By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior, National Correspondent, @StacyBrownMedia NNPA NEWSWIRE– National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) President and CEO Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. Ed.D. has received the President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award for Community Service and Civil Rights. Dr. Chavis received the award during a ceremony at Morehouse College in Atlanta. […]
Category: News
Posted inBaltimore News
Police correct the record on alleged extortion of ‘Lady in the Lake” crew
By Tinashe Chingarande, Special to the AFRO, tchingarande@afro.com Baltimore Police are still investigating The production crew of a star-studded television miniseries set in Baltimore has agreed to resume work after a brief halt due to alleged threats, according to a statement from the Baltimore Police Department (BPD). Police say they responded on Aug. 26 to […]
Posted inHealth
US government to end free at home COVID-19 test program this week
By Raquel Rogers, Houston Defender Network The federal government is ending its free at-home Covid-19 test program this week, citing a lack of funding and efforts to preserve supply ahead of an anticipated fall surge in cases, a White House official told CNN on Sunday. Both the White House and the website where people can […]
Posted inHealth
Battling Black and Brown youth suicide rates
By Ariama C. Long, New York Amsterdam News New York City Councilmember Rita Joseph has introduced a bill to address the rise of suicide rates among Black girls and boys, and other racial ethnic groups, an “alarming” situation that’s persisted for the past two decades nationwide. September is National Suicide Prevention Month and Americans are […]
Posted inHBCU
MPT to highlight Black excellence with 2022 HBCU Week
By Tinashe ChingarandeSpecial to the AFROtchingarande@afro.com Maryland Public Television (MPT) will highlight the achievements of historically Black colleges and universities through a week-long programming initiative. The first television segment will air on the evening of Sept. 5. “HBCU Week” is a collection of over 22 hours of content —that is locally produced and also acquired […]
Posted inHealth
Experts urge for comprehensive approach to prevent overdose deaths in Baltimore
By Fatiha Belfakir, Special to the AFRO As the country continues its fight on the drug overdose epidemic, the number of deaths soars in many cities across the nation, and Baltimore is no exception. Experts are suggesting pragmatic measures and urging policymakers to take actions to address the ongoing addiction and Fentanyl overdose crisis. The […]
Posted inCoronavirus
CDC challenges continue: fighting a pandemic requires public trust
By Fatiha Belfakir, Special to the AFRO, fbelfakir@afro.com The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently revealed new changes of its operations and the COVID-19 quarantine protocol. This sparked a debate among both the American public and health professionals, exposing a dire need to rebuild a fundamental trust between the people and public health […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
Minneapolis teacher contract’s race language ignites firestorm
By Steve Karnowski, The Associated Press When Minneapolis teachers settled a 14-day strike in March, they celebrated a groundbreaking provision in their new contract that was meant to shield teachers of color from seniority-based layoffs and help ensure that students from racial minorities have teachers who look like them. Months later, conservative media outlets have […]
Posted inWord In Black
First week of school cut short for students across Baltimore- again
By AFRO Staff A new school year was once again plagued by old problems for students across Baltimore and Washington D.C. Hundreds of students and parents that anticipated a full first day of classes on Aug. 29 were disappointed once again by the air conditioning systems in the buildings where they were set to return. […]
Posted inPrince George's County News
Prince George’s County Schools faces staff shortages, lifts mandatory mask mandate as students head back to school
By Deborah Bailey, Contributing Editor Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) returned students to a smaller number of teachers and staff in their buildings this year. PGCPS C.E.O. Monica Goldson said the school system is experiencing a shortage of roughly 900 teachers and an additional 150 bus drivers in Maryland’s second school district, serving 130,000 […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
The tough first week of school for District of Columbia students
By Deborah Bailey, Contributing Editor Students in the D.C. area piled back into classrooms this week, but D.C. administrators are still working out some details of the “welcome back,” as many children arrived at hot facilities and chaos surrounding students COVID-19 vaccination status. With the first week of school, temperatures soared into the 90s’ and […]
Posted inINTERNATIONAL
Gunmen storm hotel in Somali capital, leave 20 dead
By Omar Faruk, The Associated Press Islamic militants have stormed a hotel in Somalia’s capital, engaging in an hours-long exchange of fire with the security forces that left at least 20 people dead, according to police and witnesses. In addition, at least 40 people were wounded in the late night attack on Aug. 19 and […]