Jim Crow returns…one congressional district at a time, Mother Jones

Because of the Supreme Court, majority-Black voting districts are disappearing across the South. What will that mean for November’s election?

Related: Reuters published a project exploring what redistricting means for Tennessee voters…

Capital B’s reported on Tennessee’s new map and how Black Memphis is fighting again for representation…

asked in the New York Times: Could Mississippi elect its first Black senator since Reconstruction?...

Black unemployment hints at a job market in worse shape than it seems, The New York Times

When unemployment for Black workers rises sharply, it can be an early signal of trouble for everyone. talked to Gena Pemberton and other Black professionals about the disappearance of diversity, equity and inclusion positions nationwide…

What “Once Upon a Time in Harlem” can teach us about arguing over Black art, Salon

wrote about the documentary “Once Upon a Time in Harlem” and the “virtually lost art of Black cultural debate in today’s social media era.”

Related: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is partnering with NEON to present free screenings of “Once Upon a Time” on October 24 and 25…

It’s More Than a Crown: What It Means to Be HBCU Royalty, Capital B News

During homecoming season, students competing for the titles of “Miss” and “Mister” are crowned at more than 90 HBCUs. Several HBCU students shared what earning that title means to them with Alecia Taylor.

What’s In The News

Across America

Alabama: Gov. Kay Ivey commuted the sentence of Toforest Johnson, who has long proclaimed his innocence...

Arkansas: Chris Jones could become the first Black person the state has ever sent to Congress…

California: An exhibition dedicated to the music of Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” has opened at the California African American Museum…

District of Columbia: Thousands of DC residents are homeless. The 51st spoke to five writers about how they’d solve the housing crisis…

Illinois: The late civil rights leader Al ​​Raby was recently honored with a street dedication in Woodlawn, reports…

Indiana: Voters will decide whether to give judges broad new powers to keep suspects in jail without bail before trial…

Kansas: The state’s only Black-owned bookstore is fundraising to stay open…

Maryland: The Supreme Court will hear a case arising from a lawsuit claiming a program in Montgomery County schools unlawfully seeks to boost Latino and Black enrollment…

Michigan: Senate candidate sat down with The Root’s publisher to discuss why Black voters should trust his record… Barack Obama will appear with El-Sayed and other Democratic candidates during a campaign rally in Detroit on Saturday….

Mississippi: The police shooting that killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley as he sat in his mother’s lap in a Walmart parking lot in Senatobia “was justified,” the state Attorney General’s Office announced…

New York: Investigative journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones pressed schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels for systemwide school integration plans…

North Carolina: The city of Wilmington will host a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the 128th anniversary of the 1898 Wilmington Massacre on Nov. 10…

Pennsylvania: Michael G. Knight is the president-elect of the nation’s oldest and largest group representing Black doctors…

South Carolina: The International African American Museum recently launched a new exhibit that seeks to reclaim the narrative and the identities of enslaved Black people…

Tennessee: went to Memphis to learn about state representative Justin J. Pearson’s run for Congress…

Texas: “Black Austin Matters,” the podcast celebrating the voices, experiences and culture of Central Texas’ Black community, has won silver at Signal Awards…

Virginia: Police in Hampton Roads saturated Black and low-income neighborhoods with Flock-style cameras, a study found…

What’s Happening

Gary Tyler, a quilt artist who spent decades on death row for a crime he didn’t commit, now has his first solo exhibit at the Grand Rapids Art Museum in Michigan…

Trump critic and Virginia State Sen. L. Louise Lucas surrendered to authorities to face charges, the Justice Department said…

A Black MAGA content creator said she “cannot believe the disrespect” after she was removed from a San Antonio rally hosted by GOP Senate candidate Ken Paxton…

A New York couple is suing after reportedly receiving a text message from a real estate agent while searching for an apartment that said, “ugh they are black”…

“Black voters are not political pawns. We are not faceless masses waiting to be packed and cracked into districts that most efficiently benefit either party. We are not a means to an end,” the ’s Todd Cox writes…

says Democrats are doing “barely enough” in the South. Not long after, the Senate Majority PAC announced a new $1 million ad buy in Mississippi in support of Democrat Scott Colom…

The family of Koran Irvine is demanding answers after the retired police detective who shot and killed him was charged with manslaughter...

Black congressmembers on the House Financial Services Committee signed a letter backing Rep. Maxine Waters’ bid to remain as the panel’s Democratic leader…

Illinois Gov. is sending $1 million to Georgia Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms’ gubernatorial campaign, POLITICO reports…

For the first time in Morgan State University’s 159-year history, enrollment has surpassed 12,000…

“Black women collectively are growing exhausted with this expectation that they will be unwavering in our support of people and systems that couldn’t care less about them”, writes…

Louisiana ripped Corey Best’s son from his life two decades ago. Today, he is crafting new solutions to help families in crisis…

11-year-old Peyton Stewart wants to someday become CEO of the Louisiana hospital where he received treatment for a rare gene mutation…

Entertainment News

A new exhibit in Washington, DC, examines how Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou and others used Shakespeare’s work to help tell their own stories. spoke with exhibit curator Patricia Akhimie above…

Following the release of his new album, “Happiness Anytime,” Esquire caught up with Leon Bridges for a wide-ranging interview…

wrote about Jalen Hurts’ injury and the disposability of Black bodies at work…

Coco Jones responded to an unexpected racist encounter in the streets of New York...

wrote about the growing number of Black millennials investing in fine art and the larger impact that could have on the industry for WayMaker Media’s Money Issue...

The Root penned a listicle of everything you’ve missed at Howard University’s homecoming this past weekend…

Southern coach Marshall Faulk revealed he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease…

Quinta Brunson shared an update on the Betty Boop film she is developing and starring in…

Adria Walker spoke with W Jason Miller, author of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood,” a new book that explores the little-known friendship between Langston Hughes and Nina Simone…

Howard and Tennessee State will play in the 2027 edition of the NBA HBCU Classic, putting two Duke alumni against each other as head coaches....

Samuel L. Jackson is getting his own “Tulsa King” spin-off series based in Frisco, Texas, this December...

For The Guardian, Charles Burnett and spoke about his 1983 film “My Brother’s Wedding” and their years of creative partnership…

Jay-Z has chosen himself to headline the Super Bowl LXI halftime show, according to a report…

attended Robert Glasper and Lalah Hathaway’s one-night-only set of performances at New York City’s Blue Note jazz club...

Obituaries

Dr. Richard E. Holmes, the first Black student to enroll at Mississippi State University, has died. He was 82…

DJ Sam Chatman, the Chicago legend known as the Godfather of Steppin’, has died. He was 85…

Lorenzo Washington, a devoted caretaker of Nashville’s rich Black music legacy, has died. He was 83...

Don’t Miss

Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 1 minute, 37 seconds…

I am a board member with DMV Does Good. Please help us support veterans experiencing housing and food insecurity. Purchase essentials from our Amazon wish list…

T-Pain’s Nappy Boy Enterprises is looking for a temporary social media manager for a reality dating show. Please send resume and portfolio to employment@nappyboyent.com by Oct. 25 to be considered…

Slip-n-Slide Records, known for discovering artists like Trick Daddy, Trina, Rick Ross and Plies, is seeking a social media manager…

The California Black Studies Curriculum Teacher Fellows Program is looking for California high school teachers to integrate Black Studies curriculum into their classrooms…

A Black MAGA-aligned content creator said she “cannot believe the disrespect” after she was removed from a San Antonio rally hosted by Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton on Sunday.

“Oh my gosh. I cannot believe this. Someone just came up to me and said that Ken Paxton’s campaign manager wanted me to leave,” the content creator said in a TikTok post. “I am just … My mouth is wide open right now. I really can’t believe this.”

Thelma Louise, who boasts over 200,000 followers on TikTok, said she drove more than two hours to attend Paxton’s “Come and Take It” tour. Louise maintained that she did nothing wrong, and that the candidate’s campaign manager did not want her at the event.

“And there’s no one that I can talk to about this?” Louise asked an unidentified person as she was escorted from the event. “I’m sorry, no, ma’am,” the person responded.

Ken Paxton’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“I have done nothing but support everyone on the Republican side, and this is how I get treated?” she said, appearing to hold back tears.

In a follow-up video, Louise said she doesn’t blame the Republican Party for the embarrassing incident. “[They] have loved me, and they have welcomed me with open arms. But Ken Paxton’s campaign manager, that person is 100 percent responsible for the disrespect that I received this evening.”

Louise said she left the Democratic Party two years ago and has volunteered for President Donald Trump’s campaign.

“This, I will never forget. Never. This was beyond disrespectful.”

The Voting Rights Act has taken two devastating blows. What comes next?, The 19th

, the NAACP’s top lawyer, spoke with The 19th about what’s next for the Voting Rights Act after the Supreme Court took aim at the law. She explained that the country needs to have an “honest conversation” about how to protect the rights of Black voters.

The push to reach forgotten Black voters ahead of the Midterm elections, Capital B News

For Capital B News, Aallyah Wright explored a range of efforts — from comedian-led tours to public art installations — focused on the so-called ‘forgotten voters.’ These include college students, first-time voters, and formerly incarcerated people.

Related: Activists say urging young people to vote on Election Day is only part of the battle. The next phase involves highlighting what’s at stake for them…

Suicide is up among Black Americans, having increased more than 50 percent over the past decade, CDC data shows. NPR’s hosted a live event that brought together a panel of clinicians, lawmakers and people impacted to discuss this growing public health crisis. Watch above.

The Economic Crisis in Black America, Hammer & Hope

A large number of Black Americans are losing essential programs like Medicaid and food stamps, thanks to Trump’s cuts. Hadas Thier spoke to those most affected and learned how communities are fighting back.

Related: The median net worth of Black American households declined by 25 percent from 2022 to 2025, according to newly released Federal Reserve data.

What’s In The News

Across America

California: Oakland is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Black Panther Party’s founding with a series of events this weekend…

Delaware: Composer Jonathan Whitney created a jazz suite about Black history at Cooch’s Bridge, the site of Delaware’s only Revolutionary War battle…

District of Columbia: Join The Washington Informer for its 62nd Anniversary Photo Exhibit & Reception on October 16th…

Florida: The African American Historical Society of Clay County is racing against time to uncover and preserve local Black history…

Kentucky: interviewed Talesha Wilson, a Black activist who helped organize the very first protests to hold Louisville police accountable for the murder of Breonna Taylor…

Louisiana: For years now, frequent power outages at Southern University have disrupted classes and campus life…

Maine: Portland Public Schools is unveiling a new Black History curriculum this fall, becoming the first school district in the state to do so…

Maryland: The University of Maryland’s club tennis team has been suspended indefinitely after placing a racist graphic in a tournament program, the school said…

Massachusetts: Long before Martha’s Vineyard became a hot destination, Inkwell Beach was the go-to spot for generations to gather, rest, and make memories…

New York: Jury selection began this week in the federal hate crime trial of a white supremacist who admitted to killing 10 Black people in a massacre at a Buffalo supermarket in 2022…

North Carolina: The public can visit the N.C. African American Heritage Commission’s traveling Green Book Project in Brevard until Nov. 20…

Texas: The Guardian profiled Rev. Dr. Frederick Douglass Haynes III, the prophetic Texas pastor poised to take Jasmine Crockett’s House seat…

Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donated $3 million to the National Juneteenth Museum in honor of Opal Lee...

Virginia: Hundreds of Williamsburg residents recently gathered for a community-wide re-dedication of one of the nation’s oldest Black churches...

What’s Happening

Several Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Police Department officers are under investigation, or have resigned, after a probe discovered a series of racist texts…

Nearly 300 pages of group chats pulled from Nolan Wells’ cellphone show what was said before and after he vanished in early July…

will be making several notable campaign stops — Mississippi, New Hampshire, Wisconsin — ahead of the midterm elections…

At public HBCUs, student protest still comes with a political price, Autumn A. Arnett writes for The EDU Ledger…

For the Global Disability News Network, Danielle Belton discussed destroying the mask of wellness while being Black and neurodivergent...

University of Texas at Austin students are voicing their concerns after a right-wing influencer made racist and sexist comments during an on-campus debate...

Therapist was recently profiled in The New York Times, and he’s pushing his millions of online followers to be more vulnerable…

Edward Waters University, the oldest HBCU in Florida, is set to build its first new on-campus dorm since 1982…

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore has moved even closer in its plan to open the state’s first veterinary school…

Wow: Researchers at North Carolina A&T State University have designed a plant-based wound dressing for small injuries…

keeps defying expectations with her Florida Senate campaign. Now some national Democrats have started to take notice…

A captivating new book offers a look inside the “astonishing” Chicago headquarters of EBONY and JET magazines…

This homecoming season, HBCU alumni must offer ongoing support beyond donations, including mentorship, internships, and advocacy, writes for EBONY…

For the New York Amsterdam News, Ariama C. Long examined how NYC’s deeply segregated school system is shaped by race, class disparities, and the historic impacts of redlining…

Entertainment News

Netflix’s “Untold: Wide Deceiver” documentary will focus on Daejon Love, the man who scammed women out of money while posing as a San Francisco 49ers player…

Duane “Keffe D” Davis has been sentenced to 40 years to life after being found guilty of orchestrating the 1996 murder of Tupac…

Druski is set to become the first online creator to host “Saturday Night Live” on November 7, according to multiple reports…

spoke with “Saturday Night Live” legend Michael Che about his new Netflix special, the joy of saying what you’re not supposed to say, and more…

Shanique Yates wrote about Richmond, Virginia’s tribute to its hometown hero D’Angelo on the week of the first anniversary of his death…

For 20 years, threads of Black American music have converged at the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music…

Kyle Denis for Billboard: The future of pop music is approaching and Black women are leading the charge — why aren’t they also leading the charts?...

