NEWS FROM OUR PUBLISHERS

By Joseph D. Bryant | jbryant@al.com As the 62nd anniversary of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing approaches, a group of Birmingham residents and historians want to ensure that two young men killed in racial violence that day are remembered. Virgil Ware, a 13-year-old Black boy was shot and killed on Sept 15, 1963 while riding […]

By Donald Hunt | For The Birmingham Times Tuskegee University is off to a roaring start. The Golden Tigers (1-0, 2-0) will have to continue to play great football when they face Jackson State (0-0, 1-1) from the Southwestern Athletic Conference on the road Saturday, Sept. 13 at 2 p.m.  The Tigers are one of […]

Sponsored by JPMorganChase  While there is a lot of uncertainty around the housing market in 2025, affordability still remains a top challenge for homebuyers – especially first-time home buyers who, according to a 2025 Bankrate survey, often cite the upfront costs of homeownership[1] as the biggest barrier to homeownership. And a 2023 study from LendingTree shows that […]

Multiple Black institutions, including Virginia State University, Clark Atlanta University and others went into lockdown on Sept. 11 after receiving campus threats. Though the lockdowns have been lifted, officials warn students, faculty and staff that if they “see something, say something.”
The post Multiple historically Black institutions targeted with threats of violence appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

Sinclair Broadcast Group will pay $100,000 in back pay and compensatory and punitive damages to resolve a race discrimination claim filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The post Sinclair Broadcast Group to pay $100k in race discrimination settlement appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

In a time of rising illnesses among Black people, healthy diets are relevant now more than ever. Kelli Redmond, founder of Mova Nature, has been spreading the word through Baltimore and beyond. Not only does she provide nutritional fruit juices and blends, but she also educates people on how they can incorporate healthy practices in their homes.
The post Mova Nature: Empowering Black community with nutrition and education appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) honored the six students and teachers who were killed in the 9/11 attacks 24 years ago, remembering their bravery and dedication to education.
The post D.C. Public Schools honors lives taken on 24th anniversary of 9/11 terror attacks appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

Congressional Black Caucus members slammed recent Republican redistricting plans as an attack on Black voters’ power. Lawmakers vowed to challenge the new maps in court and mobilize public opposition to protect their districts.
The post Congressional Black Caucus members condemn Republican redistricting as threat to Black representation appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Victoria Mejicanos AFRO Intern From selling food out of her family’s front yard to winning a contest selling AFRO newspapers,  Jody Davis grew up with an entrepreneurial spirit. Eventually, she combined that with her passion for fashion and opened her own boutique, Jody Davis Designs. A proud Baltimore native, she has most recently collaborated with […]
The post Jody Davis turns fashion passion into purpose with Orioles collaboration appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

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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.
The post What Charlie Kirk’s death reveals about America appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Phylica Porter In Baltimore, the opioid crisis isn’t an abstract statistic—it’s our neighbor, our family member, our friend. Our streets are lined with clinics, treatment centers and mental health facilities—yet overdose after overdose, we fall short of real recovery. That’s because abundance doesn’t equal quality. In fact, Behavioral Health Systems Baltimore (BHSB) reported that […]
The post Too many clinics, too little healing: Rethinking addiction treatment in Baltimore appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

Empowerment Temple AME Church is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a black-tie gala on Sept. 19, featuring keynote speaker and founding pastor Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant. Since its launch in 2000, the church has grown from a small Bible study into a movement that blends faith, activism, and community outreach in Baltimore.
The post Empowerment Temple celebrates 25 years of faith and community appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Ameera Steward | For The Birmingham Times (First of two parts) For Ian Rashaud, fashion can mean anything from power to affirmation to how seriously a person can be taken. And for a well-tailored Black man, it could even mean being in “a class of his own,” he said. “I think when young Black […]

By Mary Colurso | mcolurso@al.com The Birmingham Youth & Young Adult Fellowship Choir moved one step closer to victory on “America’s Got Talent”, the NBC reality series, on Wednesday securing a spot in the semifinals. The BYYAFC is now among acts that will perform again on Sept. 16, hoping to gain viewer votes and a […]

By Ameera Steward | The Birmingham Times Torey Amerson’s interest in fashion hasn’t always come solely from a place of love. Some of it was based on survival, he said. “We didn’t have very much so [I] had to be creative with what [I] did have,” said Amerson, originally from Bessemer, of his upbringing. “Whatever […]

