Harvard University has agreed to transfer ownership of the earliest known photographs of enslaved people to Tamara Lanier, a descendant of one of the subjects, as part of a landmark legal settlement addressing the university’s historical exploitation of enslaved individuals for racist scientific purposes.
Author Archives: Stacy M. Brown
Posted inAfro Briefs
Hate and chaos rise in 47th president’s America
The Southern Poverty Law Center’s 2024 report identified 1,371 hate and antigovernment extremist groups embedding themselves in U.S. politics and targeting marginalized communities through disinformation, intimidation, and violence, while exposing the far right’s escalating influence and coordinated attacks on democratic institutions.
Posted inPolitics
47th president demands probe of celebs who backed Harris
In a series of overnight social media posts filled with capital letters and accusations, the president called for a federal investigation into pop and cultural icons Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, Bruce Springsteen and Bono.
Posted inU.S. Government
47th president’s administration moves to eliminate habeas corpus
Senior White House adviser Stephen Miller said the 47th president’s administration is considering suspending habeas corpus to address immigration, alarming legal experts and Black historians who warn such a move could revive historical abuses of detention power against marginalized communities.
Posted inU.S. Government
GOP Medicaid plans would slash health coverage for millions
A new Congressional Budget Office analysis confirms that Republican-led proposals to slash Medicaid could strip health coverage from up to 8.6 million Americans, prompting sharp criticism from Democrats who warn of devastating impacts on low-income families and seniors.
Posted inBUSINESS
UPDATE: PepsiCo meets with Sharpton over DEI rollbacks, future action pending
Leadership from PepsiCo are in talks with Rev. Al Sharpton. The civil rights leader is speaking with PepsiCo after leadership at the company rolled back initiatives related to equity, diversity and inclusion.
Posted inReligion
Black America celebrates African heritage of Pope Leo XIV
The election of Pope Leo XIV—formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago—has sparked pride across Black America, as genealogical records confirm his Creole and Haitian roots trace back to New Orleans’ 7th Ward, making him the first pope with verifiable African-American ancestry.
Posted inBUSINESS
Target CEO rakes in $20.4M as boycott deepens and Black leaders demand accountability
As Target faces an intensifying national boycott over its rollback of diversity commitments, CEO Brian Cornell received a $20.4 million pay package in 2024, up 6.3 percent from the previous year. Activists accuse the company of sidelining local organizers and betraying its $2 billion equal opportunity pledge, while its stock price continues to decline amid growing public backlash.
Posted inPOLITICS
Harris slams 47th president’s agenda as ‘decades in the making’
In her first major speech since leaving the White House, Kamala Harris delivered a sharp rebuke of the 47th president, accusing him of undermining truth, democracy and the economy while warning of a looming “man-made economic crisis” caused by his tariff policies. Speaking at the Emerge gala, she urged Americans to resist fear, defend core values, and remain vigilant, declaring that courage is contagious and the people’s voice must not fail.
Posted inAfro Briefs
Emergency Housing Voucher program faces collapse, threatening tens of thousands escaping homelessness and abuse
The Emergency Housing Voucher program, which has helped over 60,000 U.S. households escape homelessness and abuse, is projected to run out of funding by the end of 2025 unless Congress intervenes. Without additional support, vulnerable families could be forced back into crisis, undoing years of progress toward stability and safety.
Posted inMaryland News
Gov. Wes Moore draws buzz as Democrats look ahead
Maryland Governor Wes Moore is gaining national attention as a potential Democratic presidential contender, praised for his leadership, charisma, and unifying presence following the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. While Moore insists his focus remains on Maryland, party members nationwide view him as a rising star and a beacon of hope for the Democratic Party’s future.
Posted inBUSINESS
Sharpton presses Target and PepsiCo over equity retreats as NAN mulls boycotts
Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network (NAN) are weighing further action against corporations like Target and PepsiCo for scaling back their equal opportunity and inclusion efforts, following high-level meetings with company executives. Sharpton plans to consult with NAN’s board and civil rights allies before deciding whether to support boycotts or “buycotts” in response to these corporate retreats.