Jay-Z recently opened up about his friendship and former rivalry with Nas in his new docuseries…

Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, Tina Knowles, Rumi and Blue Ivy attended the grand opening of the Knowles-Rowland House, a housing development in Houston…

New from : You can usually tell if a Black TV show or movie is good by how scruffy the main characters are…

A new compilation shows disco queen Donna Summer’s detours into rock, synth-pop, country and other sounds…

Obituaries

Hassan Kariem, a beloved educator who died after falling from a Six Flags Over Georgia roller coaster, was 42 years old…

Morgan Gamble, a Clark Atlanta University student and assistant on Netflix’s “A Different World,” has died after a reckless driver struck her vehicle. She was 21...

Listen to five essential songs from the late Freddie Jackson…

Don’t Miss

Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 45 seconds!…

I am a board member with DMV Does Good. Please help us support veterans experiencing housing and food insecurity. Purchase essentials from our Amazon wish list…

Proximity Media, the production company behind “Sinners,” is offering internship opportunities in feature film, television, and nonfiction for Spring 2027. Applications close next week…

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture will host its Next Century of Black Studies Conference from November 16th to 18th. Register here…

A lawsuit says Missouri squeezed a land-grant HBCU, The Chronicle of Higher Education

Students and alumni of Lincoln University have filed a $549 million lawsuit against Missouri, accusing the state of decades of underfunding. Jasper Smith, one of the top reporters covering HBCUs in the country, reports on the growing legal battle over underfunding of the nation’s land-grant Black colleges.

Trump’s deadly invasion of Memphis, Hammer and Hope

Donald Trump created the Memphis Safe Task Force last September, and it is “a sprawling multi-agency operation that includes officers from 31 federal, state, and local agencies” in the majority-Black city. Lisa Armstrong reports on the deadly occupation of Memphis, and the families it tore apart.

William Owen Hanna has been bowling since he was a teenager. That was over several decades ago. He just turned 100 years old on Sunday, and he’s still hitting strikes. Watch above.

The African American Civil War Museum Reopens To Honor The Black Soldiers Who Changed History, HuffPost

I attended the grand reopening of the African American Civil War Museum in Washington, DC and the timing was just right — its mission to preserve Black history is more relevant now than ever.

What’s In The News

Across America

Alabama: Three University of South Alabama students have been arrested and charged with making threats on social media toward Trump…

California: A nurse who rammed her vehicle into a crowded intersection at about 130 miles per hour, killing six, has been convicted of murder…

Colorado: A Black teen who says his white peers wrote “slave auction” in their school bathroom is suing his former charter school in Lakewood…

District of Columbia: Amazon is set to pay $7.25 million directly to customers in Black neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River…

Florida: Republican Byron Donalds faces skepticism as he seeks to win over Black voters during his campaign for governor...

Georgia: Barack Obama has endorsed Keisha Lance Bottoms in the heated governor’s race…

Kansas: Black farmers fought the USDA and won. Some families are still waiting for their money…

Maryland: A Baltimore teenager spent seven months on house arrest before prosecutors dismissed his carjacking charges…

Massachusetts: Boston’s Museum of African American History CEO Noelle Trent recently discussed the institution’s future amid layoffs and financial uncertainty…

Michigan: A free tuition program for Kalamazoo students will now expand to include HBCUs, according to …

Mississippi: Public universities across the state are expanding food pantries as rising costs squeeze students…

New Jersey: recently announced the birth of her second daughter…

Oklahoma: The Supreme Court declined to hear an ex-Tulsa police officer’s appeal of a ruling, allowing a civil rights claim over the killing of Terence Crutcher to move forward…

Pennsylvania: Restoring Black Bottom’s name is a step toward justice for the West Philadelphia neighborhood, according to longtime advocate Walter Palmer…

South Carolina: After nine months, residents stopped a proposal for a massive data center. A gas plant still threatens the community, however...

Tennessee: An 87-year-old former civil rights activist is recovering after a brutal attack during a robbery inside her home in Ripley...

Texas: Jamaal Howard became the first person executed in the country since Tennessee’s failed attempt to administer a lethal injection to Christa Pike...

What’s Happening

Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth who helped make it a national holiday, celebrated her 100th birthday this week…

A major collaboration between several news sites reveals how the mass federal layoffs devastated the Black women who have often been the backbone of their families and communities…

The NAACP is suing the Trump administration over its plans to deploy “a historic number” of election monitors to polling stations during the midterm elections…

The Trump administration is launching an investigation into Wells Fargo over commitments the bank made to increase homeownership among Black Americans…

The Guardian spoke to nearly a dozen Black voters about their perceptions of the Democratic Socialists of America…

wrote about her son, Hannibal, who died of sickle cell disease. She wants to raise awareness about the disease…

Earl Caldwell of The New York Times was the only reporter at the Lorraine Motel when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Here’s what he did when he heard the shot…

The Nation: Justin Leroy’s “The Lowest Freedom” points toward the limits of liberty under racial capitalism…

Black women are more likely to die of breast cancer even though they’re less likely to have it. asked a doctor why…

Jessica Watkins just became the first Black woman to lead a crew to orbit, and set a speed record to boot...

Protesters shut down a proposed data center moratorium vote by the city council in Memphis...

Researchers uncovered the graves of more than 1,000 children next to juvenile detention facilities in 29 states, and at one Maryland gravesite, 230 Black boys are buried…

Three young men have filed a defamation lawsuit against former NFL star Terrell Owens in the wake of the death of Nolan Wells, Ashlee Banks reports…

asked Trump if he planned to push the FBI to launch an independent investigation into the death of Nolan Wells…

Entertainment News

“A Different World” stars Darryl M. Bell and Kadeem Hardison have launched a weekly rewatch podcast…

TV So White, Again: After a couple years of major progress, creators of color are seeing “real regression,” the president of the TV Academy told The Hollywood Reporter…

spoke with filmmakers about the influence of Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight” as it celebrates 10 years…

Chris Rock sat down with The New York Times for a long-ranging discussion about comedy, forgiveness, and what the future holds…

Christopher Jackson was recently profiled in The New York Times as he reprises his Tony-nominated role of George Washington in “Hamilton”...

For Andscape, . implores everyone to stop minimizing dead Black folks with memes...

Coco Gauff said she had received an “insane” amount of racial abuse on social media after winning at the China Open…

The early life and career of Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff is set to become a new scripted series…

After a 16-year hiatus, Anthony Mackie is returning to Broadway to play Macbeth…

Michael Jordan gave $10 million to the University of North Carolina’s School of Social Work in honor of his mother. It is the school’s largest ever donation…

In this review of “How Bright the Path Grows,” ​historian places overlooked Black women at the center of the 1963 March on Washington…

E-40 and his son, chef Emari Stevens, delivered the recipe for their Hot Honey Chicken Wings for Delish...

Obituaries

Freddie Jackson, the RnB legend known for multiple hits, including “You Are My Lady,” has died. He was 69…

Curtis Flowers, an innocent man who was wrongfully convicted after being tried for the same murders several times, has died. He was 56…

Reggie McFadden, the actor and stand-up comic best known for his time on “Def Comedy Jam” and “In Living Color,” has died. He was 57…

Verne Allison, a founding member and longtime second tenor of legendary soul group The Dells, has died. He was 90…

​​Mary Brown, a longtime Gary, Indiana councilwoman whose decades spent in public office made her one of the most enduring political figures in city history, has died…

Don’t Miss

Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 43 seconds!...

My organization, the Washington Association of Black Journalists, recently reached 600 members. It’s been an honor to work with such incredible individuals…

Thank you, NAACP, for naming me to its inaugural Advancement List…

Word In Black is hosting its State of Black Businesses Symposium on October 14 via livestream. Register here...

I am a board member with DMV Does Good. Please help us support veterans experiencing housing and food insecurity. Purchase essentials from our Amazon wish list…

has launched “Cite Your Source,” a new YouTube series aimed at tackling misinformation ahead of the midterms…

Incredible job opening: A curator of fashion position is currently open at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture…

Drs. Travan and Travis Jasper are co-directors of Chippenham Hospital’s emergency department in Richmond, Virginia. They’re also identical twins who overcame incredible odds to help others in their hometown. Watch the segment above.

Critics say Trump’s college funding shift pits communities of color against one another, The Emancipator

While the Trump administration is pledging hundreds of millions in funding to HBCUs, critics are pointing out that this funding is actually being redirected from schools that serve other minority communities.

A slow and steady disaster, Southside Weekly

According to 2026 data from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Chicago is home to about 740,000 Black residents. In 2000, that number was over a million. asks the question in Southside Weekly: Why have so many Black folks left?

HBCU alums turned actors bring their own college experiences to roles in ‘A Different World’ sequel, Andscape

Mia Berry spoke with the stars of Netflix’s “A Different World” sequel, who are bringing their experiences as HBCU alumni to the hit series.

What’s In The News

Across America

California: Lawyers say Black employees at Tesla experienced “rampant racism” that was left unchecked for years at their flagship factory…

Connecticut: Community leaders in Windsor are speaking out against recent acts of apparent racist vandalism…

District of Columbia: The judge in Ward 8 D.C. Council member Trayon White’s federal bribery case declared a mistrial…

Florida: The Howard Academy 160th Anniversary Homecoming Celebration had decades of graduates gather to celebrate the legacy of Ocala’s first Black American school…

Georgia: 120 years later, the Fulton County Commission Board is ensuring the history of the 1906 Atlanta Race Massacre will be commemorated…

Louisiana: There’s a new arts center and hub for community organizing in New Orleans’ 7th Ward neighborhood…

Maryland: Some Prince George’s County families are still experiencing issues with school bus routes and the app used to track their kids’ buses…

Massachusetts: There results from a city survey aiming to amplify experiences of Black men and boys in Boston are in…

Missouri: Jamaa Birth Village Cultural Heritage Center recently opened the state’s first midwifery school in Ferguson…

Michigan: Detroit People’s Food Co-op is raising funds as the Black-led grocery store confronts cash-flow problems and rising costs…

Nevada: The Springs Preserve is hosting a new exhibit featuring the history of Black Americans in Las Vegas from 1905 through the 1980s…

New York: Bard College, a liberal arts school in New York, announced its new Ralph Ellison Center…

North Carolina: Fertile Ground Food Cooperative members announced a community-led grocery store project at the Black Farmers’ Market in Raleigh…

Oklahoma: A pastor embezzled more than $500K from the Historic Vernon AME Church, an institution that survived the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre...

Oregon: The National Park Service recently recognized Portland’s Union Station for its significance to Black history…

Pennsylvania: Temple University’s decision to stop admitting students to the nation’s first Black studies Ph.D. program is causing outrage…

Texas: There’s a plan to revive one of the last surviving rural schools for Black children in Travis County…

Utah: A judge has ordered the release of Douglas Stewart Carter, a 71-year-old Black man who has spent decades on death row for a 1985 killing he did not commit…

Virginia: Capt. Bianca Wilkerson died in a non-combat-related incident while deployed overseas, officials said…

What’s Happening

PBS Documentaries spoke with the growing number of Black Americans who are moving to Mexico, and how they are confronting accusations of gentrification. Watch above…

Black voters have been the target of disenfranchisement campaigns ahead of the midterms. Some groups and public figures are working to counter those efforts…

WIRED’s explored Black Twitter’s spiritual successor — Black Threads — and asked for my thoughts…

A committee crucial for improving access to USDA programs for Black farmers is now frozen under the Trump administration…

Black students at the University of North Carolina say the institution failed them after a racist attack during a TV watch party…

Atlanta is leading the nation in evictions, and Black families face the greatest risk…

Naomi Whitehead, the oldest living person in the country and the second-oldest person in the world, recently celebrated her 116th birthday…

Jaimie Bethea, a young sailor who had been deployed on the USS Fort Lauderdale for more than 11 months, died by suicide…

Some HBCUs are enrolling more men, and their leaders are now focused on getting those students to graduation…

Entertainment News

Stevie Wonder recently released four unheard songs from his 1976 “Songs in the Key of Life” sessions…

Barry Jenkins spoke with Vanity Fair for a wide-ranging interview as he celebrates the 10th anniversary of “Moonlight”...

Four of Bravo’s most prominent Black cast members got candid about what it’s like being Black and navigating the world of reality TV…

For Marie Claire, sat down with Megan The Stallion to discuss the superstar artist’s whirlwind six months…

Comedian Druski was recently profiled by TIME Magazine…

Kerry Washington is set to serve as ambassador of the 31st annual American Black Film Festival in May 2027 in Los Angeles…

Rhiannon Giddens talked with NPR about channeling her ancestors through her instrument, playing on Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em,” and more…

The New York Times reviewed Mahershala Ali’s religious hitman flick, ‘Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother,’ and Emily Lordi’s book “Holding Lightning,” a look inside the life and loves of Whitney Houston...

Shanique Yates wrote a love letter to Jasmine Guy after the “A Different World” actor responded to trolls online…

Rick Ross was arrested and charged with battery related to a domestic violence accusation…

A new documentary spotlights Philadelphia’s legendary “Black Cowboys” on Fletcher Street…

and took a trip to New Orleans to profile Dawn Richard…

EBONY explored the rich Black heritage behind tap shoes: “how rhythm, resilience, and creativity transformed footwear into a powerful instrument of cultural expression”…

Curious if Simone Biles wants to make a run at the 2028 Olympics? Apparently, so is she…

Terrence J will serve as grand marshal of North Carolina A&T State University’s 100th homecoming parade on Oct. 31…

Obituaries

Manuel Seal, award-winning songwriter and producer of hits for Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Usher and Aretha Franklin, has passed away at 66…

Angela Stribling, a former BET host whose warm voice became part of the soundtrack of D.C. radio for decades, has died at 58…

Don’t Miss

Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 1 minute, 18 seconds…

Outkast and Waffle House are partnering on a new limited-edition merchandise collection today at 11 am ET…

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is now accepting applications for its internship program. Pay attention to the deadlines…

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is set to host its Next Century of Black Studies Conference from Nov 16 to 18. Register here…

Proximity Media, the production company behind “Sinners,” is offering internship opportunities in feature film, television, and nonfiction for Spring 2027…

Cultural curator Dr. Nikita Y. Harris went on the “Wake Up With Dee Morning Show” to demystify Black cotillion traditions…

Here are 10 books by Black authors that explore what it means to be Black in the classroom…

A grand jury said there wasn’t evidence to warrant charges in the death of Nolan Wells, the 18-year-old whose body was found after a party on an island off the Mississippi Gulf Coast. For the Grio, Haniyah Philogene wrote an explainer about the grand jury’s decision.

