Author Archives: AFRO Staff

A missing man who won $30 million in the Florida lottery in 2006 was found dead on January 28 after a three-month search. Abraham Shakespeare had not been seen by friends or relatives since April and was officially declared a missing person in November. Authorities found his body buried under a concrete slab in the […]

Though their hopes of achieving health care reform took a hit with the election of Republican Scott Brown to the Senate in a special Massachusetts election in mid-January, Democrats have vowed to keep fighting until a reform bill is passed. “You go through the gate. If the gate’s closed, you go over the fence,” House […]

Several pending lawsuits allege northern California police have not taken seriously attacks on Black teens by Latino gang members. The racially-motivated violence resulted in the death of 14-year-old Vernon Eddins, who was shot in front of his Union City, Calif. middle school in December 2007. Eddins’ death is one incident lawyers cite in three pending […]

The Pittsburgh branch of the NAACP is calling for the firing of city police officers who allegedly beat Black teenager Jordan Miles during an arrest. The Pittsburgh branch is also calling for charges against Miles to be dropped. “He had robbed no one—no bank, no establishment, hijacked no car or caused anyone any harm. He […]

After admitting mistakes involving questionable financial practices, Wyclef Jean’s Yele Haiti charity foundation announced Jan. 22 that it has hired a new accounting firm to help manage its finances. The announcement was made just hours before a globally-broadcast charity concert called “Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief.” The foundation’s finances were […]

On January 15, Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas pleaded guilty  to a felony charge of carrying a firearm without a license in Washington, D.C. Arenas pleaded guilty in D.C. Superior Court as part of a deal which will guarantee him receiving a penalty on the low end of the capital’s sentencing guidelines. Without the plea bargain, the 28-year-old Los […]

A Black single mother serving in the Army faces charges for failing to report to duty after she said she needed to watch her young son instead. The Army filed charges on January 13 against Spc. Alexis Hutchinson, a 21-year-old Army cook from California, for missing a flight to Afghanistan, including being absent without leave, […]

Two prominent conservatives came under fire over comments made about the massive earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12. The Rev. Pat Robertson, a televangelist known for controversy as much as being a devout Christian, was the first to weigh in. During a Christian Bible Network telecast, Robertson said the Haitians made a deal with […]