James Edward Cheek was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor, by President Ronald Reagan. Cheek was born December 4, 1932 in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. He served in the United States Air Force and was honorably discharged in 1951. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and history from Shaw University in 1955, his Master of Divinity degree from Colgate Rochester University in 1958, and his Ph.D. from Drew University in 1962. Cheek was appointed president of Shaw University in 1963 and in 1968 was appointed president of Howard University. During his tenure at Howard, the student population increased by 3,500 as well as the number of schools, research programs, full-time faculty, and Ph.D. programs. Howard's budget increased from $43 million to $417 million. Cheek was named Washingtonian of the Year in 1980. Cheek retired as president of Howard in 1989 and died January 8, 2010. The James E. Cheek Learning Resource Center at Shaw is named in his honor.

U.S.A. Drug Bust Feb. 23rd, 1964 : In one of the largest drug busts ever the boss is identified a Mexican Ambassador to Bolivia as the mobs boss, Mexico reacted quickly by firing the Ambassador which takes away his immunity to prosecution, he is currently held on illegal trafficking of drugs and faces a lengthy jail sentence. He had been tracked by French Police working with the US enforcement agencies and it was decided the US had stiffer penalties for drug trafficking.