Feb. Issue (1)

February 18, 2021
@vsu_spectator
@vsuspectator
Special Edition
WCDEFW
CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MO N T H
WHAT’S INSIDE
Copeland Museum gleams into Black history Page 4
Shades of Melanin Page 6
Black Lives Matter nominated for Nobel Peace Prize Page 9

February 18, 2021
In our opinion.
The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com Page 2
Editorial
VSU Withdrawal Policy is not a free pass
The VSU Withdrawal Policy
allows students five withdrawals
from any class. After five
withdrawals are used, an
automatic F will show up on a
student’s academic transcript for
any subsequent withdrawals.
The Student Government
Association disagrees with the
policy and is hoping to get it
revised to allow students to use
more than five withdrawals.
SGA has been hosting town
hall meetings for the past week so
students can voice their concerns
about the policy.
Students are humans.
Humans make mistakes and
sometimes those mistakes can be
fixed.
However, when those mistakes
are made repeatedly, a life
line should not be warranted
repeatedly.
According to the current VSU
Withdrawal Policy, a withdrawal
is “a mechanism for students to
leave classes when they believe
that they will not be successful.”
There’s no telling what causes
a student to earn a failing grade in
a class, but sometimes it’s not a
student’s fault, which is why there
are other withdrawal policies
such as the hardship and medical
withdrawal policies.
Some students, however,
choose to take advantage of the
withdrawal policy and use it as
a way to sample certain classes
before they fully commit, which
is why VSU’s administration
chose to put a limit on the number
of withdrawals back in 2010.
Nonetheless, the withdrawal
policy is not a glorified free pass.
It’s more so a wakeup call.
The policy should be revised,
but instead of increasing the
amount of withdrawals for all
students, the administration
should examine a tiered
policy according to students’
classification.
The tiered Withdrawal Policy
would serve as a way to limit
students’ abuse of the policy but
still help those students in dire
need of a lifeline.
What some students don’t
understand is that withdrawals
not only hurt them but also other
students.
When students take up seats
in classes that they don’t intend
to stay in, other students who
Meet the Editors
need the class lose out on the
opportunity to take the class they
need.
Using withdrawals will also
cost you.
Even though students avoid
receiving an F on their academic
transcript, they don’t avoid losing
financial aid that could have been
used for other obligations.
Lastly, employers will still see
a W on a students’ transcript.
This can indicate to employers a
student’s lack of effort and cause
them to lose job opportunities.
We say all this to say that
withdrawals should be available
as a last resort.
Students would do better to
find other solutions, such as
talking to their professors or
attending tutoring sessions if
they find themselves in trouble
academically.
If those methods prove
ineffective, then a student should
resort to a withdrawal.
There has to be a reasonable
withdrawal mechanism for
students to use who desperately
need it.
But when withdrawals are
abused, they’re useless.
The tiered withdrawal policy
will hold students accountable
while still serving its purpose
-This editorial was written by a
member of the editorial staff and
expresses the general opinion of
The Spectator.
Lenah Allen
Editor-in-Chief
lrallen@valdosta.edu
Kayla Pool
Managing/ News Editor
kepool@valdosta.edu
Zach Edmondson
Sports Editor
zmedmondson@valdosta.edu
Kilie Huckleby
Campus Life Editor
kahuckleby@valdosta.edu
Torrence Weaver Jr.
Berliner/Entertainment
Editor
tmweaver@valdosta.edu
Isabella Schneider
Copy Editor
imschneider@valdosta.edu
Gracie Lucas
Digital Content Editor
mglucas@valdosta.edu
Camille Grube-Hall
Web Editor
clgrube-hall@valdosta.edu
Bailey A Storey
Photo Editor
bastorey@valdosta.edu
Sarahi Montero
Graphic Design Editor
smontero@valdosta.edu
Jonnie Brewer
Assistant Copy Editor
grfriedman@valdosta.edu
Gwenivere Friedman
Assistant Social Media
Editor
grfriedman@valdosta.edu
Get weekly updates of your campus
and community news.
www.vsuspectator.com
Come visit us on
Wednesday nights at
5:30 in Hopper 1238

February 18, 2021
The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com Page 3
News
Photo Courtesy of The Mary Turner Project
The memorial was erected to recognize Mary Turner and many others who were victims in Lowndes and Brooks County during a lynching spree in 1918.
Mary Turner Memorial vandalism shows disrespect
Alora Bethay
Staff Writer
aabethay@valdosta.edu
Subject matter and opportunity
These are the two most
important factors Captain Stryde
Jones at the Lowndes County
Sheriff’s Office has looked at
regarding his investigation of the
Mary Turner memorial in Hahira,
Georgia.
In October 2020, the Mary
Turner memorial was removed
due to extensive damages after
it was shot over 20 times and hit
with off-road vehicles.
“This wasn’t the first time it
was vandalized; it was shot a few
months after being put up,” Jones
said.“But this is the first time it’s
been damaged enough to warrant
it being taken down.”
The memorial was erected
to recognize Mary Turner and
Jonnie Brewer
aSSiStant Copy ediotr
jasheehan@valdosta.edu
On Feb. 3, VSU students
and faculty received an email
regarding the campus becoming
a distribution center for the
COVID-19 vaccine starting next
week. However, this doesn’t mean
the vaccine will immediately be
available to students.
Students may have noticed a
survey immediately upon logging
into MyVSU. The survey was
created to determine and who
does or doesn’t want to receive
the vaccine.
