By Ashleigh FieldsAFRO Assistant Editorafields@afro.com C-suite executives, students and leaders from around the country gathered at the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture on Feb. 22 to celebrate the fifth anniversary of JPMorgan Chase’s Advancing Black Pathways program. The initiative was created in 2019, sparking corporate efforts to address racial economic injustices. “For […]
Category: Washington D.C. News
AFRO inside look: D.C. Fashion Week 2024
By Layla Eason, Special to the AFRO D.C. Fashion Week (DCFW) returned for the 20th year during Autumn/Winter fashion season where many emerging designers presented their newest lines. The events were held from Feb. 23-25 in various locations throughout D.C. during the three days of programming. Over the years, DCFW has created a platform that […]
AFRO spotlight on Black excellence: Peter Bug Shoe Academy, fixing souls and soles
By Mennatalla Ibrahim, Special to the AFRO As the sun sets in the nation’s capital, painting the sky vibrant shades of reds and purples, John “Peter Bug” Matthews stands proudly outside his historic shoe shop on Capitol Hill. Even on his day off, Matthews is at the shop on his own, tirelessly repairing shoes for […]
Supreme Court to decide if cities can punish homelessness
By Lisa WoelfCapital News Service More homeless people than ever sleep on the streets. The U.S. Supreme Court will decide if local governments can punish homeless people who sleep or camp outside when no shelter beds are available, or if such laws violate the Eighth Amendment’s protection against cruel and unusual punishment. The issue came […]
Anacostia Community Museum prepares to unveil ‘A Bold and Beautiful Vision’
By Michayla Maxwell, Special to the AFRO Just weeks into the new year, the Anacostia Community Museum is ready to celebrate the opening of its new 2024 exhibition. The Anacostia Community Museum will be opening “A Bold and Beautiful Vision: A Century of Black Arts Education in Washington D.C.,1900-2000” on March 23. This exhibit will […]
DOJ inspector general exposes critical failures in federal prisons leading to inmate deaths
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent, @StacyBrownMedia (NNPA NEWSWIRE) – A scathing report released by the Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz unveiled a disturbing pattern of operational and managerial deficiencies within the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), shedding light on the alarming rate of inmate deaths. The report, […]
Meet Cedi Johnson: The artist taking the fashion world by storm
By Sabreen Dawud, Special to the AFRO As a clothing designer and style expert with over 40 years in the fashion industry, Cedi Johnson, of Cedi Collection has contributed to fashion in more ways than one. A Detroit native who is now based in Washington, D.C., Johnson began developing the Cedi Collection brand in the […]
Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum celebrates Women’s History Month 2024 with inaugural digital exhibition and new initiatives
By Black PR Wire (Black PR Wire) – The Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum has announced an exciting lineup of new initiatives for Women’s History Month March 2024 that will further the museum’s mission to make women’s history more visible. These initiatives mark an important step as the museum enters the next phase of research […]
Black unemployment hit record low in 2023, Black wealth up 60 percent
By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer, msayles@afro.com In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world, Black unemployment peaked at 16.8 percent in the U.S. Now, White House officials have reported that 2023 was the lowest year for Black joblessness on record. It currently sits at 5.3 percent. Officials say the recovery was jump […]
GWU Hospital lays off over 60 staff members
By Gene Lambey, Special to the AFRO George Washington University Hospital (GWUH), located in downtown D.C. on the campus of George Washington University, cut 60 employment positions and laid off over a dozen nurses on Jan. 31. The hospital’s parent company, Universal Health Services (UHS), oversees numerous hospitals across the country and is responsible for […]
AFRO readers weigh in on love and standing the test of time
By Ama Y. Brown, AFRO Editorial Assistant “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes […]
Howard University’s Ice Skating Club offers 10-week program for community
By Ariyana Griffin Special to the AFRO Howard University’s Ice Skating Club has created a 10-week program for community members who want to learn the sport. Howard is the first HBCU to have an intercollegiate ice skating team in the country with the goal of diversifying the figure skating industry. In February, the team is taking […]

