Category: !Front Page
Posted inU.S. Government

Deadline looms as Congress risks another shutdown

by Stacy M. Brown

With federal funding set to expire at 11:59 p.m. Jan. 30, Congress is again on the brink of a government shutdown, just months after a prolonged lapse disrupted essential services and deepened hardship for families nationwide. As Republicans push a single sweeping funding vote, Democrats warn that no viable agreement exists, leaving negotiations stalled and the risk of another shutdown growing as the deadline approaches.

Posted inEducation

Black students are the fastest growing group of college applicants

by Word in Black

Black students are the fastest-growing group of college applicants in the U.S., with applications rising 11 percent in fall 2025 compared to the previous year, according to the Common Application. This surge shows that, despite rising tuition and the Supreme Court ending affirmative action, Black students continue to pursue higher education at record rates, particularly in the Southwest and in states like Mississippi.

Posted inBaltimore News

Historic $50,000 down payment assistance initiative helps faculty and alumni put down roots in West Baltimore’s historic Black neighborhoods.

by Special to the AFRO from Coppin State University

Coppin State University’s Live Near the Nest program is making Maryland history by offering $50,000 in down payment assistance—the largest initiative of its kind in the state—to help faculty, staff and alumni achieve homeownership in West Baltimore’s historic Black neighborhoods. The program is already transforming lives by closing equity gaps, stabilizing communities and enabling participants to build generational wealth while deepening their ties to the neighborhoods where they live and work.

Posted inBlack History

Why Bernice King sees MLK Day as a ‘saving grace’ in today’s political climate

by Associated Press

Bernice King says Martin Luther King Jr. Day offers a moral and emotional “saving grace” amid today’s political division, reminding the nation of hope, nonviolence and the ongoing fight against poverty, racism and militarism. She urges Americans to honor her father’s legacy not only through service, but through sustained personal reflection and action toward a more just, humane and peaceful society.

Posted inAfro Briefs

Morris Brown College President Dr. Kevin James removed by board

by Tavon N. Thomasson

Dr. Kevin James was removed from his role as president of Morris Brown College after seven years, with the Board of Trustees citing gratitude for his service but providing no specific cause. Nzinga Shaw, a current trustee and co-chair of the Board’s Facilities Committee, will serve as interim president, while James criticized the timing and governance of the decision in a LinkedIn statement.

Posted inBaltimore News

Community members, alumni fight to keep Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys open ahead of final vote

by Mekhi Abbott

By Mekhi AbbottSpecial to the AFROmabbott@afro.com A final vote to decide the future of The Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys will take place on Jan. 14.  The vote will be live streamed and comes after a second public hearing, held on Jan. 8, at the Baltimore City Public Schools District Office. The all-boys charter school […]

Posted in!Front Page Arts and Entertainment

Crypto firms: Wolves in banks’ clothing

by Alice T. Crowe

n this commentary, attorney and educator Alice T. Crowe warns that major cryptocurrency firms are positioning themselves as banks without being subject to the same consumer protections, posing heightened risks for Black communities. She argues that crypto companies deliberately target Black consumers—through celebrity endorsements, Bitcoin ATMs in Black neighborhoods, and promises of liberation from racist banking systems—while offering little recourse against fraud, volatility, or loss, potentially deepening existing racial wealth gaps rather than closing them.

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