It’s Time to Make Affordability a Priority
By Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07)
Today, our nation is gripped by instability and unease. Each day delivers a new headline that stirs confusion and frustration, as we lurch from one crisis to the next. Living in such uncertain times – and under such a misguided administration – it is more important than ever to reaffirm our core values. More than pointing out this administration’s failures, we must make clear where our priorities lie and how we plan to build a stronger, safer, more prosperous country. Ensuring that Americans can afford a decent standard of living must remain at the very top of our priority list.
More than anything, Americans want the chance to pursue their dreams, thrive in their careers and provide for their families. Why, then, has the Federal minimum wage been frozen at the insultingly low figure of $7.25 per hour for over 15 years? In 2009, the median price of a home was $210,000. Today, that figure has nearly doubled to more than $410,000. How can we expect young Americans to
/ Frankie Cordoba
Credit:
build their futures and start their own families when the prospect of home ownership is slipping further out of reach? That is why I support and cosponsor the Raise the Wage Act of 2025, which would raise the minimum wage to $17 by 2030. In the richest country on God’s green earth, there is simply no excuse to pay our people anything less than a living wage.
In addition to wages and housing prices, Americans across
our country are feeling pressure every time they visit the grocery store, with more than 50% of Americans reporting that the cost of groceries is a major source of stress. Food prices have risen 3 percent over the last year, and Trump’s tariff regime will only cause those prices to continue climbing. The administration’s cancellation of the Local Food for Schools (LFS) and the Local Food Purchase Assistance
(LFPA) Cooperative Agreement Programs cut more than $1 billion in funding that would have purchased local produce for schools and foodbanks across the country, hurting both our farmers and our vulnerable, hungry populations. To support those vulnerable friends and neighbors, I’m proud to support and cosponsor the Food Deserts Act, which would provide loans to help grocery stores
open and thrive in underserved communities.
For many families, the rising cost of healthcare is as pressing as the cost of food and housing.
The Congressional Budget Office warns that changes made in the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” will lead to some 10 million Americans losing their coverage over the next decade.
And if MAGA Republicans fail to extend Affordable Care Act
(ACA) tax subsidies that expire this year, out-of-pocket premium costs for ACA marketplace enrollees will rise by 75 percent on average. No American should have to worry that they are one illness away from financial ruin.
Congressman Kweisi Mfume represents Maryland’s Seventh Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Credit: Courtesy photo
For millions of young Americans, the dream of a college education and the upward mobility that it promises now comes with the nightmare of a lifelong burden of debt. Unfortunately, President Trump has declared war on higher education, slashing federal funding and driving away the international students that bolster university coffers. Even community colleges are grappling with vanishing grants, eliminated programs and looming budget shortfalls as state governments struggle with reduced federal funding. The challenges that we face are daunting – from stagnant wages and soaring housing prices to unaffordable healthcare, higher education and retirement – but they are far from insurmountable. With principled leadership and a commitment to prioritizing the needs of the people, we can rally the public and build a tomorrow where every American has the chance to realize their full potential and pursue their own American Dream.
Opinion: Discredited Trump Adviser Navarro Attacks Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook’s Credibility
Joe W. Bowers Jr. | Special to California Black Media Partners
Last week, Peter Navarro, a senior counselor in Donald Trump’s administration, called Federal Reserve Board
Governor Lisa Cook a “DEI hire” and a partisan “animal.”
This op-ed is in response to that comment.
Navarro’s remark fits into a well-documented pattern in which Trump and his spokespeople have questioned the legitimacy of accomplished Black leaders. Remarks like this warrant scrutiny, especially when they come from an administration that has often valued loyalty over expertise in its inner circle.
Cook’s Record vs. Navarro’s
Federal Reserve Board
Governor Lisa Cook is far more than a diversity hire. She earned a Ph.D. in economics from UC Berkeley, taught at Harvard, Stanford, and Michigan State, and produced widely cited research on innovation and economic growth. Hundreds of economists, including Nobel laureates, supported her Federal Reserve Board confirmation.
Navarro’s record is different. While he obtained a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard, he has been criticized by mainstream economists as proposing policies running counter to established economic thinking. He’s admitted to fabricating sources in his books, and his trade policies during Trump’s first term were widely reported to have raised costs for farmers and consumers through retaliatory tariffs. In 2023, he was convicted of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena and served a four-month prison sentence. Despite that record, he now advises Trump on trade and manufacturing policy.
Why Cook Is Targeted
Cook made history as the first Black woman to serve on the Board. Her appointment followed a rigorous process: nominated by President Joe Biden in January 2022 and confirmed by the Senate in May 2022 -- her 14year term secured through a 5050 Senate vote broken by Vice President Kamala Harris.
Federal Reserve Governors are appointed to long terms to insulate them from politics. Yet on Aug. 25, Trump announced her firing, citing unproven mortgage fraud allegations dating to 2021-before she even joined the Fed. Cook responded by filing a lawsuit seeking a restraining order. Her suit argues Trump lacked legal authority to remove her “for cause,” that the allegations are unsubstantiated and predate her appointment, and that she was denied due process under the Federal Reserve Act. If successful, Trump would be the first president ever to fire a sitting Fed governor in the institution’s 112-year history.
A Documented Pattern
This isn’t an isolated incident. Trump has a history of questioning the legitimacy of Black leaders. He promoted the false “birther” conspiracy against President Barack Obama. He called Congressman John Lewis “all talk, no action.” He mocked Vice President Kamala Harris as a “DEI hire” and questioned her intelligence. He once demanded the execution of the Central Park Five -- teenagers later exonerated.
Each example follows the same approach: whether targeting prominent Black leaders or vulnerable Black and Latino youth, Trump has sought to undermine their legitimacy and cast doubt on their worth.
Why It Matters
Navarro’s attack on Cook must be seen in this context. Her appointment is historic and reflects progress in institutions that have traditionally excluded Black and other minority representation or perspectives.
Research shows that Black women in leadership often face a
credibility gap. Fifty-five percent report having their judgment questioned at work, compared with 39% of women overall and 28% of men. 49% of Black women in corporate settings believe their race or ethnicity makes it harder to get raises or promotions, compared with just 3% of White women.
Cook is carrying out her responsibilities with the independence expected of a Federal Reserve Board member. Her confirmation was the result of thorough Senate vetting. Her decision not to resign and file a lawsuit is grounded in law, not politics.
Given Navarro’s record -fabricated scholarship, failed policy, and a criminal conviction -- his attempt to discredit Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook only underscores the lack of credibility in Trump’s inner circle, where loyalty has replaced competence.
About the Author
Joe W. Bowers Jr. is a contributing editor to California Black Media. He is a graduate of Stanford University.
Note: The information, views, and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author They do not purport to reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of California Black Media its affiliates, employees, or representatives.
The Bigger Picture Trump’s move to oust Cook and Navarro’s attempt to discredit her are not just attacks on one individual. They reflect a governing style that prizes loyalty over competence and qualifications. Time and again, Trump has surrounded himself with advisers whose chief credential is their willingness to echo him, not for their record of independent accomplishment. Cook represents the opposite: independence, expertise, and a commitment to sound policy. That is what the Federal Reserve requires -- and what Trump and Navarro find threatening.
Unsplash
Congressman Kweisi Mfume represents Maryland’s Seventh Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Credit: Courtesy photo
Thursday, September 4,
Which Are the Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars?
By BlackPress of America
The only ranking that tells you both is the Washington Monthly’s revised and expanded 2025 College Guide
The Washington Monthly magazine released its 2025 college rankings, which upend everything you thought you knew about which colleges are the best. Other college rankings, like those by U.S. News, reward universities for their wealth, prestige, and exclusivity— ensuring that the top ranks are always dominated by the same 10 or 20 elite schools, which few students can get into, much less afford. By contrast, the Washington Monthly measures colleges and universities by how much they help ordinary middleand working-class students get ahead economically and become good citizens. Those are the outcomes most Americans— students and taxpayers—want from their investments in the higher ed system.
As a result, half of the topscoring institutions on the Washington Monthly’s Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars list are hidden gems that most students don’t know
about—and that in many cases outperform elite universities.
The University of Texas–Rio Grande Valley ranks 21 slots above Harvard University.
Florida International University places eight positions above Duke University.
The highest-ranking elite school, Princeton University, comes in at number five, immediately below three campuses in the California State University system, including second-place Fresno State.
The number one college in America, according to the Washington Monthly, is Berea College, a liberal arts school in rural Kentucky. Berea offers a high-quality education for close to zero tuition, thanks to a workstudy program that reduces costs and gives students valuable job skills.
To help students in their college search, the magazine offers short profiles of 25 of these high-performing schools— ranging from world-renowned Johns Hopkins University to unsung regional public universities like Northeastern State University in Oklahoma
and the University of Central Florida. With growing federal attacks on higher education and public concerns about its value, the Washington Monthly in 2025 has revised its rankings— first published in 2005—to provide an even clearer picture of how individual colleges are performing. Its Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars ranking combines all four-year colleges and universities into a single master list that allows readers to see how any college or university—public or private, big or small—stacks up against all the others. The magazine has also created two new companion rankings:
America’s Best Colleges for Research, which shows that the universities driving innovation aren’t just in blue states—and neither is the damage from the Trump administration’s research cuts.
