By Ariyana Griffin 
AFRO Staff Writer 
agriffin@afro.com

Members of the AFRO American Newspapers and Afro Charities team recently had an inside look at the early life of Martha Howard Murphy, the wife of the publication’s founder, John H. Murphy Sr., and her parents, Enoch and Harriet Howard, by visiting the land where they were enslaved and later owned in Montgomery County, Maryland. The sale of that land provided seed money for the founding of the AFRO.

“It’s pretty amazing to be able to go back that far in history and have the land speak to you,” said Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, great-granddaughter of the newspaper’s founder and current AFRO publisher.

Enoch Howard was an enslaved man until he purchased his freedom on March 1, 1851. He later purchased his wife’s freedom on Sept. 5, 1853, and their four children’s freedom in 1860.

That same year, he began to purchase land that he would use to produce and sell crops, furthering his wealth. Throughout his lifetime land records show him purchasing over 600 acres of land as well as helping others in the Black community purchase land for their families. 

Two homes are on the land, one of which is the plantation home of Samuel Gaither, his wife’s enslaver, which Enoch Howard purchased from him. That home, Locust Villa, has since crumbled. However, the home that the Howards built – which Martha inherited and later sold to her brother – is still standing.

Upon his passing, Enoch Howard passed down land to each of his children, including Martha. She sold the land to her brother, which allowed her to give $200 to her husband, John H. Murphy Sr., a formerly enslaved man who was freed by the Maryland Emancipation Act of 1863 and a Civil War veteran.

In today’s society $200 may not get one far but in 1892, it was the key investment to develop what we know now as the AFRO American Newspapers. The $200 allowed John. H Murphy Sr. to purchase a vital piece of equipment, the printing press. The initial loan is worth approximately over $7,000 today. 

AFRO team members had the momentous opportunity to take a stroll down the annals of history by planting their feet on the land and walking down the same halls that Martha Howard did.

“I’m looking forward to the time where the public can see this because I don’t know too many families who can really go back that far,” Draper said. “Our history is important. When you know where you’ve come from and you know who you are, then you have a better idea of where you’re going.” 
Diane Hocker, AFRO director of community and public relations, shared that the visit was touching. “It’s very emotional, just the whole story and this whole experience,” she said. “It’s almost like I’m seeing my ancestors.”

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By Aria Brent
AFRO Staff Writer
abrent@afro.com

Deyane Moses is a woman of many passions, one of the most notable being art. For nearly a decade, she’s been dedicated to researching, displaying and honoring Baltimore’s Black history and culture. 

In a place like Charm City, where rich Black history is preserved and shared by many organizations, it takes individuals like Moses to push the city forward by honoring its storied past.

The AFRO recently caught up with the artistic activist about the work she’s doing beyond Afro Charities, her experience as an archivist and what’s next for her as an exhibit curator.

AFRO: How did you get your start as an art and exhibit curator ?

DM: ​​I came into this field unknowingly.  I used to be in the military as a broadcast journalist and when I got out of the military, I came back home to the D.C., Maryland and Virginia  (DMV) area. I attended school at MICA the Maryland Institute College of Art to pursue photography. However, while I was there, I noticed that the demographic of the school did not look anything like the city. I started looking into their history and I ended up utilizing the AFRO archives to uncover history that talked a lot about the racism at the school from the early 1800’s until 1954, when schools were desegregated. I started an archive database for that,  along with making an exhibition and having a demonstration talking about that history, and it kind of blew up. I didn’t know I was curating– I was simply moving intuitively. 

When I was  working on the Maryland Institute Black archives, which is the project I started while I was at MICA in undergrad, I also ended up starting my own company called Blackives to assist with research and making exhibitions with the community at large surrounding Black history. So a lot of work that I did there was creating programs mostly thinking about preserving the legacy of Black artists in Baltimore. Once I found out what curation actually was, I went on to pursue my master’s degree at MICA and I got my Master of Fine Arts in curatorial practice. I continued to work on exhibitions and learn more about the craft and also more about archives. And then that’s when I ended up connecting with Savannah Wood, the executive director of Afro Charities, and we’ve just started working from there.

AFRO: What has been the most challenging part of being an exhibit curator ? 

DM: I would say it always comes down to funding. In Baltimore, I’ve made so many connections. We have so many friends and we get a lot of donations, but at times you do need real funding and people should be paid. Artists should be paid. We want to be able to pay people and put on great programs and exhibitions. 

Funding is important for my archival work, but it has been really tough as an independent curator. I think that’s one of the toughest things– finding financing and the other thing is time. 

As an independent curator I’m working on my projects and working at my full time job. I also have my passion projects that I want to work on. Finding that balance between time and funding is always going to be difficult.

AFRO: This year a series of museums across the city worked with MICA students to curate exhibits dedicated to textile artists Elizabeth Talford Scott.Can you talk to me about the work you did with the Elizabeth Talford Scott initiative? 

DM: It was a life changing experience, I can tell you that for sure. It was life changing to come back to be a teacher. I now have mad respect for teachers, even more than I did before. The effort that they have to put in to work with so many students– while also having to collaborate with so many outside organizations, it’s a lot of work! 

The class I taught was not normal by any means. Usually it’s a group of students collaborating with one organization, but this had multiple venues, multiple directors, multiple students, different personalities and this teaching experience really taught me a lot about myself. It was definitely a switch from being a teacher to being a student. 

As for honoring Elizabeth Talford Scott, I learned more about her. I thought I knew about her work, but I can say that when you start to curate and you’re storytelling. While you’re pulling together objects to talk about that story, those objects– they start to really speak to you.I feel like a lot of people in the class were starting to have connections with Elizabeth and her pieces. To honor her was amazing. To be a part of that and to see her legacy grow, and to be a part of that, that’s one of the things that pushes me every day. I didn’t always see Black people depicted as artists, so to see the work that she was doing and to see her tribe, to learn more about her life– I see a lot of herself within me. 

AFRO: What does your dream exhibit look like ?

DM: How much do I want to say? I’m still dreaming!  I have big dreams! Let’s see, how can I phrase it without giving all of it away? I’m very much interested in spaces, but I’m also very interested in extended spaces– extended reality. To be specific, I see the future with technology and I see where we’re going and I want to be a part of that. I’ll be honest, I’m really not sure what it’s going to look like in the future in terms of curating in these digital spaces but my dream space is a digital space that’s accessible to all and accessible on a variety of different devices. My dream exhibition would take place in a digital space, involve Black folks, involve Black history and definitely involve Baltimore– that would be my dream exhibition.

AFRO: What’s next for you as an exhibit curator, as a creative director and an artist?

DM: ​This is a new role for me as the director of partnership and programs for Afro Charities, but I’ve always represented the AFRO and Afro Charities, no matter where I go. People can expect to see a lot of programming from Afro Charities in 2025. Next year we have some great innovative partnerships coming from Afro Charities. 

As for my independent practice as a curator, Blackives is going to make a comeback. I’m revamping Blackives to go back and research for different organizations and different community groups to help them uncover their history. Also, Tom Miller week is going to be bigger and better. I’m hoping to partner with some other organizations who have him in this collection. I’m also currently working in the technical field. I’ve purchased a new custom computer  that I’ve been really working on getting into this extended reality world. Whether it’s virtual, mixed reality or augmented reality– I’m really trying to learn and get into this new field. 

I want to work with other like minded individuals. The year 2025 is going to be popping for me. I’m really excited for my role at Afro Charities, but also for my personal passion projects and my side consulting business. 

*This article has been edited for clarity.

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By Ariyana Griffin 
AFRO Staff Writer 
agriffin@afro.com

The Baltimore Book Festival, a top annual event for Charm City book lovers, celebrated its 25-year anniversary Sept. 28-29. More than just a literary event, the festival is a proud celebration of authors, small businesses, cultural preservation and fostering community from members across Baltimore.

The Waverly community hosted the two-day festival, home to multiple bookshops, including Red Emma’s, Normals Books and Records, Urban Reads and The Book Thing of Baltimore. Over 100 authors and guests joined the festival to engage in conversations about book bans, Black history, education and more, making it an inclusive event welcoming to all.

Lisa Snowden, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Baltimore Beat, discussed “Preserving History: How the Black Press Safeguards the Past,” in collaboration with members of the Afro Charities team. Writer Bry Reed moderated the conversation, which was led by Snowden, Deyane Moses, director of programs and partnerships for Afro Charities, and Bilphena Yahwon, processing fellow at Afro Charities. 

According to The Pew Research Center, only “about half of Black Americans (51 percent) say they are very or extremely informed about the history of Black people in the U.S. Nearly four-in-ten (37 percent) say they are somewhat informed, while 11 percent say they are a little or not at all informed.” Furthermore, research found that most Black adults learned history from friends and family. 

Afro Charities, a key player in preserving Black history nationally, boasts an archival collection of over 130 years of history from the AFRO-American Newspapers and beyond. This collection is a vital resource for those interested in learning about history, and the organization has made it its mission to make it accessible.

Moses shared that the AFRO was “a major outlet for civil rights leaders and everyday people to talk about the good news as well as the things that were happening in their communities.”

“The AFRO is so, so critical for that narrative- they’ve been doing that work and championing that work since 1892, when the paper was founded,” she said. 

The AFRO archives have been part of several historic contributions including shows, museums, movies, and more. She shared that they can also be a tool for genealogical research, allowing people to track their family and history.

“I want to make sure everyone out there knows that we are a resource that is accessible right now,” she said, adding that history is very “cyclical,” and it is often repeated, as can be found in the archives. 

