Economists warn that the 47th president’s new tax law, now in effect as the 2026 filing season begins, entrenches economic inequality by delivering the largest benefits to the wealthiest Americans while raising taxes and cutting supports for low-income households. Analyses show Black families are disproportionately harmed, as the law expands tax breaks tied to wealth and inheritance while offering limited, often inaccessible relief to working-class and poor households.
Author Archives: Stacy M. Brown
Posted inU.S. Government
Deadline looms as Congress risks another shutdown
With federal funding set to expire at 11:59 p.m. Jan. 30, Congress is again on the brink of a government shutdown, just months after a prolonged lapse disrupted essential services and deepened hardship for families nationwide. As Republicans push a single sweeping funding vote, Democrats warn that no viable agreement exists, leaving negotiations stalled and the risk of another shutdown growing as the deadline approaches.
Posted inBlack History
Claudette Colvin, who refused to move before the nation was ready, dies at 86
Claudette Colvin, who refused to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery bus at age 15—months before Rosa Parks—has died at 86. Though her arrest did not immediately spark a boycott, her courage helped lay the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement, including her pivotal role as a plaintiff in Browder v. Gayle, the Supreme Court case that ended bus segregation in Alabama.
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
John Forté, creative force behind ‘The Score’ and voice of redemption, dies at 50
John Forté, the Grammy-nominated Brooklyn-born artist and producer who helped shape the Fugees’ landmark album “The Score,” died Jan. 12 at age 50. After rebuilding his life following a federal prison sentence that was later commuted, Forté became a voice of redemption through music, film and public speaking centered on accountability and renewal.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Five years later, former Capitol Officer Harry Dunn says Jan. 6 was ‘worst day’ of his life
By Stacy BrownNNPA Newswire On the fifth anniversary of Jan. 6, a date now fixed in the American conscience, former Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn returned to the moment that altered his life and the nation’s course. Appearing on “Let It Be Known,” Dunn spoke about the unforgettable day that’s shaped by time, pain, and […]
Posted inENTERTAINMENT
Beyoncé enters billionaire ranks few Black Americans have reached
By Stacy M. Brown Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has joined the small and closely watched group of Black American billionaires, a milestone that places her alongside a handful of individuals who built vast wealth in a country where Black ownership has long been restricted, delayed or denied. According to Forbes, Beyoncé is now worth at least $1 […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
From Washington to Bogotá, protests grow as Maduro faces US judge
The arrest and transfer of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to a U.S. federal court sparked widespread protests across the United States and abroad, with demonstrators questioning the legality and consequences of the 47th U.S. president’s action. As Maduro appeared under heavy guard in Manhattan, rallies erupted from New York to Bogotá and Caracas, drawing condemnation from global leaders and deepening international tensions over U.S. intervention and international law.
Posted inNational News
Average household electricity bills in 2025 ran 9.6 percent higher than in 2024, rising faster than wages and overall inflation
A nationwide analysis shows U.S. households paid significantly more for electricity and natural gas in 2025, with average electricity bills rising 9.6 percent over 2024—outpacing wage growth and inflation. Driven by aging grid upgrades, climate-related weather stress, rising demand from AI data centers, higher fuel costs, and policy decisions slowing clean energy expansion, the increases are affecting more than 150 million utility customers nationwide.
Posted inNational News
November jobs report shows rising unemployment and worsening outlook for Black workers
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The rise in unemployment has been uneven, with Black workers experiencing some of the most severe impacts. Black men ages 20 and older saw their unemployment rate jump from 6.6 percent in September to 7.5 percent in November. Black women ages 20 and older recorded an unemployment rate of 7.1 percent in November, slightly lower than September’s 7.5 percent but still higher than any other racial or ethnic group.
Posted inNational News
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump scores $779 million verdict for Black family
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump won a historic $779.3 million verdict for the family of Lewis Butler, a security guard killed during an armed robbery at a Florida internet café that failed to report a previous crime involving the same gun. The ruling delivers long-sought accountability while Butler’s widow presses for reforms to shut down dangerous, unregulated gambling venues.
Posted inCommentary
The lie about immigrants and America’s debt to them
By Stacy M. BrownBlack Press USA Senior National Correspondent There is a lie moving through America. It creeps through congressional halls and across television screens, whispering that undocumented immigrants live freely off the sweat of the American taxpayer. It is a lie told by those who know better and repeated by those who are too […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
‘Michael’: The King of Pop’s story returns to the big screen
Lionsgate has released the trailer and set an April 24, 2026, premiere date for “Michael,” the long-awaited biopic about Michael Jackson directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring the pop icon’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson. The film promises to honor Jackson’s artistry and humanity, tracing his rise from child prodigy to global legend while focusing on his creative legacy beyond controversy.