Latest news with #UDC
Yahoo
11-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's White Nationalist Vision for the Future of History
To be a historian in the time of Trump 2.0 is to teach and write history at a time when the federal government is being mobilized to promote a white nationalist version of American history. Plenty of previous politicians offered tacit sympathies for white nationalist ideas with coded terms like 'states' rights' and 'law and order,' but we have to journey back over one hundred years, to the presidency of Woodrow Wilson, to find an executive branch so supportive of white nationalist ideologies in the study of American history. A white nationalist vision of American history is one that centers the role of white Americans above all others and, in fact, typically treats the history of the nation and the race as one and the same. For white nationalists, the United States is a nation created and founded by white people, and American history necessarily spurns the contributions of all other groups. The sins of slavery, segregation, and violence are excused as minor blemishes made along a path toward greatness. It was the accomplishments of America's great white men, we are led to believe, that brought us the prosperity for which we should all be so thankful. To question them—even if they enslaved, raped, and killed for power, expansion, or wealth—would be to question America itself. Various versions of this story exist. For decades, the most pervasive version of this mythology lived in the American South. From practically the day after the Civil War, white Southerners crafted a white nationalist morality tale—in popular culture, veterans' organizations, and the Lost Cause ideology—of lazy Black slaves with generous white masters who in the 1860s did their best to fight off a war of 'Northern Aggression' that threatened white Southern freedom. For most of the twentieth century, this story was advanced by groups like the United Daughters of the Confederacy, or UDC—activists who dedicated much of their lives to celebrating white Confederate heritage. They published textbooks, erected monuments, and led public ceremonies honoring the legacy of the Southern white men who tried to destroy the United States. Meanwhile, Black historians such as W.E.B. Du Bois and John Hope Franklin were literally segregated from the archives, banned from studying in Southern libraries because they were Black. When Franklin went to an archive to conduct research, he recalled, 'My arrival created a panic and an emergency among the administrators…. The archivist frankly informed me that I was the first Negro who had sought to use the facilities there.' Black people were not supposed to be in the archives, let alone be in charge of telling America's history. Since American public universities fully desegregated in the 1960s, historians of different backgrounds have thoroughly dispelled the Southern Lost Cause and other white nationalist mythologies. These historians see more nuance in Founding Fathers who called for freedom even as they enslaved humans. As Franklin explained of his groundbreaking book, From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African Americans, 'My challenge was to weave into the fabric of American history enough of the presence of blacks so that the story of the United States could be told adequately and fairly.' Subsequent decades of cutting-edge research have rescued millions of nonwhite actors from the margins—Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, and more—showing that they also played major roles in the formation of the United States. In other words, America wasn't just built by white people. The struggles of millions, not only the brilliance of a select white few, are what made possible American affluence and good news is that today, in spite of Trump's efforts, historians are telling more complete stories, ones that don't rely on half-baked truths, veiled hypocrisies, or a racially segregated professoriat. And the public is hungry for works that offer a more complete retelling of the American experience. Buoyed by the Black Lives Matter movement, African American history in particular has surged in popularity. From bestselling Black history books like The Warmth of Other Suns to The New York Times' 1619 Project to the explosively popular genre of Black historical fiction and film, African American history is now enmeshed in popular culture as never before. Books like James and films like Sinners center the Black experience, drawing millions of readers and viewers yearning for Black stories from the past. The murder of George Floyd in 2020 created a tidal wave of white sympathy for the African American experience. Amid such demand, the federal government and so many of America's institutions, from the Smithsonian to the National Football League, responded with efforts to better teach and study the history of race in America. Juneteenth finally became a federal holiday in 2021. Trump 2.0 seeks a reversal of all of these strides toward a pluralistic history. The new Trump administration is staking claims to racial morality by stressing the excesses of and seeking to destroy diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, programs that multiplied in the wake of George Floyd. The administration cannot make Americans uninterested in the history of race, nor can it turn back a cultural marketplace that offers serious profits for great stories about race in America. But it can use the tools of the state to influence, even poison, how history will be taught in America's public forums and schools. On Juneteenth, the federal holiday established after George Floyd to commemorate Emancipation, Trump decided against issuing a formal holiday greeting, choosing instead to argue that America had too many holidays that took away from economic productivity. Of all the federal holidays to dismiss, of course it was the one expressly dedicated to a Black cause. Trump's new administration is openly scrubbing historical government websites of Black and Brown people, removing references to American heroes like Medgar Evers, the Navajo Code Talkers, and the trailblazing female veterans, while also promising to restore the names of Confederates to military bases. Fort Bragg, originally named after a white supremacist Confederate general before being renamed Fort Liberty in 2023, has once again been renamed Fort Bragg (although it's now cynically named for a different Bragg, a World War II soldier). On Juneteenth, the federal holiday established after George Floyd to commemorate Emancipation, Trump decided against issuing a formal holiday greeting, choosing instead to argue that America had too many holidays that took away from economic productivity. Of all the federal holidays to dismiss, of course it was the one expressly dedicated to a Black cause. A Trump executive order in March called for citizens' support in 'advancing the policy of this order,' in other words, reporting federal historical sites that spend too much time focusing on the perspectives of nonwhites. The UDC would be proud. In fact, one historian of Civil War memory noted that Trump's Black History Month Proclamation 'reads as if it was released from the headquarters of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.'These approaches to history resurrect some of the very same failed historical arguments made by white nationalist groups of the past. And so part of being a historian during Trump 2.0 is to witness a renewal of debunked mythologies and outdated ideas made fresh by a state apparatus deeply invested in protecting the historical reputation of whiteness. And yet, Trump 2.0's flawed and racist approach to history will probably offer little in the way of substantive change for serious historical study. The Trump allies promoting censorship are only interested in prevention, not innovative creation, ceding the field to those of us who really do care about honest history. And unfortunately for Trump and his supporters, the censors can't reach everywhere. Knowledge today comes from many quarters. Millions of students may be blocked from learning American history in public school classrooms, but the Trump administration cannot completely block them from accessing American history from other venues. Today's censors will never again enjoy the same stranglehold that white nationalists once had on the production of the past. Even if an eighth grader in South Carolina is blocked from studying Frederick Douglass in their classroom, state laws cannot prevent them from accessing additional information online, in film, or in podcasts. Oddly enough, Trump 2.0 has also created opportunities for better understanding the history of race in America. It can be difficult for modern students to fully appreciate the intensity with which people fought over race in previous eras of American history. Across the country, even in the North, everyday white citizens were willing to go so far as to bomb school buses to stop the desegregation of elementary schools. Students struggle to understand the motivations of people like the women screaming at Black teenagers at Little Rock Central High School in 1957 or the activists who shouted, 'Don't wait for your daughter to be raped by these Congolese. Don't wait until the burrheads are forced into your schools. Do something about it now,' in order to intimidate six-year-old Ruby Bridges when she entered the first grade in 1960 New Orleans. I have been teaching those ugly episodes for years, but the reactions of my students this spring were different than ever before. Students now recognize their present in the past. There was a time when the sight of adults screaming at school board meetings might have appeared very foreign. Now, that's just part of America's political culture. The incivility of the present helps us to understand the ugliness of the past. Perhaps the greatest consequence of Trump's second term will be the retardation of America's ability to have a true national reckoning on race. The United States has not deeply explored its own racial history with an eye toward a constructive public process of reconciliation. Historians argue that such a reckoning, if done well, would hold the promise to help us break free from the cancerous orbit of race that has poisoned life in America since its founding. The ancient hope of that reconciliation is precisely what Trumpism and its enablers intend to prevent. After a brief moment when some historians began discussing the possibility of a 'Third Reconstruction,' Trump 2.0 brings the full force of the federal government against that promise, erasing Black and Brown histories from public display and recentering white voices above all others so as to align with the white nationalist fairy tale that they tell themselves is America. Solve the daily Crossword
