AFRICAN AMERICAN REPORTS

Dr. Latorial D. Faison has been named Virginia Poet Laureate

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:08:26 +0000

Virginia State University's Dr. Latorial D. Faison has been named Virginia Poet Laureate!

As Virginia's Poet Laureate, Dr. Faison, Assistant Professor and Chair of the Department of Languages & Literature, will promote poetry and literature, encourage appreciation for the literary arts, and celebrate the Commonwealth’s rich literary heritage through public engagement. The appointment is one of the highest literary honors in the state.

An accomplished poet, educator, and literary scholar, Dr. Faison has earned national recognition for her contributions to contemporary poetry and scholarship. In 2025, her acclaimed poetry collection, Nursery Rhymes in Black, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry, bringing national attention to her powerful exploration of history, identity, culture, and the African American experience. Her appointment as Virginia Poet Laureate reflects her enduring contributions to Virginia's literary and cultural landscape.

Grand Opening of the African American Heritage Center

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 23:57:07 +0000

After years of dedicated planning and unwavering commitment, the African American Resources Cultural and Heritage Society, Inc. (AARCH) proudly announces the Grand Opening of AARCH's African American Heritage Center (125 East All Saints Street) in the heart of Frederick, MD. This landmark achievement is the result of tireless research, community collaboration, and a shared vision to honor and preserve the rich heritage of African Americans in Frederick and beyond.

The dream of a Heritage Center that showcases, celebrates, and educates about our local African American history has blossomed into reality. Community leaders, residents, historians, and supporters have come together, contributing their time, expertise, and passion to bring this vision to fruition. Their collective efforts have created a vibrant space for learning, reflection, and inspiration.

The Heritage Center will serve as a hub for cultural events, educational programs, historical research, and artistic expression. Through curated exhibits and interactive programming, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the stories, struggles, and triumphs that have shaped Frederick's African American community.

"This is more than a building—the Heritage Center is a living legacy," said Dr. Olivia White, President of the AARCH Society. "We have created a place where our community's history is honored, our youth are inspired, and our future is shaped by understanding and unity."

The Grand Opening festivities will feature ribbon cutting ceremony, guided tours, live performances, and a special dedication ceremony. All are welcome to join in celebrating this historic milestone that will enrich Frederick for generations to come.

For more information on AARCH, upcoming events, or ways to get involved, please visit our website aarchsociety.org.

Cory Booker Reintroduces Supreme Court Term Limits Bill

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 01:26:33 +0000

U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Alex Padilla (D-CA) are pushing to establish term limits for Supreme Court justices, reintroducing the Supreme Court Biennial Appointments and Term Limits , legislation that would effectively impose 18-year term limits and put Supreme Court appointments on a predictable, regular schedule–as the Court’s approval rating among Americans nears a historic low. Under the proposal, a new justice would join the Court every two years, hear the full range of cases for 18 years and then transition to a limited role handling only the small number of cases the Constitution requires.

“It is unacceptable that our highest court has the lowest standards of accountability—no one should hold immense, unchecked power for decades in the manner our Court currently operates. The Supreme Court is not the possession of any president or political party; it is a sacred institution meant to reflect our nation across generations, not a single political moment. This legislation strengthens trust in our highest Court, protects its impartiality, and ensures it can fulfill its constitutional purpose: delivering equal justice for every American,” said Senator Booker.

“The Supreme Court’s disastrous Citizens United decision supercharged an organized, dark-money funded scheme by right-wing special interests to capture and control the Court. The result is a distorted judicial process that sides with the wealthiest interests at the expense of ordinary Americans, and President Trump is only eager to keep up the scheme to consolidate his own power,” said Senator Whitehouse, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Courts Subcommittee. “Term limits and regular appointments would make the Court more representative of everyday Americans and help restore the Supreme Court to the proper independent body it was created to be. More than ever, it’s important we get this right.”

“As the Supreme Court faces a legitimacy crisis, fundamental reforms are needed to restore trust and credibility. Implementing term limits would make the Court more representative of America, and preserve an institution that is increasingly influenced by toxic politics and partisan obstruction. This legislation is critical to the Supreme Court’s survival as an independent branch of government, and its accountability to the American people,” said Senator Blumenthal.

“The Supreme Court has reached unprecedented and unacceptable levels of politicization,” said Senator Padilla.“Term limits are a commonsense solution to lower the temperature on the Judiciary and start restoring trust in the highest court in our land.”

Right-wing billionaires, the fossil fuel industry, and other special interest groups have spent hundreds of millions building a network of

of front groups to capture the Supreme Court and dictate who gets appointed and shape how those appointees rule, resulting in a Court that has repeatedly greenlighted donor-friendly policies in cases like Dobbs. V. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Shelby County V. Holder, and Citizens United V. FEC–decisions reshaping American life in ways out of step with the public. The Supreme Court Biennial Appointments and Term Limits Act seeks to depoliticize the appointment process and ensure the Court serves the American people, not billionaires, by using Congress’s constitutional authority over the Court’s appellate jurisdiction to: 1) limit appellate cases to the nine most recently appointed justices; while 2) allowing all justices to retain authority over original jurisdiction cases, as the Constitution requires; and 3) permitting justices to stepp in to hear appellate cases when a sitting justice has a conflict or is unavailable. The bill also establishes regular appointments by requiring the president to nominate one justice within the first 120 days of the first and third years of each presidential term, with the law taking effect only at the start of the first new presidential term after enactment.

The United States is one of only five nations that grants lifetime tenure to its highest court’s judges. Americans overwhelmingly want a Supreme Court that better reflects and answers to the public it serves, and recent polling finds that two out of every three Americans back term limits for the justices.

The Supreme Court Biennial Appointments and Term Limits Act is endorsed by the Brennan Center for Justice, National Women’s Law Center Action Fund, Public Citizen, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Project on Government Oversight (POGO), Alliance for Justice, People for the American Way, Newtown Action Alliance, National Association of Consumer Advocates, Stand Up America, True North Research, End Citizens United, Voto Latino, National Council of Negro Women, Inc., and Reproductive Freedom for All.

“The Supreme Court needs term limits. It has vast power and minimal accountability. A single justice can now shape the law for generations. This is at odds with the democratic principle that no one should hold too much power for too long. At a time when trust in the Court is hovering at record lows, term limits should be at the top of the list of reforms. It would bring new perspectives and voices to the Court while strengthening the link between the Court and the American people. Congress should work to pass Supreme Court term limits into law,” said Michael Waldman, President and CEO of the Brennan Center for Justice.

“We applaud the re-introduction of the term limits proposal spearheaded by Senate champions of a fair Supreme Court. We are all witnessing the disastrous consequences of the appointment of ideologues hand-picked to use judicial power to limit our freedoms. The regressive billionaires who have backed Leonard Leo’s court capture agenda are counting on ringers, like Clarence Thomas, who are biased in their favor spending thirty or forty years dismantling our rights. This proposal–which limits the gaming of retirement for partisan purposes and disincentives the selection of young operatives for the bench–is one of several worthy reform initiatives that must be considered in order to restore and expand the rights of We the People in our democracy,” said Lisa Graves, Executive Director of True North Research.

“Congress cannot remain passive while a corrupt Supreme Court continues to favor the powerful and harm the rest of us. The BATL Act recognizes that we can and we must structurally reform the Court,” said Marge Baker, Executive Vice President at the People for the American Way.

