Three former Memphis police officers convicted in the federal case over Tyre Nichols’ fatal beating have been granted a new trial after a judge’s comments raised concerns of bias. The ruling adds another twist to a case that has already seen multiple guilty pleas, acquittals, and national scrutiny of police accountability.
Category: NEWS
Posted inHBCU
UNCF awards Morgan State University ‘HBCU Futurist’ honors
Morgan State University has been named the 2025 recipient of the United Negro College Fund’s (UNCF) HBCU Futurist Award, honoring its visionary leadership, record-setting innovation and commitment to equity in higher education. Under President David K. Wilson, Morgan has emerged as a national research leader, securing 26 U.S. patents in the past three years—including 13 in 2023, the most ever granted to an HBCU in a single year.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Which are the best colleges for your tuition (and tax) dollars?
The Washington Monthly magazine released its 2025 college rankings, which upend everything you thought you knew about which colleges are the best.
Posted inReligion
Rev. Bryant urges Black Church to spark a moral revival, confront White supremacy on March anniversary
At Metropolitan AME Church in Washington, D.C., clergy and community members marked the 62nd anniversary of the March on Washington with prayer, reflection, and a fiery sermon from the Rev. Jamal Bryant. Bryant urged the Black Church to confront White supremacy, embrace protest over silence, and lead a renewed movement for justice.
Posted inHBCU
Morgan State University secures $1.75M grant from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to plan launch of public, nonprofit M.D. medical school
Morgan State University has received a $1.75 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to develop a plan for launching a public, nonprofit M.D. medical school — the first of its kind at Maryland’s largest HBCU. The two-year initiative aims to expand opportunities for underrepresented students, produce physicians committed to underserved communities, and strengthen Maryland’s health care workforce pipeline.
Posted inBaltimore News
Maryland invests $50M to fight vacancies, blight in Baltimore
Maryland State Government is investing $50 million to speed up the removal of vacant homes in Baltimore, part of Gov. Wes Moore’s (D) Reinvest Baltimore plan to restore neighborhoods long impacted by disinvestment.
Posted inBaltimore News
As Amtrak builds Frederick Douglass Tunnel, West Baltimore residents push back
West Baltimore resident Tahera Arrington says Amtrak’s Frederick Douglass Tunnel project has upended her life—bringing dust, noise, pests, and damage to her home. Now, she fears displacement and the loss of the community she’s lived in since childhood.
Posted inBaltimore News
The modern family: Redefining love, parenthood and connection
The modern American family is being redefined by love, flexibility and resilience. From same-sex couples raising children to blended families formed through previous relationships, these households reflect evolving social values and a broader understanding of what it means to be a family today.
Posted inHealth
Licensed but locked out: Why Vilissa Thompson built her own path in disability advocacy
Vilissa Thompson was on track to become a therapist, but after realizing the social work field wasn’t built for wheelchair users like herself, she took a different route. Now, as founder of Ramp Your Voice, she’s creating space for Black disabled women and femmes to be heard, supported and politically empowered.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Short-staffed and stretched thin: Special Ed crisis leaves Black students with disabilities at risk
Black students with disabilities often depend on individualized education programs for support, but severe special education staffing shortages and burnout are making that support harder to deliver. With 70 percent of K–12 schools reporting vacancies, educators say the growing workload is driving many out of the field, leaving students without the consistent help they need.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Survivors of Katrina find strength, solace through the efforts of extraordinary people
By D. Kevin McNeirSpecial to the AFROkmcneir@afro.com When the first official public warnings of a tropical depression, then located over the Bahamas, were issued on Aug. 23, 2005 by the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fl., few could have predicted that it would become one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history. But by the […]
Posted inBaltimore Events
ABC’s The Cookout returns: Celebrating Black culture, community and equity in Baltimore
Associated Black Charities (ABC) announced the return of its signature event, The Cookout, on Sept. 13, 2025, at The Village of Cross Keys in Baltimore. Presented by SECU, the free, family-friendly celebration will feature a march and rally, children’s activities, game tournaments, live entertainment, food trucks, and a showcase of Black-owned businesses.