By Dr. Marcus Anthony Hunter This summer, the United States will celebrate 250 years of independence. However, this is not the only anniversary to commemorate. February marks the 50th anniversary of Black History Month as it exists now, and 100 years of this recognition in some form. As we reflect on these milestones, the struggle […]
Category: OPINION
Posted inBlack History
Black history is in Maryland’s economic future
By Harry Coker Jr. Every February, we pause to celebrate Black History Month—a time to honor the giants upon whose shoulders we stand. Recently, during a visit to the Banneker-Douglas-Tubman Museum in Annapolis, and while walking past the future home of the AARCH African American Heritage Center in Frederick, I was reminded that Black history […]
Posted inOPINION
What Jesse Jackson’s legacy demands now
By Kamye Hugley Nowadays, political rhetoric is increasingly portraying civil rights protections as overcorrection and even unnecessary. But the legacy of civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, who died Feb. 17, is a reminder to the nation of a different understanding of justice—one that insisted that expanding equity strengthens democracy rather than diminishes it. Jackson spent […]
Posted inOPINION
Federal loan caps could shut a majority of Baltimore out of medicine – do local health systems care?
Historically, Black high schools like Frederick Douglass and Paul Laurence Dunbar shaped Baltimore’s workforce, but unequal pathways have long determined who entered medicine versus low-wage healthcare labor.
Posted inCommentary
Determined optimism: How small and mid-sized businesses can leverage and learn from the CIAA Tournament
Janet Currie, president of Bank of America, Greater Maryland, highlights how Baltimore’s small and mid-sized businesses can capitalize on the CIAA Tournament’s economic impact by boosting community engagement, tightening cash flow management and planning for succession. She emphasizes that supporting local businesses during CIAA week helps build and sustain generational wealth in the community.
Posted inOPINION
Spiritual homicide: The American president and the death of a nation’s conscience
By Rev. Stacy Swimp As a person of half-Nigerian heritage, I carry within me the Igbo philosophy that a person is only a person through their relationship with others. In this tradition, human dignity—Mmadụ—is not an individual possession but a communal bond; to insult one is to fracture the spirit of the whole. As we […]
Posted inOPINION
Beyond the deletion: Why 47 owes the Obamas and the public the truth
By Rev. Stacy Swimp On the night of Feb. 5, 2026, a video shared to President Trump’s Truth Social account depicted former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. This occurred during the first week of Black History Month, just days after a presidential proclamation praising the contributions of Black Americans. This […]
Posted inOPINION
Opinion: When a child pulls the trigger, the adult must face the consequences
Michael Eugene Johnson contends that accidental shootings involving children are preventable acts of adult negligence and should be treated as criminal offenses. He calls for stronger accountability and legal consequences to ensure firearms are properly secured and children are protected.
Posted inWord In Black
Commentary: When a Black newspaper goes quiet
The closure of the Richmond Free Press underscores the fragility of Black-owned newspapers, which provide culturally competent reporting, community accountability, and coverage that mainstream media often misses. The Black Press remains vital for civic engagement, equity, and sustaining local voices.
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: SNAP changes an opportunity to move from food assistance to food sovereignty
Bethany Johnson-Javois calls for communities and churches to respond to recent SNAP reductions by building local food systems rooted in ownership, collaboration and long-term stability.
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: Building shared infrastructure for Baltimore’s Black social economy
By Jamye Wooten For as long as I can remember, Black-led organizations in Baltimore have been doing extraordinary work with limited visibility, limited capital, and very little shared infrastructure to support them. From grassroots organizers and neighborhood nonprofits to mission-driven businesses and cultural workers, Black Baltimore has always generated solutions for itself. What we have […]
Posted inOPINION
This is a sankofa moment: What are we learning?
LaDon Love is the executive director of SPACEs in Action. This week she reflects on the current moment in history and needs to happen next.