UNCF President Michael L. Lomax to Retire in 2027

Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund, has announced his intent to retire in June 2027.

“Few leaders have shaped an institution as profoundly as Dr. Lomax has shaped UNCF,” said Milton H. Jones, Jr., UNCF board chair. “For more than two decades, he has elevated HBCUs on the national stage, expanded educational opportunity for hundreds of thousands of students, strengthened our member institutions, and positioned UNCF for enduring success. We celebrate his extraordinary legacy while looking forward to the organization’s next chapter with great confidence. Thanks to Dr. Lomax’s vision and leadership, UNCF is stronger than ever and exceptionally well positioned for the future.”

Dr. Lomax began his presidency at UNCF in 2004. Among other accomplishments throughout Dr. Lomax’s tenure, the organization has raised more than $4 billion in support of students and HBCUs, helped more than 300,000 students pursue and complete college degrees, and increased its endowment nearly tenfold, rising from $60 million to a projected $600 million in 2027.

“Serving as president and CEO of UNCF has been the privilege of a lifetime,” said Dr. Lomax. “Everything we have accomplished has been made possible through the extraordinary partnership of our board of directors, our member institutions, our dedicated team members, our donors, our philanthropic partners, and the countless champions who believe deeply in our mission. Together, we have expanded opportunities for hundreds of thousands of students and strengthened the institutions that have transformed generations of lives.”

Before his current position, Dr. Lomax served as president of historically Black Dillard University in New Orleans. In addition to faculty appointments at Morehouse College and Spelman College in Atlanta, he has held roles in public service, including director of research and special assistant to Maynard H. Jackson, the first Black mayor of Atlanta. He also had stints as the first African American chairman of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners and as president of the National Faculty, an Atlanta-based organization dedicated to connecting higher education scholars with K-12 teachers.

Dr. Lomax holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Morehouse College, a master’s degree in English literature from Columbia University in New York, and a Ph.D. in American and African American literature from Emory University in Atlanta.

PEOPLE’S ORGANIZATION FOR PROGRESS SCHEDULES NAT TURNER REBELLION COMMEMORATION AND CONDEMNS ATTEMPTS TO ERASE BLACK HISTORY

The 17th annual commemoration of the Nat Turner Slave Rebellion will be held Friday, August 21, 2026, 5:00 pm at Nat Turner Park, 171 Muhammad Ali Avenue in Newark, New Jersey.

The program will take place near the entrance of the park at the intersection of Muhammad Ali Avenue and Jeliff Avenue. It is sponsored by People’s Organization for Progress (POP) and Friends of Nat Turner Park.

“We have this observance each year because we believe it is important to remember what Nat Turner and his comrades did. They took up arms and fought back against their enslavers,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated.

"The participants in Turner’s Rebellion struck a blow for freedom. They died in battle. Their courage and their sacrifice was a major contribution to black people’s struggle against slavery,” Hamm said.

“The Nat Turner uprising is perhaps the most well known slave rebellion in this country. Friday will mark the 195th anniversary of that event, also known as the Southampton Insurrection which began on August 21,1831 in Southampton County, Virginia,” he said.

Hamm said it was fitting to have the observance in a park named after the slave rebellion leader. Nat Turner Park was officially opened in July of 2009.

Located in the Central Ward, it covers nine acres and is the largest city owned park. It is the only park in the United States named after Nat Turner.

Turner’s uprising was one of the fiercest slave rebellions in the United States. It is said that approximately 60 to 75 enslaved and free black people took part in his revolt. As many as 65 whites may have been killed, and possibly 200 blacks, many of whom had nothing to do with the insurrection.

In the aftermath of the uprising Nat Turner was hanged and 56 other slaves were executed for their participation. Some historical accounts say that Turner was also beheaded and that his body was mutilated and dissected.

Turner’s uprising was not the only slave rebellion in the U.S. There were hundreds of slave rebellions in this country.

“Our armed resistance to slavery took place for several hundred years during the period of colonization in the western hemisphere and continued for nearly a century after American independence,” he said.

“Black people fought against slavery in Africa. We rose up against our captors on the slave ships. And we rebelled against it on the plantations, in the towns and cities of the north as well as the south,” Hamm stated.

