By Alvin BuyinzaWord in Black For the past few years, Kai Cenat has been one of the biggest names on the internet, a Twitch streamer who has evolved from playing video games online into creating outlandish comedy that often goes viral. With more than 20 million followers, Cenat, 24, has rubbed shoulders with fellow internet […]
Category: Media
Posted inENTERTAINMENT
Bad Bunny makes Grammy history as Lamar, SZA and Olivia Dean lead night of milestones
Bad Bunny made history at the 68th Grammy Awards, winning album of the year for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” the first all-Spanish-language project to earn the top prize, while Kendrick Lamar and SZA captured record of the year for “luther.” Lamar also became the most-awarded rapper in Grammy history with 26 wins, and British singer Olivia Dean was named best new artist as the ceremony highlighted both musical achievement and social commentary.
Posted inBooks
Enoch Pratt to highlight work of Angela Flournoy at 38th Annual Booklover’s Breakfast
Enoch Pratt Free Library will host its sold-out 38th Annual Booklovers’ Breakfast featuring award-winning novelist Angela Flournoy on Feb. 7 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront.
Posted inBlack Press
In memoriam: Media icon and pioneer Thomas H. Watkins Jr., Daily Challenge publisher, is remembered and honored
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.
Posted inENTERTAINMENT
Beyoncé enters billionaire ranks few Black Americans have reached
By Stacy M. Brown Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has joined the small and closely watched group of Black American billionaires, a milestone that places her alongside a handful of individuals who built vast wealth in a country where Black ownership has long been restricted, delayed or denied. According to Forbes, Beyoncé is now worth at least $1 […]
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 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 inMedia
Urban One celebrates 45 years of media innovation and community impact
Urban One marked its 45th anniversary in 2025, celebrating its evolution from a single radio station founded by Cathy Hughes into one of the nation’s largest African-American media companies. Hughes reflected on the company’s legacy, innovation and continued expansion.
Posted inWord In Black
7 Christmas carols with a touch of soul
Black composers and arrangers shape the Christmas repertoire, adding spirituals and gospel songs that endure across generations.
Posted inBaltimore News
Mayor Brandon Scott named to Ebony Power 100 and Time 100, credits Baltimore for the honor
Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott has been named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2025, joining a legacy of Baltimore visionaries such as Ta-Nehisi Coates and Freeman Hrabowski III, and Ebony’s Power 100. Scott calls the honor “a humbling experience,” crediting his city for its growing global influence and its role in reshaping national perceptions of Baltimore.
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 inBaltimore News
“House of Melo” exhibit shines spotlight on Baltimore resilience
By Chianti MarksAFRO Intern On Oct. 25, 2025, Baltimore native and 10-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony celebrated the opening of the “House of Melo” exhibit at the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s Central Branch. The event followed Anthony’s recent induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The exhibit, open through Dec. 20, 2025, highlights […]