s comments might be telling, given that she once relegated herself to being the token black sidekick of a man (Don Imus) famous for referring to black women as "nappy headed hoes." Foster was fired not too long after being hired, which reminds us of the complications that come from making deals with the devil just to keep a job in media.

Needless to say, I was disappointed with Ms. Foster’s remarks. I also found it quite ironic that no one went out of their way to compare Woods with other black men when he was the clean cut soldier boy with the billion dollar smile. At that time, he was considered the exception to the rule, something that all of America could easily embrace. Some have decided to associate the "black male" side of Tiger with the seedy character who has emerged over the past two weeks. Such comparisons are insulting to good black men everywhere. At the same time, it should be acknowledged that not every American shares the opinion of Karith Foster.

Let’s be clear, Tiger Woods is not seedy, nor is he perfect. In reality, he is simply human. The problem is that we were all led to believe that he was super human, so the Tiger we are seeing today appears sub-human. Tiger Woods was the original Barack Obama, a man who injected hope into the psyches of sports fans everywhere, as we were all inspired to see a man with a brown face whipping the greatest golfers in history. Even to this day, Tiger is usually the only man of color on the golf course, and he is almost always the most dominant.

It will be interesting to see how the world processes Tiger’s recent mistakes. It is not inconceivable that Tiger could be "OJ Simpsonized" by this incident, especially if additional dirt is leaked to the public. If you recall, OJ was also an athlete who’d been given permission to spend a significant amount of time with white women before the murder took place. After his trial, however, he was considered to be the most morally depleted man in America.

Tags: racism, tiger woods

Dr. Boyce: Tiger Woods Quitting Golf?

December 11, 2009 · Posted in black scholars, syracuse professors, syracuse university · Comment

The British Tabloid, the Sun, is now reporting on it’s website that Tiger Woods, the #1 player in the world, may be quitting golf in order to save his marriage. According to a source, said to be a friend of Tiger’s wife, Elin Nordegren, ""They have agreed to try and rebuild their marriage, but Elin will be the one calling the shots. It will be a long time before he’s traveling the globe playing golf unless Elin’s by his side. Tiger will have to work long and hard to get her to trust him again. Quitting golf shows he is willing to sacrifice something he loves so much to protect his family….."
If Tiger Woods were to quit the game of golf, a long list of people stand to lose hundreds of millions of dollars. Here’s the short list:

Tags: black scholars, tiger woods quitting golf

OK, Time to Leave Tiger Woods Alone

December 10, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars, syracuse professors · Comment

Tiger Woods has changed right before our eyes. He was once an American hero, and has been since reduced (to many) to be a no good, dirty, lying, cheating dog. Tiger now comes off to some as a typical oversexed athlete who can’t keep his you-know-what in his pants and makes it his job to break women’s hearts. Yeah, yeah, yeah. If you hate Tiger Woods, then join the club. I am disappointed in Tiger Woods too.

But it’s time to move on from that. Tiger is better than this and so are we. Yes, Tiger Woods appears to be a man with a “complicated” lifestyle, but he is also a man who found a way to achieve things that no human being in the history of the world has ever been able to accomplish. He has carried the banner for African American golf on his shoulders and single-handedly beat the living crap out of hundreds of other participants in an historically racist sport. He was Barack Obama before Barack came along. Tiger filled us with hope and made us believe that black people could do anything.

Tags: boyce watkins, tiger woods

Syracuse Students Discuss Dr. Boyce’s SU Legacy

December 9, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers · Comment

Watkins, a finance professor at SU, is ignored by the administration.

By Naresh Vissa

In January 2007, college student Heather Ellis and her cousin stood in two lines at Wal-Mart. They agreed that the first to reach a register would combine the items for purchase. When the African-American Ellis gave her cousin the groceries, bystanders behind complained that she had cut. After some verbal exchanges, Ellis walked to her car and found the police waiting to arrest her. She tried her best to resist and suffered numerous cuts and bruises in the process.

Today, Ellis should be in medical school. Instead, she has pled guilty to charges of disturbing the peace and resisting arrest, both misdemeanors.

The case was covered by CNN, MSNBC, ABC News, Good Morning America, The Today Show and every major black media outlet in America. Even more importantly, Syracuse University is connected to it, but hasn’t issued any statements. As a producer of two radio shows, I myself find it embarrassing that I discovered Ellis through a press release pitch e-mail I received.

At the forefront of all the outrage is Whitman School of Management Finance Professor Dr. Boyce Watkins, but it’s not getting any attention from SU administrators.

“I’ve come to accept the fact that the University is not appreciative of my work,” Watkins said. “It’s part of their tradition when it comes to progressive black scholars. If I’d learned to sit down and shut up, I might be treated better. Quiet Negroes do quite well in academia.”