“Nat Turner’s Rebellion and the hundreds of other slave uprisings inside and outside the United States, including the Haitian Revolution, inspired and gave momentum to the abolitionist movement, led to the Civil War, and helped bring about the end of slavery in this country,” he said.

"Perhaps the greatest slave rebellion of all was the Civil War, when more than 200,000 enslaved black men escaped from bondage and joined the ranks of the Union Army. They took up arms, helped to defeat the Confederacy and destroy the institution of chattel slavery,” he said.

“The story of slave rebellions is a glorious chapter in the ongoing struggle for freedom in America. However, this is a story that those in power want to erase from our history books,” he said.

“The Trump administration and some state governments seek to ban and erase this history from our museums, textbooks, schools and universities, cultural institutions, government agencies, news outlets, social media, and data bases,” he said.

Trump has targeted the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington and has attempted to eliminate exhibits there that are deemed to be “divisive” or “woke.”

“He wants to do away with this history because it doesn’t fit into his racist and white supremacist narrative of American history. He wants to promote a history that downplays the cruelty, injustice and horrors of slavery,” Hamm said.

“The People’s Organization For Progress is diametrically opposed to this effort to whitewash American history. This is censorship and we are absolutely opposed to it.

“We are opposed to what he and others are doing to our museums, with the curriculum at our educational institutions, and similar efforts in other areas,” he declarediv>

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"Erasing a people’s history is a step toward erasing a people. This is what fascists have done in the past. This is what they are doing today. This is a form of cultural genocide,” he said.

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Urban One to Launch "ONE Yard: The HBCU Experience"--a Multi-City Tour Bringing the Cultural Power of the HBCU Yard to Life

Urban One, the nation's largest distributor of Black and Urban content, today announced the official launch of ONE Yard: The HBCU Experience, a multi-city engagement tour celebrating the culture, community, and legacy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Originally born as a digital sanctuary, ONE Yard is stepping outside of the screen and hitting the ground to deliver immersive, live on-campus experiences at Bowie State University on August 27 and Clark Atlanta University on September 2.

Today's younger audiences are experiencing "algorithm fatigue" and actively seeking genuine, physical spaces rooted in community and shared joy. Urban One is answering this call by honoring the HBCU yard as the epicenter for gathering. Designed as a vibrant village of culture, entertainment, wellness, and career empowerment, each stop will feature celebrity hosts, top Black influencers and digital creators, live DJs, notable alumni, and special guests.

"For decades, Urban One has been an anchor in the HBCU community. With ONE Yard, we're creating a powerful, scalable gateway for brands looking to engage meaningfully with Gen Z. By combining live on-the-ground activations with digital storytelling, we are providing our partners with an unmatched opportunity to drive culture and connect with this generation on an entirely new level," said Jeff Meza, Urban One's EVP, Head of Branded Entertainment & Integrated Marketing.

ONE Yard's signature on-the-ground activations include:

• Aura Arcade: Hosted by PlayVS, this arcade-style gaming hub allows students to compete, connect, and put their joystick skills on full display.
• 3rd Space by Live Wire: A reimagined main stage with curated programming, performances, and a special HBCU edition taping of Live Wire for HipHopWired.com.
• Wellness Zone: A dedicated wellness, beauty, and grooming oasis featuring personalized skin insights, yoga, meditation, and an affirmation station.
• Cookout Corridor: A tailgate-themed food and beverage zone where guests can refuel and experience regional local cuisine and signature flavors.
• Your University Row: A one-stop resource hub with the professional guidance, career tools, and entrepreneurial support needed to navigate life beyond graduation.
• The Promenade: A photo moment where guests step inside a life-size Cassius magazine cover for a shareable, social-ready experience celebrating HBCU style.

"ONE Yard gives brands the opportunity to do more than show up on campus—it enables them to invest meaningfully in the culture, talent and future of HBCU communities. By combining Urban One's cultural intelligence and first-party data with our trusted media brands, creators and live experiences, we help partners connect with the culture makers shaping what's next, create new opportunities for commerce and deliver measurable business impact," shared Tiffany Nasralla, Urban One's Co-Chief Revenue Officer.

ONE Yard is part of Urban One's long-term investment in emerging HBCU voices. Built in close partnership with local HBCU leaders and student organizations, every activation is designed to boost student success and retention. Through hands-on portfolio building, industry mentorship, and clear career pathways, ONE Yard bridges the gap between campus life and professional success.

