“Michael” soared to a record-breaking $97 million opening weekend in North America and $217.4 million globally, becoming the biggest debut ever for a music biopic despite mixed reviews and production setbacks. Starring Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson, the film overcame controversy and costly reshoots to draw strong audience enthusiasm, with sequels already under consideration.
Category: Media
Posted inWashington D.C. News
District leaders, residents and visitors celebrate Emancipation Day
By Patricia McDougallSpecial to the AFRO More than 100 years ago, on April 16, 1862, the Compensated Emancipation Act was signed by President Abraham Lincoln. On that day, slaves in the District of Columbia gained their freedom. More than a century later, the residents of D.C. gather on an annual basis to honor and celebrate […]
Posted inBaltimore News
The AFRO’s Baltimore Tea returns with spotlight on women in the C-suite
The AFRO’s 2026 Baltimore Tea will be held April 25 at Martin’s West from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Each year the event serves as a time to celebrate the Black community and bring together the best of Baltimore. Shown here, 2025 attendees Jade Madden (left), Michelle Johnson and Dikesha Robinson.
Posted inTV and Film
Back from the brink: ‘Afropop’ season 18 to premiere in June
The season features Listen to Me, Kanika Harris and Stephanie Etienne’s urgent documentary on the Black maternal and infant mortality crisis, and This World Is Not My Own, Opendox’s visually striking film using animation about celebrated folk artist Nellie Mae Rowe, who turned her home and yard in Vinings, Georgia, into the fantastical creative world she called the Playhouse. Emmy Award-winning actress Uzo Aduba and Broadway veteran Amy Warren bring Rowe and her friend, gallery owner and arts patron Judith Alexander, to life through voice and movement. A third title, to be announced later this year, will premiere in November.
Posted inBaltimore News
Reginald F. Lewis museum hosts children’s book festival
By Alexis LaRueAFRO Internalarue@afro.com The Reginald F. Lewis Museum’s Children’s Book Festival returns April 11, offering children and families a day filled with literary exploration. Attendees will have the chance to peruse children’s literature about-African American children, as well as meet some of the authors during a Book Village. The annual event will offer an […]
Posted inBooks
Must-read historical fiction novels about Black women
A list of must-read historical fiction novels highlights powerful stories of Black women whose lives and legacies shaped history. From Harlem Renaissance literary icon Jessie Redmon Fauset to Caribbean entrepreneur Dorothy Kirwan Thomas and Oscar-winning actress Hattie McDaniel, contemporary authors bring overlooked figures and pivotal moments to life, celebrating the resilience, creativity and influence of Black women across generations.
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
NAACP celebrates Black excellence at the 57th NAACP Image Awards
By Victoria MejicanosAFRO Staff Writervmejicanos@afro.com The NAACP closed out Black History month with their 57th Image Awards weekend crowning winners in music, film, books and television. The vampire-thriller “Sinners” dominated the weekend, where Micheal B. Jordan won for best actor in a motion picture and closed out the night winning the award for entertainer of […]
Posted inBaltimore News
‘A Soldier’s Life’ writer and 6888 champion set to give author’s talk at Lewis Museum
Edna W. Cummings, retired army veteran, is set to host an author talk at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum on March 7 in honor of Women’s History Month.
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 inArts & Culture
Protecting the source: Tom Miller Week rallies support to preserve iconic murals
This week creatives and art lovers everywhere are celebrating the sixth annual Tom Miller Week, an annual time to honor the life and legacy of the Baltimore artist. The 2026 celebration is focused on restoring and preserving Miller’s work.
Posted inBlack History
AFRO Book Corner: Good reads for Black History Month 2026
By Victoria MejicanosAFRO Staff Writervmejicanos@afro.com From picturebooks to powerful nonfiction, Black authors continue to tell stories that educate, inspire and affirm. This Black History Month, take time to turn off the screen and pick up a good book. With offerings for all age groups and walks of life, there is sure to be something special […]
Posted inWord In Black
5 books by Black authors to read during Lent
Lent offers a season of reflection, repentance and renewal, and for Black Christians it also carries deep connections to history, resistance and communal faith. Five books by Black authors explore how ancient Lenten practices intersect with liberation theology, embodied dignity and the lived experiences of Black communities.