Voters in Washington, D.C. will have a chance to hear directly from candidates for mayor and congressional delegate during the DCision 2026 debates on May 2 at George Washington University. Hosted by a coalition of civic and media organizations, the event will spotlight key issues including public safety, housing, economic recovery, education, and D.C.’s push for full congressional representation.
Category: NEWS
Posted inBaltimore News
Churchill Downs Inc. buys Preakness intellectual property for $85 million
Churchill Downs Inc. has agreed to acquire the intellectual property for the Preakness Stakes and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes from 1/ST Racing’s Maryland department for $85 million, subject to customary closing conditions.
Posted inBaltimore News
Mayor’s office seeks ethics review of IG’s social media post amid ongoing legal dispute
A senior aide to Mayor Brandon M. Scott has asked city ethics and oversight boards to review Inspector General Isabel Cumming’s online conduct following a Facebook post that included a YouTube video with an AI-generated image of the mayor. The request comes amid an ongoing legal dispute between the mayor’s office and the inspector general over access to city records and the scope of the OIG’s investigative authority.
Posted inNational News
Ex-officer planned to kill Black people in mass shooting at a New Orleans festival, authorities say
Authorities say a former North Carolina law enforcement officer, Christopher Gillum, was arrested in Florida after allegedly planning a racially motivated mass shooting targeting Black people at a major New Orleans festival, believed to be the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Law enforcement recovered a handgun and ammunition, and the FBI is coordinating a multi-state investigation as Gillum faces extradition to Louisiana.
Posted inBaltimore Government
Baltimore residents press for new investments at Taxpayers’ Night on FY2027 budget
At Taxpayers’ Night on April 22, Baltimore residents weighed in on Mayor Brandon M. Scott’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget and called for new investments across senior services, housing and community programs. Several speakers focused on long-needed repairs to the Forest Park Senior Center, while others urged greater support for grassroots organizations and worker cooperatives.
Posted inElections 2026
Low turnout, high impact: Why local elections matter more than many think
Low turnout in local elections limits representation, even as decisions by school boards and central committees directly shape daily life, from education policy to political leadership. Experts and community members say increasing awareness and participation is critical to ensuring communities have a voice in decisions that affect them.
Posted inObituaries - Baltimore
Leon Bridges dies at 93
By AFRO Staff The AFRO is saddened to learn of the death of Leon Bridges, who formed his own firm, Leon Bridges AIA, in 1963, and became the first registered African-American architect in the state of Maryland. A wake for Bridges will be held on April 26 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at March […]
Posted inMaryland News
First Lady Dawn Moore hosts third annual ‘A Woman’s Work’ brunch
Maryland First Lady Dawn Moore and the Foundation of the Preservation of Government House hosted the third annual “A Woman’s Work” Women’s Economic Empowerment Brunch on April 18 at the Government House. Attendees included co-founder of Black Entertainment Network (BET) Sheila Johnson, Wanda Durant and Angel Webb Reese.
Posted inDistrict of Columbia Government
DC voters fill the seats at ‘Ask a D.C. Candidate Mayoral Forum’
Hundreds of Washington, D.C., residents filled the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library for a mayoral forum where six candidates addressed key issues like housing, child care, public safety and the city’s budget. The largely civil event highlighted differing approaches to economic growth and governance while encouraging voters to prepare for the upcoming primary and new ranked-choice voting system.
Posted inBaltimore News, HBCU, National News, NEWS
From sharecropper to scholar: Andrew Billingsley at 100
At 100, Andrew Billingsley is celebrated for a lifetime of groundbreaking scholarship and leadership that reshaped understanding of Black families and strengthened higher education, particularly at Morgan State University. Honored at Hampton University with a new endowed scholarship, his legacy reflects a journey from the son of sharecroppers to a nationally influential sociologist and educator.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Dr. Faith Gibson Hubbard appointed interim president and CEO of Greater Washington Urban League
By D. Kevin McNeirSpecial to The AFRO The Board of Directors of the Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL) recently appointed Dr. Faith Gibson Hubbard as interim president and CEO. Hubbard replaces George Lambert, who retired earlier this year after 10 years of stellar service to the organization. Under Lambert’s tenure, GWUL expanded education and empowerment […]
Posted inReligion
Reverend Nontombi Tutu speaks at Asbury UMC’s annual Women’s Day Service
By D. Kevin McNeirSpecial to The AFRO By her own admission, the Reverend Nontombi Naomi Tutu, daughter of the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, struggled against accepting the call to ministry for most of her life. But you couldn’t tell, based on the reactions of worshipers at Asbury United Methodist Church (UMC) on Sunday, April 2, […]