The Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. will lie in state at the South Carolina State House on March 2, following a decision by Governor Henry McMaster to honor the Greenville, S.C. native and civil rights leader. The state-level tribute follows a dispute in Washington after House Speaker Mike Johnson denied a request for Jackson’s casket to lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol. A memorial caravan is currently traveling from Chicago to Columbia, South Carolina, where public and private services will be held to honor Jackson’s lifelong legacy of activism and political influence.
Category: NEWS
Posted inSports
Winston-Salem women’s and Fayetteville State men’s basketball teams win 2026 CIAA Championship
By Mekhi AbbottSpecial to the AFROmabbott@afro.com Baltimore hosted the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championship tournament for the fifth consecutive year at CFG Bank Arena. The weeklong tournament, from Feb. 24-28, saw the Winston-Salem State University women’s basketball team and the Fayetteville State University men’s basketball team leave Charm City as victors. The men’s championship […]
Posted inPrince George's County News
Bowie State, DPSCS spotlight unity, education at Black History Month program
Bowie State University and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services hosted their annual Black History Month program at Jessup Correctional Institution. The day served as a time to spotlight Bowie’s Prison Education Program and the importance of investing in recidivism prevention efforts.
Posted inMaryland News
Moore advocates opening state land for housing, jobs near transit
Empty parking lots near Maryland transit stations could soon become homes and jobs, as Gov. Wes Moore (D) pushes legislation to unlock state-owned land for development.
Posted inINTERNATIONAL
Novartis settles with Henrietta Lacks’ estate over use of her ‘stolen’ cells to advance medicine
Novartis AG has reached an undisclosed settlement with the estate of Henrietta Lacks over claims it profited from her cells, taken without consent in 1951 and used in groundbreaking medical research. The case is one of several lawsuits filed by her family seeking compensation for the use of the HeLa cell line.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Ward 3 residents call for more affordable housing, raise alarm over upzoning plans
Ward 3 Housing Justice is pushing back against planned upzoning along Connecticut and Wisconsin avenues, saying new developments risk excluding low-income families despite promises of increased housing. The D.C. Office of Planning estimates the changes could add 10,000 new units, including 2,000 affordable under the Inclusionary Zoning Plus program, but community advocates say that doesn’t go far enough.
Posted inBUSINESS
New leadership at Baltimore Development Corporation aims to reimagine economic development
The Baltimore Development Corporation has a new senior leadership team, with Jeremy Watson and Roy Broderick joining to help reimagine the city’s approach to economic development. Both leaders emphasized equity as a guiding principle, pledging to advance opportunities and growth for Baltimore’s Black businesses and neighborhoods.
Posted inLiving
Seniors sound off on what people should know about life after 60
By Victoria MejicanosAFRO Staff Writervmejicanos@afro.com For many Americans, life after 60 is often framed as slowing down as one transitions into a new phase of life. But for older adults themselves, life after 60 can look different for everyone. Joyce Willis Chapman, a 71-year-old caregiver from Baltimore, said being present is key. “Live in the […]
Posted inObituaries - Baltimore
Alice Fitts, First Lady and longtime educator, dies at 80
Alice Louise Alston Fitts, longtime Baltimore City public school counselor and first lady of First Baptist Church, passed away Feb 2. 2026. She was 80 years old.
Posted inBlack History
Autherine Lucy Foster’s courage opened doors at the University of Alabama
Autherine Lucy Foster became a civil rights pioneer when the University of Alabama rescinded her 1952 admission after learning she was Black. With legal backing from Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP, she won the right to enroll in 1956, but violent protests led to her suspension and expulsion. Decades later, the university reversed its decision, and Foster earned her master’s degree in 1991. She was later honored by Morgan State University for her role in desegregating higher education.
Posted inMaryland Government
Then and now: Black History Month underscores the ongoing battle to protect the ballot
As Black History Month is underway, Maryland lawmakers are championing bills to strengthen voting rights and protect minority voters. The proposed legislation aims to safeguard ballots and ensure legal recourse against voter intimidation or suppression.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Activists, politicians and celebrities hold alternatives to State of the Union address
In a historic display of legislative dissent, a coalition of more than 80 lawmakers bypassed the official presidential address to convene an “alternative union” on the National Mall, framing their absence as a rejection of executive rhetoric. The atmosphere inside the Capitol remained volatile, punctuated by the forced removal of a congressman protesting racial imagery and verbal clashes over the domestic consequences of immigration enforcement.