America’s Best HispanicServing Colleges was created in collaboration with the nonprofit Excelencia in Education.
The 20th anniversary issue of the annual Washington Monthly College Guide and Ranking also includes “best bang for the buck” listings by region and rankings of liberal arts, bachelor’s, and master’s institutions. All are available at http://www. washingtonmonthly.com/2025college-guide.
Washington Monthly editorin-chief Paul Glastris says, “Our changes take account of new realities facing higher education. We’ve revamped our methodology to focus even more squarely on what we think
Americans most want from our colleges and universities: that they help students of modest means earn degrees that pay off in the marketplace, don’t saddle them with heavy debt, and prepare—indeed, encourage— them to become active members of our democracy.”
Praise for Washington Monthly’s Approach
At a time when consensus is lacking on most matters, the Washington Monthly college rankings receive positive reviews from top education leaders. Former U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona says, “Rankings should not reward colleges for the students they keep out, but those they admit and support through graduation. By doing just that, Washington Monthly’s rankings are a vital resource for students, parents, and taxpayers alike.”
Former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan says, “If you want to know what really counts in higher education, look at the Monthly‘s rankings— you’ll find some welcome surprises.” Mark Schneider, a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former director of the National Center for Education Statistics, says, “I appreciate the Washington Monthly’s focus on active citizenship, economic mobility, and the attention it gives to regional ‘comprehensive’ universities — the ‘workhorses’ of America’s higher education that seldom get the recognition they deserve.”
OP-ED: Trump Should Let African American Museum Tell the Truth About Slavery
By A. Scott Bolden
President Donald Trump’s recent social media post complaining about how the Smithsonian Institution museums portray slavery is inaccurate, insulting, and a national embarrassment.
“The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been — Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future,” Trump wrote. “We are not going to allow this to happen, and I have instructed my attorneys to go through the Museums …,” the president continued. “This Country cannot be WOKE because WOKE IS BROKE.” Unfortunately, the leader of our nation appears to know as little about the Smithsonian museums as he does
about the rules of capitalization in English.
The president’s social media post followed an Aug. 12 letter to the Smithsonian by Trump administration officials demanding a “comprehensive internal review” of eight Smithsonian museums by the White House “to ensure alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.” The directive mentioned in the letter was an executive order Trump issued in March denouncing “a concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our nation’s history … as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed” and ordering an effort to “remove improper ideology” from Smithsonian museums, research centers, and the National Zoo. I’ve visited all the Smithsonian museums and never cease to be impressed by how they accurately educate visitors about history, culture, science, and the arts in a nonpartisan manner. There is nothing “woke” about them. My view of the National Museum of African American History and Culture aligns with
the view a visitor expressed in 2017 when he praised it as “a truly great museum” that was “incredible,” “done with love,” and “a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all its very ugly forms.” That visitor in 2017 was President Trump. Too bad his view has changed. Visitors to the African American museum first see powerful exhibits about slavery. As a Black man, I find these particularly moving, knowing that my ancestors were abducted from their homes in Africa, brought to America in chains, and treated like animals rather than human beings.
You don’t have to be Black to be horrified by the depiction of slavery in the museum, any more than you have to be Jewish to be horrified by the murder of 6 million Jews as depicted in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, another outstanding Smithsonian museum. Slavery is as much a part of American history as the Holocaust is a part of German history. You can’t understand the history of either country without understanding these atrocities. To its credit, Germany requires Holocaust education in schools. Trump would be wise to learn from the German example — not hiding from an ugly chapter of his nation’s history, but shining a spotlight on it so later generations can learn from it. We need to be honest about our past. There is simply no way to put a pretty face on slavery or downplay its barbarity and immorality. Importantly, Trump’s social media post saying Smithsonian museums concentrate on stories about “how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been” is not true. The African American museum devotes much space to
Pasadena City College Joins with New Affiliate Pilot
Educational News
Corps Affiliate model for 2025–26.
PASADENA, Calif. — Pasadena City College (PCC) is launching a new #CaliforniansForAll College Corps Affiliate pilot for the 202526 program year, becoming the first campus to test this innovative model designed to expand access to the transformative service experience College Corps provides. With more than 700 applications received for 20 openings, the program has drawn overwhelming interest.
“Campuses across the state are eager to join this program because of the tremendous success we’ve seen over the past three years,” said GO-Serve Director Josh Fryday. “When we combine education and service, we don't just prepare people for careers, we prepare them for meaningful lives.”
The Pasadena City College Corps Affiliate will use its own resources, while remaining aligned with College Corps’ core mission: engaging college students in meaningful service, supporting local communities and helping students pay for school.
“We’re proud to join with #CaliforniansForAll College Corps, as its first affiliate,” said José Gómez, president of Pasadena City College. “We share College Corps’ values and its commitment to community service, which is why this is a great match. PCC is dedicated to our region’s recovery. Our new College Corps is another way to assist.”
The Pasadena City College Corps Affiliate will support approximately 20 College Corps fellows who will serve in areas of critical need. Fellows will be placed with nonprofits, government offices and organizations specifically working to help communities devastated by January’s wildfires. While the PCC affiliate program shares key components with the statewide College Corps framework, it is customized in areas such as service structure, program duration and staffing. For more information on California College Corps and how to get involved, visit www. CAServiceCorps.com.
State Superintendent Thurmond Convenes Statewide AI in Education Workgroup for Public Schools
telling the story of Black people overcoming slavery, systemic racism, and poverty to rise to levels of great accomplishment in just about every field. The many displays about Black abolitionists, civil rights figures, educators, physicians, scientists, lawyers, entertainers, athletes, government officials, business executives, and more are as inspiring as the stories of enslaved Black people are disheartening.
The fact that Black Americans could rise from slavery to the U.S. presidency of Barack Obama 144 years after emancipation is a testament to the justice of our system of government and the goodness of the American people. Racism has not disappeared, but the great progress our nation has made on the road to equality is something all Americans should learn about and be proud of. My own family has lived this story of Black success. My ancestors were enslaved. My late father, Raymond A. Bolden, who was born in 1933, struggled through poverty, racism, and homelessness to become an exceptional student, serve in the U.S. Air Force, and go on to become a civil rights lawyer and judge. He inspired me to become a lawyer as well and follow in his and my mother’s footsteps by also becoming a crusader for racial justice. As a lawyer, I’ve often seen witnesses “solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth” when they are called to testify in trials. We should expect our museums to do the same. President Trump should stop trying to prevent them from doing so.
Scott Bolden is an attorney, NewsNation contributor, former chair of the Washington, D.C. Democratic Party, and a former New York state prosecutor.
Educational News
SACRAMENTO—State
Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted the first meeting today of the Public Schools: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Workgroup at the California Department of Education (CDE) Headquarters in Sacramento. Established after last year’s passage of Senate Bill 1288, a bill authored by Senator Josh Becker (13th District) and sponsored by Superintendent Thurmond, the workgroup marks California as one of the first states in the nation to establish a legislatively mandated statewide effort focused on AI in K–12 education.
“There is an urgent need for clear direction on AI use in schools to ensure technology enhances, rather than replaces, the vital role of educators,” said Superintendent Thurmond. “Workgroup members are representatives from various organizations, including technology leaders. The majority are educators, and this workgroup also includes students. We want to ensure that those who will be affected by this guidance and policy have a voice in creating it.”
The workgroup is a model of Superintendent Thurmond’s efforts to develop strong public–private partnerships that power innovation in public education. It will develop the statewide guidance and a model policy to ensure AI benefits students and educators while safeguarding privacy, data security, and academic integrity. The group includes teachers, students, administrators, classified staff, higher education leaders, and industry experts. At least half of the members are current classroom teachers, elevating
educator expertise as the foundation for decision-making.
The launch of the Public Schools: Artificial Intelligence Workgroup directly advances Superintendent Thurmond’s priorities, which include
Transforming Education with Innovation: equipping schools with equitable, forward-looking approaches to technology; Equity and Access for All Students: ensuring AI tools do not exacerbate inequities but instead expand opportunities for every student;
Whole Child Support: safeguarding against bias, misuse, and misinformation in AI systems while protecting student well-being;
Elevating Educator Voice: centering teachers in decisionmaking about AI in classrooms; and
Transparency and Public Engagement: committing to openness through public meetings and shared resources.
Today was the initial meeting of the Public Schools: Artificial Intelligence Workgroup. The second meeting will take place in October, followed by a third meeting in February.
The CDE has released initial guidance for schools and educators regarding the use of AI, which will be enhanced by the work of this group. The initial guidance can be found on the CDE Learning With AI, Learning About AI web page.
GO-Serve Director Josh Fryday is joined by Dr. José Gómez, president of Pasadena City College, and other community leaders to announce Pasadena City College's pilot for a new College
The Washington Monthly magazine released its 2025 college rankings
National Museum of African American History and Culture Building in Washington DC, USA. A popular visitors and tourists destination in the capital city.
A. Scott Bolden
Remembering Katrina
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Today, twenty years ago, George W. Bush was president of the United States, and Ray Nagin was the mayor of New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina barreled into the Gulf Coast, creating one of the worst natural disasters in the nation’s history.
