The NMAAHC 'purge,' NAACP prez disinvited, Shannon Sharpe steps away
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What I’m Reading
What It Means to Tell the Truth About America, The Atlantic
Many have expressed concern over what might happen to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in the wake of Trump’s executive order. Clint Smith recently made a visit to the museum with the goal of speaking directly to its guests. During his trip, he met a docent who was a Freedom Rider in the 1960s. The docent told him, “[One] of the things we strive to do is tell the real story.”
Related: April Ryan is reporting that Trump officials have already begun to remove exhibit items in what her headline calls a ‘purge’ — starting with the 1960 Woolworth’s lunch counter exhibit…Black churches across the country are urging congregants to support the museum…
Many HBCUs need government funding, but some are preparing for a future without it, NBC News
Marquise Francis spoke with several college administrators and leaders about what a future with less or no federal funding might look like for historically Black colleges and universities.
With ‘Sinners,’ White Hollywood Is Moving Goalposts on Black Cinema Again
Even though “Sinners” had the biggest opening weekend for an original film since 2019, several publications ran bogus headlines in an attempt to discredit what Ryan Coogler and company achieved. slammed white Hollywood’s attempt at moving the goalpost on Black cinema — again.
On Easter Sunday, Congregants at This 216-Year-Old Harlem Church Channeled Southern Baptist Style, Vogue
In what was one of my favorite stories over this past week, Tiana Randall and Rasaan Wyzard visited Harlem’s Abyssinian Baptist Church for Easter Sunday — and captured “the essence of traditional Southern Baptist style, its deep East African roots, and the evolving interpretations of generational dressing.”
What’s In The News
Across America
California: Former Congresswoman Barbara Lee, the winner of Oakland’s special mayoral election, has shared her plan for her first 100 days in office…Black women were at increased risk of lead absorption during the wildfires in Los Angeles. Here’s why…
Florida: Due to soaring prices, residents are struggling to buy and keep their homes in South Florida’s historically Black communities…
Georgia: A new $500,000 Mellon grant will help Georgia State University research and protect Gullah Geechee heritage…
Maryland: Trump’s federal worker cuts are destabilizing the nation’s two richest Black counties…
Michigan: The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit is resisting the current administration’s attacks on diversity…
South Carolina: Brittany Martin was rearrested following new charges related to her time in prison in connection with a 2020 Black Lives Matter protest. “They ain't taking no more from me,” she told Capital B’s Christina Carrega…
Texas: Austin Metcalf’s father got into a fiery exchange with a "Protect White Americans" organizer…Karmelo Anthony has been moved to an “undisclosed location” for his safety, a civil rights group said…
What’s Happening
ICYMI: I visited the Josiah Henson Museum and Park, which aims to educate the public about the life and legacy of the man who inspired the character Uncle Tom…
The Education Department will start collection in May on student loans that are in default, officials said…
The State Bar of Texas disinvited NAACP President Derrick Johnson from a speaking engagement after the civil rights group sued Trump…
From Bloomberg’s Bretin Mock: “A new book measures Black wealth through quality-of-life metrics to show that property ownership is connected to longer life expectancy”…
For the New Republic, Malcolm Ferguson explored why Stephen A. Smith will not be president…
Read this awesome project from Matthew Jordan-Miller Kenyatta that details the geography of Black genius…
went to the African American Mayors Association conference and asked its attendees how they plan to lead in Trump’s America…
POLITICO: GOP Sen. Tim Scott has worked on a federal program to support minority-owned businesses for years. Trump’s administration dismantled it in a matter of weeks…
Here’s how the DEI rollbacks have been impacting Black students on college campuses…
Small Black-owned beauty supply stores are trying to survive Trump’s global trade war…
A video of a woman repeatedly calling a Black woman the N-word in the Bay Area has gone viral, enraging residents…
The New York Times covered Antonia Hylton’s book: “The former Hospital for the Negro Insane of Maryland was once the state’s most crowded psychiatric institution. Pulling off a plan to redevelop it won’t be easy”…
Entertainment News
Shannon Sharpe has been sued for over $50 million, with the woman alleging he raped and threatened her. He is “temporarily” stepping away from ESPN as he vehemently denies the allegations…
“Poppa’s House” has been canceled by CBS after one season, and my mom is not happy about it…
Tina Knowles revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer last year in her forthcoming memoir, “Matriarch”...
“Sinners” director Ryan Coogler talked with GQ’s Frazier Tharpe about making “the kind of movie that I always wanted to see, but a version of it that only I can make”...The director also talked with The Atlantic about breaking out of his comfort zone…
“The Jennifer Hudson Show” has amassed a huge social media following with its behind-the-scenes promotional videos. The New York Times explored how the show took over TikTok…
For Men's Health, spent an afternoon in Philly with Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts…
North Carolina Public Radio’s “Due South” podcast went country: Listen to what “My Black Country” author Alice Randall and country music stars Rhiannon Giddens and Rissi Palmer had to say…
Obituaries
Todric McGee, a football player at Missouri State, has died. He was 21...
Don’t Miss
Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 1 minute, 17 seconds…
The Black Student Alliance at Michigan State University is holding a DEI Town Hall today, April 25 at 3:30 PM at the Multicultural Center…
The deadline for the Black & Positively Golden® Scholarship Program is tonight at 11:59 pm EST. HBCU students, apply!...
, a trained postpartum doula, has launched her doula service, The Maternal Bridge. She serves the Metro Atlanta area in person, and is available virtually as well…
The Black Bottom Archives is seeking applicants for a year-long fellowship to train Detroiters in preservation and storytelling. The deadline is May 16…
The African American Intellectual History Society is taking submissions for the 2026 C.L.R. James Research Fellowship. Apps close Nov. 1…
Jarvis C. McInnis will discuss his new book, “Afterlives of the Plantation,” on June 18th at the New York Botanical Garden…
’s course on race and media was canceled at Columbia University. She’s planning on teaching it anyway…
Each of these recaps is so incredibly valuable. I'm tempted to click on every link, print out every page, and create my own library of all you've gathered, to create a personal archive so that I have this information even if (when) the fascist government of Trump/Vance/Musk has it removed. Thank you for what you do, Mr. Lewis.
Always appreciate your writing about important topics to the entire community. The human race community to which we all belong.
What happens to “black” Americans happens to us all.