Since 2018, the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project has worked to uncover the state’s legacy of racial terror, documenting dozens of lynchings that were long ignored or forgotten. Its leaders say reckoning with these truths is essential to healing—and to preventing history from repeating itself.
Category: Civil Rights
Posted inNational News
Civil rights attorney James Ferguson II, who helped integrate schools, dies at 82
By Ashleigh FieldsSpecial to the AFRO Longtime attorney and civil rights activist James Ferguson II died on July 21, leaving a hole in the lives and hearts of former clients, business partners and the country’s living icons. Ferguson, a North Carolina native, earned his stake in legal prominence with the landmark Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board […]
Posted inEditorial
The endgame behind the MLK Files — erase the man, then erase the holiday
The sudden release of FBI files on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a calculated attempt to tarnish his legacy and silence the symbols that inspire progress, and is part of a broader reactionary wave aimed at rewriting history.
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 inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Paris unveils mural of Josephine Baker to honor her legacy
A new mural honoring Josephine Baker has been unveiled in northeast Paris, celebrating the legendary entertainer’s legacy as a performer, World War II spy, and civil rights activist. Painted by artist FKDL, the mural is part of a street art festival and serves as a tribute to Baker’s enduring spirit of freedom, resistance, and cultural impact, fifty years after her death.
Posted inOpinion
Legally Written: A modern-day green book for justice
In honor of Juneteenth, Kisha A. Brown announces the launch of the first national Black Lawyer Directory aimed at empowering Black communities through culturally competent legal representation. Through the “Road to 1 Million” campaign, the initiative seeks to connect 1 million Black households with trusted Black attorneys by Juneteenth 2026, echoing the legacy of the Green Book as a tool for protection and empowerment.
Posted inOpinion
Is pride in the way of progress?
Christopher Anderson, member of the Baltimore City Republican Central Committee and former congressional and Baltimore City Council candidate, argues that Pride Month has overshadowed Black struggles by co-opting the momentum of the Civil Rights Movement and pushing Black issues further down the national agenda. He urges Black Americans to prioritize their identity and challenges uncritical support of movements that may dilute their fight for justice.
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 inNAACP
NAACP previews 116th national convention, aiming to empower community amidst adversity
NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson was joined by local and national NAACP leaders and key Charlotte stakeholders for a press conference to preview the upcoming 116th National Convention in Charlotte.
Posted inNAACP
For the 1st time in its 116-year history, the NAACP won’t invite sitting president to its annual convention
For the first time in its 116-year history, the NAACP will not invite a sitting president to its national convention, citing the 47th president’s attacks on democracy and civil rights. The organization criticized his authoritarian policies, including voter suppression, military crackdowns on civilians and the removal of diversity-focused programs, while the White House accused the NAACP of sowing division.
Posted inCOMMUNITY
Healing through history: The power of Juneteenth
Experts say Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, provides a powerful opportunity for Black Americans to acknowledge generational trauma and celebrate survival and resilience.
Posted inAfro Briefs
Tulsa mayor launches $105M Greenwood Trust to repair massacre legacy
On Tulsa Race Massacre Observance Day, Mayor Monroe Nichols announced the $105 million Greenwood Trust to support housing, economic development, and cultural preservation as part of a broader effort to repair the lasting harm of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.