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 […]
Category: Black History
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.
Posted inENTERTAINMENT
Cardi B. says Latinos wouldn’t be ‘living comfortably’ if not for African Americans
By Alexis LaRueAFRO Internalarue@afro.com During her March 7 stop in Dallas, entertainer Belcalis “Cardi B.” Almánzar took to the stage to talk to Latino fans in the audience, reminding them of the sacrifices Black Americans made for them to live comfortably. In fan videos posted across social media, the rapper can be heard encouraging her […]
Posted inBlack History
7th Annual Black History Month Prayer Breakfast
By Kappa Alpha Psi Baltimore Alumni Chapter On Feb. 21, 2026, the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation of Metropolitan Baltimore (KAPFMB) hosted its seventh Annual Black History Month Prayer Breakfast (BHMPB) at the 5-Star Family Life Center on the campus of Morning Star Baptist Church in Gywnn Oak, Md. The Black History Month Prayer Breakfast franchise […]
Posted inBlack History
D.C. Mayor Bowser, National Capital Parks – East and Congress honor ‘The Lion of Anacostia’
Frederick Douglass, the most important leader in the struggle for Black civil rights in the 19th century, was honored in Washington, D.C. with the groundbreaking of a new community center in his name, the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, and the renaming of the U.S. House press gallery.
Posted inMaryland News
3 days in Annapolis: Black excellence on display in Maryland State Capitol
By Haki Ammi When many think of Annapolis, Md., they envision the state capitol, the United States Naval Academy, the Alex Haley statue and the Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum. But recently, Black excellence and power took center stage in Maryland’s capital, marking a historic and vibrant convergence of culture, leadership and progress. The series of events began […]
Posted inBlack History
Woman’s search for family’s roots leads to ancestor John T. Ward – a successful entrepreneur and conductor on the Underground Railroad
After more than a decade researching her ancestry, Shanna Ward published a book about her forefather John T. Ward, a formerly enslaved man who became an Underground Railroad conductor, abolitionist and founder of one of the nation’s oldest Black-owned businesses. Her work highlights the power of genealogy to reclaim lost histories and honor the resilience of enslaved Africans and their descendants.
Posted inBlack History
A century later, Black history scholars continue renovations to ‘The house that Carter G. Woodson built’
By D. Kevin McNeirSpecial to The AFRO On Saturday, February 28, under the theme of “A Century of Black History Commemorations,” several hundred people committed to the research, preservation and dissemination of information about Black life, history and culture, gathered in Washington, D.C. at the JW Marriott for an historic event. With the spirit of […]