Leith Walk Elementary/ Middle School celebrated Read Across America with a day of inspiring guest speakers, including city leaders, police officers and athletes, who encouraged students to embrace literacy and leadership. Despite ongoing challenges in reading proficiency, Baltimore City Public Schools have seen significant literacy gains, highlighting the importance of quality instruction and community engagement in fostering student success.
Author Archives: Special to the AFRO
Is the US becoming uninsurable? How climate change affects insurance costs
By Andrea Vale As Southern California still reels from January’s catastrophic wildfires, the economic damage has surged to $250 billion, far exceeding initial estimates. But that figure doesn’t account for damage incurred by residents whose homes and businesses were reduced to rubble and ash. The Palisades and Eaton fires alone will result in up to […]
Opinion: Maryland Democratic Party’s cold war
Dayvon Love is director of public policy for the Baltimore-based think tank, Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle. This week he speaks on infighting within the Democratic Party.
Governor Wes Moore outlines vision for Maryland’s economic growth, federal worker support and FBI relocation
Maryland Governor Wes Moore hosted a highly anticipated telephone town hall with over 5,000 of the state’s constituents on March 18. The town hall meeting, which focused on key topics such as economic growth, support for federal workers, the relocation of the FBI headquarters and veteran benefits, served as an important opportunity for Moore to update Marylanders on his administration’s progress and future plans.
Congressional Black Caucus outlines agenda, promotes nonviolent resistance to injurious White House policies
During a press conference at the Democratic Issues Conference in Leesburg, Virginia, the Congressional Black Caucus reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to championing the rights and well-being of Black Americans and other marginalized groups. Through addressing government funding, defending DEI initiatives, promoting economic empowerment, safeguarding voting rights, and pursuing criminal justice reform, the CBC continues to play a pivotal role in shaping policies that strive for a more just and equitable society.
How Jesse Jackson embodied Southern politics − and changed American elections
By Gibbs Knotts, Coastal Carolina University and Christopher A. Cooper, Western Carolina University Holding hands with other prominent Black leaders, the Rev. Jesse Jackson crossed the Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma, Alabama, on March 9, 2025, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday.” Like several survivors of that violent day in 1965, when police […]
Baltimore Tuskegee Alumni Club honors scholarship recipients
By Special to the AFRO The Baltimore Tuskegee Alumni Club hosted its 40th Carver Washington Scholarship Brunch on Feb. 8 – its first in-person event since the Covid-19 pandemic. The event, held under the theme “The Future is Now: Navigating the New Normal,” was described by the crowd of alumni, students, parents, educators and community […]
What to look out for on Opening Day for the Baltimore Orioles
By Mekhi AbbottSpecial to the AFROmabbott@afro.com The Major League Baseball season will begin on March 18 when the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs travel to Japan to play in the “2025 MLB World Tour: Tokyo Series.” The Baltimore Orioles will open up their season on March 27 in Canada as they face off […]
Beyond Tulsa: Uncovering America’s forgotten Black Wall Streets and their legacies today
By Jazmin GoodwinData work By Elena Cox “Beautiful, bustling, and Black”—that was how author, attorney, and activist Hannibal B. Johnson described Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Greenwood District in his book “Black Wall Street: From Riot to Renaissance in Tulsa’s Historic Greenwood District.” In the early 1900s, the Greenwood District flourished with over 100 Black-owned businesses, from restaurants […]
Democratic lawmakers voice concern over the dismantling of police misconduct database
The Trump administration’s dismantling of the National Decertification Index, a database tracking police officers with misconduct records, has sparked criticism from lawmakers and civil rights advocates who argue it weakens accountability and public safety. Created under the Obama administration in response to high-profile cases of police brutality, the database aimed to prevent officers with a history of misconduct from being rehired, but its removal raises concerns about transparency and justice in law enforcement.
Maryland first lady Dawn Moore announces inaugural Preakness Festival
The inaugural Preakness Festival, announced by Maryland first lady Dawn Moore and state officials, will take place from May 10-15, celebrating Maryland’s historic Preakness Stakes with a mix of cultural, entertainment and equestrian events. Designed to boost economic impact and community engagement, the festival will feature concerts, farm tours and fundraisers, while renovations at Pimlico Race Course prepare for a revitalized future for the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore.
Sen. Angela Alsobrooks introduces Tariff Transparency Act to assess impact of tariffs
By Ashlee BanksSpecial to the AFRO Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) has introduced her first piece of legislation since joining the U.S. Senate, the Tariff Transparency Act. This bill seeks to address growing concerns over the economic effects of tariffs imposed on imports from Mexico and Canada. If passed, it will require the United States International […]