By April Ryan
of the
Precipitation
Today, twenty years ago, George W. Bush was president of the United States, and Ray Nagin was the mayor of New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina barreled into the Gulf Coast, creating one of the worst natural disasters in the nation’s history.
“Today is a bittersweet day for the people of New Orleans. We lost 1400 family members, friends, and neighbors. 250 homes and buildings. In an instant, we lost all that we held dear,” said Mitch Landrieu, the former Mayor of New Orleans from 2010 to 2018. For New Orleans, the storm’s force resulted in the levees breaking, which exposed deep issues in American society about addressing climate change, government, and infrastructure.
In 2005, it was a collision of a humanitarian crisis and governmental failure that left over 1,800 people dead in the Gulf Coast and more than a million residents displaced, making it one of the deadliest and most disruptive natural disasters in U.S. history. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was loudly criticized for its slow and disorganized response to the crisis. The Bush administration also received criticism for not moving swiftly, as it used states’ rights and the need for the state of Louisiana to formally ask for help instead of instinctively jumping in to provide needed assistance.
Mayor Nagin made many urgent requests for federal government help with rescue,
recovery, and assistance for the displaced. The optics of the moment will never be forgotten: people stood on rooftops signaling helicopters for help as the water levels crested as high as the tops of houses. The displaced, mostly Black Hurricane victims, were also housed in the Superdome and the Convention Center of New Orleans in the aftermath of the levee break. During those frantic calls from the mayor, some network news media identified the Black displaced victims as “refugees.” An immediate response to that description came from rights groups like the NAACP, chastising the characterization of Americans seeking help.
The Ninth Ward of New Orleans was devastated. Today, many homes impacted right along the levee are no longer there, but you can still see the footprints of where some of the houses once stood. However, Landrieu exclusively told Black Press USA that for New Orleans, “with the help of each other, our neighbors and a helpful nation, we got up, dusted off, and rebuilt a great American city. For that, we will be forever grateful.” New Orleans has rebounded today, with many of its residents returning to the Big Easy, ripe with flavor and culture. However, tourism in the city has dropped, particularly international tourism, due to the Trump administration’s current foreign policy stance.
Thousands March on Wall Street
Thursday, September 4, 2025
Report: Taxes and Fees California Lawmakers Are Proposing Add Up to $14 Billion a Year
Bo Tefu | California Black Media
California legislators introduced proposals during the first eight months of the 202526 legislative session that could raise annual taxes and fees by more than $14 billion, according to a report from the California Tax Foundation.
The report comes as the state’s 2024-25 general fund revenue exceeded projections by $2.7 billion, giving lawmakers some fiscal breathing room.
The Legislature reconvened last week after summer recess, with a September 12 deadline to send bills to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Several bills have already failed to advance but remain eligible for consideration in January as two-year bills. Others are still active and must clear committees quickly to reach floor votes.
Some high-impact measures noted in the report include:
● Retroactive emissions liability on fossil-fuel companies (AB 1243 and SB 684), with potential costs in the tens or hundreds of billions of dollars.
● Corporate tax changes tied to executive-to-worker pay ratios (SB 573), originally estimated at $3.5 billion before the levy was removed.
● A digital advertising tax (AB 796) projected at $1.5 billion.
● Income tax surcharge on high earning businesses lacking childcare benefits for employees (AB 1428), estimated at $460 million.
● Regional sales tax hikes in the San Francisco Bay Area (SB 63), San Luis Obispo (SB 333), and Monterey County (AB 761), totaling more than $400 million combined.
● Ticket taxes for major sporting events in Los Angeles and Santa Clara counties (AB 1237), estimated at $75 million.
● Fees on homebuilders (AB 1206), vehicle dealers (SB 791), plastic manufacturers (AB 973), and other industries.
The foundation’s analysis also highlights dozens of smaller measures, including new licensing fees for veterinary assistants (AB 1502), late-night alcohol sales permits (AB 342) and environmental assessments (SB 318), which together add up to millions more.
With the legislative deadline approaching, Democrats are weighing how far to push new revenue proposals while Republicans warn the tax hikes could drive businesses and residents out of California. Measures that stall this fall are expected to return in 2026, ensuring the debate over who pays for the state’s priorities will remain a central fight at the Capitol.
The Black Press and Journalism & Advertising AMERICAN News (San Bernardino) Call (909)889-7677 or email: mary@sb-american.com
Demanding Economic Justice and Equity
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Sixty-two years to the day after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech, thousands poured into Lower Manhattan on Thursday, linking arms and voices in what was billed as the largest demonstration of its kind since Donald Trump returned to the White House.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA
on Wall Street, August 28, 20225, in new York City
Sixty-two years to the day after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech, thousands poured into Lower Manhattan on Thursday, linking arms and voices in what was billed as the largest demonstration of its kind since Donald Trump returned to the White House. Led by Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network, the March on Wall Street drew national civil rights leaders, clergy, activists, and elected officials, all demanding economic justice, equity, and fair opportunity at a time when
diversity, equity, and inclusion programs have been dismantled by the Trump administration. The march began at Foley Square, paused at the African Burial Ground National Monument, and wound its way down Broadway to Whitehall Street. Participants spanned generations and professions — labor unions, fraternities and sororities, educators, and teens — all united by the call to defend rights secured in the 1960s and to push back against what they see as the biggest transfer of wealth in U.S. history. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka,
who was arrested earlier this year while protesting ICE, challenged fellow municipal leaders to act. “We are here because our ancestors demand that we be here, because the times demand that we be here, because every mayor in every city in America should be rising up right now as Donald Trump tries to send the National Guard into our communities — we are here as they create the biggest transference of wealth this country has ever seen,” Baraka declared. The presence of Martin Luther King III and Andrea Waters King underscored the continuity of the movement. “It’s extraordinarily significant, but in the back of mind, I am thinking about how sad this is, that 62 years after Dad delivered that dream for our nation and world that we are in the position we are in,” King said. “And the goal is to find ways to move this nation forward around economic inequality.” King also posted on social media: “We were proud to join @NationalAction and my good friend, @TheRevAl, for the #MarchOnWallStreet. On the 62nd anniversary of the #MarchOnWashington and in the
Thousands March on Wall Street Demanding Economic Justice and Equity...continued
drove home the financial realities confronting communities of faith. “I don’t care the size of your church,” Davis said. “Whether you have 10,000 members or 10 members, you can’t do ministry without money, so we have to be concerned about the economic plight of the people that fill our pews.” Among those addressing the crowd were Michael Eric Dyson, Benjamin Crump, Melanie Campbell, Maya Wiley,
and others, each pointing to the urgency of resisting what they described as attacks on democracy, workers, and Black communities. “It means we continue the movement 62 years later, marching on Wall Street, raising the issues of income inequity, DEI, and the takeover of cities with Black mayors. The dream is alive,” Sharpton told the crowd.
Transatlantic Slave Trade: The Economic Engine of The New Nation
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — In 2021, the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) launched a global news feature series on the history, contemporary realities, and implications of the transatlantic slave trade. Today, leadership in America is trying to erase this history. This is Part 5 in the series.
By Stacy M. Brown
captive, prisoner, capture, slave, bondslave, bondman, bondsman, helot, thrall, captivity, slavery, enslavement, bondage, enthrallment, enthrallment, servitude, thralldom, thralldom, Slavery
“And America, too, is a delusion, the grandest one of all. The white race believes –believes with all its heart – that it is their right to take the land. To kill. Make war. Enslave their brothers. This nation shouldn’t exist if there is any justice in the world, for its foundations are murder, theft, and cruelty. Yet here we are.”
―Colson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad
legacy of slavery is very much what African Americans have been fighting against from the moment of emancipation through the present.”
financial capital of the world, we marched for economic justice and fair opportunities for ALL.”
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, stood with Rev. Dr. Boise Kimber, president of the National Baptist Convention USA Inc., marking the moment’s deep historical ties. “It marked 62 years after the historic 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and we continue to march, we continue to speak out, and we continue to demand freedom, justice, equality, and equity,” Chavis said. “Thus, we join the Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network in the March on Wall Street. The Rev. Boise Kimber and I stood together, shoulder to shoulder, at the March on Wall Street. I was pleased to represent the Black Press of America under the auspices of the NNPA. In the words of publisher-leader Frederick Douglass, ‘Freedom is a constant struggle.’”
Rev. Dr. Christopher Davis, General Secretary at the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.,
Once they reached the Americas, enslaved Africans were sold to the highest bidder at slave auctions and, once they had been purchased, slaves worked for nothing on plantations without any rights at all. Often punished harshly, some slaves committed suicide, according to historians, and pregnant women, many impregnated by their white slave masters, preferred abortion. The historic accounts of the transatlantic slave trade only worsen as they’re told. From the earliest stages of the transatlantic slave trade 500 years ago and throughout that most ignominious period, many enslaved Africans tried to reduce the pace of their work by pretending to be ill, causing fires, and by breaking tools, according to historians. Though few were able to escape, most who attempted to flee were caught and beaten, and some even murdered.
