Distinguished Honorary Alumni Dr. Matthew Primous
Bio
Known as a Significant Voice in Modern Literature, a Poet of the Year, 2020 Black Author Matters Winner, 2025 Black Authors Matter Children Book Awards Nominee for his books, and International Impact Awards' Author of the Year Nominee
Stories (429)
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The Billboard
I never thought what I learned in class could be so real. I never thought what Mr. Hannigan taught would ever be real. You see I thought school was just making your mark. I thought school was about getting a head start. Yup I John Henry never thought there was actual power in schooling. I would try to do the best because that's what my parents taught me. That's what I was trained to do since I was young. It was like my thing. It was my forestay.. I never knew the power of education. And yeah I was doing it for the women. I wanted to attract the smartest and best. Besides the most beautiful to me. Education was personal. So I excelled even with setbacks. And this was my life. This was my purpose especially in education. And I learned to be independent. I learned to take care of myself. I learned to be a man. And graduating was humbling and great. I love gracing the stage and being among my peers showing my academic achievement. I never thought much about health until Covid. I remember the Student Vice President saying that I caught the eyes of many with my outstanding academics in health. But that was all I know. I never knew that I would rise to ranks in health. I never really knew my impact. It was like more than what I expected. And I love to dream big. I love to think outside the box. I love to brainstorm. My entire education taught me that. And it inspired me to excel everyday in class. I would try to be the best without being a teacher's pet. I would rather be a favorite student who worked hard using his mind and nothing else. Again Covid brought out something in me that I never thought. It brought our all my training and education. It made me think hard and a lot about my background. It inspired to join the task force. I had to tell the Governor what I learned. Especially since I excelled at health administration and liberal arts. I knew the methods they just suddenly came back to me. All of sudden, speaking to other governors in the association and having an influence on the direction of the health crisis. And even after it was resolved I still felt obligated to do more. Like I said Covid would be like the flu shot. So I was determined to fight for vaccines. To fight that we should keep them . To fight that we should make them known. After all vaccines do a lot for community is what I learned from genetics. Vaccines can make or break a society. So I kept up the fight even after Covid, I told my followers get both flu shot and vaccine. I did one in each arm. Because I believe in vaccines, I believe in science. In fact that was my specialty, I was noted as a Esteemed Scientist by the Union of Concerned Scientists. So I did it over and over again, shown it is okay to get a vaccine. And one day it happened. I became a unspoken hero for vaccines. I was recognized with this billboard in my hometown. And many say it looked like me, and I have the picture to prove it. I am glad at the change that is at hand. I did it for the people. I did it for my teachers and professors. I did it for my family. For everyone who believe in science. For everyone who loves living. And I hope that future generations would see that. And embraced that and become apart of the ideology of helping their community thrive and survive with science.
By Distinguished Honorary Alumni Dr. Matthew Primous9 months ago in Confessions
Who's Fairer
I always loved this show. I would watched. Binged watched it. And it's great because it says love is still alive and well. It shows us all what it means to be loved. And being a single mother, a single parent it really gets to me. I can't help but wonder. Sometimes I get excited and call my friends. Delores has been my friend since the beginning. I think we grew up together in college. She knows everything about me. Sometimes she called me Sis instead of Greta. And we hang out a lot. We learned a lot on our travels. And we even watched shows together. She really is my best friend. And lately we have been having so much fun especially with this show. Because we share our own doubts and feelings. We even get heated arguments. And that's when Yuen another friend has to end the fight, she really was a great co-worker. She would love spending extra time making sure everything came out ok. And she really is good at crisis intervention. And that's what she does for Delores and me. And Sammy keeps it spicy, she knows the latest and she knows a lot of culture things. She really is an excellent guide to modern things. Yup those are my smart friends that I have known for awhile. And we usually met up at each other's house. I remember one time how Delores kept her house messy while Yuen kept cleaning. And Delores got so mad that she kick Yuen out. And she said she doesn't know how to live on the edge. She doesn't know how to relax or chillax. It's like she is too perfect, a perfectionist. So then we spent the day over Yuen, And she was uptight until she had a little drink. We spiked it because we wanted her to act natural. She was just too robotic or something. But I did not know she was funny as she was and now she drink a little to loosen