About

Mission

The mission of the Hampton University National Center for Black Family Life (NCBFL) is to develop, advance, and distribute models of advocacy and support to strengthen Black families in our communities.

The Center satisfies this mission though several programmatic pillars including:

  • The cultivation and dissemination of a research-based model that equips churches with the tools to build marriage and relationship ministries;
  • The development of (and distribution) of research-based accessible information that supports Black familial relationships/practices;
  • Produce and host and annual conference on the Black family;
  • Present an interactive speaker series, featuring subject matter experts and families engaging relevant topics;
  • Host critical conversations and programs that bring together people with disparate points of view to find common ground in the elevation of all families.

Background

NEED BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Leadership

Linda Malone-Colon, Ph.D

Dr. Linda Malone-Colon, Ph.D., is Dean of Hampton University’s School of Liberal Arts and Education (SLAE) and a Tenured Full Professor of Psychology. She holds a masters’ degree in Clinical Psychology and a Ph.D. in Personality Psychology and minor in Neuropsychology from Howard University. With extensive experience in teaching and administrative leadership in higher education, she currently provides leadership and vision for the SLAE, overseeing 1,200 undergraduates, 100 graduates, and 100+ faculty across three divisions. Dr. Malone-Colon spearheads initiatives like the HU Men’s Violence Prevention Program (the Promise Program), addressing health disparities and violence among African American males. She directs the Hampton University Center for Teaching and Learning, offering university-wide academic development. Formerly, she directed the National Healthy Marriage Resource Center, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services where she provided oversight for family programs at satellite offices at leading Universities across the country, promoting family wellness nationwide. A renowned speaker, she addresses strengthening families at prestigious forums like the Brookings Institution and the Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference. Dr. Malone-Colon is affiliated with the American Psychological Association, Association of Black Psychologists, and National Council for Family Relations.

Linda Malone-Colon, Ph.D

Dr. Linda Malone-Colon, Ph.D., is Dean of Hampton University’s School of Liberal Arts and Education (SLAE) and a Tenured Full Professor of Psychology. She holds a masters’ degree in Clinical Psychology and a Ph.D. in Personality Psychology and minor in Neuropsychology from Howard University. With extensive experience in teaching and administrative leadership in higher education, she currently provides leadership and vision for the SLAE, overseeing 1,200 undergraduates, 100 graduates, and 100+ faculty across three divisions. Dr. Malone-Colon spearheads initiatives like the HU Men’s Violence Prevention Program (the Promise Program), addressing health disparities and violence among African American males. She directs the Hampton University Center for Teaching and Learning, offering university-wide academic development. Formerly, she directed the National Healthy Marriage Resource Center, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services where she provided oversight for family programs at satellite offices at leading Universities across the country, promoting family wellness nationwide. A renowned speaker, she addresses strengthening families at prestigious forums like the Brookings Institution and the Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference. Dr. Malone-Colon is affiliated with the American Psychological Association, Association of Black Psychologists, and National Council for Family Relations.

Zina T. McGee, Ph.D.

Director of Research

Zina.McGee@hamptonu.edu

Dr. Zina T. McGee, Ph.D., Endowed University Professor of Sociology, holds a B.A. and M.A. in Sociology from the University of New Orleans and a Ph.D. from Tulane University.  She teaches at Hampton University, specializing in juvenile delinquency, victimization among minority youth, and coping patterns among incarcerated women.  She has received numerous awards, including The Edward L. Hamm, Sr. Distinguished Teaching Award at Hampton University, the Career Development Fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University, the Minority Fellowship at the American Sociological Association, and the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV) Outstanding Faculty Award. She has served on numerous commissions, including the Virginia Commission on Youth in Richmond, VA. Dr. McGee has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and has conducted research projects funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Writing substantially on marginalized groups’ experiences with crime, she is author of Silenced Voices: Readings in Violence and Victimization, Peer Victimization: Theory, Research and Practice, and Time Served: Perspectives on Incarcerated Women and Their Children. She has served as Chairperson of the Minorities and Women’s section of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences and the Division of People of Color and Crime of the American Society of Criminology. Dr. McGee is also a member of the Racial Democracy Crime and Justice Network-Rutgers University. She serves as off-site reviewer for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), National Institute of Justice peer reviewer, and member of the Committee on Ceremonial Occasions and the Hampton University Institutional Review Board. She directs research initiatives at Hampton University’s School of Liberal Arts and Education. 

Bishop-Dr. Raymond J. Johnson

Bishop-Dr. Raymond J. Johnson is a dedicated advocate of education with a diverse academic background, pursuing his second doctorate in Public Theology. As a church planter, he founded Dominion Outreach Worship Center, evolving it into a thriving multi-site ministry and community hub. With a lifelong commitment to serving Christ, Dr. Johnson has held various pastoral roles and now leads as Senior Pastor. He is consecrated as a Bishop, serving in multiple leadership capacities nationally and regionally. Beyond the church, he actively engages in community and public service, recognized for his contributions. Alongside his wife Lady Alitash Kebebe Johnson, they raise seven children, embodying the “Dominion Mandate.”

Center Partners

Communio Partner Churches 

Cornerstone Worship Center International
55 Tide Mill Lane
Hampton, VA 23666
Apostle Gerard Ruff

Dominion Outreach Worship Center
119 29th Street
Newport News, VA 23607
Dr. Raymond Johnson

Greater Emanuel Temple (COGIC)
1225 N King St,
Hampton, VA 23669
Bishop Micheal Golden

Messiah Center
1421 W Pembroke Ave
Hampton, VA 23661
Bishop Duane Seals

Real Life Church
4877 Princess Anne Rd
Virginia Beach, VA
Pastor Todd Woolston

Refuge Nation Church
1079 Big Bethel Rd
Hampton, VA 23666
Bishop Joe Baker

 

Community Partner Churches

The Birthing Place Worship Center
3960 Turnpike Rd
Portsmouth, VA
Bishop Yvonne Wright-Dunn

Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church
830 25th St
Newport News, VA
Rev. Dr. Brian T. Wells

Faith World Ministries
6235 Azalea Garden Road
Norfolk, VA
Arch Bishop Ezekiel Williams

Gethsemane Baptist Church
5405 Roanoke Ave
Newport News, VA 23605
Bishop Dwight Riddick

Ivy Baptist Church
50 Maple Ave
Newport News, VA 23607
Pastor: Dr. Kevin Swann
info@iveybaptistchurch.org

The Mount Peninsula Church
6406 George Washington Memorial Highway
Yorktown, VA
Pastor Alvin Georges
peninsulaservices@themountleads.org 

New Hope Baptist Church
1415 Big Bethel Rd
Hampton, VA, 23666
Pastor Christopher Carter

Providence Baptist Church
1331 30th Street
Newport News, VA 23607
Rev. Dr. Corey Brown
staff@fbcnn.org

Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Temple
3100 Butternut Dr
Hampton, VA 23666
Pastor Jerome Barber

Third Baptist Church
461 Godwin St
Portsmouth, VA

Zion Baptist Church
633 20th Street
Newport News, VA
Rev. Dr. Tremayne Johnson