Walk into any African hair braiding shop or store in the United States and you’ll probably see a Nigerian film blaring from a television screen. Once only available as pirated DVDs sold by street-side peddlers, the wildly popular Nollywood films will now be as accessible as the click of a button—thanks to fledgling firm iRoko […]
Author Archives: AFRO Staff
Posted inAfro Briefs
Wrongly Convicted N.C. Man Released after 17 Years
Convicted of first-degree murder in 1995, LaMonte Armstrong walked out of a North Carolina prison with a hopeful future June 29. The now-62-year-old Greensboro man had claimed his innocence all along. And with a growing pile of evidence supporting that claim, a judge agreed with defense attorneys and an assistant district attorney that the charges […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
UN Group Seeks Help to Protect Timbuktu Cultural Treasures
The World Heritage Committee, a United Nations group dedicated to preserving cultural heritage, is calling on the international community to help Mali protect its cultural treasures, including the fabled city of Timbuktu, one of Africa’s intellectual and spiritual centers. Mausoleums in Timbuktu and other heritage sites have been destroyed as a result of the renewed […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
Rangel Re-election to Harlem House Seat Faces Vote-Count Hurdle
The decades-long and storied career of New York Congressman Charlie Rangel (D) could be ending on a sour note. Rangel claimed victory and his major opponent State Sen. Adriano Espaillat conceded defeat June 29, after early returns showed the 40-year congressman with a comfortable lead over his rivals in the primary race for the Democratic […]
Posted inSports
Virginia Beach’s Gabby Douglas Wins Bid for London Olympics
Sixteen-year-old Gabby Douglas, one of the most talented female gymnasts in the U.S., qualified for the 2012 Olympics in London after delivering a winning routine in the all-around competition at the U.S. Olympic Trials in San Jose, California on July 1. Douglas, who won Gold at the 2011 World Championships in Tokyo and Gold at […]
Posted inHealth
American Red Cross Emergency Call for Blood Donors Continues
Sudden severe thunderstorms in the Washington D.C. area have affected blood donations in the Greater Chesapeake and Potomac Region at a time when the nation’s blood supply is already low. The recent storms and resulting power outages forced the cancellation of blood drives in the Region resulting in the shortfall of over 400 potential red […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
Notable Blacks During the American Revolution
Crispus Attucks Born a slave in Massachusetts in 1722, Crispus Attucks eventually escaped slavery and became a free man in 1750, according to the African American Registry. After being shot dead by British redcoats during the Boston Massacre, Attucks went down in history as the first man to die for America’s freedom. James Lafayette James […]
Posted inSports
Two Black Swimmers, Cullen Jones and Anthony Ervin, to Compete in 2012 Olympics
U.S. swimmer Cullen Jones secured a trip to the 2012 Olympics in London after winning the 50-meter freestyle race at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials on July 1. Jones won with a time of 21.59 seconds, edging second-place finisher Anthony Ervin by .01 second as the two Black men lunged toward the finish line. Jones […]
Posted inCollege
N.C. A&T Track and Field Standout Jared Baldwin Named MEAC Man of the Year
(June 30, 2012) North Carolina A&T student-athlete Jared Baldwin was named the first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Man of the Year award, the conference announced June 27. Selected by the MEAC’s Athletic Directors, Baldwin was honored for his achievements athletically and academically, as well as for his contributions to the community service. “Mr. Baldwin’s commitment […]
Posted inSports
Hampton Alums Wells, McCorory Qualify for Olympics in London
Hampton University alum Kellie Wells and Francena McCorory will both represent the U.S. during the upcoming London Olympics. Wells, a former Hampton track and field standout, qualified for Team USA after finishing second in the women’s 100-meter hurdles with a time of 12.77 seconds during the U.S. Olympic Team Trials at the University of Oregon’s […]