up. And then Sammy had too many technical things at her house. I did not know how to use the toilet. The sink was complicated too. She had like the latest gadgets and nobody knew how to use it. So we all said we were getting tired to leave her modern place. And this went on for sometime until the girls gang up on me and ask to go over my house to see the show. And I tried to make up many excuses like you wouldn't want to hang around my teenager. And my house is messy. And my cooking is a little off. But majority rules and so we spent time over my place. And I warned Julia. Julia was my only daughter. She was smart and likable. She was funny and witty. She was a dream daughter but she had her flaws. Lately she doesn't want to get old and she is having a hard time maturing. We had many talks outside the show. But Julia is in the teenage years where most kids rebel the law and want to do something else. So when my friends came over at first I made sure Julia was out at the movies or skating or dating. And finally Julia came home early and she found out that we were watching the Bachelor while eating buttery popcorn and drinking. And Julia was shocked. And she could not believe us. But Julia made a deal with me as I told her about the show and I thought she was on my side but she wasn't. She said she wanted to watch the show with me and my friends and her and her friends. And I told her finally she can but no drinking. Eventually she made the deal that the Bachelor will marry the younger woman over the older woman. And she said because she has a lot more going for her. And she is more beautiful and dreamy. And the Bachelor remind her of guys at her school. And I listen and told her don't be so sure. Older galls can be just as beautiful and wise and smart. You are an exception but not everyone else. And the day came for the finale of the Bachelor, it was shocking because the Bachelor was not only rich but also a prince. And they reminded the viewers of everything and it took hours. And we watched and nobody wanted to use the bathroom. We started to dose off until finally he chose after hours and it was the older. My friends and I were too tired to boast, we were so tired and had to work. And they left with a I told you so. Julia was disappointed but she told her friends maybe there are guys out there who love smart and witty women. Like Mom said you never know
By Distinguished Honorary Alumni Dr. Matthew Primous10 months ago in Fiction
Still Got It
I never thought it would come to this. I never thought that my life would be so complicated. After two divorces, my first husband was a pick. He would come late and he was just into himself. He would always want to party and drink. And he would say the wrong thing at the wrong time. He was just awful. I did love him. Sometimes he was fun. And sometimes he was loving but one incident, one moment of nuttiness. I tried to endure for it for awhile. I would try to be the sound one. I would try to be the calm one. But enough is enough. When can I be me. When I can be free. When I can be alive for a moment. And thank God we did not have kids. I wanted kids but he kept putting them off. Saying he is not ready. Saying that he needs the right job. Saying he doesn't understand fatherhood. Saying that he never had a father. And I felt sad for him. I really did. I thought this broken man would never be fixed. Until I caught him with his secretary at four in the afternoon. And the bastard gave her a baby. That's when I moved out and separated. John was not gonna get the best of me. John was not gonna break me. John was not gonna have me for lunch. Lillian Maxine was no longer gonna take it. I was fed up with this loser of a man who lied to me everyday of my life. And those moments of love were all imaginary. And I put off from that rocky divorce where John was trying to swindle me out of everything. That summarize my late 20's. Then into my early 30's I went partying after that somewhat short marriage. I was ready to live again. I never knew life could be great in the 30s. I had many friends and we would go on trips and everyone knew my name. My job was going well that I did not need John's alimony. And I was partying like a teenager. And I did not want to get tied down again. I sold my oaths. I was completely married to me and life was wonderful. But then you know after almost a decade of being married to myself, midlife crisis. I got back my feelings of being alone. I got back those old feelings of wanting somebody. And Keith was different. John was from one planet but Keith was from a different planet. He was a few years younger. He was built unlike John. He was adorable and he wanted babies. He was matured for his age. And he swept me off my feet. We started a secret relationship and then my friends found out. Especially when I kept spending time with him. Keith was wonderful and loving. And so I risked it in my mid 40s married again. And things were going right. We were in love. And I got pregnant. The pregnancy went well but Keith started to be shaky on having a girl. And I named her Belu Lilian. I had this fantasy that we could make it. I wanted us to make it because I never been more happier. I never been more grateful for life. So I stood for our daughter Belu and I stood for the memories. And this went on for sometime. My marriage with Keith definitely outlast John by far but was I happy. And our daughter Belu started to grow. Keith kept spending less and less