Interviews
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Kevin Pryor chats with The Chess Drum
U.S. Chess Federation President Kevin Pryor has been at the helm for nearly a year and has been enthusiastic about growing membership. He attended the 2025 HBCU Chess Classic at King’s Chapel at Morehouse College to lend support to the outreach initiatives at Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs). Kevin…
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HBCU Spotlight: Harper Jackson (Morehouse)
Harper Jackson with Dr. Daaim Shabazz at HBCU Chess Classic at Morehouse’s King Chapel.Photo by Daaim Shabazz/The Chess Drum Harper Jackson of Morehouse College led his team to a third-place finish in the 3rd HBCU Chess Classic. Jackson, a Detroit native, got his start under Kevin Fite while at Bates…
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HBCU Chess Spotlight: Charles Lindsey, Jr. (Hampton)
Charles Lindsey, Jr. and Breon McCray had a vision a few years ago at Hampton University. The Detroit natives decided to turn their passion for chess into an organization. The group’s purpose was to gather like minds, refine analytical abilities, and engage in satisfying social interaction. Charles Lindsey, Jr., President…
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HBCU Chess Spotlight: Anndrea Ojijo (NCAT)
Anndrea Ojijo, President of NCAT Chess ClubPhotos by Daaim Shabazz/The Chess Drum Playing at the 2024 HBCU Chess Classic at Georgia Tech I’d love to get more people in chess… and getting more women into chess. ~Anndrea Ojijo Anndrea Ojijjo is an honors student at North Carolina A&T (NCAT), aspiring…
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HBCU Chess Spotlight: Samir Acharya (Howard)
Samir Acharya2025 HBCU Chess Champion Samir Acharya won the 3rd HBCU Chess Classic with a perfect 5/5, leading Howard University to the team title for the second time in three years. The junior computer science major was the top seed going into the tournament and met expectations. Interestingly, Acharya mentioned…
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HBCU Chess Spotlight: Caleb Parker (FAMU)
Florida A&M University, also known as “FAMU” (FAM-U), chartered its chess club in January after a year of planning. Caleb Parker met with Dr. Daaim Shabazz in early 2023 to discuss the possibility of reigniting the chess presence at one of the nation’s largest Black universities. Historically-Black Colleges and Universities…
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Jamaican Chess dons post-Olympiad energy
The Jamaican chess delegation trekked to Budapest, Hungary, for the 45th Chess Olympiad. The island nation sent two teams, with former president Ian Wilkinson as head of the delegation. The event marked the 100th anniversary of FIDE, the world’s governing chess body. The Chess Drum got a chance to chat with members…
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Jamaica’s Wilkinson re-elected to FIDE post
Ian Wilkinson, attending his 11th straight Olympiad, was re-elected as a member of the FIDE Constitutional Commission (CC). He described the vote as being ‘hotly contested.‘ Wilkinson comes with some history in FIDE, having served eight years on the Ethics Commission and even running as Vice President in the 2022 Election.…
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Maurice Ashley talks chess in Budapest
Grandmaster Maurice Ashley was spotted at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, but he told The Chess Drum that he was not there as a delegate or captain, but merely as a chess tourist. Most will know Ashley as one of the most visible commentators of the chess world, but…
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HBCU Chess Spotlight: Alan Cowan
Alan Cowan was co-valedictorian of Morehouse College’s 2023 graduating class. He kindled an intense interest in finance and now works in venture capital for Mosaic General Partnership in San Francisco. Apart from his academic achievements, he executed one of the most potentially impactful ideas in American chess. In 2020, Cowan…
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