By D. Kevin McNeirSpecial to the AFROkmcneir@afro.com With the assistance of individuals like Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) remains committed to transforming the historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across Baltimore City On Saturday, Nov. 1, beginning with a 7 p.m. reception, UNCF will return its fundraising event, the […]
Category: DMV News
Posted inHBCU
Bowie State hosts 90th annual homecoming activities
By Victoria MejicanosAFRO Staff Writervmejicanos@afro.com Bowie State University is currently hosting its 90th annual homecoming. Activities began on Oct. 26 and will take place through Nov. 2 under the theme “It’s Off the Chain!” The celebration brings together students, alumni and community members for a celebration “filled with pride, connection and Bulldog spirit,” according to […]
Posted inEducation
Students at Digital Pioneers Academy earn as they learn about financial literacy
By Dr. Deborah BaileyAFRO Contributing Editor This Fall, Digital Pioneers Academy Charter School in S.E. Washington will initiate the city’s first no strings attached, school-based direct financial support program for students, paying high school seniors 50 dollars cash per week. The public charter middle and high school opened in Southeast in Fall 2023 to support […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Fast Beauty Initiative aims to boost D.C.’s beauty industry
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) has launched the District’s new Fast Beauty Initiative at Yeleen Beauty Makerspace, which aims to ease licensing requirements and help local entrepreneurs grow in the $60 billion beauty industry.
Posted inBUSINESS
Black Founders Table turns intention into infrastructure for entrepreneurs
Black Founders Table (BFT) is carving out an ecosystem where Black entrepreneurs can scale their companies with strategy, mentorship and policy influence. Rather than offering surface-level support, BFT equips founders with practical tools to commercialize ideas, secure contracts and gain long-term influence.
Posted inWord In Black
Could Emmett Till’s coffin be erased from the Smithsonian?
By Liz Courquet-LesaulnierWord in Black If history can be rewritten, then objects, no matter how sacred, can be put back into a shed, hidden in a basement or destroyed. Seventy years on, the task remains what it was in 1955: to look unflinchingly at racism, at the brutality it inflicted on a child and to […]
Posted inBaltimore News
“House of Melo” exhibit shines spotlight on Baltimore resilience
By Chianti MarksAFRO Intern On Oct. 25, 2025, Baltimore native and 10-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony celebrated the opening of the “House of Melo” exhibit at the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s Central Branch. The event followed Anthony’s recent induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The exhibit, open through Dec. 20, 2025, highlights […]
Posted inDMV News
B.E. Spirits Awards Gala to celebrate Black excellence at Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay
By The B.E. Spirits Awards On Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, leaders, entrepreneurs and visionaries from across the nation will gather for the B.E. Spirits Awards Black Tie Gala, an unforgettable evening of elegance, culture and empowerment at the prestigious Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort and Spa in Cambridge, Md. The B.E. Spirits Awards is […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Baltimore’s Gabby Samone: From ‘American Idol’ breakout to rising R&B powerhouse
From a Disney performance in 2021 to “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” and now “American Idol” and beyond, Gabby Samone is proving that her story is only beginning. For Baltimore and for fans nationwide, the rise of Gabby Samone is one to watch — a young artist grinding, glowing, and stepping fully into her moment.
Posted inBaltimore News
The AFRO Named Among the Nation’s Top Black News Outlets on Two Feedspot Lists
The AFRO-American Newspapers, the nation’s oldest continuously published Black-owned newspaper still owned by its founding family, has been named to Feedspot’s list of the “45 Best Black News Websites of 2025.” The recognition honors The AFRO’s legacy of trusted journalism and its continued innovation in digital media, storytelling, and community engagement.
Posted inDMV News
Free Halloween weekend Lyft rides throughout Greater Washington prevent drunk driving
By Washington Regional Alcohol Program Preparing to combat that time of year when, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than one-third (39 percent, 2022) of U.S. traffic deaths involve drunk drivers, a local nonprofit organization announced today that free safe rides will be offered to would-be drunk drivers throughout the Washington-metropolitan […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
As savings accounts dwindle, federal workers say they’re holding on with ‘hopes and prayers’
Thousands of Americans rallied nationwide on Oct. 18 to protest federal policies that have led to job losses, program cuts, divided families and a prolonged government shutdown. Struggling federal workers say they’re surviving on dwindling savings and faith as they call for accountability and renewed civic engagement.
