Later today the president of the United States, Donald Trump, will "recognize the extraordinary contributions that HBCUs have made and continue to make to the general welfare and prosperity of our country," according to Omarosa Manigault Newman, communications director for the Office of Public Liaison.
“At complete capacity with a waiting list,” the White House Initiative on HBCUs is hosting its Annual National Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Week Conference. conclusion tomorrow after
“The HBCU Summit has been going on for over 30 years,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said a couple of weeks ago during a press briefing, and with input from the President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs and conference sponsors.
“The one thing that all of our colleges should focus on is sustainability,’’ Quinton Ross, the president-elect of Alabama State University told USA TODAY, stressing the importance of engaging officials in Washington. Ross leads one of nine HBCUs established in 1867, celebrating 150 years of educating and empowering Americans.
Next week, on the campus of Baltimore’s Morgan State University, Ross’ institution alongside Barber-Scotia College, Fayetteville State University, Howard University, Johnson C. Smith University, Morehouse College, St. Augustine’s University, Talladega College and the host institution will exchange information and share innovations among and between the institutions.
Billed as the HBCU-9 United Sesquicentennial Celebration, the week-long celebration will focus on the enduring legacy and achievements of the nine institutions and their respective contributions, as well as on those of other HBCUs, to the making of America.
Through this unified and collaborative observance, and the White House administration and president’s recognition of "the extraordinary contributions that HBCUs have made and continue to make,” HBCUs’ have the nation’s attention. The Sesquicentennial Celebration includes parallel activities held on each of the nine campuses from Sunday, September 24th to next Saturday, September 30th.
Featuring an impressive slate of engagements, the celebration features the United HBCU-9 Choir Concert; Live Broadcast of the Joe Clair Morning Show; Leadership Round Table Discussion with HBCU-9 Chancellors and Presidents “The Legacy of the HBCU-9,” moderated Morgan State alumnae, April Ryan, CNN Political Analyst and White House Correspondent for American Urban Radio; HBCU-9 Luncheon “Reclaiming Our Time” featuring The Honorable Maxine Waters; Fireside Chat with HBCU-9 Chancellors and Presidents “Challenges and Opportunities for HBCUs” hosted by Ed Gordon of BET’s Weekly with Ed Gordon; HBCUs at 150—the State of the Union: A Conversation with The Congressional Black Caucus and National Educational Leaders featuring The Honorable Alma Adams and a panel of congressional and educational leaders moderated by The Honorable Kweisi Mfume, former Congressman and former CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
“We look forward to seeing you,” said Dr. Burney Hollis, the Sesquicentennial Committee chairman and Morgan State English professor.
“We invite you to join us at our many Sesquicentennial events,” Hollis said, extending an invitation for people to celebrate and commemorate the roles the HBCU-9 have played educating citizens of “the nation and the world.”
