By Aniya Greene, Special to the AFRO Washington, D.C. is set to transform into a sea of white on September 9 as the highly anticipated Le Dîner en Blanc descends upon the nation’s capital once again. This event, known for its alluring and secretive nature, promises an unforgettable evening of elegance and togetherness. It will […]
Category: Washington D.C. News
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Vice President Kamala Harris announces new federal supports for Black entrepreneurs and small businesses
By Deborah Bailey, AFRO Contributing Editor Vice President Kamala Harris is leading the charge to support underserved Black business across America. From the Sycamore and Oak small business retail incubator in Southwest D.C., Harris recently announced the Capital Readiness Program, a new $125 million federal initiative designed to help underserved entrepreneurs launch and scale small […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Frederick Douglass home re-opens historic doors after three-year hiatus
By Chrisleen Herard, Special to the AFRO Social reformer, abolitionist and former slave Frederick Douglass is most known for his speech entitled, “What to a slave is the Fourth of July?” His powerful words left a mark that extended past the meeting hall’s walls and throughout history, making the July 4, 2023 re-opening of the […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Phylicia Rashad steps down as Dean of Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts
By Deborah Bailey, AFRO Contributing Editor, dbailey@afro.com Phylicia Rashad, dean of Howard University’s Chadwick Boseman College of Fine Arts, is stepping down from her position at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year. Rashad, appointed by Howard University President Wayne A.I. Frederick in May 2021, shocked many as her resignation was announced just days before […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Students train for careers in public health informatics technology
By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer, msayles@afro.com The University of the District of Columbia (UDC), in partnership with Howard University (Howard), was chosen alongside nine other universities across the country to boost the public health informatics workforce in 2021. The universities were funded by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), […]
Posted in!Front Page
Economic inequity, gun violence and White supremacy key topics at 2023 March on Washington
Thousands of people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to continue the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, led 60 years ago by civil rights leaders seeking to make change on the human and civil rights front. The steps of the Lincoln Memorial overflowed with a myriad of citizens looking to “let freedom ring” in […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Tens of thousands expected for March on Washington’s 60th anniversary demonstration
By Aaron Morrison, AP National Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Martin Luther King III, along with his wife, Arndrea Waters King, and their 15-year-old daughter, Yolanda, have developed a set of traditions for this time of the year. Each August, they rewatch the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s rapturous address to the 1963 March on Washington […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
AFRO spotlight on Black excellence: a look at MahoganyBooks
By Tcherika Petit, Special to the AFRO Derrick and Ramunda Young opened the first book shop east of the Anacostia River since Pyramid Books closed in the 1990s. The shop, affectionately known as MahoganyBooks is named after their daughter and is targeted at empowering the Black community in Ward 8. “Our goal was to make […]
Posted in!Front Page
AFRO launches Digital Billboard Network
The AFRO is rolling out its latest digital media innovation, the Digital Billboard Network (DBN). With television screens featured across 10 host sites in the Randallstown and Owings Mills area, the DBN is the first effort of its kind in the state of Maryland. Onsite screens will feature original content from AFRO programs, including AFRO […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Ben’s Chili Bowl celebrates 65 years of excellence
By AFRO Staff Halfsmokes, hot chili and warm smiles flooded the U Street corridor on Aug. 22 as the Ali family celebrated 65 years of ownership at the D.C. franchise, Ben’s Chili Bowl. The married couple Ben and Virginia Ali founded the restaurant in 1958 and have sown seeds in the community as a staple […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
National Museum of African American History and Culture celebrates 50 years of Hip-Hop
By Karyn Cook, Special to the AFRO The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) hosted the second Hip-Hop Block Party on August 12. The museum held a day-long celebration of 50 years of hip-hop with performances, activities, and events for all ages. “This feels like homecoming,” DJ Marc Ifini told the crowd […]
Posted inBUSINESS
Meetings and events for National Black Business Month in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area
By Aria Brent, AFRO News Writer, abrent@afro.com August is National Black Business Month and organizations all across the D.C., Maryland and Virginia (DMV) area are hosting events in light of the occasion. According to the 2020 Census, cities such as Hampton, Va. and Baltimore are amongst 20 areas with the highest Black population in the […]