“Right-wing dark money groups orchestrated a capture of the Supreme Court over many decades. It’s how we got Citizens United and a corrupt government that only works for its donors while failing the American people,” said End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller. “The fix is simple: judicial term limits and biennial appointments would make the Court fairer, more accountable, and less susceptible to dangerous partisan schemes. This is a first step toward restoring public trust in an institution meant to be a last line of defense for justice and protecting Americans’ rights. We’re grateful to Senators Booker, Whitehouse, Blumenthal, and Padilla for their commitment to making government work for all Americans.”

“Supreme Court justices hold too much power for too long. We applaud this common-sense solution to bring the Supreme Court in line with courts throughout the country and the world by ensuring regular turnover,” said David Janovsky, Acting Director of The Constitution Project at the Project on Government Oversight.

“It’s long past time for Congress enact serious reforms to ensure that the Supreme Court is made up of fair-minded, independent justices guided by the Constitution and the rule of law—not wealthy interests, political loyalty, or ideological agendas,” said Alison Gill, senior director of democracy and nominations at the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund. “This commonsense Supreme Court term limits bill would help restore public confidence in the Court’s independence and integrity. At a time when public trust in the Court is at an all-time low, this legislation would take a meaningful step toward ensuring that the nation’s highest court remains accountable to the Constitution—not politics.”

“The Supreme Court’s decision to take up the challenge to Connecticut’s assault weapons ban—enacted after the Sandy Hook massacre to protect future generations from the same horror—underscores why Supreme Court reform can no longer wait,” said Po Murray, Chairwoman of Newtown Action Alliance. “When a handful of lifetime-appointed justices can put lifesaving laws and millions of lives at risk decades after they were enacted, our democracy is out of balance. Biennial appointments and eighteen-year terms would restore accountability, reduce the political warfare surrounding every vacancy, and help ensure the Court remains connected to the American people it serves. Survivors should not have to relive their trauma every time the Court reconsiders whether their states have the constitutional right to protect themselves from weapons of war.”

“Serious and repeated allegations of ethical misconduct at the Supreme Court have undermined public faith in the judiciary. This self-inflicted crisis raises serious concerns about whether the Supreme Court’s credibility can survive without meaningful reform,” said Debra Perlin, Vice President for Policy at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). “The Supreme Court Biennial Appointments and Term Limits Act of 2026 is a strong response to this crisis. It uses the Court’s jurisdiction to create term limits for Supreme Court justices and permits those justices whose terms have ended to retain their seats in a senior status position. This legislation could help both end partisan manipulation of the Court’s composition and reduce ethics problems among justices. CREW commends Senators Booker,Whitehouse, Blumenthal, and Padilla for continuing to lead the charge on the need to address Supreme Court ethics and introducing this crucial piece of legislation.”

“No one should hold power for life. Lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court give nine individuals the power to shape federal law for decades, if not generations. Eighteen years is long enough. Every major democracy in the world except the United States, and 49 of 50 states, limit their top judges with term limits, elections, or mandatory retirement ages. That’s why three-fourths of Americans support term limits for Supreme Court justices. We applaud Senator Whitehouse’s leadership and urge his Democratic colleagues to rally behind this commonsense legislation,” said Brett Edkins, Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs at Stand Up America.

The Supreme Court Biennial Appointments and Term Limits Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Peter Welch (D-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Patty Murray (D-WA).

Full text of the bill is available here.

Alabama's Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy Receives $1.15 Million Grant to Preserve Civil Rights Landmark

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 08:06:10 +0000

Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy (FQBL) is pleased to announce it has received a $1.15 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to preserve and strengthen the historic home of the Freedom Quilting Bee while expanding the organization's long-term capacity to steward this nationally significant cultural landmark. The three-year grant, which runs July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029, represents a transformative investment in both the preservation of the historic Freedom Quilting Bee headquarters and the future sustainability of the organization that carries its legacy forward.

Founded in 1966, the Freedom Quilting Bee became a nationally recognized quilting cooperative that created economic opportunity for Black women in rural Alabama. Through their extraordinary artistry, entrepreneurship, and partnerships with national retailers, the women of the Freedom Quilting Bee generated income for their families while preserving a rich artistic tradition and advancing economic justice during the Civil Rights Movement.

"This investment from the Mellon Foundation is a powerful affirmation of the national significance of the Freedom Quilting Bee story," said Kim V. Kelly, Executive Director of Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy. "It enables us to preserve this historic place while building the organizational capacity needed to ensure these stories continue to educate and inspire generations to come."

Through the Humanities in Place grant, Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy will undertake critical work to upgrade the historic structure, ensuring that it can continue to serve as a center for exhibitions, educational programming, research, and community engagement. Planned improvements include modernization of essential building systems, accessibility enhancements, and rehabilitation that preserves the building's historic character while preparing it for long-term public use.

In addition to investing in the historic building, the grant will strengthen the organization's capacity by supporting the recruitment and hiring of a Development Director. This new leadership position will expand Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy's fundraising and donor engagement efforts, broaden philanthropic support, and help secure the organization's long-term financial sustainability.

"The Mellon Foundation recognizes that preserving historic places also requires investing in the organizations that care for them," Kelly said. "By strengthening our development capacity, we will be better positioned to cultivate new partnerships and resources that will sustain this important work well beyond the grant period."

The award builds upon several years of investment by public and private partners in the Adaptive Reuse Project. Previous support from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, the Daniel Foundation of Alabama, and the Educational Foundation of America enabled significant improvements to the property, including renovation of the Rev. Lonnie Brown Jr. Learning Center, expansion of the site's infrastructure, and completion of architectural plans for restoration of the building's original roof design. Souls Grown Deep Foundation was an early funder whose support helped launch Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy. Today, that partnership continues through their contribution of original photographic documentation of the community and their curation of the exhibition currently on display.

By the conclusion of the grant period in 2029, Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy will have advanced the preservation of one of Alabama's most important Civil Rights and folk art landmarks while establishing stronger organizational systems to support expanded exhibitions, educational initiatives, artist residencies, public humanities programming, and community partnerships.

About Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy
Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy preserves, interprets, and advances the history and enduring impact of the Freedom Quilting Bee. Through historic preservation, exhibitions, educational programming, and community partnerships, the organization celebrates the women whose artistry and entrepreneurship transformed their community and left an indelible mark on American history. To learn more about the Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy, visit www.fqblegacy.org. For media-approved images, please click here.

African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund Awards $3 Million to Preserve Historic Black Places Across the U.S

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 21:39:29 +0000

The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a division of the National Trust for Historic Preservation,today announced $3 million in preservation funding for 27 historic sites and organizations across the United States through its annual National Grant Program and Conserving Black Modernism Initiative. Since its founding in 2017, the Action Fund has raised more than $200 million and supported over 430 preservation projects dedicated to protecting Black heritage nationwide.

"Historic places help us understand who we are as a nation," said Brent Leggs, President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and founder of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. "These grants are investments in communities that are preserving the full American story—from the struggles for freedom and civil rights to the achievements of Black educators, architects, entrepreneurs, faith leaders, and culture bearers. By supporting local stewards and communities, we are helping ensure these stories endure for generations to come."

"The strength of the National Grant Program and Conserving Black Modernism Initiative is their ability to meet communities where they are and provide support that responds to their unique preservation needs," said Tiffany Tolbert, Co-Director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. "This year's grantees represent every corner of the country and demonstrate that preserving Black history requires sustained investment, local leadership, and strong partnerships. We are honored to stand alongside these organizations as they protect places that continue to shape our nation's cultural landscape."

