By Patrick Washington, Word in Black In the last month of 2022, The United States hosted the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. The goal of this summit was to expand relations between the U.S. and the continent of Africa. Well, really, it’s because China is kicking ass in diplomatic, economic, and virtually every other major area in Africa’s […]
Category: OPINION
Posted inCommentary
On Martin Luther King Jr.’s national holiday, the time is always right to do what is right
By Maxine Johnson Wood, Ed.D., Special to the AFRO Martin Luther King Jr.’s national holiday was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983. It was first observed in 1985, and has remained significant in that only one other American–George Washington– has been honored in this way. The annual observance provides opportunities for diverse […]
Posted inEditorial
Editorial submission by Congresswoman Alma Adams
By Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D., North Carolina’s 12th Congressional District. Being the first is a solemn responsibility. I would know as the first Black woman elected to the Greensboro City School Board, and as the first Black woman to represent Charlotte and the Piedmont in Congress. When you’re the first woman, first African American, […]
Posted inOPINION
Letter to the editor: It’s more than just a Parade
By Michael Eugene Johnson The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G Baltimore, MD 21202 or fax to 1-877-570-9297 or e-mail to editor@afro.com Help us Continue to tell OUR Story and join the AFRO family […]
Posted inCommentary
Removing barriers, reducing diabetes risk for African Americans in Baltimore
By John Hopkins Medicine and University of Maryland Medical Center According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diabetes in the U.S. is more prevalent than ever, with Type 2 diabetes affecting 90-95 percent of Americans with diabetes. And in the African-American community, its impact is even more pronounced. In 2018, Black adults were […]
Posted inCommentary
A portrait to inspire: why symbols matter and how a portrait of a civil rights pioneer will serve as a source of hope
By Sen. William Smith The paramount strength of our state is our rich-growing diversity, and if we are to leverage that strength, we must act and think inclusively. The people we elect and the symbols we choose to surround ourselves with are critical to fostering such an inclusive environment. As Chair of the Judicial Proceedings […]
Posted inOPINION
Ready for our Earth shot
By Ben Jealous As we greet 2023, I’m feeling more than the typical seasonal optimism. America is primed once again for a historic achievement, call it our “Earth shot.” In the 1960s and early 1970s, the United States spent the current dollar equivalent of just under $300 billion on “landing a man on the moon […]
Posted inOPINION
EPIPHANY AND UNSUNG PATRIOTISM: A Tribute to the Republican Leaders in the War on Trumpocracy and Our Collective Struggle to Rescue Democracy in the USA
By Dr. Zekeh S. Gbotokuma According to the Christian tradition, January 6 is the day of ‘Epiphany,’ or “manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi” (Matthew 2: 1-12). Epiphany is the official end the Christmas time. The term also means, “a manifestation of a divine or supernatural being” (Oxford Languages). […]
Posted inNational News
TBE# 1 – A failure to prosecute Trump would be a failure of justice of historic proportions
By Marc H. Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League “Saving American democracy for the long run requires a clear condemnation of the Trump presidency. That means making clear that no one is above the law … Presidents also need a clear message, one that will echo through history, that breaking the law in the […]
Posted inOPINION
ONE NATION, INDIVISIBLE
By Ben Jealous It strikes me that the days we’re living through represent a metaphor for our national dilemma. January 6th and the weight of history that date carries are in the rearview mirror, at least on the calendar. Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream still is on the horizon. America’s existential challenge is […]
Posted inOpinion
Op-ed: The insensitivity of speculation when someone dies by suicide
By ReShonda Tate By now you have heard of the unfortunate passing of dance star Stephen “Twitch” Boss, who took his own life in Encino, California. last week. The social media mental health specialists are out in full effect. And it’s nauseating. I have read so many comments of people saying things like “something seems […]
Posted inCommentary
Ask Rusty: Will my wife’s benefit change my claiming decision?
By Russell Gloor, AMAC and AMAC Foundation Dear Rusty: I’ll be 69 in April 2023, and my wife will be 59 later this month. I’m still working and am trying to determine whether I should take Social Security at 69 or 70. My main question revolves around my wife’s future Social Security benefits and how […]