Category: Washington D.C. News

Former D.C. Mayor Marion Barry tweeted Valentine’s Day wishes on Feb. 14. “Happy Valentines Day DC! I’m going tb hugged up w/my boo 2night watching 1 of our fav shows #houseofcards. What r U doing 2day 4 ur boo? ;)” The tweet comes after news outlets reported this week that he had been rushed to […]

The District of Columbia is outpacing the nation in the percentage of African-American students that take and pass Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to data released by the College Board Feb. 11. Over 33 percent of Black students who take AP exams in the District achieve passing scores of 3 or higher, compared with 4.6 […]

Stephanie C. Hill did not grow up aspiring to a career in engineering. She loved math and had set her eyes on becoming an accountant. “In fact, I call myself an accidental engineer,” the 49-year-old told the AFRO with a laugh. Hill’s recognition as the 2014 Black Engineer of the Year is no accident, however. […]

The Ebenezer A.M.E. Church Poetry Ministry is hosting its annual Black History Month Poetry and Praise Open Mic, 6-8:30 p.m., Feb. 21. This year’s event will feature the Anointed P.E.N.S., and the Malcolm X Drummers. Selections will also be offered by featured psalmist, Miriam Wright as well as the Royal Priesthood of the Ebenezer Liturgical […]

At a recent Northern Virginia Urban League Guild (NVULG) meeting, members of the Xi Alpha Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity presented the organization a $3,000 check for its SAT initiative. The check was written from the chapter’s Ira Dorsey Scholarship Endowment Fund. The NVULG’s SAT Mentorship provides funds to help 100 minority students […]

It was a proud day for family members, friends, staff and educators as they stood to applaud the most recent graduating class of the YWCA National Capital Area’s Adult Education and Training program. The Feb. 8 commencement, held at the Next Step Public Charter School in northwest Washington, D.C., marked a milestone; the class of […]

Howard University College of Dentistry, in conjunction with the District of Columbia Dental Society and the American Dental Association hosted the national kickoff of Give Kids A Smile Day at the Northwest Washington school. Nearly 200 elementary school students from C.W. Harris and Kimball Elementary schools who may not otherwise have access to oral health […]

A District of Columbia program aimed at increasing the availability of affordable housing for city residents is showing signs of success, a government spokesman said. The Inclusionary Zoning program, based on legislation enacted in March 2007, requires that a certain percentage of units in a new development or a substantial rehabilitation project that expands an […]

A 24-year-old southeast D.C. man was arrested in the shooting death last month of 18-year-old Deangelo Gatling. The suspect, identified as David Washington, was arrested by members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force on Friday. According to charging documents released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, Washington was armed […]

The Rev. H. Beecher Hicks Jr. is stepping down as pastor of Metropolitan Baptist Church in the Shaw neighborhood of Northwest Washington, citing health problems as a key reason for his retirement. Hicks has served as pastor of Metropolitan Baptist for 37 years, making him one of the longest continuously-serving pastors in the District of […]

Howard University presented “A Mandela Day” Symposium on Feb. 11. The event, held in the Browsing Room of Founders Library, celebrated the day the late South African president was released from prison on Robben Island in 1990. The event culminated with a 7 p.m. jazz concert featuring trumpeter Hugh Masekela and pianist Larry Willis at […]

The White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (WHIHBCU) has announced its first class of HBCU All-Stars, recognizing 75 undergraduate, graduate and professional students for their accomplishments in academics, leadership and civic engagement. Currently enrolled at 62 HBCUs, the All-Stars were selected from 445 students who submitted completed applications that included a transcript, […]