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Tougaloo College said it received “concerning calls” following the commencement speech delivered by Texas Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett on Sunday, according to Black Enterprise. The HBCU is investigating threats, while Crockett called out these incidents.

The HBCU sent a letter to the campus community a day after commencement. 

Tougaloo College has launched an investigation

“We are not taking these occurrences lightly. Appropriate actions have been taken. Contact has been made with law enforcement authorities to ensure that safety protocols are in place, if needed,” Tougaloo College President Donzell Lee wrote. “As always, your continuing safety is our primary concern.”

Although Lee did not share details of the calls, he did ask those who received calls or noticed anything suspicious to report it.

“We are asking for your help in keeping our campus safe,” Lee added.

How did Rep. Jasmine Crockett react to news of threats?

Crockett suggested supporters of President Donald Trump were responsible for the threats.

“No low is too low for MAGA… now explain to me why an institution would be receiving threats because of the commencement speech that I GAVE,” she tweeted. “This type of behavior is why I’m constantly having to be protected & I understand that truth telling in this country; sadly, is a dangerous business, but college students don’t deserve this.”

She reiterated her comments about the importance of the Civil Rights movement she made in her keynote speech.

“As a side note: you consistently prove me right & just as this was the only campus that MLK could speak at in Mississippi in the 1960s… it’s 2025, and this country is still stuck on hate… I’m proud to say Tougaloo is tough & so am I,” she added.

No low is too low for MAGA… now explain to me why an institution would be receiving threats because of the commencement speech that I GAVE. This type of behavior is why I’m constantly having to be protected & I understand that truth telling in this country; sadly, is a… pic.twitter.com/SopOsPxdZB— Jasmine Crockett (@JasmineForUS) May 7, 2025

What was Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s commencement speech about?

Crockett received an honorary doctorate degree from Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Tougaloo alum. She was invited as this year’s commencement keynote speaker, according to Mississippi Public Broadcasting. 

During her speech Crockett spoke about the legacy left by civil rights activists at Tougaloo College. 

“How many times did you sit back and think about the fact that you walked the same hallowed grounds where the Tougaloo Nine organized,” she said. “For years you sat in the same seats as Anne Moody and Memphis Norman as you were bestowed with knowledge, skills and critical thought.”

She also made parallels between the Civil Rights Movements and today.

“Sadly enough, in the year of our Lord 2025, sitting in these very classrooms is just as much of a protest as Anne and Memphis pulling up to Woolworth’s in 1963,” Crockett added.

Jasmine Crockett’s inspiring commencement keynote speech at Tougaloo College’s graduation in Jackson, Mississippi, is going viral.”Your moment is now.” pic.twitter.com/eEhbZcJULF— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) May 7, 2025

The Congresswoman also suggested that her invitation to be a keynote speaker had received some backlash. 

“To think about the fact that people have to be fearful of having a sitting member of Congress to come and address their graduates, tells us that we still got a lot of work to do,” she said.

She still chose to deliver some words of encouragement to graduates.

“Your moment is now,” Crockett said. “This country is relying on each and every one of you to walk into your purpose and to walk in greatness with your head held high. There are going to be people that tell you that you don’t belong. I am here to tell you over and over and over that you absolutely belong.”

Four women who previously worked as housekeepers for Robinson filed a $50 million lawsuit against the “Who’s Lovin’ You“ singer and his wife, Frances Robinson, alleging years of sexual abuse at his properties. The suit also accuses Frances of maintaining […]

Blavity’s Shadow and Act has an exclusive preview of this week’s upcoming episode of Law & Order, featuring Mehcad Brooks and Reid Scott.

In the episode, titled “Tough Love”: A tough-love sports agent is found stabbed to death, leaving the squad with a trail of suspects who wanted him gone. Despite a wealth of evidence, Price and Maroun worry that a lack of motive will tank their case.   

Details on the ‘Tough Love’ episode of ‘Law & Order’

In the below clip, Shaw (Brooks) and Riley (Scott) visit the sons of their homicide victim, a well-known former football player and sports agent. They ask if their father had been having issues with anyone lately. 

Hugh Dancy, Tony Goldwyn, Odelya Halevi, Mehcad Brooks and Maura Tierney also star. Dick Wolf is the show’s creator and executive producer, with Rick Eid, Pamela Wechsler, Alex Hall and Peter Jankowski also executive producing.

When does the new ‘Law & Order’ episode air?

Check out the exclusive preview below: The episode airs Thursday at 8 p.m. on NBC.

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Legendary Motown singer Smokey Robinson faces multiple charges, including rape, sexual assault and creating a hostile work environment, in a lawsuit filed by lawyers representing four of his former housekeepers.

Rondell Sheridan, a beloved actor from That’s So Raven who portrayed the title character’s father, Victor, recently shared his health journey and asked fans for assistance with mounting medical expenses. 

In an Instagram video from his hospital bed, Sheridan revealed that his health troubles began in April while he was traveling. Doctors thought it was a gastric issue, but his condition worsened, leading to a diagnosis of severe pancreatitis. 

After returning home on April 12, he was hospitalized for nine days. Though he was discharged, his recovery has been complicated by ongoing inflammation. 

