Archive
Author, Playwright and Philanthropist Jay Cameron Granted Dual Citizenship in Sierra Leone
Washington, DC — Jay Cameron, author, playwright, and philanthropist, has been granted Sierra Leonean dual citizenship after tracing his ancestry to the Temne tribe. Bridging the gap between the African diaspora and Africa has become Jay’s main goal since 2018.
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WFD to Hold First-Ever Junior Fire Academy
In July, the Wilmington Fire Department will be holding its first ever Junior Fire Academy for high school students. In July, the Wilmington Fire Department will be holding its first ever Junior Fire Academy! This coincides with several of the
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Trust, a Blessing to Have, a Curse to Lose
Sometimes words alone cannot convey meaning and feelings the way we’d like them to. “Trust,” for example. I know I’ve talked about this before so please humor me. The reference point for my meaning today is “Trust in the Lord
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The Black Press: Vanguards of Our History, Guardians of Our Future
For decades, the Black press has been the vanguards of the Black community’s history and the guardians of our future. They have been one of the few institutions that have acknowledged our pain while making space for our promise. Both
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The Coronavirus Is Still in the Midst of the Black Community in California
Although California businesses are open Only 45.5 percent of the state’s Black community is at least partially vaccinated, according to California Department of Public Health data. This despite the fact that the virus death rate for Blacks is 9 percent
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Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework Advances Economic and Public Health Opportunities for Communities of Color
The President Joe Biden-led bipartisan Infrastructure Framework released on Tuesday, June 29, addresses economic disparities in America’s economy and the consequences of decades of disinvestment in the nation’s infrastructure that have fallen most heavily on communities of color. Through critical
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Pride Month Means Black Pride, Too
June is Pride Month, commemorating the violent police raid on the Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969, when GLBTQ activists fought abusive police officers who beat gay men, lesbians, and those who cross-dressed. So-called law enforcement also participated in blackmail
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Founders of Black Women-Led Organization Launch Event Series to Teach Educators How to Be More Innovative
Teach Your Heart Out (TYHO), a Black-women-led organization, founded by Lisa Dunnigan and Tosha Wright, is committed to creating high-impact programs and events for educators. They have recently announced their schedule of events through summer 2022. The upcoming schedule includes
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Hundreds Gather on UNC’s Campus to Demand Tenure for Nikole Hannah-Jones
Demonstrators call on UNC-Chapel Hill trustees to take action by June 30 Several hundred UNC students, faculty and staff gathered on campus Friday to demand that Nikole Hannah-Jones be awarded tenure. The demonstration, organized by UNC’s Black Student Movement, brought a
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How Colonialism’s Legacy Makes It Harder For Countries To Escape Poverty and Fossil Fuels Today
While fossil fuels were powering wealthy nations’ economic growth in the 19th and 20th centuries, many countries across the Global South remained largely impoverished. Today, all that burning of oil, coal and natural gas has warmed the planet toward dangerous
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Ex-Cop Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Killing George Floyd
There will be no probation for former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin. The ex-cop received more than a 22-year prison sentence on Friday, June 25, two months after a jury convicted him of three charges, including second-degree murder, in the
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America’s Widespread Police Brutality Problem Results in Tens of Thousands Taken to Emergency Rooms
A new investigation by the nonprofit The Marshall Project and data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal the depth of police brutality and unpunished violence that continues to rock the nation, particularly communities of color. Since 2015,
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NNPA Re-Elects Executive Committee of Five Black Women Publishers
The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) completed its historic virtual convention by unanimously re-electing its all-Black women executive board. Houston Forward Times Publisher Karen Carter Richards earned a second term as the national chair of the NNPA. Meanwhile, the executive
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How to Combat Social Isolation – Research Shows the Mental Health Stakes Are High
(Family Features) – Even before COVID-19 limited social contact with friends, family and colleagues, many adults experienced loneliness and depression due to limited contact with others. Now, a year after the pandemic forced many people into even greater levels of
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Free-Speech Ruling Won’t Help Declining Civil Discourse
A Supreme Court decision saying a school district could not punish a student for profane complaints made on a weekend and off school grounds will not stem the torrent of crude, disrespectful speech in American society. In 2017, high school
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Russell Simmons Collaborates with TOKAU to Exclusively Launch ‘Masterminds of Hip Hop’
Def Jam Records founder Russell Simmons has collaborated with TOKAU to launch an NFT (non-fungible tokens) collection named “Masterminds of Hip Hop.” A spokesperson for the music and business mogul said the collection is built alongside legendary musicians who were
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Flawed Data LED to Findings of a Connection Between Time Spent on Devices and Mental Health Problems – New Research
