By AFRO Staff A new school year was once again plagued by old problems for students across Baltimore and Washington D.C. Hundreds of students and parents that anticipated a full first day of classes on Aug. 29 were disappointed once again by the air conditioning systems in the buildings where they were set to return. […]
Category: NEWS
Posted inPrince George's County News
Prince George’s County Schools faces staff shortages, lifts mandatory mask mandate as students head back to school
By Deborah Bailey, Contributing Editor Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) returned students to a smaller number of teachers and staff in their buildings this year. PGCPS C.E.O. Monica Goldson said the school system is experiencing a shortage of roughly 900 teachers and an additional 150 bus drivers in Maryland’s second school district, serving 130,000 […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
The tough first week of school for District of Columbia students
By Deborah Bailey, Contributing Editor Students in the D.C. area piled back into classrooms this week, but D.C. administrators are still working out some details of the “welcome back,” as many children arrived at hot facilities and chaos surrounding students COVID-19 vaccination status. With the first week of school, temperatures soared into the 90s’ and […]
Posted inINTERNATIONAL
Gunmen storm hotel in Somali capital, leave 20 dead
By Omar Faruk, The Associated Press Islamic militants have stormed a hotel in Somalia’s capital, engaging in an hours-long exchange of fire with the security forces that left at least 20 people dead, according to police and witnesses. In addition, at least 40 people were wounded in the late night attack on Aug. 19 and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Reginald F. Lewis Museum highlights Black “Men of Change”
Exhibit extended to Sept.11 By Tinashe Chingarande, Special to the AFRO The kaleidoscopic nature of revolutionary Black men who pursued change in service of the Black community will be highlighted for roughly two more weeks at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture. “Men of Change,” —an exhibition curated by […]
Posted inBaltimore News
‘Street librarian’ aims to bring Baltimore kids more books
By Aaron Wright, The Baltimore Banner via The Associated Press Araba Maze noticed neighborhood kids gathering around her as she read children’s books to her niece on her front stoop. As she wrapped up storytelling, one of the kids asked, “When are you gonna do this again?” She later made it an everyday occurrence to […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
Statue honors once-enslaved woman who won freedom in court
By Mark Pratt, The Associated Press The story of the enslaved woman who went to court to win her freedom more than 80 years before the Emancipation Proclamation has been pushed to the fringes of history. A group of civic leaders, activists and historians hope that ends Aug. 21 in the quiet Massachusetts town of […]
Posted inINTERNATIONAL
UK museum agrees to return looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria
By Danica Kirka, The Associated Press A London museum agreed Aug. 7 to return a collection of Benin Bronzes looted in the late 19th century from what is now Nigeria as cultural institutions throughout Britain come under pressure to repatriate artifacts acquired during the colonial era. The Horniman Museum and Gardens in southeast London said […]
Posted inCommentary
D.C. delivers some good news – yes, really
By Ben Jealous We could all use some good news out of Washington. I’ve got some. The Senate’s passage of the Inflation Reduction Act this month is good news for families, the economy, the planet, and even our democracy. As I write this, the House is poised to pass the bill too, giving Congress and […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
CEO selling NFTs of Confederate monuments he took down
By Chris Suarez, The Richmond Times-Dispatch via The Associated Press After removing the Robert E. Lee monument in Richmond and nearly two dozen other statues across the city and state, Devon Henry is seeking to raise money for charity by selling digital artwork inspired by their removal in the cryptocurrency market. CryptoFederacy, Henry’s newest venture, […]
Posted inHealth
University of Maryland reports first case of monkeypox
By Tinashe Chingarande, Special to the AFRO The first presumptive case of monkeypox was reported at the University of Maryland on Aug. 17, according to a campus-wide email sent to students, faculty and staff. The email assured the university community that precautions were being taken to prevent the spread of the disease on campus. “The […]
Posted inNational News
Fauci to step down in December
By Stacy M. Brown Dr. Anthony Fauci, who quickly became the face — and, for many, the voice of reason — of the federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, announced Monday he would leave government service in December. Fauci, who has served as chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden and seven other presidents, […]