Snowden spoke on how the work of telling Black stories should be handled with care. She warned of the dangers of constantly turning out stories and moving on because sometimes stories, especially with minorities, need detailed care. 

“If you’re turning stuff out, you’re not treating it with care—you’re not treating it with respect,” said Snowden. She shared that they can’t do all the stories in Baltimore due to having a small team. However, she expressed that they can ” do a few things and do them really well—approaching it with dedication.”              

Snowden shared that they have already taken measures to preserve and digitize the legacy of the paper to archive the stories they have shared. She stresses the importance of printed media in the archival process – they look forward to archiving the paper more physically.

Yahwon revealed that archiving is not easy and requires patience, hard work, attention to detail  and effort. In the past, the archives weren’t as accessible to the open public.

“You couldn’t just go on ProQuest or come to Afro Charities to get a tour out of the blue; people had to do that work,” Yahwon said. “I think that when we get people more familiar with the labor of archiving, they will be able to understand more how they’re able to get online in search of words – that it is somebody who has to put in every single thing.”

She came to this work after yearning for knowledge about her roots in Liberia, where she is originally from, but moved to America due to the Liberian Civil War in 2001. Through her research, she found a lot of information about Liberia that was documented through the AFRO and reached out to Afro Charities. Now, as a processing fellow, Yahwon is able to give insight to how the AFRO reported on issues in other countries, via local contacts and on-the-ground reporting.

To learn more about Afro Charities and their work, visit Afrocharities.com. 

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By Vincent Leggett and Rhys Burns
Special to the AFRO

The Chesapeake Bay has long been a lifeline, nurturing the growth of Marylanders from the Piscataway people to European settlers, and continues to provide the seafood on dinner tables today. From the colonial era to the present, the Bay and its watersheds have offered beauty, sustenance, economic growth and employment, particularly to marginalized communities. 

Historically, the seafood and maritime industry along the Chesapeake has been dominated by African-American watermen and waterwomen. These individuals endured grueling physical labor and low wages to build a legacy for themselves and their families.

Watermen worked the boats and skipjacks, dredging for oysters and setting traps for crabs, while waterwomen labored in factories, shucking oysters, picking crabs and canning the products. They also worked in the kitchens of many Black-owned seafood restaurants that emerged along the Bay’s watershed communities in the early 1900s.

There are numerous African American-owned seafood companies across Maryland, but one prominent example is Crisfield Seafood in Crisfield, Somerset County. 

Crisfield proudly calls itself the “Crab Capital of the World.” At one point, the city had more than 20 crab packing houses. According to Pete Lesher, chief historian at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, “In 1938, Crisfield alone produced 13 percent of Maryland’s hard crab catch.” That year, the average catch was 25,949 barrels of crabs, each weighing about 100 pounds.

Local crab houses and restaurants relied on laborers to pick crab meat from the shell. Hundreds of crab pickers, mostly African-American women, worked long hours, often 12 to 16 hours a day. The work was demanding, with high quantities of meat expected to be picked quickly, and workers were paid by the gallon.

By April 1938, the people of Crisfield were in dire straits. The Great Depression had not yet lifted, and about 300 garment workers, mostly women, had lost their jobs two weeks earlier when two factories closed. A town official estimated that 90 percent of Crisfield’s workforce was unemployed. 

On April 4, 1938, the town’s crab picking companies cut workers’ wages from 35 cents per gallon to 25 cents per gallon. Company officials assumed the pickers would be grateful to still have jobs. Instead, two days later, 600 predominantly African-American women crab pickers went on a five-week strike. They demanded the wages be restored to 35 cents and that the companies recognize the Congress of Industrial Organizations Cannery Union (CIO) as their union. This strike brought the crabbing industry to a halt and caused ripples along the Eastern Shore.

As the strike continued, a White crowd of 100 to 300 people gathered near a Black section of town on North Fourth Street. They broke into several homes, searching for strike leaders Michael Howard and Martina Cooper, threatening to “ruin” them if found. Unable to locate the leaders, the crowd turned to Shiloh Church, where they overturned Howard’s car and set it on fire in front of the church.

After weeks of violence and significant profit losses, the packing companies conceded, restoring wages to 35 cents a gallon and officially recognizing the CIO Cannery Union as the workers’ bargaining agent. This historic strike led to explosive growth for the National Cannery Union, particularly among African Americans in the South and migrant workers in the West. 

More importantly, it ensured the continued success of African-American watermen and waterwomen. Through their efforts, today Maryland watermen like Lewis Carter can still work the Bay and provide fresh, local seafood that is exported worldwide, from Europe to Japan, and to local markets. 

The post From the Bay to the table: Black crabbing history in Maryland appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Deyane Moses,
Special to the AFRO

The Association of African American Museums (AAAM) has officially returned to Baltimore for its annual conference, taking place Aug. 13-16 at the Hilton Camden Yard.  The event gathers museum professionals, historians and community leaders to explore the profound impact of African-American history and culture on the nation.

Dr. Vedet Coleman-Robinson is a visionary leader dedicated to preserving and elevating African American history and culture. As president and CEO of AAAM, she continues the organization’s legacy as a powerful force for change. Her expertise in museum management, coupled with her unwavering commitment to equity and inclusion, has resulted in significant growth and impact for AAAM.

“Maybe in the last six months or so, our registration has skyrocketed to over 700 attendees for the conference! This is a huge milestone for us. Our membership since I’ve been hired has gone up by over 270 percent. So we’re on a trajectory that we’ve never seen before,” said Dr. Coleman-Robinson.

This year’s conference theme, “Acknowledging Legacy, Fostering Progress,” marks a dual celebration. It commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act while placing a spotlight on Maryland’s rich African American heritage.

“We couldn’t imagine hosting this conference anywhere else but Maryland,” says Dr. Coleman-Robinson. “The state is steeped in history, from the legacy of Thurgood Marshall and Brown v. Board of Education, to the pivotal role of Morgan State University in civil rights activism.”

Attendees can experience dynamic programming, including engaging sessions, workshops, and keynote addresses. One highlight will be a panel hosted by Afro Charities titled “Reimagining Historically Black Institutions in the 21st Century.” The panel, set for Aug.16 inside of Key Ballroom 10 at the Hilton at Camden Yards, will look at how these institutions have adapted to continue their missions of equality, justice and equity.

The discussion will include directors from the Afro Charities, The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum, The Banneker-Douglass Museum and the Eubie Blake National Jazz and Cultural Center.

Dr. Coleman-Robinson is excited about the distinguished speakers that have arrived in Baltimore for the conference.

“We’re honored to welcome Dr. Carla Hayden, as she concludes her tenure as the Librarian of Congress, as our opening plenary speaker. She will receive the Dr. John E. Fleming Award. Additionally, we will present the John and Marjorie Kinard award to Robert G. Stanton, the first and only African-American director of the National Park Service. And to top it off, we’ll have the incredible musical talents of Sweet Honey in the Rock and Raheem DeVaughn.”

Beyond the inspiring speakers and thought-provoking sessions, the conference will also feature an exhibit hall showcasing the latest museum technology and resources.

Reflecting on the significance of the gathering, Dr. Coleman-Robinson shared, “This conference feels like a much-needed homecoming and family reunion for our members. We share common challenges and triumphs, and coming together creates a safe space to connect, recharge, and return to our work with renewed purpose.”

For more information on registration and the conference agenda, please visit the AAAM website at www.blackmuseums.org.

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By B. M. Phillips IV
AFRO President

August 13 marks 132 consecutive years of publishing for the AFRO-American Newspapers, founded by John H. Murphy Sr. in 1892.

Determined to succeed, at the age of 51, Murphy, a father of 11, borrowed $200 from his wife, Martha Howard Murphy. With their children’s support, a historical journey began that continues today with fourth, fifth and sixth-generation family members.

Just one month before striking into the publishing business, Murphy’s youngest son, David Arnett Murphy, also known as “D. Arnett,” was born. On July 9, 1892, his birth completed what would become the second-generation owners of the AFRO.  Collectively, they set the standard of commitment, ensuring the company’s success and the pursuit of fairness and equality for Black Americans. They also supported other like-minded publishers.

When the founder died in 1922, his children embarked on an expansion that saw the company spread their offices north and south, growing to 13 editions. The AFRO became one of the largest Black publications in circulation, with over 200 employees —many of whom were unionized. Its printing press ran every day of the week except Sundays. 

The company dispatched seven correspondents (including the first Black woman) to the Atlantic and Pacific theaters during World War II to report the news. Their accounts are documented in the book “This is Our War,” which was released in a special reprint last year to mark the 75th anniversary of the desegregation of the United States Armed Forces.

Dr. Frances Murphy Draper, CEO and publisher, states in the foreword of the book that “Today, as lawmakers across the United States attempt to minimize and rewrite Black history, it becomes even more important for us to document and share our own stories.

‘This is Our War’ does just that by highlighting the triumphs and challenges Black soldiers faced. In their own words, AFRO journalists provided intimate details, including names and addresses of servicemen they encountered. In some cases, messages to loved ones at home were included.”

The paper has always been on the front line, battling racial inequality and afflictions threatening our readers.  Shining a light and advocating for better conditions required that the company be financially independent to ensure its message could not be tainted or silenced.  It became apparent that advertising revenue was critical to funding these efforts, and the addition of a sales team allowed the AFRO to augment circulation dollars and achieve its goals.

D. Arnett Murphy’s accomplishments are particularly noteworthy in these efforts. He began his career with the newspaper at the age of 13. He worked for the company for 66 years. 

