The Anacostia Community Museum will host its largest-ever Juneteenth Freedom Celebration on June 19, featuring live music, cultural workshops, theater performances and a nighttime outdoor roller skating experience as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary observance. Organized in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, the free event celebrates Black history, resilience and community traditions through a full day of family-friendly programming.
Category: Black History
Posted inOpinion
What Andrew Young reminded me about Baltimore
Civil rights icon Andrew Young’s visit to Baltimore celebrates the Black Sox memorial and inspires the city to make bold moves for economic growth.
Posted inCivil Rights
Maryland Park Service dedicates Montgomery County’s Freedman’s State Park in honor of Howard Family
Freedman’s State Park, a new Maryland state park dedicated to the African American Howard family, was established to honor their journey from enslavement to emancipation and their contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.
Posted inBlack History
United Baptist Missionary Convention marks 100 years of faith, fellowship and community service
The United Baptist Missionary Convention of Maryland celebrated its 100th anniversary while reflecting on a century of supporting Black Baptist churches through ministry, mentorship and community outreach. Convention leaders and members highlighted the organization’s continued focus on developing young leaders, serving vulnerable communities and providing support systems beyond the church walls.
Posted inWord In Black
‘Reparations Sunday’ brings a hot debate into Black churches
A growing number of Black churches across the United States are observing “Reparations Sunday,” reframing reparations as a biblical and moral obligation rooted in justice, restoration and truth-telling. Inspired by the legacy of civil rights activist James Forman, faith leaders and congregations are using worship services, educational forums and advocacy efforts to connect reparations with Christian teachings on repentance, accountability and healing.
Posted inBlack History
Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation, Inc. and Maryland Historical Trust to Honor Faye Allen Belt with 2026 Maryland Preservation Award for Excellence in Community Impact
Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation, Inc. and the Maryland Historical Trust will honor Faye Allen Belt with the 2026 Maryland Preservation Award for Excellence in Community Impact for her decades of work preserving the history of the Crownsville State Hospital and documenting African American heritage in Maryland. Belt’s advocacy, research and community leadership also contributed to Columbia Beach becoming Maryland’s first historic African American community listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2026.
Posted in!Front Page National News
51 years later, Black veterans still wrestle with the vestiges of battle during the Vietnam War
By D. Kevin McNeirSpecial to The AFRO Second in a two-part series More than half a century has passed since Saigon was captured by North Vietnamese communist forces, signaling the end of the Vietnam War on April 30, 1975. And while the significance of this date in history failed to make headline news, Black veterans […]
Posted in!Front Page National News
Black vets lean on one another to cope with traumatic effects from the Vietnam War, 51 years after its official end
By D. Kevin McNeir Special to The AFRO First in a two-part series Since our nation’s first war, the American Revolution, African Americans have fought in all of the United States’ major military conflicts, whether they enlisted voluntarily, or were drafted. Despite this historical fact, there are many today who callously refuse to acknowledge the service […]
Posted inOPINION
The 60-year project to kill it
Attorney Portia Wood traces a six-decade legal campaign to dismantle the Voting Rights Act, arguing that Supreme Court decisions from Shelby County v. Holder to Louisiana v. Callais systematically weakened protections against racial discrimination in voting and redistricting. She contends that the erosion of the law was deliberate, not accidental, and highlights the AFRO’s long-standing role in documenting the ongoing struggle for Black voting rights.
Posted inCommentary
The blood that bought the ballot
Before the Voting Rights Act existed, before the Civil Rights Movement had a name, Black Americans were fighting — and dying — for the right to vote. The AFRO was there keeping the record. Here’s what it cost to get to 1965.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
District leaders, residents and visitors celebrate Emancipation Day
By Patricia McDougallSpecial to the AFRO More than 100 years ago, on April 16, 1862, the Compensated Emancipation Act was signed by President Abraham Lincoln. On that day, slaves in the District of Columbia gained their freedom. More than a century later, the residents of D.C. gather on an annual basis to honor and celebrate […]
Posted inBooks
Must-read historical fiction novels about Black women
A list of must-read historical fiction novels highlights powerful stories of Black women whose lives and legacies shaped history. From Harlem Renaissance literary icon Jessie Redmon Fauset to Caribbean entrepreneur Dorothy Kirwan Thomas and Oscar-winning actress Hattie McDaniel, contemporary authors bring overlooked figures and pivotal moments to life, celebrating the resilience, creativity and influence of Black women across generations.
