Kevin Lamár Peterman, 32, has been installed as pastor of Washington, D.C.’s historic Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, signaling a broader rise of young Black clergy leading major congregations rooted in social justice. His installation reflects a national shift as millennial pastors take the reins of historic churches and adapt their ministries to a digital, turbulent era.
Category: Word In Black
Posted inEditorial
This Christmas, don’t let our elders be the last ones noticed
This Christmas, make sure to include and honor the elders in your family by listening to their stories, inviting them to contribute to conversations and decisions, and showing them appreciation with small gifts.
Posted inReligion
A pastor wants Black men praying together at sunrise
Amid widespread calls for spiritual renewal, Bishop Kenneth O. Robinson Jr. is urging Black men worldwide to unite in prayer at sunrise on Dec. 1. The 6 a.m. call-in gathering aims to spark revival, foster accountability, and strengthen men’s leadership in families, churches, and communities through DreamLife Worship Center.
Posted inTechnology
Inside Black Education Station, a streaming platform where Black kids see themselves
Black Education Station provides young Black children with safe, culturally-relevant educational content designed to build confidence, self-esteem and pride in their identities. The platform is entirely Black-owned, Black-led and independent, ensuring its programming remains free from corporate or government influence.
Posted inWord In Black
Activists: ‘We Ain’t Buying it’ this Thanksgiving weekend
By Shernay WilliamsWord in Black “History has already shown us that pulling our dollars hits harder than any speech, any march, any protest ever could,” says content creator Ashley B, in an Instagram video. She’s part of a growing coalition of community organizers, pastors and political engagement groups calling for a mass boycott ahead of […]
Posted inReligion
Viral TikTok: Will Black or White churches feed a hungry baby?
A veteran and mother of an 8-year-old, Nikalie Monroe launched a TikTok experiment during the government shutdown, posing as an impoverished mom seeking infant formula after SNAP benefits ran out. Her recordings of how various churches responded went viral — and after one compassionate Appalachian church stepped up, it received more than $90,000 in donations from around the world.
Posted inObituaries
Remembering Wallace “Jack” Jackman: A life of leadership, laughter and legacy
Wallace “Jack” Jackman, longtime co-publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, is remembered for his visionary leadership, community-building spirit and the warmth and humor that defined his life. A mentor, connector and modernizer of the MSR, he leaves behind a powerful legacy carried forward by his family and the many lives he touched.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Jackman family
Posted inWord In Black
When ‘life is life-ing,’ this newsletter helps Black women be free
By Aaron FoleyWord in Black Every Friday, Joanne Griffith tries to get the world a little more unstuck. Her newsletter, “The Get Free Guide,” implores its readers — who are increasingly becoming evangelists, but more on that shortly — to do just that. The methods, like the one she dropped in the September newsletter, can […]
Posted inWord In Black
Fewer Black students missing school as attendance slowly rebounds
Chronic absenteeism in U.S. K–12 schools is gradually declining, and a new EdTrust report suggests rates could be cut in half within five years if states continue expanding early interventions, tutoring, and wraparound supports. The improvements are especially significant for Black students, who remain disproportionately affected but are seeing progress as states adopt data-driven strategies and invest in student well-being.
Posted inPolitics
We are the resistance: Black America and the fight for the future
One year into the 47th U.S. presidency, Black leaders across the nation are sounding the alarm and mobilizing communities to resist what they describe as an unprecedented assault on civil rights, democracy, and Black progress. From mayors to activists, their message is unified: survival and victory will depend on collective power, courage, and an unwavering commitment to protect and uplift Black America.
Posted inWord In Black
Compassion has left the building
By Dr. Frances Murphy DraperAFRO CEO and Publisher As Americans worry whether they’ll get their next paycheck, keep the lights on, or afford dinner tonight, an internal email dated October 31, 2025, from the halls of the U.S. Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense) lands — addressed to “Policy Colleagues,” wishing them a […]
Posted inWord In Black
Judge orders Feds to use emergency funds to keep SNAP afloat
A federal judge in Rhode Island has ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use emergency funds to keep SNAP running just hours before its funding was set to expire. The ruling averts an immediate crisis for the 40 million Americans who rely on the program — including one in four Black households. Without SNAP, experts warn, many children would face hunger and struggle to focus and learn in school.