As the nation marks the 250th anniversary of the United States, this year's grants reaffirm the importance of preserving places that tell a complete and inclusive American story. At a time when communities across the country are reexamining how history is remembered, interpreted, and shared, the Action Fund continues to invest in local organizations that safeguard the people, places, and movements that have shaped the nation

This year, the National Grant Program is awarding $2.26 million to 22 grantees that reflect the diversity and national significance of Black history, supporting places that preserve cultural heritage, civil rights memory, education, and women's leadership. Awardees include: the multi-state Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, which protects one of the nation's most distinctive Black cultural landscapes in America; The Eliza Freeman House in Connecticut, home to a self-made Black businesswoman in the 1840's; the home of Dr. Jane Ellen McAllister, the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in Education from Columbia University, located in Mississippi; Thelma's Cafe in West Virginia's Hotel Thelma, a Green Book site that was visited by Etta James, Sam Cooke, Little Richard, and Tina Turner; and the Detroit Association of Women's Clubs building, which was listed on the National Trust's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in America in 2026.

The Conserving Black Modernism Initiative, a partnership with the J. Paul Getty Foundation now in its fourth year, is awarding $750,000 in grants to five projects that protect and promote the work and legacy of Black Modernist architects. This year's portfolio includes Fisk University's Park Johnson Hall; the Martin Luther King Jr. Humanities Center at Texas Southern University; St. Mark AME Zion Church in East Chicago, Indiana; Northeastern University's Southwest Corridor Project; and Milwaukee's Central City Plaza. These sites help expand public understanding of historic preservation beyond traditional landmarks by highlighting the enduring influence of Black architects and community-centered design.

"Conserving Black Modernism has helped communities in nearly every region of the U.S. protect the work of Black architects and has helped broaden the very definition of modernist architecture," said Joan Weinstein, director of the Getty Foundation. "Teaming up with the National Trust over the past five years has allowed us to take actionable steps to preserve underrepresented sites that embody Black excellence in design, activism and resilience."

This work would not be possible without the Action Fund's philanthropic partners who share a commitment to social justice through preservation and education. The Action Fund is grateful for the generous support of the Freedom Together Foundation, the Robert D.L. Gardiner Foundation, the J. Paul Getty Foundation, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for supporting this year's grantmaking round.

A complete list of 2026 National Grant Program and Conserving Black Modernism grantees is available here.

About the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund
The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund is a division of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Since its founding in 2017, the Action Fund has raised $200 million and supported over 430 preservation projects, making it the largest national resource dedicated to the preservation of sites tied to Black history in the United States. With support from the Ford Foundation, Mellon Foundation, Freedom Together Foundation, J. Paul Getty Foundation, Lilly Endowment Inc. and others, the Action Fund is safeguarding historic places tied to Black resilience, activism, and achievement. Learn more at www.savingplaces.org/actionfund.

South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain on Decision for South Carolina to hold the 1st presidential primary in 2028

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 21:10:36 +0000

South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain realesed the following statement on the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee again selecting South Carolina to lead off the 2028 Democratic presidential primary.

South Carolina Democrats are grateful to the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee for again selecting South Carolina to lead off the 2028 Democratic presidential primary. This decision demonstrates our party’s commitment to competing in the South and recognizes the importance of black and rural voters in shaping the Democratic Party’s future. Additionally, the committee valued our flexibility in setting the primary date and the certainty of conducting a well-run primary.

This moment belongs to the volunteers, organizers, county parties, activists, and candidates who have worked tirelessly to build our party and ensure every voice is heard. Time and time again, South Carolina Democrats have shown that we know how to choose a presidential nominee who can unite our party and win in November.

The process to determine which states will go early in the primary calendar has been extremely competitive, and we are honored to join five additional diverse states that together will lead our nominating process and deliver the strongest, most competitive nominee in 2028 that will deliver for working families across this country. Together, we are ready to deliver for the Democratic Party and the American people.

REV. AL SHARPTON: STRIPPING SOUTH CAROLINA OF ITS FIRST-IN-THE-NATION PRIMARY WOULD BE A SLAP IN THE FACE TO BLACK VOTERS

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 21:04:40 +0000

Rev. Al Sharpton, President of the National Action Network, is adding his voice to a growing coalition of Black leaders warning the Democratic National Committee not to strip South Carolina of its first-in-the-nation presidential primary status. The statement comes as the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee prepares to decide the order of the 2028 primary calendar.

“You don’t forget who showed up for you when nobody else would,” Sharpton said. “Black voters have shown up for the Democratic Party again and again. South Carolina hasn’t just cast votes in the presidential primary, time after time, it decided the nomination, and ultimately the presidency. If South Carolina gets quietly bumped after one cycle of convenient praise, that sends a message louder than any speech at a Democratic dinner: the gratitude was performance, not policy.”

South Carolina didn’t luck into its spot at the front of the calendar; it earned it. The DNC moved the state up in 2024 because a party that depends on minority and working-class voters to win needed a primary process that led with a state like South Carolina, where Black voters make up over half the Democratic primary electorate, and the rest of the electorate reflects the urban, rural, working-class, and suburban mix of the country the party is trying to win. It worked. Sharpton and other Black leaders argue reversing course now, in favor of states with calendar conflicts or political convenience, would be exactly backward.

“To turn around now and push South Carolina to the back of the line would be a slap in the face to the very voters who’ve kept this party alive,” Sharpton said. “This isn’t about one state’s ego. It’s a test of whether the Democratic Party actually means it when it says Black voters are the backbone of this coalition, or whether that’s just something we say during election years and quietly walk back once the votes are counted.”

Sharpton tied the fight directly to this year’s Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which gutted Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and opened the door for state legislatures across the South to redraw maps that dilute Black political power.

“When courts won’t protect fair districts, and state legislatures are racing to draw Black representation out of existence, the primary calendar becomes one of the last remaining levers Black voters have to shape who leads this country,” Sharpton said. “The Democratic Party cannot simultaneously turn around and strip away the one nationally visible platform where Black voters get to go first and set the tone for the entire race. That would be doubling down on disenfranchisement at exactly the moment it needs to be resisted hardest.”

Sharpton’s statement adds to a wall of support building for South Carolina in recent weeks. DNC Black Caucus Chair Virgie M. Rollins wrote directly to Rules and Bylaws Committee Co-Chairs: “African Americans continue to be the backbone of the Democratic Party and can consistently be counted on to support Democratic candidates. South Carolina has a larger African American population than any other state currently under consideration to be the first primary state,” Rollins wrote, adding that by electing Christale Spain to lead the state party twice, “South Carolina Democrats clearly recognize her leadership and that Black women get the job done of organizing and getting Black voters to the polls.” “I support South Carolina being first on our primary calendar,” Rollins said.

That support follows on the heels of a joint push from Congressman Bennie G. Thompson, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Institute, and Democratic Party chairs from across the Deep South. Thompson wrote to DNC Chair Ken Martin and the Rules and Bylaws Committee that “South Carolina’s first-in-the-nation status is not a procedural privilege; it is a hard-won recognition that the Democratic Party’s coalition must be centered, not assumed.” Southern state party chairs from Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and West Virginia echoed that message in their own joint statement: “When South Carolina goes first, we send a message to the nation that the Democratic Party will not retreat from its commitment to multiracial democracy, even as the courts and the Republican Party work in concert to undermine it.”

“Keep South Carolina first,” Sharpton said. “Not because it’s owed as a favor, but because it’s the right thing to do for a party that wants to win.”

