Category: Washington D.C. News

The mayor of the District has been in office for half of a year and she has pleased some residents but disappointed others. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser faces criticism after six months in office. (Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons) D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) took office in January and immediately faced weather challenges and a […]

In this 2013 photo provided by the University of Puget Sound, Kathryn Ginsberg collects wastewater that will be tested for trace levels of pharmaceutical drugs from a sewer near Tacoma, Wash. The federal government is chipping in money for a three-year pilot study using sewage samples to determine levels of marijuana use in two Washington […]

In this photo taken June 19, 2015, photos of the victims of the shooting at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C., are held during a vigil at the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington. The black church has long been the cornerstone and sanctuary for African American life. It has also long been a […]

Emancipation Day Celebration, Texas, 1900. (Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons) The story of Juneteenth is that slaves in Texas finally learned they were free over two years after the effective date of the Emancipation Proclamation, yet there is historical dissonance in this narrative. One D.C. historian is attempting to reveal the truth. Hari Jones, assistant director […]

Photo of students at graduation, with the word ‘DEBT’ and a dollar amount written on top of their graduation caps. (Courtesy Photo) Today’s college graduates are among the most technologically savvy, socially conscious, and politically astute. They are also, unfortunately, among the most economically plagued, despite having earned college degrees and moderately salaried incomes. In […]

D.C. Council member LaRuby May In D.C. Council member LaRuby May’s first public meeting with Ward 8 residents since her election, she discussed a number of areas of improvement for the District’s poorest community. Public safety was among her top priorities. Chosen in a special election in April following the death of longtime Councilman and […]

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has long since had a strong impact on the African American community, and over time, its impact has deepened. Several studies show that Black Americans account for more new HIV cases, people living with the disease, and HIV-related deaths than any other racial group in the United States. In an attempt to […]

Victor Umeh, founder of BOSHOK Clothing. (Photo courtesy V. Umeh) In the intro to rapper Nas’ 2001 Stillmatic album, he describes his pursuit to move forward while having the “blood of a slave, heart of a king.” “I’ve always been a big time Nas fan and when he said that it always resonated with me,” […]

Malcolm Beech is the president of the National Business League of Greater Washington. (Twitter photo) District Black businesses owners have repeatedly complained of their exclusion when the city negotiates lucrative financial deals. They are determined, however, to have a piece of the new D.C. United Stadium. On June 9, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) along with […]

Camp Moss Hollow Campers. Michael Shirley said the camp’s goal is to have about 80 to 100 children per week. (Updated 5/12/2015) Family Matters of Greater Washington gives local children, primarily those coming from low-income households, the chance to experience life away from the District through Camp Moss Hollow. According to the Family Matters site, […]

Melissa Sherrod is the vice president for corporate affairs at Exelon. (AFRO File Photo) Exelon executives recently pushed back against criticism of their pending merger with D.C. utility provider Pepco. Melissa Sherrod, the vice president for corporate affairs at Exelon, told the AFRO on June 4 that much of the negative talk in the District by some […]

Radio Personality Cheryl Jackson. (Courtesy Photo) Cheryl Jackson, a major voice in gospel music, will celebrate 25 years in the industry in a concert with fellow musicians including Karen Clark Sheard and Vashawn Mitchell on June 20. Jackson, the midday host at Praise 104.1 in Washington, D.C. and Praise 106.1 in Baltimore, said the event will […]