Qatar Tribune
10-08-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
UDC wins two prestigious awards at 2025 International Safety Awards
DOHA: The United Development Company (UDC) has won two prestigious honours at the 2025 International Safety Awards, presented by the British Safety Council, in recognition of its flagship developments: The Pearl and Gewan Islands. In a statement, UDC announced it earned the Distinction Award for its Gewan Island development and the Merit Award for The Pearl Island, joining a select group of global organizations recognized among more than 900 participants from around the world, including Europe, the United Kingdom, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Singapore, and others. The statement added that this achievement highlights UDC's ongoing commitment to fostering a culture of safety as a fundamental pillar of its operations. Over recent years, the company has launched several pioneering occupational health and safety initiatives, including the development of advanced training and prevention policies, implementation of cutting-edge safety monitoring systems across its worksites, and enhancement of emergency response protocols within its real estate projects. Commenting on the recognition, President and Chief Executive Officer of UDC Yasser Al Jaidah stated: "We are proud to receive this international recognition, which reflects our deep commitment to implementing the highest standards of health and safety across all our developments". He added: "It also reinforces our continuous efforts to create safe, sustainable work environments and communities, in alignment with our strategic vision and Qatar National Vision 2030." The statement stressed that these awards reaffirm UDC's prominent position as a leader in the real estate development sector, both locally and internationally. The company continues to invest in smart infrastructure, integrate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards, and elevate the quality of life across its projects. The Pearl and Gewan Islands stand as vibrant examples of integrated, modern communities that embody innovation, safety, and sustainability. UDC remains dedicated to embedding these values throughout every stage of planning, execution, and operation, solidifying its reputation as a responsible and forward-thinking developer, and underscoring its vital role in supporting Qatar's vision for building sustainable cities with an enhanced quality of life.
Qatar Tribune
09-08-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
UDC wins two prestigious safety awards
QNA Doha The United Development Company (UDC) has won two prestigious honours at the 2025 International Safety Awards, presented by the British Safety Council, in recognition of its flagship developments: The Pearl and Gewan Islands. In a statement on Saturday, UDC announced it earned the distinction award for its Gewan Island development and the merit award for The Pearl Island, joining a select group of global organisations recognised among more than 900 participants from around the world, including Europe, the United Kingdom, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Singapore, and others. The statement added that the achievement highlights UDC's ongoing commitment to fostering a culture of safety as a fundamental pillar of its operations. Over recent years, the company has launched several pioneering occupational health and safety initiatives, including the development of advanced training and prevention policies, implementation of cutting-edge safety monitoring systems across its worksites, and enhancement of emergency response protocols within its real estate projects. Commenting on the recognition, UDC President and Chief Executive Officer of Yasser Al Jaidah said, 'We are proud to receive this international recognition, which reflects our deep commitment to implementing the highest standards of health and safety across all our developments'. He said, 'It also reinforces our continuous efforts to create safe, sustainable work environments and communities, in alignment with our strategic vision and Qatar National Vision 2030.' These awards reaffirm UDC's prominent position as a leader in the real estate development sector, both locally and internationally. The company continues to invest in smart infrastructure, integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards, and elevate the quality of life across its projects. The Pearl and Gewan Islands stand as vibrant examples of integrated, modern communities that embody innovation, safety, and sustainability. UDC remains dedicated to embedding these values throughout every stage of planning, execution, and operation, solidifying its reputation as a responsible and forward-thinking developer.
