Congressman Kweisi Mfume (Courtesy Photo) By Congressman Kweisi Mfume Special to the AFRO How Did We Get to This Place?—Too often we are forced to ask ourselves this question of the criminal justice system. Consider the recent case of Ms. Gwen Levi. As you may recall, Gwen Levi is a 76-year-old grandmother who lives in […]
Category: OPINION
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I swear America will be America to me
Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead (Courtesy Photo) By Dr. Kaye Whitehead Special to the AFRO “America,” Langston Hughes once wrote, “never was America to me. And yet I swear this oath—America will be!” What will it take, I often wonder, for America, the land of the oppressed, home of racist cowards, to be America to me? […]
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Vernon Jordan on Whitney M. Young Jr.: One visionary warrior pays tribute to another
In This Jan. 27, 1998 file photo, Vernon Jordan, long-time confidant of President Clinton, leaves his home in Washington. Jordan, who rose from humble beginnings in the segregated South to become a champion of civil rights before reinventing himself as a Washington insider and corporate influencer, died Tuesday, March 2, 2021, according to a statement […]
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#WordinBlack: Why I’ll be cheering extra hard during these Olympics
(Photo by Charles Deluvio/Unsplash) by Larry Lee Publisher, Sacramento Observer I absolutely love the Summer Olympics. Growing up, I ran, jumped and played, emulating some of my favorite American Olympians of the era such as Carl Lewis, “Sugar” Ray Leonard, Michael Jordan, Edwin Moses and Jackie Joyner-Kersee. For those reasons alone, I am glued to the […]
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Critical race theory, aliens and domestic pranksters
Derrick Bell (Courtesy photo) By Wayne Dawkins Special to the AFRO Thirty years ago, there was an HBO movie titled “Comic Slop” that included a wicked segment, “Space Traders.” Aliens entered earth’s atmosphere and broadcast this message to America: We will clean up your pollution and balance your budgets if you give us something valuable […]
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Pandemic problems of food insecurity are not over
Dr. John Warren is publisher of the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint. (Courtesy photo) By Dr. John E. Warren Publisher, The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint There are still families and individuals in our community who do not have enough to eat each day. While some food distribution has slowed down, the needs are still […]
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Board of Appeals stops Red Maple Place
The Baltimore County Board of Appeals stopped the controversial Red Maple Place Development in Historic East Towson. (Courtesy photo) Will Schwarz President, Maryland Lynching Memorial Project Special to the AFRO I am writing to tell you about an important development in the ongoing saga of the proposed Red Maple Place project in Towson. Earlier today, the […]
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Unwavering Cuban resilience despite human rights violations by Cuban and U.S. governments
DaQuan Lawrence is a global human rights advocate and scholar activist. (Courtesy photo) DaQuan Lawrence Special to the AFRO Thousands of Cuban citizens rallied, July 11, in cities across the island, including Havana, Holguin Province and Santiago de Cuba, seeking to hold the Cuban government accountable for decades of authoritarian leadership and several human rights […]
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Whitewashing history and suppressing voters go hand in hand
Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and People For the American Way Foundation. (Courtesy Photo) By Ben Jealous There’s been a lot of news about the Democratic legislators in Texas who fled the state to prevent Republicans from pushing through sweeping new voter suppression laws. Gov. Greg Abbott has threatened […]
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An Update on President Joe Biden’s Promise to ‘Have our Backs’
By Congressman James E. Clyburn (D-SC) House Majority Whip (NNPA Newswire) — July 20, 2021, marked six months that Joseph R. Biden has been president. When I endorsed Joe Biden for President in January 2020, I said, “We know Joe, but most importantly, Joe knows us.” In his remarks following the endorsement, Joe Biden pledged […]
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#WordInBlack: Haitians can no longer hide behind the caste system killing our country
Our family’s multi-color bond was the exception, not the rule in Haiti. (Photograph by Patrice S Dorsainville on Unsplash) By Garry Pierre-Pierre The Haitian Times My mother’s side of the family came from Miragoâne, the coastal southern city whose economy was bauxite. We have a range of hues across the skin color spectrum — from my […]
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Mental health in sports: how the new generation is changing the game
After prioritizing her own sanity, Naomi Osaka is one of the athletes helping to bring mental health to the forefront of athletic and health conversations (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill, File) By Malcolm Lemmons Special to the AFRO There are no “ifs, ands or buts about it:” 23 year-old Naomi Osaka is a once-in-a-generation tennis star. The […]
