By Steven Ragsdale This past weekend, thousands gathered in Alabama for the annual Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Celebration, retracing the famous steps across the Edmund Pettus Bridge where civil rights marchers once faced violence for demanding the right to vote. As the nation reflected on that history, many of today’s and yesterday’s activists also mourned […]
Category: Civil Rights
Posted inMedia
Civil Rights TV launches in Selma as the world’s first 24/7 Civil Rights Television Network
Civil Rights TV, the world’s first 24-hour television network dedicated to civil rights history, education, and future equity, has launched on the Connect To Your City OTT platform, powered by Connect2OTT, offering documentaries, news analysis, live discussions, educational programming, global civil rights coverage and cultural storytelling.
Posted inBlack History
Autherine Lucy Foster’s courage opened doors at the University of Alabama
Autherine Lucy Foster became a civil rights pioneer when the University of Alabama rescinded her 1952 admission after learning she was Black. With legal backing from Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP, she won the right to enroll in 1956, but violent protests led to her suspension and expulsion. Decades later, the university reversed its decision, and Foster earned her master’s degree in 1991. She was later honored by Morgan State University for her role in desegregating higher education.
Posted inNational News
In Memoriam: Eternal salute to the Rev. Dr. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.
NNPA NEWSWIRE — On behalf of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) representing the Black Press of America, we extend our sincerest condolences to the Jackson family. Leadership matters. Jesse Jackson’s leadership in the Civil Rights Movement in America and the human rights movement throughout the world was outstanding. Jackson uttered a strong, penetrating voice for the voiceless. His courage on the battlefield for freedom, justice and equality was unparalleled.
Posted inOPINION
Spiritual homicide: The American president and the death of a nation’s conscience
By Rev. Stacy Swimp As a person of half-Nigerian heritage, I carry within me the Igbo philosophy that a person is only a person through their relationship with others. In this tradition, human dignity—Mmadụ—is not an individual possession but a communal bond; to insult one is to fracture the spirit of the whole. As we […]
Posted inUncategorized
Rev. Graylan Scott Hagler, civil, social and economic rights activist, dies at 71
Rev. Graylan Scott Hagler, a civil and human rights activist, pastor emeritus of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, and a fixture in the D.C. community, passed away at 71 after a lifetime of fighting for justice and peace.
Posted inBaltimore News
On the line with Jesse Jackson: Lessons from a voice that changed history
By Alexis TaylorAFRO Managing Editor I never imagined Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. would pick up the phone. It was 2012. On June 14 of that year, Adidas, the international shoe and sports apparel company, boldly unveiled a pair of sneakers that came complete with a pair of orange, plastic ankle bracelets. After public backlash to […]
Posted inNational News
Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. dies at 84
The Rev. Dr. Jesse Jackson Sr., civil rights leader, Baptist minister, and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, has died at 84. A protégé of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a two-time presidential candidate, Jackson spent his life fighting for racial, economic and social justice— inspiring generations of leaders and activists.
Posted inBlack History
Black patriots of the Revolutionary War: Maryland’s forgotten soldiers
Scholars and descendants are uncovering the forgotten role of Black Marylanders in the Revolutionary War, highlighting how free and enslaved men fought for independence yet were largely erased from history.
Posted inBUSINESS
One year later, Target still reeling from boycotts
Nearly a year after Pastor Jamal Bryant’s Lenten fast against Target evolved into a nationwide boycott, the retailer is still feeling the financial fallout. Experts say the losses reflect years of weakening performance and a deeper erosion of consumer trust following Target’s rollback of its equity, diversity and inclusion commitments.
Posted inBlack History
Protect the day, protect the truth
By Dr. Frances “Toni” Murphy DraperAFRO CEO and Publisher As the nation marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the real question is not how loudly we celebrate — but whether we are willing to live by the values Dr. King demanded. Each January, the nation knows how to celebrate. We mark the day. We replay […]
Posted inBUSINESS
AFRO spotlight on Black excellence: How Kaci Patterson advances Dr. King’s legacy through equity-driven change
Communities nationwide continue to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy through service, faith and advocacy. Today’s leaders and organizations are expanding his vision through action, equity and community-building.