Tags: no tags

Dr. Boyce: Tiger Woods’ Women Will Cost Him $100 Million Dollars

December 8, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars, finance, syracuse professors · Comment

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, AOL Black Voices

The last thing I expected to be thinking about after getting off an airplane are Tiger Woods’ women and his indiscretions. I’ve seen married men misbehave before, and I honestly thought we were at the "no big deal, he’ll get over it" stage when it came to Tiger Woods and his corporate brand. The problem is that the list of Tiger Woods women has gotten so long that it’s making him look like a PGA version of Wilt Chamberlain or Charlie Sheen.
Tiger Woods does not have a brand that will be able to withstand long lists of cocktail waitresses and "sex addicted cougars" (according to the New York Post), even if the media is exaggerating in their descriptions. The truth is that as great of a golfer as Tiger Woods might be, it could be the women of Tiger Woods who cost him a substantial piece of his fortune.
I spoke recently about how Saturday Night Live went over the line by making light of the alleged domestic violence between Tiger and his wife, Elin Nordegren. While I stand by that perspective (we would never excuse Tiger for trying to whack his wife in the head with a golf club), the truth is that there are broader implications for the fact that the list of Tiger Woods women just happens to be longer than the Dead Sea Scrolls. Whether Tiger likes it or not, the truth is that there are thousands of women across America who are cheering for Elin’s decision to chase her husband with a deadly weapon. This has huge implications for Tiger’s ability to sell products to American families, where women are the primary decision-makers in household consumption.

In the text messages, Shaq’s personal life is put on blast.

Tags: tiger woods

Dr. Boyce: What We Can Learn from Shaq’s Alleged Cheating

December 5, 2009 · Posted in black scholars, syracuse university · Comment

by Dr Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

It seems that NBA star Shaquille O’neal, like many other athletes, has a personal life that no one knows about. The YBF.com has released exclusive text messages between Shaquille and his mistress, Latosha Lee. I am noticing a trend here: People are starting to find out that athletes are not always one-woman people. But are you actually surprised? In fact, do you ever wonder why anyone would consider marrying an athlete in the first place? But then again, we also know that not every athlete is going to be unfaithful and not every unfaithful man is an athlete. Either way, both Shaquille O’neal and Tiger Woods are in the middle of major marital drama.

The messages are long and drawn out, with an awkward reading from bottom to top. During the conversation, the two lovers describe their travel arrangements and Latosha’s relationship with NBA baller Damien Wilkins (nephew of Dominique Wilkins). They also have an argument about a purse that Latosha wants from Shaq, but that he is not willing to buy her. If you like drama, then you can find it here.

But above and beyond the drama (remember, I analyze and find teachable moments in everything), there are some other thoughts that went through my mind:

Tags: shaquille oneal, shaquille oneal divorce

Dr. Boyce Watkins: Tiger Woods and His Interracial Marriage: The Writing on the Wall

December 1, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars, syracuse professors, syracuse university · Comment

Today while hanging out with Rev. Al Sharpton in the studio, I found my mind reflecting deeply on the recent drama between Tiger Woods and his wife, Elin Nordegren. In spite of the fact that I was sitting next to the man who epitomizes race relations in America, no one brought up the fact that Tiger Woods is involved in an inter-racial marriage. It wasn’t because we were afraid to go there, it was just that there were more pressing issues to discuss.

In spite of the fact that Rev. Sharpton and I discussed everything except for the fact that Tiger’s wife is white, one of the callers slammed the issue on the table like a five pound slab of raw chicken. The caller made the old OJ Simpson argument: "Had he been with a sister, none of this would have happened."

While I don’t agree with the caller’s assertion (we know that marital drama knows no racial boundaries), I found it interesting that some of the black women in the studio smirked and looked at the floor, as if to say, "I hear ya girl." These smirks were not built on agreeing with what the woman said, but rather, on the disappointment and resentment that many black women have felt about the fact that Tiger Woods almost never seemed to show any interest in African American females. Unlike guys like myself, who admire Tiger for his achievements, I know a long list of black women who could care less if Tiger were to take his golf clubs and jump off the side of a 10-story building.

Tags: interracial marriage, race, tiger woods

Dr. Boyce Watkins: Prosperity Gospel: Is it Real or Not?

November 30, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, black scholars, syracuse professors, syracuse university · Comment

Nearly every African American knows just how important the black church is to our community. We also know about "prosperity gospel," the act of preaching about God within the context of wealth building. I admit that this form of faith is a bit odd to me. I am a Finance Professor and I become confused when my pastor talks about money more than I do. The saddest truth is that it’s hard to tell the difference between a pastor and a pimp: Most pastors aren’t pimps, but any pimp could be a pastor. The same skill set is required in both professions.

My father is a preacher, but he almost never preaches about money. I’ve never heard him asking for money on the pulpit, or mentioning that giving money to him is one of the keys to gaining access to heaven. But I don’t presume that my father is right about all things, and given that I write about money on a regular basis, I have gained an appreciation for what financial resources can do to enhance your life. Also, one must be aware of the pragmatic realities of running a church: You have the building fund, bills to pay every month and any community service initiatives that the church chooses to pursue. The proper use of money can certainly enhance your ability to do God’s work.

