Building Resilience in Young Black Males: Determining the Factors that Lead to Success for Black Men in America

It is no secret that Black men have struggled over the years to obtain the same level of high earning financial success as their White counterparts. Black men face an incredible challenge with regard to educational obtainment, career success, and physical health. Black men are often revered as the most dangerous, least educated, and more unhealthy than any other race or gender. This must change. This researcher investigated the lives of eight successful Black men with the hope of determining how they were able to attain their success. The findings of this research suggest that there are several factors that are key contributors in becoming a successful Black man in America. With a greater understanding of how Black men have managed to gain success, despite the obstacles they have faced, it is hopeful that this research will help other Black men reach the level of success that is often desired and seldom realized.

Symbol for a Community: The Dickens Opera House and Theaters of the American West

This paper reveals the importance of the Dickens Opera House to the local history of Longmont, Colorado. Through an exploration of pioneer history and of architectural patronage and audience accommodation, this paper illustrates how the Dickens Opera House participated in the construction of cultural identity and civic aspirations of the city of Longmont. Using the Tabor Opera House of Leadville and Wright Opera House of Ouray as framing examples to place the Dickens Opera House within its proper architectural and historical context, I approach the building’s inception, construction, and early years as a way to track the early civic identity of a community through a work of architecture. The Dickens Opera House provided a point for the citizens of Longmont to focus their hopes of success and respectability in a newly formed community. An opera house provided a high-class perception of a town that provided a projection of respectability. Such a construction was built from various sources – the architecture of the building, simply calling the building an ‘opera house’, furnishings in the latest fashions and equipment of the latest technology, and extravagant scenery and curtains. In addition to these outward projections, opera houses also provided a place for community events. It was the location in town that brought people together.

Minority Coaches in the NFL: An Examination of Hiring Patterns as a Basis for Recommendations for Improved Employment Practices

Hiring minority coaches is a serious concern in the National Football League (NFL). The NFL's hiring practices are inconsistent, specifically for minority candidates. The author investigates why NFL teams underutilize minority coaches with research from Central Florida University and the University of Pennsylvania. Research findings suggest that minority hires positively affect the NFL, yet the hiring process remains weak. Case study examples show the poor decision-making trends of NFL personnel, implying that although minority coaches' success is better than non-minorities, the negative perception of minorities, as aspiring head coaches and leaders, is a barrier. As a result, the NFL has a unique opportunity to improve its hiring process by aligning its approach to hiring within the guidelines of federal law.