His early roles included bookkeeper, pressman, linotype operator, makeup man and reporter.  At one point, he ran a sports event called AFRO Marathon, but ultimately, he discovered that advertising was his specialty.  

As director and vice president of advertising, his team fueled revenue growth during his tenure.  In support of AFRO offices throughout the eastern seaboard, he invested in his teams by holding sales meetings and conferences to share initiatives and train current and new employees to be successful. 

By partnering with similar publications across the country, a stronger pitch could be made to increase revenue.  In 1940, D. Arnette Murphy was elected vice president of the Eastern District during the initial formation of what is now the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA). Today, NNPA represents more than 200 Black-owned newspapers, both in print and digital formats.

In 1944, he organized and served as president of the Associated Publishers, a national advertising agency representing 35 other weekly newspapers at the time.

A key figure in the company’s management, D. Arnett Murphy was also a stockholder, voting trustee and a member of the board of directors until his death in 1972. He retired from day-to-day operations in 1963.

As reported by his niece Elizabeth “Bettye” Moss, he was Dubbed “Chief,” “Mr. Arnett”or simply “D.A” by associates and friends. He was an avid reader and an interesting conversationalist, known for his love and concern for people.

His impact extended beyond his dedication to the company, and he was proud of his role in integrating Baltimore City’s public golf courses. Along with other members of the Monumental Golf Club and the Citizens’ Civil Rights Committee, the AFRO executive responded swiftly to being denied entry to one of the public courses and helped finance the court suit that opened the public links to all in 1948.

D. Arnett Murphy was a life member of the NAACP and served on the board of Advance Federal Savings and Loan whose mission was to help African Americans secure loans and build their credit.

Like his younger brother Carl J. Murphy, D. Arnett Murphy didn’t have any sons. He and his wife Sadie Clark Murphy had three daughters Mae E Dyson, Virginia Murphy and Arnetta Lottier who followed in the footsteps of his generation working at the paper and lending their talents as members of the Board of Directors.

As noted in the article announcing his death, he had a great love for Grace Presbyterian, where he served many years as trustee and had been a member for 50 years.   

So, as we blow out the candles for another year, let’s not forget those who got us here— people like, D. Arnett Murphy, the youngest member of my great-grandfather’s sons and daughters.  

B.M. Phillips IV is the current president of the AFRO and is great-grandson of the founder, John Henry Murphy Sr. 

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By D. Kevin McNeir
Special to the AFRO

While the disappearance of a beautiful, popular Black woman in Baltimore may not have made front page news in the city’s White-owned publications, the AFRO-American Newspapers–following the mission of the Black Press– deployed its reporters week after week asking the question: Where is Shirley Parker?

Eventually the body of Shirley Lee Wigeon Parker, 35, a divorcee and mother of two sons, would be found months after her April 1969 disappearance. On June 2, 1969 an electrical company crew was dispatched to repair two lights in the fountain at the center of Druid Hill Park Lake. 

There, they found an answer to the question being asked throughout the Baltimore’s Black community: The body of a woman floating face down, subsequently identified as Parker. 

Despite their best efforts, neither reporters nor the police were able to determine whether foul play was involved or if Parker had simply made a poor decision in choosing to swim alone and, after somehow becoming injured or fatigued, had been unable to swim ashore. 

The city coroner would eventually rule the cause of her death as hypothermia. But questions remained.

Now, Parker’s disappearance and unsolved death is making the news again. This time, with a seven-part television series, “Lady in the Lake.” 

The suspenseful noir thriller, which made its global debut on July 19 on Apple TV+ , has among its cast Academy Award and Golden Globe Award-winner Natalie Portman, who also serves as executive producer. Emmy Award nominee Moses Ingram also appears. New episodes will continue to be unveiled every Friday through August 23. 

In Baltimore, decades after her death, Parker’s death still lingers in the minds of residents who lived in Charm City during the 1960s.  One woman, Marilyn Jones, was just a girl when the case set the Black community’s concern and curiosity ablaze.

Jones, a Baltimore native, was so moved by the story that ten years before the “Lady in the Lake,” series, she wrote a short fiction novel based on the case. 

The 2014 novel is titled “Auchentrolly Park Drive,” and is proof of how the story captivated the minds of Black Baltimore in 1969 and beyond.

“My father used to frequent the Sphinx bar where Ms. Parker worked and he knew her,” Jones wrote in a letter to the AFRO. “When she disappeared, Daddy often talked about the mystery of her disappearance. At the time, most White newspapers paid little attention to these types of occurrences in the Black community. However, the AFRO carried the entire story of Shirley Parker– but I was just a young girl at the time.” 

Dr. Vonnya Pettigrew, CEO and founder of Baltimore-based Root Branch Media Group, weighed in on how the archives of the Black Press are used to tell Black stories, but often don’t get credit. 

“We tell our story first and we tell it without allowing ourselves to be exploited as others have so often done,” said Pettigrew.“Far too often…mass media has simply scrubbed information from Black sources like the AFRO or The Baltimore Times without getting the real story. And when they tell our stories, we are not on top.” 

In fact, while other publications can only say they covered Parker’s death- the AFRO covered important happenings in her life. On Feb. 1, 1964, years before her death, an AFRO photographer snapped a photo of her as she participated in an event with The Clerics, a business club for women. 

Even after news of Parker’s death faded from the headlines, the AFRO followed what became of her family. Decades after the death of his mother, the AFRO tracked down Parker’s son, who was just nine years old when his mother went missing. The paper asked the man, at age 56, what he believed happened to his mother –now that he was an adult himself.

“What I think happened was my mother swam out into the lake because she was an excellent swimmer and got awards for swimming,” he said. “I feel she swam out there to clear her mind after an argument with Arno, her boyfriend, and to think about me and my brother. I think when she was ready to go, she stood up and fell back and hit her head on the spout, where the water comes out, because the autopsy said she had a hole in the back of her head.”

In honor of Shirley Parker and her story, the Afro Charities team, which cares for and curates the archives of the AFRO-American Newspapers, made available a variety of articles and photos printed as the case unfolded in 1969.
Take a look through the AFRO’s coverage below if you are watching the “Lady in the Lake” series and seek to learn more about Shirley Parker and discern fact from fiction.

The post ‘Lady in the Lake’: A look at the exclusive coverage in the AFRO Archives appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Bilphena Decontee Yahwon 
Special to the AFRO

In August 2023, I joined Afro Charities as an intern. I came as someone who had spent considerable time immersed in archives, deeply revering the processing archivists whose hands, eyes, feet and backs make these archives possible. I too wanted to contribute to this labor and effort, both in service to Afro Charities, the rich history of the AFRO-American Newspaper and in service to my homeland of Liberia.

I was also conspiring. 

While browsing the pages of the AFRO-American Newspapers, via the Enoch Pratt Library’s ProQuest, I found an ongoing conversation across the Atlantic between Liberia and Baltimore. 

This dialogue reflected the migration history of free Black people from Baltimore to Cape Palmas, Liberia, in the 1830s as part of the Maryland Colonization Society. It extended further to AFRO’s editor William N. Jones’ 1933 trip to Liberia, which he detailed in his “Day by Day” column, and continued with Carl J. Murphy’s journey to Liberia for William V.S. Tubman’s 1952 inauguration as president.

I began to wonder: What would it take to make Afro Charities a central site of study and research for Liberians in Baltimore–and beyond– who yearn to access archives about our country? Furthermore, how can this archive serve as a means of facilitating a sort of remembrance between Black people in Baltimore with lineage connected to this migration to Liberia? These are the questions that animates my work here. 

Given that much of Liberia’s archives were destroyed during our civil wars or are housed in museums, libraries and universities in the U.S. and Europe, I imagine Afro Charities as a place where this transatlantic dialogue can become more than just a historical anecdote within the collection. Instead, it can reframe the understanding of the AFRO-American Newspaper’s reach, highlighting its global impact and coverage of everyday Black life beyond the United States. 

What began as a two-month internship has evolved into an almost two-year fellowship. It seems that my conspiring has paid off, as I now spend July and August (and hopefully for years to come) helping to organize records related to Liberia and also to answer the questions that brought me here in the first place. 

Bilphena Decontee Yahwon was born in Suakoko, Bong County, Liberia. She is the steward of Archive Liberia, an invitation and site for recovering, holding, and organizing the collective memory of Liberia. 

The post From the AFRO Archives: Bridging the gap between Liberia and Baltimore  appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Deyane Moses
Special to the AFRO

A powerful new exhibition is set to open in Baltimore on June 19, offering a multifaceted exploration of Black history, identity and imagination. “Soon Come” explores beyond traditional narratives, foregrounding the enduring strength and creative spirit of Black communities.

Opening on Juneteenth, the exhibition, curated by Sharayna Christmas, executive director of Muse 360, and co-curated by Jordan Carter, Program Manager of Muse 360, goes beyond mere commemoration. 

Through a vibrant tapestry of textiles, photography, video, sound, assemblage and poetry, emerging artists from the New Generation Scholars Young Artist Archival Fellowship reclaim lost histories and reimagine a future brimming with possibility. 

The fellowship is offered by Muse 360, a Baltimore-based youth organization with a radical mission. Since 2004, Muse 360 has been dedicated to helping Baltimore’s youth cultivate their voices and artistic talents as a path to self-knowledge. 2024 marks the second year that Afro Charities has partnered with the organization to produce this program.

This year, the program expanded to include young adults aged 18-22, pairing them for the first time with mentors in the fields of art, scholarship, and the archives to guide their artistic journeys. Participants will also receive a stipend for successfully completing the program. During the past six months, the fellowship has deepened their archival and creative practices, empowering them to create new bodies of work that challenge and inspire their audiences.