Tags: black scholars, prosperity gospel

Dr. Boyce Watkins Talks with ABC News about Tiger Woods

November 28, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars · Comment

Word that Tiger Woods was involved in an early morning car accident likely rattled not just fans, but also the broad swath of major corporations that rely on Woods’ star power to sell everything from sports drinks, T-shirts and razors to golf tournament tickets.

Reports say the golf star hit a fire hydrant and a tree near his home.

"I can imagine that the world stopped for Tiger Woods advertisers when they first heard the news and that, literally, their hearts missed a beat," said ABC News sports consultant and USA Today sports columnist Christine Brennan.

Woods has earned more than $100 million annually and, according to Forbes, more than $1 billion during his career thus far, thanks, in part, through endorsement deals with companies such as Nike, Gatorade, Electronic Arts, TAG Heuer and Gillette. The companies declined requests for comment from ABC News.

Nike, in particular, has been especially dependent on Woods, said advertising expert Larry Woodard, an ABC News columnist and the CEO of the advertising agency Vigilante.

"Nike wasn’t really into golf before Tiger Woods came," he said. "He helped them take a pre-eminent role in golf."

The PGA Tour also has a lot riding on Woods — he drives ratings for PGA Tour broadcasts like no one else before him, allowing the tour to rake in greater advertising revenues and higher TV ratings.

"Tiger brought a lot of color to the sport both on his skin and his style of play and that’s something that the PGA sorely needs," said Boyce Watkins, a finance professor at Syracuse University.

In the short term, companies tied to Woods likely wouldn’t lose too much cash if Woods couldn’t fulfill his immediate endorsement obligations; corporations take out insurance policies to cover themselves in case of such events.

"I bet you any intelligent corporation that deals with Tiger Woods has conditions in place to protect them in the event that something like this were to happen," Watkins said. "You have to confront the fact that a human being is perishable commodity. It is a commodity that does not come without risk."

Tags: tiger woods accident

Dr. Boyce: Inner City Schools Should be Appropriately Funded

November 27, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars, syracuse professors, syracuse university · Comment

The following is an excerpt from the book, "Black American Money."
I saw some random "expert" on a "60 Minutes" segment discussing the state of the education system. The man was attempting to argue that more resources won’t make a difference in the quality of our schools. He went on to argue that many of the pathetic schools in the inner city are run by blacks, implying that not only do African-Americans not care about their own youth, they are shiftless buffoons when it comes to money management. I’ve heard similar arguments from members of oppressive groups around the world, as oppressor attitudes are shockingly consistent and universal. A friend of mine from India once explained to me that additional government resources being allocated to create opportunities for "the untouchables" were a waste of time, in large part due to the fact that the people were too lazy to efficiently use these opportunities.Stereotypes against historically oppressed groups are quite common, as the world has been trained to believe that when it comes to managing money, white men are gods and black people are idiots. But when it comes to poor money management, few institutions are worse than the Pentagon which has been known to spend $500 for a toilet seat. They also fail to look to the airline and automobile industries, the ultimate welfare queens of American capitalism. These industries consistently seek government bailouts in the form of tariffs and subsidies. I won’t begin to discuss the Financial Crisis of 2008 – 2009, as we saw our entire global financial system artificially inflated and subsequently destroyed by individuals who are not black. Rather, people are usually quick to point to black administrators in inner city schools and historically black colleges and universities as the most wasteful individuals in American education and industry.

Tags: black scholars, inner city schools

Dr. Boyce: Big Ups to Shaquille O’neal

November 27, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars · Comment

NBA star Shaquille O’neal is planning to cover the cost for the funeral of Shaniya Davis, the five-year old who was recently kidnapped and murdered in a story that rocked the nation. The cost of the funeral is expected to be about $4,500. According to media reports, the child was killed by 29-year old Mario McNeill on the same day that she was found to be missing.

The Shaniya Davis case broke all of our hearts. Shaquille O’neal’s intervention was likely welcomed by the family, since funeral costs are usually another problem that families are not prepared to face after the death of a loved one.

Shaniya Davis’ mother, 25-year old Antoinette Davis, is charged with human trafficking and child abuse involving prostitution. Her case is a reminder of the dangers of drugs in America and opens a frightening door into the underworld of child prostitution. In spite of the fact that there are ways to save on the cost of a funeral, it is highly unlikely that Shaniya Davis’ mother had anything in place to pay the cost of her child’s burial. So, I give Shaq major "props" for stepping up to the plate, since we all know that it takes a village to raise and protect a child. It is my hope that the other Shaniya’s in the world get the protection they deserve from all of us before it is too late.

