By Kisha Brown “Access to justice” is a term of art and action in legal and policy circles — a call for better inclusion and participation in our legal system. That system of course is not relegated to just the courts; it includes nearly every facet of life from healthcare to education to housing to […]
Author Archives: Special to the AFRO
Posted inBaltimore News
Ask Rusty – How do I navigate the Social Security Maze?
By Russell GloorAMAC and AMAC Foundation Dear Rusty: I am a woman, turning 65 this October (2025). It seems that deciding when to claim Social Security is complicated. I would like more information to navigate through this maze. Thank you. Signed, Ready to Claim Dear Ready: Deciding when to claim Social Security can be challenging, […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Karson Institute’s five-year anniversary celebration reflects on the past, looks ahead to the future
By Karson Institute for Race, Peace and Social Justice The Karson Institute for Race, Peace and Social Justice marked its five-year anniversary with a VIP reception on Oct. 8 at Loyola Notre Dame Library, followed by a symposium on Oct. 9 at Loyola University Maryland. These events convened educators, officials and community leaders for reflection […]
Posted inMusic
Faith, harmony and surprise moments mark 2025 Dove Awards
Brandon Lake emerged as the night’s top winner at the 56th Annual GMA Dove Awards, taking home five honors including Song of the Year for “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” performed alongside Jelly Roll and surprise guest Jon Batiste. The star-studded event at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena featured powerful performances from CeCe Winans, Carrie Underwood, and Tamela Mann, as well as a historic Opry 100 medley by Steven Curtis Chapman, Lady A, and Vince Gill.
Posted inOPINION
‘We won’t be jimcrowed’: The prehistory of Round Bay, Maryland’s first African-American resort
Round Bay, Maryland, served as the state’s first African-American resort from 1887 to 1910, offering Black Marylanders a rare space for recreation, entertainment, and community before the full force of Jim Crow segregation. The resort ultimately closed after segregation laws and shifting social dynamics pushed patrons to alternative Black-owned leisure destinations.
Posted inOPINION
Debate or deception? A look at the art of stump exchanges
By Edmond Davis Let me be clear from the start: what follows is not an attempt to defend Charlie Kirk, nor to sanitize the asinine theatrics that have surrounded his campus appearances. This is a critique of a false narrative—one orchestrated not only by Kirk’s team but also by traditional media outlets, AI-altered news feeds, […]
Posted inCommentary
Coppin State University: Rewriting the narrative on male enrollment and retention
By Dr. Anthony L. Jenkins I believe the continuing decline of male enrollment in higher education is one of the greatest crises of this century. Their declining absence from higher education has significant political, innovative, medical, social equality and civil rights implications. The correlation is undeniable: a decline in Black and Brown male enrollment in […]
Posted inOPINION
Hot, humid, and getting worse: Why Maryland must step up on climate
Critics question why Maryland has not joined other states suing to preserve stronger clean car standards and why costs of climate damage remain unmeasured. Maryland records 30 heat-related deaths through mid-August, the second-highest number in modern history, along with record ER visits in July.
Posted inOpinion
What do Black Americans have to lose under the 47th president? Everything
Angela Hanks and Jeremy Edwards of The Century Foundation argue that while the 47th president once asked Black voters “What do you have to lose?”, his current presidency has left them with worsening unemployment, rising debt and greater economic vulnerability. They warn that Trump’s economic and social policies — from tariffs to cuts in healthcare, education, and food assistance — are disproportionately harming Black Americans and risk eroding hard-won progress.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Let America read: Banned Wagon Tour to stop in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia
By Penguin Random House The Banned Wagon will hit the road during Banned Books Week, beginning Oct. 5, for its third annual tour to celebrate the freedom to read and express ideas, highlight the value of free and open access to information, and confront the harms of censorship. Powered by Penguin Random House and presented […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
‘Black Diary 1887’ expands to D.C. with GPS walking tours
Black Diary 1887 is a revolutionary, GPS-enabled mobile app that connects users with overlooked narratives from the African Diaspora through interactive maps and audio storytelling, and is now available in 30 US cities, including Washington, D.C.
Posted inOPINION
Upset about your electric bills this summer? Get to know PJM.
Lyle Rawlings, president of the Mid-Atlantic Solar & Storage Industries Association, and Andy Wall, a board member, argue that skyrocketing summer electric bills across the PJM region are the result of flawed market rules and artificially inflated prices, not a true shortage of power.