“I have been a member of the New Generation Scholars Artist Archival Fellowship since January 2024,” Daisha McIlwain said. “I’ve been able to grow alongside fellow artists of different mediums and explore art from the past and present through archival research.”

For this exhibition, fellow Teylah Saunders created a new textile work titled, “So, what about the heart?” The piece includes a woven blanket collaged with images from Saunders’ family archive. The work is embellished with embroidery and beading. 

“Woven blankets have such a rich history within the Black community,” said Saunders. “I love the idea of weaving together narratives into something you can hold and embrace.”

“Soon Come” is not just a display of art, it’s an opportunity for viewers to confront the past, celebrate revolutionary love, delve into the depths of Black spirituality, and recognize the boundless creativity that has always fueled Black progress. The 2024 Cohort of New Generation Scholars Young Artist Archival Fellows—Breyanna Dabney, Daisha McIllwain, Khalil McFarlane, Lory Charles, Sha-Shonna Rogers, and Teylah Saunders—promise to deliver a moving and thought-provoking exhibition that will deepen your understanding of Black history and culture.

The exhibition debuts at The 360 House, a new intergenerational space that will provide activations for artist residencies, screenings, and will be the home base of Muse 360. RSVP for the opening reception on Wednesday, June 19th, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at: linktr.ee/ngsworld. The address will be disclosed upon confirmation of attendance with RSVP.For more information on the New Generation Scholars Young Artist Archival Fellowship program or to donate to Afro Charities, please visit https://www.afrocharities.org/.

The post Juneteenth Exhibition: ‘Soon Come’ celebrates young artists as they reimagine the future appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Savannah Wood
Special to the AFRO

Afro Charities, the non-profit sister company of the AFRO-American Newspapers, has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the 2024 ARPA Community Arts Grant program. This generous grant, provided by Baltimore City Mayor Brandon M. Scott, the City of Baltimore’s Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs and United Way of Central Maryland, builds upon millions already raised and donated for the Upton Mansion revitalization project.

While this grant represents a significant step forward in the vision to transform the Upton Mansion into a vibrant cultural hub for Baltimore, additional funds are still needed.

The project will include:

– A permanent home and research center for the extensive archives of the AFRO-American Newspapers

– A dedicated headquarters for Afro Charities and the AFRO-American Newspapers

– Community space available for use by local residents

The restored Upton Mansion will serve as a cornerstone for Old West Baltimore, the nation’s largest Black historic district. It will celebrate Black history and culture, providing a valuable resource for the community and a testament to Baltimore’s rich heritage.

“We are grateful to Mayor Scott, the City of Baltimore, and United Way of Central Maryland for their generous support,” stated the organization, giving thanks to those who have helped the project along. 

To learn more about the Upton Mansion project and donate today: https://www.afrocharities.org/upton-mansion

The post Afro Charities receives grant to revitalize Upton Mansion appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Aria Brent 
AFRO Staff Writer 
abrent@afro.com

Last year, March 9 was declared 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Day after Gov. Wes Moore signed the statewide day of commemoration into law. The predominantly Black, all female sector of the Women Army Corp (WAC) was responsible for sorting and clearing a huge amount of backlogged mail during World War II. Their work helped restore the military postal system which allowed soldiers and civilians to effectively communicate amidst wartime. With the special occasion approaching, Gov.Moore spoke about his administration’s commitment to recognizing the service of the 6888th.

“Here in Maryland, we will protect, preserve and celebrate our rich history, and it’s my honor to recognize March 9 as 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Day,” said Gov. Moore. “These women were trailblazers and their commitment to service was invaluable to our country. The Moore-Miller administration is proud to commemorate their legacy.”

The battalion has received a series of other honors including a Congressional Medal of Honor, a monument in Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and a national day of recognition which is observed on Sept.16. However, this is the first year the legendary group of women will be honored throughout the state of Maryland.

Retired Col. Edna W. Cummings has played a vital role in highlighting the legacy of the 6888th battalion and she explained how this honor is a representation of all Black women who have served in the military. 

“We must continue to honor the 6888th because they represent the service and sacrifice of thousands of Black women who served our nation and were unheralded,” Cummings stated. “They served the country when the country didn’t always serve them. The 6888th and other Black women from that era are a new set of role models for the thousands of Black women in the military.”

U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-M.D.-07), of Maryland, shared similar sentiments, praising the bravery of the women in the battalion. 

“Amid the peril and danger of World War II, the tenacity of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion never wavered,” Mfume shared. “These 855 Black women bravely served our nation despite knowing their return home would be to an America that still denied their basic rights and liberties.”

The resilience and tenacity of the 6888th seems to resonate with Black women both in and outside of the military. There have been so many instances of Black women’s achievements being disregarded but Cummings and many others are determined to not let this story go untold. The preservation of their history is detrimental to the preparation of our nation’s future. Sen.Cory McCray talked to the AFRO about the importance of knowing the story of the 6888th and using it to inspire the next generation of young Black women. 

“It’s important that we recognize that this is a critical component of our history. The upcoming 6888th day is an example of how we preserve our history and how we make sure that their story is told over and over again,” McCray stated. “Their story is ongoing and if we don’t know where we come from we won’t know where we’re going.”

It’s been nearly 80 years since the battalion of groundbreaking women discontinued their work and yet their impact is still so powerful. To this day, the 6888th is the only unit made up entirely of women of color to serve overseas. The history those women 

created has yet to be repeated making their legacy all the more precious.

After serving in the military for several decades and then dedicating herself to honoring the work of the 6888th battalion, Cummings is proud to see them recognized on a national and local level. 

“I’m honored and humbled to know that our grassroots efforts for the 6888th have led to state and national recognitions for these veterans and other Black women from World War II. This recognition secures their legacy alongside the rest of our nation’s heroes,” Cummings stated proudly. “Women have always volunteered to serve this country and made significant impacts. We must include women’s contributions as part of military history and not as an afterthought.”

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By Ericka Alston Buck,
Special to the AFRO

In the heart of Annapolis, Md., nestled at 84 Franklin Street, lies the Banneker-Douglass Museum, a beacon of African-American history and culture. Stepping through its doors, visitors embark on a journey through time, a journey that is both reflective and forward-thinking. 

Now, with 2024 marking the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the museum proudly presents “REVISIT/REIMAGINE: The Civil Rights Era in Maryland and Parallels of Today” — a poignant exhibition that pays homage to the legacies of civil rights leaders while shedding light on contemporary issues that continue to shape our society.

Curated by creative visionary Thomas James, “REVISIT/REIMAGINE” is not merely an exhibition; it is a testament to resilience, activism and the enduring spirit of progress. At its core, the exhibit aims to bridge the gap between past and present, inviting visitors to reflect on the strides made since the Civil Rights Movement, while acknowledging the work that remains.

Upon entering the exhibition space, visitors are greeted by a curated collection of images showcasing nationally and locally recognized civil rights leaders, sourced from the archives of the AFRO-American Newspapers. These striking visuals serve as a powerful reminder of the individuals who paved the way for change and justice. Savannah Wood, executive director of Afro Charities and moderator of the panel discussion, provided insight into the exhibition’s composition.

“When people come, they can expect to see contemporary artwork by Maryland artists,” said Wood, adding that an array of creatives were included in the exhibition, curated by James. 

According to Wood, the installation also included “a selection of images from the archives that Thomas selected during extensive research in partnership with Afro Charities.”

The lineup of exhibiting artists reads like a who’s who of creative talent, with each bringing their unique perspective to the dialogue. 

Murjoni Merriweather, one of the featured artists, shared her vision for the exhibition. 

“For me, what I want people to take away from this experience is the self-love of Black people. I want us to be proud of where we came from, know the history, and also see the creators now making works that talk about us being proud of ourselves,” she said. 

The pieces, ranging from paintings to sculptures, from mixed media to digital art, serve as a mirror reflecting the issues of Black people through the Civil Rights Movement and the equal rights initiatives that followed. From education inequities to race-based violence, from disability justice to technological surveillance— each artwork ignites conversations and challenges perceptions.

In a nod to intergenerational relationships, the exhibition space is designed to evoke the familiarity of a home, complete with books, records and other objects scattered throughout. 

James explained the intention behind this setup. 

“This show is set up to encourage or enact a feeling of home—a feeling of warmth—and really leveling with folks that have done extraordinary things…[they] are just like you. They come home every day to the life that they live, and you can do the same thing in your own way.”

The opening reception, held on Feb. 24th, was a celebration of art, activism and community. Guests had the opportunity to engage with the artwork, to immerse themselves in the narratives woven throughout the exhibition. Following the reception, a panel discussion titled “Exhibition Talkback” provided a platform for dialogue, featuring James, Banneker-Douglass Museum’s executive director Chanel C. Johnson, and Wood. 

As “REVISIT/REIMAGINE” continues its run until Jan. 4, 2025, it serves as a poignant reminder of the progress made since the Civil Rights Era and the work that lies ahead. 

The exhibit is a testament to the power of art in sparking change, in amplifying voices, and in uniting communities. And above all, it is a call to action— urging each of us to play a role in shaping a more just and equitable future.

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By Deyane Moses

Join us for the February 2024 Public Meeting of the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC) at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum on Feb. 5, at 11 a.m. The theme of Black History Month for this year is African Americans and the Arts, as announced by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). 

Afro Charities will be hosting a table at the event. Community members can learn more about the organization and view rare artifacts about Black Artists in the AFRO’s archive! During the event, you’ll have the opportunity to meet Afro Charities team members, network with Baltimore-based Black cultural arts vendors, discover the Commission’s upcoming initiatives and listen to inspiring speakers from the heritage and preservation community.