Tags: boyce watkins, shaquille oneal

Dr. Boyce Watkins: Has Obama Helped Black Men?

November 25, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, black scholars · Comment

I did a recent CNN appearance along with the actor Hill Harper and Dr. Alvin Poussaint at Harvard University. The series was a one-year anniversary segment featuring political issues within the African American community. for the entire week, the primary focus was on the impact that President Barack Obama has had onAfrican American men. Given that I’ve been a black man for quite a while now, I found this conversation topic particularly interesting, so getting to speak to Richelle Carey again wasn’t the only perk of doing the job that day.

It must be made clear that the president should not be expected to save the entire world in one swoop. His job is difficult, and he can’t give everyone what they want all the time. But to the extent that President Obama has been positioned to trump pre-existing black leadership (remember that some say we now live in a post-racial America), one can argue that President Obama’s rantings in black churches come with some degree of accountability from the Oval Office. Obama has spoken at NAACP meetings, telling black men to take responsibility for our families (as if none of us do) and to engage in more personal responsibility (as if we don’t do that already). Such tough talk should be backed by meaningful policy, since structural incentives play a dominant role in the ultimate choice of the individual. For example, when companies get tax incentives to invest in new projects, they almost always do.

Jury selection for Heather Ellis continues

Tags: barack obama, black men

Dr. Boyce Watkins: Setting the Record Straight on Heather Ellis

November 23, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers · Comment

Heather Ellis case one in a long line of Missouri’s racial injustices

This Nov. 4, 2009 file photo shows Heather Ellis, left, arm-in-arm with her mother, Hester Ellis, exiting the Stoddard County Justice Center in Bloomfield, Mo. (AP Photo/Corey Noles, Dexter Daily Statesman, File)

This week, for the first time, I had the chance to speak with Heather Ellis.

Heather was not previously allowed to speak, since her attorney told her to remain silent. I can tell you that after speaking with Heather for nearly two hours, she is a fine young woman. She is NOT the kind of person who needed to spend any time in prison, and I am glad she took the plea deal from the prosecution. Let me explain a few facts about the case that you may not know:

1) Heather is not admitting guilt: Anyone familiar with the criminal justice system in America should understand that there are times when you have to plead in order to make something go away. There was no smoking gun implicating Heather Ellis; there was only the risk that the jury (which her high powered attorney, Scott Rosenblum, considered to be the worst jury he’d seen in 26 years of practice) was going to send her to prison or jail.

Like most of us, Heather is not a person who wants to go to jail for any significant period of time. I personally worried that she would be abused if left in the presence of the very officers who’d attacked her on the night of her arrest, not to mention the criminals she would be incarcerated with. If she were my daughter, I would have told her to take the plea.

The good thing was that her fight led the entire nation to talk about issues that we would never have discussed otherwise. Anyone who doesn’t agree with her decision needs to go put their own child on trial with up to 15 possible years in prison and see how much yapping you do then.
2) There is no evidence of an assault on an officer and she was not convicted of these felonies: According to Heather (whom I believe and I’ll tell you why in a second), there was one police officer who was dead set on the idea of pursuing and harassing her. He followed her closely out of the store, referring to her as a b*tch and a ho. He then told her to "go back to the ghetto." That is when Heather turned and asked him why he was harassing her instead of chasing real criminals. That is when he said, "Because I want to harass your stupid a**." That is also the officer who, without warning, tackled Heather and dragged her to the police car.

The reason Heather’s story is credible is because this officer had been fired from another job for sexual harassment and had lied on the witness stand in the past. Her attorney’s research uncovered the officer’s dirty past, and Heather discussed this issue in more detail in our conversation.
3) This was not a jury of her peers: Heather’s father, Pastor Nathaniel Ellis, told me that he had wanted to push the trial to the very end. What changed his mind, he said, was seeing his daughter break down in tears over the idea of going to jail or prison.

Tags: dr boyce watkins, heather ellis

Your News: Klan Holds a Rally at Ole-Miss: Dr Boyce Analyzes

November 23, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars · Comment

By Dr. Boyce Watkins

I was intrigued by recent reports that the Ku Klux Klan had a rally on the Ole Miss Campus recently. It might surprise you to know that I am essentially unconcerned by their presence on campus. Don’t get me wrong, Klansmen are incredibly ignorant. Also, we cannot deny their historical reign of terror over people of color in America. But I can also give you a list of reasons that we should stop paying attention to the KKK.

1) They thrive off of attention: The KKK has very little power. They don’t do very much anymore, and even in this rally, it appears that there were only a few members present. The truth is that the klan only has power because we give it attention. They are like a grease fire: The more water you put on it, the more it grows. But if you starve the fire of oxygen, it eventually dies out. The klan must be starved of attention, and then they will go away. They only remain relevant because we want them to be.

