Bernice King, daughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., is urging people to truly focus on his teachings and work throughout the coming year, rather than just quoting him or celebrating for a day, in the lead up to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.
Category: History
Posted inCommentary
Choosing to honor service: I don’t think they’ll miss me
Congressman Kweisi Mfume honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by volunteering and serving meals at Baltimore’s Our Daily Bread Employment Center and visiting with veterans at the Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Posted inAfro Briefs
Why Black Christmas means resistance
Black Americans have historically used Christmas to resist racial injustice and donate to social justice causes, with Black households donating 25% more of their income per year than their White counterparts, and organizations such as Black Women For Wellness, Black Male Voter Project, H.O.P.E., Black and Pink National, and The National Coalition for the Homeless providing resources and support to those in need.
Posted inBaltimore News
Advocates call for Thurgood Marshall’s elementary school to gain National Historic Site designation
Maryland lawmakers have introduced a bill to establish P.S. 103, the elementary school of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, as a National Historic Site to preserve and protect Marshall’s legacy for future generations.
Posted inBUSINESS
A complicated history: The Bray School’s role in educating free and enslaved children in Virginia
The Bray School, the oldest surviving building that formally educated free and enslaved African-American children, was identified by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and William & Mary in 2020 and is now being restored to be fully open to the public in Spring 2025.
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: Mourning the loss of legendary Tuskegee Airmen instructor Roscoe D. Draper
Roscoe Draper, a pioneering flight instructor and American hero, passed away at the age of 105, leaving a legacy of breaking racial barriers and setting new standards in American aviation.
Posted inNational News
1960s civil rights protesters who staged historic sit-in finally have arrest records cleared
Six Black men who were arrested for sitting at a Whites-only lunch counter in South Carolina in 1960 had their arrests and records expunged in a ceremony in a Columbia courthouse, marking a significant moment in the fight for civil rights.
Posted inBlack History
Reginald F. Lewis Museum hopes to spark conversation with new Douglass mural
The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture has installed a new mural, “Frederick Douglass / Liberty” by contemporary artist Adam Himoff, which reimagines the iconic abolitionist, writer and orator Frederick Douglass in a modern, stylish pose against a backdrop of graffiti.
Posted inNational News
What to know about Labor Day and its history
Labor Day is a federal holiday celebrating the American worker, with origins dating back to the late 19th century, and is traditionally marked by barbecues, travel, and fashion, while recent years have seen a resurgence in labor activism and support.
Posted inBUSINESS
The power of Black entrepreneurship
John Arthur Butts, a hard-working man from Norfolk, VA, started his own landscaping business, Nature’s Green, after being let go from his job at Lone Star Cement Corporation, and passed down his skills to his family, who are now successful entrepreneurs.
Posted inNational News
Remembering Gladys Blount and Romay Johnson-Davis, women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion
Two members of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, Mrs. Gladys Blount and Mrs. Romay Johnson-Davis, are remembered for their courageous service during WWII, their long and meaningful lives, and their contributions to the fashion industry.
Posted inCivil Rights
President Biden designates Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument to commemorate civil rights history
President Joe Biden has signed a proclamation establishing the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument in Springfield, Illinois, preserving 1.57 acres of federal land and highlighting a significant moment in American history.
