Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith (Courtesy Photo) By Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith “Momma! I’m through.” This was the cry of a mother’s child, George Floyd, during the last moments of his life as an officer knelt on his neck. One of the witnesses to this was a nine-year-old girlchild after she bought snacks at a nearby store […]
Category: OPINION
Posted inBaltimore Community
Commentary: More red light cameras cause more ‘pain and suffering’
(By Theo Fitzhugh_Shutterstock) By Sylvia Harris and Bill Goodin We are writing to you to address a major issue that affects many of the citizens throughout Baltimore City. We, the citizens, have found ourselves faced with something as never before. We are faced with a pandemic that has left many citizens homeless, jobless and hungry […]
Posted inOPINION
Op-ed: HBCUs will shape the future of politics
Fanta Traore, Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman, and Sandile Hlatshwayo (Courtesy Photo) By Fanta Traore, Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman, and Sandile Hlatshwayo On January 21, 2021, history was made. Senator Kamala Harris was sworn in as the first Black, Asian-American, and woman vice president ever—identities she proudly and adeptly holds collectively. Shortly following the inauguration, Janelle Jones, former […]
Posted inOPINION
Letter to the Editor: D.C. needs to be a state
Submitted by Nathaniel Russell To the Editor: No taxation without representation. It’s one of the key reasons why America fought for its independence. So why do we continue to tax Washington, D.C. residents without giving them proper representation in Congress? The population of D.C. is comparable to the populations of entire states like Alaska, Wyoming, […]
Posted inOPINION
Op-ed: Communities of color and other buyers, beware of bold promises from health insurers
By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought issues of healthcare equity to the forefront of discussions of racial justice. Even when controlling for factors like age and income, communities of color have been much more severely impacted that white Americans. A recent report by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that “older […]
Posted inOPINION
Op-ed: Finishing The Road Paved
By Brittany Young If you watched Lovecraft Country this summer, you might have wondered why the woman riding her motorcycle on the side of Tik’s car was significant. That woman was Bessie Stringfield: the first Black woman inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, the beauty behind what we now call stunt riding, and the […]
Posted inOPINION
Op-ed: D.C. Statehood is a voting rights issue… and racial justice issue
Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and People For the American Way Foundation. (Courtesy Photo) By Ben Jealous Washington, D.C. has a higher percentage of Black residents than any state in the country, and they have no voting representation in Congress. This is systemic racism in action. It is long […]
Posted inOPINION
Commentary: Lady Day, “Strange Fruit” and the Test of Time
Carole Boston Weatherford (Courtesy Photo) By Carole Boston Weatherford Lady Day, “Strange Fruit” and the Test of Time When Billie Holiday released “Strange Fruit” in 1939, Time magazine panned the song. But not before dissing the 24-year-old singer. The music critic went from body-shaming her for not dieting to claiming that she chose the song […]
Posted inOPINION
Alarms blare for change in American policing
Caron Nazario just before he is pepper sprayed by police in Virginia. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) By Wayne Dawkins Special to the AFRO As we anxiously and skeptically awaited the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial, if there ever were alarms for a generational change in American policing, consider a handful of flashpoints this week: […]
Posted inCommentary
Op-ed: Justice done for George Floyd: We shall breathe
(Photo Courtesy/MSNBC) By Dr. Zekeh S. Gbotokuma Former U.S. Secretary James Baker once said that where one stands on issues is a function of where one sits. Those who occupy front seats and those whose seats are in the Oval Office are expected to lead by example and take a clear stand, especially during critical […]
Posted inNEWS
Observations from a long, consequential trial
By Mary Moriarty, Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder I was asked by a journalist what the Derek Chauvin verdict means to this city. After pausing briefly, I said, “Everything.” Many, especially in the Black community, have never seen accountability in the criminal legal system for White officers who kill Black men. And many still believe there will be […]
Posted inStop Killing Us
Editorial: The Verdict, The Nation, and Us
Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher, CEO San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper (Courtesy Photo) By Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher, The San Diego Voice and Viewpoint The conviction of Derek Chauvin on all three counts in the death of George Floyd represents a much needed breeze of change, but it is neither the storm or […]