Tags: kkk, ole miss

Dr. Boyce Watkins on Black Planet – 11/22/09

November 22, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, black scholars · Comment

OPINION: Depression in the Black Community – Why it is a Serious Problem

By Dr. Boyce Watkins November 22, 2009 8:27 am

TAGS: african american doctors, african american news, black doctors, black news, depression in the black community

OPINION: Heather Ellis Finally Tells Her Story & Why I Believe Her

By Dr. Boyce Watkins November 21, 2009 11:20 pm

TAGS: african american news, black news, Heather Ellis, heather ellis case

OPINION: Heather Ellis Reaches Plea Deal, But I’ve Still Got Questions

By Dr. Boyce Watkins November 20, 2009 9:18 pm

TAGS: heather, Heather Ellis, heather ellis case, heather ellis plea

OPINION: Jesse Jackson Was Right About Artur Davis … Sort Of

By Dr. Boyce Watkins November 20, 2009 12:56 pm

TAGS: artur davis, black politics, Congressional Black Caucus, Jesse Jackson

OPINION: How We Can Work Toward Justice For Heather Ellis

By Dr. Boyce Watkins November 13, 2009 5:05 pm

TAGS: justice system, Missouri, Wal-Mart

OPINION: We Should Mind Our Own Business In Chris Brown Vs. Rihanna

By Dr. Boyce Watkins November 8, 2009 11:35 am

TAGS: Chris Brown, domestic violence, Rihanna

OPINION: The Racial Ignorance Of Barack Obama’s Financial “Gurus”

By Dr. Boyce Watkins November 5, 2009 10:54 am

TAGS: ben bernanke, poverty, wealth

OPINION: 5 Things President Obama Can Do For Black Men

By Dr. Boyce Watkins November 2, 2009 10:30 am

TAGS: Barack Obama, black men, education, prisons

Tags: black scholars, dr boyce watkins

Dr. Boyce Watkins: Jesse Jackson vs. Artur Davis

November 21, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars · Comment

28obama-jackson533

I love speaking with Rev. Jesse Jackson. He walks and talks like a man who has seen and heard nearly everything. Our civil rights leaders are social hubs through which many members of our society must travel in order to reach their destinations. You can’t call yourself a black man and not know the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Rev. Jackson took things a step further by stating recently at a Congressional Black Caucus function that,”You can’t vote against health care and call yourself a black man.”

This comment was aimed at Rep. Artur Davis of Alabama, the only member of theCongressional Black Caucus who does not support health care reform. What is most interesting about Jackson’s comment is that he is right, but not quite. You can certainly argue that Davis’ lack of support for the plan implies that his interests are not in line with the majority of African Americans in this country: Most of them love Barack Obama and are willing to support anything that he supports. The other sad truth is that health care reform is so complicated that most Americans don’t have a clue about what’s going on. In that regard, we can argue that it is difficult for Davis to say that he represents the black community when he votes in a direction that is not correlated with the majority of African Americans in the state of Alabama.

Tags: african american students

Dr. Boyce Watkins: I’ve Still Got Questions about Heather Ellis

November 21, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, black scholars · Comment

heathercnn

I have been actively involved in the fight for Heather Ellis, the 24-year old school teacher now facing up to 15-years in prison for cutting line at a local Wal-Mart. Although Heather has now reached a plea deal with prosecutors over her arrested, there are still questions that need to be answered. No, she was not charged with cutting in line, but it was the cashier’s reaction to the alleged line cut which led to the relevant sequence of events. Had the cashier been more professional and not refused to serve Heather, none of this would have happened (You hear that Walmart? Perhaps that’s why your attorneys are telling you to remain silent).

I have five simple questions about the trial of Heather Ellis:

1) If “no one was seriously injured,” why was she facing up to 15-years in prison?

In the opening statements of the trial, the prosecutor in the case, Morley Swingle (the dandy fellow with the Confederate flag on the cover of his book) stated that “There was no serious injury, but it did hurt,” when referring to the alleged assaults committed by Ms. Ellis. If no one was seriously injured, does that constitute a Class-C felony? This statement was quite telling when it comes to understanding the style of justice being administered in the Southeast Missouri area (which is why we are sending our reports to the Justice Department after the trial is over). Given that Ellis appears to have been the only person to go to the hospital after she allegedly beat down all of these great big men, it would seem to me that perhaps she might be the one who is able to file an assault charge against the officers. Additionally, the defense attorney on the case, Scott Rosenblum, presented evidence in court of there being blood in Heather Ellis’ jacket pocket from the night of the incident. This would be consistent with her claim to the doctor the next day that she was assaulted by the police.

Tags: heather ellis case, heather ellis plea

Dr. Boyce: Heather Ellis Video Released

November 20, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers · Comment

www.TheHeatherEllisCase.com

When I held the rally for Heather Ellis last week, the woman facing up to 15-years in prison after allegedly cutting line at a Wal-Mart, I was hoping that one day the rest of the world could see what I saw nearly two weeks ago. In spite of the prosecutor’s contention that the video tape would prove his case beyond a reasonable doubt, the truth is that the video is highly inconclusive. Check the video out and see for yourself.
You can click here to watch the video.