Dr. Lennor M. Johnson Named the First Black President of MiraCosta College

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 01:21:32 +0000

On June 25, 2026, the MiraCosta Community College District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the contract of Dr. Lennor M. Johnson as the institution’s next Superintendent/President. Following a comprehensive national search, Dr. Johnson will succeed Dr. Sunny Cooke and officially step into his new role on August 3.

Dr. Johnson brings more than 28 years of educational leadership, a deep commitment to student equity, and a clear track record of removing barriers to academic and career success.

"On behalf of the Board of Trustees, it is with great excitement that we welcome Dr. Johnson to MiraCosta College," said Frank Merchat, President of the Board of Trustees. "The Board is confident that his collaborative approach, passion for equity, and dedication to community partnerships make him the ideal leader to build upon the solid foundation Dr. Cooke has established.

"Dr. Johnson joins MiraCosta College from Imperial Valley Community College District, where he served as Superintendent/President. Under his leadership, the district earned the prestigious Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, a national recognition highlighting his ability to build environments where student success thrives.

His broad career spans multiple facets of higher education, including roles as Vice President of Student Services, Dean, Campus Director, Graduate Curriculum Chair, and Professor. Throughout his career, Dr. Johnson has championed the needs of diverse student populations, including first-generation students, foster youth, veterans, and system-impacted individuals. He possesses conversational and professional proficiency in Spanish, enabling him to engage meaningfully with students, families, employees, and community members throughout the region. This ability will further support MiraCosta College's mission as a proud Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). His strategic focus on enrollment growth, fiscal health, and curriculum alignment has consistently earned national recognition for institutional excellence and student retention.

The pairing of Dr. Johnson and MiraCosta College brings together a leader recognized for institutional excellence with a college that holds a distinguished national reputation. Additionally, Dr. Johnson's appointment marks a historic milestone for the district, as he becomes the first African American Superintendent/President in MiraCosta College’s 92-year history. MiraCosta College is widely recognized as an Achieving the Dream Leader College for its efforts to close equity gaps. It has also consistently been named to the Aspen Prize Top 150 Community Colleges and is recognized regionally and nationally for its pioneering bachelor’s degree programs in biomanufacturing.

Outside of his academic roles, Dr. Johnson is a proud veteran who served honorably for four years in the United States Marine Corps. He has dedicated much of his personal time to advocating for educational reform and economic development in minoritized communities, earning the Stone of Hope Award for his efforts. He is also a founding board member for several youth-focused non-profits and actively mentors individuals to help them realize their full potential.

Dr. Johnson holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Robert Morris University, a Master's degree in Business Administration from Governors State University, and a Doctorate in Education from Argosy University. With his contract officially approved, the college community looks forward to beginning this new leadership chapter in August.

Dr. Johnson and his wife, Michelle, look forward to becoming part of the MiraCosta College community and engaging with students, employees, and community partners throughout the district.

Watch Attorney Ben Crump release of independent autopsy of Nolan Xavier Wells 08/22/2026

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 01:00:52 +0000

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump will hold a press conference tomorrow 08/22/26 to announce the findings of an independent autopsy connected to the death of Nolan Wells.

The press conference is set at 8 a.m. Central Time (9 a.m. Eastern) Wednesday. Crump will be joined by Derrick Johnson, presidents of and chief executive officer of the NAACP, and the Wells’ family at the news conference. The press conference will take place at the 117th NAACP convention in Chicago.

Watch live below:

MARCH ON WASHINGTON 2026: DEFEND THE VOTE

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 22:05:57 +0000

MARCH ON WASHINGTON 2026: DEFEND THE VOTE

On Friday, August 28, 2026, we gather on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for the March on Washington: Defend the Vote. Hosted by Rev. Al Sharpton, the National Action Network, and the Drum Major Institute on the 63rd anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, we march because the work is not finished.

We march to defend the vote, because voting rights are under attack and the protections generations fought, bled, and died for are being weakened.

We march to defend civil rights, because attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion are attempts to roll back access, opportunity, and representation.

We march for economic justice, because too many families are still fighting for fair wages, affordable housing, equal opportunity, and a fair chance to build wealth.

This is not only about one election. This is about whether our democracy will protect all of us. This is about whether the promises of 1963 will finally be made real. This is about standing together, across generations, to say we will not go backward.

On August 28, we return to Washington not to remember history, but to make history. We march for the vote. We march for justice. We march for the future.

Learn more and register to march here March on Washington 2026 | Defend the Vote

ATTACK ON VOTING RIGHTS FORUM SCHEDULED FOR PLAINFIELD, NJ

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 18:50:15 +0000

“The Attack On Voting Rights And The War On Black People,” will be the subject of a panel discussion that will be held on Saturday, July 18, 2026, 12:00 noon at the Plainfield Public Library, 800 Park Avenue in Plainfield, New Jersey.

The event is sponsored by the People’s Organization For Progress (POP) a grassroots group that works for racial, social, economic justice and peace.

“The purpose of this forum is to discuss the impact of Presidential policy, U.S. Supreme Court decisions, and congressional action on voting rights. It is also to discuss the attack on Black people not only politically but also economically, socially, and culturally,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated.

“We want to give people an opportunity to have a dialogue not only on the negative impact of the racist and fascist domestic and foreign policies of the Trump administration on Black people but more importantly on strategies for fighting back,” Hamm said.

“The Trump administration is perhaps the most openly racist and certainly the most corrupt in my lifetime. His racist and fascist rhetoric and vitriolic attacks exceed that of his contemporaries,” he said.

“The reactionary policies of the White House, ultra conservative decisions of the Supreme Court, and right wing legislation of Congress and state legislatures makes it feel like there is a war on Black people in this country,” he said.

Invited speakers at the program will include Adrian Mapp, Mayor of Plainfield, Bill Davis, activist and author, Assatta Mann-Colon, New Jersey institute for Social Justice, and Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress.

The forum in Plainfield is the second of a series on this topic. The first one was held in Montclair. Others are scheduled for Newark, Maplewood, Hackensack, and East Orange. The series is expected to continue throughout this year at different cities and towns around the state.

“We decided to have this forum series after the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision in the Louisiana v. Callais case several months ago which gutted and effectively killed the 1965 Voting Rights Act,” Hamm said.

“This may be one of worst Supreme Court decisions on voting rights since the 15th Amendment, which gave black men the right to vote, was signed into law by President Grant after the Civil War in 1870,” Hamm said.

Hamm said the court’s decision enables racist state legislatures to redraw their congressional districts and eliminate those which have large black populations. This could result in the loss of as many as 19 congressional seats now held by African Americans.

Besides political retrenchment Hamm cited other areas where Black people are under attack.

“Black people continue to experience the highest rates of racist violence. Black Americans experience the highest rate of police brutality and fatal shootings by police. Black people are three times more likely to be killed by police than whites.

“Black student enrollment at colleges and universities continues to decline due to the Supreme Court decision to end affirmative action in higher education.

“Since the beginning of Trump’s second term Black unemployment has doubled with more than 600,000 Black people losing their jobs, including 350,000 Black women, due to a sagging economy, federal budget cuts, and the ending of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs,” he said.

Hamm said the racial wealth gap continues to widen between blacks and whites. White families now have six times the wealth of black families. The median net worth of white families is about $285,000 compared to $44,900 for Black families.

In terms of health outcomes life expectancy of Black Americans is shorter than that of whites. The rate of black infant mortality is double the rate for whites. Black maternal mortality is more than three times the rate for whites.

For more information please call People’s Organization for Progress at 973 801-0001.

