Thomas H. Watkins Jr., founder and publisher of the New York Daily Challenge, died Dec. 19, 2025, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneering figure in Black media and a steadfast advocate for his Brooklyn community. Over decades, he used his newspapers to amplify Black voices, cover critical social issues, and mentor generations of journalists, earning admiration from civil rights leaders, activists, and peers.
Category: Black Press
Posted inBlack Press
Family and friends gather for celebration of journalist James L. Wright Jr.’s life and legacy
Family, friends, and journalists gathered on Dec. 19 at Hemingway Memorial AME Church to honor the life and legacy of James L. Wright Jr. Wright Jr. was a staff writer for the Washington Informer, and a former writer for the AFRO News and Washington Post. He also was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Posted inBaltimore News
Behind the byline: AFRO reporters talk top stories, lessons learned in 2025
An amazing group of tenacious reporters empowered the AFRO to cover everything from health and education to politics, public safety, business and more. Click the link to learn a bit about the reporters and the work done in 2025.
Posted inNational News
Remembering Black leaders and icons who died in 2025
As 2025 ends, the AFRO honors the Black leaders, artists, and trailblazers who passed away this year. Their legacies shaped culture, politics and society, leaving a lasting impact on communities worldwide.
Posted inBlack Press
Charles F. Robinson III, award-winning journalist and news director, dies at 69
By Alexis TaylorAFRO Managing Editor Veteran journalist and news director Charles F. Robinson III died Dec. 15. Robinson was a giant of the Black Press and a vital member of the Maryland Public Television (MPT) team. Travis Mitchell, senior vice president and chief content officer at MPT, described Robinson as “one of the rare individuals […]
Posted in!Front Page Baltimore News
Afro Charities forges ahead with construction on Upton Mansion redevelopment
By Savannah WoodAfro Charities CEO After a public groundbreaking ceremony in February for their historic Upton Mansion redevelopment project, Afro Charities is well underway on their transformative development. The site, vacant since 2006, will become the new headquarters for both Afro Charities and AFRO News, and the public research center for the historic AFRO Archives, […]
Posted inObituaries - Washington D.C.
Funeral arrangements announced for veteran Black Press reporter James L. Wright Jr.
James L. Wright Jr., a dedicated member of the Black Press, community leader, historian and member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., will be memorialized at the Hemingway Memorial AME Church in District Heights, Md. on Dec. 19, 2025.
Posted inNational News
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump scores $779 million verdict for Black family
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump won a historic $779.3 million verdict for the family of Lewis Butler, a security guard killed during an armed robbery at a Florida internet café that failed to report a previous crime involving the same gun. The ruling delivers long-sought accountability while Butler’s widow presses for reforms to shut down dangerous, unregulated gambling venues.
Posted inBaltimore News
Cherry Hill celebrates Madeline Wheeler Murphy Day
Cherry Hill’s second annual “Madeline Wheeler Murphy Day” honored the late journalist, activist, and AFRO columnist whose fearless voice and community leadership continue to inspire new generations. Attendees, including her son attorney Billy Murphy and local youth leaders, celebrated her enduring legacy of Black empowerment, cultural pride, and social justice.
Posted inBaltimore News
Enoch Pratt Free Library debuts DeWayne Wickham Room of Maryland Journalism
The Enoch Pratt Free Library recently debuted the DeWayne Wickham Room of Maryland Journalism in honor of the cofounder of the National Association of Black Journalists and founding dean emeritus of Morgan State University’s School of Global Journalism and Communication.
Posted inObituaries
Remembering Wallace “Jack” Jackman: A life of leadership, laughter and legacy
Wallace “Jack” Jackman, longtime co-publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, is remembered for his visionary leadership, community-building spirit and the warmth and humor that defined his life. A mentor, connector and modernizer of the MSR, he leaves behind a powerful legacy carried forward by his family and the many lives he touched.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Jackman family
Posted inNational News
Dr. Benjamin Chavis celebrated as ‘Father’ of the environmental justice movement
Dr. Benjamin Chavis, president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, was honored as the “Father of the Environmental Justice Movement” at the Mississippi Statewide Environmental Climate Justice Summit. Recognized for his groundbreaking 1987 study “Toxic Waste and Race” and his leadership during the 1982 Warren County protests, Chavis was celebrated for linking environmental issues to civil rights and inspiring global climate activism.