The event is hosted by the Baltimore City commissioner delegation, including Dr. Edwin T. Johnson, Dr. Kali-Ahset Amen, Dr. Walter “Wali” Gill, Philip J. Merrill, Dr. Brian C. Morrison, Ada Pinkston and Wesley C. Wood.  Dayvon Love, director of Public Policy for Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle, will serve as special guest speaker for the event.

MCAAHC’s mission is to preserve and promote African American history throughout the state of Maryland. On Jan. 19, 2024, Gov. Wes Moore announced that the Commission, in partnership with the Maryland Historical Trust, would receive a total of $5 million in grants to 24 nonprofits through the African American Heritage Preservation Program for FY 2024. We’re thrilled to announce that Afro Charities was among the recipients and has been granted $250,000 towards the Upton Mansion project – the future home of the AFRO Archives, Afro Charities and AFRO News.

Don’t miss this opportunity to kick off Black History Month with Afro Charities and the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture in February! For now, take a look back at what happened this week in history. Do you have a favorite AFRO Archives story? Find @AFRONews on social media today and let us know! 

This week’s clips from the AFRO Archives

Deyane Moses is curator of the AFRO Archives for Afro Charities. 

The post Celebrate Black History Month with Afro Charities appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper
AFRO Publisher and CEO

“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?  If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus, also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my work.” 

These words, found in the second chapter of the biblical book of James (the 20^th book of the New Testament) encourage followers of Christ to demonstrate their faith and their beliefs by what they do and not just by what they say.

The purpose of this commentary is not to exegete a biblical text or to be “preachy,” but to emphasize what many already know– actions speak louder than words. 

It’s one thing to say you believe in eradicating hunger, and another to hold a food drive, volunteer at a food bank, or contribute to a hungry family. The same goes for those who say they are passionate about healthcare for everyone or equal funding for education— but never contact their legislators or write to their local paper urging, others to get behind your cause. Of course, these are not the only ways to support a cause, and there are enough worthwhile causes locally, nationally and internationally. In fact, everyone does not (nor should they) embrace the same cause or approach their activism the same way. Some demonstrate. Some write. Some contribute money. And, yes, some even pray without ceasing. 

In this edition of the AFRO, we salute individuals and organizations who are passionate about what they do for the betterment of society – sometimes as a part of their paid employment and other times as volunteers for causes that they care about. We also say kudos to the Afro Charities’ team – the nonprofit partner to the AFRO who cares for our 131-year-old archives (afrocharities.org). 

These talented, highly qualified and dedicated professionals are what the Society of American Archivists calls “activist archivists,” a term given to those who “strive to document the under-documented aspects of society and to support political and social causes through that work.”  

Below are their very brief bios (in alphabetical order), as well as their answers to my question: 

“Why do you do the work that you do?” 

Bacarri Byrd is a communication professional and cultural enthusiast who specializes in exploring the intersection of popular culture, history, rhetoric and media. She approaches life with an eclectic mindset that integrates narratives and tangible objects to amplify diverse perspectives and is dedicated to bringing artifacts to life by uncovering their captivating stories. 

“I do this work because it portrays the underrepresented story of Black people in creative and intentional ways.” 

• Bacarri Byrd 

Jasmine Clarke is an artist, educator and archivist.  Her passion for archiving was ignited when she embarked on a personal journey to honor her grandmother, curating and preserving a collection of family images, videos, documents and oral histories. 

Her dedication to safeguarding the narratives of Black individuals shines through her work, emphasizing the importance of storytelling from the genuine perspective of the community. Driven by a profound belief in empowerment, Clarke is committed to ensuring Black voices actively contribute to the remembrance of both personal and collective stories. 

Through Afro Charities, she channels this dedication by preserving and preparing these stories to be accessible to the community in innovative ways. 

“Why do I do this work? To empower Black people to be active participants in the remembrance of our personal and collective stories and histories.”

• Jasmine Clarke

Megan McShea is an archivist who has been working with Afro Charities on planning, assessing, digitizing and processing the AFRO American Newspapers’ Archives since 2021. 

Megan began her archives career as a researcher in the news photo morgue of The Bettmann Archive in New York City. She was a contract archivist for the Billie Holiday Project for Liberation Arts working with archivists at four historic Black churches of Old West Baltimore and has continued working on audiovisual archives doing digital preservation with the Human Studies Film Archives at the National Museum of Natural History. 

“I do this work because I want as many people as possible to experience the uniquely powerful connection to my city’s Black past and present that the archives offer.”

• Megan McShea

Deyane Moses is an Army veteran, curator, educator and multidisciplinary creative. She is deeply passionate about Black History, archives, and cutting-edge design. In 2019, she exposed the racist history of Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) with her archive, The Maryland Institute Black Archive (MIBA), which included an exhibition and demonstration, “Take Back the Steps.” Moses’ initiatives sparked a nationwide conversation on institutional racism. In 2020, Deyane founded Blackives, empowering and providing valuable research, archival expertise, programming and innovative design solutions to Black communities. Moses currently serves as curator of the AFRO Archives, which is in the care of Afro Charities.

 “I do this work to enlighten future generations about the richness of our remarkable history.” 

• Deyane Moses 

Oyinda Omoloja is a Black studies scholar passionate about the richness and nuances of Black stories. As Afro Charities’ Archives Assistant, Omoloja fields research requests from a diverse audience of researchers from documentary producers and authors, to individuals looking to preserve their family history.  

Omoloja’s work is entrenched in making the AFRO’s expansive archives accessible. Prior to Afro Charities, Omoloja managed the Voices Lifted Oral History Project at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, where she collected and preserved the lived experiences of Black Marylanders. Her multifaceted exposures with history continuously inspire and encourage her commitment to the work. 

“I do this work to honor the nuances and richness of Black experiences.”

• Oyinda Omoloja

Savannah Wood is an artist and the executive director of Afro Charities. She is leading the charge to increase access to the 131-year-old AFRO American Newspapers’ extensive archives. In this role, she has shepherded the organization through a period of historic growth, initiated new programming and attracted support from national funders including the Mellon Foundation, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and The Ruth Foundation. Like the four generations of ancestors before her, she lives and works in Baltimore, Md., sharing and preserving Black stories. 

“I do this work to honor my ancestors, and to connect people with their history.”

• Savannah Wood

Bilphena Decontee Yahwon is an artist, archivist and transformative justice practitioner born in Suakoko, Bong County, Liberia. Her work is concerned with the uses of individual and collective memory: How we inherit it, how we preserve it and how we pass it down. 

Yahwon is the steward of her online library, The Womanist Reader, a collective member of interdisciplinary publishing initiative Press, and a founding member of New Generation Scholars Intergenerational Institute. Yahwon is currently a processing fellow at Afro Charities and a 2024 community fellow for the Diaspora Solidarities Lab (DSL).  She launched Archive Liberia in 2020 as an invitation and site for recovering, holding and organizing the collective memory of Liberia.

“I do this work because our collective memory is essential to cultural survival.”

• Bilphena Decontee Yahwon

These young professionals are clear about why they do what they do. Hopefully their work, as well as the work of those featured in this edition, will inspire all of us to either become activists or increase our activism for “faith without works is dead.” 

Special thanks to our editors, writers, photographers, advertising, production, social media and administrative team members for a job well done! 

The post A time to act: Celebrating the activists who impact the future by honoring the past appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By John Rydell
Special to the AFRO

The year was 1954 when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was hired as pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala. Poised, but unafraid to make “good trouble,” King would soon be thrust into the national spotlight over a consequential fight for racial equality. 

Shortly after, Rosa Parks, a secretary for the local chapter of the NAACP, was arrested on a municipal bus for refusing to give up her seat to a White man. Her arrest so incensed Black residents that they formed a new coalition to launch a boycott of the bus system. At the age of 25, it was King who was chosen by parishioners and older pastors alike to lead the boycott. 

Rev. Alvin C. Hathaway, retired pastor of Baltimore’s Union Baptist Church, weighed in on the task handed down to the young King. 

“Martin was the perfect figure: young, charismatic and educated,” said Hathaway. “He inherited a lot of gravitas because of his family lineage. He was able to excite younger people into the movement– that was needed to really put the fuel behind it.”

Speaking on the family ties King had to the fight for human and civil rights, Baltimore native, author and historian Phillip J. Merrill says “People overlook the impact that his father ‘Daddy King’ had on his life.” 

“He from what I like to say ‘good timber,’ and when you come from good timber, you’re already miles ahead of the other contemporaries you interact with, because what you’ve gone through in your family upbringing and experiences helps set you onto the right path.”

Hathaway told the AFRO during the 1950’s, many senior clergy members understood the dangers of staging boycotts–the threats of being arrested, beaten or even killed. So he says those pastors asked King “Are you afraid?” He replied “I’m not afraid.” 

Yet, just a month after the boycott began, King’s house in Montgomery was firebombed. The young pastor was not home, but his wife, Coretta, and young daughter were. Both escaped unharmed. The following month, King, Rosa Parks, Rev. Ralph Abernathy and dozens of other Black citizens were arrested and charged with organizing the boycott. But King and his many supporters finally agreed to end the year-long boycott finally after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that segregation on public buses was unconstitutional. 

Hathaway says King’s leadership during the lengthy bus boycott attracted attention of the national media. 

“Martin understood how to motivate the Black church, so his ability to have meetings in the Black churches, to motivate people was key,” said Hathaway. 

Seven years later, King would make his first national appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press. The interview came just days before King’s appearance at the historic March on Washington in August 1963.  