WATCH FULL PRESS CONFERENCE: The family of Nolan Wells and attorneys Ben Crump held a news conference after meeting with the Jackson County District Attorney.

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 18:36:35 +0000

The family of Nolan Wells and attorneys Ben Crump held a news conference after meeting with the Jackson County District Attorney on July 15, 2026. Watch the entire news conference below

My Brother's Keeper Announces 2026 Summer Reading List to Boost Literacy Among Newark Students & Residents

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 12:37:08 +0000

My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Newark, an initiative of Newark Opportunity Youth Network (NOYN) built on the Obama Foundation’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, announced today the MBK Newark 2026 Summer Reading List featuring 30 books for early childhood to adult readers. The annual list encourages families to read together to improve literacy skills for students and adults both over the summer.

“Improving literacy among our students, including Black and Brown boys of color is a leading priority for MBK Newark and the city at-large. Community involvement is a key factor in the effort’s success,” said Mark Comesañas, executive director of My Brother’s Keeper Newark. “Each year, we curate a list of books reflective of diverse backgrounds and experiences for children and families to see both themselves and different perspectives. We look forward to working with partner organizations to distribute the books, celebrate Newark authors, and encourage all residents to read this summer.”

MBK Newark focuses on six key life milestones to improve outcomes for young men of color. The MBK 2026 Summer Reading List highlights Milestone 2, Reading at Grade level by Third Grade, when reading to learn, not just learning to read, becomes essential for the foundation of a student’s academic success.

The list serves to engage Newark residents of all ages to contribute to investments by the City of Newark and Newark Public Schools, including Mayor Ras Baraka’s 10-point Youth Literacy Plan and the Newark Public Schools 2026 Summer Reading List, to bring students’ reading skills above grade level. One local collaborator includes Reading Partners, which is currently recruiting local tutors in partnership with GreenLight Fund Greater Newark, to improve literacy outcomes for 4,500 students.

Books on the list include titles written and illustrated by Newark authors, including West Ward Councilman Dupré L. Kelly and Khairi Williams (“You Can Do It All”); David D., Aiyana Heart, and Jada Rae Ruiz (“Meet the Tayberries”); and Daniela Palacios and Patricia Patalinjug (“El Nuevo País y la Nueva Amiga de Sara/Sara’s New Country and New Friend”).

“A movement is not a movement unless it is moving progressively forward and tomorrow cannot be built with stagnant ideas.” said authors of “You Can Do It All” West Ward Councilman Dupré L. Kelly and Khairi Williams. “Momentum begins with literacy, understanding, and self-belief. Our book “You Can Do It All” being added to the MBK 2026 Summer Reading List aligns with the incredible mission of My Brother’s Keeper Newark, making sure our children do not just dream about success, but actively march toward it .”

MBK Newark plans to distribute 500 copies of the books at local events throughout the summer, including Black Boy Joy Festival on August 1 at Military Park, Reading Under the Stars on August 5 at Ivy Hill Park, and others.

The MBK Newark 2026 Summer Reading List

Ages 0-3

“You Can Do It All” by Khairi Williams & Dupré L. Kelly (Newark Author)

“Whose Toes are Those?” by Jabari Asim; illustrated by LeUyen Pham

“Cerca/Close” by Juan Felipe Herrera; illustrated by Blanca Gómez

“At the Park” by Sally Anne Garland

“I Believe I Can” by Grace Byers; illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo

Ages 4-6

“Meet the Tayberries” by David D. Ruiz & Aiyana Heart Ruiz; illustrated by Jada Rae Ruiz
(Newark Author)

“El Nuevo País y la Nueva Amiga de Sara/Sara’s New Country and New
Friend” by Daniela Palacios; illustrated by Patricia Patalinjug (Newark Author)

“Hey Young Prince!: Discover God's Greatness Within You” by Felicia Campbell; illustrated Zuri Gray

“Little Black Boy: Oh, the Things You Will Do!” by Kirby Howell-Baptiste and Larry C. Fields III

“Freedom Soup” by Tami Charles

Ages 7-9

“The Rhythm of Time” by Questlove and S.A. Cosby

“The Library in the Woods” by Calvin Alexander Ramsey; illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

“Montgomery and the Case of the Golden Key” by Tracy Occomy Crowder

“Call Me Roberto!: Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos” by Nathalie Alonso; illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez

“A Fist for Joe Louis and Me” by Trinka Hakes Noble

Ages 10-13

“Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You!” by Marley Dias

“Kwame Crashes the Underworld ” by Craig Kofi Farmer

“The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze” by Derrick Barnes

“Black Star” by Jason Reynolds by Kwame Alexander

“Tight” by Torrey Maldonado

Ages 14-17

“Show and Prove” by Sofia Quintero

“Long Way Down” by Jason Reynolds

“The Contender” by Robert Lipsyte

“Money Out Loud: All the Financial Stuff No One Taught Us” by Berna Anat

“We Are Not From Here” by Jenny Torres Sanchez

Ages 18+

“Grocery Shopping with My Mother” by Kevin Powell

“Every Day We Get More Illegal” by Juan Felipe Herrera

“The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois” by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers

“Toni Morrison: The Princeton Lectures” by Toni Morrison

“America, U.S.A. How Race Shadows the Nation's Anniversaries” by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.

To view the full MBK Newark 2026 Summer Reading List, including book synopses, MBK Summer Reading List — My Brothers Keeper Newark.

NAACP Calls for a Federal Investigation in the Deaths of Black Men in Tennessee

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 22:20:55 +0000

In a letter sent to the Department of Justice, the NAACP called for an immediate investigation into the deaths of both Darius Chappell of Clarksville, Tennessee, and Tyrin Johnson of Memphis, Tennessee. The Association is also calling for the immediate suspension of the Memphis Safe Task Force due to concerns of lack of training. The demand for a federal investigation by the Department of Justice could provide transparency to affected communities and ensure full accountability and justice.

Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and CEO, shared the following statement:

"The Department of Justice cannot continue to stand by while Black lives are taken. The DOJ has a fundamental responsibility to support, protect, and defend the United States Constitution — and let me be entirely clear: that Constitution includes the rights, the safety, and the futures of Black Americans. When officers fail to deliver equal protection under the law, the federal government must step in with its investigative authority.

"We demand a thorough, transparent federal investigation. We demand accountability. We will not allow the names of Darius Chappell and Tyrin Johnson to be overlooked. We demand immediate suspension of National Guard activity in Memphis, and we will fight until justice is served."

Under Trump, the Department of Justice has abandoned police accountability work. In May 2025, the department retracted a report that outlined systemic problems in the Memphis Police Department. Today, the Justice Department calls for this taxpayer funded agency to investigate the tragic deaths of Black Tennesseans.

The NAACP conducted a survey of Memphis residents on the approval or disapproval of the deployment of the National Guard in their communities. According to the results, 63% of respondents strongly disapprove of the deployment of the National Guard, and 54% of survey respondents perceive that the deployment of the National Guard has significantly undermined the safety and trust of residents.

The NAACP has always fought to protect Black lives and will continue this fight by utilizing every tool at our disposal to ensure justice prevails. To read the full letter, visit naacp.org.

###

EBONY UNVEILS 2026 POWER 100: A CELEBRATION OF BLACK IMPACT, INFLUENCE AND POWER

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 23:29:42 +0000

The iconic franchise returns with Jesse Collins Entertainment spearheading production for the 2026 celebration!

For more than 80 years, EBONY has chronicled, celebrated, and elevated the people, stories and ideas defining Black life across generations. In 2026, that legacy continues with the return of the EBONY Power 100, EBONY's signature recognition of the leaders and visionaries whose work is shaping culture, driving progress, and expanding what is possible.

