The Rev. Dr. Marie Phillips Braxton, a devoted educator, faith leader and longtime AFRO shareholder and Board member, has passed away after a lengthy illness.
Author Archives: AFRO Staff
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Millions invested into structured summer activities and resources for D.C. youth
The District of Columbia is awarding over $2 million in grant funding to 30 nonprofit organizations to provide structured summer activities and resources to an estimated 1,300 minors in the District.
Posted inMusic
Sade, Wu-Tang Clan and Luther Vandross to be inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 2026 class includes many Black creatives, such as Wu-Tang Clan, Luther Vandross, Sade and more. The honorees span multiple genres and eras, with additional awards recognizing artists like Queen Latifah, Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti and MC Lyte. The induction ceremony will take place Nov. 14 in Los Angeles, with a television broadcast set for December.
Posted inObituaries - Baltimore
Leon Bridges dies at 93
By AFRO Staff The AFRO is saddened to learn of the death of Leon Bridges, who formed his own firm, Leon Bridges AIA, in 1963, and became the first registered African-American architect in the state of Maryland. A wake for Bridges will be held on April 26 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at March […]
Posted inBaltimore News
The AFRO’s Baltimore Tea returns with spotlight on women in the C-suite
The AFRO’s 2026 Baltimore Tea will be held April 25 at Martin’s West from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Each year the event serves as a time to celebrate the Black community and bring together the best of Baltimore. Shown here, 2025 attendees Jade Madden (left), Michelle Johnson and Dikesha Robinson.
Posted inMusic
Trick Daddy performance halted at AKA Regional Conference
By AFRO Staff “You can’t give me no playlist … this ain’t your wedding.” That was the response from Trick Daddy in a video posted to social media and later reported by BIN News, after his performance was halted at a gathering of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. The Miami rapper had been booked to […]
Posted inBaltimore Community
The Links hosts voter registration training April 16 in Baltimore
Three Maryland chapters of The Links, Inc. will host a voter registration certification training on April 16 in Baltimore, aimed at equipping community members to register voters. The session, led by the Baltimore City Board of Elections, seeks to strengthen civic engagement and expand voter outreach efforts.
Posted inMaryland Government
Moore calls White House snub ‘blatant disrespect’
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, the nation’s only Black governor, said the White House disinvited him from the annual bipartisan National Governors Association dinner, calling the move disrespectful and partisan. The 47th president’s administration limited the event to Republican governors, a break from longstanding tradition that NGA leaders criticized as undermining cooperation.
Posted inPOLITICS
Legislators, leaders nationwide decry attack on Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar
The attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar has drawn swift condemnation from Black lawmakers and civic leaders nationwide, who warned that political violence—especially against Black women in public service—poses a direct threat to democratic participation. Leaders emphasized that intimidation and assault have no place in civic spaces and urged accountability amid rising rhetoric that targets women of color, immigrants and Muslim communities.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Community unites for annual D.C. Peace Walk and Parade
Join the 21st Peace Walk and Parade in Washington, D.C., celebrating MLK’s legacy and uniting the community with music, activism, and wellness.
Posted inReligion
AME Zion Church hosts Christian Education Department Winter Meeting in Baltimore
By AFRO Staff Nearly 2,500 participants—most of them children and youth, alongside families and adults of all ages—convened in Baltimore Dec. 26–30, 2025 for Elevate 2025: Flourish and Thrive, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AME Zion) Church’s Christian Education Department Winter Conference. The event took place at the Hilton in downtown Baltimore. Through outstanding worship […]
Posted inBaltimore Community
The Steppin’ Out Bunch hosts 2025 toy drive
By AFRO Staff The Steppin’ Out Bunch held its annual toy drive on Dec. 1 at Colin’s Seafood & Grill, located on the 1700 block of East Northern Parkway in Baltimore. The group of retired Black women educators, who formed the “Bunch” in 2009, demonstrated their enduring love for children as they sought to make […]