Kurt L. Schmoke, former Baltimore mayor and current president of the University of Baltimore, fondly remembers attending the march as a teenager with his mother and hearing King deliver his famous “I have a dream” speech. 

Schmoke says he still has a photo of King when he was a student at Morehouse College in Atlanta. Schmoke’s father, who attended Morehouse, is also in the photo, seated behind King in the school’s chapel. 

“Dr. King’s rise demonstrated the historic significance of the African-American church in efforts to achieve equality in the country. The church has always been an integral institution in that effort,” said Schmoke.

Merrill says that while leaders like King gained international attention for his work, there were many other civil rights activists who faded into the background of the movement over time. 

“The civil rights movement will always be much more than Dr. King, Rosa Parks and a few other people that mainstream society has allowed us to have.” 

He mentions people like civil rights attorney Clarence M. Mitchell Jr., longtime Capitol Hill lobbyist for the NAACP, as one activist that did great work alongside those in the international spotlight. Mitchell played a pivotal role in helping to enact the 1964 Civil Rights Act. 

To effectively maintain the lengthy bus boycott, Merrill says there were countless other Black citizens who played a critical role. He points to residents with cars who volunteered to drive other Blacks to and from their jobs. Many were often pulled over by police and issued tickets for minor offenses. King, himself, was arrested after picking up passengers at a carpool stop.

“What we fail to realize is that King was a human being,” said Merrill, adding that King was a regular person that had flaws and frailties. As a young man, Merrill says King was known for going into barbershops in the South, talking with everyone and practicing some of his speeches.

“Let’s celebrate King, but let’s recognize that he was a player on the team that included many other people,” said Merrill. “King can only win when you have multiple players all pushing in the same direction, and you have a good strategy and management and leadership who are not operating alone.”

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By Sabreen Dawud
Special to the AFRO

Activism is an evolving form of resistance. As technology, communication and communities continue to change, the methods activists use to champion social change have shifted. Still, the question remains, what are the most effective ways to show up for a cause in this new day and age? 

This week, the AFRO focuses on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and all those who are walking in the spirit of his legacy by pushing for change on the local, national and international scale. Are you willing to lift your voice for a cause you believe in this year? Read below to find the top five ways you can affect change in your community. 

1. Social media outreach

With an array of social media apps available, there are several opportunities for social media users to spread the word about a particular cause. A notable aspect of activism is educating members of society on the social issue they seek to change. Whether posting protest flyers, infographics, or updates from professional media outlets, on a day-to-day basis, apps can be a useful way to increase involvement and inform.

2. Join the march

It is important to use your voice and joining a march is the perfect opportunity to do so. While organized marches are certainly not a new method of activism, they remain a memorable form of protest. Showing up in great numbers and coming together as a community to physically demonstrate your passion for change is a method of activism that continues to shake the table. A simple way to stay informed about any upcoming marches in your area is to follow social activist accounts online and keep an eye out for any announcements.

3. Boycotting goods

Money fuels many of the ongoing systems within society. Therefore, if there is a shift in revenue, a corporation will undoubtedly notice. If the cause you are promoting has any ties to a corporation, an impactful way to show your commitment is through boycotting. While it can seem challenging to withhold from purchasing products you may use often, finding alternatives is always an option. Any small act can help create the change you’d like to see and boycotting has proven to drive corporations to listen.

4. Organize your own

Though organizing can be easier said than done, there is no denying that it is a key element in activism. When there is an ongoing social issue, there is a need for someone to take initiative. Partnering with socially involved organizations in your community to host informative events, protests, or to speak with local governments can have an influence on the issues your community is facing. If local action feels too small, push for larger scale initiatives. Any level of activism is sure to contribute to the overarching conflict. Amplify your voice in 2024 by joining with like-minded individuals that are willing to plan, organize and follow through with the business of making change in the community.

5. Volunteer

If you’re not much of an event organizer or are simply looking for hands-on ways to make an impact in your community, volunteering may be right for you. Many local civil action organizations, community food banks, schools, and houses of worship organize events that allow volunteers to aid in giving back to the community. Whether assisting in providing goods to those who are financially insecure or providing services at an event that raises money for a cause, volunteering can be a powerful means of activism. 

The post Top five ways to be an activist in 2024 appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

by Deyane Moses

The Upton Mansion is poised to embark on a remarkable transformation as it becomes the new headquarters for Afro Charities and the AFRO American Newspapers. Erected in 1838, this historic mansion holds a distinguished place on the National Registry of Historic Places and recognition as a Baltimore City Landmark. Once a residence, it also served as the headquarters to WCAO–Maryland’s first radio station, the Baltimore Institute of Musical Arts, and the Upton School—a primary institution catering to children with diverse learning needs. Regrettably, the Upton Mansion has sat unoccupied since 2006. 

Currently, Afro Charities is seeking support via the “Make History with Us” Campaign, aspiring to breathe new life into the Upton Mansion. The nonprofit organization’s vision is to revitalize the mansion, transforming it into a permanent home for the AFRO Archives and an international research center dedicated to the study of Black life.

The revitalized Upton Mansion will boast cutting-edge archival storage facilities, spacious research rooms, and state-of-the-art digitization and processing labs. Additionally, plans have been made to establish a fully-equipped broadcasting and video-casting suite. The premises will offer leasable office spaces for like-minded local organizations. On the grounds of the Upton Mansion, you’ll find an array of amenities, including a classroom, community room, gallery, conference room and rooftop access affording breathtaking views of downtown Baltimore.

As of Jan.1, the organization has garnered roughly $190,000 in contributions from generous supporters across the nation, with donations and pledges arriving daily. In order to close the deal, another $160,000 is needed. 

Have you made your donation? It will play a crucial role in securing the financial backing required for the mansion’s redevelopment. We invite you to become a Groundbreaker and contribute to Afro Charities’ “Make History With Us” fundraising campaign. To make your donation, please visit Afrocharities.org/make-history-with-us.

Donations to the Afro Charities campaign will go a long way in further preserving the history that has been put on record by the AFRO for 131 years. As you consider your pledge, take a look at the AFRO pages of yesteryear, forever preserved in the archives. 

The post A place to call ‘home’: Renovating the historic Upton Mansion appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

More than $3.2 million in funding to be unlocked if goal is reached

By Savannah Wood
Special to the AFRO 

In August, Afro Charities launched its Make History With Us! campaign in an effort to raise $350,000 by December 31. The funds will be used towards securing a financial closing for their Upton Mansion redevelopment, which includes a mix of New Market Tax Credits, Federal and State Historic Tax Credits, a temporary bridge loan and governmental and philanthropic support. If Afro Charities is able to meet its goal by December 31, the project will be shovel-ready by spring 2024, allowing for an opening in late 2025. Since August, the organization has raised just over $160,000 from 91 donors, with more donations and pledges on the way.  

Afro Charities was awarded the right to redevelop the City-owned Upton Mansion in 2020. Since then, they have launched a successful fundraising drive, attracting philanthropic support from both local and national foundations, including the Mellon Foundation, and grant support at every level of government– including a $2,000,000 federal earmark.

Of the overall $13,300,000 redevelopment budget, the organization has just $1,500,000 left to raise. This year’s $350,000 goal is included in the larger $1,500,000 gap that Afro Charities will continue to tackle following its financial closing and the beginning of construction in early 2024. If the organization fails to meet its goal, both the timeline and budget for the project will likely be extended.

To become a Groundbreaker — a founding donor to Afro Charities’ Make History With Us! campaign — make a pledge or an outright donation of $500 or more at the campaign page here: https://www.afrocharities.org/make-history-with-us.

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Baltimore, MD – Associated Black Charities (ABC) is excited to announce the much-anticipated Women On The Move event, focusing on empowering Black women through investment strategies. This annual empowerment and networking event, presented by Bank of America, will take place on Thursday, Dec. 7, from 4:30 to 7:30 pm at the Marriott Owings Mills Metro Centre.

Economic disenfranchisement has historically hindered the ability of Black communities to thrive, and ABC recognizes the vital need to address systemic inequities in wealth-building opportunities. Women On The Move aims to tackle these challenges head-on by featuring a distinguished panel of women leaders and entrepreneurs who have made significant impacts through various investment strategies.

Moderated by Crystal I. Berger, former FOX News journalist and founder of EBO, the guest speaker panel includes Keisha McClain, Tiffany Hawkins and Angela Wells-Sims. McClain, a trailblazing entrepreneur, has demonstrated the power of strategic investments in building economic empowerment within Black communities. Hawkins, co-author of “The Fourteenth Floor,” brings her expertise in finance and investment to inspire and educate attendees. Wells-Sims, known for her innovative approaches to investment, will share insights into creating lasting financial legacies.

In addition to the engaging panel discussion, the event will offer one-on-one mentoring opportunities, providing attendees with a unique chance to connect with established leaders in the field. An open networking reception will foster connections and collaboration.

Associated Black Charities is grateful for generous support provided by our presenting sponsor, Bank of America, with additional support provided by Comcast, Truist, Johns Hopkins University & Medicine, Whiting-Turner, and The Afro-American Newspapers.

Tickets for Women On The Move are available at: https://www.associatedblackcharities.org/women-on-the-move. There is also an opportunity to support the attendance of college students and young leaders. ABC looks forward to uniting the community in this celebration of empowerment, education and economic growth.

Founded in 1985, Associated Black Charities is a racial equity organization that works as an educator, advocate, supporter, and convener to address and eliminate the barriers created by structural racism and to advance long-term solutions that create new opportunities for Black people to thrive.  learn more atL https://www.associatedblackcharities.org.

