By Victoria MejicanosAFRO Staff Writer On Sept. 15, 1963, the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., was bombed, killing four girls in the church’s basement and shocking the nation. Sixty-two years later, the attack is remembered as a turning point in the civil rights movement and a reminder of the role Black churches continue […]
Category: Black History
Posted inBlack History
Harlem Hellfighters posthumously awarded Congressional Gold Medal for World War I valor
The Harlem Hellfighters, a segregated African-American unit, spent 191 days in front-line combat during World War I without yielding any ground. Decades later, Congress awarded the unit the Congressional Gold Medal, honoring their unmatched valor and long-overdue recognition.
Posted inBlack History
Maj. Gen. Joseph McNeil of legendary A&T Four passes away at 83
Maj. Gen. Joseph McNeil, one of the famed A&T Four whose 1960 sit-in at a Greensboro Woolworth’s helped spark the Civil Rights Movement, has died at 83. McNeil’s courageous act of protest alongside his classmates laid the groundwork for desegregation and continues to inspire generations committed to justice and equality.
Posted inCommentary
Maryland must reckon with its juvenile justice past to protect today’s youth
By Marc Schindler I started my legal career in the mid-1990s as a Baltimore public defender representing children in juvenile court. In the late 1990s I joined a civil rights law firm addressing juvenile justice policies statewide and across the nation. These experiences taught me two things: The Maryland detention facility where many of my […]
Posted inCommentary
ASALH leads resistance to attacks on Smithsonian and U.S. history
ASALH is standing in opposition to the President’s directive to review archival materials and remove any exhibit or artifact that does not align with his definition of American exceptionalism, and is calling for daily acts of resistance to preserve and protect Black history.
Posted inBlack History
Historic U.S. towns honor generations of culture, art and identity
Small towns and regions across the U.S. hold vibrant histories and cultures deeply rooted in their communities. Places like Eatonville, Fla. and New Bedford, Mass. preserve rich traditions that continue to inspire today.
Posted inLiving
Under one roof: How Black families are reclaiming a generational way of life
Multigenerational living is on the rise in the US, particularly among Black families, providing shared care, economic support, and cultural continuity, while also offering emotional comfort and financial relief.
Posted inBaltimore Community
Post office renamed in honor of late Congressman Elijah E. Cummings
A West Baltimore post office has been renamed in honor of the late Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, celebrating his enduring legacy of service, advocacy and commitment to his community.
Posted inBaltimore News
Three key tips for newspapers to thrive for the next 100 years
AFRO leaders share three key tips for Black newspapers to thrive: balancing legacy, innovation, and engagement with younger generations amid industry challenges.
Posted inNational News
Frederick Lincoln’s family has held this land since emancipation
Frederick Lincoln grew up on land his family has owned since Emancipation — more than 40 acres passed down from formerly enslaved ancestors who never left the plantation they once worked. In a tight-knit community where most residents descend from the same group of enslaved families, land isn’t just property — it’s legacy, survival and a statement of freedom. As development pressures rise around Charleston, Lincoln and his relatives are fighting to hold onto what generations before them preserved with grit and determination.
Posted inBlack History
Business mogul Reginald F. Lewis remembered by mantra, ‘Keep going, no matter what’
Reginald F. Lewis, the first Black billionaire in the U.S., is being honored for his groundbreaking achievements in business and his deep commitment to family and community. A new exhibit and public events at the museum bearing his name celebrate his legacy of resilience, vision and determination to “keep going, no matter what.”
Posted inPrince George's County News
Cheltenham’s lost graves spark push for juvenile justice reform
An overgrown burial ground near the Cheltenham Youth Detention Center holds the remains of Black boys who died there more than a century ago—children once confined under Maryland’s segregated juvenile justice system. Now, a state senator is pushing to reform how the state prosecutes youth, linking today’s policies to the system’s unequal and often forgotten past.