“Slavery is one of the foundational pillars of American society, propping up the nation starting in the earliest days of the Republic and touching the lives of everyone in America,” said Hasan Jeffries, a history professor at Ohio State University. “And, its legacy has been long-lasting,” said Jeffries, who specializes in African American history and contemporary black history, which includes the institution of slavery and its effect on African Americans in the United States from the founding era through the Civil Rights movement and today. “The deeply rooted belief in white supremacy that justified slavery survived its abolition in 1865 and undergirded the new systems of African American labor exploitation and social control, namely Jim Crow, that sought to replace what had been lost as a result of emancipation,” Jeffries continued. “Slavery may have ended in 1865, but a slaveholder mentality persisted, shaping the contours of American life for decades to come. This
James Madison’s Montpelier, the home of the Father of the Constitution, an institution that examines slavery during the Founding Era and its impact today, recently commissioned a study that examined how Americans perceive their Constitutional rights. Research found that African Americans (65 percent) are less likely than whites (82 percent) to believe that their Constitutional rights are regularly upheld and respected. The study also revealed that African Americans (62 percent) are more likely than whites (36 percent) to believe that civil rights is the most important Constitutional issue to the nation; findings that make it clear that race continues to play a major role in determining how Americans perceive Constitutional rights. “Enslaved people were considered property during the Founding Era; therefore, the Constitution’s declarations of ‘we the people’ and ‘justice’ excluded them, protecting one of the most oppressive institutions in history,” said Kat Imhoff, president and CEO of James Madison’s Montpelier.
“While the words ‘slave’ and, or ‘slavery’ are never mentioned in the Constitution, they are referenced and codified in a variety of ways throughout the document,” Imhoff said. “The founders compromised morality – many were recorded as being opposed to slavery, but on the other hand, many were not – and power – in some cases, states bowed to slaveholding counterparts to ensure the Constitution would be ratified in the name of economics,” she said.
Imhoff continued:
“Slavery, when all was said and done, was incredibly profitable for white Americans – and not just in the South. It was the economic engine of the new nation. While Madison and his ideas remain powerful and relevant, they also stand in stark contrast to the captivity and abuse of Madison’s own slaves. At Montpelier, on the very grounds where Madison
Newswire Senior National Correspondent
Rev. Dr. Boise Kimber, President of the National Baptist Convention USA Inc. and Rev. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr, President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) at the March
4
J.W. Vines Medical Society and Foundation Continues Mission to Diversify Inland Empire’s Healthcare Field
The J.W. Vines Foundation board members and leadership team include: Left to Right: Dr. Anthony Fenison, Dr. Leita Harris, Dr. Ernest Levister, Dr. A.J. Rogers, Kamie Taylor, Dr. Michael Nduati. “By providing mentorship, funding, and hands-on opportunities, we are actively working to create a more diverse and equitable healthcare landscape for the Inland Empire,” said J.W. Vines Medical Society President Dr. Leita Harris.
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.
— The J.W. Vines Medical Society and its philanthropic arm, the J.W. Vines Foundation, are reaffirming their long-standing commitment to increasing the number of African American health professionals in the Inland Empire and addressing healthcare disparities in underserved communities.
Under the leadership of President Dr. Leita Harris and Foundation Chairman Dr. A.J. Rogers, the organizations continue to expand mentorship and educational programs for students from college to medical school. The society, a component of the National Medical Association, represents African American physicians across the Inland Empire and High Desert.
“Our goal is to build a robust pipeline for the next generation of healthcare leaders who will serve our local communities,” said Harris. “By providing mentorship, funding, and hands-on opportunities, we are actively working to create a more diverse and equitable healthcare landscape for the Inland Empire.”
Founded in 1987, the J.W. Vines Medical Society (a 501(c)(6) nonprofit) has been a cornerstone for African American physicians in the region for over three decades. Its philanthropic arm, the J.W. Vines Foundation, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit), was established in 2001 to support this mission by funding key initiatives.
The organizations’ programs
include the Elma Vines Summer Health Academy, a medical mission to Haiti, and direct support for student groups such as the Pan-African STEM Society (PASS) at California State University, San Bernardino, and African Americans United in Science (AAUS) at the University of California, Riverside.
The society’s leadership has a rich history, beginning with its first president, Dr. Benjamin G. Vines. The legacy has been carried forward by a line of dedicated leaders, including Dr. Ernest Levister, who served as president from 1994 to 2000 and is a past chairman, and Dr. Ancel J. Rogers, who now serves as the foundation chairman.
The current leadership team also includes Dr. Michael Nduati as a board member and Kamie Taylor as Executive Administrator.
“Through the dedicated work of our member physicians, we provide critical mentoring, physician shadowing, and support to students aspiring to enter the health professions,” said Rogers. “Our vision is to be a leading force in advocating for diversity through innovative approaches to education, recruitment, and retention.”
The society and foundation also advocate on critical issues such as equal opportunity in education and improving the quality of patient care throughout the Inland Empire.
For more information, go to: https://vinesmedical.org
Top Black-Owned Beauty Essentials for Back-to-School Season
The summer may officially last until late September, but for many students, the fall semester is already here. As we gear up for back-to-school shopping, fall events, and homecomings, it might be the perfect time to refresh our beauty kits. In today’s beauty industry, where Black beauty brands often face challenges , it's crucial to highlight quality products from Black-owned companies. These brands often stand out by creating products that cater to all skin types, including sensitive skin, clean beauty, and a wide range of shades for diverse audiences. Whether you’re a fan of full glam or prefer a subtle, soft-glam look, there are numerous Black-owned beauty brands offering something for everyone.
From complexion to color,
Thursday, September 4, 2025
Top Black-Owned Beauty Essentials for Backto-School Season...continued
shine without the greasy feel or risk of clogged pores. Whether applied under makeup for a luminous complexion or as a finishing touch to a body care routine, it enhances your skin’s natural glow. Though currently sold out on its website, it’s available at Sephora.
Mented Cosmetics Skin Silk Loose Setting Powder, $25 I first discovered this product in 2020, and it has consistently impressed me. This loose powder is perfect for light finishes, occasional baking, and providing layered protection for longwear glam. Mented Cosmetics, a vegan and cruelty-free brand, offers everyday beauty essentials that cater to a wide range of skin tones. Available on Mented’s website, at Ulta Beauty, and CVS, it’s both accessible and affordable.
Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Finish, $27
Danessa Myricks’ brand is a true gem for beauty enthusiasts. Her products deliver flawless looks and feel amazing on the skin. The Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Finish blushes are innovative, offering a creamy application and long-lasting, airbrushed finish that appears
hydrated but not shiny. Available in eleven shades, this blurring balm provides incredible payoff, allowing every skin tone to enjoy vibrant blush. For a buildable, beautiful finish, this product is a go-to.
Juvia’s Place Eyeshadow Palettes, $7-38
Juvia’s Place is a pioneer in high-pigmentation beauty products, offering stunning blush and eyeshadow shades in beautiful packaging. Their pigments ensure that you won’t need to pack on the product for it to show on your eyelids. Catering to Black makeup enthusiasts, the brand provides visible shades for any occasion. With prices ranging from $7 to $38, Juvia’s Place is perfect for gradually building a comprehensive beauty kit.
Fenty Skin Eaze Drop Lightweight Blurring Tint, $39
Fenty Beauty revolutionized the industry with its wide range of shade options across complexion, blush, and lip products. The Eaze Drop skin tint is one of my alltime favorites for lightweight coverage, so much so that it has replaced my foundation. If you prefer a softer glam look or need a lighter product for early classes and effortless styles, this tint is all you need.
Transatlantic Slave Trade: The Economic Engine of The New Nation...continued from page 3 conceived ideas of rights and freedom, there lived hundreds of people whose freedom he denied.” Indeed, Madison’s story is one of the first in the continuing journey of Americans who struggled to throw off bonds of oppression and exercise the fullness of what it means to be free, Imhoff added. Working at James Madison’s Montpelier provides Imhoff and others a view of race and slavery’s legacy through the eyes of those who descended directly from the enslaved individuals who lived at Montpelier and other estates in the nearby Virginia area.
“As a leader of this cultural institution engaged in the interpretation of slavery, I believe to truly move forward, it is essential to engage
Salty-Tasting
Water
the descendants to help us interpret slavery in real terms and illuminate their ancestors’ stories,” Imhoff said. “Our country continues to grapple with the effects of slavery. Some of us feel it in deeply personal ways. Others only know of it historically or academically, as part of the distant, long-ago past. “These differences make it all the more important to engage in worthwhile discussions with each other. We must have a more holistic conversation about freedom, equality, and justice, and ensure we are inclusive of those people who it affects most readily.”
Up Next: The Roots of Slavery and Its Lasting Effects
Turned Out to Be a Warning Sign: “I Was Afraid”
Donnese Tyler’s schedule was chock-full. With a husband, two sons, a demanding job in contracts management and a reluctance to say no to anyone, she rarely made time for herself.
explore some of our favorite products to include in your backto-school haul.
Ami Colé’s Desert Date Cream Multistick, $22 Ami Colé, a beloved brand, announced that it would cease operations after four successful years in September. Known for its clean beauty formulas designed for melanin-rich skin, the brand avoids flashbacks or casts. While their popular lip oils are no longer available in stores, you can still find them online at Sephora and Ami Colé’s website. A must-have before it disappears, the Desert Date Cream Multistick is beautifully pigmented, smooth, and blendable, making it an ideal cheek and lip tint.