The post PRESS ROOM: Crystal Berger, Tiffany Hawkins, Keisha McClain and Angela Wells-Sims to headline Associated Black Charities Women On The Move event appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Blackpress USA Staff
Blackpress USA

Rasheeda S. Liberty, International Grand Basileus of Sigma Gamma Rho stated, “Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated is grateful for the opportunity to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s work to find cures and help save the lives of children all over the world.”

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority – a historically Black sorority – has completed a historic pledge made in 2021 to raise $1 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This achievement comes days before the international collegiate and nonprofit community service organization’s 101^st anniversary, marking over a century of commitment to helping those in need.

At the time of the original announcement, Sigma Gamma Rho had already raised nearly $500,000 for St. Jude. As part of the push to reach $1 million, Sigma Gamma Rho pledged a three-year sponsorship for the annual St. Jude Walk/Run, held during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month each September.

Since then, Sigma Gamma Rho has reached its goal in large part through its participation in the St. Jude Walk/Run. In 2023, the organization entered more than 200 Walk/Run teams in cities across the United States, helping it cross the fundraising finish line this year.

Liberty stated, “Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated is grateful for the opportunity to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s work to find cures and help save the lives of children all over the world. I am proud of the mobilization of our global membership to reach this $1,000,000 milestone, and to have done so just prior to our 101^st Founders’ Day. This accomplishment aligns with our sorority’s motto, ‘Greater Service, Greater Progress.’ We look forward to continuing our partnership with St. Jude in the years to come.”

Support from organizations like Sigma Gamma Rho helps ensure that families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – so they can focus on helping their child live.

“We’re so grateful for and honored by the incredible heart and dedicated service shown by Sigma Gamma Rho,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “This is a milestone accomplishment by Sigma Gamma Rho and its members all over the world that will help St. Jude continue making progress in improving survival rates for children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases.”

Join Sigma Gamma Rho in helping St. Jude accelerate research and treatment for children around the world with cancer, sickle cell and other diseases.

About Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority 

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority was founded on November 12, 1922 on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis by Seven African-American Women Educators. Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority has welcomed more than 100,000 collegiate and professional women from every profession. The sorority has more than 500 chapters in the United States, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Ghana, Germany, Japan, South Korea, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the United Arab Emirates. The organization also has active affiliate groups devoted to empowering women at different stages in life. The Rhoer Club Affiliates (teenage girls) and Philos Affiliates (friends of the sorority) also assist chapters with various service efforts and programs.

Sigma Gamma Rho’s commitment to service is expressed in its slogan, “Greater Service, Greater Progress.” The sorority has a proud history of providing positive and proactive community outreach nationally and internationally. The programs, partnerships, and sponsorships represent Sigma Gamma Rho’s commitment to promoting the greater good in education, service, and leadership development.

This article was originally published by Blackpress USA.

The post Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority becomes first Divine Nine sorority to raise $1 Million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

Journalism Funded by Philanthropy

Major philanthropy organizations, led by the MacArthur Foundation and the Knight Foundation, will invest at least $500 million in local news over the next five years through the new Press Forward initiative.

The details of Press Forward were formally announced on Sept. 7 in news releases from Knight Foundation and from Press Forward.

Leaders at the journalism programs at Knight and MacArthur previewed the Press Forward initiative in August at LMA Fest, the annual in-person conference of the Local Media Association in Chicago. Press Forward was the primary topic of a keynote conversation about philanthropy’s role in local media, moderated by Dr. Toni Draper, chief executive officer of The AFRO.

Kathy Im, director journalism and media for the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and Jim Brady, vice president of journalism for the Knight Foundation, described the goals of the funding initiative as:

• First, recruit more funders to make journalism a top funding priority
• Second, put that money into the field where it’s needed most

More than $500 million has already been committed toward the effort, and the goal is to grow that to $1 billion for local news in the next five years. So far, at least 20 funders have joined the campaign, led by $150 million in funding from Knight and $150 million from MacArthur.

“We know there’s a connection between access to information and people making good civic democracy choices,” said Brady, talking about the effort to persuade additional funders to prioritize support for journalism.

“Democracy is a strong sell,” added Im. “Whatever is your priority for funding, misinformation undermines that. Journalism is the way to drive impact on that. It should be your second priority.”

Brady said the Press Forward effort would seek to put money “into the field in the places where it’s most needed,” including news deserts and philanthropic deserts, and in ways that improve access to quality information for all Americans.

Im added that Press Forward will broadly seek to support four types of local information sources that are “consequential providers and sources of information,” including both nonprofit and for-profit newsrooms, public media and academic institutions.

Press Forward will include both “pooled” funding and “aligned” funding, according to Brady and Im. The details on exactly how applications will be taken and funds disbursed are still being worked out, with Brady joking: “Don’t send me an application on Sept. 7.” On the Press Forward website, newsrooms interested in seeking funding are advised: “Please hold your inquiries until grantmaking guidelines are released in early 2024.”

But Im and Brady did detail the four areas of funding that will be the focus of Press Forward:

• Supporting local newsrooms that have the trust of communities.
• Growing the infrastructure of local news by supporting efforts to help publishers with scalable technology and shared services.
• Supporting diverse newsrooms in underserved communities and news deserts.
• Exploring public policy options to expand access to local news.

MacArthur Foundation has already announced that journalism will become a new core area of its funding focus, and has posted several jobs to lead that effort. Im and Brady indicated that the Press Forward campaign will also add staff to lead that effort.

Im summarized the challenge that these funders hope Press Forward will help solve: “Bad information is free. How do we make good information more easily accessible?”

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Give the gift of local news

Founded almost 130 years ago, the AFRO American Newspapers (AFRO) provides readers with good news about the Black community not otherwise found and thanks to readers like you, We’re Still here!

Our staff have worked hard over the past several months – our work speaks for itself:

This past year we:

• Hosted over 50 Chicken Boxx Facebook Live episodes that addressed topics and stereotypes particular to our community
• Identified and hired production, archives, and digital solution coordinators to help advance our design and formatting of our paper, historical documents, digital marketing, and sustainability efforts
• Hired a political writer to chronicle the rebuilding of businesses
• Received grants to support our digital efforts and more!!

Here are a few ways you can help the AFRO:

Become a member here

Perhaps one of the most powerful ways you can help the AFRO is by subscribing. Your membership will directly fund our newsroom, allowing us to keep telling the OUR stories — and expand.

You can subscribe for a full year or month to month. Members get unlimited access stories, free e-blasts, the digital edition directly to your in box as well as special promos from local businesses.

Want to gift a subscription for the holidays? An AFRO subscription makes for a perfect present — and it’s always on time!!

Subscribers are now members!

We can’t tell our story without you!! Please click here to join!

Visit our AFRO Mall

Wear and gift our swag and if you use code: AFRO HOLIDAY you will get 10% off until Jan 15th

We sell shorts, hats, leggings, hoodies and more!  Get AFRO Swag now.  We just recently added AFRO branded leggings and sweats.  The AFRO Mall is restocked often with new colors and designs so check back often.

Donate

Your tax deductible gift to AFRO Charities which has served tens of thousands of families in the Baltimore area, and has become a holiday giving tradition for people and organizations across the region could use your support.   Donations help provide holiday cheer to needy families. Want to donate? Visit here and share the holiday love! Pictures from our 2022 Mrs Santa Celebration are below!

Sign Up

Sign up for our free text service.  Our text subscribers have access to latest news and promotions from our advertisers right to their phone just signup here https://joinsubtext.com/afronews or text “AFRO” to 410-936-5002 to stay informed about our AFRO upcoming events, promotions, news briefs and more!

Become a content creator

• Contribute to content, we love to hear about what is happening in your neighborhood. We can’t get enough good news about our community!  We also are looking for small business owners to highlight in our new podcast. Send story ideas and business contact info to subs@afro.com

Enjoy our Lives and New Podcast

Each week our team comes to you LIVE either interviewing guests or sharing top news stories, discussing hot topics on the Chicken Boxx and promoting local businesses on our Podcast, Pleasure Doing Business With you – All of the archived content is located on our YouTube Channel and Facebook Page

Spread the word about the AFRO!

Share, Like and Comment on our content via social media platforms, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Wishing you and your family a joyous holiday season!

The post How to Support the AFRO This Holiday Season appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By AFRO Staff

As the AFRO celebrates education and those who have dedicated their lives to improving educational outcomes, the work of Frances Louise Murphy, I is once again deserving of the spotlight.

Murphy was a force to be reckoned with in Baltimore and beyond.

Inside the classroom, she was a bright light to students imparting knowledge, wisdom and good values to better their plight in life. Outside of the classroom, on the streets of Baltimore, Murphy was known as the “Clean Block lady,” who began the AFRO Clean Block campaign in 1934. For decades Baltimore would be known worldwide for marble steps so clean you could use them as a plate.

Though she never married or had children, Murphy was a mother figure in the community she so diligently served.

“Frances L. Murphy was a Baltimore legend,” said Unique Mical Robinson, a writer and performance artist who works with the Journalism & Multimedia Student Fellows at Coppin Academy. 

Coppin Academy is a charter school within the Baltimore City Public School System. The school is located inside of The Frances L. Murphy Research Center. 

“Her care and compassion for youth and community was displayed in her 40-year career as a schoolteacher, and the AFRO Clean Block Campaign,” said Robinson. “The youth of today greatly benefit from her leading by example, and I personally remain grateful to honor her, in this moment.”

The Frances L. Murphy Research Center opened in 1958 as the Frances L. Murphy Laboratory School Center and is located on the campus of Coppin State University, where Murphy taught.