Phase 1A+ includes those apart
of the health services staff, VSU
police department, counseling
center, community therapy,
nursing faculty and students in a
clinical setting, athletics medical
staff and trainers and those 65
years of age and older.
Phase 1B includes COVID-19
residential life, food delivery
personnel, custodial and
disinfecting personnel, education
students who are student teaching
for K-12 and all VSU employees.
Phase 1C includes students
between the ages of 16 to 64 with
many others who were victims
in Lowndes and Brooks County
during a lynching spree in 1918.
An article written by Walter
F. White, the assistant secretary
of the NAACP in 1918, explains
that, “Hampton Smith, whose
murder was the immediate cause
of the holocaust of lynchings, was
the owner of a large plantation in
Brooks County.”
Smith was shot by his
employee, 19-year-old Sidney
Johnson after Smith severely beat
him because he claimed he was
too sick to return to work.
Mary Turner spoke out about
the murder of her husband Hazel
(Hayes) Turner. Hayes Tuner
had been arrested in connection
with Johnson and was placed in
the Quitman Jail. For reasons
unknown however, Hayes was
being moved to a different
location but was taken en route
a medical condition that increases
their risk of severe COVID-19.
Phase 2 includes all VSU
students. Being in phase 1A+,
students can expect a wait on their
turn for the vaccine.
Dr. Robert Smith, provost
and vice president for academic
affairs, says the purpose of the
phases is that there is a small
fraction of doses compared to the
number of Americans who could
potentially be vaccinated.
“The CDC (Center for Disease
Control) has recommended to
all 50 states and the District
of Columbia a tier system,”
Dr. Smith said. “The state
then, in turn, have made minor
medications to that system, so
currently GA is in tier 1A+.”
Dr. Vince Miller, vice president
for student affairs, said the
COVID-19 task force for VSU
hope the vaccine will be available
as soon as Monday, Feb. 8.
“The challenge is that all the
vaccines are distributed through
public health, so the lengthy
process – even to be able to allow
us to be a part of the process – is
controlled by the public health,”
he said. “They allowed us to
submit our order this week and
and lynched about three and a half
miles from the town, according to
White’s article.
While both Mary and her
Husband had worked for Smith,
Mary publicly denied her husband
had any involvement with
Hamilton Smith and later said she
would request warrants for those
responsible for his death. Her
words angered the mob who then
set out to “teach her a lesson.”
Mary attempted to flee when
she heard the mob was after her,
but was caught, beaten, set on fire,
hung and shot multiple times.
It was this horrific event that
began several anti-lynching
protests all across America.
Though lynching is illegal today,
the Senate has yet to pass the
Emmett Till Antilynching Act
purposed by representative Bobby
Rush from Illinois in 2018.
The bill named after Emmet
were told we should receive them
early next week.”
According to Dr. Miller, the
uncertainty of not knowing the
exact day VSU will receive the
vaccine causes a challenge in
scheduling appointments on
campus.
Dr. Smith says the Department
of Public Health (DPH) has
received fewer doses than wanted.
“Here in Lowndes County,
the Department of Public Health
is distributing the vaccine as
well as some pharmacies and
South Georgia Regional Medical
Center, and the Department of
Public health started cancelling
appointments a week and a half
ago because they didn’t have
enough vaccines,” he said.
Dr. Smith said the process is
fluid and open, so the DPH can’t
know what is going to happen
until it happens.
VSU will be receiving both
the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine
next week, according to VSU’s
COVID-19 vaccination plan.
VSU does not have control
over when the phases begin or the
amount of vaccine is received.
Dr. Miller says the Georgia
Department of Public Health has
Till, a 14-year-old victim of a
brutal lynching in 1955 would
make lynching a federal crime in
America.
There may be no explanations
for the destruction to the
memorial, though several
organizations like the Mary
Turner Project have come together
to not only educate people on the
significance of these monuments
but to implore people to educate
themselves on the history of their
country.
“We should bring them up
because these events remain one
of the most gruesome cases of
racism and racial terrorism in
this nation’s history, yet they are
omitted from the history we teach
our children. We should bring
them up because Mary Turner’s
murder remains one of the most
horrific crimes committed against
a human being in this nation’s
an application through Georgia
Registry of Immunization
Transactions and Services
(GRITS), which is the data
base for vaccines, including the
COVID-19 vaccine.
“There were a number of steps
to be taken to verify we were
a functioning facility, that we
had the storage capacity, and
our individuals were trained on
distribution and handling the
vaccine,” he said.
The application process had to
be completed in order for VSU
to be approved to distribute the
vaccination, and it required those
leading vaccination efforts to
go through training and receive
a certificate before submitting
the application, according to Dr.
Miller.
In order to carry out the
vaccines, VSU had to have the
proper, laboratory grade freezers
to keep the vaccines in the right
storage.
“They are specialty equipment
that’s used in science and medical
labs,” Dr. Miller said. “We
probably invested $20,000 in that
equipment.”
Dr. Miller said the federal
government is providing relief
history. And last but not least, we
should bring these events up so
we can face our collective past in
order to see how it might affect
the present and the future. Please
help us do that.” -Mary Turner
Project
Denying history so that we can
feel comforted in the present is
something many people choose
to do, and the destruction of this
memorial is proof of that.
A monument recognizing a
painful part of the South’s history
is being attacked because the
belief in that history is optional.
A large part of honoring Black
History Month is educating and
understanding that history.