Even a casual follower of the news over the last few years is likely to have encountered stories about research showing that digital technologies like social media and smartphones are harming young people’s mental health. Rates of depression and suicide
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Closures of Black K-12 Schools Across the Nation Threaten Neighborhood Stability
Residents of the St. Louis neighborhood known as The Ville have been fighting for years to stop the closing of Charles H. Sumner High School, the oldest historically Black high school west of the Mississippi River. Sumner High School has
Read MoreResearch That Shines Light on How Cells Recover From Threats May Lead to New Insights Into Alzheimer’s and ALS
The big idea Our bodies contain a special protein tag that plays a role in how cells recover from specific threats to their survival, according to new research I co-authored. Understanding how this process works may be key to future
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Chaka Khan Headlines the Black Press of America’s Virtual Convention
“Ain’t Nobody” like Chaka Khan. The legendary singer, songwriter, activist, philanthropist, and 10-time Grammy winner brings her talents to the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) annual summer convention. The icon, who has 22 albums and 10 number 1 songs, will
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Despite Outrage, New State Voting Laws Don’t Spell Democracy’s End – but There Are Some Threats
One group has said that “Americans’ access to the vote is in unprecedented peril.” What do you think? I would not say that. These election bills marginally increase the difficulty for some voters by reducing some of the options, whether
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America’s Widespread Police Brutality Problem Results in Tens of Thousands Taken to Emergency Rooms
A new investigation by the nonprofit The Marshall Project and data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal the depth of police brutality and unpunished violence that continues to rock the nation, particularly communities of color. Since 2015,
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Spackling the Holes in Your Soul
My daughter needed my help this weekend. She has some holes in the wall of her apartment and needed to get them covered. When she first moved, it was important for her to decorate her room with pictures and lights.
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MediaCo Appoints New Executive Team to Lead Strategic Realignment and Innovation
Rahsan-Rahsan Lindsay Named Chief Executive Officer of Mediaco: Hot 97, WBLS, and Fairway Outdoor; Bradford Tobin Named President And COO Company Appoints New Seasoned Leadership in Key Roles to Fuel Growth and Continued Service to Black Culture and the Hip
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Senate Republicans Block Sweeping Voting Rights Bill
With Republican-backed voter suppression bills sweeping the country, the Democrat-majority in the U.S. Senate has quickly lost its grip on protecting voters of color and others who are marginalized at the polls. On Tuesday, a procedural vote on the House-passed
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Sha’Carri Richardson Bolts into History and into Tokyo Olympics
With lightning-like quickness and a will to dominate, Sha’Carri Richardson is on her way to the Olympics in Tokyo. The 21-year-old native of Dallas, Texas, won the women’s 100-meter final during the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. Richardson’s victory
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Juneteenth, the Fourteenth and Truth
On a late spring day in June of 1865, a set of events in Texas began that spread quickly across the state and then gained official recognition from local and state governments nationwide. Recently, the United States Senate passed a
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Policy for the People Virtual Summit Series – Engage With Experts and Members of the Congressional Black Caucus
Upcoming Policy for the People Virtual Summit Series Emerging Leaders’ Summit Thursday, June 24, 2021 10 – 11 AM ET, 2 – 3 PM ET Register todayProviding Insight and Analysis in the Areas of Public Policy Engage with experts, prominent
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Award-Winning Black Author Reveals How She Went From Being Unselected to Respected in the Literary World
After being denied by multiple traditional publishing companies and media outlets, author Charron Monaye dared to step out on faith and birth her literary legacy. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Charron used her spiritual gift to pen stories that
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How Kim Kardashian Helps Innocent Black Prisoners is a Problem
Kim Kardashian has no doubt been a major asset in bringing national attention to prison reform and wrongful convictions in the Black community and has been very successful in negotiating the release of several inmates from prison. However, her method
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President Biden Seeks to Expand Access to Legal Counsel and Courts for Vulnerable Citizens
President Joe Biden directed the U.S. Attorney General to submit a plan within four months to expand the Department of Justice’s access to justice work. The President also announced that he and Vice President Kamala Harris would re-establish the White
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Book Called “Boy.” Gives Voice to Mothers of Black Sons
Norma Adams-Wade, Founding Member of the National Association of Black Journalist, Texas Metro News Columnist Eric Garner’s mother Gwen Carr knows paralyzing grief first-hand. Other Black mothers across the nation say they share a similar mind-numbing foreboding: the possibility of
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HBCU Change and HBCU Buzz Team Up to Raise $1 Billion For Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Atlanta, GA — HBCU Change, a philanthropic digital app, and HBCU Buzz, a leading multimedia marketing agency specializing in HBCU content and campaign strategies, have joined forces to rally alums around the effort to raise $1 billion for Historically Black
