NEWS FROM OUR PUBLISHERS

About 350 business professionals, educators, nonprofit leaders, community members and youth gathered in Long Beach for Confluence Rising’s fifth annual Roots of Justice Convening, a forum focused on confronting hate and building more inclusive communities, schools and workplaces in California and across the country.

Between 2020 and 2024, Long Beach experienced a minimal but incremental decrease in chronic homelessness that was interrupted by the Los Angeles County wildfires in early January 2025, according to a point-in-time count conducted by the city’s government.

With California’s gubernatorial contest still taking shape, Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell — a former prosecutor and longtime member of Congress who gained national visibility during the Trump-era investigations and impeachments — is presenting himself as a candidate with both a prominent national profile and a focus on the affordability pressures facing Californians.

birminghamal.gov This summer, youth ages 14 to 24 will have the opportunity to work a summer job where they can receive exposure and experience in the workforce all while receiving an income. Participants can earn $11-$14 an hour over the course of the five-week program. The City of Birmingham is also recruiting local businesses and […]

By Adam Pope | UAB News The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health now is home to one of only 13 Centers of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health Education, Science and Practice nationwide, thanks to funding from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Maternal and Child Health Bureau. The UAB Center of Excellence […]

By David BauderAP Media Writer The Associated Press, one of the world’s oldest and most influential news organizations, said April 6 it is offering buyouts to an unspecified number of its U.S.-based journalists as part of an acceleration away from the focus on newspapers and their print journalism that sustained the company since the mid-1800s. […]
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As Cherry Hill celebrates 80 years since its official founding, women like Tracey Garrett-Rogers, ZeeVelle Nottingham-Lemon and Malika Brown are leading the community’s growth, preserving its history, advocating for residents and creating opportunities to ensure a stronger future for generations to come.
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By Javacia Harris Bowser | The Birmingham Times In 2025, the Edistone Hotel in Selma, Alabama, came close to being demolished. Built in 1855, the hotel tells stories of tragedy and triumph. Before the Civil War, the site was the largest market for enslaved people in Dallas County. After the war, during Reconstruction, it housed […]

Birmingham City Schools Last week at C.W. Hayes K-8 School, Birmingham City Schools officials and its nonprofit partners at EdFarm cut the ribbon on The Rise at Hayes K-8, a tech-enabled learning and creative space for scholars. The 6,000-square-foot, multi-room space includes a fully redesigned media center and an adjacent computer lab converted into a […]

UCLA captured its first NCAA women’s basketball national championship with a dominant 79–51 victory over South Carolina, powered by standout performances from Gabriela Jaquez and Lauren Betts. The Bruins capped a near-perfect season with a commanding defensive and offensive display, while South Carolina struggled to keep pace in its second consecutive title game appearance.
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By Associated Black Charities Baltimore, MD – Associated Black Charities (ABC) is proud to announce the return of its Teen Financial Literacy Summit, expanding both its reach and impact in 2026. The summit will take place on Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at SECU Arena at Towson University, bringing together […]
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Overview: On March 31, President Trump signed an executive order in another attempt to steer American elections. The order, among other things, would create lists of U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote in each state and compel the U.S. Postal Service to send mail-in ballots to only those “verified” voters. WASHINGTON – The Lawyers […]
The post Lawsuit filed against president’s mail-in voting executive order by Lawyers’ Committee, NAACP and Common Cause  appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

The Birmingham Times J. Mason Davis, a trailblazing attorney whose legal work helped dismantle segregation in Alabama and whose leadership shaped generations of lawyers and community advocates, has died. He was 90. Davis was widely respected for both his courtroom achievements and his enduring commitment to service. Mason Davis, Jr. was born in Birmingham, Alabama, […]

By Walter A.H.L. Fields Jr. When I turned 50, I began to contemplate if “retirement” was a possibility for me. Not from a financial perspective. I was fortunate enough to have had a healthy professional career and pension and retirement funds waiting. For me, the most important consideration was what would I do once I […]
The post Don’t retire—return: Investing knowledge in the next generation  appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Ryan PearsonAP Entertainment Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — The artist formerly and possibly again known as Kanye West reveled in support from one of his musical idols, Lauryn Hill, as he staged a sold-out Southern California concert meant to mark a comeback from years of controversy. Eleven months after releasing a song titled “Heil […]
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By Michelle GumedeThe Associated Press TSAKANE, South Africa (AP) — Gladys Khoza had missed being able to see her family. Not because they couldn’t visit, but because the 84-year-old had vision problems. Now that has changed. Khoza is one of 133 people whose sight was restored during a “marathon” of free cataract surgeries conducted by […]
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Story and Photos by Marika N. Johnson | For The Birmingham Times Juvenile returned to the stage with purpose on Thursday night, launching his Boiling Point Tour in Birmingham with a packed show at Iron City. Marking his first album release in over a decade, the New Orleans rap icon chose the Magic City as […]

Four Black recent college graduates reflect on the spaces that helped them process racial stress and feel whole. By Aaliyah Amos Word In Black On many college campuses, Black students navigate racial stress without spaces designed to help them heal from it. So when those spaces do exist, Black students say they can be transformative. […]
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birminghamal.gov The City of Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering, and Permits will join cities across the nation in celebrating Landscape Architecture Month this April, recognizing the vital role landscape architects play in shaping a healthier, more resilient, and more connected Birmingham. Mayor Randall L. Woodfin has officially proclaimed April 2026 as Landscape Architecture Month in […]

