By Frances “Toni” Murphy Draper, AFRO Publisher and CEO A few months ago, in preparation for its 130th anniversary, the AFRO embarked on an ambitious quest to identify the direct descendants of my great grandfather AFRO founder, John Henry Murphy Sr. We knew that he and Great Grandmother Murphy (nee Martha Elizabeth Howard) had 11 […]
Category: !Front Page
Posted inNational News
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first African-American woman on Supreme Court, set to face controversial topics in first term
By Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, AFRO U.S. Supreme Court Correspondent Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is poised to decide her first cases as a member of America’s highest court. Cases involving voting rights, gay rights, affirmative action, criminal justice, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Native American adoption rights will all be heard during the current session of […]
Posted inNational News
President Biden announces pardon of federal convictions for simple marijuana possession with executive order
By Alexis Taylor, AFRO News Editor President Joe Biden announced that he is taking executive action to relieve the burden of simple marijuana convictions, currently affecting the everyday life of thousands of Americans. “As I said when I ran for President, no one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana,” said Biden, […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Divine Nine launches fight against abortion restrictions with “Tell Somebody” campaign
By Deborah Bailey, Contributing Editor Members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), known across the nation as “The Divine Nine,” are joining forces and ramping up the fight to protect Black women’s lives. The Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLO) recently announced the “Tell Somebody” public service campaign, emphasizing the disproportionate impact of the Supreme Court’s […]
Posted inPOLITICS
Congressman Kweisi Mfume and Senator Ben Cardin band together to introduce the National Council on African-American History and Culture Act
By Tashi McQueen, AFRO Political Writer, Report For America Corps Member tmcqueen@afro.com Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07) introduced new legislation to further in-depth representation and conservation of Black history and culture on Sep. 22. This legislation proposed a National Council on African American History and Culture to educate, preserve and celebrate Black history and culture. The […]
Posted inNational News
We’re still here: the AFRO highlights the importance of Black homeownership, Black realtors and housing policy
By Frances Murphy “Toni” Draper, AFRO Publisher When I was a young child, my mother, my brother, my sister, and I made weekly trips to the “country,” as we called our grandparents’ home. It took nearly an hour to travel from our West Baltimore home, near Elgin Avenue and Poplar Grove Street, to the end […]
Posted in!Front Page Baltimore News
Baltimore City/County Boil Water Advisory
**Baltimore City & Country Residents Boil Water Advisory** You should use bottled water or boil tap water. This is because a boil water advisory means your community’s water has, or could have, germs that can make you sick. Boil Water CDC guidelines: – Use bottled or boiled water for drinking, preparing, and cooking food. – […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Wes Moore visits communities across Maryland ahead of November election
By Tashi McQueen, AFRO Political Writer, Report For America Corps Member After winning the Democratic primary on July 19, gubernatorial nominee Wes Moore now moves on to face Dan Cox, the Republican rival backed by former President Donald Trump, on Nov. 8. Moore is making his rounds throughout Maryland to engage with local communities and […]
Posted inBaltimore News
AFRO Gala draws elected officials, community leaders and Murphy descendants to 130th anniversary celebration
By Tinashe Chingarande, Special to the AFRO Mayor Scott, Congressman Mfume among those in attendance Elected leaders and supporters of the AFRO-American Newspaper convened for a lavish gala on Aug. 13 in Greenbelt, Md. to celebrate the publication’s 130th anniversary. The soiree included live entertainment and was hosted by comedian Tommy Davidson. All in attendance […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Mayor Brandon M. Scott takes fight against ‘ghost guns’ directly to build-kit manufacturer, Polymer80
By Tashi McQueen, AFRO Political Writer, Report for America Corps Member As murders continue to rise in Baltimore, so persists the polarized view on guns. The impact of gun violence has taken a toll on the city, prompting elected officials to take action. Recently, Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott began to take the fight directly […]
Posted inNational News
The AFRO at 130: a word from Publisher Frances “Toni” Draper
The not-so secret of success: “Believe in yourself, in God and the present generation.” “A newspaper succeeds because its management believes in itself, in God and in the present generation. It must always ask itself: whether it has kept faith with the common people; whether it has no other goal except to see that their liberties […]
Posted inSports
Russian judge sentences WNBA’s Griner to 9 years in prison
By JIM HEINTZ, Associated Press KHIMKI, Russia (AP) — A judge in Russia convicted American basketball star Brittney Griner of drug possession and smuggling Thursday and sentenced her to nine years in prison. for drug possession and smuggling. Judge Anna Sotnikova said the time Griner has served in custody since her arrest in February would […]
