Viola Davis To Receive Honorary Doctorate from University of Rhode Island
Academy Award-winning actor Viola Davis will be honored for her contributions to her profession and to her community! Davis is a multi-award-winning actress, one of only four Black actors to achieve EGOT status, winning all four competitive American performing arts awards. She is also a bestselling author and celebrated philanthropist, dedicated to inspiring and giving […]
Smithsonian NMAAHC Launches New Online Exhibition Dedicated to Black Jesus
They’re showcasing Black messianic representation in art, history, and media! The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) has announced a new online exhibition titled “Jesus’ Hair Like Wool.” This digital showcase explores the historical and contemporary ways Black figures have been depicted as messianic figures in American religion and popular culture, […]
Swerve Strickland Becomes First Ever Black Champion In AEW Wrestling
Swerve Strickland is champion of the world. Strickland beat Samoa Joe at the inaugural All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Dynasty to win the championship, becoming the first African American World Champion in AEW history, NY Post reports. He entered the arena in Kansas City, Missouri on Sunday night looking like he came straight from Wakanda–decked out […]
Sacramento State University President to Open School’s First Black Honors College
Sacramento State has established the nation’s first-ever Black Honors College, designed for students who are interested in Black history, life, and culture. “So we can’t be an HBCU, we weren’t founded in time, right? But we can be everything but the historical part,” SSU President J. Luke Wood said in a recent appearance on The […]
Councilwoman Sharon Tucker Set to Become First Black Mayor of Fort Wayne, Indiana
On Saturday, April 20, Councilwoman Sharon Tucker was chosen as the new mayor of Fort Wayne, Indiana, becoming the first ever Black leader of Indiana’s second most populous city. Tucker also makes history as only the second woman to ever serve as mayor of the northeastern Indiana city. She was chosen during a caucus to […]
Cornel West Announces First-Ever All-Black Running Ticket for Presidential Race
Dr. Cornel West named Dr. Melina Abdullah as his running mate for the 2024 presidential election, making the first ever all-Black presidential ticket in U.S. history. “I wanted someone whose heart, mind and soul is committed to the empowerment of poor and working people,” West said in his announcement on The Tavis Smiley Show. “She […]
Black-Owned Bank In Illinois Receives $17M From State’s Reparations Fund
Evanston, Illinois, has etched its name in history twice over. In a landmark decision, the city established the first government-funded reparations program in the U.S. to address the systemic racism faced by Black residents between 1919 and 1969, according to Essence. Now, five years later, another groundbreaking move is multiplying the impact of these reparations. […]
Rachel Robinson, Wife of Jackie Robinson, Honored on 77th Anniversary of Historic MLB Debut
On the 77th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s historic MLB debut, the New York Mets welcomed a special guest to Citi Field for their Jackie Robinson Day celebration: Rachel Robinson, Jackie’s widow, at the remarkable age of 101.
Angel Jackson Makes History as Second HBCU Player to Be Drafted in 20 Years
Angel Jackson was just drafted into the WNBA, and she’s already making history! Jackson was the second-ever player from an HBCU to be drafted by the WNBA, Black Enterprise reports. The 6-foot-6 center from Jackson State University in Mississippi was picked No. 36 in the third round by the back-to-back champion Las Vegas Aces during […]
Remembering Faith Ringgold, Pioneering Black Quilt Artist and Author
Faith Ringgold, an artist best known for her quilts depicting the Black American experience, died on April 13 at her home in Englewood, New Jersey. She was 93. “Faith leaves behind an impactful legacy of activism and advocacy for diversity and inclusion that has left a lasting mark on the art world, inspiring countless others […]