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DOJ Civil Rights Division Sees Exodus of 100+ Lawyers

By Pierre Thomas The Justice Department’s division tasked with enforcing the nation’s federal civil rights laws has recently seen a mass exodus of “over 100” attorneys, the newly confirmed official leading the division said in an interview this week. “What we have made very clear last week in memos to each of the 11 sections in the Civil Rights Division is that our priorities under President Trump are going to be somewhat different than they were under President Biden,” DOJ Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said in an interview with conservative host Glenn Beck. “And then we tell them, these are the

After Grant Losses, HBCUs Look to New Executive Order

Earlier this month, Morgan State University was gearing up to host a group of local K-12 students at the campus’s engineering school. The field trip was part of a series of programs intended to expose underrepresented students to STEM careers, funded by a roughly $450,000 contract with the U.S. Navy. Students planned to tour the historically Black university’s artificial intelligence and cybersecurity labs. But then the university’s president, David K. Wilson, found out the Department of Defense had terminated the contract. As a result, the trip was canceled. Stunned, Wilson said, his “fatherly instincts took over.” He declared the April 16

HBCU Caucus Leader Backs New Executive Order Support

Congresswoman Alma S. Adams Ph.D. (NC-12), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, and Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Bipartisan, Bicameral Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus, released a statement following President Trump’s executive order on HBCUs. “I welcome all and every initiative to support our nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities because supporting HBCUs is not a partisan issue,” said Congresswoman Adams. “HBCUs are centers of achievement, excellence, and success, and have always punched above their weight, even in the face of historic underfunding.” “In order to win the race in the 21st century to remain

HBCUs Celebrate Trump’s Order—But Will It Bring Change?

By Zachary Schermele Even as his administration targets diversity programs in higher education, President Donald Trump reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities, or HBCUs. He signed a largely symbolic order on April 23 in the Oval Office that rehouses a long-standing bipartisan presidential initiative on HBCUs at the White House rather than at the U.S. Department of Education. It also maintains a presidential advisory board on HBCUs within the Education Department. The order was celebrated by many HBCUs, including Howard University, where former Vice President Kamala Harris studied and gave her concession speech after she lost her bid

Judge Blocks Trump’s Move to Cut School Diversity Funds

By Holly Ramer and Collin Binkley A federal judge on Thursday blocked Trump administration directives that threatened to cut federal funding for public schools with diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by the National Education Association and the American Civil Liberties Union, which accused the Republican administration of giving “unconstitutionally vague” guidance and violating teachers’ First Amendment rights. A second judge in Maryland on Thursday postponed the effective date of some U.S. Education Department anti-DEI guidance, and a third judge in Washington, D.C., blocked another provision from taking effect. In February, the department told schools and

Black Churches Support Smithsonian Museum After Trump Order

As he does one day each month, the Rev. Robert Turner hit the road from his home in Baltimore last week and traveled — on foot — 43 miles to Washington. He arrived by evening on April 16 outside the White House, carrying a sign that called for for “Reparations Now.” This time, Turner added another stop on his long day’s journey — the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Turner knelt in prayer and laid a wreath at the entrance of the museum in support of its mission, which incurred President Donald Trump’s criticism alongside other Smithsonian

Trump Shakes Up DOJ Civil Rights Division, Senior Exodus

By Ken Dilanian The Trump administration has quietly transformed the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, forcing out a majority of career managers and implementing new priorities that current and former officials say abandon a decadeslong mission of enforcing laws that prohibit discrimination in hiring, housing and voting rights. More than a dozen senior lawyers — many with decades of experience working under presidents of both parties — have been reassigned, the current and former officials say. Some have resigned in frustration after they were moved to less desirable roles unrelated to their expertise, according to the sources. “It’s been a complete bloodbath,” said a

Trump Signs Executive Orders Targeting DEI in Education

By Elissa Nadworny President Trump on Wednesday signed a list of executive actions aimed at both higher education and K-12 schools. One of the actions takes aim at college and university accreditors, organizations the White House says have “abused their authority by imposing discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)-based standards.” Another promises new discipline guidance for K-12 schools, with the goal of “ensuring school discipline policies are based on objective behavior, not DEI,” the White House said in a statement. “Today’s Executive Orders pave the way for critical innovations — inviting more competition in the higher education accreditation system, ensuring transparency in college

TMCF Thanks Trump for Renewed Commitment to HBCUs

Officials at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) extend appreciation to President Trump for signing an executive order reestablishing the White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (White House Initiative) and reinforcing key TMCF policy priorities for the HBCU community. “This executive order serves as strong reaffirmation of President Trump’s support of investment of historically Black colleges and universities,” said TMCF President & CEO Dr. Harry L. Williams. “This executive order should serve as a call-to-action for corporations, foundations, members of Congress and state lawmakers to redouble their efforts to support HBCUs and their students. TMCF

Ohio HBCU Professors Concerned Over New Higher Ed Law

By Megan Henry Professors at Ohio’s only public historically Black university are worried a new controversial higher education law will have a chilling effect on their campus. Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio was originally the Normal and Industrial Department within Wilberforce University, the nation’s oldest private Historically Black College or University (HBCU) and a prominent stop on the Underground Railroad. In 1941, the department began to offer four-year degrees, and in 1951 it became independent from Wilberforce as Central State College. In 1965, Central State achieved university status. Members of Central State University American Association of University Professors chapter

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