Wells’ parents don’t plan to stop their campaign to get answers about the mysterious death of their son.

Ben Crump released details from an examination of Wells’ cellphone and an official autopsy report. An attorney for the late college student explained that the autopsy found no water in the teen’s stomach, lungs, or throat.

WATCH: Skid Row’s first talent show recently took place, featuring performances from a dozen homeless or formerly homeless performers.

“Showcasing my gift that is a God-given talent, I know I have it,” Ladelle Handy, one of the performers, told the Associated Press. “I just wanted to make sure that the world remembers that I have it.”

In fighting for every Black child, Did I betray my own?, The New York Times

In 2016, Nikole Hannah-Jones wrote a cover story about her decision to enroll her daughter into a segregated, high-poverty school in New York City.

10 years later, her daughter confronted her about that decision. The story sparked a firestorm online, and sat down with Hannah-Jones for her first interview about the article.

Upcoming: Hannah-Jones will be interviewed by her daughter for an episode of “This American Life” airing on September 27 at 7 pm CT…

Related: For The Atlantic, wrote about why she’s sending her Black son to private school.

Jim Crow was on the ash heap of history. Then came the Roberts court, Mother Jones

After the Supreme Court’s decision to gut the Voting Rights Act, states in the South “can now redraw a dozen majority-Black districts in time for the 2028 elections, triggering the largest drop in Black congressional representation since the end of Reconstruction,” Ari Berman and Pema Levy explain in Mother Jones.

What’s In The News

Across America

Arizona: The Jenesis House in Sedona is becoming the most sought-after healing hideaway for Black women…

California: Sacramento State’s rapidly growing Black Honors College was featured in Inside Higher Ed…

Connecticut: Yale’s first Black student theater group, founded by Angela Bassett, is being revived by her son, Slater…

District of Columbia: Black pastors and congregations met outside the Democratic National Committee headquarters and Third Way offices, pushing for a progressive economic agenda…

Florida: , the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Florida, spoke with Capital B’s Brandon Tensley about her campaign and the fight for voting rights…

Georgia: Republican Rick Jackson didn’t appear for the gubernatorial debate with Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms…

Maryland: A medical examiner said a man found hanging from a tree in Upper Marlboro died by suicide, officials said. Authorities are still investigating…

Michigan: My fellow Detroiter Josh Jamerson went back home to ask Michigan voters what they want from the midterm elections…

Missouri: A federal appeals court said the state must use a Republican redistricting map weeks after the Missouri Supreme Court ruled against the decision twice…

Mississippi: A second arrest in the death of Tasia Fortune, a mother who was found hanging from a tree in Jackson, has been made…

New York: Attendees at the 57th Annual African American Day Parade in Harlem didn’t let the rain stop them from having a great time…

North Carolina: Dorian Jackson, the North Carolina A&T State University student who died saving his sister from drowning, is receiving an outpouring of love…

Oklahoma: A white teen driver told his mother he thought he’d hit a deer, but he found Ranesha Scyrus in his truck bed…

Pennsylvania: A Philadelphia educator admitted that she is not Palestinian and Black, and has been lying about her identity for years…

South Carolina: St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, one of the oldest surviving Black Baptist church buildings in Charleston, has received a historical marker and monument sign…

Tennessee: State Rep. warned journalists not to ignore the South during our “Reclaiming Our Narrative” panel last week. I’m also cited in the story…

Texas: A federal judge has ordered the state to air-condition all of its prisons by the end of 2029…

Virginia: An upcoming community event looks to highlight artwork honoring three historically Black neighborhoods in Arlington…

What’s Happening

Several voting rights organizations have come together for an initiative seeking to mobilize Black men ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms. National Black Man Voter Day 2026 will be held on Oct. 24…

Louisiana Rep. Troy Carter told his colleagues that he’s running to lead the Congressional Black Caucus…

At 10 years old, Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture is undaunted amid pressure from the Trump administration. The museum is celebrating its anniversary with events from Sept. 24 to 27…

A federal judge has ordered Trump to lift a White House ban on several news outlets. Earlier this week, I wrote a short piece for The Root about how Black journalists are uniquely positioned to understand how dire the moment is…

Georgia’s second-largest school district has abruptly banned Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye” from school library shelves…

invited Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols on his podcast for a critical conversation about the issues that matter most to residents in Oklahoma’s second-largest city…

The nearly decade-long case of Crystal Mason, who was sentenced to 5 years in prison over a voting error, will end with an acquittal…

A controversial data company was acknowledged as one of the “top supporters” of the annual gala of the Congressional Black Caucus’ charitable arm…

North Carolina, Durham’s HEART program sends mental health clinicians to nonviolent 911 calls, rather than police. Studies show these alternative response programs help to safely resolve crises…

A Michael Jordan-backed multimedia center has opened at Morehouse College to help prepare the next generation of journalists…

The New York Amsterdam News is shedding light on a growing program impacting Black neighborhoods: deed theft…

Students and faculty nationwide were punished for their actions in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s killing. A graduate of Texas Tech’s law school is still trying to clear her name…

“By centering the knowledge of communities that have been navigating underfunded systems for generations, we can finally build a healthcare landscape that doesn’t just treat the body, but honors the person,” Denise Powell writes for Scalawag Magazine…

Flat Rock Archive recently celebrated 25 years of preserving African American heritage with a gathering at its site in Stonecrest, Georgia…

A Georgetown University research organization discovered the graves of over 1,000 children across the country, according to a report…

At Word In Black’s latest food roundtable, farmers and advocates connected what we eat to land, affordability, trust and power…

The University of Texas at Austin is planning to eliminate several majors from two departments, including African and African diaspora studies…

Entertainment News

My colleague spoke with Debbie Allen and a few legacy cast members about Netflix’s “A Different World” series ahead of its premiere this week. You can catch it on the streaming service now…

Outkast is suing an Oakland rapper named Ovrkast for having a “nearly identical” name…

Verve has signed “My Pastor Got A Stripper Pregnant” author Quan Millz for representation…

Lionel Richie underwent a heart procedure and will be taking time off from touring, according to his representative…

’s forthcoming book, “The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman,” is a satire of Black megachurches. Read her interview in the New York Times…

For the Ringer, Joel Anderson asked around to see if Keffe D’s murder conviction brought closure—for anyone…

Adam Pendleton spoke with the New York Times ahead of his exhibition, “Some Wild Kind of Language,” opening at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam in October...

Netflix is working on “Hoops,” based on Kennedy Ryan’s book series…

Yael Bridge’s new documentary about the UPS contract fight offers a window into the class culture of one of the country’s largest unions…

Don Toliver might be the hottest rapper in the U.S. went to the final American stop of his tour trying why that is…

Scary: Langston Hughes’ literary estate now belongs to International Literary Properties, which says a Harlem Renaissance licensing program is next on its list…

Olandria might not have won Love Island, but she’s playing the long game. The influencer and model was recently profiled in The Cut…

Obituaries

Sister Betsy Jean Farrakhan, eldest daughter of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, has died. She was 72…

Timothy Pigford, a farmer who sued the Department of Agriculture for systemically denying loans to Black farmers, has died. He was 74...

Leah Curry, an original founding member and lead singer of the Mississippi Mass Choir, has died…

Don’t Miss

Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 49 seconds…

Hear 19th-century slaves describe their lives. Hiram Smith looked at their use of the N-word while chronicling the slur’s long history. Watch the full event this Sunday at 9 AM ET on CSPAN 2…

The Black Women Photographers Summit, taking place via Zoom from September 25 to September 27, is free to register…

Do you have a future filmmaker in your house? The Future Filmmakers Project is inviting six high school students from across the country to join its free program, which will let them direct their own documentary over the school year. The deadline to apply is Sept. 27…

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture opened its largest show of contemporary Black women’s art this week, and it will run until March 27...

October is Gullah Geechee Awareness Month. Check out the events across the region...

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 55th Annual Legislative Conference kicked off this week in Washington. There are a variety of events surrounding the conference, from informative panel discussions to lively receptions and parties. For the Afro, Alexis Taylor set the scene for the opening day of ALC, reporting on one of the first panels of the conference focused on civic engagement and voter turnout.

There are over 100 panels taking place during this week, with topics ranging from election integrity, the economic state of Black men, health disparities, and much more.

My organization, the Washington Association of Black Journalists, teamed up with URL Media for a productive conversation about the importance of Black-owned independent media and the upcoming midterm elections. You can watch the full discussion on CSPAN.

Will Ford for Maryland Matters is reporting from the conference: Voting rights advocates regroup as Callais decision threatens Black representation

The Black Information Network is sitting down for interviews with key figures during the conference for its Our Voices segment.

Several performers were spotted out and about during ALC, including Rick Ross, Mya, and Method Man. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, actor Gail Bean, and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr, were also spotted.

This city led the way on reparations for Black people. Trump is trying to stop it, NPR

There have been several interesting stories on reparative justice this week. Evanston, Illinois, is the first U.S. city to make an attempt to compensate Black people for historical racism and discrimination. The Justice Department is trying to kill the program before other cities follow suit.

Related: California could put money directly into the hands of Black families harmed by oil drilling, Adam Mahoney reports for Capital B News…

A Philadelphia family just bought their first home with a $10,000 first-time homebuyer grant funded by a group of Quakers, as part of a reparations effort…

Biddy Mason, mother of Black Los Angeles, finally gets her due, Zocalo Public Square

Have you ever heard of Biddy Mason? The Los Angeles City Council recently chose to rename Pershing Square after the often-overlooked founding mother of Black Los Angeles. She escaped slavery and became one of the wealthiest Black women in America.

He was a bank security guard. Now he helps moms as a birth doula, TODAY

Teddy Gant Jr once worked up to 70 hours a week as a bank security officer. Now he is a certified full-spectrum doula and advocate for labor and delivery in Houston.

What’s In The News

Across America

California: When a Latino running club tried to host an event at Leimert Park, the heart of Los Angeles’ Black community, a social media firestorm ensued…

Colorado: Lincoln Hills was once a haven for Black Coloradans. A descendant hopes to help revive what was once “Martha’s Vineyard of the West”...

District of Columbia: Howard University is currently on the hunt for its 19th president…

Florida: A GOP nominee for Florida House marched in the 2017 neo-Nazi “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville…

Georgia: The state’s most prominent voter mobilization groups are sounding the alarm about emerging threats to voting rights, which is fueling a sense of urgency among Black voters…

Illinois: The exhibition “If Emmett Till Lived: Freedom on American Ground” at the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago is open until December…

Massachusetts: A Black father and his teenage son have filed a federal lawsuit against the Nauset Regional School District, alleging the district failed to stop racist bullying…

Missouri: Kansas City PBS is welcoming submissions to the third annual Reel Black Film Fest…

Mississippi: Police have arrested a man in the case of Tasia Fortune, the Black woman found hanging from a tree in Jackson…

Pennsylvania: Matt Brown visited a Philadelphia barbershop to see how some Black men are thinking about their political past and future…

South Carolina: A collection of nearly 6,000 historic pictures of South Carolina’s Black families and community is now available to the public for the first time…

Texas: Reps. Jasmine Crockett and Venton Jones made a surprise appearance at Usher and Chris Brown’s concert to give the two artists congressional recognition…Chris Brown chided Jones for apologizing for doing so…

What’s Happening

Rep. Joyce Beatty said Trump “went into a tantrum” following a vote to close the Kennedy Center after a judge ruled that the president’s name can’t appear on the building or its grounds. Watch above…

Kiara Bowling suffered a traumatic brain injury after being struck by a car driven by two young boys, and is currently learning how to walk again. Authorities have gone silent about the status of the investigation, and it is unclear what will happen next…

HBCUs are thriving while other institutions struggle to enroll students. However, leaders say that growth comes with growing pains,…Meanwhile, a task force is quietly working in Oakland to bring a historically Black college or university to the California city…

Keisha Lance Bottoms and David Crowley “could show that anti-Black, anti-urban sentiment is no longer a barrier to Black candidates in swing states,” writes for The New Republic…

The Stockbridge, Georgia, City Council voted to remove Jayden Williams after accusing him of misuse of funds and inappropriate texts. Residents are questioning his removal…

Capital B’s Alecia Taylor reported on the slow disappearance of Black studies on college campuses…

WBUR: The oldest institution in New England dedicated to preserving Black history and culture cut its workforce by a third…

The Emancipator Senior Correspondent visited Confederate sites while reporting on Richmond, Virginia’s history as a human trading hub…

Lonnie Bunch spoke with The Guardian’s Charles Blow about his tenure as Smithsonian chief and the White House’s interference…

A federal appeals court has used a decades-long water crisis in one of the Blackest cities in America to rule that the Constitution does not guarantee Americans the right to clean and safe drinking water…

For URL Media, Jonathan Franklin explored the hidden cost of being a loyal voter while aging in Black America…

Michelle Obama will be at the Fort Worth Convention Center on Oct. 7 for the National Juneteenth Museum’s Uniting Voices Speaker Series in honor of Opal Lee’s 100th birthday…

Entertainment News

A jury found rapper Lil Durk not guilty on all counts for the murder of Saviay’a Robinson…

After the groundbreaking director William Greaves convened living legends from the Harlem Renaissance at Duke Ellington’s home, it took 50 years and his family to create a documentary about the moment…

Attorneys for Sean Combs filed a motion to drop him as a client on Monday over unpaid legal fees and a lack of cooperation…

Jerry Brewer spoke with Ryan Clark about his life after ESPN, his new show and what’s next…

Michael B. Jordan is Vogue’s latest cover star. Check out the full interview here…

, who interviewed Tupac many times, remembered his late friend and provided a portrait of the complex man and artist he knew for Newsweek…

Danielle Brooks recently appeared on NPR’s Fresh Air to discuss her new indie film, “If I Go Will They Miss Me”...