Robinson said the students of the Frances L. Murphy Research Center “are born to be scholars.”

“With the school centered on Coppin State University’s campus, there is a rich legacy of Black History and excellence in academics – and they are the future generation to continue this legacy,” she said. “The students I’ve worked with have been some of the brightest and most talented students, many of whom deserve guidance, support, and opportunities to ensure they can continue paving a way towards possibility, and shaping their dreams from high school, and beyond.” 

Decades after her death, students of the Frances L. Murphy Research Center at Coppin Academy are exploring the world of journalism and diving into the AFRO archives, managed by AFRO Charities.

“Her main focus was education. You could say that she had thousands of children because she mentored all of these kids throughout the summer,” said Savannah Wood, executive director of Afro Charities. “She had this really amazing network of Black teachers throughout Baltimore, so when she went to do Clean Block every summer, she kind of deputized them and had them reach out to all of their students to participate in the program.” 

To see how Frances L. Murphy, is still empowering students of Baltimore in 2022, visit the Eubie Blake Cultural Center on May 31 from 6pm to 7:30pm for the Student Fellowship showcase. 

Help us Continue to tell OUR Story and join the AFRO family as a member – subscribers are now members!  Join here! 

The post Remembering Frances L. Murphy, her impact in the classroom and on the streets of Baltimore appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Savannah G.M. Wood,
Special to the AFRO

During the past three years, I have been immersed in the AFRO American Newspapers’ archives. As Executive Director of Afro Charities, I am working with the AFRO to care for this collection and make it more publicly accessible. 

As a descendant of the AFRO’s founders, I often find myself giving in to the desire to linger in the “Murphy” section of this collection, pulling files from the many boxes that line the shelves.

When I first moved back to Baltimore in 2019 to do this work, I’d been thinking about the AFRO’s origin story. As I’d been told, Martha Howard Murphy lent her husband, John Henry Murphy, $200 to buy the AFRO name and printing press at an auction. The AFRO became prosperous. Our family still owns and operates it. The end. 

But where did that initial money come from? How did Martha Murphy, a formerly enslaved Black woman, have that much disposable cash — equivalent to approximately $6,800 today — at the turn of the 20th century? I had shelved this question in the back of my mind, adding it to a running list of research curiosities that I would get around to when I had time. Martha had other plans. 

One afternoon, I lifted the lid of an unusually shaped box to find the clearest image I had encountered yet of my great-great-grandmother. There she was, tucked away in her funeral scrapbook, with a full obituary pasted next to her image. 

Martha was born enslaved in Montgomery County, Md. Her father died a wealthy farmer and philanthropist, a far cry from his early adult life as the human property of slave traffickers with prominent family names. Upon his death, Martha received land, which she ultimately sold to her brother, providing her with the funds to purchase the AFRO. 

She was a co-founder of Baltimore’s Colored YWCA (CYWCA) and its president for nearly 20 years. Letters of condolences from fraternal organizations and Black newspapers across the country lined the remaining pages of this scrapbook, confirming just how greatly respected she was within and outside of Baltimore.

Since that fateful afternoon, I’ve come to recognize Martha’s spirit guiding my work. By following the threads unspooling before me, I made my way to her place of birth – the land that also birthed the AFRO. 

Through research into Maryland’s public records, I learned that the land she and her family had been enslaved on was now owned by the State of Maryland. I reached out to Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources right as they were submitting two grant proposals to restore the remaining structures on the site, and to document the land’s history, connecting it to the living legacy of the AFRO.

This year, with funding from the Maryland General Assembly and the African-American Heritage Preservation grant program of the Maryland Historic Trust, the Maryland Park Service is restoring one of two family homes that remain on the site. To complement this work, they will also blaze the Howard Family African-American Heritage Trail, which will bring visitors into the world of Enoch George Howard and Harriet Howard – Martha’s parents. Visitors will learn about our family’s journey from enslavement to self-emancipation and leadership on the local and national stage for the cause of civil rights.

Through this land, I’ve connected with cousins near and far, who unbeknownst to me, had been meeting for annual family reunions for the past 30 years. I’ve started making art about this story, including a forthcoming experimental documentary that took me to Chicago to interview two cousins who spent summers on this land into the 1960s.

The deeper I go, the clearer Martha’s image appears. After returning from Chicago, I found two new photographs of her, including one of her as a young woman. Just last month, an Afro Charities board member emailed me a posting on eBay. I clicked the link and saw that an antiques dealer in Ellicott City was selling a commemorative plaque from the former CYWCA building dedicated to Martha Howard Murphy. At every turn, she shows up as if to say, “Don’t forget about me.” 

This August, the AFRO will celebrate 130 years in print. As we mark this momentous occasion, I am struck by how Martha’s gift of $200, and her father’s gift of land, have become a gift for an entire community. 

The AFRO archives hold the stories of thousands of Black people who have come before us and the paper remains a powerful means to document our lives for future generations. 

Savannah G.M. Wood is Executive Director of Afro Charities, and the great-great-granddaughter of Martha Howard Murphy and John Henry Murphy, Sr.

Help us Continue to tell OUR Story and join the AFRO family as a member – subscribers are now members!  Join here! 

The post A welcome haunting appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

By Savannah Wood
Afro Charities Executive Director

Afro Charities was founded in 1963 to administer Mrs. Santa & AFRO Clean Block, two long-standing programs that have positively impacted generations of Baltimore and DC residents. In 2019, we expanded our mission to include preservation of the 130-year-old AFRO American Newspapers’ extensive archives. 

Through new programming like last year’s Close Read exhibition, our publication To the Front: Black Women & the Vote, and our occasional conversation series Re-Reading the News, we are bringing this collection to life and illustrating its relevance to both traditional and non-traditional scholars. 

With support from the Bainum Family Foundation and the Reginald F. Lewis Foundation, students at Coppin Academy will be among the first in Baltimore City Public Schools to critically engage with the archives through our pilot education program. These student fellows will conduct original research and create new written and multimedia content throughout the spring semester. The best of their work will be published on the AFRO’s digital and physical platforms. 

Early next year, we will begin digitizing the AFRO’s estimated 3 million photographs, and implementing new access tools to bring these images to the public. This initiative is supported by a $535k grant from #StartSmall, Jack Dorsey’s philanthropic initiative.

Finally, we are creating a permanent, state-of-the-art home and research center for the collection at West Baltimore’s historic Upton Mansion. We are thrilled to share that just last week, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded us $1.5M towards this redevelopment project. This support is complemented by a $250k grant from Maryland’s Department of Housing and Community Development.

Help us Continue to tell OUR Story and join the AFRO family as a member – subscribers are now members!  Join here! 

The post Afro Charities raises close to $2M to support community initiatives, Upton Mansion renovations appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

The AFRO’s Mrs. Santa and her Elves celebrated another successful holiday season! The AFRO collected various donations of toys, bikes, and monetary gifts to be distributed to good little boys and girls across the state. We couldn’t have done it without patrons like you. Thank you.

(Photo by Marquis Perry)

The post Merry Christmas From the AFRO appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

It’s barely past Christmas 2013 and the AFRO’s Mrs. Santa is already making a list and recruiting elves because making holiday fun for children is her specialty.
And she has lots of help.

“People are always looking for ways to give,” said Diane Hocker, also known as Mrs. Santa.

“They contact us before we even ask.”

Members of the Pi Omega Chapter of Omega Psi phi Fraternity made their annual awesome donation of bicycles.

Former Sen. Larry Young broadcast his WOLB 1010 Radio One morning show live from the AFRO headquarters and so many of his loyal listeners dropped by with gifts in hand.

In addition to donations totaling more than $10,000, Hocker said AFRO rooms were filled with toys after the celebrations held by Rep. Elijah Cummings, Paul Gardner Law Group and Special Delivery.

“Not only did they donate to AFRO Charities, but they provided for area shelters, Carpenter House, Christopher’s Place, Kinder Care too many other places to list,” Mrs. Santa said.

Philanthropik held its annual party, admission to which was toys for the children at Ronald McDonald House. More than an organization, Philanthropik is a movement conceived by Zach McDaniels to provide opportunities to give.

“Baltimore is simply a generous city. And, as always, it was a great year and we’re hoping for an even better one this year,” Mrs. Santa said.

The post It’s Always Christmas at the AFRO appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

Afro Clean Block was one of the earliest community initiatives in the history of the Afro-American Newspapers started by Ms. Frances L. Murphy I, daughter of the AFRO’s founder, John H. Murphy Sr in 1934.

Clean Block was a program created to get the children of Baltimore involved in the community during the summer.

Any child could be appointed as block captain and, after registering their block at the Afro headquarters on 628 Eutaw Street in Baltimore, he or she was responsible for coordinating and organizing their neighbors. The newspaper would contribute cleaning supplies like brooms, trash cans, and trash bags to make the effort a success.

Traditionally, the contest ran from the end of the school year in June, until the beginning of the new school year in September. From its inception, Clean Block became more than just a contest; it became an expression of pride among neighbors and neighborhoods. City blocks were treated with adornments like American flags, flower boxes in windows, and painted steps.

Every week the AFRO printed the names of newly registered block captains and streets, and monitored their progress throughout the summer.

Contest winners were determined by AFRO appointed judges, who would patrol neighborhoods block by block and observe the changes within the community. At the end of the summer, all block captains and participants were invited to the closing ceremonies, which were often held at local theatres and halls.

Winners of the contest received cash prizes, trips, and the prestige of leading their block to victory.  

The post It’s That Time of Year! appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.