Posts tagged with "eji"

Trump Administration Pressure Forces UAB to End Black Med Student Scholarship

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A Step Backward

A recent decision by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has ignited a critical conversation about race, access to healthcare, and the future of diversity initiatives in American education. UAB has terminated the privately funded Herschell Lee Hamilton, M.D., Endowed Scholarship in Medicine, a program specifically designed to support high-performing Black medical students, following threats from the Trump administration.

Need to Know

  • The Scholarship: Established in 2013, the Herschell Lee Hamilton, M.D., Endowed Scholarship provided tuition assistance to Black medical students at UAB who maintained a 3.0 GPA and demonstrated financial need. It was entirely funded by the Hamilton family and other private donors.
  • Federal Intervention: In February, the Trump administration issued a “Dear Colleague” letter, asserting that federal law prohibits the use of race in scholarship decisions. This was followed by a Department of Education investigation into UAB and six other universities for “impermissible race-based scholarships.”
  • UAB’s Decision: Citing the federal warnings, UAB informed donors on April 11 that it would discontinue the scholarship and return funds, stating that the criteria could not be amended to comply with the law while maintaining the scholarship’s intent.
  • Dr. Herschell Lee Hamilton’s Legacy: Dr. Hamilton was a World War II veteran and a pivotal figure in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham, known as “The Dog Bite Doctor” for treating protestors injured by police. He was the city’s first Black general surgeon certified by the American Medical Association and dedicated his life to addressing health disparities and recruiting Black doctors.
  • Physician Shortage in Alabama: Alabama faces a severe physician shortage, particularly of Black doctors. Only 7% of doctors in Alabama are Black, despite Black residents making up approximately 26% of the population. Research shows that counties with more Black doctors have better health outcomes for Black and marginalized patients.

Key Takeaways

This situation highlights a concerning trend where efforts to address historical inequities and improve health outcomes are being undermined by legal and political challenges. The cancellation of the Hamilton scholarship, despite its private funding and clear alignment with addressing a critical need for diverse medical professionals, represents a significant setback. It underscores the vulnerability of targeted diversity programs to shifting political interpretations of federal law.

The decision also draws attention to the ongoing impact of systemic racism on healthcare. Dr. Hamilton’s own experiences, where despite his excellence, he faced segregation in hospitals, serve as a stark reminder of the deep-seated issues that necessitate initiatives like this scholarship.

Implications for American Culture

The implications of UAB’s decision extend far beyond Alabama. This action could set a precedent for other institutions, leading to the dismantling of similar diversity and inclusion programs across various sectors.

  • Erosion of DEI Initiatives: The pressure on UAB to terminate a privately funded, race-specific scholarship could accelerate the erosion of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs nationwide. This aligns with a broader political climate that often views race-conscious initiatives as discriminatory, rather than as tools to rectify historical injustices and promote equitable access.
  • Impact on Healthcare Disparities: Given the documented benefits of diverse healthcare workforces, particularly in underserved communities, limiting the pipeline of Black physicians could exacerbate existing health disparities. This directly impacts the health and well-being of vulnerable populations, especially in states like Alabama with critical healthcare access issues.
  • Historical Revisionism: The Department of Education’s stance, as described by Dr. Hamilton’s son, suggests a denial of the historical context of racial disparities. To ignore the legacy of segregation and systemic barriers that Black Americans have faced in fields like medicine is to deny the very reasons why programs like the Hamilton scholarship were created. This contributes to a dangerous trend of downplaying or dismissing the persistent effects of racism in American society.
  • The Role of Private Philanthropy: This case raises questions about the ability of private donors to direct their funds towards specific, impactful causes if those causes are later deemed impermissible by federal interpretation. It could deter future philanthropic efforts aimed at addressing specific societal needs.

The Impact of DEI Programs on American Society

DEI programs are not merely about checking boxes; they are designed to create a more just, equitable, and ultimately stronger American society.

  • Addressing Historical Injustice: DEI initiatives acknowledge and attempt to rectify the long-standing impacts of discrimination and systemic barriers that have historically excluded marginalized groups from opportunities.
  • Enhancing Innovation and Progress: Diverse perspectives lead to more comprehensive problem-solving, innovation, and a richer understanding of complex issues. In fields like medicine, this translates to better patient care and more effective public health strategies.
  • Improving Social Cohesion: By promoting inclusion and understanding across different groups, DEI programs can foster greater social cohesion and reduce societal divisions.
  • Strengthening the Workforce: A diverse workforce is more representative of the population it serves, leading to better outcomes in healthcare, education, business, and other critical sectors. As seen in Alabama, the lack of diversity in the medical field has tangible negative impacts on health outcomes for Black residents.

The UAB scholarship cancellation is a stark reminder that progress towards a more equitable society is not guaranteed and often faces significant resistance. The ongoing debate surrounding race-conscious programs highlights a fundamental tension in American society: how to balance the ideal of colorblindness with the reality of persistent racial disparities and the need for targeted interventions to achieve true equality. The legacy of Dr. Herschell Lee Hamilton, who tirelessly fought for justice and access, serves as a powerful call to continue advocating for programs that ensure all Americans, regardless of race, have the opportunity to thrive and contribute to a healthier nation.

The Killing of a White Civil Rights Champion in America

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In early March 1965, a peaceful crowd of 600 people began a protest march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, to show their support for Black voting rights. Police armed with batons, pepper spray, and guns attacked the marchers on Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge in a violent assault that came to be known as “Bloody Sunday.”

