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An In-depth Ldook at Black Entertainment Television
By Linea Johnson
Bom the ninth of ten children in
Hickory, Mississippi, on April 8,
1936, Robert Louis Johnson was
always bound for greatness. Even
though Johnson had a diminutive
stature, he gamered the utmost
respect from his colleagues. Ac
cording to Biography.com, John
son graduated from Princeton
University and later went to work
as a lobbyist for the Nascent Ca
ble Industry from 1976 to 1979.
It was during this time that
Johnson noticed the “large Afri-
can-American television audience
was going unrecognized and un
tapped,” Johnson said. Johnson,
along with his then wife, Sheila
Johnson, founded Back Entertain
ment Television Network with a
loan of only $15,000.00.
The network first aired on Jan
uary 25, 1980, becoming the na
tion’s first and only twenty-four
hour television network devoted
to targeting an African-American
audience.
According to
Blackpast.org,
BET premiered
with two-hour
programming that
only aired in select
east coast cities.
The network
primarily consist
ed of music vid
eos and re-mns of
black sitcoms. In
1988, BET News
debuted with Ed
Gordon as its lead
anchor. Gordon
went on to host
other programs
and specials for
BET. He is most known for his
interview in the early 90s with
Hall of Fame football player, O.J.
Simpson, who at the time was just
acquitted of murdering his wife,
Nicole, and her boyfriend, Ron
Goldman. Shortly after, BET Talk
debuted with Tavis Smiley. In
the late 90s, news shows such as
News
mom
efina
‘Our Voices” and
debuted. Unfortu-
“Lead Story”,
“Teen Summit
nately, that
soon came to an abmpt end.
Blackpast.org reported that by
“2002, part of a restmcturing,
BET management switched its
focus to entertainment programs
primarily airing rap videos while
eliminating its news
staff and cancelling
all of its news pro
grams except BET
Nightly News an
chored by Jacque
Reid and Michelle
Miller. The Nightly
News program was
shut down in 2005.
Later that year, BET
was sold to Viacom
for three billion dol
lars.
BET has faced
much criticism from
affluent African-
Americans in the
community. Critics
such as filmmaker
Spike Lee, creator of the Boon
docks, Aaron McGmder and BET
co-founder Sheila Johnson have
denounced BET’s programming,
claiming that BET promotes bla
tant sexism and anti-intellectu-
alism. They also charge that fea
turing rap and hip-hop oriented
programming along with comedy
Graphic by D.A. Baker
programs either intentionally or
inadvertently promotes anti-black
stereotypes.
When BET was first founded,
it produced positive television
that uplifted and motivated the
African-American community;
including the program Teen Sum
mit. The talk show dealt with ev
eryday issues for teenagers; the
program was made to uplift teen
agers during difficult times. BET
had various news reporting shows
and was referred to by Sheila
Johnson as the “Ebony Magazine
of television.”
A Facebook minority-based
group known as “Anti-black En
tertainment Television” has stat
ed: “BET is determined to discon
tinue all of its shows that contain
social and education depth.”
BET is now known as an over
ly sexualized stereotypical and
money hungry entity that does
not serve the purpose it once set
out to accomplish; to stimulate
and fortify the African-American
community.
i Think I Can! i Think I Canl
'
By Jonathan Lyons
The Little Engine That Could
is a common children’s book that
teaches children the value of op
timism and hard work. In 1961,
mnning back, Emest Davis of
Syracuse University became the
little engine that could.
In 1961, Davis became the
first African American to win the
Heisman Trophy, a trophy that is
given to college football’s elite
players. He beat out Ohio State’s
Bob Ferguson and Texas Jimmy
Saxton for college football’s most
prestigious award. Davis is still
the only player from Syracuse
University to win the Heisman.
In 1959, he led the Syracuse Or
angemen to their first and only
National Championship. That
season the sophomore had 98 car
ries for 686 rushing yards, giving
the Syracuse Orangemen an unde
feated title. His team defeated the
University of Texas in the Cotton
Bowl for the national title. While
at Syracuse, the superior athlete
wore the number “44”, which be
came an honorary number at the
university.
