Black history and disability rights history are more connected than many realize, thanks to leaders like Brad Lomax and Lois Curtis. Their advocacy forged pathways for justice where race and disability intersect.
Category: Black History
Posted inBlack History
In Memoriam: Founding CBC member and Missouri trailblazer Bill Clay Sr. dies at 94
William Lacy Clay Sr., a civil rights icon, labor rights champion, and one of the 13 founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus, has died at 94. The Missouri trailblazer served 32 years in Congress, where he fiercely advocated for equity, workers’ rights, and Black political empowerment.
Posted inBlack History
John Lewis’ spirit lives on in ‘Good Trouble’ rallies in D.C., other cities
Protestors across the country gathered on July 17 to honor the late Congressman John Lewis and to condemn the Trump administration’s attacks on civil and human rights, with demonstrations taking place in 1,600 communities across the US.
Posted inAfro Briefs
FBI’s Release of MLK assassination files is an invasion of privacy, say King’s children
President Donald Trump’s executive order to release over 240,000 pages of FBI documents on the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has sparked backlash from King’s children, who call the move an invasion of privacy. They argue the files, rooted in the FBI’s COINTELPRO campaign, are part of a longstanding effort to discredit their father and the civil rights movement.
Posted inBlack History
National Park Service hosts 150th birthday fete for Mary McLeod Bethune
A small but enthusiastic group of supporters attended the 150th birthday celebration for civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune, featuring a keynote address, music, a spoken word presentation, and a wreath laying ceremony led by NPS officials.
Posted inBlack History
Celebrating the life of George L. Russell Jr.
George L. Russell Jr., a trailblazing judge, lawyer, and founding chairman of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, was honored at a July 12 memorial service in Baltimore, where loved ones remembered his unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity, and family. Stories shared by his children and grandchildren painted a portrait of a man who shaped lives through quiet strength, high expectations and deep personal wisdom.
Posted inENTERTAINMENT
Fans criticize Beyoncé for shirt calling Native Americans ‘the enemies of peace’
Beyoncé is facing backlash for wearing a T-shirt during her Juneteenth performance that referred to Native Americans and Mexican revolutionaries as “enemies of peace,” sparking criticism for promoting anti-Indigenous language. Historians and Indigenous voices say the imagery romanticizes American imperialism and overlooks the Buffalo Soldiers’ role in violent westward expansion.
Posted inBlack History
Six Triple Eight descendants express outrage at 47th president’s decision on military base names
Descendants of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-female Black unit to serve in Europe during World War II, are expressing outrage over President Trump’s decision to revert the names of several military bases to their Confederate heritage, despite the women’s contributions to the war effort.
Posted inBlack History
A look at the legacy of gospel: From hymns to hip-hop
Gospel music, a powerful thread in Black culture, continues to shape Black identity and inspire generations. As Black Music Month begins, it’s clear gospel’s influence on faith and music endures.
Posted inBlack History
Bailey and Martell: Honoring the legends who shaped country music’s past, present and future
DeFord Bailey is known as a pioneer who helped shape country music, even though he and other Black artists were often sidelined. Their contributions challenge the idea that country music was ever a homogeneous space.
Posted inReligion
Rebuilding one of the nation’s oldest Black churches begins at Juneteenth ceremony
On Juneteenth, a ceremonial groundbreaking marked the reconstruction of First Baptist Church of Williamsburg—one of the oldest Black churches in the U.S.—on its original site, where enslaved and free Black worshippers once defied laws to gather in faith. The effort by Colonial Williamsburg aims to restore not only a historic structure but also the long-suppressed legacy of Black Americans who shaped the nation’s spiritual and cultural foundations.
Posted inBlack History
Honoring a trailblazer: D.C. Mayor Bowser unveils Mamie “Peanut” Johnson Plaza
Mamie “Peanut” Johnson is one of only three female players to ever play in the Negro League. Shown here, Johnson being honored on Jackie Robinson Day, April 15, 2014.