To learn more information on
the Mary Turner lynchings as well
as other historical events visit
http://www.maryturner.org/
VSU becomes distribution center for COVID-19 vaccine
funds for higher education
institutions for COVID-19
management, so VSU is intending
on submitting that expense for
reimbursement.
The vaccine is free of charge
for those at VSU.
Dr. Smith says it’s important
to note that things are rapidly
changing, and students should
stay tuned for any changes and
news.
Wyatt Brady, a junior public
relations major, said it’s a good
idea that VSU is becoming a
distributer for the COVID-19
vaccine.
“It’s really cool to go to a
college that cares about the
community and its students
enough to take on such a big
task,” Brady said. “I am excited to
see how much VSU offering the
vaccine helps the community.”
Social distancing, wearing
masks and reporting cases is still
important and required alongside
the vaccine becoming available.
More information on the phases
and scheduling can be found at
https://www.valdosta.edu/healthadvisory/covid-vaccines.php.

Page 4 The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
February 18, 2021
TREASURE TROVE
Copeland Museum gleams into Black history
Madison Gruber
Campus Life assistant
magruber@valdosta.edu
VSU’s Copeland African
American Museum (CAAM) features
different artifacts in Thaxton
Hall with new hours provided for
Black History Month.
CAAM has a wide-ranging number
of precious artifacts of African
American descent that help to
create the heritage that exists
today. This includes letters from
historical figures, instruments that
were played by bona fide artists
and clips from events that paved
the way we live today.
More artifacts include, but are not
limited to, the autographed Muhammad
Ali boxing gloves that
started his career, a letter typed
by Martin Luther King, Jr. and a
short script written by Tupac.
CAAM’s mission is to honor
and preserve historical artifacts
that show how African American
culture has provided for current
times. By showing the different
types of history, CAAM hopes
to encourage conversations that
engage diverse people.
The journey of the CAAM began
in 2016 when Dr. Roy Copeland
and his wife, Dr. Cheryl Copeland,
created a space where people
can be filled with American
history, and be educated on the
contributions that African Americans
have made to the culture.
Photo Courtesy of Bailey Storey
Copeland African American Museum is in Thaxton Hall which has African American artifacts.
Touring CAAM will help you increase
your knowledge as well as
enhance your overall understanding
of diversity and its importance
to society today.
“The importance is to have tangible
and close-by museum, because
we are very rare,” TaMara Tolbert,
a grad student who works at the
museum, said. “There’s not many
solely African American museums
and especially on a college
campus, so our duty is to continue
to look for knowledge, to gain
in-depth knowledge on things that
people have done for us today and
provoke conversation about where
we are now, where we came from
and all the way we can go.”
Tolbert said that the museum
rotates its items for the people to
view every six months, so they
are encouraging people to check
out what is displayed now before
it changes in March.
The effects that COVID-19 have
taken place for CAAM is that they
must limit the amount of people,
which limits the amount of influence
and education provided by
the museum.
Although, abiding by the gatherings
of no more than 10 people is
not a bad thing. By doing this, and
maintaining the six-foot distance
from one another, it makes for
more personal tours given to a
few people at a time rather than a
big group.
The tours are small and intimate,
and offer a way to ask questions.
There’s also the possibility to
learn some secrets and fun facts
that the CAAM doesn’t normally
share.
The museum faculty also likes to
make sure that VSU students are
told about future events, hours
of operation and changing of the
artifacts.
CAAM sent an email to all VSU
students including a flier regarding
their hours of operation, social
media outlets and directions on
how to reserve a parking spot.
CAAM is on campus in Thaxton
Hall, suite 200. You can find
Thaxton Hall on 2525 N. Patterson
St. The hours of operation
are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday
through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to
1 p.m. on Friday.
During Black History Month, the
museum has extended its hours
for Saturday and Sunday between
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
If you would like to call and
make a tour reservation or set up
an appointment for a group tour,
call the museum’s office at (229)
245-2448.
The admission is free and open to
the public, meaning that you do
not have to be a student at VSU to
get a good history lesson.
In order to park on VSU’s North
Campus, you must email caammuseum@valdosta.edu
at least 24
hours in advance of your desired
tour date so you may receive your
parking pass. Once you have a
pass in your email, print, fill it
out, and place it in your dashboard.
Student entrepreneur ‘locs’ in on dread business at VSU
Torian Gordon
staff RepoRteR
tkgordon@valdosta.edu
Alexis Sawyer, a freshman
nursing major, has her own hair
business, “Lexi’s Lavish Locs.”
Sawyer specializes in re-twisting,
repairing and styling dreads and
dreadlocks, or a “loctician.”
Since March 2020, people lost
their jobs due to the safety of their
work environments being compromised
by COVID-19. Amongst
these people were some college
students.
College students already don’t
earn a lot of money, and the
dependent students were unable to
receive. Because of this, students
used creativity to start businesses
in order to come up with an
income.
One of these students include
Sawyer.
“In 9th grade my Aunt asked
me if I knew how to re-twist hair
and do the interlocking method,”
she said. “By going through the
locking journey, you have to
enjoy it.”
Students used
creativity to
start businesses
in order to come
up with an income.
Sawyer uses a natural hair
product called Loc N Gel and her
very own personal hair moisturizer.
She also makes her own hair
oils where she mixes oil together
to work in a variety of ways such
as shinier hair, promoting hair
growth and can be used on your
body as well.
When doing locks on one’s
head, Sawyer uses a re-twisting
comb and a paring comb for parting
the hair in order to work with
it. Down below are some pictures
of some of her satisfied customers.