The 66-year-old expressed gratitude for the medical care he received but acknowledged the financial burden of being unable to work. To help cover his expenses, he launched a GoFundMe campaign.

Fans rally behind the actor

“Hey friends, it’s Rondell Sheridan here,” he said. “On April the 10th, I was on the road and got sick. I went to the hospital, and they thought it was gastric. I got home on the 12th, immediately went to the hospital at North Ridge, and was told it’s pancreatitis. Tons of tests. I was in the hospital for nine days. I got released, and I thought I was on the road to recovery, but… my pancreas is inflamed, and there’s not much you can do about it but just wait for the inflammation to go down.”

“If you have anything that you could donate, I would gladly appreciate it. Thank you so much,” Sheridan concluded. 

Fans have answered the call, with his campaign raising over $41,000 so far toward its $35,000 goal.

Dr. Cameisha Clark, who served as dean of the Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, was identified as the woman killed by a gunman in Inglewood, California, on Friday. Clark was in her office on campus when the gunman entered the building and opened fire, striking the 35-year-old educator and her receptionist, who has not been identified, per KTLA 5. While Clark died after she was taken to the hospital, the receptionist remains in stable condition.

Who is the suspect arrested for killing Cameisha Clark at Spartan College?

Police have identified 40-year-old Jesse Figueroa as the suspect in the Spartan College shooting. Figueroa fled the scene after the shooting, according to police, but he was later found in a neighborhood. The suspect, who worked as a security guard at Spartan College, is charged with one felony count of murder, one felony count of attempted murder, one felony count of possession of a firearm with prior violent convictions, and one felony count of possession of a firearm by a felon with prior convictions. Police haven’t yet identified the motive for the shooting.

How are loved ones remembering Cameisha Clark after she died in the shooting at Spartan College?

Friends and family are remembering Clark as a compassionate woman who loved to help students.

“We are beyond devastated,” Clark’s family said in a statement, per KTLA 5. “Cameisha’s life was taken from us far too soon, in an act of senseless violence that no woman should ever have to endure. She was an amazing person who didn’t deserve this. She was living her best life, doing the work she loved.”

The Atlanta native earned her bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and doctorate in education from Clark Atlanta University.

District Attorney Hochman is vowing to find justice for Clark.

“Any student, faculty member or employee should feel safe and secure going to school,” Hochman said, per ABC 7. “This horrific act of gun violence has shaken Spartan College and our entire community. We will file all appropriate gun enhancements in this case and send a clear message to criminals that violence will not be tolerated in Los Angeles County.”

Former Memphis police officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith have been acquitted on all state charges after allegedly beating 29-year-old Tyre Nichols to death during a traffic stop in 2023.

The jury made its ruling on Wednesday after deliberating for over eight hours, CNN reported. The former officers, who are released immediately, embraced their lawyers after hearing the verdict while their loved ones cried in the courtroom.

Desmond Mills Jr. and Emmitt Martin, two other officers who were involved in the fatal incident, didn’t stand for trial because they agreed to plead guilty to the state charges.

What happened to Tyre Nichols during a traffic stop in 2023?

Nichols was stopped by Memphis police in 2023 for allegedly driving recklessly, per NBC News.

“Get the f**k out the f**king car!” an officer was heard screaming before pulling Nichols out of his car.

Nichols, however, insisted that he didn’t do anything wrong. Officers proceeded to use pepper spray and a taser on Nichols, who then fled on foot. Police said he ran toward his mother’s house, but officers caught up to him just before he reached the home. That’s when bodycam footage showed police brutally beating Nichols while he screamed, “Mom!” Protestors across the country demonstrated for justice shortly after Nichols’ death.

How is the public reacting to the acquittal of 3 former Memphis police officers in the case of Tyre Nichols?

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy, who spoke to reporters outside the courtroom after hearing the verdict, said he’s “obviously disappointed” by the decision.

If Tyre Nichols was white, there’s no way 3 Black officers would’ve been found non-guilty. Even without the video evidence, they would’ve been hung. pic.twitter.com/dz9EgcOTOF— Angel Jones, PhD (@AngelJonesPhD) May 7, 2025

“We respect the jury’s decision, but we obviously strongly disagree with it,” Mulroy said, per NBC News. “We, in good faith, brought this case, and I am convinced to this day that we had compelling evidence that showed that there was proof for every element of every one of the offenses that we charged. The jury took a different view. That is, of course, their right. That’s the part of the decision.”

The attorney said he doesn’t have an explanation for how the jury made its ruling, but he’s especially surprised because “there wasn’t a single guilty verdict on any of the counts or any of the lesser included offenses, given the overwhelming evidence.”

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump also expressed his disappointment as he released a statement with lawyer Antonio Romanucci.

“Tyre’s life was stolen, and his family was denied the justice they so deeply deserve. We are outraged, and we know we are not alone,” the pair said in the statement, per NBC News.

What’s next for the 3 former officers involved in Tyre Nichols’ death?

The five officers involved in Nichols’ death are still awaiting for sentencing on several federal charges — including second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.

WeightWatchers, the popular weight-loss program, announced Tuesday that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to eliminate $1.15 billion in debt and position the company for “long-term growth and success” to “better serve its millions of members” worldwide.