time. And I began to struggle as a single parent in a two parent home. And finally in my late 50s enough was enough, I divorced Keith. But to my surprise Keith was happy and paid child support. Keith and I love affair was broken and I was living in a mirage. After that I sworn off men for the rest of my life it will be my daughter Belu Lilian. I decided on my own and by myself. And Belu was growing and changing. She never missed her father and she never asked about him. She was not a bad teenager, curious but not bad. Smart but not devious. She was like me. And as she was getting ready for college. I started to feel alone. She was my world and all. So I reunited with friends and spent time with them and watching Belu. And Belu asked if she could bring a friend when she come up. I moved away so my friends could not hear. And I just slowly agreed and was happy she came. So I spent my time and clean the house. I prepared the meal. And Belu came with a Professor. I must admit he was handsome and he kissed my hand and open the door. And I pretended to not notice. And Belu introduced me to him. her professor who went by the name Hubert. Now Hubert was interesting, polite and midage. He knew a lot and I learned a lot from him. He even offered to help me in the kitchen. Hubert kept wanting to do things for me and one day we bump into eachother and kiss. And Belu caught us. Hubert embarrassingly left and apologized. Belu pretended to be shock and she said Mom you still got it. Dad didn't take it from you. John didn't take it from you. Mom you still got it.
By Distinguished Honorary Alumni Dr. Matthew Primous10 months ago in Fiction
2 Kens: The Giants
I remember Ken he was my friend and he was my brother. We knew each other every since we were growing up. And man he was tall from the beginning. And he never wished to be tall. And he was smart too. He learned how to cook from an early age. Ken was a good man. And he was funny too. He could laugh so loud and his mom made him cry laughing. Ken was always the Big Dog. And I say that respectfully. He would care for his siblings even walk them to school. His mom was proud of him. And he loved her dearly. Even though he had issues with his Dad Ken Sr. he loved being the big giant of the family. And he had so many friends probably because he was the tallest. And nobody wanted to mess with him. And the girls went crazy about him. He was cool from the beginning. And he had inherited many things from his Dad besides his name. He was an all around Sportsman like his father and his grandfather. His father was named after his father so really Ken was Ken the Third. And he knew football even though he could run really really really fast. Ken was a football star even the school knew him as Ken Dog. He love sports. And he also was fast at swimming too. He could do several laps around a big pool without stopping. And only his father could do that. he would love swimming in his family's pool and man he could splash. Ken ran into hard times at college. He was training and doing well. But he got caught up with the wrong guys. He did what he always did. Admit he was wrong and tried to be a better man. That was always his action no matter what. To try to be better. And he took his punishment with dignity and respect. He did not serve long and he had health issues from then. He inspired me to do well in college. Yeah he would make fun of me like a brother but he wanted me to know that I was something not only to the family but also to others. Like there was one time, I was struggling not at school but trying to get the attention of girls I like. Ken told me to not sweat it and that I was smart enough and like Dad said to be nice. He guided me even though I was concerned about college and relationships. And he made me bold enough to ask the girl out. And I realized that he was right that she just wanted to know that she was beautiful and loved. And Ken also advised me to stick to my books as we walk with his friends to high school many times. I argued but he was stern and strong willed like his parents. And Ken survived as always, he had a life, he had friends and he knew women. Ken Sr. would talk about how he had high hopes for Ken. And how he would love putting him upon his knee when he was young to say that that's my son that's my boy that's my firstborn. Ken Sr. bragged even to his favorite counselor about Ken. And they grew close, lifted heavy furniture, look after one another, had good conversations, and check up on one another like best friends. And he was so proud to see Ken outrun a football team and hold his ground at the games. And he was so proud of Ken hat he got fit and trained at Grand Ole Mississippi. I would love celebrating his birthday with a sheet Large cheese pizza of pepperoni and mushrooms. His brother David gave up his only Bible as a gift for him. And his sisters were always happy and gentle with him. He never stop caring and even cooking. The Last memory of Ken was when he walk with me at my college. And he told me to never stop believing never stop being smart. He said I was smart from the beginning and will always be smart. And that was what I always was since I was young. And he wanted to see me graduated and excel as we walk by the Memorial trees of Classes. I will never forget Ken and Ken Sr. The Two Giants in the Family as Ken was six feet and six inches tall and Ken Sr. was six feet and five inches tall. They both left behind many friends and families.
