Baylor News
Baylor’s Institute for Oral History emphasizes the importance of storytelling, a method of preservation that accounts for much of global history. However, its Black History Walk focuses on local history, retelling the stories of Black Americans in Waco through an immersive educational experience.
Black History Month has been a part of the American tradition for over 100 years, and this February, Baylor’s own Black Student Union and African Student Association are bringing the celebration to campus.
When Barbara Ann Walker and the Rev. Robert Gilbert walked across the graduation stage on June 2, 1967, Baylor University had gone over 120 years without granting a degree to a Black student. The story of Baylor’s integration is long, challenging and still developing, but more than anything, it is a story centered around the actions not of governments or university administrations but of outspoken support from students themselves.
“She was one of those people that those other students of color were gravitating to, because she was a waymaker,” Hernandez said. “She was saying, ‘No, you belong here. And look, with this accomplishment, I belong here too.'”
Waco News
As Waco tourism dwindles and business budgets get trimmed for efficiency, local businesses continue to serve loyal customers.
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is forcing Mynar’s Bar to close its doors for seven days after the death of a 19-year-old Navarro College student last March.
One of Baylor’s own will soon take on the role of campaign chair for United Way of Waco-McLennan County.
Student government is collecting box tops to benefit J.H. Hines Elementary School for the second year, this time to raise money for the school’s library.
State News
INTERNATIONAL
The Iran war is now in its 46th day. Iran responded by restricting access to Hormuz, which carries about a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil, and moving to toll vessels transiting the strait. Waco drivers are already feeling it. The local average hit $3.38 a gallon last week, up 21 cents in seven days and 75 cents year-over-year, according to AAA data.
Gas prices in Texas have surged more than 70 cents per gallon since the U.S. went to war with Iran three weeks ago. The near-total shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz has driven oil prices up more than 40%, pushing the national average to its highest point since 2023 and sending diesel past $5 for the first time in three years.
The largest U.S. military operation in the Middle East in decades unfolded as American and Israeli forces struck Iran Saturday, killing its supreme leader and triggering retaliatory strikes from the Gulf to Israel. The White House said the campaign is aimed at dismantling Iran’s military and toppling its government.
Dr. Joshua Alley, assistant professor of political science, said part of the Trump administration’s interest in Greenland has to do with America’s national security strategy.