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Utah debates in limbo as Utah Debate Commission founder exits blasting GOP
SALT LAKE CITY () — One of the founding members of the Utah Debate Commission (UDC) has announced his departure from the organization, alleging that it is 'under attack' from the GOP-controlled Utah state legislature. 'Since the legislature now seeks to become involved (in debates), thanks to efforts of our former governor and current Republican legislative leaders, the UDC is under attack,' wrote founding UDC member Richard Davis in a letter to 24 of his fellow board members on Monday announcing his departure. 'Obviously, now the Republican officials will have the power to determine the venues, the questions, the moderators, the thresholds for participation, and so on. So, it makes sense to them to take charge. It is a travesty for Utah voters,' Davis wrote. But multiple current and former board members who spoke to ABC4 say that behind the scenes, the decade-old organization that has executed Utah's federal and statewide general election debates, and more recently primary ones, has faced a messy history of being disorganized, excluding a Republican from its board, and accusations of being biased against the state's dominant party. Davis' departure also comes as the group's future, and the future of debates in Utah, is somewhat uncertain after the legislature decided not to fund the UDC anymore, instead giving to the University of Utah and the Hinckley Institute of Politics to join with Utah Valley University's Herbert Institute for Public Policy, run by Governor Gary Herbert, to 'establish a statewide non-partisan debate organization.' 'I knew partisanship would rear its ugly head, although I did not anticipate how much that would occur as well in Utah,' wrote Davis. 'I knew it would take vigilance to resist the governing party's effort to co-opt the UDC,' he added. Former Governor Gary denied that he or Republicans were trying to usurp control of the UDC in any way; rather, he said, that his idea was that if the legislature wanted a better debate organizing system, then they should fund it. 'Rather than control it, they're trying to make sure it's fair,' said Herbret. The goal that Richard has to make it fair is the same, and they'll fund it,' he said. A BYU Political Science Professor, Davis also founded the United Utah Party and has been openly critical of Republicans, including in his 2022 Deseret News Op-ed, where he first accused them of trying to 'strip away independence' from the commission. Davis told ABC4, and he outlines in his email, that the UDC fallout with Republicans escalated that year, after the decision to participate in primary debates and the Republican Party's backlash, which led to its refusal to have its candidates participate. 'I think a lot of the folks in the state were following the lead of their national counterparts who were saying don't participate in (the Commission on Presidential Debates), debates where you have supposed, what they considered supposed non-partisan settings because their board includes Democrats,' Davis told ABC4. But Republicans have alleged biases too, citing some of the moderators chosen by the commission. Like, in 2022, when Congressman Burgess Owens skipped his general election debate, citing a 'racist cartoon' from the Salt Lake Tribune, whose editor, Lauren Gustus, was the moderator. 'Since 2014, the Utah Debate Commission has proudly provided Utahns with fair, independent, and nonpartisan candidate debates,' said current GOP Co-Chair Becky Edwards via a statement. The commission has also faced criticism over its polling methods, which have allowed several third-party candidates to qualify for the stage despite the political reality that they likely wouldn't have a chance of winning in Utah. Davis maintains that the threshold was meant to balance fairness for voters outside the two-party system while weeding out non-serious contenders, and that he was in no way trying to unfairly benefit his third party. 'This threshold was set in 2013 or 2014, long before there was a United Utah Party, ' Davis said. 'And when I did become involved with the UUP, I stepped away from UDC.' Board rejects Republican Chief of Staff With those issues as the backdrop, in 2024, the board members who spoke to ABC 4 say Mark Thomas, the Utah Senate's Chief of Staff, had been asked several times by another founding member, Democrat Scott Howell who resigned in March after serving for 12 years, to join the board because of his experience in Utah elections and relationship with the legislature. Thomas was hesitant at first because of 2022, but ultimately agreed and began attending board subcommittee meetings. With approval from the board's executive committee, Thomas, a Republican, was then brought forward for a vote of ratification. But the board ultimately chose not to ratify Thomas, but did approve former Governor Gary Herbert in the same meeting. Davis took issue with Thomas's ability to be independent because he was appointed by Senate President Stuart Adams (R-Layton). But Thomas's actual role is Chief of Staff for the entire Senate, Democrats included, just as Adams is the President over the entire Senate. 'It wasn't that he was Republican, it was that he was a state government employee who was working directly for politicians,' Davis said, citing a board bylaw that prohibited politicians from being on the board. Rumors then started swirling among board members that Howell had offered Thomas a spot on the board in exchange for legislative funding. 'I never, ever, even once made reference to anything like 'help us get an appropriation and we'll give you a seat on the board,'' Howell said emphatically. 'Never. Ever.' 