With “Sacred Slam,” Rev. Dr. Wanda Bynum Duckett uses poetry and hip-hop to revive Black church traditions and connect with Gen Z and millennials. By Rev. Dorothy S. BoulwareWord In Black Overview: As younger generations seek meaning beyond traditional pews, the Black church is experimenting with new forms of worship. One pastor’s spoken word approach […]
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By Houston Airport System (Black PR Wire) HOUSTON – Gymnastics legend Simone Biles officially unveiled her signature restaurant, Taste of Gold, at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) on Tuesday, March 24. The upscale café, located in Terminal A near Gate A8, features décor inspired by the gymnast’s iconic career. .  “As a frequent traveler, I […]
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By Jocelyn Gecker AP Education Writer The assignment involves no laptop, no chatbot and no technology of any kind. In fact, there’s no pen or paper, either. Instead, students in Chris Schaffer’s biomedical engineering class at Cornell University are required to speak directly to an instructor in what he calls an “oral defense.” It’s a […]
The post Perfect homework, blank stares: Why colleges are turning to oral exams to combat AI appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Ivan Kilgore  Last week, I appeared—remotely—from a California prison cell on a panel at North Central  College in Naperville, Ill. The occasion was a screening of the Oscar-nominated  documentary “The Alabama Solution,” a film that chronicles the retaliatory violence and  systemic repression faced by incarcerated organizers in Alabama.  I have participated in many interviews […]
The post From prison cell to public forum: What prison censorship teaches us about democracy  appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By: Tavon N. Thomasson  Special to the AFRO tthomasson@afro.com The Harriet Tubman Spirit Awards honored local leaders March 21 at the Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum in Annapolis during a two-part program that also featured an artist discussion on history, memory and Black women’s stories. Held during Maryland Day programming from March 19-25, the event was one of […]
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By Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper CEO and Publisher AFRO News The pushback against diversity, equity and inclusion is not new.  For years, these efforts have been questioned, criticized and quietly rolled back. But what we are witnessing now is different.  What was once rhetoric is now enforcement. In a federal lawsuit filed this year, the […]
The post Black Women are losing ground. Now inclusion is on trial.  appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

The Associated Press CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) — The husband of a South Florida vice mayor has been charged with fatally shooting his wife at their home, according to a police affidavit. Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen was found dead April 1 by officers checking on her well-being, and her death was being […]
The post South Florida vice mayor’s death investigated as domestic violence, husband faces murder charge appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Rev. Dr. Heber Brown III  Dear Ridgely Family of Baltimore County, The land remembers what people sometimes try to forget.  I was reminded of that 10 years ago while on a field trip to the Ridgely family estate at the Hampton National Historic Site. At the time, I was accompanied by youth from Orita’s […]
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By Baltimore Police Department In recognition of World Autism Acceptance Month and World Autism Awareness Day on April 2, the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) is proud to launch a new initiative designed to better support neurodivergent individuals and enhance safe, effective interactions with law enforcement. BPD’s Community Partnerships Unit is introducing a Neurodivergent Individuals Database, […]
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Story and Photos by Marika N. Johnson The lights were low, the music was loud and the room was full on Wednesday night at Hoover’s Stardome, a space typically reserved for stand-up comedy. But this was not a comedy show. Instead, the crowd gathered for a live experience of Deante Kyle’s Grits and Eggs Podcast, […]

The Birmingham Times Birmingham is set to welcome thousands of athletes and spectators later this year for the Festival International des Sports Extreme. The Magic City will be the only U.S. city on the global tour’s 2026 calendar, with athletes competing in skateboarding, BMX, basketball and other events “Birmingham has the perfect DNA to arrive […]

By Solomon Crenshaw Jr. | The Birmingham Times Blueberry is the latest member of the Modern Manufacturing Program class at Fairfield High Preparatory School. No, Blueberry isn’t a student, but it may be the class favorite. Blueberry, as instructor Karl Owens calls it, is the obsidian blue 2025 Honda Passport AWD that was unveiled Thursday […]

By Dr. Deborah BaileyAFRO Contributing Editor Prince George’s County Council chair Krystal Oriadha (District 7) joined council members Wala Blegay (At-Large), Wanika Fisher (District 2), Shayla Adams-Stafford  (District 5), and Danielle Hunter (District 6), to bring Women’s History Month to a glamorous close in a ceremony honoring 25 women across the county.  Honorees represented ladies […]
The post HER Gala: Women of Impact Awards highlight women of Prince George’s County appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Jennifer Porter GoreWord in Black The state of South Carolina ranks among the highest in the nation for maternal mortality. And just like nationwide, the burden falls most heavily on Black women. But a recent gathering of healthcare leaders, birth workers and families in the state vowed not to take the situation lying down.  […]
The post South Carolinians continue colleague’s push for maternal health appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

____________________________ EMPLOYMENT ____________________________  Ticketing Manager   BJCC, is recruiting for a 1) Ticketing Manager for information & to apply visit https://www.bjcc.org/jobs/ or send resume to careers@bjcc.org /fax resume 205-458-8530. BT4/02/2026   ________________________________     ______________________________ LEGAL ______________________________   01-CV-2026-900493.00 NOTICE OF FINAL HEARING BY PUBLICATION TO:        ROBERT C. CRANE; RICARDO CHARME a/k/a RICARDO CHARME CASTAGNOLA; RESIDENTIAL FUNDING CORPORATION; THE OLSHAN CORPORATION; […]

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times On the day before his 64th birthday, Michael Tolliver received something he hadn’t had in more than a decade: a place to call his own. “Number 11. This is my house right here,” Tolliver recalled, describing the moment he first stepped inside his new micro-shelter and looked up […]