Tags: dr boyce watkins, heather ellis

Dr. Boyce Watkins: Anderson Cooper 360 Weighs in on the Heather Ellis Case

November 19, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars, syracuse professors, syracuse university · Comment

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Heather Ellis is facing 15-years in prison for allegedly cutting line at a Wal-Mart store in Missouri.

Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World
Special to AC360°

Heather Ellis is in trouble. The 24-year old preacher’s daughter has spent most of her life doing the right things: Going to college, getting ready for medical school and staying out of trouble. What Heather didn’t realize is that even when you do the right things, your margin of error as a person of color in America is virtually non-existent.

When I wrote my book, “What if George Bush were a Black Man?” the key point was that America’s justice system has a difficult time understanding that punishments must match the magnitude of the crime that has allegedly been committed. The actions that a “frat boy” can get away with 20 times during college can send an African American to prison for the next 20-years. America is a country that has, without question, consistently over-charged, over-searched, over-incarcerated and over-sentenced African Americans for the past 400 years of its existence.

Given its ugly past, the criminal justice system has very little credibility, and even police reports are subject to being questioned – especially in a town like Kennett, MO. My father’s a cop, so I know how all this works. Even when black men were lynched 100 years ago, there were always “witnesses” and police reports to say that he was a bad person. Fortunately, lynching does not occur anymore (although a black boy – Walter Currie Jr. – was burned alive by his white classmate in the same area as Heather), but the noose has been replaced with the long prison sentence as the most typical and most devastating form of punishment. As a result, black men and women are filling up America’s penitentiaries at an alarming rate, and it is destroying the core of the black family.

Tags: heather ellis case, syracuse university

The Heather Ellis Case: All About Racism

November 18, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, black scholars · Comment

My mother raised me to believe that black men are supposed to stand up for black women. Heather Ellis is the woman who now faces 15-years in prison for an incident deriving from her being accused of cutting line at a Walmart. Based on my knowledge of the Heather Ellis case (and seeing the Walmart surveillance video that has not yet been released to the public), it seems difficult to argue in favor of a conviction.

I accompanied Dr. Christopher Metzler (Georgetown University), Dr. Wilmer Leon(Howard University), King Downing (Attorney with the Sean Bell Justice Project) and Elliot Millner (Legal Advisor for the Your Black World Coalition) to Kennett, MO. The trip was long, but rewarding. You can visit TheHeatherEllisCase.com to read more about the rally and how it all happened. The town shut down and took notice because they’d never seen black people come together to fight for their rights, at least not in that way.

There are some who seem to believe that if Heather cut the line, cursed at the cashier or kicked one of the officers, she should go to prison (The officer’s allegations can’t be proven beyond a reasonable doubt and don’t appear on any video that I’ve seen. Police reports here have questionable credibility, since King Downing has data which shows that the Kennett police are systematically biased when arresting and convicting black defendants). But after witnessing egregious and illegal behavior on the part of many non-black college students for the past 16 years (ever been to a campus frat party?), it’s interesting that most of them are let go with a slap on the wrist, but some think it’s ok to send a black woman to prison over a minor incident. If I came to most universities (including my own), had a raid on a fraternity house and chose to send students to prison over whatever contraband I found, there would be outrage.

Tags: heather ellis

Dr. Boyce: How it Went down at the Heather Ellis Rally

November 17, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, syracuse university · Comment

Click to read more on AOL Black Voices

I am sitting in my hotel room in Memphis after the exhausting day I spent marching forHeather Ellis, the 24-year old college student now facing up to 15 years in prison after cutting in line at Walmart. If you were to be picky about it, you could argue that Heather is technically not being charged for cutting in line. But had the Walmart employee not mistreated Heather after accusing her of cutting in line, the entire incident would not have taken place.

When the black folks rolled into Kennett, Missouri for our rally, the entire town stopped, the police showed up in massive force and there were even snipers on the rooftops. I assume the snipers were there for our protection, but after visiting the Lorraine Hotel (where Dr. King was killed) just the day before, I was honestly a wee bit nervous. There were people standing on the side of the road, taking pictures and some holding up flags with swastikas and confederate flags on them. It was very interesting.

I’ve put together some random thoughts about the case, the rally and everything in between. I have to be blunt and honest, since you know that’s how I operate:

1) The fight is not over: Heather’s trial begins Wednesday and I am highly concerned about the outcome. The idea that this young woman’s entire future can be stolen over such a tiny incident is simply unbelievable. The truth is that common sense tells us that this situation should have been squashed long ago, and Kennett, MO is becoming known as the racist town that destroys the lives of young black women.

