Cultural historian Cory J. France was recently honored with the Rory Turner Prize for Cultural Sustainability at Goucher College. France is on the frontlines of advocating for “Black cemetery citizenship,” or a commitment to respect, remember, reclaim and fight for the spaces where Black bodies are laid to rest.
Category: Black History
Posted inBlack History
Civil War Museum honors Black troops; official reopening remains uncertain
The African American Civil War Memorial Museum (AACWM) held its annual Reading of the Names on Nov. 11, honoring more than 200,000 United States Colored Troops. While the event marked a major moment of remembrance for Black veterans and descendants, the museum’s long-awaited official reopening remains delayed due to the government shutdown and supply chain challenges.
Posted inBlack History
Beyond the uniform: How two veterans shaped lives through service and sacrifice
Veterans Charles McGee and Efrem Odum reflect on how military service shaped their identities, families and futures. From the jungles of Vietnam to post-service careers in law enforcement and construction, their stories reveal the lasting impact of duty, discipline and personal legacy.
Posted inWord In Black
Could Emmett Till’s coffin be erased from the Smithsonian?
By Liz Courquet-LesaulnierWord in Black If history can be rewritten, then objects, no matter how sacred, can be put back into a shed, hidden in a basement or destroyed. Seventy years on, the task remains what it was in 1955: to look unflinchingly at racism, at the brutality it inflicted on a child and to […]
Posted inBlack History
Beyond the myths: Exploring Hoodoo with Mama Koko
Hoodoo is often misunderstood as dark magic, but it is actually a spiritual tradition rooted in African practices, developed by enslaved people to maintain connection, healing and empowerment. Dr. Kokahvah “Mama Koko” Zaditu-Selassie explains how Hoodoo continues to guide Black spirituality and everyday life, alongside organized religions like Christianity.
Posted in!Front Page Arts and Entertainment
Malcolm X meets Shakespeare in revisioning of ‘The Tragedy of Julius Caesar’ at D.C.’s Folger Theatre
“Julius X: A Revisioning of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare” is a powerful and emotionally charged play that merges the lyrical brilliance of spoken word artist Al Letson with the time-revered speeches and scenes of William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,” featuring renowned Shakespearean actor Brandon Carter as Malcolm X.
Posted inCivil Rights
Baltimore community recognizes 30th Anniversary of Million Man March
Baltimore community members and leaders gathered in Druid Hill Park on Oct. 16 with prayer and drumming to honor the 30th anniversary of the Million Man March. The weekend’s events celebrate unity, reflection and the legacy of the historic gathering.
Posted inCivil Rights
Former UN Ambassador Andrew Young describes ‘dirty work’ of civil rights movement in new documentary
At 93, civil rights leader and former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young reflects on his behind-the-scenes role in the Civil Rights Movement in a new MSNBC documentary, “Andrew Young: The Dirty Work.” The film, produced by Rachel Maddow, explores Young’s unheralded contributions alongside Martin Luther King Jr., the personal sacrifices made during the struggle, and lessons for today’s social and political movements.
Posted inBUSINESS
The future of Black wealth: Reviving Black Wall Street
Efforts to revive Black Wall Street focus on building networks, technology hubs, and cooperative economic strategies to ensure Black wealth circulates across generations and communities nationwide.
Posted inBlack History
Lynching by suicide: The rebranded face of America’s racial violence
The death of 21-year-old Delta State University student Demartravion “Trey” Reed, ruled a suicide, is being challenged by his family and activists who cite evidence of foul play and a long history of racial violence in the South. Advocates say Reed’s case reflects a broader pattern of suspicious deaths of Black Americans being dismissed as suicides, echoing the legacy of lynching in America.
Posted inBlack History
30 years later, Million Man March spirit lives on in local gatherings
This week, the AFRO commemorates the 30th anniversary of the 1995 Million Man March, the historic event orchestrated by the Minister Louis Farrakhan and a host of other community organizations focused on improving the plight of Black men and women. The AFRO was present three decades ago, with images coming from the late J.D. Howard, and will document anniversary events taking place this October.
Posted inBlack History
Lt. Col. George E. Hardy, youngest Tuskegee Airman, dies at 100
Lt. Col. George E. Hardy, the youngest of the Tuskegee Airmen and the last surviving combat pilot from the historic all-Black World War II unit, has died at age 100. Hardy, who served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, was remembered for his courage, humility, and lifelong dedication to aviation and mentoring young pilots.
