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Renowned author Clifton Taulbert returns, sheds light on Black Wall Street at Men in Black Awards

By Diana Fedinec

CliftonRenowned Mississippi author, international business consultant and global speaker, Clifton L. Taulbert, was back by popular demand to serve as the keynote speaker at the VIRTUAL celebration of Project M.O.S.T.’s (Men of Southwest Tennessee) Men in Black Awards event Friday, Feb. 12.

Taulbert’s, presentation, “Black Wall Street Remembered: A Story of Possibilities,” provided insight on the historical legacy of Tulsa’s “Black Wall Street” and its significance for today.

“History is our greatest teacher,” said Taulbert to the M.O.S.T. students. “When we allow the lessons of history to become part of the thinking process, our present reality and future possibilities become undergirded with truth. When we move forward guided by truth, we leave clear paths and much needed light for the generations who follow.”

Located in the Greenwood district of Oklahoma, “Black Wall Street” was an affluent community and epicenter of African American businesses in the United States during the early 20th century, until it was destroyed in 1921 in one of the worst incidents of racial violence in American history.  This year marks the 100th anniversary of the “Tulsa Race Massacre.”

In chronicling the history of Black Wall Street, Taulbert said the area, at one point in time, had more people with doctorate degrees than in any other place in the U.S.  “The people who established Black Wall Street understood what it took to make their dreams come true and they set out to do it.  We must bring back that intentionality and tell our story every day, every chance we get,” he said.

Project M.O.S.T. Director Kariem -Abdul Salaam said this year’s awards ceremony carried with it a great deal of significance in light of the tremendous challenges faced by students that were caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “The pandemic disproportionately impacted African American populations, yet these M.O.S.T. scholars persevered in moving forward with their education. Their grit and tenacity and focus on student success is to be admired and deserving of recognition.”

Men in Black awards recognize the academic achievements and community service of M.O.S.T. members. The name Men in Black is reflective of Project M.O.S.T.’s mission to change the perceptions associated with men of color by paying homage to the color black and how it represents academic success as the traditional color of college graduation regalia. Project M.O.S.T. is grant-funded through the U.S. Department of Education's Predominantly Black Institutions program to provide tools to increase the college success rate of African American male students.

Congratulations to the following MOST Award winners:

The All-M.O.S.T. Awards

  • Robbijon Miller (Awarded posthumously. Mr. Miller passed away November 8, 2020, but earned a 4.0 GPA for the fall 2020 semester).
  • Andre’ Johnson

The M.O.S.T. Faculty Teamwork Award

  • Levi Frazier, Jr., Associate Professor, Communications and Graphic Arts

The GRIT Awards

  • Derrick Boyce
  • Kevin Lane
  • Stanley Payne

To see the list of M.O.S.T. members recognized for their academic achievements, click here:

Combined – Men in Black 2021 Awards
To watch Taulbert’s presentation and the Men in Black Awards on-demand, visit Southwest’s You Tube Channel at https://youtu.be/0UqnKUx5GUg or click graphic below.

Clifton

For more information about Project M.O.S.T., contact Kariem -Abdul Salaam at ksalaam@southwest.tn.edu.