For the Chicago Sun-Times, Erica Thompson spoke with the legendary Chaka Khan about her new album, “Chakzilla,” which comes out today…

Meet the 5 actors who have been cast in Starz’s highly anticipated upcoming Black rodeo drama…

With Taylor Townsend’s triumph at the US Open women’s doubles final, her road has come full circle, Andrew Lawrence writes for The Guardian…

reviewed “Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother,” in which Mahershala Ali plays a devout Muslim and contract killer forced to care for his three kids…

The Guardian: John Coltrane turned his back on fame to embrace free jazz. Caught on a tape machine hidden in an overcoat, newly revealed recordings show how he did it....

Chief Keef’s highly anticipated homecoming concert was abruptly canceled and rescheduled for a later date due to travel delays…For the Chicago Sun-Times, spoke with the rapper about his return…

Obituaries

Iris Baez, a powerful voice against police misconduct following her son’s 1994 killing by chokehold, has died. She was 80…

Cat Frazier, who found a future in the internet’s past with a Tumblr blog of animated texts, has died. She was 35…

Don’t Miss

Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 41 seconds!...

The Chocolate City Market, an all-Black farmers and vendors market, will take place on Sept. 20 in Southeast DC…

The third annual Black Girl Book Fair is in Charlotte on Sept. 20…

Applications are open for the Fresh Voices Fellowship, which supports an early-career writer of color who does not have, nor is currently pursuing, an advanced writing degree…

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is celebrating its 10th anniversary from Sept. 24 to 27…

Lonnie Bunch protected the Smithsonian from more than Trump, The Atlantic

Lonnie Bunch announced this week that he will step down as head of the Smithsonian Institution by the end of the year, following intense criticism from Trump. In a new essay, Sebastian Smee argues that — from 2019 to 2026 — Bunch has been the glue holding the world’s largest museum complex together.

recently spoke with Bunch prior to his retirement announcement about his last stand and the legacy he’s trying to leave behind.

At Motown’s front desk, Sonya Harris witnessed music history, Bridge Detroit

As a Detroit native, I am always happy to feature a story from my hometown. For Bridge Detroit, Micah Walker spoke with Sonya Harris, who worked as a receptionist and switchboard operator at Motown Records from 1968 to 1972. She witnessed music history alongside the likes of Smokey Robinson, The Temptations and Diana Ross.

A series of hanging deaths has Black families demanding answers, Capital B News

At least 10 Black people have been found hanging from trees over the past year, with some ruled as suicides. Many Black families and observers have questioned the investigations, with some reminded of the history of this country’s racist violence. Read this important story from Alecia Taylor and Dalila-Johari Paul.

Related: The Jackson Police Department is investigating the death of Tasia Fortune as a homicide.

I recently reported that BET Digital permanently removed all its digital news articles from its website to “prioritize video content.” Several former writers and freelancers for BET News spoke out, with some saying they couldn’t save all their stories. My colleague Taiyler Mitchell wrote about how Paramount obliterated much of BET’s journalism record with this move.

The Internet Archive saw my report and immediately began preserving more than 199,000 BET articles. Now, those articles can be accessed through its Wayback Machine and a new pilot explorer. I went on Angela Rye’s podcast to explain what happened.

What’s In The News

Across America

California: The Black Men’s Chess League started as a casual meetup in Oakland. It has now evolved into a thriving, intergenerational community...

District of Columbia: Georgetown University scrapped an identity-focused pre-orientation program amid Trump’s attacks on DEI…

Florida: Delray Beach is spending $59 million to completely rebuild Pompey Park in the historically Black “The Set” neighborhood…

Illinois: Nearly a year after the federal immigration raid in South Shore forced him from his home, Darren Hightower is still homeless…

Kansas: A group of prisoners at the Norton Correctional Facility came together to pay down a school district’s unsettled lunch debt…

Louisiana: Essence Fest and New Orleans leaders are exploring what’s next after the festival’s contract with the city expired…

Maryland: Will Jawando, the Democratic candidate for Montgomery County executive, is recovering after suffering a heart attack during a pickup basketball game…

Michigan: Dr. Chris and Taisha Shreve have become the first to take wedding photos on the new bridge connecting the U.S. and Canada…

New York: New York City recently released its legally mandated racial equity plan, which is geared toward shaping how budgets invest in Black New Yorkers…

South Carolina: Hilton Head Island’s Gullah-Geechee community is fighting for their land, legacy and future on the island. If you are in or near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, show up to the town’s Sept. 16 meeting and make your voice heard...

Tennessee: Adria Walker spoke with the residents of Memphis, who supported each other during a massive storm that left hundreds of thousands without power…

Texas: Prairie View A&M University President Tomikia P. LeGrande will receive the Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s Educational Leadership Award…

Wisconsin: For generations, Black families in the state have buried babies at rates far higher than their white neighbors…

What’s Happening

The Joint Center recently released The State of the Black Labor Market, which analyzes U.S. labor market data for Black workers from January to August 2026…

The Emancipator: “Laura Loomer’s racist tirade against five college-educated Black women occupying some of the most powerful political positions in the country takes a page from an old playbook: weaponize ugly stereotypes to distract from and degrade policy differences”…

Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, also known as the “Plant Pastor,” has a growing network that allows Black congregations to use their land, purchasing power and community ties to address hunger while strengthening Black farmers and local food systems…

More: “The role of urban farms has evolved over time, becoming a strategy for cultural survival, food security, and food sovereignty. However, urban farms face a host of challenges today”…

Academics say they “won’t be erased” as colleges and universities cut Black studies programs amid Trump’s anti-DEI attacks…

Florida Senate candidate Angie Nixon is fighting Republican book-banning schemes by opening a bookstore…

For Capital B News, Alecia Taylor reported on how HBCUs are building new support systems for Black male students…

Ashleigh Fields reported on how Rep. Yvette Clarke is leading the Congressional Black Caucus in the age of Trump…

Coppin State University is offering a $50,000 grant for employees to buy homes in West Baltimore…

Trump officials reportedly removed language from a memorial marker and website at Arlington National Cemetery that criticized slavery and the Confederacy…

For The New Republic, wrote about how in 2020, “Black was insight, credibility, perspective, access, urgency, and, in certain rooms, capital. Then it wasn’t”...

The Grio’s Kay Wicker: Black students are sacrificing basic needs to afford college at a time when costs are climbing…

Entertainment News

After a long wait, the trailer for the final season of “P-Valley” is out. It will premiere December 4…

My colleague spoke with Gail Bean about stepping into Wanda’s shoes again to lead the next chapter of “Snowfall”...

Ahead of season 6, Quinta Brunson talked with Entertainment Weekly about what fans should expect…

Director Paul Schrader said he plans to turn to AI to generate his racist film after Black actors refused to act in it…

Chris Rock sat down with Variety for a wide-ranging interview on therapy, his upcoming film “Misty Green”, and the Oscars…

T-Pain is suing Akon’s Konvict Entertainment over nearly $500,000 in unpaid royalties…

Sherri Shepherd will be the “first woman to ever play the genie” in Disney’s “Aladdin” Broadway production…

Actor Mahershala Ali and Philadelphia 76ers star Jaylen Brown spoke with one another about their faith, frustrations, and fearlessness for a new Hollywood Reporter video series…

The Estate of soul icon Wilson Pickett has entered into a deal with an independent music publishing company…

Jill Scott revealed that going independent led to a $19 million record label lawsuit...

NPR Code Switch explored the rise of Lauryn Hill and the intense pressures that pushed her out of the spotlight…

WIRED: “The ‘Black Panther’ character Killmonger’s hairstyle has become a default for Black video game characters because it’s easy to code. Danielle Udogaranya is changing that”...

Arionne Nettles writes that Ye is unrecognizable from the ‘Old Kanye’ we fell in love with…

New York Times: Marian Anderson’s “importance as a barrier breaker in classical music has sometimes overshadowed the power of her artistry”…

Kirk Franklin announced that he’s entered a partnership with Uptown Records…

Megan Thee Stallion spoke with InStyle in one of her first interviews in some time...

Diarra Kilpatrick spoke with Variety about her popular “Diarra From Detroit” series, and why centering Black women’s stories is “inherently political”...

Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless recently filmed a reunion show, Front Office Sports reports…

TLC’s Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins is recovering after an acute “sickle cell crisis” that sent the rapper to the hospital…

Obituaries

Latimore, the R&B singer who became a sensation in 1974 with his hit song “Let’s Straighten It Out” and was “so hip that he only needed one name,” has died. He was 86…

William G. Anderson, a doctor who set aside his medical practice in Albany, Georgia, in 1961 to become a civil rights leader, has died. He was 98…

Renardo Haynes, a vocalist with the Philadelphia soul group Blue Magic, has died. He was 71…

Don’t Miss

Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 56 seconds!...

The A’Ja Wilson Foundation is hosting a free resource fair for diverse learners on Sept. 19 in Columbia, South Carolina…

The Chocolate City Market, an all-Black farmers and vendors market, will take place on Sept. 19 in Southeast DC…

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is celebrating its 10th anniversary from Sept. 24 to 27…

The grand opening of the Jim Crow Museum will take place on September 30 and October 1 in Big Rapids, Michigan…

curated a book list inspired by “The Drop: A Snowfall Series”...

These Black men are turning to yoga to build meaningful connections, HuffPost

I’ve been writing a lot lately! I recently reported on a group of Black dads who are building community by meeting up for yoga, and an instructor who randomly drives up to people on the street for on-the-spot yoga sessions.

8 Black candidates are running for governor in 2026. It’s a record, USA TODAY

A record number of Black candidates are running for governor, including David Crowley in Wisconsin and Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia. Read through USA TODAY’s list as we prepare for the midterms.

Descendants of David Drake have traced their lineage back to the once-enslaved potter and launched an effort to reclaim their ancestor’s work. Watch ’s NewsHour interview with Pauline Baker and Yaba Baker above.

What’s In The News

Across America

Alabama: Of the state’s 14 major correctional facilities, none have universal air conditioning, according to a prison reform nonprofit…

Arkansas: Tedrick Washington Jr. was punched in the face and pulled by his dreadlocks through a car window after a state trooper pursued a car he was riding in…

Colorado: The family of Rajon Belt-Stubblefield, who was shot and killed by an Aurora police officer, is suing the officer and the city…

District of Columbia: The Department of Justice has accused George Washington University’s medical school of illegally considering race in admissions…

Florida: The woman who shot and killed a man who was approaching her in the parking lot of a Walmart despite her warnings will not be prosecuted…

Indiana: The prison population in the state is climbing, but local corrections programs are facing funding cuts…

Louisiana: A lawsuit accuses the state prison system of delaying inmates’ release…

Maryland: White men tore down a Baltimore County church over a century ago. Its Black congregation never gave up…

Mississippi: A grand jury has indicted an Illinois man accused of making death threats to witnesses in the wake of the death of Nolan Wells…

Missouri: A mother is suing Springfield Public Schools, alleging her 14-year-old son was racially discriminated against and physically restrained…

North Carolina: St. Augustine’s University announced that it has canceled fall classes as the HBCU works its way out of bankruptcy...

Ohio: A man was arrested after a historic Black church in Cleveland went up in flames…

South Carolina: Winthrop University students are pressing for answers following allegations that an administrator used the N-word…

Texas: Losing primary candidates almost always fall in line — but Rep. Jasmine Crockett is breaking that norm. My colleagues Brianna Tucker and Arthur Delaney report for HuffPost.

What’s Happening

The Congressional Black Caucus is condemning Laura Loomer following her racist attack on Black women leaders, reports…

I spoke with , the only member of Congress indicted by the Trump administration. She isn’t backing down, even as she campaigns for reelection and awaits the birth of her second child…

The book “Black Farm Boys” tells the untold story of the New Farmers of America, the nation’s first organization for Black youth in vocational agriculture…

Ronald Hayes agreed to talk to a video crew about his son’s murder because he thought he would be used in an ad against gun violence. But the ad is actually aimed at smearing the political record of the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate…

“Defunding or altogether eliminating Black studies will surely exacerbate racialized persistence and experiential and student outcomes inequities on predominantly white campuses,” writes for Inside Higher Ed…

Senatobia, Mississippi police chief Harold Vanderford has been fired after sending racist text messages…

spoke with mental health advocates about the distinct pressures that can keep Black queer men from seeking help…

The influence of “Roots” continues to unfold, largely through the work of Alex Haley’s nephew at the Maryland State Archives…

Reuters: After a summer of victories for Democratic Socialists of America-aligned candidates, the movement faces a new test: whether it can win over Black voters…

A man was taken into custody after students at the University of North Carolina said he got into a campus building and yelled racial slurs at them during a “Love Island” watch party…

Nolan Wells’ brothers and college teammates are carrying on his legacy as the football season gets underway…

Aallyah Wright for Capital B: In Clarksdale, Mississippi, residents and city officials are divided over the potential economic boost and environmental strain of a data center...

Rocky Myers, once sentenced to death for murder, is now fighting for his freedom after discovering his attorney defended the Ku Klux Klan…

For the Marshall Project, Daja Henry attended a concert of the Parchman Band, composed of people incarcerated at the Mississippi State Penitentiary…

wrote about what Black mothers in Mississippi can teach us about democracy...

Entertainment News

A jury has found Duane “Keffe D” Davis guilty of orchestrating the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur, but questions remain after the trial…

I attended Kashif’s inaugural Screenplay for the People, a film pitch competition in New York City. The organization, which aims to give opportunities to diverse filmmakers who are shut out of Hollywood, is set to provide the winner, Abdullah Kokash, with $75,000 in production resources to create his screenplay. Read more about Kashif and Screenplay for the People here…

After a three-year hiatus, BET is bringing back the “Soul Train Awards”, which will air Friday, Nov. 27…

Haniyah P. for The Grio: The family of civil rights leader Vernon Dahmer Sr. says the film “By Any Means” distorts his legacy and is petitioning for a disclaimer to be added...

It has been ten years since Colin Kaepernick took a knee to stand against racism and police brutality. He opened up about his life since then, the NFL and much more in a new interview with NBC News… ’s column about the decade is a must-read…

Lionel Richie has been released from the hospital after a brief stay and is “doing great”...

