Ivory Toldson, deputy director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), will participate on a panel at the 100 Black Men of America Inc. annual conference in Hollywood, Florida, on Thursday, June 12. The panel is titled “Optimizing the Learning Experiences and College Readiness of African American Youth: What Does It Really Take and Why?” Toldson’s remarks will focus on the opportunity gaps in curriculum offerings, gifted education, Advanced Placement courses, and SAT/ACT preparation, in addition to racial disparities in school discipline and teacher qualifications that marginalize learning opportunities for students of color. In addition, he will discuss the proposed Race to the Top Equity and Opportunity grant program and the White House Initiative on HBCUs.
The overall concept of the 100 Black Men of America Inc. began in New York in 1963 and soon spread to other states. Today, 100 Black Men of America Inc. has grown to more than 116 chapters with more than 10,000 members who strive to improve the quality of life and enhance the educational and economic opportunities for African Americans.