Sawyer’s most recurring customer
said that she is a professional
hair stylist that they recommend
people to go .
In terms of the ongoing
pandemic, Sawyer explains that
COVID-19 does not affect her
business, but customers still must
follow protocol when coming in
for their appointment by washing
their hands upon entry and keeping
their mask on at all times.
If you would like to have your
hair all dreaded up by this fellow
Blazer, you can message her on
her business Instagram page, @
Photo Courtesy of Torian Gordon
Alexis Sawyer infront of West Hall. Sawyer is the business owner of
“Lexis’s Lavish Locs.”
locc.starrr, or contact her by
phone at 678-368-5820.
All prices for her services are
listed on her page in the highlights
section, and she is available
throughout the week on Monday,
Wednesday, Friday and the weekends
when she’s on campus.
Check out the Spectator’s new Newsletter in your email
inbox every Thursday!

February 18, 2021
The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com Page 5
All photos and interviews
by Gwenivere Friedman
Jonothan Smith, freshman political science major
“Black history month to me is more appreciation of Black
people who are actively making history. People today that
are influencing the future of Blacks in America.”
Luisa Garrett, freshman theatre performance
major
“As a minority, this month allows more focus to help
other minorities. To bring a light on how they have been
oppressed for so long and to look at how we have progressed.”
What does Black History Month mean to you?
Robin T. Harrison, graduate student choral
conducting major
“Black History Month to me means remembering the people
and events that gave me the liberties to live comfortably
and exist in this world and showing my gratitude and appreciation
for them. Although there are still moments and times
in the world where I’m a little uneasy, I know that on some
level I’m still safe because of the people who paved the way
for me.”
Aurielle Bonne, freshman nursing major
“It means that we get to celebrate being Black and seeing
the history of what we’ve been through. Then getting to see
how far we’ve come.”

Page 6 The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
February 18, 2021
ShadeS of Melanin
A history of five Black models who dominated the industry and paved the way
for millions of people, including four VSU students.
Kayla Pool, junior English journalism major.
According to Essence magazine, the first Black top model to work in Paris was a woman named
Dorothea Towles. Towles was born in Texarkana in 1922 and was a celebrated model in Europe
after her work with Christian Dior.
The first model of color to be shown in a national advert was a woman
by the name of Sara Lou Harris. Harris was born in North Carolina and
was an influential model in the 1940s and 1950s.
Nicholas Grier, junior art major.
Another influential Black model was Beverly Johnson. Born in Buffalo,
NY, in 1952, Johnson was the first Black model to be featured on
the cover of American Vogue, according to Essence magazine.
Martez Barkley, junior mass media major.
Grace Jones was a Jamaican model and singer in the 1970s and 1980s.
According to Essence magazine, Jones was an androgynous supermodel
who was a muse for many artists during her career.
Photos by Ethan Lowe
Janae Morrison-Whyte, senior health science major.
According to Essence magazine, supermodel Donayale Luna was considered to be one of
the most beautiful women in the world during the 1960s. Apart from modeling, Luina also appeared
in movies directed by Federico Fellini and Andy Warhol.

Page 7 The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
February 18, 2021
5 Inventions Made by Black Creators
Every day, life is made easier by simple yet groundbreaking inventions. But did you know some of these inventions were the work of talented
Black inventors? In honor of Black History Month, here’s a list of five everyday inventions made by Black inventors.
The Ice Cream Scoop by Alfred L. Cralle
1.
Born at the end of the Civil War, Alfred L. Calle worked as a porter when he
noticed that people were having difficulties scooping ice cream into cones with
regular utensils. On Feb. 2, 1897, Cralle filed a patent for the Ice Cream Mold
and Disher, which was designed to prevent ice cream and other foods from
sticking to it.
2.
The Three Light Traffic Light by Garrett Morgan
Many Americans drive daily, and since the invention of the traffic light, driving
on multiple laned and ways roads has been much easier thanks to Garrett
Morgan. Morgan noticed a severe car crash at an intersection when he realized
the need for a “yield” sign on traffic lights, which alerted drivers of an impending
stop. Morgan filed for a patent on Nov. 20, 1923.
3.
The Improved Ironing Board by Sarah Boone
Ironing boards before Sarah Boone stepped in were just wooden planks held
up by two chairs. As a dressmaker, Boone realized that while the current setup
was fine, it was harder to use when ironing tighter fitting garments like corsets.
Her solution was to create something that was narrow and curved board that
allowed a garment to shift without getting wrinkled. On April 26, 1892, Boone
was awarded the patent for the ironing board, making her one of the first African
American women to receive a patent.
4.
Carbon Lightbulb Filament by Lewis Latimer
While the lightbulb itself was invented by Thomas Edison, Lewis Latimer introduced
carbon filament while working closely with Edison. Due to adding carbon,
Latimer increased the life span and practicality of lightbulbs. From his work, Latimer
was appointed as a patent consultant for the Edison Electric Light Company.
Latimer reviewed his patent on Jan. 17, 1882.
5.
Blood Banks by Charles Richard Drew
As a graduate of Columbia University with a Master of Surgery and M.D.,
Charles Drew found a way to separate red blood cells from plasma and store it
for longer periods of time, when previously blood was only stored for a week
at a time. With this, more people could receive necessary blood transfusions.
These findings were recorded in a journal that led to the first blood bank.
Photos courtesy of Flickr.
Story courtesy of
Camille Grube-Hall,
Web editor

Page 8
The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
February 18, 2020
Pop Culture Pop Quiz: How much do you know?
