At Bowie State University’s spring commencement, a record-breaking class of 887 graduates celebrated earning their degrees as keynote speaker Michael Eric Dyson challenged students to “stay woke” by pursuing excellence, civic engagement and social responsibility. The historic ceremony came as the university faces an $18 million budget deficit and planned staff cuts, adding urgency and resilience to the celebration for many graduates.
Tag: Shirley Chisholm
Posted inBlack History
In Memoriam: Founding CBC member and Missouri trailblazer Bill Clay Sr. dies at 94
William Lacy Clay Sr., a civil rights icon, labor rights champion, and one of the 13 founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus, has died at 94. The Missouri trailblazer served 32 years in Congress, where he fiercely advocated for equity, workers’ rights, and Black political empowerment.
Posted inNational News
How Jesse Jackson embodied Southern politics − and changed American elections
By Gibbs Knotts, Coastal Carolina University and Christopher A. Cooper, Western Carolina University Holding hands with other prominent Black leaders, the Rev. Jesse Jackson crossed the Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma, Alabama, on March 9, 2025, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday.” Like several survivors of that violent day in 1965, when police […]
Posted inNational News
Lifelong New York civil rights advocate and NAACP leader Hazel Dukes dies at 92
Hazel Dukes, the president of the New York State chapter of the NAACP and a lifelong civil rights advocate, passed away at the age of 92, leaving behind a legacy that has touched every aspect of the movement.
Posted inCongressional Black Caucus (CBC)
Rep. Yvette Clarke set to lead the Congressional Black Caucus in the new year
Yvette Clarke has been elected as the 29th chairperson of the Congressional Black Caucus, with a focus on voting rights, education, criminal justice reform, women’s rights, healthcare equity, and economic equality.
Posted inBlack History
Congress passes legislation to posthumously award Shirley Chisholm with Congressional Gold Medal
The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate passed legislation to honor Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress, with a Congressional Gold Medal for her groundbreaking contributions to American politics and social justice.