The 2026 EBONY Power 100 will spotlight a dynamic class of honorees across entertainment, business, sports, media, music, science, technology, community leadership, and the arts. Together, they represent the breadth of Black excellence today: creators building global movements, executives transforming industries, athletes redefining leadership, advocates strengthening communities, and innovators imagining the future.

This year's celebration marks a new chapter for the franchise, with Jesse Collins Entertainment joining EBONY as production partner. The Emmy-winning production company, known for producing some of television's most memorable live events, awards shows, and cultural moments, will help bring the 2026 EBONY Power 100 experience to life with a production designed to honor achievement, amplify legacy, and celebrate the next era of Black influence.

"EBONY Power 100 has always been more than a list; it is a cultural record of the people moving us forward," said Eden Bridgeman, EBONY CEO. "As EBONY continues to evolve, this franchise remains one of our most powerful platforms for recognizing the brilliance, leadership and creativity shaping our community and the world."

The EBONY Power 100 has long served as a definitive celebration of Black achievement, honoring individuals whose impact reaches across industries and generations. Past honorees include Academy Award-winning director Ryan Coogler, four-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson, award-winning screenwriter and producer Mara Brock Akil, and media personality Scott Evans, among many others.

"Jesse Collins Entertainment is honored to partner with EBONY on the 2026 Power 100," said Dionne Harmon, President. "EBONY has been central to how Black culture is documented and celebrated, and we look forward to helping create an unforgettable experience worthy of this extraordinary group of honorees."

The 2026 EBONY Power 100 will recognize leaders across the following categories:

Artists in Residence
Business Disruptors
Community Crusaders
Entertainment Powerhouses
Generation Next
Influential Creators
Leaders in Sports
Media Mavens
Music Innovators
STEM Trailblazers

Final honorees will be celebrated at the highly anticipated 2026 EBONY Power 100 ceremony in Los Angeles, produced in partnership with Jesse Collins Entertainment.

59TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1967 NEWARK REBELLION WILL BE COMMEMORATED BY PEOPLE’S ORGANIZATION FOR PROGRESS ON JULY 12TH

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:33:20 +0000

The anniversary of a major uprising of the 1960s will be observed this weekend by a grassroots civil and human rights advocacy group.

A march and rally will be held to commemorate the 59th anniversary of the 1967 Newark Rebellion, a cataclysmic event of that turbulent era.

It will take place Sunday, July 12, 2026, 2:00pm, starting at the Rebellion Monument, 250 Springfield Avenue in Newark, New Jersey.

This event is sponsored by the People’s Organization For Progress (POP), which has held some form of commemoration for the uprising since the group was founded 44 years ago in 1982.

“We are having this event because we believe it is important to remember what happened during the 1967 Newark Rebellion, why it happened, and how it is still relevant today,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated.

“The 1967 uprising was one of the most consequential occurrences in the city’s 350 year history. It is integral to an understanding of present day Newark, and there are important lessons to be learned from it,” Hamm said.

“It has been called the Newark riots. We do not call it a riot. We call it a rebellion because it was a collective response to the racist oppression of black people in the city, state, and nation,” he said.

The commemoration will begin with a rally at the Rebellion Monument dedicated to those killed during the unrest. It lists the names of the 26 people who were killed during the uprising.

The monument is located in an area unofficially known as ‘Rebellion Park,’ which is located on Springfield Ave between Hayes Street and Irvine Turner Blvd.

Participants at the event will march from the monument to the 1st Police Precinct, 10 17th Avenue, and back. The precinct is where the 1967 Newark Rebellion started.

“The 1967 Newark uprising was sparked by a police brutality incident. Newark police officers beat an African-American cab driver named John Smith,” he said.

“This led to a confrontation between protestors and police outside of the police precinct building in the city’s Central Ward, where Smith had been taken, which ignited the uprising that spread to other parts of Newark,” he said.

The rebellion took place over a four day period. A force of 7,917 police and national guard were mobilized to put it down. A state of emergency was declared and martial law was established.

When it was over 26 people had been killed, more than 700 injured and nearly 1,500 arrested. It resulted in millions of dollars of property damage.

“The upheaval was catastrophic but it also gave added impetus to a dynamic movement for black political power that led to the election of Kenneth A. Gibson as Newark’s first African American mayor and eventually a predominantly Black city council during his second term,” he said.

Hamm said this year’s commemoration will focus on the ongoing problem of police brutality. He said that almost 1300 people were killed by police last year with less than 1 percent of the officers involved being charged with a crime.

“We are going to demand justice for Wali Bey, Kohen Wiley, Deborah Terrell, Carl Dorsey, Major Gulia Dale III, Andrew Washington, Najee Seabrooks, Bernard Placide, and all victims of police brutality. We are going to demand that those officers that killed them be held accountable and prosecuted,” Hamm said.

“This not only includes local police but also state troopers, ICE agents, National Guard, and officers belonging to other law enforcement agencies.

“We are going to demand passage of bills by the New Jersey legislature that will enable cities and towns to establish police review boards with subpoena powers.

“We are also going to demand passage of federal police reform legislation including the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act,” he said.

The speakers at the event will include people who lived through the rebellion, family members of recent victims of police brutality, community leaders and activists. They will discuss how what happened then is still relevant today.

For directions and other information call the People's Organization For Progress at (973)801-0001.

Town hall meeting over proposed AI data center at Fisk University gets heated.

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 23:53:32 +0000

Fisk University leaders faced a packed room of frustrated residents, alumni and community members Monday night during the school’s first public town hall addressing its proposed data center, a project that has stirred mounting opposition in the North Nashville community. According to WKRN, attendees raised concerns ranging from noise and energy consumption to broader environmental impacts on the surrounding neighborhood.

Rep. Shontel Brown introduces bill to help women who suffer from fibroids

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 23:40:55 +0000

Rep. Shontel Brown of Ohio introduces bill to help women who suffer from fibroids.

Coppin State University Lowers Costs for Residential Students Amid Rising Higher Education Expenses

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 01:47:50 +0000

As colleges and universities across Maryland and the nation continue to raise costs for students and families, Coppin State University, Maryland's most affordable university, is lowering costs for residential students through a series of strategic affordability measures designed to reduce expenses while continuing to invest in academic excellence, student success, and institutional growth.

Beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, residential students and their families will benefit from a 12% reduction in board plan costs through a newly negotiated food service agreement. The university also will not increase mandatory student fees, helping to ease the financial burden on students and families at a time when the cost of higher education continues to rise.

Key Cost Changes for Residential Students

Board plan rates will decrease by approximately 12% through a newly negotiated food service agreement.
Mandatory student fees will remain unchanged.

University leaders say the reduction is the result of strong strategic financial management, operational efficiencies, and a continued commitment to affordability.

"When was the last time you heard of a university lowering costs? This is about putting students first," said Dr. Anthony L. Jenkins, president of Coppin State University. "At a time when families are facing rising costs for food, housing, transportation, and other necessities, we are doing everything we can to make college more affordable. Higher education remains one of the most powerful pathways to opportunity, and we want to ensure that cost is not a barrier to our students' success."

Coppin Continues to Lead on Affordability

The reduction in board plan costs further strengthens Coppin's position as Maryland's most affordable university. Following the new food service agreement, Coppin's annual board cost will be approximately $4,875, lower than every four-year public institution in Maryland.