Erykah Badu is preparing to release her first album in 11 years. The Guardian sat down with the artist to discuss a host of topics…

wrote about Black women genre-bending artists who are making the most interesting music this summer…

Tyler Perry launched “Maxscene,” a new specialty division of his production company...

Miss USA has crowned its newest winner, Justus Kelley from Virginia. She is the first mother to win the pageant…

Months after his firing from ESPN, Ryan Clark and “The Pivot” are expanding from YouTube to Netflix on Sept. 8…

*Spoilers ahead* “Lanterns” is the hot new show right now. Writer Vanessa Baden Kelly takes fans into what it means for a Black man to earn the Green Lantern ring…

Obituaries

Cassandra Wilson, two-time Grammy Award-winning jazz singer, songwriter and producer, has died. She was 70…

Jerome Smith, a Freedom Rider who criticized Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy for not doing enough to protect him and other riders, has died. He was 87…

Carla Jeffery, known for her role in the Disney Channel movie franchise “Zombies,” has died. She was 33…

Don’t Miss

Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 37 seconds!...

Register to attend the Great Lakes African American Writers Conference. It will be held live and virtually on Sept. 5…

The Brooklyn Museum is offering a paid internship for teens interested in art, art history and museum education...

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is celebrating its 10th anniversary from Sept. 24 to 27…

The lights are back on in Gary, Indiana, The Atlantic

Jenae Barnes went to Gary after a two-week blackout to talk with residents who feel that “whatever efforts had been made to restore power had not been fast enough.” Some residents were throwing out maggot-filled food from their refrigerators, while others were using their cars for air conditioning.

Black journalists are still fighting. Karen Attiah just won a round, The Root

In my capacity as president of the Washington Association of Black Journalists, I teamed up with NABJ President for an op-ed explaining why ’s recent victory against the Washington Post is a victory for newsroom diversity more broadly.

ICYMI: An arbitrator ordered the Washington Post to reinstate Karen Attiah, who was fired after posting about “white men who espouse hatred and violence” following Charlie Kirk’s killing.

When Harvard University launched its Legacy of Slavery Initiative in 2022, the supposed goal was to find direct descendants of the 1,613 people enslaved by university officials. Four years later, it hasn’t contacted them. Watch this feature from the Boston Globe.

What’s In The News

Across America

Alabama: Tuskegee University honored the next generation of aviation professionals with a bomber jacket awarding ceremony…

California: The state may become the first in the nation to require corporations to declare under oath whether they or their predecessors profited from slavery…

Florida: Torey Alston has been dismissed as president of Broward College following strained relations with the board of trustees…

Georgia: For Decaturish, King Williams wrote about the demise of Atlanta’s New Black Wall Street...

Louisiana: The Louisiana State University NAACP claimed that the African American Cultural Center has closed. The university is pushing back against those claims…

Mississippi: Black voters have a chance to elect their first Black judge in DeSoto County, Aallyah Wright reports…

Missouri: The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority signed a secret three-year contract to harvest bus riders’ biometric data for AI training, while cutting routes for the poor…

Massachusetts: Errin Haines, , and Christina Greer called out Trump’s repeated attacks on the press during a panel on Martha’s Vineyard…

New York: A Quogue board has denied a luxury developer’s bid to demolish a historic Black property…

North Carolina: Winston-Salem State University chancellor Bonita Brown spoke to Brianna Atkinson about her efforts to help make the HBCU stand out in a college-heavy state...

Ohio: Sean Grayson, the former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy convicted of murdering Sonya Massey in her home, has died in prison…

Texas: A judge has rejected a bid for a new trial for Karmelo Anthony, who had been sentenced to 35 years in prison as a result of a fatal stabbing…

What’s Happening

Target has pulled a Halloween costume after backlash that it resembled caricatures from minstrel shows…

Keshia Golden, a survivor of domestic violence who said she accidentally killed her boyfriend in self-defense, accepted a plea deal and will avoid jail time…

Cudjo Lewis was one of the last survivors of the Middle Passage; he died in 1935 and never saw Benin again. His great-great-granddaughter just received citizenship from the West African country and talked with Adria Walker of the Guardian about what it means to her…

In Queens, a burial ground where nearly 300 freed Black people were laid to rest in the 1800s has been paved over and is now used by an NYPD contractor to store abandoned cars…

It’s not too late to celebrate Black August, a commemoration of Black revolutionaries and activists…

The BackBlack campaign is mobilizing small-dollar donors — who gave the majority of last year’s 130,000+ gifts under $100 — to support Black-led nonprofits overlooked since 2020…

Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, authorities are investigating after Demetrius Fleming was found dead in an apparent hanging...

The Marshall Project: “For those whose loved ones were killed in St. Louis, the investigative process could be improved with empathy, better communication, and frequent updates”...

For , “historically Black beaches are spaces shaped by refuge, joy, and quiet resistance”…

Salamishah Tillet penned a feature about the history of Jack and Jill for Town & Country…

for The Lens: “In every corner of the now-scuttled 6th District, Black residents tell of deep connections through Louisiana history, food, and today’s struggles. But this spring, the nation’s highest court concluded that those voters share only race, not a cohesive culture”…

Smithsonian Magazine: These photos visualize the legacy of Peter Spencer, the founder of America’s first independent Black church…

Texas Roadhouse slammed online claims that employees are tampering with Black diners’ food, calling the allegations a hoax…

The Trump administration removed Kehinde Wiley’s painting of Dominicans from a U.S. embassy, calling it “very woke”...

A federal judge is examining the Justice Department’s case against Don Lemon months after his arrest…

Entertainment News

A former producer for Wendy Williams is heading up a three-part documentary about the TV talk show star for Peacock…

Jill Scott is Billboard’s 2026 R&B Hall of Fame honoree. She spoke with the outlet for a wide-ranging interview...

A “Bel-Air” spinoff starring Coco Jones as Hilary Banks is in the works at Peacock...

Check out this fun article about how volleyball is luring the greatest gathering of NBA daughters…

Gladys Knight is taking a step back from performing to focus on “transitioning into the next stage” of her life and career…

X-Men fans finally have their Storm in Maya Boyd…

Alice Coltrane’s artistic and spiritual practices are fertile ground for imagining what Black liberation can look like today, Ambre Dromgoole writes for Hammer and Hope...

talked with Tupac’s family amid the ongoing trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis...

André 3000 has officially joined the cast of “Scooby-Doo: Origins,” coming to Netflix in 2027…

The talented pianist Sullivan Fortner was recently profiled in the New York Times…

Dr. Dre’s comments about artificial intelligence set the internet on fire earlier this week. talked with him and Jimmy Iovine at his home…

Obituaries

Janie Bradford, the songwriter who co-wrote the Motown hit “Money (That’s What I Want),” has died. She was 87…

Jerome “Big Duck” Smith, a New Orleans civil rights icon and Freedom Rider, has died. He was 87…

Michael Wright, a talented actor known for his roles in “The Five Heartbeats” and “Sugar Hill,” has died. He was 70…

Samuel Monroe Jr., known for his role in “Menace II Society” and “The Player’s Club,” has died. He was 52…

Don’t Miss

Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 38 seconds!…

Dr. Michael Forde built a free searchable library covering Black history, racism, and health equity, backed by verified sources…

“March on Washington 2026: Defend the Vote” is set to take place in DC on August 28…

The Washington Informer is seeking DMV-based content creators to join its Creator Studio...

Register to attend the Great Lakes African American Writers Conference. It will be held live and virtually on Sept. 5...

STARZ is accepting applicants for its #TakeTheLead Writers’ Intensive — a program seeking to provide mentorship to emerging TV writers. The deadline is Sept. 15…

Michael Wright, a talented actor known for his roles in the 1991 musical “The Five Heartbeats” and the 1994 crime drama “Sugar Hill,” has died. He was 70.

No cause of death was released.

“Michael was a husband, a father (Manon Wright, Byron Barr, Brittney Briggs, Brianna Barr, Sir Barr, a grandfather (Yoko), loved one, a friend, and an extraordinary artist whose work touched generations,” his wife, Susan, said in a statement.

“Many knew and loved him through The Five Heartbeats, The Wanderers, V, The Principal, Streamers, and the many other characters he brought to life throughout his remarkable career,” the statement continued. “His talent, presence, and contributions to film and television will live on, but to those of us who loved him personally, he was so much more than the roles the world knew him for.”

Leon Robinson, his “Five Heartbeats” co-star, also paid tribute to the late actor. “We made History together, we were honored together, you made your mark and for that you will be remembered, my friend,” he wrote on social media.

Born in New York, Wright attended the now-defunct New Lincoln School and later enrolled in the famed Lee Strasberg Institute, where he honed his skills as an actor.

His acting career began with his role as Clinton Stitch in the 1979 crime drama “The Wanderers.” He later appeared in the 1980s TV miniseries “V” and the 1983 war film “Streamers,” for which he won a Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his stellar performance as the volatile soldier Carlyle.

In 1991, Wright portrayed Eddie King Jr. (also pronounced Kang) in “The Five Heartbeats,” starring alongside the film’s director Robert Townsend, Harry Lennix, Leon Robinson, and Tico Wells.

Wright had a knack for portraying passionate characters. He then pushed himself further as the intimidating Raynathan “Ray” Skuggs in “Sugar Hill,” and into the early aughts as the troubled Omar White on HBO’s “Oz.”

“The greatest sin an actor can commit is to fail to be interesting. I always try to make my characters interesting. I want you to be riveted and wonder what’s going on behind my eyes,” Wright told Sheen Magazine in 2021.

“I want the audience to think along with me and go on an internal journey. It’s the minute things that you do that make a characterization compelling.”

Attacks on Black citizenship are attacks on democracy, The Nation

Too often, Democrats reinforce Republicans’ lie that the language of racial justice is the problem—instead of the injustices the language is trying to name, Kali Holloway writes in The Nation.

Black colleges are building more dorms amid enrollment growth, Capital B News

Housing has long strained HBCUs, but this summer, several Black colleges have flipped that narrative. They are breaking ground on new dorms and announcing housing development as enrollment climbs, Alecia Taylor reports.

What’s In The News

Across America

Alabama: Brock Morgan, a former Howard University student-athlete, is joining FOX54 in Huntsville after submitting 223 job applications…

District of Columbia: Students at HBCUs generally rely more on parent loans. They’re starting school under new federal loan borrowing limits set by Trump’s bill…

Florida: A police officer is accused of using Flock camera tech to track his estranged wife’s vehicle 717 times, according to an affidavit…

Illinois: spoke with Sharon Bush, the president of a Chicago-based philanthropy funding Black-centered, racial justice work throughout the state…

Indiana: Thousands of Gary residents will likely be without power until Tuesday, nearly two weeks after severe storms passed through. also reported on the blackout for Black Information Network…

Massachusetts: Black Boston families have a median net wealth of $7,800. White families, on the other hand, have a median net wealth of $549,200…

Michigan: Jerome Vaughn is leaving WDET after three decades in journalism…

Mississippi: ​​Nearly a year after 21-year-old student Trey Reed was found hanging from a tree, his family says attorney Ben Crump stopped responding to them…

Nevada: Alisa Goods vanished in Las Vegas on August 8, her family said. Now they’ve been receiving strange messages from her phone…

New York: Spike Lee’s annual Michael Jackson Block Party is returning to Brooklyn on August 29…

North Carolina: North Carolina Central University is now the first HBCU in the nation to launch a dedicated AI research center…

Ohio: Floun’say R. Caver, the deputy general manager of operations for Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, was found dead in Virginia…

Pennsylvania: Philadelphia officials are planning a citywide effort to recruit 1,000 Black men and allies to serve as mentors for Black boys and young men…

Texas: The judge has been removed from the case of Karmelo Anthony, who is seeking a new trial in the 2025 deadly stabbing at a track meet…

Virginia: Police have arrested a 19-year-old found hiding in a dorm closet at Virginia State University in connection with a shooting on campus that left five people injured…

What’s Happening

NABJ President explained why Stephen A. Smith got a “Thumbs Down” award, saying: “If NABJ is going to be serious about defending Black journalists and journalism itself, then sometimes we have to say their names”...

CNN: The Navy is weighing renaming an aircraft carrier under construction that was set to honor Doris Miller, a Black war hero, and potentially switching it to honor Trump…

BET Digital has launched a national community reporting initiative to expand local multimedia journalism...

Northwestern University is reportedly shuttering its 80-year-old Program of African Studies, laying off staff and keeping students in the dark. The school is pushing back against that claim…

The wife of a North Carolina mayor is facing backlash after her racist Facebook post that blamed Black residents for the city’s problems…

Meanwhile in Florida: Democratic socialist Angie Nixon defeated Trump impeachment whistleblower Alex Vindman in Florida’s Dem Senate primary, a major upset for the left…Trump ally Byron Donalds won Florida’s GOP primary and is one step closer to becoming the state’s first-ever Black governor…Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz won the Democratic primary in a new Florida district despite outcry from local and national Black leaders…

By disparaging the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests as “Woke 1,” liberals are following the right wing’s lead, writes…

wrote about the seemingly annual discourse around the so-called Black elite and Martha’s Vineyard…

The Fifth Circuit won’t stop until it has warped Supreme Court precedent enough to allow DeRay McKesson to be punished for being Black at a protest, G.S. Hans writes…

A Raleigh man has been charged with murder after Sheremy Gwenette Dillard, a beloved girls’ basketball coach, was found stabbed to death...

“Reading Rainbow” star Mychal Threets said he will check himself into a hospital, telling everyone he is “safe” but “not okay”...

wrote about the products hairstylists use on their kids’ hair, like Luster’s Pink Hair Lotion, rat-tail combs, and Shine ‘N Jam…

The Justice Dept. is investigating the College of William & Mary over whether some of its scholarships and financial aid are discriminatory...

Entertainment News

Have you seen the new trailer for the “A Different World” reboot yet? Watch above…

GQ’s Frazier Tharpe talked with Druski about how he’s dominated social media with his viral videos. Now he’s eyeing Hollywood…

Trina told 99 Jamz Radio that her upcoming album will be her last…

TDE is bringing live performances, food, a mobile recording studio, and much more to HBCUs across the country…

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II spoke with Vanity Fair about Marvel canceling “Blade” and “Wonder Man”…

The American Black Film Festival is heading to Los Angeles from May 20-23, 2027…

Vogue: Coco Jones and Donovan Mitchell collaborated entirely with Black designers for their wedding wardrobe...