For more information about ONE Yard: The HBCU Experience and for students to register, please visit, www.oneyard.co.

National Black Beauty Week Returns August 16-22 With 'The Promise of Black Beauty'

Black beauty culturalist and media and technology executive Stephenetta (isis) Harmon founded National Black Beauty Week in 2022 to help change how the world sees, celebrates and experiences Black beauty. Held annually during the third full week of August, the initiative also encourages Black women to embrace their beauty while challenging perceptions through meaningful conversations and actionable game plans.

According to NielsenIQ, Black consumers drove U.S. spending on beauty by 9%, shelling out $16.2 billion in the past year. The number is even higher if you account for non-U.S. beauty and beauty-related purchases, from imported hair and hair tools to haircare, skincare, and more.

"Black buying power and influence remain at opposite ends of the spectrum from how we experience beauty and are valued in the beauty industry, whether as consumers, professionals or brand owners," said Harmon.

"Black consumers -- women, in particular -- drive markets and trends as loyal consumers who are willing to spend top dollar to feed their beauty fixes. Yet, we remain underserved and underrepresented, with persistent gaps in access to marketing, funding, resources, product choices, and services. National Black Beauty week provides a dedicated moment to examine that contradiction while celebrating the people reshaping what beauty looks like."

This year's theme, "The Promise of Black Beauty," comes at a moment when many of the beauty industry's promises around Black representation, investment and opportunity are being put to the test.

In the years following 2020, beauty companies pledged major dollars to Black founders, retailers committed shelf space to Black-owned brands, and grant and accelerator programs expanded. Campaigns became more representative, and companies promised greater opportunities for Black creatives and professionals.

"For a moment, it felt as though the industry had finally recognized what we had been saying for decades: Black beauty is not niche," said Harmon.

The moment was short-lived. Companies across industries have scaled back diversity initiatives and reconsidered commitments. Crunchbase data shows funding for Black beauty founders fell nearly 80%, from $73 million in 2022 to $16 million in 2024. Sadiaa's ongoing tracking of grant and accelerator opportunities for Black beauty entrepreneurs has also seen available opportunities shrink to less than half of previous levels.

But "The Promise of Black Beauty" is about more than whether the industry keeps its promises. It is also about the enduring promise of Black beauty -- its innovation, cultural influence, and economic power.

"The industry's attention may shift, but our influence doesn't disappear with a corporate initiative or a funding cycle," Harmon said. "Black communities have always created beauty movements, built businesses and shaped trends -- often long before the mainstream industry recognized their value. The question now is what happens to the promises that were made once the spotlight moves somewhere else."

Throughout the week, Sadiaa will publish interviews and conversations highlighting the broader ecosystem behind Black beauty, including founders, hairstylists, makeup artists, executives, educators, journalists, advocates, creatives and consumers whose contributions continue to shape beauty culture around the world. It will also create space for conversations about where Black beauty goes next.

"National Black Beauty Week is about recognizing Black beauty as culture, creativity, innovation and economic power. It's about challenging how Black beauty has historically been defined and valued, while celebrating the people who continue to redefine it," said Harmon. "Ultimately, we're working to change how the world sees, celebrates and experiences Black beauty. That starts with creating and taking up space."

Join the conversation at NationalBlackBeautyWeek.com.

Dr. Latorial D. Faison has been named Virginia Poet Laureate

Virginia State University's Dr. Latorial D. Faison has been named Virginia Poet Laureate!

As Virginia's Poet Laureate, Dr. Faison, Assistant Professor and Chair of the Department of Languages & Literature, will promote poetry and literature, encourage appreciation for the literary arts, and celebrate the Commonwealth’s rich literary heritage through public engagement. The appointment is one of the highest literary honors in the state.

An accomplished poet, educator, and literary scholar, Dr. Faison has earned national recognition for her contributions to contemporary poetry and scholarship. In 2025, her acclaimed poetry collection, Nursery Rhymes in Black, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry, bringing national attention to her powerful exploration of history, identity, culture, and the African American experience. Her appointment as Virginia Poet Laureate reflects her enduring contributions to Virginia's literary and cultural landscape.