Two surviving Tulsa race massacre victims, Viola Fletcher and Lessie Benningfield Randle, have asked the Oklahoma Supreme Court to reconsider its decision to dismiss their reparations lawsuit and are calling for a federal investigation into the 1921 race riot.
Author Archives: Megan Sayles AFRO Staff Writer
Megan Sayles is a business reporter for The Baltimore Afro-American paper. Before this, Sayles interned with Baltimore Magazine, where she wrote feature stories about the city’s residents, nonprofits and initiatives. Her love of music inspired her to be a writer. At a young age she realized it was not the melody that she was so infatuated with, but the lyrics that made up the song and connected with listeners. Sayles grew up in Pasadena, Maryland, and is a 2021 graduate of the University of Maryland, where for her senior capstone project she reported on how the coronavirus and inequality intersected in Baltimore. She also worked as a staff writer and copy editor for campus publications, including Stories Beneath the Shell and The Black Explosion. Sayles teamed up with a partner to report on how the pandemic had put many more responsibilities on the oldest child in families. The Associated Press and other news organizations picked up her story.
Posted inBaltimore News
Maryland Legal Aid sues Baltimore City for ‘unconstitutional’ tax sale
Maryland Legal Aid and the Edmondson Community Organization have filed a lawsuit against the city of Baltimore, alleging that its tax sale process is unconstitutional and deprives residents of the generational equity they are due.
Posted inBaltimore News
Dali leaves Baltimore nearly three months after Key Bridge collision
The Dali container ship, which struck and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, has left the Port of Baltimore and is heading to Virginia for salvaging and repair operations.
Posted inBaltimore Community
Tech leaders making headway on Baltimore’s digital inclusion strategy
The Baltimore Digital Equity Coalition and the Baltimore Office of Broadband Digital Equity are working to close the digital divide and improve digital infrastructure in Baltimore, with plans to provide reliable internet access, modern devices, digital skills training, and technical support to all residents.
Posted inNational News
The historical roots of Juneteenth and its legacy today
Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, commemorates the day that Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to declare the freedom of some 250,000 enslaved African Americans in the state, and is now a federal holiday that celebrates the end of slavery and the freedom of African Americans.
Posted inBUSINESS
JPMorgan Chase to invest $8.45 million to address Baltimore’s vacancy crisis and revitalize commercial corridors
JPMorgan Chase has committed $8.45 million to support economic and community development in Baltimore City, with funding going towards tackling the vacant housing crisis, commercial corridor restoration and small business growth.
Posted in!Front Page
Baltimore City School Board renews CEO Santelises’ contract for one year
By Megan Sayles AFRO Business Writer msayles@afro.com Sonja Santelises will lead Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools) for another year. The Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners voted 8-1 to extend the CEO’s contract on June 12, weeks before it was set to expire on June 30. Vice Chair Shantell L. Roberts opposed the extension. […]
Posted inBUSINESS
D.C. leads in markets for women-owned businesses
Washington D.C. is a leading region for women entrepreneurs, with a strong economy, a highly educated workforce, and a commitment to providing support to women-owned businesses.
Posted inBaltimore News
The road ahead: An AFRO inside look at BOPA’s new CEO, Rachel D. Graham
Rachel D. Graham has been appointed as the new CEO of the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, and is focused on rebuilding trust with the city, promoting arts and culture, and ensuring that the organization is a trusted advocate for the Baltimore arts community.
Posted inMusic
Juneteenth concert features country singer Brittney Spencer, Patti LaBelle and more
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will host a Juneteenth Concert on the South Lawn of the White House on June 10, featuring a slate of artists including Gladys Knight, Raheem DeVaughn, Doug E. Fresh, and Patti LaBelle.
Posted inBUSINESS
Black businesses are growing in the U.S., but challenges remain
Black businesses are on the rise in the US, but despite comprising nearly 14% of the population, they own just about 3% of the country’s businesses, and there is a need for more capital access and spending with Black-owned businesses to close the racial wealth gap.
Posted inU.S. Government
Black small businesses point to sales boosts as potential TikTok ban looms in the distance
Black-owned businesses have generated $14.7 billion in revenue through advertising on TikTok in 2023, with 83% of them experiencing sales increases, and 59% of them using the app to hire a new employee.