Annual Board Costs at Maryland Public Universities

Institution	Annual Board Cost
Coppin State University	$4,875
University of Maryland Eastern Shore	$5,294
Frostburg State University	$6,010
Salisbury University	$6,130
Towson University	$6,290
University of Maryland, Baltimore County	$6,522
Bowie State University	$6,564
University of Maryland, College Park	$6,820
Morgan State University	$6,875

"Affordability is one of the most important factors influencing whether students enroll, persist, and ultimately graduate," said Dr. James Stewart, Associate Vice President for Student Development and Achievement. "When institutions reduce financial barriers, students are better positioned to focus on their academics, engage in campus life, and complete their degrees without the constant burden of financial stress. At Coppin, affordability is directly connected to student success. It supports recruitment, strengthens retention, and creates opportunities for students to move confidently toward graduation and meaningful careers."

Student Success and Affordability Initiatives

The affordability measures complement several additional student success initiatives designed to help students reduce the cost of earning a degree.

Summer SOAR

Students who successfully complete 30 semester credit hours during the academic year are eligible to receive up to six credit hours of free summer tuition.
The program helps students accelerate progress toward graduation at little additional cost.

Expand Eagle Nation

Provides in-state tuition rates to students from states with two or fewer Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Expands access to a Coppin education for students nationwide.

Enrollment and Student Success Highlights

Coppin's affordability efforts are designed to reduce costs, minimize student debt, increase degree completion, expand access and opportunity, and propel students toward economic mobility.

More students and families from across the country are choosing Coppin. The university is the fastest-growing institution in Greater Baltimore and Maryland's leading HBCU for male enrollment growth.

Recent achievements include:

A record 24,000 undergraduate applications, the highest number in institutional history.
A 75% retention rate, the highest in university history.
A 77% male retention rate, the highest in university history and significantly above the national average for Black male students.

"Higher education remains one of the greatest pathways to economic mobility," Jenkins said. "Coppin continues to demonstrate what is possible when a university is committed to expanding access, putting students first, and preparing graduates for meaningful careers and lifelong achievement. We are standing on a promise made 126 years ago: to nurture potential and transform lives."

PEOPLE’S ORGANIZATION FOR PROGRESS WILL HOST COMMUNITY READING OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS’ SPEECH “WHAT TO THE SLAVE IS THE FOURTH OF JULY?”

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 08:14:25 +0000

As the nation begins to celebrate its 250th anniversary of independence, a grassroots civil rights organization will have a public reading of a speech by a nineteenth century slavery abolitionist which offers a unique perspective on the 4th of July.

There will be community recitation of “What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July,” by Frederick Douglass. It will take place on Thursday evening, July 2, 2026, 6:00pm at Bethany Baptist Church, 275 West Market Street in Newark, New Jersey.

The program is sponsored by the People’s Organization For Progress. It is free and open to the public.

“We are having this program because we felt it was important to hear the perspective of a Black abolitionist on celebrating the nation’s independence while millions of Black people were still enslaved within its borders,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated.

“We also believe that this activity will give us further insight into the state of race relations in the United States today,” Hamm said.

“We are calling this a community reading because the presentation will be a collective effort. We are inviting community leaders, activists and residents to each read portions of the speech,” he said.

Frederick Douglass is the most famous abolitionist of his era. He was born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey. His recognized birthdate is February 14, 1818. He was born into slavery in Talbot County, Maryland. Douglass was self-emancipated and self-educated.

He escaped from slavery at age 20 and went on to join the abolitionist movement. He became an author, statesman, and one of the greatest orators of his time. Douglass was also the most photographed person of his century. He was about 77 years old when he died on February 20, 1895 in Washington, DC.

The speech was given at an event observing the 76th anniversary of U.S. independence on July 5, 1852 at Corinthian Hall in Rochester, New York. It was organized by the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society. This was nine years before the start of the Civil War.

“The program is timely because it takes place after the Juneteenth holiday on June 19th, which celebrates emancipation, and before Independence Day on July 4th, which observes the country’s founding when Black people were enslaved,” Hamm said.

“When Frederick Douglass asked the question ‘what to the slave is the Fourth of July?’ in 1852, nearly four million of black people in this country were enslaved,” he said.

“So now, 174 years later we must ask the question what should this holiday mean to the descendants of those who were enslaved in this country on July 4,1776,” he said.

“In his answer to the question Douglass made a scathing criticism of slavery in the U.S. I am certain that if he could speak now he would be relentless in his critique of the ongoing racism, white supremacy, racial inequality, injustice, and oppression that exists in this country today,” Hamm said.

For more information contact the People’s Organization For Progress (POP) at 973 801-0001.

-END-

Congressional Black Caucus Statement on Supreme Court Ruling to Further Weaken Voting Rights Act

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 11:09:32 +0000

Today, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) and members of the Congressional Black Caucus issued the following statement:

“Two months after the Trump Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais gutted key protections of the Voting Rights Act, the Court’s conservative supermajority has taken another step to threaten the rights of Black and minority voters.

“This week, the Court declined to hear a challenge to an Arkansas law that criminalizes assisting more than six voters in casting their ballots, leaving that restrictive law in place. The Court also allowed a 2025 ruling to stand that dismantles the private right of action under Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act.

“As a result, in the seven states under the jurisdiction of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals—Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota—private individuals and organizations can no longer bring lawsuits to protect voters with disabilities and those who face language barriers.

“These actions significantly weaken the ability to challenge discriminatory practices and safeguard access to the ballot box.

“In the wake of the Callais decision, Black political representation has come under direct and coordinated assault. Across the South, Republican-led legislatures and governors have moved swiftly to redraw congressional maps ahead of the November election in a deliberate effort to dilute voting strength, reduce representation, and roll back decades of hard-fought civil rights progress secured under the Voting Rights Act.

“The Supreme Court has once again advanced extreme right-wing ideology from the bench, but it does not have the final word—the American people do.

“Despite these actions and ongoing efforts to tilt the playing field, we are confident in our path to victory this November. And when we win, we will advance the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act alongside critical reforms—including eliminating the filibuster and reforming the Supreme Court—to ensure fairness, accountability, and equal representation under the law.”

Sachs Foundation Awards $2.6M in Scholarships to Black Scholars Amid DEI Challenges

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 08:32:30 +0000

The Sachs Foundation announced the selection of 65 outstanding Black scholars who will receive more than $2.6 million in scholarships.

The students were honored at the Foundation's Annual Celebration in June at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, where scholar, activist, and author Angela Davis joined Sachs Foundation Board Member Aisha Praught-Leer, a two-time Olympian and Jamaican record holder, for a keynote conversation before scholars, families, and community supporters.

At a time when diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and race-conscious admissions face legal and political challenges nationwide, the Sachs Foundation remains steadfast in its 95-year legacy of investing in Black students across Colorado through scholarships, mentorship, and leadership development opportunities.

"We get a lot of questions about what the Sachs Foundation is going to do in this current political moment. And our answer has been clear for almost 100 years," said Ben Ralston, CEO of the Sachs Foundation. "The same answer we had when the KKK held power in Colorado. The same answer during the Jim Crow South. The same answer through the civil rights movement. We are going to be here. We are going to do this work. And we are going to celebrate it."

In conversation with Praught-Leer, Professor Davis spoke directly to the scholars, drawing on her own formation as a young Black woman navigating a hostile political moment. Her message to this year's class was clear: use these years to practice freedom by challenging, critiquing, and building. "Find your community," she told them. "If you can't find it, you build it."