By Distinguished Honorary Alumni Dr. Matthew Primous10 months ago in Families
The Court Jester
It was just after that big scandal with King Henry the Eighth. You know the scandal of him having all those children and killing his wives. It was so big that it shook the kingdom. People were refusing to come to England. People were leaving England. The whole kingdom was in disarrayed. And England had so many Prime Ministers because they could not keep up with the King's demands. It was a very dark time in England. King Henry was tired of relations. He was tired of going on dates. He was tired of being used and mistreated by his spouses. So King Henry still wanted to be king and stay on the throne tried many things. He tried to cheer the people up with a popular song and the lyrics were Don't hurt me baby. Don't hurt me now. I gotta hard time already. I gotta rule now. Babe Babe don't leave me or that's the end of you. And the people pretended to like the song and they dance to it. But they hated the song. King Henry asked to be entertained and the Prime Minister tried to court the King but he was lamed and exhausted. He suggested that the King hired an entertainer. At first the King hired dancers but they were all old women. And he did not know until the women took off their veils. And he was furious. How could the people send in old chicks to please me? How could they? Why would they send in these old hoors? And the Prime Minster stopped the King before he was sharpening the blades of the executioner. So his close advisors told him to go undercover and find entertainment. And they gave him a name Priolin. So the King went on a diet and tried to look younger and he saw no subjects at his court. He went out with his crew among the common folks. And he walk the streets and heard laughter. And it was a roaring laughter. And he walk in the back, and they were doing comedy. The King thought it was funny and he laughed. And he begin to drink. And he told everyone that his name was Priolin. And then the King begin to do comedy one night. He would make fun of himself and slapping the closest fellas. And he dreamed that he was still there but was butt naked at the bar and his crew protected him. And the Prime Minister heard and tried to regroup. And he demanded that the King be King again. And so the King explained the importance of comedy and he was to appoint an official Court Jester. After that the people went wild at the throne. Citizens begin to once again try to introduce their daughters to the King but the King was wised now and he was dating the Prime Minster's daughter Velvet. So over dinner with the Prime Minister and Cabinet and his wife to be. The King would asked for entertainment. The first candidate came from France and he could not speak English so the King had a comedy interpreter. And the King thought he wanted to eat or he wanted to dine because he kept signaling round something. And the interpreter told the King that he is talking about his wife to be Velvet. The King quit laughing and said off with his head. Then the other evening the candidate kept playing with fire and blow it out in the oddest places and the King said put him in a nut house. Then the other evening the candidate was a female clown and she kept getting between the King and his wife to be making balloon animals and being suggestive so his wife to be Velvet said Off with her head. And many days the King was stressed but he married Velvet. And the King got sick and appointed his close advisor to give him laughter for medicine. Finally the Court Jester was pick and he made fun of all the King's advisors and doctors. And he made fun of the King for them. The King found out and asked him to entertain at his funeral. And the Prime Minster allowed the Court Jester to entertained the people and then he ordered that they chopped off his head which was the last wishes of King Henry.