Range Beauty Bali Face and Body Glow, $25
Range Beauty is tailored for acne and eczema-prone skin, ensuring that experimenting with their products won’t compromise skin health. The Bali Face and Body Glow Oil offers a radiant
On an errand-filled Wednesday last October, she was looking forward to the monthly meeting of the mothers’ club at her son’s high school. As the group’s vice president, she helped run the meeting. She was also eager to socialize with her friends.
She ate salad with spaghetti sauce as dressing and had a glass of red wine while chatting with fellow moms. When the meeting started, Tyler opened a bottle of water and took a sip.
Why Her Water Tasted Salty, but No One Else’s Did What brand of water is this, she wondered, with a disgusted look on her face. It tasted salty. She cracked jokes about the water and asked a few people drinking the same brand if theirs tasted awful as well. They said no.
After the meeting, Tyler grabbed a diet soda for a little caffeine boost before the 40-minute drive home to Springdale, Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C.
She took a few sips and put it down.
As she was talking to two women, Tyler grabbed her chest and gasped. Out of nowhere, she
Salty-Tasting Water Turned Out to Be a Warning Sign: “I Was Afraid”...continued
“You have to get to the hospital now,” she told Tyler.
“I think I just need to go home and rest,” Tyler said.
“No, you’re going to the ER,” Luchtefeld insisted. She’d remembered learning that taste can be affected by heart problems.
Tyler’s husband, Don, met her at the emergency room. By the time she’d arrived, she was already feeling better.
“All this fuss and it’s probably just acid reflux,” Donnese told Don.
Nurses drew blood and continued to check her vitals in the waiting area until a bed was available. By the time a doctor arrived, she felt back to normal.
“We wanted to let you know we’ve found the enzyme troponin in your blood,” he said. “That means some heart trauma has taken place.”
“What?” she said. “I can’t believe this.”
They told her they needed to transfer her by ambulance to a hospital with more advanced diagnostic equipment.
“We’re going to get over there, they’re going to test me and send me home,” she told Don.
Three days of testing finally resulted in an answer. A coronary angiogram revealed that Donnese had experienced a rare type of heart attack called a spontaneous coronary artery dissection or SCAD. It isn’t like a traditional heart attack, where a clot blocks blood from reaching the heart muscle. Instead, blood flow is blocked because of a separation, or tear, in the lining of the artery wall. Make no mistake, SCAD is an emergency condition that can cause a heart attack, heart rhythm problems or sudden death.
SCAD patients typically don’t have heart disease risk factors. They’re also often in their 40s or 50s, healthy and active. Donnese was 51.
Doctors said the tear would heal itself in about a month and that she would be treated with medication. They said it was likely caused by hormones and stress. They advised her to minimize her stress.
On the fourth day, Donnese went home, filled with anxiety.
“I was afraid to sleep. I was afraid to walk anywhere,” she said. “I was afraid it could happen again.”
felt a sharp pain, as if a baseball had been launched into her sternum.
Maybe her meal, in combination with the caffeine, was causing acid reflux, she thought.
As she went to gather her things, she felt lightheaded. She sat down and rested her head in her hands.
“Are you OK?” one of the women asked.
Another woman touched her forehead.
“She’s burning up! Is there a doctor here?”
One of the mothers, Tosha Luchtefeld, is a nurse practitioner. She rushed over.
Why Salty-Tasting Water Could be an Emergency Tyler detailed what she’d eaten and mentioned the salty-tasting water. The woman’s expression changed.
Donnese asked for a referral for cardiac rehabilitation so she could start to exercise in a controlled setting and learn her limitations. She also took a stress management course.
“I saw how much breathing and meditation helps,” she said. “I learned that I can’t be and do everything for everybody else anymore.”
She started using a meditation app to help relax.
“Every morning I find a guided meditation to start my day with,” she said. “Before, my alarm would go off and I’d jump up and start going. Now I take 30 minutes to an hour of ‘me’ time.” Before, Don would come home from work and Donnese would still be working, sometimes for several hours.
“Now, when she’s off, she’s off,” he said.
Donnese also finds solace in sharing her story to raise awareness about SCAD. She recently spoke at the American Heart Association Lawyers Have Heart run and walk event. That’s after she jogged the 5K portion – with Luchtefeld, the nurse practitioner, by her side. More than a dozen friends and family joined them as part of “Team Tyler.”
After Donnese spoke, AHA organizers gave her an award for her advocacy work.
“It makes me proud to see her take on this initiative and help other people who might not have support,” Don said.
For Donnese, raising awareness also is a way of healing.
“Sharing my story and telling others is what’s helping me get through,” she said. “If I can save one person, that’s my driving force.”
SCAD is more common in women in their 40s and 50s, but it can happen in men and people of nearly any age. Patients are often those who are otherwise healthy, with few or no risk factors for heart disease.
When to see a doctor Symptoms of SCAD can include:
Chest pain
A rapid heartbeat or fluttery feeling in the chest Pain in the arms, shoulders, back or jaw
The
Hope of a Safe Harbor Rooted
in Justice
Andrew Long-Higgins
When I began telling friends in 2024 that I accepted an offer to become the new leader for the Global HOPE team, I was often met with one question intoned one of two ways: “Global Hope, what’s that?” The first expressed a genuine curiosity with what work I would soon engage in. The second was expressed in varying degrees of snark wrapped in the assertion that in today’s world “global hope,” if it exists, is hard to find.
I have spent much time over the last year thinking about the latter intonation, and I have found it a difficult task. Where does one search for hope in a world that continues to allow and enable genocide, promotes the erosion of basic human rights in the name of stability and prosperity, and moves us further into a vision of public “safety” that is anything but just. These are stormy times to be a member of the human family.
I recently had the opportunity to visit my family in Maine.
Sitting on the shore, one must speak up to be heard over crashing waves made larger than usual by an unseen hurricane miles off shore. In the harbor, buoys bob
with the waves, their bells gently signaling the presence both of a safe harbor ahead and warning of unseen hazards nearby. Over the last six months, the strategy and tactics of authoritarianism have mirrored a thick fog as they work to overwhelm and obfuscate any attempted or perceived opposition by those working contrary to the authoritarians’ vision of exclusion. Just as the harbor bell sits at the border of dangerous reefs and the safe harbor of a protected marina, so too do the many voices hope and justice among us that continue to urge a turning away from the rocks of oppression and injustice towards the hope of a safe harbor’s extravagant welcome, its waters quieted by equity and justice.
I find hope in knowing that even in the strongest of storms these buoys persist in their steadfast commitment to guiding weary travelers. It is my wish that more may join their efforts and that we will someday reach the welcoming equity of justice’s safe harbor. Until then, I will continue to listen for their guiding call.
The Tyler family, from left: Don, Donovan, Donald III and Donnese. (Photo courtesy of Donnese Tyler/ American Heart Association)
From the Statehouse to the Small Screen: The Painful Property Insurance Struggles of Altadena Fire Victims
Edward Henderson | California Black Media
CBS has tapped “Black-ish” creator Kenya Barris for a new series inspired by the story of victims of the Eaton fire in Altadena and Pasadena, which claimed 19 lives, burned nearly 14,000 acres, and destroyed thousands of properties.
According to Dateline, the series centers on two brothers trying to sell their late grandmother’s house to private developers. When they learn her caretaker owns part of the property and refuses to sell, they’re pushed to live under one roof and reckon with questions of family, legacy, and community.
Actor Mike Epps has joined the cast as one of the brothers, with the multi-camera series set to take a comedic tone. The timing of the series’ release
sparked backlash online, with critics questioning whether a comedy was an appropriate way to honor Altadena fire victims. Barris addressed the criticism on Instagram, responding to comments that asked if comedy was the right approach.
“What way could you think of supporting it, then? By doing what I know how to do and trying to bring a light to a place that many have already forgotten. I understand your fear but know that I only plan to do the best I can to make sure the world sees you,” he said.
Barris’ premise for the show echoes real-life concerns around private developers gentrifying the area once it is rebuilt and the role insurance hikes can play in forcing the area’s Black
Commentary: Beyond the diversity, equity and inclusion backlash: Addressing root causes to advance equity in every industry
By Chrissy M. Thornton
line with diversity, equity and inclusion restrictions. (Courtesy photo)
The fight for equity in America has never been simple, and today it is facing one of its biggest challenges yet. Across industries – healthcare, higher education, corporate and philanthropy –there is a coordinated rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Executive orders, court rulings and state-level policies are dismantling raceconscious programs, forcing institutions to rethink how they approach diversity without violating new restrictions. The backlash is clear, and so are its consequences, but what these legal and political barriers cannot do is erase the reality of systemic disparities. They do not eliminate the need for interventions that promote equity. What they do require, however, is a shift in strategy. If race-conscious policies are under attack, we must pivot, not by abandoning the fight, but by addressing the root causes of economic and social inequity in ways that are legally viable and politically untouchable.