By Jordyn Davis | For The Birmingham Times Add another prestigious honor for Birmingham’s Andrea Whitfield who has accumulated a lifetime worth of recognition: Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. On August 10 at the Montgomery Marriott in Prattville, Alabama, Whitfield was inducted into the Hall of Fame with nine others and honored for her […]

This is our defining moment and with the city having recently elected Mayor Randall Woodfin to a third term, the election is over so now we can get back to the business of making Birmingham great. Harsh tones, cheap shots and negative nuances no longer fill headlines that were common prior to Election Day August […]

 by Chris Stevens An HBCU Classic that was scheduled for October will now return to its original space as a home game for a SWAC team. Bethune-Cookman announced Monday morning that its Oct. 11 game with […]

PERRY VARNER, DESIGNER, STYLIST ON ADVICE FOR YOUNG BLACK MEN WHO WISH TO DRESS WELL; THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES, SEPT. 11.

 by Jarrett Hoffman Grambling State’s historic matchup against the defending College Football Playoff National Champion, Ohio State, leads the list of the 10 most attended games from week two of the HBCU football season. Grambling State vs. […]

By Karen Heslop There are several issues that people with ulcerative colitis have to deal with. One of those issues is the symptoms of a flare-up, which can include stomach pain, fatigue, diarrhea, and bleeding when […]

By Nutritionist Mary Toscano When your sinuses are inflamed, congested, or irritated, the last thing you want is to unknowingly make things worse with what you eat. While seasonal allergies, infections, and environmental triggers often get […]

By Evan Bollinger The chronic inflammatory bowel disease, Ulcerative Colitis (UC), affects over one million Americans, making their lives more difficult, more painful, and oftentimes less enjoyable.  But this doesn’t have to be.  Despite symptoms like […]

By Evan Bollinger There’s nothing quite like a bad hot flash. From sudden heat surges to sweating and chills, these symptoms can range from minor inconveniences to life-disrupting conditions. Driven by hormonal fluctuations that last from […]

By Evan Bollinger We hear the terms often.  Turn back the years. Anti-aging. The fountain of youth. Reverse your biological clock. But what if there’s some truth to these? What if, as amazing as it sounds, […]

By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWSPublished September 8, 2025 HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Returning for its seventh year as a marquee event of Huntsville Music Month, Women in Music Week (WIMW) will take over stages across the city from Sept. 12–21, spotlighting […]

by SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday pledged new protections for school prayer, calling it “ridiculous” that students could face punishment for practicing their faith in public schools. Speaking to the White House […]

SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that U.S. Space Command headquarters will relocate to Huntsville, Alabama, reviving his earlier plan and reasserting the city’s decades-old nickname: “Rocket City.” “Huntsville, Alabama — forever […]

At Newark’s New Jersey Performing Arts Center, the “Nourishing Communities, Confronting Food Insecurity Together” program blended cooking, conversation, and community resources to address racial inequities in food access. Local chefs, health leaders, and nonprofits highlighted how food can be a tool for healing, connection, and systemic change.
The post In Newark, the healing power of food and community appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

Chrissy M. Thornton serves as president and CEO of Associated Black Charities. This week, she speaks on how her journey in public service started at The Arc Baltimore, which still today supports the community.
The post Coming full circle: How the Arc Baltimore defined who I became appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By D. Kevin McNeirSpecial to the AFROkmcneir@afro.com Officials have announced that the man accused of taking the life of Prince George’s County teen, Dacara Thompson, will be held without bond. Police have charged Hugo Hernandez-Mendez, 35, of Bowie, with first and second degree murder. According to information released by the Prince George’s County Police Department’s […]
The post Family mourns death of Dacara Thompson as advocates push for change in media coverage appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

Federal layoffs and industry cuts leave Black families most vulnerable to housing and income loss. Here are some things you should know about asset-building programs and fair lending reforms that offer pathways to lasting Black wealth and resilience.
The post Black wealth infrastructure as a safety net appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Alexis TaylorAFRO Managing Editor Recently, the AFRO profiled 32-year-old Chancellor Mason, a Hurricane Katrina survivor from Gulfport, Miss. This week, we explore what life was like for the Mason family in the aftermath of the storm. As August turned to September in 2005, Chancellor Mason, his older brother, mother and father did what most […]
The post Mississippi memories: After the storm appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

Fourth-generation farmers John W. Boyd and Jermaine Walker are battling the growing impacts of extreme weather on their crops, from delayed planting to submerged fields. On top of climate challenges, trade tariffs and canceled government programs are making it harder for them to turn a profit and sustain their farms.
The post When the weather— and the market— turns against you: Black farmers speak out appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.