Black History Month Edition
Who was the first African
American woman
to win five Grammy
Awards in one year?
A. Billie Holiday
B. Lauryn Hill
C. Beyoncé
D. Aretha Franklin
Which popular rap
artist’s real name is
Nayvadius Wilburn?
A. Birdman
B. Drake
C. Future
D. Lil Wayne
Who played Craig
Jones in the iconic
stoner film Friday?
A. Morris Chestnut
B. Chris Tucker
C. Ice Cube
D. Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Who is the best selling
black artist of all time?
A. Janet Jackson
B. Michael Jackson
C. Stevie Wonder
D. Mariah Carey
Who is the first selfmade
female millionare
in America?
A. Madame C.J. Walker
B. Oprah Winfrey
C. Rihanna
D. Cicely Tyson
Which city is widely
acknowledged as the
birthplace of Hip Hop?
A. Los Angeles, CA
B. Atlanta, GA
C. Memphis, TN
D. The Bronx, NY
Photo courtesy by Flickr.

Page 9
The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
February 18, 2021
Big Nick’s makes customers feel at home
Madison Gruber
Staff Writer
magruber@valdosta.edu
Big Nick’s is a popular
restaurant for students here at
VSU. It is a common hangout
spot for people who love
sports, music, and soul food.
The restaurant is situated
just half a mile from VSU on
Baytree Road, making it easy
to locate and hard to miss.
From the exterior, the red
brick building is accented with
the giant “BIG NICK’S” sign
advertising to hungry drivers.
On the sign, you will also
see the face of the owner, Mr.
Nicholas “Big Nick” Harden,
with a giant smile on his face.
As soon as we walked in the
door, we were greeted with an
enthusiastic, “Welcome to the
family,” from the cashier who
was eager yet patient to take
our orders while we browsed
the menu.
That greeting is different
from other stores or restaurants,
where you usually are
greeted with the usual, “Hi.
How are you today?” This
made me feel at home and
welcome.
The staff made sure to
always keep their masks on,
even when there were no customers
in line at the register or
at the bar, watching the game.
Once we ordered the food ,
we were given a table number
and our beverage cups.
It was around 7 p.m., so it
was not hard to find an empty
booth for my friend and I to
enjoy our meal.
The ambiance of the restaurant
is very soulful. The speakers
were blasting with music
from the ‘70s and ‘80s, photos
of historical figures hung from
the walls and they even had
the classic paper-towels-fornapkins
rolls at every table.
We waited at our booth for
about 5-10 minutes before our
food came out, piping hot,
from the kitchen.
I ordered the shrimp and
grits with a side of “Ma’s
Mac” from the dinner menu
and my friend ordered a classic
dinner of chicken tenders, fries
and a side of “Ma’s Mac” as
well.
These two orders plus the
drinks added up to be around
$30 and some change. I
thought that was expensive
until we were served our food.
The shrimp and grits were
delicious, though a little on
the salty side. I assumed it was
from the cheese sprinkled on
top. There was a lot of the food
as well, so enough for leftovers.
Overall, it was a great
meal.
My friend’s order of chicken
tenders came with honey mustard
and plenty of heat from
the fryer. The chicken tenders
seem to be, from what we
could guess, fried in the same
grease as the fish. This made
for the tenders to be extra
crispy and delicious.
The mac had to be the best
part of the meal. It was cheesy,
gooey and oh-so yummy. I
considered getting another
order of it to-go, but I was
stuffed from my meal.
“Big Nick” himself was also
in the restaurant and stopped
by our booth, as well as other
guests’ booths, to make sure
the food was good, asked if we
needed refills, and if we are
enjoying the experience.
In May of 2015, Harden
established Big Nick’s and has
been in business ever since.
You can definitely see that
this restaurant and the employees
pride themselves on great
food, great service and an even
greater environment for it all.
The “Big Nick’s” sign outside of the restaurant.
The bar area inside the restaurant.
The shrimp and grits platter with Ma’s Mac.
The exterior design of the building.
The dining area inside the restaurant.
The chicken tenders and fries platter with Ma’s Mac.
Black Lives Matter nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
Kinlee Wright
Staff Writer
kinwright@valdosta.edu
In 2013 Black Lives Matter
was formed as a social and
political movement and was
founded after the shooting of
Trayvon Martin. It continues
to grow today after the
shootings of Ahmaud Arbery,
Breonna Taylor and George
Floyd last year. Black Lives
Matter has been nominated for
a Nobel Peace Prize.
The Black Lives Matter
group is a large movement
to protest and help stand up
against police brutality and
racially motivated violence
against the black community.
The organization was founded
by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors
and Opal Tometi.
The Black Lives Matter
movement was nominated for
the Nobel Peace Prize by the
Norwegian MP Petter Eide.
According to The Guardian,
“Nominations for the Nobel
Peace Prize are accepted from
any politician serving at a
national level, and they are
allowed just 2,000 words to
state their case. In his nomination
papers, the Norwegian MP
Petter Eide said the movement
had forced countries outside
the US to grapple with racism
within their own societies.”
“Eide is a member of Norway’s
Socialist Left Party and
the former Secretary General
of the Norwegian branch of
Amnesty International. He has
previously nominated human
rights activists from Russia
and China for the prize,” according
to USA Today.
The Black Lives Matter
movement is not just something
that is happening in the
US.
“The summer of 2020 saw
Black Lives Matter demonstrations
in Hong Kong,
Dakar, Berlin and other
cities around the world. In
some places, like Bristol,
England, protesters toppled
racist statues as well,” according
to KQED.
