Black men and college, FAMU fights for funding, “Last Friday” update
Every time someone tells me they enjoy reading this newsletter, it keeps me going! Thank you for all of the support. This newsletter has published every Friday since Jan. 2023.
What I’m Reading
At Black colleges, a stubborn gender enrollment gap keeps growing, The New York Times
A recent New York Times article from Clyde McGrady alarmed readers and sparked heated debate online this week, even if it confirms a fact many of us already knew — the number of Black men attending four-year colleges has sharply dropped. A stunning number from the article that is floating around social media is that only 19 percent of students at Howard University are Black men.
The Rush to Archive America’s Diversity Programs, Oxford American
The Invisible Histories Project, an Alabama-based nonprofit and its team of volunteers, is rushing to archive the diversity programs that are disappearing in America.
Skyway Lanes Will Stay Open After Chicagoans Step Up To Save City's Last Black-Owned Bowling Alley, Block Club Chicago
Community! I loved this story this week. The last Black-owned bowling alley in Chicago will stay open after Chicagoans rallied to book the bowling alley for everything from large company outings to birthday parties.
Trump’s Crackdown on Federal Workforce Deals Blow to Black Americans, Labor Rights, The Washington Informer
President Donald Trump’s sweeping efforts to “dismantle federal labor protections and diversity programs are hitting Black communities especially hard, civil rights leaders and union officials warn.”
What’s In The News
Across America
Georgia: Atlanta police announce the arrest of a 31-year-old woman whose alleged false 911 call led to the death of rapper Young Scooter…
Florida: Florida A&M University’s pharmacy school is fighting for funds after a $16.3 million grant was terminated amid Trump’s funding cuts…
Illinois: The Virgil Abloh Foundation took ten Chicago students on an immersive trip to London and Paris…
Maryland: The Baltimore Banner — Federal jobs helped build Baltimore’s Black middle class. What happens now?...
Michigan: The Michigan Legislative Black Caucus slammed the University of Michigan’s recent cuts to its DEI programs…
New York: A judge has dismissed the Department of Justice's corruption case against NYC Mayor Eric Adams, and said the charges cannot be brought again…He’s also running for reelection as an independent…
Virginia: 70 Black Union military members who fought in the Civil War are set to be memorialized in a monument in Franklin County…
Wisconsin: Shaundel Washington-Spivey was just elected La Crosse’s first Black and openly gay mayor, winning by just 451 votes…
What’s Happening
Bolts: Here are the 20 elections to watch this April…
Speaking for 25 hours, Cory Booker broke a nearly 70-year-old record held by a segregationist for the longest Senate speech ever this week…
Target saw foot traffic fall for the eighth consecutive week since it ended its DEI initiatives, Retail Brew reports…
Trump commuted the sentence of Ozy Media co-founder Carlos Watson, just before his nearly 10 year stint in prison was set to begin…
For HuffPost, Layla Jones explored where Black genetic data is going after 23andMe filed for bankruptcy…
Georgia Rep. Lucy McBath has suspended her exploratory campaign for governor, citing her husband’s health…
Bishop Marvin Sapp said he has received death threats due to a resurfaced viral clip where he ordered ushers to close the doors while raising funds…
Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Eugene Robinson is leaving the Washington Post, citing Jeff Bezos' "significant" changes to the paper's opinion section...
Kevin Young, the director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, has been on personal leave for reasons unclear, the Washington Post reports…
Ava DuVernay and Sherrilyn Ifill recently celebrated the launch of the 14th Amendment Center for Law and Democracy at the Howard University School of Law…
The family of a Bucknell University football player who died after his first football practice has filed a lawsuit against the school, alleging hazing…
President Barack Obama photobombed a pair of kids taking photos at the cherry blossoms in DC, a moment their parents will surely brag about for the rest of their lives…
Kylar Gray, a Spelman College student, co-editor-in-chief of the Spelman Blueprint, and one of my mentees, wrote about Slutty Vegan’s closure at the college and affordability…
Entertainment News
The president of New Line said the studio is working on a new installment in the “Friday” franchise with Ice Cube…
John Boyega sparked controversy this week when he said "Star Wars" is "a franchise that’s so white that a Black person existing in [it]" is a big deal…
Fulton County District Attorney’s Office filed a motion to revoke the probation for Young Thug, but a judge has rejected that request…
For ESSENCE, Okla Jones explored Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler’s unbreakable bond…
The sequel series to “A Different World” is moving right along at Netflix…
The Hollywood Reporter has the latest in the ongoing Drake and UMG legal battle…
Petey Pablo recently shared the true story behind his hit “Raise Up” and why his record label didn't want to release it…
Front Office Sports interviewed Brehanna Daniels, NASCAR’s first Black female tire changer…
British novelist Zadie Smith wrote about the magic of Tracy Chapman: “She didn’t just look like us – she was singing our songs”...
Caché McClay spoke with the entrepreneurs selling "Cowboy Carter"-inspired sashes, and how it's all about serving the fans of Beyoncé...
Learn about Kamal Bell and his 8-year-old son Akeem, who wrote a book about beekeeping and why kids should get into it...
Amber Ruffin is speaking out just a couple of days after the White House Correspondents’ Association decided to cancel on her…
Longtime Detroit sports journalist Rod Beard is leaving the Detroit News after 23 years for a new role at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution…
For ContrabandCamp, Candice Frederick interviewed Black artists and educators who are upset over how quiet Black arts organizations have been in response to Trump's executive order on diversity in the arts…
Social media is abuzz over a rumor that NBA star Anthony Edwards requested to pay 18 years of child support up front. However, the mother says it’s not true…
Obituaries
Sgt. Joe Harris, a member of the U.S. Army’s first all-Black parachute infantry battalion, has died. He was 108…
George Freeman, Chicago jazz royalty and renowned guitarist, has died. He was 97…
Young Scooter, an Atlanta rapper known for his collaborations with Future and Young Thug, has died. He was 39…
Don’t Miss
Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 1 minute, 7 seconds…
College seniors, today is the deadline to apply to the Schomburg-Mellon Humanities Summer Institute…
The “Prose to the People” book tour starts next week, coming to a city near you…
I talked with Tim Barnes about my path toward journalism and the importance of meaningful news curation…
Chocolate Droppa came to the NPR Tiny Desk to drop some heat for April Fools…
“THE DOUBLE TAX: How Women (of Color) are Overcharged and Underpaid” is now available for pre-order…
Job opportunities: The NAACP is hiring a press secretary…The Legal Defense Fund is looking for a Media Relations Strategist…
The Black Bottom Archives is seeking applicants for a year-long fellowship to train Detroiters in preservation and storytelling. The deadline is May 16...
You can donate directly to the FAMU Pharmacy School here: https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/FAMUCOPPS
Thanks for keeping us informed on what’s happening in the US. This is a valuable resource