Dr. Fredrick Humphries: The man, the myth, the legend

 

 

In the Florida A&M University journalism system, the people are represented by two separate, yet equally important groups.  The university administration, who often sugar-coats events, and The Famuan, which digs continually for the truth. These are our stories.

Since the 1950s, The Famuan has been the informative voice of our students and the university and has been a free forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions.

FAMU has had its ups and downs, its triumphs and losses, but one thing, the spirit and drive for education, has remained the same throughout a tumultuous 125-year past, the spirit and drive for education.

We feel that over those years, The Famuan has been honest and strived to uphold the cannons of solid, accurate journalism. We often hear from our readers that we have asked the questions on everyone’s mind that normally go unanswered. The articles that make it into print are true, regardless of how the end product portrays FAMU.

Although no one has been on staff for an extended period of time, we all carry the torch of those before us who have strived to bring top-notch coverage of noteworthy events at FAMU and in Tallahassee. As the only HBCU within the state university system, we have made a mark as a top contender across the board, in all facets and outlets.

The Famuan has always been open to any student, but in the past has seemed unapproachable. We feel we have tried to extend an open invitation and become more inclusive. In the changing face of the world, working at The Famuan means more today than it ever did before.

Our goal has always been to engage readers and to provide information that is beneficial to students, alumni, faculty and staff. Being part of The Famuan staff isn’t easy and last year’s events involving hazing were a true test. It seemed like the student body expected us to be silent about everything that was going on, but that’s not our role. We don’t “make” the news; we are observers.

People have to realize that our main goal is to present accurate information in the midst of triumph and scandal. We have made mistakes, but what human hasn’t?

One staff member said, “The only regret I have is not joining the Famuan staff before this year because doing so would have honed my skills early on.”

Moving forward, we hope to provide more for the student body, both in content and social engagement of ideas, and always welcome new, diverse views within our pages.