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.”
Category: Civil Rights
Posted inVeterans
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
Posted inBUSINESS
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.
Posted inWord In Black
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 […]
Posted inCivil Rights
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.
Posted inCivil Rights
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.
Posted inCivil Rights
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.
Posted inAfro Briefs
The National Civil Rights Museum announces 34th Freedom Award honorees
The National Civil Rights Museum will honor Marc H. Morial, Velma Lois Jones, and Mark Suzman with its 34th annual Freedom Award on Oct. 16 in Memphis. The event will celebrate their lifelong commitments to advancing civil and human rights and feature performances, student programming, and community engagement.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
D.C.’s ‘March On! Festival returns with focus on health of Black community
By D. Kevin McNeirSpecial to the AFRO kmcneir@afro.com D.C.’s annual Civil Rights Legacy Project, rebranded in 2024 as “March On!,” kicked off their film festival on Monday, Sept. 15 in the nation’s capital. For six days, film screenings will take place alongside an emerging and student filmmaker competition, various award ceremonies, performances of the arts, […]
Posted inBlack History
62 years later, the world remembers four little girls from Birmingham
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 […]
Posted inMaryland News
Civil rights leaders at Maryland gala urge unity, investment in young voices
The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights hosted its 2025 Annual Civil Rights Gala on Aug. 23 at Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland, featuring a panel discussion on unity, policy and the future of leadership. Panelists Jeff Johnson, Tamika D. Mallory and Maryland Del. Malcolm P. Ruff, D-District 41, urged attendees to stay committed to the civil rights movement and invest in young leadership.
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.