NEWS FROM OUR PUBLISHERS

birminghamal.gov Applications are open through April 28 for the annual Summer Youth Apprenticeship at Sloss Furnaces. The Summer Youth Apprenticeship was founded on the importance of passing on the history of Sloss and the many techniques and traditions of metal art. This paid, 8-week program employs 10-15 high school students, aged 16-19, to work and […]

By Tolly Carr | HBCU Buzz Alabama State University has named Dr. Derrick Smith as its new Director of Bands, marking the beginning of a new chapter for one of the most recognizable HBCU marching band programs in the country. The Mighty Marching Hornets announced the hire on social media, welcoming Smith back to campus […]

The Baltimore County NAACP is raising $30,000 to send local high school students to the NAACP’s national ACT-SO competition at its annual convention in Chicago. Through the yearlong enrichment program, students advance from local contests to a national stage where they showcase work in fields ranging from the arts to STEM, while organizers say the experience builds confidence, community and opportunity.
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“For Black mothers in Bakersfield, a doula can be the difference between being heard and being ignored — between a birth plan honored or overridden. Between a mother who comes home, and one who doesn’t.”

Authorities say a former North Carolina law enforcement officer, Christopher Gillum, was arrested in Florida after allegedly planning a racially motivated mass shooting targeting Black people at a major New Orleans festival, believed to be the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Law enforcement recovered a handgun and ammunition, and the FBI is coordinating a multi-state investigation as Gillum faces extradition to Louisiana.
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By Scott Minshall | CBS 42 The City of Birmingham is taking steps to create career opportunities and remove work barriers for its residents. That announcement came today during a news conference where the city unveiled its Reinvest Workforce Initiative. The program will include coordinated components aimed at expanding economic opportunities across the Magic City. […]

Birmingham City Schools Huffman High School senior Carlos Smith, Jr. is the AHSAA Class 1A-7A Spring Esports State Champion for Madden ’26, the first in school history. Smith bested Maximus Murrah of Sheffield High School by a score of 49-42 for the championship. Playing as the Philadelphia Eagles, Smith scored a touchdown in with less […]

By Javacia Harris Bowser | The Birmingham Times In May 2024, Naila Jackson launched Network Navigator as a one-day event designed to connect Greater Birmingham-based small business owners with the resources they needed to grow their companies. But she couldn’t stop there. Today, Network Navigator is an independent nonprofit organization serving local entrepreneurs year-round with […]

At Taxpayers’ Night on April 22, Baltimore residents weighed in on Mayor Brandon M. Scott’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget and called for new investments across senior services, housing and community programs. Several speakers focused on long-needed repairs to the Forest Park Senior Center, while others urged greater support for grassroots organizations and worker cooperatives.
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Special to The Times YMCA of Greater Birmingham has received a $15,000 grant from Spectrum as part of the company’s digital education program. “The YMCA is committed to making sure that regardless of age, our community members have access to technology and opportunities to develop the digital skills needed for success in today’s world,” said […]

As Cherry Hill prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary, Raheem Brown stands out as a driving force behind its youth and community stability. Through the Cherry Hill Eagle Foundation, he continues to build opportunity and mentorship.
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____________________________ EMPLOYMENT ____________________________   Booking Administrator   BJCC, is recruiting for a 1) Booking Administrator, for information & to apply visit https://www.bjcc.org/jobs/ or send resume to careers@bjcc.org /fax resume 205-458-8530. BT4/23/2026   ________________________________ Marketing Coordinator – Content & Social BJCC, is recruiting for a 1) 1. Marketing Coordinator – Content & Social, for information & to apply visit https://www.bjcc.org/jobs/ or send resume to careers@bjcc.org /fax resume 205-458-8530.   BT4/23/2026   […]

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While “Jr.” and “Sr.” traditions have long defined lineage through men, these stories show how women preserve family history in their own ways. Across generations, they describe names as a lasting link to identity, ancestry and legacy.
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BIRMINGHAM MAYOR RANDALL WOODFIN, ASU WILL KICK OFF THE 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON AT LEGION FIELD ON AUGUST 29TH AGAINST SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, BHAM NOW, APRIL 20.

