October 2025 - Page 31

HBCU band members arrested on hazing allegations. Band suspended

Fort Valley State University has confirmed that arrests have been made following a criminal investigation into hazing allegations involving the Blue Machine Marching Band, according to reports. School officials stated that the Fort Valley Police Department concluded there was sufficient evidence to support charges, leading to the arrest of several students, according to 13WMAZ-TV. As a result,

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HBCU Shop Launches As The Official Lifestyle Brand For HBCUs

Today marks a major milestone in HBCU culture and fashion: HBCU Shop (hbcushop.co), the new lifestyle brand created to amplify and celebrate Historically Black Colleges and Universities, officially launches. Rooted in heritage, style, and pride, the brand brings together tradition and modern streetwear in fresh, meaningful ways. Founded by Bowie State University alumni, business partners, and longtime friends — Luke Lawal Jr. (entrepreneur

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Texas Southern Makes Historic Investment in Aviation Program with New Cirrus Aircraft Fleet

Texas Southern University (TSU) is taking its Aviation Science Management program to new heights with the acquisition of 12 state-of-the-art Cirrus SR20 G7+ aircraft, marking a historic first-of-its-kind partnership between Cirrus Aircraft and a Historically Black College or University. The multimillion-dollar investment represents one of the largest single fleet purchases in the program’s history and sets TSU apart

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Diddy Apologizes Ahead of Sentencing in Prostitution Case

By Phil Helsel, Chloe Melas and Adam Reiss Sean “Diddy” Combs apologized and expressed “how sincerely sorry I am for all of the hurt and pain that I have caused” in a letter Thursday to the judge set to sentence the disgraced hip-hop mogul on two prostitution-related convictions Friday. “I lost my way. I got lost in my journey. Lost

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FAMU Fined, Announcer Suspended Over Honey Beez Remarks

FAMU has been officially reprimanded and fined by the SWAC following the controversy surrounding comments made by its longtime band announcer during Saturday’s football game against Alabama State University. The SWAC announced on Tuesday that Florida A&M University will face a $10,000 fine and that its public address announcer will be suspended for the next

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Gov. Kay Ivey Declares October as HBCU Month in Alabama

Governor Kay Ivey announced on social media on Wednesday that she has signed a proclamation declaring October as HBCU Month in the state of Alabama. “Our 14 HBCUs are a cornerstone of excellence, shaping leaders who strengthen our state and nation,” Ivey said. “Alabama is proud to celebrate their legacy and support the students who

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Amazon to Refund Prime Members in $2.5B FTC Settlement

Written By Lexx Thornton Amazon will soon have to refund some Prime members as part of a $2.5 billion settlement with the Federal Trade Commission – $1.5 billion of which will be returned directly to customers. It’s the FTC’s largest-ever settlement and the second-highest refund award in history.  The FTC said in a statement Thursday

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Ray McKinnie Honored with 2025 CALS Outstanding Alumni Award

Written By Lexx Thornton Ray McKinnie, Ph.D., associate dean and administrator of Cooperative Extension at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, has received the 2025 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Outstanding Alumni Award from North Carolina State University. The CALS award “represents the fulfillment of the promise of the land-grant mission in

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Connecticut Bans First-Cousin Marriages Starting Oct. 1

Written by Lexx Thornton A new law in Connecticut is expected to go into effect on Oct. 1, banning first-cousin marriages. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers agreed on the bill earlier this year. According to officials, procreation between first cousins can increase the chance of birth defects. “It’s just so wrong because of the birth

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2026 Government Shutdown: Impact on Black Americans Explained

By Shannon Dawson For the first time in six years, the federal government has officially shut down after Congress failed to pass a funding bill for fiscal year 2026. It’s unclear how long the shutdown will last, but we’ve seen this tense moment before. The most recent government shutdown lasted from Dec. 22, 2018, to Jan. 25,

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