Black History Banquet To Feature Guest Speaker Judge Mathis

by Sara D. Spain, Student Newswriter

Baylor University's Association of Black Students (ABS) will host the Black Heritage Banquet at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11, on the fifth floor of Cashion Building in the Hankamer School of Business. The banquet's theme is "Your Honor, Your History Is the Evidence."
Judge Greg Mathis of the WB's "Judge Mathis" television show will be the featured guest speaker for the event. As a troubled youth, Mathis was ordered by a judge to obtain his G.E.D. or spend time in jail. Mathis obtained his G.E.D. and went on to graduate from Eastern Michigan University. He was then the youngest elected judge in the state of Michigan when he was elected to the 36th District Court in 1995.
In 1986, Judge Mathis and his wife co-founded Young Adults Asserting Themselves, a non-profit agency that counsels youth from the ages of 17-25 about career opportunities. He is also a lifetime member of the NAACP and a national board member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
"This year's banquet is a unique opportunity because we get to hear from Judge Mathis, whose personal story will be very inspirational to everyone," said Mary Pilson, a Baylor junior and secretary of ABS.
ABS was founded in 1982 to help unite African American students on campus and to encourage interaction between races.
Tickets are $10 for ABS members and $20 for non-members and are on sale at the Bill Daniel Student Center ticket office. For more information, contact Pearl Beverly, coordinator of multicultural activities, at 710-6939.