The Nobel Peace Prize is
awarded to the person they
think “shall have done the
most or the best work for
fraternity between nations,
the abolition or reduction
of standing armies and for
the holding and promotion
of peace congresses,” according
to Alfred Nobel’s
will, who the Nobel Peace
Prize is named after.
According to NBC
News, this prize would be
very important to the Black
Lives Matter movement because
it would recognize and
reward their struggle against
racism and racially motivated
Photos courtesy of Bailey Storey, Photo Editor, and Madison Gruber, Staff Writer.
Photo courtesy of Flickr.
Will the polarizing movement win the Nobel Peace Prize?
violence.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee
will make the decision
of the winners by casting a
majority vote in October. The
award ceremony is scheduled
for Dec. 10in Oslo, Norway.

February 18, 2021
The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com Page 10
Ten Inspirational Black Artists Across Music and Film
There have been many inspirational African American artists across music and film
throughout history, but The Spectator decided to give you just a few!
Tupac Shakur (1971-1996)
He influenced the uprise of hip hop/rap culture
and spoke about racial discrimination, injustice,
disparities amongst African American
communities, female liberation, and being
Black in America.
Highlights: “Dear Mama,” “Changes, Brenda’s
Got a Baby,” “Keep Ya Head Up,” “Wonder
Why They Call You B****”
Spike Lee (1957-Present)
An African American writer, director, actor
and producer who has expanded positive and
liberating roles for African Americans in film.
Additionally, many of his films regarding Black
history are recognized as transparent and
emotive.
Highlights: “Do The Right Thing,” “Crookland
and Clockers,” “Malcolm X,” “Jungle Fever,”
“She’s Gotta Have It”
Marvin Gaye (1939-1984)
Passionately spoke about political issues
such as the Vietnam War and the uprise in
violence within impoverished areas. His creativeness
and outspokenness paved the way
for other influential artists to speak up about
issues that impacted the African American
community heavily.
Highlights: “What’s Happening Brother,”
“What’s Going On,” “Ain’t No Mountain High
Enough”
Jordan Peele (1979-Present)
African American filmmaker, producer, actor,
and writer known for his intense and
breathtaking films. Films such as “Get Out”
and “Antebellum” have been used to deconstruct
racism aside from the “White Savior”
perspective that is embedded in many films
regarding Black history.
Hightlights: “Antebellum,” “Get Out,” “Us”
Cicely Tyson (1924-2021)
Recently deceased actress and model expanded
the portrayal of powerful Black
women in the fashion and film industry over
several decades. Cicely Tyson has been influential
within and beyond the Black community
through her films such as, “The Marvin Collins
Story” and “The Autobiography of Miss Jane
Pittman”
Highlights: “The Help,” “How to Get Away With
Murder,” “Sounder,” “A Woman Called Moses”
J. Cole (1985-Present)
Throughout his music, J. Cole devotedly expresses
the struggles of being Black, living in
the ghetto, and the misconceptions that the
media spreads about African Americans in
America. Additionally, J. Cole empowers and
liberates women, especially Black women, in
reassuring them that societal beauty standards
are insignificant.
Highlights: “Immortal,” “Neighbors,” “Crooked
Smile,” “Change”
Alicia Keys (1981-Present)
American singer and songwriter who has
uplifted and encouraged women, especially
Black women, to be strong and understand
their worth regardless of how the world
treats them. Many of her popular songs have
prompted women to remain true to themselves
and embrace their natural beauty and
potential flaws.
Highlights: “Superwoman,” “Girl on Fire,” “A
Woman’s Worth,” “Brand New Me,” “Empire
State of Mind”
Aretha Franklin (1942-2018)
Known as the “Queen of Soul” because of her
incomparable talent in the industry. Aretha
Franklin graced everyone who listened to her
and served as a symbol of strength, beauty
and liberation despite her societal limits.
Highlights: “Think,” “Respect,” “A Rose Is Still
a Rose,” “Young Gifted and Black,” “Amazing
Grace”
Common (1972-Present)
African American rapper, actor and writer
who has identified himself as the “voice for
humanity” by speaking out against police
brutality, racial barriers within America and
encouraging the acceptance of Black culture
in America.
Highlights: “Glory,” “Testify,” “Ghetto
Dreams,” “Letter to the Free”
Sam Cooke (1931-1964)
Songwriter, producer and singer, also known
as the “King of Pop” heavily impacted African
American churches nationwide with his
style of singing. Many of his hits such as, “A
Change is Gonna Come” provided hope and
courage for the African American community
and others after WWII. His legacy and
smooth vocals are remembered and cherished
amongst all communities and passed
down to generations.
Highlights: “It’s All Right,” “A Change is
Gonna Come”
Story by Jenyla Brown, Staff Writer. Photos courtesy of Flickr.

February 18, 2021
The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com Page 11
Mike Chason still on the mic for VSU
Alora Bethay
Staff Writer
aabethay@valdosta.edu
Mike Chason, the voice of
VSU’s basketball games, a former
Blazer and former Spectator
sports editor’s career has been
nothing short of legendary.
Chason began his journey with
the Blazers in the fall of 1970
with a major in history, and a plan
to attend law school. This was
until he became interested in the
Spectator in 1972, which sparked
an entirely new career path.
“My friend Chris Coffman was
the editor of the Spectator and he
wanted me to be the sports editor
since I loved sports and athletics,”
Chason said.
