President Biden delivered his third State of the Union Address on March 7 and called for the defense of democracy, respect for free and fair elections, and the end of political violence, while Maryland Governor Wes Moore plans to create a Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention in the Maryland Department of Health.
Category: !Front Page National News
Posted in!Front Page National News, Black History, Civil Rights, National News, U.S. Government, Washington D.C. News
Congress members commemorate “Bloody Sunday” and legacy of John Lewis
Members of Congress, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, Congressman Jim Clyburn, Steny Hoyer and Senator Laphonza Butler, gathered in Selma, Ala. to promote the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and commemorate “Bloody Sunday” 59 years after the violent attack on civil rights demonstrators.
Posted in!Front Page National News
Paramedic gets 5 years in prison for Elijah McClain’s death in rare case against medical responders
By Colleen Slevin and Matthew BrownThe Associated Press BRIGHTON, Colo. (AP) — A Colorado paramedic was sentenced March 1 to five years in prison in a rare prosecution of medical responders following the death of Elijah McClain, a Black man whose name became part of the rallying cries for social justice that swept the U.S. […]
Posted in!Front Page National News
VP Harris announces landmark child care reforms to alleviate financial strain on working families
By Stacy M. BrownNNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent@StacyBrownMedia (NNPA NEWSWIRE) – In a move towards easing the financial burden on working families, Vice President Kamala Harris recently unveiled a comprehensive set of measures to lower child care costs and provide crucial support for early educators. The White House noted in a Fact Sheet that the […]
Posted inU.S. Government
Senate leaders and civil rights advocates unite to reinforce voting protections
By Stacy M. BrownNNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent@StacyBrownMedia (NNPA NEWSWIRE) – In a press briefing on Feb. 29, U.S. Senate leaders alongside civil rights advocates announced the reintroduction of S.4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, aimed at safeguarding voting rights and fortifying the nation’s democratic foundations. According to Senate Majority Whip Dick […]
Posted in!Front Page National News
Supreme Court to decide if cities can punish homelessness
By Lisa WoelfCapital News Service More homeless people than ever sleep on the streets. The U.S. Supreme Court will decide if local governments can punish homeless people who sleep or camp outside when no shelter beds are available, or if such laws violate the Eighth Amendment’s protection against cruel and unusual punishment. The issue came […]
Posted inCivil Rights
Labor board: Home Depot violated labor law by firing an employee who drew ‘BLM’ on work apron
By Anne D’InnocenzioAP Retail Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The nation’s labor board ruled on Feb. 21 that Home Depot violated federal labor law when it fired an employee for refusing to remove the hand-drawn “BLM” acronym for “Black Lives Matter” from a work apron. The National Labor Relations Act said it protects the legal […]
Posted inHigh School
Texas school legally punished Black student over hairstyle, judge says
By Juan A. LozanoThe Associated Press ANAHUAC, Texas (AP) — A Black high school student’s monthslong punishment by his Texas school district for refusing to change his hairstyle does not violate a new state law that prohibits race-based hair discrimination, a judge ruled on Feb. 22. Darryl George, 18, has not been in his regular […]
Posted inCivil Rights
Black transgender woman’s death leads to first-of-its-kind federal hate crimes trial
By James Pollard The Associated Press/Report for America COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A Black transgender woman and the guy she was secretly dating had just been pulled over in rural South Carolina. Dime Doe, the driver, was worried. She already had points against her license and didn’t want another ticket to stop her from getting behind […]
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Diaspora Women in Health Global Business Conference begins in National Harbor
By Megan Sayles AFRO Business Writermsayles@afro.com Health LeadHer founder, Ogo Ekwueme, is hosting her annual Diaspora Women in Health Global Business Conference in partnership with Sharrarne Morton, founder of Black Door Society, Feb. 22 to Feb. 24 at the Gaylord National Harbor Resort and Convention Center. The summit is providing multicultural women with access to more […]
Posted inNational News
Black unemployment hit record low in 2023, Black wealth up 60 percent
By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer, msayles@afro.com In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world, Black unemployment peaked at 16.8 percent in the U.S. Now, White House officials have reported that 2023 was the lowest year for Black joblessness on record. It currently sits at 5.3 percent. Officials say the recovery was jump […]
Posted inBUSINESS
How to detect and avoid fraudulent tax preparers
By Megan SaylesAFRO Business Writermsayles@afro.com Tax season is upon us, with tax returns due to the IRS on April 15. If you brought in less than $64,000 last year, you qualify for free tax preparation through the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) programs, like the CASH Campaign of Maryland. If not, you may choose […]