Low turnout in local elections limits representation, even as decisions by school boards and central committees directly shape daily life, from education policy to political leadership. Experts and community members say increasing awareness and participation is critical to ensuring communities have a voice in decisions that affect them.
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By Solomon Crenshaw Jr. | For the Birmingham Times Milton Jones took the prize as the most valuable player, leading Fairfield High Preparatory School to the Class 4A boys state basketball championship. The senior forward could have also taken the prize of having the most siblings among players of the Fairfield athletics program, with 11 […]

By Solomon Crenshaw Jr. | For the Birmingham Times Maurice Ford was walking from the office of Fairfield High Preparatory School when he pondered the journey he’s taken the past17 years. “This is a long way from Parker,” said Ford, the Tigers’ athletic director and head boys basketball coach. In truth, Ford’s trip from legendary […]

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 2026 class includes many Black creatives, such as Wu-Tang Clan, Luther Vandross, Sade and more. The honorees span multiple genres and eras, with additional awards recognizing artists like Queen Latifah, Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti and MC Lyte. The induction ceremony will take place Nov. 14 in Los Angeles, with a television broadcast set for December.
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By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times The crack of the bat, the echo of history, and the weight of untold stories filled the air on Saturday, April 18, as the Negro Southern League Museum hosted its annual Jackie Robinson Day — an event that continues to grow in both meaning and impact. Held every […]

David Scott, a longtime member of the Congressional Black Caucus, died April 22 at age 80 after more than two decades in Congress, where he became the first Black chair of the House Agriculture Committee. Known for championing rural communities, disadvantaged farmers and economic equity, the Georgia Democrat leaves behind a legacy of advocacy spanning both state and federal government.
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By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS  A recent analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found that Americans who regularly eat watermelon — both children and adults — have noticeably higher-quality diets than those […]

By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS A study out of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, published April 6 in the journal Innovation in Aging, is turning heads among researchers […]

By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS Emily Johnston, Ph.D., a research professor at NYU Langone who specializes in healthy aging and nutrition, is out with a list of nine fruits that the science says belong in every […]

By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS April is Autism Acceptance Month, and the 2026 theme — “Celebrate Differences” — is an invitation to every Alabama family, church, and school to move beyond awareness and into real support […]

By Rev. Dr. Heber Brown III  This month, I’ll head down to rural Virginia to a small town called Kilmarnock in order to celebrate the life of my great uncle, Dwight O’Neal Caster. Preparing for his homegoing caused me to reflect on the significant time that I spent as a child in rural Virginia. I […]
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By AFRO Staff The AFRO is saddened to learn of the death of Leon Bridges, who formed his own firm, Leon Bridges AIA, in 1963, and became the first registered African-American architect in the state of Maryland.  A wake for Bridges will be held on April 26 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at March […]
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Maryland First Lady Dawn Moore and the Foundation of the Preservation of Government House hosted the third annual “A Woman’s Work” Women’s Economic Empowerment Brunch on April 18 at the Government House. Attendees included co-founder of Black Entertainment Network (BET) Sheila Johnson, Wanda Durant and Angel Webb Reese.
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By Steven Ragsdale From Augusta to Baltimore, Tiger’s story reflects a familiar pattern—pain ignored, addiction misunderstood and lessons learned too late. Rory McIlroy’s Masters win gave golf the kind of storybook ending it has come to expect from its biggest stage. A boy who learned to play golf in the foothills of Ireland on a […]
The post Opinion: Tiger Woods didn’t just disappear–we just stopped looking at his pain appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

Joe Kocurek | California Black Media Jasmine Young wasn’t sure what she had signed up for when a friend from church encouraged her to attend a Monday night Healing Circle in Victorville. “I didn’t know what it was about,” said Young, a local business owner. “There was a sign-up sheet, so I signed my name […]

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Alabama State Hornets claimed the 2026 SWAC Women’s Tennis Tournament Championship with a 4-2 victory over Jackson State on Sunday at City Park Tennis Center. Alabama State secured the early […]

By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS The 60-year-old singer and actress was diagnosed in 2015 after years of  unexplained symptoms, including tremors, numbness, and changes in movement.  Initially dismissed as stress, her condition went undiagnosed for about […]