The number 44 at Syracuse
University is one of the most
cherished numbers at the univer
sity. Since 1954, 11 players have
worn the number and three earned
All- America honors. Those three
were Jim Brown, Emie Davis
and Floyd Little. These mnning
backs are a part of the university’s
all century team and are ranked
amongst the finest mnning backs
to ever play college football.
Brown was Ernie’s mentor and
one of the people who persuaded
him to play football at Syracuse.
“The way he (Davis) carried him
self, the way he did not drown in
his own tears, the way that he did
not hang on his sickness, the way
that he functioned as a human be
ing under all of those conditions
was tremendous courage,” said
Brown according to espn.com.
Davis finished his college ca
reer by breaking numerous re
cords previously set by Brown,
putting numbers up hke 2,386
mshing yards, 6.6 yards per carry,
35 touchdowns and 220 points.
Penn State’s head coach, Joe
Patemo, told ESPN, “He’s the
kind of mnner you hate to coach
against, you can’t instmct a boy
to tackle a man if he can’t catch
him.” Emie Davis graduated from
Syracuse University and went on
to play in the NFL.
In the NFL, Davis never got a
chance to play a single down due
to leukemia. Davis, also known
as “The Elmira Express,” died on
May 18, 1963.
A Perspective of Black. Historv
By Jamal Clarke
“You have seen how a man was
made a slave; you shall see how
a slave was made a man.” This
quotation by Frederick Douglass
symbolizes the progression of
African Americans in the United
States. Febmary marks the month
to celebrate Black History. It is
the time when we remember the
important people and events in
the history of Africa Diaspora.
The movement of people of Afri
can origin and their descendants
to places throughout the world
are celebrated and recognized for
their heroism. Africa Diaspora
were the descendants of Africans
who were enslaved to the Ameri
cas by way of the Atlantic slave
trade. Febmary has been desig
nated Black History Month in the
United States and Canada.
The origins date back to 1926. It
started as the Negro History Week
by Dr. Carter G. Woodson. The
goal of Black History Week was
to enlighten and educate Blacks
about their cultural backgrounds
and instill a sense of pride in their
race. Much controversy has sur
rounded Black History Month. It
often sparks a debate about dedi
cating a month dedicated to one
race. Some argue the advantages
and disadvantages with the em
phasis on one month to promote
Black History. One argument that
is constantly mentioned: why is
Black History celebrated in the
shortest month of the year? Others
feel there is more to Black History
than what is given in history text
books. In addition, some believe
the month has lost its significance
among American society because
Febmary is also American Heart
Month, Intemational Boost Self-
Esteem Month, Intemational Em
broidery Month, Library Lovers
Month, National Cherry Month,
National Children’s Dental Health
Month, National Snack Food
Month and Return Shopping Carts
to the Supermarket Month. “From
when I was child to now, I think
the acknowledgement of BHM
has vanished. Around this time
we always hear about the same
people in Black History, but there
are others who have contributed
as well,” said Narayah Lowechin,
a junior at ECSU.
Students’ perspectives and
views of Black History Month
vary greatly. Devon McNair, a ju
nior at ECSU said, “Black History
Month is a time to really reflect
back on our cultural and really
appreciate what has been accom
plished.” Camille McGowan, an
ECSU junior said, “I view the
month of Febmary as statisti
cal inclination of the tremendous
feats accomplished by African
Americans.” There were those
who felt that when it comes to
Black History Month, we reflect
and remember the Martin Luther
King, Jr.s, the Rosa Parks’, the
Malcolm Xs and other main pio
neers, but do not know enough
about the unsung heroes of Black
History. Jasmine Keamey, an
ECSU student said, “That is a way
to pinpoint only certain Blacks in
history and hide all of the other
things that Blacks did that were
so significant.”
From cotton fields to picket
lines, setting trends and break
ing barriers in sport, entertain
ment and now the White House,
African-Americans have over
come adversity and persevered to
achieve greatness. Though Afri
can Americans continue to make
strides and move ahead, not only
for the month of Febmary, but ev
ery other month should be used
to celebrate Black History. In the
words of the famous poet, Maya
Angelou,
“Bringing the gifts that my an
cestors gave, I am the dream and
the hope of the slave,
"I m, I m,
I me."