Tags: heather ellis

Dr. Boyce Watkins: The Financial Value of Rihanna’s Pain

November 12, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars, syracuse professors, syracuse university · Comment

I hated what Chris Brown did to Rihanna. I was angered, disappointed and irritated by the fact that many are quick to forgive egregious behavior on the part of celebrities, and a hit song can forgive all sins. At the same time, celebs are just like the rest of us, full of complexities that the world may never come to understand. Rihanna has walked away from Chris and she is now telling the entire world how bad of a man he is, and we’re all taking her side.

The problem for Rihanna, however, is that her actions aren’t making much sense.

Rihanna’s recent whirlwind media tour has included the likes of ABC News, MTV and other major media outlets. Throughout this tour, she has allowed the world to enter into her dark reflection on the relationship she had with Chris Brown, with that reflection seeming to have almost no productive purpose. I am not sure why the he-say/she-say between two 19-year old kids should be the concern of the nation. But then again, I am sitting here writing about it, so I am as guilty as everyone else.

Tags: black scholars, chris brown and rihanna, rihanna

Dr. Boyce Watkins: Black Columbia Professor Punches His Co-Worker over Racial Disagreement

November 11, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers · Comment

When I heard that black Columbia University professor Lionel McIntyre punched out a white university employee, I was obviously taken aback. I was even more intrigued by the fact that the two were having a heated conversation about white privilege when the alleged punch took place. Given that the fight was in a bar, I immediately thought about the Jamie Foxx excuse: "blame it on the alcohol." My goddaughter is an athlete at Columbia, but I had no idea that Columbia University professors could be so athletic in their free time. Although professor McIntyre’s actions are obviously inexcusable, the truth is that our actions "under the influence" tell a deeper story about our psyches, so there is more to this incident than meets the eye.

1) Call me crazy, but I understand how Lionel McIntyre felt. I would never punch out anyone from the frustration I’ve felt when dealing with white privilege, but then again, that is probably why I chose not to drink alcohol, since I am genuinely concerned about how I might react to the stinging pain of consistent racism. What is also true is that although some black scholars are afraid to admit it, many of us have felt incredibly angry and irritated by the arrogant nature of white privilege within academia. It’s not that black scholars dislike their white colleagues, it’s that many of us are tired of being thought of as second-class citizens. If any black Ph.D. student or professor says they haven’t thought about jumping over someone’s desk and "whooping ass" at least once, they’re telling a lie. Some of us hold in the frustration until we die of heart disease. Some of us submit ourselves to the system and become groveling Sambos, while many black scholars simply leave academia altogether. Either way, there is as much frustration for black scholars in America as there is within nearly every other profession dominated by whites. So as the comedian Chris Rock once said in a skit about O.J. Simpson, "I’m not saying he should have done it, but I understand."

Click to read more.

Tags: black scholars, columbia professor, lionel mcintyre

Heather Ellis Trial: New Prosecutor Has Confederate Flag on His Book Cover

November 11, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, black scholars · Comment

Should we be concerned about this? Our rally is in Kennett, MO on November 16 at 11 am.

Tags: heather ellis case, morley swingle

Dr. Boyce speaks on the Cleveland Murders

November 9, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars · Comment

Anthony Sowell is a name that most of us would like to forget. Sowell is the 50-year-old man in Cleveland found to have 11 corpses in his home after being arrested on a rape charge. His neighbors noticed the smell, but some blamed it on the sausage factory next door.

Sowell’s case jars the mind, and even the sight of him makes me want to change the channel. But not only is Sowell repulsive, the circumstances under which these women were killed are equally alarming.

All of the women were African-American. All of them were poor, marginalized and ignored by society. Some of their families called police to report them missing and the police refused to thoroughly investigate. Even Sowell was intelligent enough to know that he was taking the lives of women who would not be missed, telling one of the victims that no one would care if she disappeared. In Sowell’s warped mind, many of these women had already disappeared. The truth is that he was absolutely correct.

The Anthony Sowell case is one that requires us to stop and reassess our values. Why are some people considered to be less worthy of police protection than others? I recall hearing a police officer explain to me that he felt that the job of the police was to simply protect the rich from the poor. I was under the false impression that their job was to protect the good from the bad. Apparently, Sowell’s victims were not wealthy enough, blonde or blue-eyed enough to be defined as inherently good. Their disappearances were deemed unworthy of the attention of Nancy Grace or anyone else for that matter.

Tags: black scholars, boyce watkins

Dr Boyce – Chris Brown vs. Rihanna: Time to Butt Out

November 8, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars, syracuse professors · Comment

When I heard that Chris Brown hit his ex-girlfriend Rihanna, I was concerned and surprised. I also found myself irritated by the fact that many women, along with my teenage daughters, were quick to forgive Chris for his actions, primarily because they think he has a great voice and a cute face. I had little sympathy for Chris Brown, and doing something like that to one of my girls would’ve had him singing a cappella for the rest of his life.