Chason says his favorite experience
during his time as the sports
editor was traveling to Kansas
City with the men’s basketball
team in 1973. Here, the Blazers
won against the three-time
defending champions Kentucky
State in the first round of the
NAIA Tournament.
After graduating from VSU in
1974, Chason decided to incorporate
his love for sports with his
newfound passion for journalism
and began his career as a sportswriter
for the Valdosta Daily
Times in 1974.
Chason was quickly promoted
to sports editor for the Valdosta
Photo Courtesy of Valdosta Daily Times
Radio announcer Mike Chason gives play-by-play coverage of VSU’s first-round Gulf South Conference Tournament
game against Montevallo on March 3, 2020. Chason has been the voice of the Blazers since 1990.
Daily Times in 1976 and remained
there until 1979, continuing to
cover VSU Sports.
From there, Chason became the
Director of Public Relations for
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural
College in Tifton but continued
to have a relationship with the
coaches at VSU.
In 1990, Chason and head
coach James Dominey set out to
utilize Chason’s radio experience
and broadcast the VSU basketball
games on the radio.
“James Dominey was a good
friend of mine, and I got together
with him and neither the men’s
nor the women’s games were on
the radio,” Chason said. “And I
formed my own company called
Chason Enterprises, bought time
from a local radio station, went
out and sold the ads and then got
16 games on the air.”
The next season, Dominey and
Chason got all the men’s basketball
games on the radio and even
got some of the women’s basketball
games on the air too.
“Herb Reinhart came as athletics
director in 1992, and he hired
me to do the basketball games
on the radio and also the football
games,” Chason said. “I was also
the voice of Valdosta State football
for six years.”
Though Chason stepped away
from being the voice of VSU football
due to family commitments,
he remains the voice of both the
men’s and the women’s home
basketball games.
“I told my wife when I no
longer get excited about going to
the game and doing the game on
the air, that’s when I would quit,
but I still have that excitement,”
he said.
After 31 years, Chason has developed
his communication style
on the air, which he said came
from watching sports television
broadcasts as a child rather than
listening on the radio.
“In my first year as a broadcaster,
my radio broadcast was more
like a television broadcast,” Chason
said. “I taped every game that
I broadcasted and when I listened
to them back, I said, ‘you’ve got
to speed up because the people
listening aren’t seeing anything,
so you’ve got to describe more.’
So, I developed my own style.”
Chason says his love for basketball
was inherited from his parents
who played basketball at Pine
Grove Highschool in Georgia.
Chason is dedicating this season
to his father, Willie Berg Chason,
who passed away on Oct. 11,
2020.
“My dad loved Valdosta State
basketball and brought me to my
first Valdosta State game in the
early 60s,” Chason said.
For future journalists and communicators
Chason offers these
words of advice:
“Write as much as possible. Every
day put pen to paper and write
something. Also, take the opportunity
to communicate in different
ways. It’s not like you can just go
out there and be a good communicator,
you have to practice the art
of communication.”
Chason’s broadcast for the
men’s basketball team is on
WDDQ Talk 92.1 FM and
talk921.com and the women’s
basketball team broadcast is on
WJEM 94.3FM Fox Sports Radio
and online at foxsportsvaldosta.
com. Listen out for his signature
sign off:
“I thank God for the ability,
Aloha until next time.”
Blazers baseball sweeps Miss. College, falls to Lee
Austin Bruce
Staff Writer
abruce@valdosta.edu
After opening the season with a sweep of
Mississippi College, Blazers baseball came
up short in their first road series of the
season against Lee.
Only two of the originally scheduled
three games were played, with the third
game on Feb. 13 being cancelled due to
inclement weather.
The Blazers lost Friday’s doubleheader
against the Flames 6-4 in the first game and
10-7 in the second game. The Blazers are
now 1-9 against the Flames in their last 10
matchups.
The Blazers will be back at home on
Feb. 19 and Feb. 20 for a three-game series
against Auburn Montgomery (4-2).
In the first game, VSU held a 1-0 lead
against Lee after scoring at the top of the
third inning before Lee tied things up in the
bottom of the fifth. The Flames then scored
five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning,
which put them ahead for good.
In the second game, Lee built up a 10-3
lead heading into the eighth inning thanks
to three separate spurts of runs in the third,
sixth and seventh innings. The Blazers
scored four runs in the final two innings,
but their comeback attempt was thwarted
when David Maberry was tagged out on
third base.
Despite the losses, the team was aware of
what to expect out of Lee.
“We know that it is going to be a
monumental task to take on Lee, a team
that has really had our number as of late,”
Head Coach Greg Guilliams said on Feb.
10. “They have one of the best pitchers in
the Gulf South Conference. We know that
there are some things that simply won’t go
our way, so we have to make sure we are
prepared to tackle whatever this season
throws at us.”
As for their season-opening sweep of
Mississippi College, the bats were scorching
hot for the Blazers throughout the
series, averaging 10 runs for the entire
series and having a series batting average of
.410. The Blazers also kept the Choctaws in
check defensively during the series, giving
up just three runs.
EJ Doskow, a redshirt sophomore communications
major and third baseman,
led the team in the series with seven hits,
including one home run.
“My family was in town for the series,
so it felt like everything just fell into place
for me to have a huge impact on the series,”
Doskow said.
Photo Courtesy of VSU
Senior outfielder Chase Coker rounds first base after getting a hit vs Mississippi College at home on Feb. 8, 2021. The Blazers swept
Mississippi College, finishing the weekend 3-0 before falling to Lee in a doubleheader on Feb. 12, 2021.