Dr. Erica Armstrong Dunbar, chair of the department of African American Studies at Emory University, is the driving force behind historical accuracy on “The Gilded Age”...

Colman Domingo told NPR’s Tonya Mosley in a new interview that he’s always up for new challenges. He’s also eyeing “Diarra from Detroit”…

wrote about the disjointed performance of Usher and Chris Brown’s “R&B Tour,” and the future of the genre…

Obituaries

Rev. Cleveland B. Sparrow Sr., a pastor and civil rights activist who broke down barriers in Washington, has died. He was 89...

Don’t Miss

Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 46 seconds!…

Looking for something to do in the nation’s capital this weekend? The Library of Congress National Book Festival will take place on August 22 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center…

“March on Washington 2026: Defend the Vote” is set to take place in DC on August 28…

Register to attend the Great Lakes African American Writers Conference. It will be held live and virtually on Sept. 5...

We need more Black animators and showrunners in kids TV. Sugar Snap Media, an animation studio, is looking for applicants for its creator program…

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is celebrating its 10th anniversary from Sept. 24 to 27…

Are you a senior with a story? NPR is looking for Americans age 65 and older to share their experiences for the Senior Podcast Challenge…

The NAACP has teamed up with the legal team seeking answers in the mysterious death of Nolan Wells, a Black teen who was found dead after a boating trip in Mississippi.

“We’re taking up this fight to search for truth and transparency surrounding the death of Nolan Wells,” Kristen Clarke, general counsel for the NAACP and former assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Justice Department, said in a statement.

Wells’ body was found on Mississippi’s Horn Island on July 6, two days after he visited the island for a Fourth of July celebration. His parents, seeking a thorough investigation into their son’s death, retained noted civil rights attorney Ben Crump shortly after.

Clarke and the NAACP’s Office of General Counsel will work with Crump to push for transparency and timely updates from authorities.

“Drawing on the Association’s long history of pushing for full and fair investigations when Black lives are lost under suspicious circumstances, we will help bring additional investigative resources to bear and work to ensure that no stone is left unturned in seeking answers and accountability for Nolan’s family,” Clarke continued.

In July, Crump released the findings of an independent autopsy for Wells during a press conference at the NAACP National Convention. The autopsy found that the cause and manner of death are both undetermined, pending investigation.

“The world is watching, and Nolan Wells’s family deserves a thorough accounting of what happened,” Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, said in a statement. “Too often, the deaths of young Black people are dismissed, downplayed, or inadequately investigated unless we demand answers. Our involvement in this case is part of our ongoing commitment to make sure those answers are pursued with urgency and respect for Black lives.”

The NAACP is the oldest and largest civil rights organization in the country.

Hello from the NABJ Convention in Atlanta!

Thousands of other Black journalists, educators, and media professionals have descended on Georgia’s capital city for the National Association of Black Journalists’ annual convention, which offers attendees career development, job opportunities, and much more.

I participated on a panel with two amazing panelists, and Danielle Wallace, to discuss how to build platforms, like this very newsletter. I hope we encouraged more journalists to consider creating their own.

Some other notes:

• The NABJ Convention will be in Houston next year, but NABJ President Errin Haines confirmed that it will be in New Orleans in 2028.

• NABJ and the National Business League announced a strategic partnership to launch a media enterprise accelerator to assist independent journalists and media-related business owners.

• The parents of Nolan Wells spoke before the NABJ crowd on Thursday. Read Adria Walker’s reporting here.

Here’s an overview of what’s been taking place during this year’s convention: For the Atlanta Voice, Donnell Suggs contextualized what it means for the gathering to be back in the city for the first time since 2007. Richard Prince provided a detailed look into some of the more granular topics within NABJ.

After Cyclospora outbreak, local Black farms see rise in support, Capital B News

Ever since the nationwide outbreak of the Cyclospora parasite, local Black farms are seeing a rise in support, Adam Mahoney reports for Capital B. Here’s how to find Black farmers in your area and support them.

Black residents warned of abusive cops for years. Then police shot and killed a toddler, The Intercept

Police shot and killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley in the Mississippi town of Senatobia, where community members had long warned their elected leaders about the abusive cops in the area.

Ashley Etienne: “Black voters must stop being a tool and use their power,” The Emancipator

spoke with , a longtime senior advisor to former Presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden and former VP Kamala Harris, about how Black voters should utilize their political and economic power.

What’s In The News

Across America

Arkansas: Two looming data centers in Little Rock have residents extremely concerned about outsiders “appropriating rural, Black-owned land”...

California: The family of Kiara Bowling, who was hit and seriously hurt by 7- and 4-year-old brothers who stole their parents’ car, said she is still in critical condition…

Colorado: Cherry Creek Schools denied the Trump administration’s allegations that it excludes students from clubs and other programming based on race…

District of Columbia: The D.C. State Chess Federation continues to help youth grow through the game of chess despite its revoked status...

Illinois: The “Other Washingtons” project honors everyone from Harold Washington, the city’s first Black mayor, to Denzel, Kerry and Dinah, as well as everyday Chicagoans…

Michigan: A new partnership in Detroit provides residents with resources designed to help them enter and complete college…

Mississippi: A lack of clear answers in the Nolan Wells’ case is fueling speculation, distrust and threats…

New York: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s went on a “two-week blitz of appearances” with Black journalists…

Pennsylvania: The music teacher who taught Questlove and Christian McBride is the subject of a new documentary…

Tennessee: High Democratic turnout for House primaries in Shelby County is the latest sign that redistricting may be energizing Black Southern voters…

Texas: The oldest African American Baptist church in Fort Worth is close to being purchased and transformed into a performance art center…

Wisconsin: Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley narrowly won the Democratic primary race for Wisconsin governor, defeating progressive Francesca Hong…

Vermont: Miss Black Vermont Harmony Edosomwan was crowned Miss Black USA…

Virginia: Historians may have helped influence a judge’s ruling about overturning a school board’s decision to change the name of public schools that honored Confederate generals…

What’s Happening

Bryan Stevenson of Equal Justice Initiative went on Democracy Now to discuss the “enduring evil of slavery” and Trump’s attempt to rewrite history. Watch above.

Black adults have reported being in the worst financial position in nearly a decade, according to a new survey…

Authorities provided false information to federal judges while they tried to build a criminal case against Georgia Fort, her attorneys said...

An ex-officer accused of planning to kill Black people at a New Orleans festival was quietly released from custody after a grand jury found there was not enough evidence to charge him with a crime…

Dalton Eatherly, the racist ragebaiter charged in the shooting at a middle Tennessee courthouse, has bonded out after nearly three months in custody…

The Jackson Police Dept. has not yet received an official cause or manner of death in Tasia Fortune, a Black woman who was found hanging from a tree in Jackson, MS…

This past Sunday marked the 10-year anniversary of Michael Brown’s killing, and some protesters are still awaiting trial…

A free trade program at the University of the District of Columbia is giving Black students a different path...

published a rundown of the attorneys aiding Harmeet Dhillon in destroying the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division…

The city of Fort Worth, Texas, and the family of Atatiana Jefferson have agreed on a proposed $11.25M settlement 6 years after she was killed in her home by an officer…

A panel of journalists, researchers and educators recently came together to discuss how HBCUs are represented in the media and public discourse…

Connie Rice, a veteran civil rights attorney, is urging the importance of defending democracy—and has a plan on how to defeat Trump-era authoritarianism…

Meet 21 Black women who bounced back and are thriving after being pushed out of the workplace…

Steven Nelson, a former executive with the National Gallery of Art, said the Washington museum moved a symposium about race in art in an effort to “avoid political blowback”...

Entertainment News

Donell Jones says his Verzuz battle with Joe is taking place on August 20th…

The trial of Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis, who is accused of ordering the decades-old killing of Tupac, began this week…

Jacqueline Woodson’s best-selling picture book, “The Day You Begin,” has debuted on PBS Kids...

Have you seen “Diarra From Detroit” yet? Colman Domingo wants to star on Diarra Kilpatrick’s hit show …

Congratulations to “Corporate Erin” Lisa Beasley and her husband on their second child...

The FADER is out with a list of 20 Black women pop artists who haven’t quite cracked the mainstream yet, but soon will…

Barack Obama is set to host a podcast exploring influential books from James Baldwin and Toni Morrison…

The Guardian talked with the Womack Sisters about their superstar family and how they finally broke into the family business…

Dinner Party, the jazz-R&B supergroup consisting of Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington, Terrance Martin and 9th Wonder, are out with a new project…

Rahquel Purcell has been named the chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion officer of L’Oréal, North America…

Obituaries

Robert Mason, an unsung hero who helped hundreds of thousands of students apply for HBCUs nationwide, has died. He was 66…

Christy Knowings, best known for her role on the ‘90s Nickelodeon comedy series “All That,” has died. She was 46…

Don’t Miss

Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 46 seconds…

Publishers Weekly reviewed “Strung Up,” ’s forthcoming book, and gave it a starred review…

Don’t Sell Grandma’s House explores Black interior design, media, culture, and memory by recreating a 1960s–1970s basement. Check it out on August 16 at NYC’s Gallery Sinclair…

The Atlanta Black Star is hiring for several positions...

The Brooklyn Museum is offering a paid internship for teens interested in art, art history and museum education...

Abbott Elementary is casting kids ages 6 to 14 to work as background actors for the show...

How one Black family has held onto their land for generations, URL Media

Elister Charleston has been farming for eight decades. His family’s farm, held together by faith and love, offers organic produce and events for the community. Kia Gregory explored how his family kept their land for decades.

Nolan Wells went to an island with friends and never came home. His death has renewed debate over race and justice in Mississippi, The Guardian

“Uncertainty around the investigation into the death of the 18-year-old, whose body was found after a July 4th boat trip with friends, has led some to question whether justice will be meted out equally,” Adria Walker reports.

He’s eligible for up to $480,000 after being wrongly imprisoned for 42 years. The state says no, ProPublica

Elvis Brooks was exonerated after spending 42 years in prison. And yet the Louisiana Attorney General maintains he is guilty, preventing him from qualifying for any compensation from the state.

Applications for Preserving Black Churches grants, a key initiative of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, are now open. Applications opened this week, and will close on September 11, at 5:00 p.m.

What’s In The News

Across America

Alabama: This week marked the three year anniversary of the Montgomery Brawl…

Arkansas: Librarians and booksellers could face up to a year in prison if they’re found to have “distributed” inappropriate material to those under the age of 18…

Colorado: Denver City Council may start meetings with a statement recognizing the atrocities of slavery under a new proposal…

California: An LAPD officer has been charged after he secretly recorded his colleagues making racist, homophobic and sexist comments…

Georgia: Capital B Atlanta asked Black male voters to share their questions for Sen. Jon Ossoff ahead of November…

Iowa: Black students in the state are arrested at nearly four times the rate of their peers, according to an ACLU report…

Indiana: Gov. Mike Braun announced he would end some contracting preferences for women and minority owned businesses…

Massachusetts: Black clergymen helped lower homicides in Boston, and want the city to remain one of the safest in the country....

Michigan: Donavan McKinney has toppled a Democratic congressman, virtually guaranteeing the return of Black representation in Congress to Detroit…

Mississippi: The Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services met 22 of 107 applicable safety measures, a court monitor found…

Missouri: Incumbent Rep. Wesley Bell ended a comeback bid by former Rep. Cori Bush in a hotly contested Missouri Democratic primary…

New York: Candace Miller-Brathwaite used her lived experience to elevate Harlem and tell her family’s story…

Tennessee: Fisk University President Dr. Agenia Walker Clark defended the university’s plan to build a data center at the HBCU...

Virginia: A new research center dedicated to Black American history in the Danville region will soon receive a permanent home…

Washington: Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes resigned following criticism about the city’s response to a recent fatal shooting at a food festival...

Wisconsin: Black babies in the state continue to die at far higher rates than babies of other races. The Cap Times wants to speak with those with lived experience who can provide insight into the ongoing Black infant mortality crisis...

What’s Happening

Black voters shaped the discourse in Michigan’s U.S. Senate primary, reports for the Michigan Chronicle…

Several members of the Congressional Black Caucus reportedly told Axios that the incoming Democrats who have declined to support House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for speaker may not be welcomed with open arms…

Jasper Smith expertly explored the debacle at Howard University, and also found out that the prominent HBCU is offering buyouts to 600 employees…

Tasia Fortune has been identified as the woman whose body was found hanging from a tree behind a Jackson, Mississippi, home…

For EBONY, Sherdell Baker wrote about the impact chronic stress has on Black business owners…

Dominique Dillon, a news anchor who went viral for falling asleep on air, is opening up about her “work nightmare”…

The Trump administration’s plans to stymie and defund bike lane plans in the US, on the unusual basis that they are DEI tools, will hurt efforts to improve roadway safety, non-motorized transportation advocates say…

Forbes’ Asia Alexander compiled America’s top 20 HBCUs that set their graduates up for success…

Laila AnnMarie Stevens documents her family’s move from New York City to North Carolina — a kind of reversal of the historic Great Migration of the early 20th century…

Investigators say Joniah Walker disappeared at age 15 and was held against her will until authorities located her roughly 730 miles from home…

A recent camp involving tech influencers, Black creatives and OpenAI is drawing swift backlash online…

Entertainment News

“When the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts unveiled its America250 Big Read program, Marita Golden and Gwen McKinney realized there were no Black women on the list of authors. So the literary activists created something of their own.” Watch above…

Morgan Freeman recently spoke with the New York Times about his latest work, his voice and how he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon…

Paramount+ has released first-look images of “The Varnell Hill Show,” the “Martin” spinoff premiering this September…

Serena Williams will reunite with Venus Williams in doubles at the Cincinnati Open…

Keke Palmer is set to handle hosting duties for Carson Daly on the upcoming celebrity-themed Season 31 of “The Voice”...