By Distinguished Honorary Alumni Dr. Matthew Primous11 months ago in Humor
The First Family
My fellow Americans, you can count on me. To never give up on you. To never give on the American Dream. I have fought since I started politics. It was my very own dream to help lead this nation. I was just a boy from New York City learning politics. And I had the grades but I needed something else. I needed a good spouse. I needed a good mate to help me cross where I never cross and go where I never gone. And that was my wife Ellie Rebecca. She guided me with her thoughts and her mind. She guided me with wisdom. She taught an old boy from New York City how to become a leader. And though we have our times. She help create this leader you see before you. And together we can change America. We can change the future. We can make a difference. Believe in us. I hoping to be your next President of the United States, Mattius Primous or for short Matt Primous. And there we were together on the campaign trail fighting for our nation and family. Ellie make sure we prayed three times a day together. And whenever God will bless us. And we both grew closer and closer. She fought for me and I fought for her. And even when the press got ugly and mean we grew stronger. I was more in tune with my wife than the actual job of being president. My wife was the president I would say many times not just only to earn bonus points from her. But if I can go back to when we were dating. I remember something terrible happen to my wife Ellie and she needed me. I brushed it off ignorantly and not caring much because I thought she was another woman trying to use me. She was persisted after calling one day ongoing. I finally answered nervously and afraid. She rebuked me and she told me that she needed me and she did not understand why I was ignoring. She was just about to give up. And I was about to cry and I told her over and over and over again that I was sorry. And I said I would never let her down again. And I told her that I love her and that she is like my mother and grandmother as godly as they are. And I did everything to make it up to her. I made sure the wedding happen and took place on January 16th. I gave her a dowry because I wanted her all to myself and I loved her that much. She would always say forever is the deal. She would call and I would call early morning, late morning, evening and late evening. We were inseparable. And I love the way she blow kisses, I love my baby kisses more than anything. She was way better than me. And I love everything about her. I took good care of her like she looked after me. We were inseparable. And now the campaign over, we watched in our home with her four children. I fell asleep on my wife's shoulder. We won, we got to 297 first. And we had a pizza party after the press conference. And we took a picture of our sons with me and our daughters with Ellie. Ellie became fit and thin and she look as beautiful as she did in her first pic she sought to me. It was our fifteen anniversary coming up and so we took a trip to Mount Vernon, the Mount Vernon of George Washington and I re-propose to her. And the kids saw on TV, and she said yes and kiss me a thousand times like Luther Vandross song.. It was exciting time and we enjoyed most of it especially being together and changing the world.
By Distinguished Honorary Alumni Dr. Matthew Primous11 months ago in Families
Children of the Dream
I never knew how important life was. I never knew how much I was apart of the bigger plan. School was hard enough. I was being bullied. It just seem like the popular kid hated me. I was just trying to do my best. I was trying to be a good student. Who knew life could be so complicated. Who knew making high grades would get you into so much troubled. And if I let them down, Momma would say Billy get them back up. I know how smart you are. I know what you are capable of. God gave you brains and smarts used them or else lose them. Mom did not know that I was being bullied. She just thought that the teachers got the best of me. I tried really really hard to keep Mom from finding out. Then it happened, the unthinkable. I got into a fight with the popular kid. He kept making fun of my name. He kept calling me out of my name. He kept cussing at me. I was fired up and ready to beat him down. And I was just about to get my hands on him and that's when my teacher came. I was scared. I was scared of losing my right to Harvard, Stanford or Yale My mind had lost me. I just was caught in the moment. And waiting and waiting in the office while the principal spoke to the popular kid first. I was becoming more and more discouraged. And I begin to cry that finally when the principal got to me. I was filled with tears. And I tried to explain but I could not. I beg the principal to not kick me out and to not tell my mother. And the principal was understanding, she gave me Kleenexes. And she really felt sorry for me and she called an old friend from church Mrs. Mathews. She told me to tell my mother that I should go to a church where Mrs. Mathews is at. Mrs. Mathews knows how to handle kids, she raised fourteen and half of them were adopted. And the principal knew that I did not have a grandparent and that my mother was all alone with raising me. I hug my principal. She said remember son you are a child of promise. You have capabilities. You have dreams to be fulfilled. You can't let these little issues affect you. You got hopes. Dig deep and don't let go. Dig deep and don't stop son. Go wide and discover all you can. Go really really wide and be the best man you can be. Life is not promise to be easy. Life is not promise to be fair. But if you fight hard enough. And dream wide enough you can accomplished anything. And I thank her Dr. Bernice Habits, my principal. So Mom came and pick me up and the principal spoke lightly. And Dr. Bernice Habits asked if there was a grandparent. And Mom said that her parents passed and that my father's parents don't talk to her. Dr. Bernice Habits asked if she would go to Mrs. Mathews' church and she could help with a lot of things. But Mom was hesitated and I asked Mom in front of Dr. Bernice Habits if she would go. And Mom said she would try. So Sunday came, and we went to Bethel Healing Assembly Church. And it was Mother's Day, the preacher was Mrs. Mathews. She spoke you ought to raised your children right. You ought to show them the way. You ought to be their rock upon which they stand and you stand on Jesus. Bring them back to love and compassion. Remind them of the dream. That they are children of the dream. That they are children of promise. We did not fight that hard to come back. We did not fight that hard to lose. Don't be afraid to hug them and kiss them even when you are afraid for them. Be gentle with them. And at times be harsh to them. But never stop loving them. Never stop comforting them. Never stop praying for them. Lift them up when they are good. Put them in their place when they are wrong. And cherish motherhood. Motherhood is a gift of God, motherhood is about grace and mercy. And she got a round of applause. And mother could not stop applauding and she ran down the aisle and hug Mrs. Mathews. And mother got saved and I got saved. And we never stop going to Mrs Mathews' church and she became my adoptive grandmother.
