6, 2024 - April 12, 2024 The Afro-American A5 THE BLACKwww.afro.com MEDIA AUTHORITY April • AFRO.COM $2.00 $1.00
Volume 132 No. 36
APRIL 6, 2024 - APRIL 12, 2024
Entire Board of Trustees at Tennessee State University removed by Republican legislators, new appointees named
AP Photos /George Walker IV
Students, faculty, staff and community members are expressing outrage over the disbandment of the Tennessee State University (TSU) Board of Trustees, a move made by the state’s Republican elected officials on March 28. Protests about the decision are ongoing. Shown here, Jonathan Williamson (left ) holds a sign during a news conference about the vacating of TSU’s board. Alumni, faculty and concerned residents alike were present in the House chamber as legislators like Sam McKenzie (D - Knoxville) (right), discussed the bill, which ultimately passed. Credit: AP Photos /George Walker IV. By Ariyana Griffin Special to the AFRO Tennessee State University, the only publicly funded HBCU in the state, had their Board of Trustees removed by a new law, SB1596, which was recently signed by Republican Gov. Bill Lee. The legislation which wiped out the board was passed by the state
GOP-controlled House on March 28 in a 66-25 vote. Lee said his decision to sign the bill stemmed from TSU officials inadequately allocating and properly documenting the use of funds. The Tennessee State Comptroller of the Treasury stated that TSU’s “management has repeatedly fallen short of sound fiscal practices, adequate documentation and
responsive communications to concerned parents and students.” They also stated that there have been multiple “inconsistencies between testimony given by TSU officials to state officials and actions later carried out.” According to the Tennessee State Comptroller of the Treasury, a new forensic audit of Tennessee State University “includes 57 observations
and 60 recommendations related to how TSU handles a variety of core responsibilities including budget monitoring, collecting tuition, awarding scholarships, and many more.” The report states, “While the audit clearly notes a number of deficient processes, auditors from CliftonLarsonAllen LLP did not identify evidence indicative of
fraud or malfeasance by executive leadership, the University, or the TSU Foundation.” Upon receiving a request for comment, Jenai Hayes, the institution’s director of public relations and strategic communications, sent the AFRO a statement on the matter. “This is unprecedented, Continued on A3
Officials work to clear wreckage of Key Bridge collapse, James A. Washington, champion of Black Press restore flow of business to Port of Baltimore By Megan Sayles AFRO Business Writer msayles@afro.com
afro.com
As authorities race to clear the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge from the Patapsco River, dock workers at the Port of Baltimore are experiencing mounting uncertainty about the future of their jobs. International Longshoremen’s Association
(ILA) Local 333, which represents 2,400 maritime workers at the port, already has more than 1,800 members out of work, according to President Scott Cowan. “It’s a scary time for us. I mean this is how our members feed their families, send their kids to private school and put gas in their cars,” said Cowan. “Without the docks they have problems doing that.” There is no timeline on when the Port of Baltimore, which ranks number one in auto shipments, will return to full capacity. Two temporary channels have been opened to allow limited vessel traffic, but Cowan said the passageways will not provide immediate relief to the dock workers. ILA is stepping in to cover workers’ retirement and healthcare benefits, but government assistance is required for lost wages.
“We need supplemental wages. We will take care of the rest internally. We’re not looking for somebody to cover everything for us, we can take care of ourselves,” said Cowan. “But, at a time like this where you never prepare for something like this happening, we do need
members. It’s about the truckers, the warehouse, the consumers and the economic driver in the port. We’re losing $191 million a day in economic impact by this channel not being open.” The Port of Baltimore contributes nearly $3.3 billion in total personal income to the
“Cargo needs to come back to Baltimore as quickly as possible.” help with some supplemental wages.” Cowan said workers can withstand a few weeks of the port being closed before it causes permanent damage to their livelihoods. “We need to get the shipping channel open so we can get back to work and get this economy rolling again for the state,” said Cowan. “It’s not just about the ILA
local economy. It generates more than $395 million in taxes and $2.6 billion in business income. More than 15,000 direct jobs and over 139,000 related jobs are supported by the port. Aside from ranking number one for automobiles, the Port of Baltimore also leads in farming and construction machinery and is
Continued on A3
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Business in the Port of Baltimore is significantly impacted as emergency crews remove debris from the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which crumbled shortly before 1:30 a.m. on March 26 after being struck by a container ship.
and journalism, dies at 73 By Donnell Suggs The Atlanta Voice James Washington, the president and general manager of The Atlanta Voice, a longtime advocate of the Black press, and the 2019 National Association of Black Journalist Legacy Award winner passed away surrounded by family and loved ones on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. He was 73. For over four decades Washington had been involved in nearly every level of the communications field. From his time as the publisher of The Dallas Weekly, a Black-owned and operated publication, to his work as the public relations manager for the Dallas Ballet, Washington had always been a strong representation of Black excellence and intelligence. Washington has twice served on the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce board, the Dallas Arboretum, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, and the National Newspaper Publishers Association. He is a former tri-chair of Dallas’ Commission on Race Relations and the Dallas Together Forum. He is also a former member of the Federal Reserve Bank’s Small Business and Agriculture
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Advisory Committee in Dallas. Jim was named “Man of the Year” in 1986 by the Dallas Metropolitan Club of Negro Business and Professional Women. Continued on A3
Photo courtesy of The Atlanta Voice
James A. Washington, the president and general manager of The Atlanta Voice, is being remembered as a longtime advocate of the Black press after his death on April 2.
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