By “Lady” Brion Gill, Special to the AFRO “The Black artist is dangerous. Black art controls the Negro’s’ reality, negates negative influences, and creates positive images.” – Sonia Sanchez Recently, the Washington Post ran a Jan. 6 article highlighting a painting of Thurgood Marshall by the renowned Baltimore artist, Ernest Shaw. The article prompted this […]
Category: NEWS
Posted inBaltimore News
Pigtown’s Groundwork Kitchen reopens its doors after pandemic hiatus
By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer, msayles@afro.com After nearly a year-long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Groundwork Kitchen is gearing up to reopen its doors in Southwest Baltimore’s Pigtown neighborhood. During the break, the restaurant gained two new members to its team, executive chef Jonathan Hicks, “The Uneek Chef,” and general manager Melanie Molinaro. […]
Posted inMaryland Government
Application deadline for Gov. Moore’s boards and committee appointments moved to Jan. 31
By Tashi McQueen, AFRO Political Writer, tmcqueen@afro.com Due to an overflow of submissions, the Moore-Miller administration has extended the boards and commissions application deadline to 5 p.m. Jan. 31 Members of the governor’s boards and commissions are private citizens and public servants who help the administration find a solution to government issues. “I am excited […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Annual Booklovers’ Breakfast returns to in-person format
By Reginald Williams, Special to the AFRO The Enoch Pratt Free Library’s 35th annual Black History Month Book Lovers’ Breakfast will return to in-person format this year. The event will take place on Feb. 4 at the Renaissance Baltimore Harbor Hotel from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. The annual breakfast, hosted in person for the […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Grove Park residents sound off about plans to turn abandoned school building into a nursing facility
By Catherine Pugh, Special to the AFRO If Grove Park community leaders have their way, the elementary school that was shut down five years ago won’t become the future site of a nursing home. Residents have been voicing their concerns about the derelict property and the plans to turn it into a nursing home run […]
Posted inMaryland Government
Gov. Wes Moore completes first week in office
By Catherine Pugh, Special to the AFRO Governor Wes Moore wasted little time getting to work in his new role. The first Black man to lead the state of Maryland filled his first full day in office as Maryland’s 63rd governor with meetings– both public and private–press conferences and announcements. Moore signed the state’s Standards […]
Posted inNational News
Feds: investigation into Black man’s death may take time
By Adrian Sainz, The Associated Press The U.S. Attorney’s Office said that the federal investigation into the death of a Black man who died after a violent arrest by Memphis police “may take some time.” Speaking during a news conference, U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz said his office is working with the Justice Department’s Civil […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
District centenarian Ruth F. McIlwaine celebrates 100 years
By Reginald Williams, Special to the AFRO, and Alexis Taylor, Managing Editor “I take care of my own affairs,” proclaims Ruth F. McIlwaine. As she prepares to celebrate her 100th birthday, the former Wings Over Jordan Choir (WOJC) member has a voice that is still rich, powerful, and buoyant. The future centenarian makes it known […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Baltimore County Public School superintendent declines to renew contract, Randallstown NAACP calls for national search to find replacement
By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer, msayles@afro.com Baltimore County Public Schools’ (BCPS) superintendent Darryl Williams announced on Jan. 23 that he would not renew his contract with the school district. Williams has oversaw the system’s educational program since May 2019. The Randallstown National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is asking the Baltimore […]
Posted inMaryland Government
Child poverty, transportation and schools in proposed state budget for next fiscal year
By Tashi McQueen, AFRO Political Writer, Tmcqueen@afro.com Just two days into his historic term, Gov. Wes Moore unveiled a proposed budget that spells out his plans for stemming child poverty, ensuring health care, enhancing the state’s schools and shoring up Maryland’s transportation infrastructure. Moore’s $63.1 billion budget proposal for the fiscal year ending in 2024 […]
Posted inWord In Black
Black students are still experiencing pandemic trauma
By Maya Pottiger, Word In Black People aren’t rubber bands. Even as kids attend school in-person full-time again and life slowly returns to normal, they aren’t going to snap back to who they were and how they felt before the COVID-19 pandemic. It had a deep and lasting impact on everyone, especially Black families and […]
Posted inMaryland Government
Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland announces legislative agenda for 2023 general assembly session
By Tashi McQueen, AFRO Political Writer, tmcqueen@afro.com On Jan. 25 at 11:30 a.m. the 64-member Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland (LBCM) announced their top priorities for the 445th Maryland General Assembly. A significant crowd of news outlets and community activists joined members of the caucus as they outlined five priorities affecting Black and minority Marylanders […]