One example of this strategy in action is how Harvard University responded when the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions. Instead of explicitly using race in admissions decisions, Harvard has now expanded its financial aid program to offer free tuition to students from families earning under $200,000 a year. On paper, this policy has
fire victims to leave the area permanently.
California legislators share this concern. On Aug. 25, fire victims, along with state representatives led by Assemblymember John Harabedian (D-Pasadena), held a press conference at a local Altadena library calling for Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to crack down on alleged misconduct by insurers and halt any rate increase for State Farm General.
“They are facing unavoidable hardships caused by insurance delays, denials and underpayments,” said Harabedian. “These are problems that can be mitigated and solved if the right reforms are implemented immediately.
Commissioner Lara, families need your swift leadership to ensure insurance companies fulfill their legal responsibilities.”
Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger specifically called out State Farm General, California’s largest home insurance provider, which is seeking a homeowner’s rate increase of 11% along with an emergency rate increase of 17% that Commissioner Lara approved in May.
“We demand that investigations into companies like State Farm be completed swiftly within the next 60 days, and rate hikes frozen until survivors are made
whole,” Barger said.
Lara has not yet made public comment on the matter. However, State Farm spokesperson Bob Devereux disputed the claim that the insurer was mistreating customers in a release saying “an overwhelming majority is satisfied with our service. Our goal at State Farm is to work with customers to resolve any of their concerns.”
State Farm estimates claim payments will exceed $7 billion from the Jan. 7 fires. The insurer reports that it has received more than 13,000 claims and paid over $4.5 billion.
“Behind every delayed insurance claim is a family forced to wait in limbo,”
Victoria Knapp, chair of the Altadena Town Council, said in a statement. “We’re asking the Department of Insurance to stand with Altadena and not with insurers to deliver justice for those who’ve already lost so much.”
Harabedian also highlighted Assembly Bill (AB) 238, legislation he wrote to allow disaster-impacted homeowners to pause mortgage payments for up to a year.
“Our responsibility is clear: to protect survivors, give them the time and resources to rebuild their homes and their lives, and ensure they can do so with security and peace of mind.”
Commentary: Beyond the diversity, equity and inclusion backlash: Addressing root causes to advance equity in every industry...continued
might have previously called for race-conscious hiring, but under new restrictions, companies can still take meaningful action.
Expanding workforce development programs for lowincome individuals ensures that training and apprenticeships are available to economically disadvantaged workers, which will naturally help close racial employment gaps.
nothing to do with race. Yet its impact is unmistakably racial – Black and Latino students are disproportionately lowincome, so increasing access for economically disadvantaged students naturally expands opportunities for students of color. This class-based approach to tackling inequity is a model that can be adopted across industries. Whether in education, workforce development, corporate hiring, or healthcare, organizations can build policies around economic opportunity, access to resources and systemic barriers rather than explicitly focusing on race. The result? The same progress toward equity without the legal and political backlash. For decades, diversity, equity and inclusion frameworks have been used to address racial disparities in hiring, career advancement, education and health outcomes. With new legal challenges limiting raceconscious policies, we must rethink our approach and frame equity efforts in terms of economic opportunity, structural barriers, and access to resources, all of which have a direct racial impact without triggering legal scrutiny. Many Black and Latino workers experience higher unemployment and underemployment rates due to historical barriers to education, generational wealth, and systemic hiring biases. A direct approach
Increasing wage transparency and fair pay policies ensures that companies audit salary structures so that all workers, regardless of background, are paid equitably based on skill and experience. Offering tuition-free certification programs and paid apprenticeships opens doors for low-income workers who often cannot afford unpaid internships or expensive licensing programs, keeping them locked out of high-
paying careers. These policies don’t need to be labeled as diversity efforts, but they achieve the same goal. By focusing on barriers to employment rather than racial disparities in hiring, companies can still create pathways for Black and Latino workers without directly mentioning race. This strategy focuses on disparity over identity and confronts the truth around economic disempowerment being responsible for many of the root causes and social determinants that keep communities away from opportunity.
The same strategy applies to increasing diversity in corporate leadership. Many executives credit their success to mentors who guided them into leadership roles. By creating structured mentorship
Salty-Tasting Water Turned Out to Be a Warning Sign: “I Was Afraid”...continued from page 4
Shortness of breath
Sweating
Unusual, extreme tiredness
Nausea
Dizziness
If you have experienced chest pain or think you might be having a heart attack, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately, even if you think you aren’t at risk.
Other Diseases that Cause a Salty Taste
– Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
GERD is an upper gastrointestinal condition. The tube connecting the mouth to the stomach, called the esophagus, has two one-way valves, known as a sphincter, with one at the top and the other at the bottom.
In GERD, the lower valve (between the esophagus and stomach) is weaker, allowing stomach acid to creep up into the esophagus. This leads to a burning sensation in the chest, called heartburn.
Heartburn can lead to a sour taste in the mouth.
Research from 2017 found that GERD altered people’s ability to taste salt. Some noticed that salt tasted stronger or weaker than it typically did.
– Nutritional deficiencies
Sometimes, a lack of nutrients, such as a zinc disorder, can lead to taste disorders. If you didn’t know, zinc plays an important role in your taste buds. A zinc deficiency can cause dysgeusia, which is a distorted sense of taste, and this may manifest as a salty taste in the mouth. Other nutrient deficiencies, such as B vitamins and copper, and conditions like Sjögren’s syndrome, diabetes, and dry mouth from medications, can also lead to a salty taste.
By American Heart Association News
By Cara Jones, BDO Staff
A S S I F I E D S G O H E R E
For many in Altadena staying in their homes meant keeping the flames from their neighbors house from spreading. Garden hoses and dilligence were often the only tools available. Altadena, Calif.. Wendsday, January 8, 2025. Photo by Solomon O. Smith
Chrissy M. Thornton serves as president and CEO of Associated Black Charities. This week, she shares ways to continue to be inclusive with your companies while staying in
Thursday, September 4, 2025
From roots to remedies: How two entrepreneurs are preserving ancestral herbal knowledge
By Megan Sayles/AFRO Staff Writer
Herbalism is known as one of the oldest forms of medicine in the world, with deep ties to the African diaspora. A number of plant-based healing traditions have been passed down from one generation to the next— even in the age of modern pharmaceuticals.
Two women continuing to draw on their ancestors’ herbal wisdom are Monica Joseph, owner of Lakay Goods, and Shalita O’Neale, owner of Ancestors’ Dream Apothecary. Their heritage is at the heart of their entrepreneurship.
“When I immigrated here to America, it was kind of a culture shock for me because there wasn’t an emphasis on daily, habitual things to do to avoid the doctors in the first place,” said Joseph.
As she grew older, she wanted to find a way to revive and preserve the knowledge of her forebears.
“I wanted to create something that could teach my children because I feel like that’s a portion of our history in the Caribbean that is getting lost by us being here and not physically being
with our elders from back home. Also, our elders back home don’t do the very best job of writing things down. A lot of it’s in granny’s head,” said Joseph. “I wanted to be able to digitize that in a way.”
Lakay Goods, which Joseph launched in Washington D.C. in 2021, started as a brand that educated people about medicinal herbs and their uses. Since then, it’s evolved into supplying natural health and beauty products— like teas, honey and Haitian castor oil—that use ingredients sustainably sourced from Haiti.
In the future, Joseph hopes to one day own a farm in Haiti, where she can grow her herbs, provide employment opportunities to locals and educate others about herbalism.
“Every country in the Caribbean has their own different tradition. There’s herbs that only grow in certain countries as well. There’s herbs that you can find in Jamaica that you can’t find in Haiti. There’s herbs in Haiti that you can’t find in Trinidad,” said Joseph. “Everyone has their own herbs that they use, and I just want to highlight that for Haiti.”
While Joseph’s work is rooted in Caribbean remedies, other entrepreneurs are drawing on similar traditions in their own communities.
Unlike Joseph, O’Neale grew up in Baltimore. Her journey into herbal medicine began more than 10 years ago, sparked by an interest in gardening.
“I was at a point in my life where I wanted to be more selfsustainable,” said O’Neale. “I wanted to know more about how I could heal myself and my family.”
She began by growing vegetables, but her curiosity soon turned to plants that are known for their healing powers.
“I started looking for a master herbalist who I could study under. I was specifically looking for a Black woman that centered her practices and teachings around African spirituality and ancestral reverence,” said O’Neale. “It was really hard to find that, but I did.”
O’Neale connected with Karen M. Rose, a master herbalist based in Brooklyn, N.Y. Under Rose, she participated in a three-year apprenticeship surrounding spiritual herbalism. Following that experience, O’Neale joined a virtual program with the NCB School of Herbalism and Holistic Health, the first AfricanAmerican school of herbalism in the U.S.
In 2023, she established Ancestors’ Dream Apothecary, which provides herbal teas, bath salts, tinctures, salves, soaps, lip balms, beard oils and more. The company also sells herbs
themselves, including holy basil, licorice root, lemon balm, motherwort and red clover.
“The apothecary grew out of my apprenticeship with Karen Rose because one of the things we needed to do to graduate was to come up with a medicine line. Before that, I was making medicine and butters for my family and friends, and I was selling here and there. But, I didn’t have a storefront or anything,” said O’Neale. “Taking it more seriously for that assignment helped me to see that I could really do this and expand it into my community.”
