Author: NNPA

BY JE’DON HOLLOWAY-TALLEY | Special to the Birmingham Times ZEPHANIAH ‘ZAY’ & DARREN ALLEN Live: Gardendale Married: Dec. 2, 1995 Met: February 1992, in Mary Burke Hall at the University of Alabama. Darren, who had grown up singing in his church’s choir and playing the organ, was in the dorm’s co-ed recreation/parlor room playing the […]

The “City of Good Neighbors” is planning a food journey from January 25 to January 31, 2026. This will be the first official Restaurant Week in Hawthorne, aptly named Hawthorne Eats! Hawthorne Eats! It’s more than an event—it’s a citywide celebration of food, culture, flavor, and community. This initiative celebrates Hawthorne’s diverse culinary scene while supporting local restaurants, small businesses, and community pride.

Black unemployment surged to 7.5 percent by December 2025, a level that would signal a recession if it were reflected across the national workforce. But the latest “State of the Dream 2026” report makes clear the damage extends far beyond jobs. From broadband access and housing to artificial intelligence and federal workforce policy, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies finds that 2025 marked a sharp economic breakdown for Black America driven by policy reversals and the removal of long-standing safeguards.

The federal government is once again facing a shutdown deadline, with funding set to expire at midnight Friday, January 30, just two months after the nation emerged from a prolonged lapse that disrupted lives far beyond Washington.

The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) represents the organized voice, survivor, and power of the Black Press in America. On the eve of Black History Month, we have chronicled the top Black newsmakers of the first quarter of the 21st century to honor Black impact through legacy, liberty, and justice. This list serves as a living record, centering Black leadership, innovation, and influence while ensuring today’s history is documented with clarity and intention for future generations. Our staff researched and reviewed news headlines and news articles for the last 25 years from our catalog of more than 200 member Black-owned newspapers across the United States with a reach of 20 million weekly readers from both our print and digital publications.