After the attack, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other organizers remained determined to complete the march. Dr. King urged clergy to come to Selma and join the march to Montgomery. Hundreds of clergy from across the country heeded the call and traveled to Selma; one of them was the Reverend James Reeb, a 38-year-old white Unitarian minister from Boston.

On March 9th, Dr. King led 2,500 marchers onto the Edmund Pettus Bridge for a short prayer session. That evening, three white ministers–Orloff Miller, Clark Olsen, and James Reeb–were attacked and beaten by a group of white men opposed to their civil rights work. The Rev. Reeb was struck in the head with a club and suffered a severe skull fracture and brain damage.

Fearing that he would not be treated at the “white only” Selma Hospital, doctors at Selma’s Black Burwell Infirmary ordered the Rev. Reeb rushed to the Birmingham hospital. After a series of unfortunate events, including car trouble and confrontations with local police, the Rev. Reeb reached the hospital in Birmingham in critical condition. He died on March 11, 1965, leaving behind his wife and four children. Three white men later indicted for the Rev. Reeb’s murder were ultimately acquitted by an all-white jury.

More widely reported than the death of local Black activist Jimmie Lee Jackson a few weeks earlier, the Rev. Reeb’s death brought national attention to the voting rights struggle. The death also moved President Lyndon B. Johnson to call a special session of Congress, where he urged legislators to pass the Voting Rights Act. Congress did so, and President Johnson signed the act into law in August 1965.

For more on the history of racial injustice in America, follow Equal Justice Initiative, (EJI).

The Lynching of Frazier Baker

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Frazier Baker, the first African American to be elected as U.S. postmaster for Lake City, South Carolina, was a prominent figure in the Civil Rights Movement. He was born in 1908 in Lake City and attended segregated schools. After graduating from high school, he worked as a farmer and a teacher.

In 1946, Baker was elected as the president of the Lake City branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He also served as the president of the South Carolina NAACP from 1951 to 1955.

During the Civil Rights Movement, Baker was a leading figure in the fight for voting rights for African Americans. He was arrested several times for his activism, but he never gave up.

In 1966, Baker was elected as the U.S. postmaster for Lake City. He was the first African American to hold this position. Baker served as postmaster until his retirement in 1972.

Baker was a dedicated civil rights activist and a respected community leader. And although he left a lasting legacy of fighting for justice and equality in America, he was dealt the cruelty of racism and hate by a white mob.

On February 22, 1898, a white mob lynched Dr. Frazier Baker along with his infant daughter, Julia. The mob also injured Baker’s wife, Lavinia, and two of their remaining children. Lavinia and the five surviving children managed to flee.

Read a detailed report on Frazier Baker by Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), HERE.

A History Of Racial Injustice

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On this day — Apr 05, 1880

Black West Point Cadet Brutally Beaten by White Students Days Before Graduation

In the early hours of the morning on April 5, 1880, Cadet Johnson Whittaker, one of the first Black students in the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, was brutally beaten by white cadets while sleeping in his barracks. Three white cadets ambushed Cadet Whittaker, slashed his head and ears, burned his Bible, threatened his life, and then left him in his underwear, tied to the bed and bleeding profusely.

Born enslaved in South Carolina in 1858, Cadet Whittaker received a congressional appointment to the U.S. Military Academy in 1876. For most of his time at West Point, Cadet Whittaker was the only Black cadet at the institution; he endured social exclusion and racial terrorism perpetrated at the hands of white cadets and faculty alike. Twenty-three Black cadets attended West Point between 1870 and 1890, but due to the violent discrimination that they faced, only three graduated. Cadet Whittaker would later testify that he had “read and heard about the treatment that [Black] cadets received there, and expected to be ostracized.”

After Cadet Whittaker reported to West Point administrators that he had been attacked, the institution opened an investigation into him and declined to hold his white attackers accountable. Administrators instead claimed that Cadet Whittaker had staged the attack to get out of his final exams, and in May, a West Point court of inquiry found Cadet Whittaker guilty of that charge. He was forced to take his final exams while incarcerated and withstand court-martial proceedings in New York City where the army prosecutor repeatedly referred to Black people as an “inferior race” known to “feign and sham.”

In January 1881, Brigadier General N.A. Miles affirmed Cadet Whittaker’s conviction and authorized him to be expelled from West Point, dishonorably discharged from the military, and held for continued imprisonment. Cadet Whittaker’s case was ultimately forwarded to President Chester A. Arthur for approval, and, a year later, President Arthur issued an executive order overturning the conviction based on a finding that military prosecutors had relied on improperly admitted evidence. By the time of President Arthur’s intervention, Cadet Whittaker had been incarcerated for nearly two years; even after his conviction was overturned, West Point reinstated Cadet Whittaker’s expulsion, claiming he had failed an exam.

Johnson Whittaker went on to work in several professional fields and raise a family, including several generations of descendants who served in the U.S. military. In 1995, more than 60 years after his death, Mr. Whittaker’s heirs accepted the commission he would have received upon graduating West Point. At the ceremony, President Bill Clinton remarked: “We cannot undo history. But today, finally, we can pay tribute to a great American and we can acknowledge a great injustice.”

To learn more the racial discrimination and violence Black service members and veterans have faced in the U.S. military, explore EJI’s report, Lynching in America: Targeting Black Veterans.

Portrait of Cadet Whittaker at the court-martial proceedings. (Library of Congress)