February 18, 2021
The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com Page 12
VSU Legend: Jesse Tuggle’s Story
Nathan Harrell
Staff Writer
naharrell@valdosta.edu
Jessie “The Hammer” Tuggle
wasn’t the biggest kid coming out
of high school. Even after being
voted MVP of his Griffin High
School football team that he led
to the state semi-finals his senior
year, Division I recruiters thought
he was too small to compete at
their level.
In fact, at only 5’10 and 180
pounds, most Division II schools
were also turned off by Tuggle’s
size. His story goes to show that
recruiting doesn’t tell you how
much heart a player has or how
dedicated.
Valdosta State College’s head
coach Jim Goodman must have
caught a glimpse when he offered
the undersized defensive end a
scholarship in 1982. The only
other scholarship Tuggle would
be offered was from University of
West Georgia.
Even though VSU’s football
program was only in its second
year of existence, Tuggle wanted
to be further from home. Luckily,
Valdosta was nearly 170 miles
away and offered exactly that.
Tuggle put on 20 pounds and
grew to 5’11 by the start of his
freshman season in ‘83. He earned
a starting position at right defensive
end and was a solid contributor
for a young Blazer defense
that was quickly putting the rest
of the Gulf South Conference on
notice.
Tuggle showed hints of the
game wrecker he’d soon become
and was awarded the defense’s
Most Improved Player Award at
the end of the season. In 1984,
Tuggle would be named to the
All-GSC team.
During Tuggle’s junior season,
new head coach Jim Berryman
moved Tuggle to
inside linebacker during the
spring, a move that would
“pay dividends” according
to the school’s 1985 football
program.
This was also the season
Tug established himself as a
leader on the team and one
of the most dominant defensive
players in the conference.
Now up to 230 pounds,
Tuggle was known for his
bone-crushing tackling. He
finished the season with 107
tackles.
Tuggle’s tackling and
leadership earned him another
spot all-conference at
the end of the season. This
was his first year making
first-team, an honor shared
with three other Blazers that
season.
Despite entering the next
season predicted to finish
eighth out of nine teams in
the conference, Tuggle led
VSU to second in the conference
and a 9-2 record, which was a
landmark season for the Blazers.
By the end of his senior season,
Tuggle would again be named
first team all-GSC. He was also
named the 1986 GSC-Defensive
Player of the Year, the school’s
first to win the award, and he was
named a consensus first team
Kodak All-American.
Tuggle also led the Blazers in
tackles for the first time in his
career with 129 on the season,
the second highest season total
Photo courtesy of VSU
Jesse Tuggle during a game in October of 1985.
Tuggle played for VSU from 1983-1986, Joined
the Atlanta Falcons in 1987 and led the league in
tackles in 1990.
in VSU history. Tuggle would
leave the school’s all-time leading
tackler (340), though he has since
been passed by Larry Dean and
Chris Pope.
From VSU, Tuggle would go
undrafted in the 1986 NFL draft.
Despite bulking up to 230 pounds,
his 5’11 frame still concerned
NFL scouts that questioned
whether he’d be able to hit NFL
athletes as hard as he’d been
hitting collegiate ones. However,
thanks to connections coach Cavan
had with the Falcons, Tuggle
was able to secure a tryout.
He made the most of this
tryout to launch a 14-year
NFL career and played for
Atlanta every year of it.
Tuggle is on a short list
of professional athletes to
have played their entire
careers in Georgia from
high school all the way to
the pros.
Tuggle started a few
games his first two years,
but it was during the 1989
season that he really started
to come into his own.
The 24-year-old started
at middle linebacker every
game that season and led
the Falcons in tackles (183)
in 1989, a feat he would
repeat nine consecutive
seasons until 1998.
The improvement continued
into the 1990 season,
when Tuggle would lead the
NFL with 201 total tackles.
Tuggle led the league in
tackles four times during his
14 year-career.
Thebruising linebacker had
two seasons in which he recorded
200+ tackles. There have only
been three seasons in the history
of the NFL in which a player has
accomplished this feat.
In 1991, Tuggle set the Falcons
all-time record for tackles in a single
season with a whopping 207.
Tuggle made his first pro-bowl in
1992 and made five in total during
his career with the Falcons.
Even though the Falcons frequently
lost during Tuggle’s early
years on the team, he remained
faithful to the team, never leaving
Atlanta.
During the NFC championship
against the Vikings in 1998,
Tuggle tallied a franchise playoffbest
11 tackles to send the Falcons
to their first ever Super Bowl.
After losing the Super Bowl to
the San Francisco 49ers, Tuggle’s
decorated career was drawing to a
close. He missed ten games over
the next two seasons and would
ultimately retire at the end of the
2000 season.
Tuggle retired with over 1800
total career tackles with the Falcons
(due to tackles not becoming
an official NFL statistic until the
early 2000s, Tuggle’s stats vary
between 1600 and over 2000), the
most in the history of the franchise
by nearly 700.
Tuggle’s #58 jersey is memorialized
in the Falcons ‘Ring of
Honor,’ and his #88 jersey was
retired by VSU.
Tuggle was a part of VSU’s inaugural
hall of fame class in 1997,
and 10 years later he was voted
into the College Football Hall of
Fame as one of the greatest athletes
to ever come through VSU.
In 2009, VSU completed the
Jessie Tuggle Strength and Fitness
Complex in recognition of
Tuggle’s legacy.