Aside from healthy and beauty products, O’Neale leads events and workshops to teach people about ancestral herbalism and healing practices. In October, she will launch a series of herbal classes in Riverdale, Md.
For people who have thought about exploring herbalism, O’Neale encouraged them to follow their curiosity and seek out groups they can learn from.
“I’m trying to get people to realize that there was a time and place before Western medicine— where people didn’t have access to doctors unless they were White or rich. They survived, they thrived and they were healthy,” said O’Neale. “Now with everything that’s happening in our traditional medical system— especially for Black and Brown people— being able to remember and tap back into what our ancestors did to care for themselves is really important.”
Investing in equity: How grants provide Black women with pathways to success
By Andrea Stevens AFRO Staff Writer
By Kisha A. Brown, Esq.
Kisha Brown previously served as director of both the Maryland Attorney General’s Legislative Affairs Division and the Civil Rights Department. Credit: Courtesy photo vote-by-mail request because, thanks to Governor DeSantis’ voter suppression laws, those requests automatically expired in 2024. This wasn’t just junk mail—it was a stark reminder that the right to vote, something our ancestors bled for, is still under attack. From Florida’s suppression tactics to Texas’ gerrymandering, the strategy is the same: dilute, discourage, and diminish the Black vote. And voter suppression isn’t the only tool being sharpened. We are also watching the steady normalization of military presence. This summer, the National Guard was deployed in Washington, D.C. under the guise of “public safety.” The chilling question is not if, but when, such measures will expand to other Black-majority or Democratic-led cities across the country. Our neighborhoods are already overpoliced and
September always carries a familiar rhythm. Children step into classrooms with fresh braids or a fade. People return from vacations, inboxes full. Everyone collectively exhales and leans back into routine. But let’s be clear: for Black America, nothing about this season—or this country—is routine. I was reminded of that on a recent visit to my parents in Orlando. When I opened their mailbox, two postcards from the Orange County Democratic Party were waiting. They warned that my parents must renew their
Commentary: Beyond the diversity, equity and inclusion backlash: Addressing root causes to advance equity in every industry...continued from page 6
programs for employees from under-resourced backgrounds, companies open leadership pathways that organically increase diversity. Professional development programs that prioritize economically disadvantaged workers create leadership pipelines that will disproportionately benefit professionals of color while avoiding race-based criteria.
Inclusive hiring practices that target first-generation college graduates ensure that Black and Latino professionals, who are more likely to be firstgeneration graduates, have greater opportunities for career advancement without requiring race-conscious policies. This approach ensures that diverse talent is nurtured, developed, and promoted, even in industries forced to scale back explicit diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
Healthcare is another field where economic inequity drives racial disparities. Black and Latino communities face higher rates of chronic disease and lower access to quality care, but new diversity, equity and inclusion restrictions threaten to eliminate programs that specifically address these disparities. However, healthcare institutions can still promote equity by targeting economic and geographic barriers to care. Instead of race-based medical school scholarships, hospitals and medical schools can expand full-tuition scholarships for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Since Black and Latino students are disproportionately lowincome, these scholarships would naturally increase physician diversity. Partnering with high schools and community colleges in low-income neighborhoods builds recruitment pipelines that ensure more students of color enter the healthcare field without violating legal restrictions on race-conscious admissions. Investing in communitybased healthcare solutions, expanding mobile clinics, telemedicine, and preventive care initiatives in low-income areas, improves healthcare access for communities of color without race-based targeting. By framing healthcare equity initiatives around income, geography, and access to resources, hospitals and health institutions can continue closing racial health disparities while staying legally compliant.
This week, she offers advice on how to adhere to grant guidelines, what to do if a business owner runs into issues with their grant and how grant negotiating agreements are essential. Credit: Photo Courtesy / Felicia Wise
Across the country, Black women are launching and growing businesses at record rates but often without the same access to capital as their peers. To help bridge that gap, a growing number of grant programs are stepping up with targeted support for Black women entrepreneurs, providing not only funding but also mentorship, training and networking.
Programs like the SoGal Foundation’s Black Women Entrepreneurs Grant, the Amber Grant Foundation, the Fearless
Fund and IFundWomen of Color have created paths for Black women to receive support tailored to their specific needs. These programs not only fund businesses but help build trust between funders and grantees.
Felicia Wise, who oversees grants from start to finish at United Negro College Fund (UNCF) as the senior director of grants management and program development, said maintaining trust is essential to long-term success– especially when issues arise.
One of the biggest lessons we must take from these diversity, equity and inclusion challenges is that language matters. Institutions must rethink how they frame their efforts – not by abandoning their goals, but by using strategic, legally sound messaging. Instead of stating a need for increased Black and Latino representation in leadership, the focus should be on ensuring that more employees from those backgrounds have access to leadership pathways. Rather than stating a priority to hire diverse candidates, the messaging should be about prioritizing candidates from economically disadvantaged communities to create economic mobility. By shifting the focus from identity to systemic barriers, institutions can continue advancing equity while avoiding political and legal pushback. The rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion policies is not the end of the fight for equity. In fact, most of us know that diversity, equity and inclusion did not benefit Black communities significantly at all. Now it is our call to be more strategic, more intentional, and more focused on sustainable solutions. This actually was always our call. Unfortunately, “diversity, equity and inclusion” co-opted our work for progress by seemingly supporting Black people while actually supporting almost every other marginalized community disproportionately. Addressing systemic economic barriers will continue to uplift communities of color, even when diversity, equity and inclusion language is removed from the conversation.
At Associated Black Charities, we have always understood that economic equity is racial equity. As diversity, equity and inclusion faces new legal and political challenges, our approach must evolve but our commitment to fairness, opportunity, and justice remains the same. We hope yours does, too. The institutions that embrace this shift and focus on systemic economic gaps will be the ones that continue driving progress, building inclusive workplaces, and creating pathways to success. The bottom line? We don’t need permission to create equity. We need strategy. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the AFRO.
Submission Deadline Is Mondays By 5pm & Tuesday by Noon After Holiday
Felicia Wise is an expert in grant contracting and development with the United Negro College Fund.
Monica Joseph is the founder of Lakay Goods, which provides natural beauty and health products that are made with herbs sourced from Haiti. Credit: Photo courtesy of Monica Joseph Joseph spent the first 10 years of her life in Haiti. She said she grew up around elders who depended on traditional holistic medicine out of necessity as hospitals were scarce.
Shalita O’Neale is the founder of Ancestors’ Dream Apothecary, which supplies herbal medicine, tea blends, body care products and tinctures.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Shalita O’Neale
Thursday, September 4, 2025
Which States Really Have the Highest Homicide Rates, Red
By Asheea Smith
or Blue? The Stats Will Surprise You
Trump has previously boasted about sending the National Guard to cities like Chicago, New York, and across California, however if data shows many Republican-led states are facing similar—or even higher—crime rates, why hasn’t he addressed those areas with the same energy?
Trump has previously boasted about sending the National Guard to cities like Chicago, New York, and California. However data shows many Republicanled states are facing similar— or even higher—crime rates.
Following a series of striking tweets from Governor Gavin Newsom, who accused some red states of having more than double California’s homicide rates, a critical question arises: Why isn’t the same urgency applied to Republican-led states with comparable or higher crime rates? Analysts suggest the answer is straightforward: Trump is crafting a narrative portraying Democrats as lenient on crime,
while also targeting cities led by his political opponents. Let’s examine the data.
While the conversation sparked after a series of headturning tweets from Governor Gavin Newsom accusing some red states of having more than double California’s homicide rates, it certainly begs the question: why isn’t the same urgency applied to Republicanled states with comparable or higher crime rates? Well, analyst say the answers are clear: He’s creating a narrative that Democrats are soft on crime, but also he is focused on cities of his adversaries Let’s look at the numbers.
According to World Population Review’s murder rates by state in 2023, California stood at 4.95 per 100,000 people, while red states like Alabama and Louisiana tower far over those numbers at 10.3 and 14.5. States like Nevada (6.82) and Arizona (5.95) also report higher homicide
rates than California, yet they haven’t been singled out for federal intervention. This raises questions about consistency in addressing crime, and whether political alignment plays a role in which areas receive the most aggression—I mean… attention (clears throat).
Red State Murder Rates
With all the flack Democrats take for crime, you’d be shocked to know that the stats say otherwise, according to Third Way. The national think tank and advocacy organization conducted a study in 2023, and found that red states had significantly higher crime rates than blue states every year from 2000 to 2020. To be clear, over the course of two decades, red state’s crime rates were 23% higher, and information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data reported similar outcomes from 2021 and 2022, per the outlet.
Within the 25 states that voted for President Donald Trump, those murder rates surpassed the rates reported for states who voted for Joe Biden, again ever year between 2000 and 2020, per Third Way. However, according to experts, the details could be a bit more complex than the numbers alone.
The Manhattan Institute Conclusion
The conversation surrounding who has the higher crime rate amongst red and blue cities has gone on for decades, and
according to the Manhattan Institute, that’s not the best way to handle the reality behind the numbers. Their analysis concludes that it’s easy to “change the conclusion by manipulating the data,” in simple ways.
