By Crystal Coache Picture this: after hours of contractions, listening to the sound of multiple beeping heart monitors, the breathless he-he-whhhhooooo’s, and constant poking and prodding from nurses, you finally give birth and your doctor looks up at you and says, “Congratulations! You’ve just been babied!” Actually, you don’t need to use your imagination. Recently, […]
Category: OPINION
Posted inOpinion
Gov. Moore’s veto of SB 459 misses the reality of modern local media
Rebecca Snyder, executive director of the MDDC Press Association, argues that Gov. Wes Moore’s veto of SB 459 undermines Maryland’s local news ecosystem by overlooking the reach, sophistication and community impact of local media outlets. The commentary is accompanied by a statement from AFRO leadership noting that the publication has served as a trusted paper of record for many in the African American community for 134 years and continues to reach audiences through a modern, multi-platform media operation.
Posted inWord In Black
Shame about being abused silenced me–now, I’m speaking up
Survivor of intimate partner violence shares her story to break the shame and silence surrounding IPV. Black women are disproportionately affected.
Posted inOPINION
Rising hardship withdrawals signal financial stress among US workers
Hardship withdrawals from retirement accounts are increasing, with 6% of U.S. workers affected, and disproportionately impacting Black and Hispanic households due to the racial wealth divide.
Posted inEditorial
Whose pain counts?
By Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper The most dangerous bias in the media today is not necessarily partisan bias. Most Americans already expect that. Conservatives expect liberal slants. Progressives expect conservative framing. We have almost become numb to ideological spin. What is far more troubling is a different kind of bias: the quiet, subtle, deeply ingrained […]
Posted inOPINION
Extraordinary power of Black America: What the evidence actually shows
Black Americans have demonstrated remarkable political power in recent American elections, shaping two Democratic presidential nominations and resulting presidencies, and this power can be further amplified by investing in educational achievement, family stability, and economic self-determination.
Posted inCommentary
Church leadership urged to review outdated agreements for legal clarity
A pastor and his senior deacon discovered that an old agreement to provide retirement payments to the former pastor was not legally enforceable, costing the church $180,000 in unnecessary payments over a decade.
Posted inCommentary
Uncovering the legacy of Maj. Charity Adams and her all-Black battalion
By Dante R. Brizill In 2024, many Americans were introduced to the legendary “Six Triple Eight” for the first time through Tyler Perry’s movie of the same name. The inspirational story of these amazing women who sorted the mail during World War II, captured the attention and imagination of millions. Within the story we met […]
Posted inOPINION
From revolution to distraction: What changed?
By Bill Curtis If, today, say, I was born, say, after the period of 1989 to 1995, then I would find it difficult to even think, believe or imagine that Black people lived such conviction like an Angela Davis in the quote where she says, “Revolution is a serious thing, the most serious thing about […]
Posted inOPINION
What we do now
The Voting Rights Act: Part Four of a Five-Part Series The federal path is largely closed. The maps are being redrawn right now. Here is what’s left, who is already fighting, and what it is going to take. By Portia WoodSpecial to the AFRO I’m a lawyer. I’m not going to tell you there are […]
Posted inOPINION
The 60-year project to kill it
Attorney Portia Wood traces a six-decade legal campaign to dismantle the Voting Rights Act, arguing that Supreme Court decisions from Shelby County v. Holder to Louisiana v. Callais systematically weakened protections against racial discrimination in voting and redistricting. She contends that the erosion of the law was deliberate, not accidental, and highlights the AFRO’s long-standing role in documenting the ongoing struggle for Black voting rights.
Posted inOPINION
Baltimore is investing—now our children deserve the results
Despite Baltimore’s high investment in public schools, student outcomes remain below average, indicating a need for greater accountability and transparency from the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners.