'I felt bad about the situation that Thomas had been misinformed that he was already on the board,' Davis said. But the experience left a sour taste for other board members who felt Thomas was treated poorly, made to wait on Zoom for 40 minutes while Davis and others debated his eligibility. Some also believed that Thomas wasn't let in because he was too conservative, and there was a double standard of allowing public university employees funded by the legislature, and other members with ties to politicians, but not Thomas. Future of the Utah Debate Commission The following legislative session, in 2025, the legislature stripped UDC of its funding in favor of the two universities, which did not even submit a formal appropriations request for the money. And despite the criteria for appointees to serve on the future debate committee outlined anywhere in state law, Herbert maintains that the Herbert and Hinckley Institutes will be able to create a non-partisan system. 'Our goal is to make sure there's a fair and balanced debate commission to make sure they're run professionally without bias,' he said. Davis believes the legislature gave the funding to the universities to dismantle UDC. '(The legislature) is expecting that we'll just fold and that their version, because it's got to be well funded by the legislature, will just be the prominent debate organization in the state,' Davis said. With the state funding of the UDC now gone and the new system not yet created, Davis urged the media coalitions to take over running the UDC for federal and statewide races. 'The media is the one organization left of the group that is truly independent,' Davis said. His outlook on the UDC's fate, however, was grim. Davis believes that the universities that have now been funded by the legislature will be controlled by the GOP purse strings. 'With no money, I'm not sure that there's a future there, which is very sad for me.' Edwards says the UDC will continue its mission of 'elevating political discourse and empowering voters,' though presumably they'll have to find private donors. Edwards said they are moving toward debates in 2026. 'The Utah Debate Commission continues its work and is actively preparing for the 2026 elections. We believe Utahns deserve fair and substantive debates, and we are proud to serve that public interest.' Editor's note: ABC4 is a member of the Utah Debate Commission with two company representatives on the board. The information for this story did not come from them. Latest headlines: Miss United States accuses GOP Rep. Cory Mills of threatening to release explicit videos of her School Guardian Program: State security chief explains Utah's newest approach to security and safety Utah debates in limbo as Utah Debate Commission founder exits blasting GOP Federal judge sides with a Utah religion that uses 'magic mushrooms,' citing new state law The longest winning streak in baseball history happened in SLC, and is now a film Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Universal Display Corporation Announces Second Quarter 2025 Conference Call
EWING, N.J., July 14, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Universal Display Corporation (UDC) (Nasdaq: OLED), enabling energy-efficient displays and lighting with its UniversalPHOLED® technology and materials, today announced its results for the second quarter, ended June 30, 2025, will be released on Thursday, July 31, 2025, after market close. At that time, a copy of the financial results release will be available on the Company's website at In conjunction with this release, UDC will host a conference call on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The live webcast of the conference call can be accessed under the events page of the Company's Investor Relations website at Those wishing to participate in the live call should dial 1-877-524-8416 (toll-free) or 1-412-902-1028. Please dial in 5-10 minutes prior to the scheduled conference call time. An online archive of the webcast will be available within two hours of the conclusion of the call. About Universal Display Corporation Universal Display Corporation (Nasdaq: OLED) is a leader in the research, development and commercialization of organic light emitting diode (OLED) technologies and materials for use in display and solid-state lighting applications. Founded in 1994 and with subsidiaries and offices around the world, the Company currently owns, exclusively licenses or has the sole right to sublicense more than 6,500 patents issued and pending worldwide. Universal Display licenses its proprietary technologies, including its breakthrough high-efficiency UniversalPHOLED® phosphorescent OLED technology that can enable the development of energy-efficient and eco-friendly displays and solid-state lighting. The Company also develops and offers high-quality, state-of-the-art UniversalPHOLED materials that are recognized as key ingredients in the fabrication of OLEDs with peak performance. In addition, Universal Display delivers innovative and customized solutions to its clients and partners through technology transfer, collaborative technology development and on-site training. To learn more about Universal Display Corporation, please visit Universal Display Corporation and the Universal Display Corporation logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Universal Display Corporation. All other Company, brand or product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks. All statements in this document that are not historical, such as those relating to the projected adoption, development and advancement of the Company's technologies, and the Company's expected results and future declaration of dividends, as well as the growth of the OLED market and the Company's opportunities in that market, are forward-looking financial statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements in this document, as they reflect Universal Display Corporation's current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated. These risks and uncertainties are discussed in greater detail in Universal Display Corporation's periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, in particular, the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Universal Display Corporation's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024. Universal Display Corporation disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement contained in this document. Follow Universal Display Corporation X Facebook YouTube (OLED-C) View source version on Contacts Universal Display Contact:Darice Liuinvestor@ media@ +1 609-964-5123 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