“If we look at the county level, Democratic areas seem particularly murder-ridden; but when we look at the state level, Republican states are clearly more violent. Casual consumers of empirical social science research often fail to appreciate all the ways in which researchers can manipulate the data to say whatever they want,” researchers at Manhattan Institute George J. Borjas, and Robert VerBruggen stated.
The Data As it Stands
The CDC has published as of August 2025 that deaths by homicide per 100,000 total population, age adjusted, are lead by Alabama (14.8), Louisiana (19.3), and Mississippi (19.4)— all red states . As California reportedly sits at 5.1, Alabama indeed towers over that metric, with homicide rates approximately 190% higher.
Blue states have seemingly become an easy target, however there’s a lot of work to be done with crime rates in red states as well, per reports. That being said, we’re not seeing the same response. One can’t help but wonder, if red states were held to the same standard as blue states, would Republican leaders keep that same energy?
The ‘Roots’ of Slavery and its Lasting Effects
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — In 2021, the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) launched a global news feature series on the history, contemporary realities, and implications of the transatlantic slave trade. Today, leadership in America is trying to erase this history. This is Part 6 in the series.
By Stacy M. Brown
Kunta Kinte: What’s snow, Fiddler?
Fiddler: Never you mind, boy, never you mind. Let’s get on back to home. I got enough trouble teaching you the difference between manure and massa. ‘Course there ain’t all that much difference when you gets right down to it.
“The first time he had taken the massa to one of these ‘highfalutin’ to-dos,” as Bell called them, Kunta had been all but overwhelmed by conflicting emotions: awe, indignation, envy, contempt, fascination, revulsion—but most of all a deep loneliness and melancholy from which it took him almost a week to recover. He couldn’t believe that such incredible wealth actually existed, that people really lived that way. It took him a long time, and a great many more parties, to realize that they didn’t live that way, that it was all strangely unreal, a kind of beautiful dream the white folks were having, a lie they were telling themselves: that goodness can come from badness, that it’s possible to be civilized with one another without treating as human beings those whose blood, sweat, and mother’s milk made possible the life of privilege they led.”
―Alex Haley, “Roots: The Saga of an American Family.”
“I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” I have a dream
that one day on the red hills of Georgia, sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character…” —Martin Luther King, Jr.
The year was 1976, and America was still feeling the aftershocks of the Civil Rights Movement, the murder, some eight years earlier, of Martin Luther King Jr., and the end of the Vietnam War. King’s death, along with the murders of President John F. Kennedy and his brother, Sen. Robert Kennedy –both of whom were proponents of civil rights and equal opportunity for African Americans and other minorities – were reminders to many that America still had not come close to achieving the slain leader’s “Dream.”
What’s more, in 1976, author Alex Haley released his family’s autobiography, “Roots.”
It would not only go on to become a best-selling book, but a much-watched and talked about ABC Television mini-series that re-awakened everyone to the darkness, horrors, and inhumanity of the transatlantic slave trade.
“Alex Haley tapped into something very special, the idea that black Americans have been, are, and will always be compelled to understand their history,” said Dr. Kellie Jackson, an assistant professor of Africana Studies at Wellesley University. Jackson’s research focuses on slavery, abolitionists, violence as a political discourse, historical film, and black women’s history. That “Roots” spawned an era where African Americans would give their newborn children Africanthemed names was no surprise and counts as an important moment in self-recognition, said Jackson, whose new book, “Force & Freedom: Black Abolitionists and the Politics of Violence,” examines the conditions that led some black abolitionists to believe
Back to School, Back to Work—But Not Back to Normal...continued from page 7
underserved. With armed federal law enforcement on the ground, the prospect of even less accountability for police misconduct is set to be a compounded terror for local communities.
So, no—there is nothing “normal” about this return to routine. The façade of normalcy is part our own desire and part seasonal consumerism, hiding a country whose democratic rights are being eroded. Pretending otherwise only leaves us more vulnerable. As we move deeper into this fall season, let’s resist the illusion of “business as usual.” Our vote, our voice, our very presence in this democracy are needed now more than ever. Normal never saved us—community did. Faith did. Justice and joy did.
slavery might only be abolished by violent force. “For many African Americans, giving their children names with meaning is incredibly important. What’s remarkable about ‘Roots’ is that despite the master’s attempts to rename Kunta Kinte, ‘Toby,’ the name in popular culture and memory never stuck,” Jackson said. “Kunta Kinte is only referred to by his African name. I think this is a signal of the value African Americans place on names. In the 1970s and beyond, giving black children Afrocentric names provided not only a feeling of pride, but a sense of heritage in history.”
Jackson continued:
“Naming children after great rulers such as Nzinga, Kenyatta, or Chaka still resonates with many black parents today. I know parents who have given their children the name Obama. Names that are also signposts to historical moments. What’s more powerful than your name?” Still, those names come with a price because many agree that hate is as American as Apple Pie and baseball. And, victims of such hate not only include the once enslaved African American, but America is a country where it was once illegal for all women to vote. It’s also a country that not only devastated Native Americans, but today still prevents those living on reservations from casting a ballot despite the historic amount of bloodshed and despair brought upon that group. “I believe America does owe Native Americans the chance to cast a ballot,” said Shawn Halifax, a
The ‘Roots’ of Slavery and its Lasting Effects... continued
cultural history interpretation coordinator at the MacLeod Plantation Museum in Charleston, South Carolina. “I understand that what the law is and what people who are attempting to exercise their rights are told the law is, can be two different things,” Halifax said.
America has always had a system of discrimination and prejudice against all groups who were not identified as “White Anglo-Saxon” native, said Walter Palmer, the founder of the Walter D. Palmer Leadership Learning Partners Charter School in Philadelphia and current faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches urban studies, social policy, and practice. “Because historically American indigenous native’s language, culture, history, customs, and way of life has been wiped out and they have been a ward of the government, they lost their personhood,” Palmer said of Native Americans. “As American citizens, native indigenous people should be entitled to all the same privileges, rights, and entitlements as all other American citizens,” he said.
Palmer said America has continued to try to hold onto slavery, but in more legal forms like hate groups and prisons.
“After the abolishment of slavery and the end of the Reconstruction period, there was the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, which was a replacement of the slave patrols after this period,” Palmer said.
“America always used the prison system as a means of threat, intimidation, and social control, and this was later enlarged to use Chain Gangs and Jim Crow laws to further control the African Americans,” he said.
Palmer said “Roots” was built on the legacy of prior black historians over the past two hundred years, like Fredrick Douglass, William B. Dubois, Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey, G. Carter Woodson, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X. “The connection that African Americans have had to the African Diaspora goes back to the ‘Back to Africa’ movement of the early 19th century, like the American Colonization Society, that was created in 1821,” Palmer said. For the 20th Century, “Roots” proved a watershed moment, Halifax said. “I imagine it inspired an incredible number of people to seek to learn more about their family’s past, because they knew little about it or had not been listening carefully to the stories of their elders,” Halifax said. “I think ‘Roots’ influenced some white Americans. I think the movie helped place the notion in the minds of many whites that enslaved populations were families and communities that experienced pain and suffering, that experienced joy and wonder, that were founders and builders of this country. That they were more than property,” he said.
Halifax continued:
“I think ‘Roots’ helped usher changes regarding the placement of African Americans within the context of our national history. Of course, this did not happen just because of ‘Roots.’ “In fact, I think ‘Roots’ was a crashing wave into America’s consciousness that had been pushed by a swell generated during the Civil Rights and Black Power movements that preceded it. Stories from America’s history were to be highlighted as “American History” and were decided by white male academics. “I think ‘Roots’ helped send a message. Historians needed to be more inclusive in their storytelling. It was during the 70s and 80s that more inclusive social histories were being researched and pursued in academia, and academia began to become more diversified. “By the 90s, museums and historic sites began recognizing that there is more to America’s story than just rich white guys, their families, and the wars they waged. And equally important, it was by then that people began demanding more of these stories. Unfortunately, following the crashing wave of Roots, there has been a very slow seep into the American conscious as a whole.”
“I think evidence of its importance is in the fact that its remake was released the same year as the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture,” Halifax said. “I suspect that was not an accident. We have a long way still to go. The study by the Southern Poverty Law Center on how Slavery is taught in American schools is damning.” Halifax pointed out that it took 100 years for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture to open. To lesser fanfare and just before the opening of that museum on the National Mall, two other smaller museums opened within a few months of each other.
Both state that their purpose is to share the history of enslaved people and their descendants. Both are former slave labor camps, known euphemistically as plantations – the Whitney Plantation in Edgard, Louisiana, and McLeod Plantation Historic Site in Charleston, South Carolina. “As far as I know, they are the only two former plantation sites who have rejected the white dominated narrative, to look at these sites as places of memory for those held captive and enslaved and for those whose families survived,” Halifax said. “These two sites hold promise as places of healing where slavery, its legacy, and American racism can be examined. In the end, I think Roots has had an important and lasting impact.
Up Next: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration
Gov. Gavin Newsom during a press conference before signing the Election Rigging Response Act at the Capitol Annex Swing Space in Sacramento on Aug. 21, 2025. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters