The Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. will lie in state at the South Carolina State House on March 2, following a decision by Governor Henry McMaster to honor the Greenville, S.C. native and civil rights leader. The state-level tribute follows a dispute in Washington after House Speaker Mike Johnson denied a request for Jackson’s casket to lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol. A memorial caravan is currently traveling from Chicago to Columbia, South Carolina, where public and private services will be held to honor Jackson’s lifelong legacy of activism and political influence.
Category: U.S. Government
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Activists, politicians and celebrities hold alternatives to State of the Union address
In a historic display of legislative dissent, a coalition of more than 80 lawmakers bypassed the official presidential address to convene an “alternative union” on the National Mall, framing their absence as a rejection of executive rhetoric. The atmosphere inside the Capitol remained volatile, punctuated by the forced removal of a congressman protesting racial imagery and verbal clashes over the domestic consequences of immigration enforcement.
Posted inPOLITICS
US president says he’ll raise tariffs to 15 percent after unfavorable Supreme Court ruling
The 47th U.S. president announced plans to raise a newly proposed global tariff to 15 percent, just one day after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down many of his previous import taxes as unconstitutional. Despite the ruling, No. 47 signaled he will pursue alternative legal avenues to continue imposing tariffs, while Democrats criticized the move as harmful to American consumers.
Posted inNational News
Video evidence undercuts ICE accounts in multiple recent shootings
Federal authorities are investigating two immigration officers accused of making untruthful statements under oath in a January 2026 Minneapolis shooting after video evidence contradicted their account. The case is the latest in a series of at least five incidents in which initial descriptions by immigration officials were later challenged or undermined by video footage, leading to dismissed charges and heightened scrutiny.
Posted inCongressional Black Caucus (CBC)
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation kicks off 50th anniversary year
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation has launched a yearlong celebration of its 50th anniversary under the theme “Rooted. Ready. Rising,” highlighting five decades of work advancing equity, leadership development and policy solutions for Black communities. The milestone will feature signature events, service initiatives in 50 cities, mini legislative conferences, and recognition of the AVOICE digital archive, all culminating in the Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., in September.
Posted inEducation
Ed. Dept. dismissed 90 percent of discrimination cases, report says
A Government Accountability Office report found that the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights dismissed about 90 percent of discrimination complaints in 2025 after the Trump administration laid off nearly half its staff. Advocates warn the cuts have left students unprotected, allowed serious cases of racial and disability discrimination to go unresolved, and cost taxpayers up to $38 million while employees were paid but barred from working.
Posted inMaryland Government
Moore calls White House snub ‘blatant disrespect’
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, the nation’s only Black governor, said the White House disinvited him from the annual bipartisan National Governors Association dinner, calling the move disrespectful and partisan. The 47th president’s administration limited the event to Republican governors, a break from longstanding tradition that NGA leaders criticized as undermining cooperation.
Posted inNAACP
NAACP condemns racist social media post shared by president
The 47th president of the United States shared a video on social media depicting former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as monkeys, which was met with widespread criticism from both Republicans and Democrats.
Posted inBaltimore News
Hundreds protest ICE raids, condition of local federal building used to hold immigrants
By Tashi McQueenAFRO Staff Writer On Jan. 30 protestors gathered in downtown Baltimore, Minneapolis and cities nationwide to oppose the violent immigration raids and recent deaths at the hands of agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Border Patrol and other federal agencies. In Baltimore, the march and rally came as legislators and […]
Posted inNational News
Judge blocks 47th president’s administration from ending protections for Haitians
By Luis Andres HenaoThe Associated Press SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (AP) — A federal judge on Feb. 2 blocked the Trump administration from ending temporary protections that have allowed roughly 350,000 Haitians to live and work in the U.S. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington granted a request to pause the termination of temporary protected status […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
Ending tax refunds by check speeds payments, but what about people without bank accounts?
By Beverly MoranThe Conversation More than 6 million Americans receive paper tax refund checks annually. Often, those refunds go to purchase groceries or pay the bills. But this year, those taxpayers may be surprised to learn that the paper check they’re waiting for no longer exists. That’s because of executive order 14247, which President Donald […]
Posted inU.S. Government
Senate passes government funding deal backed by Oval Office, sending to House
The Senate approved a stopgap funding deal to keep most of the federal government running through September, with a two-week extension for Homeland Security funding as lawmakers debate new limits on federal immigration raids. The bipartisan agreement, backed by the White House, comes amid public outrage over fatal encounters involving federal agents and sets up a contentious House vote that could still trigger a brief shutdown.