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Sha’Carri Richardson Makes History as One of the Fastest Women in the World
21-year old Sha’Carri Richardson has officially made the 2021 U.S. Olympic team after an amazing performance in Eugene, Oregon where she won first place in the women’s 100-meter semis in 10.64 seconds. She was only .01 seconds away from beating
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Gospel Legend John P Kee to Perform and Receive Prestigious Award at NNPA Convention
Singer and New Life Fellowship Church Pastor John P. Kee will receive the 2021 National Gospel Transformative Award at the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s (NNPA) virtual convention on Friday, June 25, 2021. The Rev. James Cleveland-inspired minister and hitmaker also
Read MoreOral History: Opal Lee “People Have Shackles on Their Minds…”
Opal Lee was born October 7, 1926 in Marshall, Texas. Her mother moved to Fort Worth when she was ten years old. She attended Cooper Street Elementary School and graduated from Historic I.M. Terrell High School in 1943 at the
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Dominion Energy’s HBCU Promise℠
Our $25 million commitment to be shared by 11 HBCUs in 4 states In 2020, Dominion Energy committed $25 million to be shared by 11 historically black colleges and universities in Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina and South Carolina. The six-year
Read MorePresident Biden Signs Juneteenth Holiday into Law
Beginning on Friday, June 18, federal employees enjoyed the country’s 12th – and perhaps most significant – paid holiday. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris held a signing ceremony, officially marking Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Because Juneteenth
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Pamela Smith Said Her Prison Sentence Should Not Have Included Rape
According to the nonprofit Human Rights Watch, more than 200,000 women are incarcerated in the United States, and at least 15 percent of them have suffered sexual assault behind bars. These assaults occur primarily at the hands of male correctional
Read MoreFILM REVIEW: “Tina” – The Magic That Some Music Legends Can Create.
She’s like an eternal flame. Can’t remember when she wasn’t around. Can’t imagine life without her. That’s the magic that some music legends can create. They get people to think about them in the past, present and future. The here,
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TRAVEL: Why St. Lucia Might Be a Black Traveler’s Paradise
It’s been a rough year. The whole world has spent the better part of the past 12 months isolated and cooped up in their homes. Thanks to cautious measures and vaccinations, people are beginning to be able to emerge from
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Intersport Launches ‘The John Shippen’ to Identify Historical Barriers and Expand Black Representation in Golf
Intersport, in collaboration with Rocket Mortgage, Trion Solutions, Dow, The Children’s Foundation and Sommer Woods (co-founder of Woods and Watts Effect), announced the launch of a new national golf event: ‘THE JOHN SHIPPEN’ to identify historical barriers and expand Black
Read MoreFederal Policy Has Failed to Protect Indigenous Women
Lawmakers in the nation’s capital have an opportunity to fix a longstanding problem with the landmark legislation to prevent domestic violence: its failure to protect Indigenous women. The 1994 Violence Against Women Act, or what is commonly called “VAWA,” was
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Attorney General Merrick Garland Announces Several Actions to Protect Voting Rights
Citing escalating voting restriction laws in Republican-controlled states around the country, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced several actions that the Department of Justice plans to protect the freedom to vote. Garland said the Department would double its Civil Rights
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St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend celebrates 20 years running, nears $100 million raised since 2002
St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend celebrates 20 years running, nears $100 million raised since 2002 National Black Marathoners Association among groups participating in Memphis on Dec. 4 MEMPHIS, Tenn. – St. Jude Memphis Marathon® Weekend presented by Juice
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Hip Hop Icon Dr. Dre Opening the ‘Coolest High School in America’
Hip Hop and business icon Dr. Dre said he lasted just two weeks in a college program and believed that many young ones don’t want to attend school because it’s boring. “You keep flipping the same thing over and over
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Senate Confirms Judge Kentaji Brown Jackson to Powerful DC Appellate Court
The U.S. Senate on Monday, June 14, confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. President Joe Biden nominated Judge Jackson to fill one of the vacancies on the District appellate
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NNPA Chair Prepares for Annual Convention After Leading Black Press to Most Successful Two-Year Period in History
According to Karen Carter Richards, the state of the Black Press of America is more robust than it has ever been. The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) chair and the Houston Forward Times publisher expressed even more optimism for the
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Senate Passes Bill to Make Juneteenth a Federal Holiday
Texas Democratic Congressman Al Green began recognizing Juneteenth as a paid holiday in his office last year, so when the Senate passed legislation this week to make the date that commemorates freedom a national holiday, the congressman was among the
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From the Archives: This Way to Fair Share: The Politicians, Political Parties and Voters
This week we look at the necessary parties and the roles that they’ll have to play if economic equity for voters of color is to become a reality. The issue of fair share was a major topic of discussion at
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