Roland Martin Fact-Checks Wendy Williams on Her Own Show

Williams apologizes for comments about historically black colleges

Wendy Williams Roland Martin
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After Roland Martin called out Wendy Williams for her comments about historically black colleges and the NAACP, she invited the journalist to visit her daytime talk show — where he provided what one viewer called a “Black History lesson.”

Wendy Williams said in response to Jesse Williams’ BET Awards speech that she would be offended if there were all white-colleges or a National Organization for White People. Martin then criticized her on his TVOne Show. As she welcomed Martin to her show Thursday, Williams played a clip of his TVOne show and apologized for her remarks.

“I was wrong,” she said.

She then asked Martin to explain why she was wrong for saying that HBCUs and the NAACP were unnecessary.

“When it comes to our colleges, we couldn’t go to those schools,” he said. “As a matter of fact, we couldn’t read during slavery. You could be killed if you were found to be reading. So, that’s why it is so critically important,” explained Martin. “Our institutions are allowing us to survive in America even though we built this country.”

Williams’ conversation with Martin received positive feedback from viewers.

https://twitter.com/R1aHbIaH/status/753615172544008192

Willams came under fire after saying: “[Jesse Williams‘] speech was very poignant. On the other hand, I would be really offended if there was a school that was known as a historically white college. We have historically Black colleges. What if there was the National Organization for White People, only? There’s the NAACP.”

On TVOne, Martin replied:

“You do realize that the NAACP was founded by a mix of folks that were black and white. Do you realize that the first president of the NAACP, Wendy, was white?” Martin said. “If you actually bothered to read something, you would realize that. It’s also called the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. White folks have always been members of the NAACP. Always.”

Williams said she personally reached out to the TVOne journalist and invited him on her show after having an engaging conversation regarding race on the phone.

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