But that’s where I have to get off the Chris Brown bashing bus. In spite of my frustration with Chris’ behavior, I cannot endorse the media’s decision to turn his relationship with Rihanna into a one-sided slugfest, committed by yet another violent black man whose rage consistently overrides his intellect. I also cannot endorse Rihanna’s decision to bring ABC News into her relationship, portraying herself as the completely innocent victim who was terrorized by the big, scary black man. Yes, she is the victim, but we all know that love is not that simple.

Let’s be clear: No man should ever put his hands on a woman in a violent way. We all agree on that. Not only is it morally wrong, but it’s an easy way for a man to find himself in jail (especially if he’s black). We should also agree that no woman should put her hands on any man. The second point might be subject to disagreement, but the truth is that you shouldn’t hit someone if you don’t expect to get hit back. While that person might end up being punished by the police, you might end up in the morgue. We can also agree that the disproportionate amount of force that a man is capable of inflicting is a legitimate reason that the man is more to blame than the woman, even if both parties are involved in a physical altercation.

Tags: black news, chris brown and rihanna

Dr Boyce Watkins: Jay Z, Beanie Sigal and Charlamagne Tha God – What We can All Learn from this Stupid Situation

November 8, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars · Comment

Consider it a strange dream, but I had some thoughts about the Jay-Z beef with the rapper Beanie Sigal. No, I’m not here to talk about keeping street cred. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Half of the artists in the hip hop industry are not nearly as hard or as real as they claim to be. They’re too smart for that. The guys who are really as hard as most rappers claim to be are either in a jail cell or a casket. That’s the truth.
What got my attention was when Charlamagne Tha God was fired from 100.3, "The Beat" in Philadelphia. I’ve known Charlamagne for years from our work on The Wendy Williams Show, so this made me a little upset. What was even sadder is the allegation that Jay Z may have played a role in getting Charlamagne fired, in large part because Charlamagne conducted an interview with Jay-Z’s new rival, Beanie Sigal. This incident represents more than the standard thuggery that some might see on the surface. Instead, it brings forth a plethora of issues that relate to business, entertainment, money and corporate power. Here are some quick thoughts:

Click to read more.

Tags: beanie sigal, charlamagne tha god, jay z

Thousands Putting Together Buses in Memphis to Rally for Heather Ellis

November 4, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars, syracuse university · Comment

Tags: heather ellis case

Ben Bernanke Needs a Lesson in Racial History

November 1, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, black scholars · Comment

by Dr Boyce Watkins

I’ve always had mixed feelings about Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. I feel that he is better than the previous chairman, Alan Greenspan, but the Fed Chairmanship (like the presidency) is almost never given to the right man. Just the fact that it is almost always given to a man is problematic enough, and the truth is that only white men need apply for the job.
Well, when you are limited in your option pool for the top job, bad leadership and flat out ignorance can sometimes be the result. While Fed Chairman Bernanke might know some nuts and bolts about economics, he appears to be shockingly misinformed about economic disparities between blacks and whites. His embarrassing and highly inappropriate statements at Morehouse College serve as a significant case in point.
In a recent interview at Morehouse, the Fed Chairman was asked what he felt to be the reason for the wealth gap between blacks and whites. In response, Bernanke said that the gap was due to a lack of "financial literacy" and "financial education" on the part of African Americans. That’s all he mentioned.

Tags: ben bernanke racist comments, black wealth

Black News: The Heather Ellis Case Covered on Anderson Cooper 360

October 31, 2009 · Posted in african american scholars, african american speakers, black scholars, syracuse professors · Comment

Editor’s Note: Watch Randi Kaye’s full report tonight on Anderson Cooper 360 at 10pm ET.

Randi Kaye| BIO
AC360° Correspondent

Is it a classic case of “he said, she said,” or is it a brutal case of racism? Whatever it is, it may land a Missouri woman, a preacher’s daughter who has never been in trouble with the law before, in jail.

It all apparently started at a Walmart store in Kennett, Missouri where according to police, customer Heather Ellis had cut in line to pay for her items. What followed is at the heart of a court case that may send Heather Ellis to jail for as many as 15 years!

Let me first say Ms. Ellis has pleaded not guilty. But here’s how police tell it: officers say they were called to the store after Ellis caused a “disturbance” at the cash register by “yelling and cursing.” Officers say when they tried to get her to leave the store, she turned and yelled at them, “I ain’t going nowhere until I get my (expletive) change back” but that even after she got her change, she continued to be “belligerent.” The lead officer says they tried to get her to remain calm and leave in a peaceful manner and told her they’d arrest her if she refused. That is when the lead officer says Ellis “issued a threat to assault” and said if the officer put their hands on her “she was going to beat my (expletive).” Well, it turned ugly according to police, who say she became “combative and began fighting.” The officers say Ellis “continued to fight, yell and curse” and was “completely out of control.” They say she “resisted arrest” and “stiffened her body” when they tried to put her in the police car. Read the full police report here.