Black Colorado residents can apply for scholarships each year from January 1 to March 15. Learn more at https://www.sachsfoundation.org/#scholarships.

Those interested in supporting the Foundation's mission can visit SachsFoundation.org/donate/ or contact sachs@nextpr.com for information on partnership and giving opportunities.

Freedom School for Educators: Black History Classes in the Age of Censorship

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 01:48:04 +0000

It's not every day that educators can learn directly from leading historians, writers, and activists and then immediately process that learning in small groups with peers equally committed to truth and justice. That's exactly what makes the Zinn Education Project's Teach the Black Freedom Struggle online class series so rare and vital.

The 2026–2027 class schedule has just been announced. It opens the school year with a class on the history of high school student organizing, featuring historians Aaron Fountain Jr. and Jon Hale. Other sessions include Howard Bryant on Paul Robeson and Jackie Robinson; Gary Tyler on mass incarceration and the legacy of slavery; Kelly Lytle Hernández on racism and immigration policy; and Jeanne Theoharis on Coretta Scott King.

In an era of book bans, gag orders, and political attacks on justice-centered curricula, spaces for honest, interactive professional learning are shrinking. Teachers and school staff face constant pressure, misinformation, and curricular erasure. The need for meaningful, culturally relevant professional development has never been greater, as nearly half of educators report that their required training is irrelevant to their work. This series offers a response: a collaborative and engaging learning experience unlike typical workshops or webinars.

The Zinn Education Project series reminds participants that history is layered, contested, and constantly rewritten. It emphasizes that social transformation is collective. Now in its sixth year, the series offers monthly 75-minute sessions that combine rich historical conversation with interactive engagement. Each session pairs a teacher interviewer with a historian. Then, participants move into breakout rooms where they meet colleagues from across the country, discuss the content, and share strategies for bringing truth to their classrooms.

Anchored in an emergent people's history tradition, the series has featured speakers such as Clint Smith on slavery's lasting impact on inequality in the United States; Eve Ewing on how the U.S. school system maintains racial hierarchies; Jarvis Givens on Black History Month as an evolving liberatory project; and Jeanne Theoharis on Northern racism and the ongoing misuse of Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy. Martha Jones highlighted the role of Black women in the long struggle for voting rights. As one participant reflected on the session:

The stories of our female ancestors are powerful and need to be told and taught! Using Vanguard, I can share with my students the background of the struggle for Black women to vote and tie it into what is happening currently all across the country. This history is bigger than us.

These classes are not only about learning people's history. They provide opportunities for educators to connect with peers, find guidance for teaching under authoritarianism, and gain inspiration to continue justice-centered work. As one participant reflected, "So much of our history lies in our hands, and we have to tell our story and carry it forward."

The sessions consistently model inquiry-based, dialogic learning where knowledge grows through discussion and reflection, rather than top-down instruction. "As always, I appreciate the chance to actively process my thinking with other educators," one participant emphasized. Another shared, "Loving the breakout groups more and more each time."

Participants from every U.S. state and territory describe the series as rigorous and sustaining. One attendee said the experience "reinvigorates me to keep learning as much as possible to teach kids Black history, despite the major gaps in my knowledge." Another added: "This will definitely help my future teaching by being more open and honest with students. Not sugarcoating what has happened actually informs them more."

If educators are to teach U.S. history accurately, they need access to the current scholarship. These sessions provide exactly that: cutting-edge research in people's history that uncovers forgotten or previously unrecognized stories of real people — stories that traditional narratives have left out or intentionally erased.

"These spaces are not only about learning," one attendee wrote. "They are about organizing, connecting, and freedom dreaming."

PEOPLE’S ORGANIZATION FOR PROGRESS WILL HOLD PART TWO OF VOTING RIGHTS FORUM IN MONTCLAIR NJ

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 08:35:25 +0000

The second part of a forum entitled “The Attack On Voting Rights And The War On Black People,” will be held Friday, June 26, 2026, 7:00pm at St Paul’s Baptist Church, 119 Elm Street in Montclair, New Jersey.

The event is sponsored by the People’s Organization For Progress (POP), a grassroots volunteer group that works for racial, social, economic justice and peace.

“The purpose of this forum is to give people an opportunity to continue our dialogue on the negative impact of the racist and fascist domestic and foreign policies of the Trump administration on Black people and strategies for fighting back,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated.

Part one of the forum was held on May 29th at the same location. During that session numerous presentations were made by elected officials, community leaders, and activists.

“During the last seasion most of the program consisted of presentations by the invited speakers. This time most of the program will be devoted to audience participation so we can hear what the people have to say,” Hamm said.

“At the end of the of the last program we polled the audience and asked them if they wanted to have a second session to continue the dialogue and the overwhelming majority responded affirmatively,” he said.

Hamm said POP decided to have the first program after the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision in the Louisiana v. Callais case. That ruling eviscerated the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

“In terms of civil rights and racial equity that was one of the worst U.S. Supreme Court decisions since the Dred Scott case of 1857 when the court said that black people had no rights that white people were bound to respect,” he said.

Besides voter suppression and the attack on voting rights Hamm cited other reasons for calling the forum.

“Black student enrollment at colleges and universities continues to decline due to the Supreme Court decision to end affirmative action in higher education.

“Since the beginning of Trump’s second term Black unemployment has doubled with more than 600,000 black people losing their jobs, including 350,000 Black women, due to a sagging economy, federal budget cuts, and the ending of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs,” he said.

“The response to the first forum was so positive that we have decided to have this same discussion in other cities and towns across New Jersey. Other programs are already scheduled and will be announced soon,” he said.

For more information please call People’s Organization for Progress at 973 801-0001.

MARCH AGAINST TRUMP DICTATORSHIP IN NEWARK, NJ ON SUNDAY, JUNE 14TH

noreply@blogger.com ( George L. Cook III) — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:50:00 +0000

A counter protest will be held in response to the Trump administration’s celebration in Washington DC this weekend.

An “End The Trump Dictatorship March And Rally,” will be held Sunday, June 14, 2026, 2:00pm at the Rodino Federal Building, 970 Broad Street in Newark, New Jersey.

The demonstration is sponsored by the People’s Organization For Progress. It has been endorsed by the Martin Luther King People’s Convention for Justice and Resistance Planning Committee.

The event will begin with a rally at the federal building. After the rally the protesters will march to Martin Luther King Statue at 495 Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.

“We are having this demonstration to protest the sham celebration that President Trump is having in the nation’s capital on Sunday,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated.

“We will not celebrate this president who is a would be dictator nor will we celebrate a false racist history of this country. We must protest against it,” Hamm said.

He said that the demonstration is also being held to protest Trump’s racist, fascist, and draconian policies at home, and his administration’s imperialistic wars abroad.

“Trump is celebrating himself this weekend. He says it’s about the 250th anniversary of the founding of the country but it’s really all about him, his administration, and his policies,” he said.

“This is what dictators do. They try to make people believe they are the personification of the nation,” he said.

“Like King Louis XIV, Trump believes he is the state. In his mind being loyal to the country means being loyal to him,” he said.

Hamm said the historical narrative of the nation being used by the Trump administration for these celebrations is a whitewashed history that conforms to a white supremacist perspective.

“In their version of history the genocide against the Native Americans and theft of their land, the enslavement of Africans and oppression of Black people, and other similar episodes are downplayed or nonexistent,” he said.

“We cannot celebrate a history that does not tell the whole truth or does not recognize the contributions of those who have been oppressed and exploited,” he said.

For more information contact the People’s Organization For Progress at (973)801-0001.