Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott is now president of the African American Mayors Association. Read more about the selection and the organization’s recent conference in Washington, D.C. on AFRO.com.
Tag: Kweisi Mfume
Posted inNational News
Thousands honor Rev. Jesse Jackson’s life and legacy at Chicago homegoing
Thousands gathered at Chicago’s House of Hope on March 6 to celebrate the life and legacy of Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader who died Feb. 17 at age 84. Former presidents, national leaders and activists paid tribute to his lifelong fight for justice, voting rights and equality, urging a new generation to carry forward his message to “keep hope alive.”
Posted inBlack History
Autherine Lucy Foster’s courage opened doors at the University of Alabama
Autherine Lucy Foster became a civil rights pioneer when the University of Alabama rescinded her 1952 admission after learning she was Black. With legal backing from Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP, she won the right to enroll in 1956, but violent protests led to her suspension and expulsion. Decades later, the university reversed its decision, and Foster earned her master’s degree in 1991. She was later honored by Morgan State University for her role in desegregating higher education.
Posted inBaltimore News
What would Dr. King say? Three activists weigh in
As Black Americans face rollbacks of DEI initiatives, attacks on voting rights, economic inequality and efforts to erase history, three activists reflect on what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. might say today. They see his message as a call to organize, resist and use every available tool—votes, voices and collective power—to confront systemic injustice.
Posted inObituaries - Baltimore
Douglass Memorial holds funeral for 101-year-old Baltimore businessman, Herb Brown
Family and friends are still celebrating the life and legacy of Baltimore businessman Herb Brown. A funeral was recently held at Douglass Memorial Community Church to honor the remarkable life and legacy of the 101-year-old veteran.
Posted inBaltimore News
Maryland lawmakers lead opposition to president’s plan for National Guard in Baltimore
President Trump has signaled plans to deploy National Guard troops to Baltimore, though he has not specified when. Maryland leaders at every level say the move is unnecessary and warn it could jeopardize the city’s recent gains in reducing violent crime.
Posted inBaltimore News
Mayor Scott and Maryland’s Capitol Hill delegation address record lows in crime rates, fight against cuts in federal funding
Mayor Brandon Scott and members of Maryland’s congressional delegation gathered at Baltimore City Hall to highlight record-setting crime reductions and express unified opposition to looming federal funding cuts, including those affecting Medicaid and education. Officials praised the city’s public safety progress and pledged to fight against harmful budget decisions from the Trump administration that threaten vulnerable Baltimore communities.
Posted inBaltimore News
Morgan’s Spring Commencement highlights growth and excellence, legacy and leadership
Morgan State University celebrated one of its largest graduating classes during its 148th Spring Commencement, awarding 1,022 degrees and recognizing notable achievements including a record 60 doctoral candidates and the university’s first graduates in Mechatronics Engineering and Musical Theatre. Keynote speaker Thasunda Brown Duckett inspired graduates to pursue impactful leadership, while student and faculty honorees emphasized perseverance, legacy, and the transformative power of a Morgan education.
Posted inPOLITICS
Supreme Court blocks reinstatement of fired federal workers
The Supreme Court has blocked a lower court order that would have reinstated 16,000 federal workers fired under the Trump administration—many of whom are Black and based in Maryland, where the federal workforce is a major economic engine. Critics say the mass firings, which bypassed legal protections for probationary employees, disproportionately harm minority communities and threaten the integrity of federal agencies. Lawmakers and advocacy groups have vowed to continue challenging what they call politically motivated and discriminatory terminations.
Posted inBaltimore News
Funeral arrangements announced for Armstead B.C. Jones, director of Baltimore City Elections
By AFRO Staff Funeral arrangements have now been announced for longtime Baltimore City Board of Elections Director Armstead Bernard Crawley Jones Sr. A viewing will take place on April 11 from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Saint Paul Baptist Church of Baltimore City, located at 3101 The Alameda. A celebration of life will […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Former AFRO editor-in-chief Anthony McCarthy dies March 16 after long battle with kidney disease
Baltimore mourns the loss of Anthony McCarthy, who passed away on March 16 after a battle with kidney disease. A respected figure in Baltimore’s media and political circles, McCarthy was a journalist, broadcaster, political strategist, ordained minister, and dedicated community leader.
Posted inPolitics
Local leaders remember president Jimmy Carter ahead of funeral service
Former President Jimmy Carter, who lived to be 100 years old and was the longest living past president in the history of the country, will be honored with a funeral service at the National Cathedral on Jan. 9, 2025, and will be interred in a family plot beside his wife, Rosalynn Carter.