The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a powerful community concert at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Featuring the Morgan State University Choir, the program celebrated the civil rights leader and his legacy through music by Black composers.
Tag: Martin Luther King Jr.
Business leaders visit Annapolis for Chamber of Commerce Advocacy Day
Members of Maryland’s business community gathered in Annapolis to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day while urging lawmakers to consider how legislative decisions affect local businesses. Chamber of Commerce leaders and state officials emphasized advocacy, collaboration and participation during the 2026 session.
Claudette Colvin, MLK, and the erasure of Black women from civil rights canon
Claudette Colvin, a civil rights activist who challenged segregation as a teenager, is pictured years after her historic arrest that preceded the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Julienne Louis Anderson, a lifelong educator, womanist and a fellow of The OpEd Project in partnership with the National Black Child Development Institute, argues that Colvin’s story, long excluded from textbooks and curricula, reflects the broader erasure of Black women from the Civil Rights Movement.
Tradition and change usher in 2026 MLK celebrations
Though he is no longer physically present, the spirit of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lives on through the federal holiday in his honor and the work of activists across the world. Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2026 will offer a variety of events for people of all ages and backgrounds on Jan. 19.
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.
Reality check: How Black ministers took on Charlie Kirk’s killing
Charlie Kirk, 31, an avowed Christian, White nationalist, and White House insider, had a history of bigoted, racist remarks. Since his assassination, conservatives have compared him to Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., but Black ministers pushed back on that comparison in sermons the Sunday after the murder.
It’s hard to admit it, but I was wrong about democracy
AFRO Publisher and CEO, Dr. Frances Murphy Draper, speaks on how democracy’s promise of protecting every voice has fallen short in her latest reflection and call to action. This week, she urges unity among the Black Press, the Black Church and the community to defend free speech and fight for a democracy that truly values every voice.
62 years later, the world remembers four little girls from Birmingham
By Victoria MejicanosAFRO Staff Writer On Sept. 15, 1963, the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., was bombed, killing four girls in the church’s basement and shocking the nation. Sixty-two years later, the attack is remembered as a turning point in the civil rights movement and a reminder of the role Black churches continue […]
What Charlie Kirk’s death reveals about America
Dr. Frances Murphy Draper serves the AFRO as CEO and publisher and is a fourth-generation member of the publication’s founding family. This week, in her call to conscience, she speaks on the brutal death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, his record and the culture of contempt that has become the norm in America.
Paris unveils mural of Josephine Baker to honor her legacy
A new mural honoring Josephine Baker has been unveiled in northeast Paris, celebrating the legendary entertainer’s legacy as a performer, World War II spy, and civil rights activist. Painted by artist FKDL, the mural is part of a street art festival and serves as a tribute to Baker’s enduring spirit of freedom, resistance, and cultural impact, fifty years after her death.
Senators mark Juneteenth with call to action on racial and economic justice
On the evening of Juneteenth, four Democratic senators gathered at the U.S. Capitol for a candid discussion with Black media outlets, using the moment not just to commemorate emancipation but to issue a pointed call to action. On June 18, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Cory Booker (D-N.Y.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) reflected on the historical significance of Juneteenth and the enduring struggle for racial justice in America.
Black Americans face unequal burden as US inches closer to war
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — As the U.S. edges toward potential war with Iran, Black Americans face a familiar pattern of disproportionate sacrifice—overrepresented in combat, underrepresented in leadership, and underserved upon returning home. Experts warn that systemic inequalities in military service, veteran care and community investment continue to deepen the burden on Black individuals and families.