By Distinguished Honorary Alumni Dr. Matthew Primous11 months ago in Humans
Both Sides of the River
We had fought a war that should have been fought a long long time ago. It should have been won a long long time ago. I remember the way they treated Momma. She was a good Christian woman but they did not like her being strong willed and standing up for what's right. Momma loved church and she loved family. And they were all she had. My mother was a good woman. She loved her country but she just did not understand her country at times. Why would you give some people rights and others not. It was just plain wrong and Momma believed that. She would stand up to ministers preaching that women ought to be faithful to their husbands no matter what. Momma was my hero. And sometimes I thought my father was not my father. The way he treated Momma. Momma loved him with al of her heart but that was not good enough. And I did not like how he talk about her like she was his property. Sometimes I wanted to fight my father. Why marry her if she is your property. I confronted my father on many occasions. And then Momma got sick and I spent most of my time taking care of her. She stop me from fighting my father and from being angry with him. She made me make peace with him. And I did when I finally saw that my father loved my mother. That he was just protecting her in his own way. And when Momma died and we had her great funeral, father told me that he wanted me to get married. Then all of sudden, my father got sicked. If he would have waited for the white doctors then he would have been dead. So my friends from childhood who worked for my father looked after him that was after I had to convinced my father many times and watch him. And he check my father many times, he was a black doctor Dr. Avery. And he finally told me the diagnose and I was heartbroken over father. Father was constantly sleeping and not eating much. And I did not tell father that I asked Dr. Avery to stay in the house. Father could not move from his bed. And it happened that father got so stricken that he was bed ridden. I stood strong for my father until Dr. Avery cook for me breakfast and coffee. And we laughed a bit and we begin to hold hands and kiss. And we danced to a little music and I was shy and ashamed after kissing him. And Dr. Avery said May you got to live. May you got to live too. I don't know how long your father is gonna live. And Dr. Avery and I got so close that I could not break his heart and we made love wildly and frequently. And I was pregnant at father's funeral. And Dr. Avery pledged to work for me. And so we lived together without anyone knowing. Dr. Avery pretended to be my worker and I pretended to be sick and in need of help. And we raised a family, Amary looked like me. Amary grew up well and beautiful and she was smart like her father. As time grew on and we started to get many neighbors and as Dr. Avery started to age and I as well age. One of the neighbors came over after decades of being ignored and she suspected. She was a nosy businesswoman Mrs. Cab. And I believe she was more interested in the house than conversating with me. She always kept looking and suspecting. And she did this for months. And she finally brought over her husband Mr. Cab and they asked if my daughter Amary was educated. They were acting like they were family and I barely knew them. And they tried to fix my daughter up with their son. I finally kick them out and told them that I can no longer talk to them. And a few nights ago, the white gang burned a cross at my house, Dr. Avery came out to meet them with a shotgun. and they shot him and I called the police. The doctor said that Dr. Avery was too old to be wounded and he died from the wound. We held a small private funeral and at that funeral I swore to our daughter Amary that I would get revenge. So Mr. Cab and Mrs. Cab came back and I talked through the door. They said there will be troubled. And we packed our bags and things and had them waiting with friends. The white gang burned a cross but I got them so mad that they burned the house and we escaped. And eventually we got the insurance check for the property and Mr. Cab and Mrs. Cab turned in the white gang because they were suspected. Amery and me started over rich and up North where her father Dr. Avery came from.
By Distinguished Honorary Alumni Dr. Matthew Primous11 months ago in History
