A Free D.C. candidate forum turned contentious when mayoral frontrunners Kenyan McDuffie and Janeese Lewis George clashed on stage, highlighting growing tensions in a competitive race as voters weigh leadership and trust ahead of the primary election.
Author Archives: D. Kevin McNeir
Special to the NNPA from The Miami Times
Posted inHealth
Brain tumor survivor reclaims her life, reshapes art and advocacy beyond disability
After surviving a life-altering brain tumor, Zazel-Chavah O’Garra refused to let disability or societal prejudice define her future. Once a successful dancer and model, she rebuilt her life through resilience, community support and faith—eventually becoming a licensed social worker and founding an inclusive dance company for disabled performers. Alongside mentor Dr. Donna R. Walton, O’Garra highlights the challenges disabled women face, while demonstrating the power of perseverance, representation and self-determination.
Posted inBlack Press
NNPA Fund hosts Black Press Day 2026 at Howard University, celebrating the past and looking ahead to the future
The NNPA Fund’s Black Press Day 2026 at Howard University brought together journalists, students and supporters to honor the legacy and future of the Black Press. The event featured discussions on innovation, including AI in newsrooms, ongoing digitization efforts, and the importance of intergenerational leadership, while also enshrining the late publisher Bernal E. Smith II for his lasting contributions to Black journalism.
Posted inBUSINESS
Rev. Jamal Bryant’s announcement ending Target boycott met with fierce criticism
By D. Kevin McNeirSpecial to the AFRO It lasted more than 400 days, but on March 11, the nationwide boycott of Target initiated by Black leaders was brought to an end. During a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., the Rev. Jamal Bryant, along with former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner […]
Posted inObituaries - Washington D.C.
Prophetic D.C. minister, the Rev. Graylan S. Hagler, laid to rest
Rev. Graylan S. Hagler, a longtime Washington, D.C. pastor and civil rights advocate, was remembered at his funeral service for his commitment to justice and his powerful oratory, as he was laid to rest after a long battle with cancer.
Posted inBlack History
D.C. Mayor Bowser, National Capital Parks – East and Congress honor ‘The Lion of Anacostia’
Frederick Douglass, the most important leader in the struggle for Black civil rights in the 19th century, was honored in Washington, D.C. with the groundbreaking of a new community center in his name, the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, and the renaming of the U.S. House press gallery.
Posted inBlack Press
Black Press Week to kick off with annual Sunday service
Black Press Sunday is celebrated annually to honor the 199th anniversary of the Black Press in America and the heroic Black leaders who founded it, with the goal of promoting the importance of Black media and journalists.
Posted inBlack History
Woman’s search for family’s roots leads to ancestor John T. Ward – a successful entrepreneur and conductor on the Underground Railroad
After more than a decade researching her ancestry, Shanna Ward published a book about her forefather John T. Ward, a formerly enslaved man who became an Underground Railroad conductor, abolitionist and founder of one of the nation’s oldest Black-owned businesses. Her work highlights the power of genealogy to reclaim lost histories and honor the resilience of enslaved Africans and their descendants.
Posted inBlack History
A century later, Black history scholars continue renovations to ‘The house that Carter G. Woodson built’
By D. Kevin McNeirSpecial to The AFRO On Saturday, February 28, under the theme of “A Century of Black History Commemorations,” several hundred people committed to the research, preservation and dissemination of information about Black life, history and culture, gathered in Washington, D.C. at the JW Marriott for an historic event. With the spirit of […]
Posted inBlack History
Dr. Carter G. Woodson: The man who shaped Black History Month
Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the founder of Negro History Week, Black History Month, and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, is remembered for his dedication to preserving and promoting the accomplishments of African Americans.
Posted inPrince George's County News
Maryland-based coalition arms parents with more effective tools to keep youth drug free
A new Glenarden, Md.–based nonprofit, the Teen & Youth Alliance Coalition (TAYAC), is working to help parents and communities better protect young people from marijuana and non-prescription drug use. Backed by a federal drug-free community grant, the coalition is focusing on early prevention, open dialogue and culturally relevant outreach rather than lectures.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Howard U. students walk out of classes, join peaceful march against ICE’s deadly attacks on Americans
Hundreds of Howard University students walked out of classes on Jan. 30, 2026, marching to the White House to protest what they called the violent and inhumane actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Organizers said the youth-led demonstration, joined by students from other campuses, was meant to defend immigrant communities and demand protection of civil rights.