By Dr. Frances “Toni” DraperAFRO Publisher and CEO “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give […]
Category: OPINION
Posted inCommentary
How the clean energy win in Michigan provides a roadmap for other states
By Ben Jealous If you live in Detroit or another part of Michigan where there’s a looming threat of bodily harm from fossil fuel pollution, it just got a little easier to breathe a sigh of relief … and to maintain your ability to breathe in general. The historic Clean Energy Future Package and Clean […]
Posted inCommentary
The indisputable importance of Black fathers
By Walter Fields Beginning in 1954, America’s conception of a “good father” was through the lens of White patriarchy. Actor Robert Young’s portrayal of the fictional Jim Anderson in “Father Knows Best” established the defining qualities of an American father – White, middle class, white collar and hardworking, dominant and all-knowing. This typology was reinforced […]
Posted inWord In Black
Dear voters: Keep raising your voices in 2024
From the time I could talk, I was loud and opinionated, especially about the rights of those disenfranchised and pushed to the margins of society. Though not calling it democracy back then, I believed being heard by the powers-that-be would make a difference. My adamant pitch and passion was always met by opponents bent on […]
Posted inOPINION
We must work together to support HBCUs’ sustainability in America
By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. Earlier this year the U.S. Department of Education sent all colleges and universities across the nation a notice, reminding them that they need to comply with the newly updated cybersecurity regulations published by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The regulations – which include specifications such as implementing critical controls […]
Posted inColumnists
Saying goodbye to 2023: The good and the bad
By Ralph E. Moore Jr. Let’s see, we went from one war in Europe (Russia invading Ukraine) to another major war in the Middle East (Israel and Hamas) – twice the horror. Pope Francis and Rev. William Barber have been very clear moral leaders in opposition to these outbreaks of violence. On Christmas Day, Pope […]
Posted inOPINION
2023 year in review: the best and worst of times
Some of the biggest stories for Black people in the past year include issues much closer to home and our daily lives Retrospectives of the preceding year are not simply a recap. They are, in many ways, a forecast for what’s to come. If we don’t take the time to reflect on what’s gone before, […]
Posted inCommentary
What Kwanzaa means for Black Americans
By Frank DobsonThe Conversation On Dec. 26, millions throughout the world’s African community will start weeklong celebrations of Kwanzaa. There will be daily ceremonies with food, decorations and other cultural objects, such as the kinara, which holds seven candles. At many Kwanzaa ceremonies, there is also African drumming and dancing. It is a time of […]
Posted inCommentary
Civilians are dying in the Israel-Hamas conflict-what should Biden do?
By Farrah Hassen “If I must die, you must live to tell my story,” wrote Dr. Refaat Alareer, a 44-year-old Gazan poet and literature professor. A few weeks later, Alareer was killed while sheltering in his sister’s apartment, along with six family members. In the densely populated Gaza Strip, the loss of life is staggering. […]
Posted inOPINION
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals gets it right on Maryland gun ownership
By Andrellos Mitchell There shall be no abridgment of the Second Amendment right to bear arms. Period! On Nov. 21 a federal appeals court struck down Maryland’s licensing requirements for handgun owners, citing a 2022 landmark ruling by the conservative-majority US Supreme Court. Maryland’s Firearm Safety Act of 2013, passed in the wake of the […]
Posted inCommentary
The time is now for an immediate cease-fire
Why peace In The Middle East could avert a regional crisis By Michael A. Grant, J.D. During the late 1970’s, I went to work for the Carter Administration in the press office of Health and Human Services Secretary Joseph Califano. While our agency was focused primarily on domestic issues, one of President Carter’s all-consuming objectives […]
Posted inCommentary
Overcoming the oil and gas industry’s influence at COP28
By Ben Jealous Frederick Douglass said, “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” Those of us with history in the civil rights movement know that taking on entrenched power and changing the status quo requires dogged tenacity and seizing key moments to break down barriers. The United Nations COP28 […]