Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw is the executive director of the African American Policy Forum (AAPF), a leading organization in the Freedom to Learn Network. In this column she discusses the advocacy needed to combat the 47th president’s attempts to erase African American history.
Tag: Donald Trump
Posted inPOLITICS
The Smithsonian PURGE: 47th president’s team removes artifacts of Black resistance
White House officials are reportedly dismantling key Smithsonian exhibits on African-American history—beginning with the Woolworth’s lunch counter sit-in—sparking outrage from civil rights leaders. Critics, including Rep. Alma Adams and Rev. Dr. Amos Brown, denounce the move as an attempt to erase painful truths of America’s past under the guise of eliminating “improper ideology.”
Posted inNational News
Harvard sues 47th president’s administration to stop the freeze of more than $2 billion in grants
Harvard University has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the White House’s freeze on over $2.2 billion in research grants, calling the move unconstitutional and politically motivated retaliation for the university’s refusal to curb campus activism. The lawsuit argues that the government’s demands—including changes to leadership, admissions, and student clubs—threaten academic freedom and violate civil rights protections.
Posted inU.S. Government
Student loans in default to be referred to debt collection, Education Department says
Starting May 5, the Education Department will resume collections on federal student loans in default — including wage garnishment and withholding of government payments — ending a pause in enforcement that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. The move, announced by the current administration, affects over 5 million borrowers and has sparked criticism amid ongoing confusion and hardship caused by shifting student loan policies.
Posted inOPINION
At the threshold: Why the D.C. Bar election matters for the future of legal integrity in America
The 2025 election for President-Elect of the D.C. Bar Association, though under the radar, could significantly influence the ethical direction of the legal profession during a time of heightened political pressure. As concerns about impartiality and the politicization of justice grow, the leadership of the Bar stands as a critical safeguard for legal independence and public trust.
Posted inMoney
From debt to success: Lamar Laing’s journey
Lamar Laing, CEO and founder of Copiafy, turned his struggles with debt and poor credit into a mission to empower Black Americans with financial literacy and resources. Through Copiafy, an online platform, he provides tools for setting financial goals and tracking bills and credit report disputes.
Posted inWord In Black
College inclusion, equity and diversity probes undermine high school success
By Quintessa WilliamsWord in Black When the Department of Education announced in March that they would investigate admissions practices at 50 of the nation’s elite colleges and universities, it declared that school equity, diversity and inclusion policies exclude qualified White and Asian college-bound students from campus. Implied but not stated in the directive, experts say, […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: ‘Leave Now.’ Deportation emails, the delayed military report, and the dangerous rise of executive power
In April 2025, the Department of Homeland Security sent mass emails to thousands of immigrants, warning them to leave the U.S. within seven days or face removal—part of a broader, escalating strategy under the Trump administration to instill fear, provoke self-deportation, and test constitutional limits. While the Supreme Court has temporarily paused the removals, the administration continues advancing a militarized, legally dubious agenda targeting vulnerable communities and reshaping immigration enforcement through executive force.
Posted inNational News
Students at Florida State gather at memorials, prepare to retrieve belongings after deadly shooting
A shooting near Florida State University’s student union left two men dead and six others injured after a 20-year-old student, Phoenix Ikner, opened fire with a handgun he obtained from his mother, a sheriff’s deputy. The tragedy shocked the campus and reignited debate over gun access, prompting vigils, memorials and the cancellation of university events.
Posted inPolitics
The list of targets in the crosshairs for No. 47’s retribution grows
The White House announced on April 17 that the administration is targeting the tax-exempt status of advocacy groups like Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), environmental organizations and elite universities, escalating a campaign critics say aims to punish political opponents. Advocacy leaders warn that this unprecedented use of executive power threatens to chill civil society and undermine essential democratic institutions.
Posted inU.S. Government
Sen. Van Hollen is fighting for a disappeared father—and for all of us
Sen. Chris Van Hollen traveled to El Salvador to seek justice for Kilmar Ábrego García, a Maryland father who was apprehended and imprisoned without due process under Trump-era policies targeting Black and Brown communities. Denied access and proof of life, Van Hollen’s visit highlights growing concerns over unconstitutional detentions and the potential expansion of secret prison systems for marginalized Americans abroad.
Posted inOPINION
Civics in context: What JFK’s legacy teaches us about voting and values
James Jerome Hankins is a journalist, realtor, Veteran, past local NAACP president, retired 34-year shop teacher and 1971 graduate of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. This week, he discusses lessons that can be learned from the past.
