It was back during his childhood in Inwood when Jeff Burns Jr. began reading magazines like Ebony and Jet, and taking note of the achievements African American men were making in civil rights, politics and medicine.
He also noticed many of them had something in common: Howard University, the historically black university in Washington, D.C., and Burns knew he had to attend that school someday.
Burns’ book, “The Brotherhood of Drew Hall,” is about the men he met while attending Howard, his friendships with them and their accomplishments. Drew Hall is the main men’s dormitory at the school and also the largest dorm of African American men in the collegiate world.
As a 17-year-old in 1968, Burns made his way down to Howard’s campus. As he was moving into Drew Hall, he met other like-minded young men. “They knew what they wanted to do from day one,” said Burns, the vice chair of the John H. Johnson School of Communications Board of Visitors at Howard University. “Many of my fellow Drew Hall brothers are the top person in the world for what they do. The top business executives have been on top earner lists for ten years, bringing in about $2 billion annually. They have also assisted their communities by donating money or helping in neighborhoods.”
Monchell Johnson, a Lawrence High School graduate, is one scholarship recipient Burns has helped through the Five Towns Community Center. Burns has sat on the board of the Lawrence-based service-based agency. “I was born and raised in Inwood, and wanted something different, like a chance to attend a historically black college or university,” Monchell said. “I had always felt at home at Howard. I was able to go there through this scholarship.”