Posted inPrince George's County News

Bowie State University awarded 50 million from MacKenzie Scott

By Deborah BaileyAFRO Contributing Editor Bowie State University received notification of a $50 million grant from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott  on Nov. 14. The unrestricted grant represents the largest philanthropic gift in Bowie State’s history and doubles the size of a $25 million gift Scott granted to Bowie in 2020.  “Her generosity arrives at a pivotal moment […]

Posted inWashington D.C. News

Norton calls for end to ‘disingenuous partisanship’ after House passes two anti-D.C. Home Rule bills

By D. Kevin McNeirSpecial to the AFROkmcneir@afro.com Washington, D.C., officials are decrying federal legislation that, they say, pose as threats to Home Rule – the law which has allowed the District to self-govern since 1975.  On Nov. 17, the House Rules Committee considered 13 D.C.-related bills. Ahead of the vote, the District’s delegate to Congress, […]

Posted inWashington D.C. News

‘Busy Bee’ Britton celebrates 35 years of holiday shopping tradition in D.C.

By D. Kevin McNeirSpecial to the AFROkmcneir@afro.com Juanita “Busy Bee” Britton, founder of Washington, D.C.-based BZB International, will mark her 35th anniversary as host of a holiday tradition, dubbed “the largest African American Department store on the East Coast,” beginning Black Friday, Nov. 28.  Busy Bee, a nickname she earned during her childhood and to […]

Posted inReligion

Pioneering UMC Bishop Violet L. Fisher leaves a lasting legacy at 86

Bishop Violet L. Fisher, the first African American woman elected bishop in the United Methodist Church’s Northeastern Jurisdiction, died Nov. 17 at age 86. A barrier-breaking leader and lifelong educator, she is remembered for her trailblazing ministry, global service, and enduring impact on women, Black clergy, and faith communities across generations.

Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Youth bands set to compete during Go-Go Awareness Week in D.C.

By D. Kevin McNeirSpecial to the AFROkmcneir@afro.com Go-Go Awareness Week kicked off Nov. 17 with a press conference held at the Go-Go Museum & Café in Southeast Washington, D.C.  And while legends, including Rare Essence, E.U., Trouble Funk and “the godfather of go-go,” Chuck Brown, were essential in the evolution of the regional music style into […]

Posted inDMV News

Local Black actors transcend racial barriers in stellar performances as Ebenezer Scrooge in holiday classic, ‘A Christmas Carol’

By D. Kevin McNeirSpecial to the AFROkmcneir@afro.com For those who are diehard fans of the stage and anxiously await the holiday season every December, enjoying a production of the Charles Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol”: counts as a family tradition.  Over the past decade, two Black actors, Gregory Burgess and Craig Wallace, portraying Ebenezer Scrooge […]

Posted inDMV News

Celebrating 50 years of greatness: VSU Class of 1976 comes together to mix, mingle and network

By Evelyn CarterSpecial to the AFRO On Oct. 25, 2025 at 7 p.m. Trojan supporters gathered at the Delta of Marriott Hotel in Colonial Heights, Va., to honor the distinguished achievements of the Class of 1976. The event aimed to foster excitement for the upcoming Golden Reunion, scheduled for May 2026. Registration commenced at 6:30 […]

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