Johnson C. Smith University and Livingstone College held a press conference on Wednesday, June 9th at the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce to announce their plan to expand the Commemorative Classic
Charlotte, NC – Johnson C. Smith University and Livingstone College held a press conference on Wednesday, June 9th at the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce to announce their plan to expand the Commemorative Classic. The second annual Commemorative Classic will be played on Saturday, November 6, 2010 with a 1:00 pm kickoff, but in addition to the contest, a two-day symposium on the Black and Minority Male Crisis will take place on November 4th-5th.
J.C. Smith and Livingstone will join with the leadership of an interdenominational coalition in North and South Carolina to host the symposium. The theme of the symposium is: Black and Minority Males Taking Flight through Personal Development, Knowledge Sharing and Commitment to Community.
The goal of the symposium is to define corrective strategies employed on a regional basis that aid in preparation for manhood and engaged citizenship thus mediating the local crises among Black and other minority males.
Dr. Ronald Carter, JCSU President, also announced that in addition to the two-day symposium for this year's classic that both institutions are planning for a two-year collaborative research project on The Black/Minority Males in America: Identification, Impact, Diversion, and Redirection. “We plan to engage noted researchers from around the country such as The CollegeBoard Advocacy and Policy Center as well as our own institutions,” stated Carter. “Results and specific actionable items will be presented at the 2012 Commemorative Classic Black and Minority Male Institute, as we celebrate the 120th game between Johnson C. Smith and Livingstone College.”
“We are very proud of our football teams and the competitiveness that exists between us and other teams that we play; however, the establishment of the Commemorative Classic is about a clarion call to our students, other HBCUs, and the public-at-large, serving notice that our ultimate responsibility is to be communiversities, address the needs of our communities, creating agents of change and being the places where the ills of society are being resolved and that society can look to us as repositories of truth, and we all know that it is the truth that will set us free,” said Dr. Jimmy Jenkins, President of Livingstone College.
Topics to be covered include health and wellness, relationship development, leadership development, gang and violence recognition/prevention, and others. Appearances include nationally-recognized speakers, noted Black athletes, music groups, and others. Activities include workshops, panel discussions, break-out sessions, team building exercises and more.
Pittsburgh Steelers great and the guest speaker of the inaugural Commemorative Classic Donnie Shell was on hand for the press conference, along with former Dallas Cowboy and JCSU Alum Pettis Norman (who teleconferenced in).
The classic this year is scheduled to be played at Charlotte Memorial Stadium on Saturday, November 6th at 1:00 pm. JCSU won the inaugural classic last season (30-15) in Salisbury, NC. This match-up dates back to December 27, 1892 when both schools played in the snows of Salisbury, NC. The Golden Bulls earned the historic first victory (5-0) and the rivalry continues.