Ice-T talked with Keith Murphy about his new album, podcast culture and why rap artists shouldn’t have an expiration date…

Mahershala Ali spoke with GQ about moving on from Blade—and re-teamed with writer/director Bassam Tariq for a “uniquely deep” action project instead…

The New York Times spent a day with actor Tramell Tillman as he shopped for furniture in Hell’s Kitchen and danced through Chelsea…

Apple TV has acquired the rights to Colson Whitehead‘s “Harlem” trilogy, Variety reports…

The New York Times reviewed “Jimmy,” a feature film that imagines the early life of a 24-year-old James Baldwin before he became a literary icon…

Obituaries

Mildred Pitts Walter, a schoolteacher who wrote award-winning children’s books focusing on Black characters, has died. She was 103…

Arlene Smith, one of the co-founders and lead vocalists of the pioneering 1950s girl group The Chantels, has died. She was 84…

James H. Patterson, a musician, educator and Clark Atlanta University legend, has died. He was 91...

Florence “Flo” Anthony, a pioneering celebrity journalist who was the first woman to work in the New York Post’s sports section, has died. She was 74…

Booker Rowe, the first Black musician to perform in The Philadelphia Orchestra, has died. He was 85…

Tony Hicks, who was convicted of murder at 14 before later dedicating his life to violence prevention alongside the family of the man he killed, has died. He was 45…

Don’t Miss

Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 50 seconds!...

Design challenge for participating HBCU students: create an original wordmark, icon, or visual inspired by “Public Radio Meets HBCU Excellence.” The deadline is TODAY…

The Black Boy Writes & Black Girl Writes Mentorship Initiative is “dedicated to supplying industry access and resources to preWGA Black screenwriters”…

Capital B News is hosting THE STORY WE’RE WRITING: Black Power, Politics & Possibility, a conversation on Black wealth, political power, and what’s at stake in the midterms, on August 13 on Martha’s Vineyard. RSVP at events@capitalbnews.org...

Applications for the Shondaland x SeriesFest Women Directing Mentorship are now open…

Save the date: In October, there will be an opening of a new exhibit in Columbus honoring Dr. Helen G. Edmonds, the first Black woman to earn a PhD in History from Ohio State University in 1946…

This story was originally published by The 19th.

Dr. Erica Schwartz will be the first Black woman to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, promising that she will show “radical transparency and unwavering scientific integrity” in the role. But she faces political headwinds and practical challenges as she starts the job.

Schwartz, who was confirmed Wednesday by the Senate to run the federal agency that primarily responds to infectious diseases, is expected to balance a public commitment to evidence-based policy and how that might clash with the requests of her new boss, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

A CDC director has typically overseen coordination between the federal government and states during disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies. The job has also entailed approving vaccine policy changes and ensuring accurate health data collection.

But the role has been reshaped under an administration that has questioned trust in government institutions, particularly after a global pandemic that generated right-wing outrage over mask mandates and other COVID-related policies.

President Donald Trump nominated Schwartz — who has served in the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and as chief medical officer for the U.S. Coast Guard — but the CDC reports to HHS. Although Schwartz told senators during a July 15 confirmation hearing that she would “follow the science wherever it leads,” she deflected inquiries on whether she would stand up to Kennedy or Trump if she was asked to act in ways that countered scientific evidence.

“She’s trying to walk the tightrope of keeping all of her bonafides: tons of experience, all the background you would want, good relationship with the medical public health community — while also continuing to have the support of the person and people who nominated her,” said Diana Z. O’Brien, a political science professor at Washington University in St. Louis who studies women’s political representation.

Schwartz — who served as deputy surgeon general during Trump’s first term — said neither the president nor the secretary would put her in a problematic position, a response that some senators repeatedly challenged given the firing of Schwartz’s predecessor, Susan Monarez. Monarez said Kennedy, an anti-vaccine activist, terminated her after an August 2025 meeting in which she refused to prematurely approve vaccine policy changes. Kennedy has refuted Monarez’s claim.

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a doctor who was a key vote for Kennedy’s confirmation but has since criticized several of his policy actions, tried to get Schwartz to commit to standing firm.

“We need a CDC director that will actually stand up to crazy, stupid things being said that undermine faith in immunization,” he said. “Are you the person? And I’m being very direct here, because obviously I feel like we’ve got thousands of kids hospitalized because people have promoted that immunization is bad, and now kids have died because of it. It is evil to do that, and people persist. You are the bulwark, so I’m asking: Will you have the ability and the firmness to stand up to that political meddling, to say, ‘No, that’s wrong, and this is right?’”

Schwartz responded: “You have my assurances that I will continue to lead by my integrity. I will never compromise on the science. I will always, always have the public’s health in mind.”

Cassidy later voted to advance Schwartz out of the health committee that he chairs, a key step for her nomination to reach a full Senate vote. Most Senate Democrats on the committee voted down her nomination.

Schwartz is taking over a beleaguered agency battling multiple public health emergencies, including a measles outbreak and climbing cases of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic infection which causes explosive diarrhea. That all comes amid proposed budget cuts to the CDC that have led to staff cuts and weakened some public health programs. Morale among employees is reportedly low, particularly after a deadly shooting at its Atlanta headquarters last year that officials say was driven by misinformation.

Nadia E. Brown is a government professor and director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at Georgetown University who studies Black women’s politics. She said Schwartz’s nomination reminds her of the glass cliff theory of organizational leadership — the idea that companies appoint underrepresented leaders at times when they are struggling or facing a crisis. Schwartz brings extensive experience to the job, having served as deputy surgeon general during Trump’s first term and more recently working at UnitedHealth Group along with board roles at several health-related companies. She committed to resigning from those roles if confirmed.

Still, Schwartz is Trump’s third nominee for CDC director. Trump withdrew his first pick, Dr. Dave Weldon, amid reports that senators were critical of his anti-vaccine views. His second nominee, Monarez, was approved by the Senate in July 2025 only to be fired a month later. The agency has not had a permanent leader for nearly a year.

“It’s become a polarized position when it wasn’t,” Brown said. “We know that the country is deeply racialized and gendered, and Black women face misogynoir. And so if she fails, there’s already a built-in trope into why she fails, right? But there’s also an already built-in trope about, ‘Well, try her. What else do we have to lose?’”

There may also be some opportunities for Schwartz. During her confirmation hearing she expressed support for the Make America Healthy Again platform that is credited with elevating Kennedy’s profile and later helping Trump return to the White House. Her public backing of healthy eating and tackling chronic disease could help Trump ahead of a midterm election year that is perceived as having limited policy wins.

But O’Brien said that, too, carries pitfalls.

“Black women have not had the opportunity to be the face of Make America Healthy Again, even though in the abstract we should be prioritizing Black women’s health,” she said. “But they’ve not gotten to be the face of that movement, and she may just face an uphill battle with the core MAHA people, even if she’s able to bolster support among CDC and among the broader polity.”

Schwartz is already facing criticism from some of Kennedy’s staunchest supporters. Aaron Siri, an anti-vaccine activist who has served as a personal attorney for Kennedy, reportedly called Schwartz “the queen of mandating vaccines” — a point highlighted during her hearing when Democratic Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland asked Schwartz how she would respond to people who do not support vaccine mandates. Schwartz has a history of supporting vaccine mandates for military servicemembers.

“I want to be the CDC director for all Americans. I don’t want to be the CDC director just for Americans that believe in vaccines. I want to be the CDC director for Aaron Siri and people that have concerns about vaccines,” she said.

Almost immediately, Siri responded on social media with a message for Schwartz to “contact my office with proposed dates and we will book a ballroom in DC for a full day ‘open and transparent debate.’”

Schwartz also told lawmakers that mRNA technology — which helped develop COVID-19 vaccines and could address a range of diseases — “is safe and effective.” Kennedy last year canceled federal funding for mRNA vaccine research, claiming the technology poses more risks than benefits for certain respiratory viruses. Public health experts have warned the move could harm the nation’s response to future pandemics.

Brown pointed out that Schwartz as a Black woman needed an impeccable resume — her education includes a medical degree, a master’s degree in public health and a law degree — to even be considered for the job while others in the Trump administration have a history of limited experience for key governmental roles. But those credentials can only get someone so far amid such distrust in science.

“In order to be a Black woman who gets this, she had to come in with an absolutely perfect pedigree,” she said. Normally that would help her, but this is just a very unusual situation where, for the MAHA people, it’s not a good pedigree because it’s too much in the conventional scientific community.”

Adia Wingfield is a sociology professor at Washington University in St. Louis who studies racial and gender inequality in the workplace. She said Schwartz’s goal of restoring trust and bringing transparency faces a high bar in this political climate since public trust in a variety of institutions — Congress, media, universities — is declining.

“Certainly the CDC is not immune from that. So taking on the task of restoring trust to an institution that has been besieged for quite some time is a pretty lofty goal. And that’s not to say that she couldn’t achieve it, but that’s just to say that I think the headwinds are probably against anybody taking on that role,” she said.

The challenge may be exacerbated by Schwarz’s race and gender.

“As a Black woman, I think failing or being unable to achieve those goals in the ways that she has set out would take on additional resonance because of how few Black women have held either that position or tend to hold these types of positions in society at large,” Wingfield said. “It becomes reflective of the group membership, not necessarily of the individual, and that allows for drawing attention away from the bigger structural factors that make it difficult to do the job in the first place.”

Between Tuskegee University’s ban on bonnets and durags and Howard University’s disenrollment of students, HBCUs have been at the top of the conversation this week. Here’s the latest.

Recently, the institution canceled the enrollment of nearly 500 incoming freshmen. “A considerable number of students have been reinstated after meeting the payment and documentation requirements,” Howard University said. Still, not every student who was disenrolled will be able to attend this upcoming school year. Read Capital B’s latest.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that any New Yorkers impacted can seek admission at the City University of New York and the State University of New York for the fall 2026 semester. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore followed up with support as well.

tried to make sense of the crisis, and Saida Grundy wrote an op-ed in The Guardian about the impact this has had on the students…

Over in Alabama, Tuskegee University President Mark A. Brown has sparked an online conversation with a letter sent to students regarding expectations on student attire, cellphone use and attendance. There’s been a ton of discourse, but very little of it focused on the students. So I talked with several of them to hear their perspectives.

Meanwhile, Coppin State University President Anthony Jenkins is getting props for his Maryland HBCU implementing a program offering in-state tuition to students from states with no HBCUs. Gov. Moore responded to my post about this story…

A Jim Crow voter suppression tool is back, Brennan Center for Justice

Until recently, mass voter challenges have just come from outsider activists. But now, with election deniers joining the Trump administration, these baseless challenges may get federal support, Sean Morales-Doyle explains for the .

How a network of pink-slime news sites and conservative activists went after campus DEI, CJR

A host of right-wing activists pretending to be news sites filed thousands of FOIA requests and used hidden-camera videos to target universities, leading to the firing of faculty and staff. Read the latest in the Columbia Journalism Review.

What’s In The News

Across America

California: Sacramento’s historic Hackett House site has been added to the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom list of significant sites…

Colorado: The “Proclaiming Colorado’s Black History: Aurora” exhibit will be on display at the Aurora History Museum through Nov. 7…

District of Columbia: The American Black Film Festival is coming to the District from September 25th to the 27th…

Florida: Community members recently gathered to discuss the future of Eatonville, one of the country’s first self-governing, all-Black towns…

Georgia: A nonprofit is working to protect a historic Black cemetery located near a massive data center project under construction in Henry County…

Illinois: Southern Illinois University Carbondale is pushing to permanently establish the African American Heritage Center to preserve Black history in the region…

Kentucky: Da’Jon Anthony Hayes-Burr, who was lauded for defending a young girl from sexual harassment earlier this year, was shot and killed....

Massachusetts: The sale of a Martha’s Vineyard home associated with Uncle Nearest has hit a snag as the whiskey brand company faces legal troubles...

Michigan: State Rep. Donavan McKinney is hoping to restore Black representation to Detroit by unseating Congressman Shri Thanedar…

Mississippi: Gov. Tate Reeves is blaming Ben Crump and Al Sharpton for “stoking division” in the Nolan Wells case…

New York: Wu-Tang Clan icon Ol’ Dirty Bastard was honored with a street named after him in Brooklyn…

Pennsylvania: Mayor Cherelle Parker’s former DEI chief is suing the city for discrimination in a tell-all lawsuit…

Rhode Island: Viola Davis and her husband Julius Tennon have donated $1.2M to a community center named after the actor’s mother…

South Carolina: Community members gathered in remembrance of the Hamburg massacre, which took place 150 years ago…

Tennessee: Between 1995 and 2019, 163 children were sentenced to die in prison by the state. Most were prosecuted under a little-known aspect of state law, known as “the felony murder rule”...

Texas: Protesters marched through downtown Austin this week demanding justice for Anthoneil Williams II, the unarmed 17-year-old killed by police…

Wisconsin: Mandela Barnes, the former lieutenant governor, has dropped out of the Democratic primary for governor…

What’s Happening

Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson sat down with Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson for a wide-ranging conversation on their podcast. Watch above…

Ben Crump gave an update on the Nolan Wells case at the National Urban League’s annual conference…

Republican attempts to dilute Black political power in the South are driving Black Americans to the polls in larger numbers, according to a new analysis…

The TRiiBE published “Out West: In search of my ancestral home,” a work of literary nonfiction by Tiffany Walden that follows her journey to her grandmother’s birthplace in the Mississippi Delta…

31 colleges recently became “Black-serving institutions.” But what does that mean?...

