Frances “Toni” Murphy Draper, AFRO CEO and Publisher By Frances “Toni” Murphy Draper As a ‘child’ of the sixties, I listened to a lot of Motown music from Stevie Wonder to Mary Wells; from the Temptations to the Supremes; from the Miracles to the Marvelettes; from Gladys Knight and the Pips to Marvin Gaye, just […]
Category: !Front Page
Juneteenth to become a Federal holiday
________________________ Sponsored content_________________________ Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee speaks during the 2017 NNPA Leadership Awards Reception at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C. The congresswoman was instrumental in the push for Juneteenth Holiday/(Freddie Allen/AMG/NNPA) By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia Texas Democratic Rep. Al Green began recognizing Juneteenth as a paid holiday […]
#WordinBlack: Texas native son talks Juneteenth: Better late than never
Patrick Washington is the CEO and publisher of The Dallas Weekly. This story was originally published on Word In Black. By Patrick Washington The Texas-birthed holiday of Juneteenth is a very interesting holiday, to say the least. See, I, a native-born Texan, have two Yankee parents. As such, I’ve been able to hear both sides of the “idea” of Juneteenth, […]
Baltimore Native Swears into America’s Navy
Senior Chief Frederick Joshua, from Baltimore, MD (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class David R. Krigbaum) By the Navy Office of Community Outreach KADENA, Japan (Jun. 15, 2021) Capt. Scott Hardy, Commander, Fleet Activities Okinawa commanding officer, left, administers the oath of office and swears in Senior Chief Frederick Joshua, from Baltimore, […]
Nonprofit creates app to promote vaccination incentives
By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer Report for America Corps Member Msayles@afro.com Just a few weeks ago, Bright Mind Enrichment and Schooling (BME), a community wellness and education nonprofit, rolled out their mobile app and website: Vaccination Rewards, which aggregates incentives available to vaccinated individuals. “As we were looking more into this rapidly evolving world […]
#ProtectBlackWomen: 22-Year-old student dragged by hair down steps at Nellie’s
22-Year-Old student dragged by hair down steps at Nellie’s. By Micha Green AFRO D.C. and Digital Editor mgreen@afro.com When an outside alcohol bottle was allegedly brought into Nellie’s Sports Bar, a popular D.C. LGBTQIA+ hangout, during Pride celebrations on the night of June 12, Keisha Young, 22, was mistakenly identified as one of the culprits […]
Mayor, Council President, Comptroller send Governor letter
June 14, 2021 The Honorable Larry Hogan Governor 100 State Circle Annapolis, Maryland 21401 Dear Governor Hogan, Your decision to prematurely halt federally-funded unemployment benefits is concerning, and we strongly urge you to reconsider. These funds cost the State of Maryland absolutely nothing and offer essential support for residents struggling to make ends meet during […]
#WordinBlack: FDA talks vaccinations for younger students ahead of next school year
(By Drazen Zigic_Shutterstock) By Alexis Taylor Special to the AFRO Though Pfizer-BioNTech received permission to lower the age threshold for their COVID-19 vaccine last month, pharmaceutical companies have yet to present an option for millions of school-aged children younger than 12. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 5.2 million pre-kindergarten students […]
Healthy smoothie cafe in College Park finds success in spite of the pandemic
By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer Report for America Corps Member Msayles@afro.com Brave is one word to describe opening a business during the pandemic, but Jetaine Hart and her boyfriend, Sheriff Taiwo, were prepared for the challenge when they opened their healthy smoothie cafe Hollywood Nutrition in College Park last summer. The couple noticed that […]
#BlackMusicMonth: Brandon Camphor & OneWay release acapella ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’
Brandon Camphor & OneWay released an acapella rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” on June 4, as a way of celebrating Black Music Month. (Courtesy Photo) By Micha Green AFRO D.C. and Digital Editor mgreen@afro.com As June marks Black Music Month, D.C.-based Billboard charting Gospel group Brandon Camphor & OneWay celebrated with an acapella […]
TasteWise Kids feeds students and families in Baltimore
After the three-day program, students receive a “salad kit” (which serves four), that allows them to show their families what they learned by creating a salad together at home. (Courtesy photo) By Daryl Moore Special to the AFRO Since schools closed over a year ago because of the global pandemic, there are many areas that […]
Wes Moore launches campaign for governorship
Wes Moore (Courtesy Photo) The following is an official statement from Wes Moore for Maryland Wes Moore, a combat veteran and former nonprofit CEO of one of the nation’s largest organizations fighting to end poverty, today announced his campaign to lead Maryland as the state’s 63rd governor. In a video to supporters, Wes vowed to […]

