By National Action Network Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network (NAN), on Jan. 12 condemned recent claims from President Trump that White people were “very badly treated” as a result of laws and policies adopted during the Civil Rights Movement. Trump’s alarming statements to the New York Times come as […]
Category: Civil Rights
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.
Maryland to consider slavery reparations after Gov. Wes Moore’s veto is overridden
Maryland lawmakers overrode Gov. Wes Moore’s veto to create a commission that will study potential reparations for slavery, despite his argument that the state should focus on direct action rather than further study. Supporters say a formal commission is necessary to ensure reparations efforts are credible, constitutional and effective.
Anne Arundel County hosts local event apologizing for role in slavery
On Saturday, Nov. 22, Anne Arundel County released an official apology for their role in slavery, and the impact it has had on the community.
Legally Written: The missing voice in America’s access to justice PART 3
Access to justice for Black people: Kisha A. Brown explores the barriers, injustices, and the importance of justice as a birthright.
One of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre’s last survivors, Viola Ford Fletcher, dies at age 111
Viola Ford Fletcher, one of the last survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has died at age 111. Throughout her later years, she worked to preserve the memory of Greenwood, sought justice for the atrocities committed against her community, and chronicled her experiences in her memoir, “Don’t Let Them Bury My Story.”
Keeping history alive: Remembering the Montford Point Marines
The Montford Point Marines were trailblazers in the U.S. Marine Corps, but their stories have often gone untold. Mallorie Berger, granddaughter of Montford Point Marine Maurice L. Burns, is working to ensure the bravery of these men, including Charles Cargile Hall, is remembered
Pastor Jamal Bryant launches digital protest of Dollar General
Pastor Jamal Bryant has launched an electronic protest of Dollar General, calling attention to the company’s practices in Black communities. Bryant says the chain contributes to health disparities and food insecurity. Rather than call for a full boycott, he is urging a digital protest to demand change without harming those who rely on the store.
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 […]
2025 Civil Rights Week breakfast sparks conversation on justice and equity
The Office of Equity and Civil Rights (OECR) hosted the 32nd Civil Rights Breakfast on Oct. 17, kicking off the 2025 Civil Rights Week. The program, led by WMAR 2 News reporter Ja Nai Wright, sparked conversations amongst city leaders, lawmakers and activists to take action against today’s democracy.
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.
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.