The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum is celebrating more than four decades of culture and service in Baltimore…

The legal team of Mumia Abu-Jamal is appealing to the United Nations for support…

For the Mississippi Free Press, wrote about Nolan Wells and why Black Americans may be skeptical of the ongoing investigation…

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has a feature in The Atlantic that is getting a lot of buzz on social media…

The National Urban League has released its annual “State of Black America” report…

A Secret Service agent and two others have been charged after severely hazing a new fraternity member…

A mural honoring beloved television anchor Jovita Moore has returned to a Georgia coffee shop following community outcry…

In an op-ed for the Washington Post, Ashley L. Jackson remembered her father, the late Rev. Jesse Jackson, discussed her conversion to Judaism and explored the relationship between Black and Jewish Americans…

A bipartisan bill would create a permanent memorial honoring the Tuskegee Airmen in the D.C. area…

A judge ruled that the recording of an interview the man accused of killing Tupac Shakur gave to police in 2008 may be used at his upcoming trial…

The outpouring of sympathy for Marie Marseille, whose dog was shot by LAPD, stands out at a time when even indisputable victimhood doesn’t guarantee universal support, Erin Aubry Kaplan explains…

Entertainment News

CBS Sunday Morning ran a feature on Derrick Adams, who is widely considered one of the most important artists of his generation. Watch above…

“Black Panther 3” is set to premiere on December 15th, 2028, Ryan Coogler announced. David Jonsson will take on the mantle of the titular character…

“Purple Rain,” a new musical based on Prince’s hit 1984 film, is coming to Broadway next spring…

ESSENCE Ventures has announced “a strategic investment” in Offscript Worldwide, the parent brand of REVOLT…

Phylicia Rashad received a standing ovation at the kickoff for the International Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem…

The trailer teaser “The Thomas Crown Affair,” starring and directed by Michael B. Jordan, is out...

ESPN has an inside look at how LeBron James decided to choose the Philadelphia 76ers…

Willow Smith talked with The New York Times about her desire to be known as more than just the daughter of a Hollywood power couple, and her new album, “The Thread”...

Shelby Stewart spoke with the iconic Mara Brock Akil about her literary debut, growing up with ESSENCE, and her career…

Whoopi Goldberg, Jenifer Lewis, Vanessa Williams and Vivica A. Fox are set to star in the Netflix comedy “Women Like Us”...

Alice Coltrane’s ashram tapes, which have long been unavailable to the public, will finally be released…

A judge ruled rap lyrics can be used as evidence in the high-profile murder-for-hire case the rapper known as Yella Beezy…

The wife of a Kansas City Chiefs coach was allegedly shot by the couple’s son at the family’s home…

Obituaries

Betye Saar, the pioneering California artist who confronted stereotypes about Black women with a variety of tools, has died. She was 99…

William Clair Turner Jr., a pastor and theological educator who shaped Duke Divinity School, has died. He was 78…

Hope Clarke, the actress, singer, and dancer who choreographed the 1990s musical “Jelly’s Last Jam,” has died. She was 85…

Mary J. Armstrong, an educator and longtime president of the American Federation of Teachers St. Louis (Local 420), has died. She was 73…

Carl Yelder, a Louisville legend best known as DJ Lil Carl, has died. He was 46...

Don’t Miss

Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 50 seconds…

Authorities are asking the public’s help in locating Syncere Pshyra Evans, a missing teenager who was last seen in South Los Angeles…

Support the New Eyes Collective, a phenomenal group of Black cultural workers committed to impactful work…

If you’re in upstate New York, check out the 16th Annual Emancipation Day on August 1st at the Smithville Community Center in Peterboro…

More than 50 of your favorite Black authors will appear at Mahogany Books’ third annual Black Books Matter Fest on August 1 in Maryland...

A powerful play about the legacy of Black suffragists in Boston is running from July 18 to August 8 at the Strand Theatre in Dorchester…

It’s summertime.

Many college students are enjoying the last vestiges of summer break before worrying about textbooks and class schedules. Some are spending their days lounging on a beach or partying with friends.

Tuskegee University junior Aiden Bass is currently at a conference for his internship — and he’s wearing a suit.

“Most of the people I know at Tuskegee right now are at internships,” said Bass, who is studying aerospace engineering at the Alabama HBCU. “And we’re all saying the way that we dress wasn’t stopping us from gaining these internships.”

Earlier this week, Tuskegee President Dr. Mark A. Brown sent a message to parents of incoming students informing them about a “new policy for student attire on campus, classroom attendance, and cell phone use in classrooms.” The university is set to welcome its largest freshman class in over three decades.

“The Student Handbook requires students to arrive on campus with a business suit and proper shoes for a business meeting,” the letter read. “Students are prohibited from wearing revealing clothing in class, to the cafeteria or in official settings like Convocation. They are also not able to wear bedroom shoes, bonnets, or du-rags to class or the cafeteria.”

“The goal here is not meant to restrict students from enjoying the Tuskegee Experience, but to prepare them with a solid foundation for the workforce they will enter once they leave Tuskegee,” Brown, a Tuskegee alumnus who became president in 2024, explained in the letter.

The letter also states that faculty members are authorized to address students who don’t abide by these guidelines.

The bonnets-and-durags-to-class portion of the letter quickly went viral on social media, igniting an online firestorm. Many shared their opinions on young college students and HBCU culture more broadly.

“It’s sad that young adults have to be told this. Good for this updated rule! How can you be taken seriously if you don’t dress seriously,” one person wrote on Facebook.

“Glad for it! Setting an expectation for students to start dressing like professional adults,” another wrote.

But Bass, who also serves as the junior class vice president, thinks the entire discourse is a non-issue.

“Tuskegee has always had a dress code. Let’s start there,” said Bass, voicing frustration with how his peers have been portrayed online. “It should have never been publicized like this because it’s bringing this false interpretation that we don’t care about how we’re presenting ourselves in public and in professional environments.”

“That’s just completely false. That’s never been Tuskegee’s image. That’s never been the way that we’ve carried ourselves,” he said, pointing to the various career development events that the students themselves host on campus.

Aliya Purnell believes that while the university should always strive to teach its students about professionalism, the institution should follow its own mandate.

“Right now, we are in a housing crisis. We are in a financial crisis. We just got done dealing with students having bats in their dorms,” said Purnell, who is studying political science at the university and serves as the junior class president. “Students were placed in hotels off campus our freshman year. And instead of focusing on the issues, people are focused on a dress code policy that’s not only hindering bonnets and durags but scarves, crop tops, leggings and sweats.”

“What’s stopping them from banning piercings? It’s a slippery slope. We are in Alabama. President Mark Brown just gave an honorary degree to [GOP Sen.] Katie Britt,” she continued. “It feels like a slippery slope of us devolving into conservatism. It’s worrying as a student.”

Other students voiced their concerns that the dress code uproar is drowning out other issues.

“Nobody is upset about a dress code or advancing professionalism. But when over 1000 students were moved 30 minutes away from campus and receive an email about possibly having financial aid removed for tardiness to class, or students having to rent houses their second year of college just to continue their education, that’s not a headline?,” a biology student wrote on Facebook.

What I’m Reading reached out to Tuskegee University but did not receive a response prior to publication.

Even still, it’s extremely rare to see students walking around the private HBCU in sleepwear, Purnell said.

“I have rarely seen, in my experience going into my junior year, students walking around campus with durags and bonnets,” she explained. “The only time you will ever see that is maybe on a Sunday, where one to two people go to the cafeteria for a quick brunch and go right back to their dorms. But going to class, everybody is dressed professionally and adequately.”

Tuskegee has helped students obtain professional attire. Launched in 2023, the Golden Tigers Community Closet provides students with new or gently used business attire.

“If you’re so worried about what students on campus are wearing, we have a donation center where you can donate professional wear to students,” Purnell said. “Please give back to our community and don’t just bash us online. A lot of people [at the university] can’t afford to get their hair done.”

Another student, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation, said they find the discourse “frustrating.”

“A lot of us really do try our best, even in the worst financial situations, to still look presentable, because I personally don’t come from a rich family,” the student explained. “We try our best to look business casual, whether it’s Walmart, Target, or whatever it is.”

“Hearing these negative narratives being pushed about us, it’s like, wow, you know? With the housing crisis going on, and a lot of people don’t have financial aid … It’s a lot of stuff going on at one time, and it can really be overwhelming.”

The dress code is the least of the student’s concerns. “I was a little confused myself on the whole dress code thing because you barely ever see anyone really in a bonnet.”

“When I first got to Tuskegee my freshman year, I already knew it was gonna be business casual all the time. I’m hardly ever in casual wear,” they said.

The student currently lives in Auburn, which is about a 30-minute drive from Tuskegee if you have a car. If not, you have to wait on a shuttle.

“My family had to purchase an apartment with our own finances, and I’ve had to come out of my own pocket,” the student said. They said they were forced to take a gap year when housing costs rose. “I had a $2,600 balance that I’ve been working all summer to get paid off.”

“I’ve had an up-and-down rollercoaster with Tuskegee, to say the least.”

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters.

Schools that discipline students of color at higher rates than white students won’t be in violation of federal civil rights law for that disparity alone, the U.S. Department of Education announced Thursday.

The Education Department’s regulatory changes prohibit the agency’s civil rights investigators from using broad demographic statistics — such as data about discipline, Advanced Placement class enrollment, and school admissions — to demonstrate discrimination.

“A child is so much more than a number in a data set,” Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey wrote in a press release. “The left’s notion of ‘equity’ should never prevent teachers from keeping their classrooms and students safe.”

The change is part of a wider effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to eliminate what’s called disparate impact regulations across federal agencies. The Trump administration says President Barack Obama’s administration wielded such data improperly in discrimination investigations.

Experts and civil rights advocates decried the agency’s decision to abandon what they described as an important tool in civil rights investigations, one that they said can help illustrate more subtle and even unintentional systemic discrimination on the basis of race or national origin. Critics of the move also said the department’s announcement exaggerated the impact of data on such investigations.

“This kind of severs the guardrails that protect from those scenarios in which unjust, unnecessary burdens literally cause kids to face discrimination at school,” said Michael Pillera of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and a former civil rights attorney for the Education Department.

Civil rights advocates also rebuked the Education Department’s lack of process in making the regulatory change. The agency bypassed some rulemaking procedures, which let the public weigh in before adopting a rule, said Shiwali Patel, senior director of education justice at the National Women’s Law Center.

The department’s Office for Civil Rights, which investigates civil rights complaints about federally funded schools, has been at the center of a lot of upheaval. The office has been decimated by layoffs — some of which were then rescinded — and the agency announced earlier this summer that the Justice Department would play a role in some aspects of civil rights enforcement in schools.

Experts said civil rights investigations have often looked for unlawful discrimination through two lenses, either differential treatment or disparate impact. Differential treatment occurs if a student is intentionally subject to different treatment based on their race. Disparate impact applies to policies that may seem neutral, but impacts certain groups disproportionately.

“It helps us kind of shine a light on what are the hidden inequities in our systems that our public policy or our practices writ large might have inadvertently perpetuated,” said Amy Loyd, CEO at All4Ed, a nonprofit education advocacy group.

Discipline has often been central to arguments around disparate impact. In a 2014 letter to schools, the Obama administration laid out guidance that called statistical analysis of disciplinary data “an important indicator of potential violations.” The first Trump administration rescinded that letter in 2018.

Conservatives have argued the practice of linking disparate impact to civil rights violations or discrimination is flawed. In 2018, Michael Petrilli of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute said that in addition to legal questions, the approach outlined in the 2014 letter “will tie the hands of teachers and school administrators when it comes to maintaining discipline, possibly leading to greater disorder and even violence.”

Jonathan Butcher of the Heritage Foundation said just because statistics may show a certain policy disproportionately affects one group doesn’t make the policy wrong.

“I don’t think the answer to that is adjusting policies so that we get the numbers we want,” he said.

But civil rights investigations don’t solely hinge on data, said Robert Kim, an attorney and the executive director of the Education Law Center. The numbers often represented a starting point in an investigation, and schools had the opportunity to explain statistical differences.

“You would never lurch to a conclusion of discrimination subject to government-imposed remedy without looking further at all,” he said.

Discipline isn’t the only area where officials have used statistics to look for possible discrimination in education. The Office for Civil Rights, in previous administrations, had also cited disparate impact in the following investigations:

• Advanced class access: In 2016, the Education Department cited a significant disparity between the proportion of white students and Black and Hispanic students identified as advanced learners in the Madison Metropolitan School District in Madison, Wisconsin. Nearly 40% of white middle school students were considered advanced, compared with 9% of Hispanic and 6% of Black middle schoolers. The district agreed to a settlement to review its advanced programs, among other changes.

• Special education placement: A 2013 investigation letter noted that Black students were overrepresented in special education in the Iowa City Community School District. About 29% of students in special education programs were Black, even though they made up 17% of the district’s overall population in the 2012-13 school year. The district agreed to review its screening processes and get assistance from experts.

• Admissions policies: A 2014 letter noted that some schools in a Texas charter school network enrolled a significantly lower proportion of English learners than local public schools. The charter school network, Harmony Public Schools, agreed to review and modify its enrollment processes.

Lily Altavena is a national reporter at Chalkbeat. Contact Lily at laltavena@chalkbeat.org. Lily is on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

“Black Panther 3” is set to premiere on December 15th, 2028, Ryan Coogler announced Saturday.

The Oscar-winning director made the announcement at San Diego Comic-Con. It was also revealed that David Jonsson will take on the mantle as the new Black Panther — the son of the late Chadwick Boseman’s character, T’Challa.

Fans were introduced to the infant version of Jonsson’s character at the end of 2022’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

Video credit: Marvel Studios/X

“The last time we were together, we got to make a movie; we introduced a character who was the son of the character, played by the great Chadwick Boseman, our T’Challa in that film,” Coogler said, standing next to Letitia Wright and Winston Duke, who are set to reprise their roles as Shuri and M’Baku in the upcoming film.

“Today I want to tell you guys in this next film, he grows up, comes of age, and we had to find an incredible actor,” he continued. “You might know some of his work. He was great in a movie called “The Long Walk.” He was great in “Alien: Romulus.”

“Give a warm welcome to our new Black Panther. Mr. David Jonsson.”

Jonsson walked out onto the Comic-Con stage to roaring applause.

“I want to say thank you so much. Thank you Ryan, thank you Kevin, thank you to this amazing family that I have the honor and the privilege and the blessing to join,” the “Industry” actor said. “I actually don’t want to say too much because I want to let the screen do the talking. But believe me, the honor is entirely mine.”

A new poster for the film was also unveiled, and Coogler said it will be shot on 70mm.

Jonsson will presumably be joined by the legendary Denzel Washington in the upcoming film. Coogler said he wrote a role for the actor during a podcast appearance in 2025.