By Ariyana Griffin 
AFRO Staff Writer 
agriffin@afro.com

Proprietors of the anticipated Go-Go Museum and Café are giving the public a teaser on Nov. 18 with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the 1920 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. SE location in Washington, D.C.

The opening of the museum will mark a significant moment in the history of go-go music. Not just a physical location, it will but a cultural landmark where people can appreciate and learn about the official music of Washington, D.C.

“The museum is leading an ever-expanding coalition of musicians, scholars and advocates connecting go-go’s polyrhythms to their roots in West Africa and around the Diaspora through exhibitions, programs, partnerships and international collaborations,” the website states.

The ribbon cutting event is intended to be a celebration, featuring live performances and various interactive activities for attendees to enjoy. 

The idea of the space has been in the works since the #DontMuteDC movement in 2019, a protest against the erasure of D.C. culture due to Black displacement and gentrification. 

“There is a lot of culture erasure going on we’re elevating and advocating to save our music and history in D.C.,” oGo-Go Museum and Café co-founder Ronald Moten told the AFRO.  “There’s no better time to do it than now, and we’re happy that we’re bringing something in Washington, D.C., that nobody ever expected. It’s going to be beautiful.” 

The cafe and museum fusion will serve as a place for go-go music enthusiasts and lovers to gather and for newcomers to fall in love with the history behind the unique sound. The museum’s website stated that the sound “is a brand of funk, R&B, hip-hop and Afro-Latin rhythms created in the 1970s by ‘Godfather of Go-Go’ Chuck Brown and his Washington D.C. fans.”

In 2020, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed a law that delegated go-go as the official music of the District of Columbia. The act also requires the mayor “to create a plan to support, preserve, and archive go-go music and its history.”

She has also designated the Go-Go Museum as a site in her “Go-Go People’s Plan” to archive, preserve and uplift the history of go-go music.

The ribbon cutting will be a soft opening of the site, as more fundraising is needed to fund the entire development. For more information and updates, visit gogomuseumcafe.com.

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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 Ariyana Griffin 
AFRO Staff Writer 
agriffin@afro.com

The third annual Cancer Awareness Ride, led by renowned Philadelphia rapper Freeway, will take place in Baltimore on Oct. 27 at 1:30 p.m. at Druid Hill Park.

What initially began in 2022 as a motorcycle ride in Philadelphia as a way to raise awareness and honor Freeway’s daughter, who passed away due to cancer at a young age, has now blossomed into an annual event that unites families, survivors, supporters and current patients. 

Nakeela “Ms. Want” Taylor shared that the idea, impact and event have continued to grow.  

“We teamed up, just doing a ride to bring awareness,” she said. “We’d have guest speakers speak and just try to raise awareness for it. It’s just grown.”

Living in Baltimore, she shared she wanted to change things up and “bring it home.” This led to the event being hosted in Baltimore for the first time. 

Taylor has underscored the significance of community-centric events, emphasizing that each individual’s involvement is integral and significant.

“What I’ve found out from doing the ride over the last few years is that we have plenty of people who ride with us are going through it, and they’ve been going through it by themselves,” she said. 

She shared that since starting the ride, she has encountered people who were nervous to talk about their stories. 

“Raising awareness and having people give their own stories has been an inspiration and motivation to some,” she said. 

The annual ride is not limited to a specific type of cancer; it is a platform that promotes awareness and community for every form of cancer, ensuring that everyone feels welcomed and valued.

The event will kick off at 1:30 p.m. with a live performance from the Baltimore Twilighters Marching Band. Shortly after, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from cancer survivors and City Council President Nick Mosby. Freeway is bringing some of his celebrity friends to Charm City for closing remarks before beginning the ride at 2:30 p.m. 

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By Ariyana Griffin 
AFRO Staff Writer 
agriffin@afro.com

Morgan State University’s historic Magnificent Marching Machine marching band has been selected to perform in the 137th Rose Parade, which will take place in California on Jan. 1 2026.

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association goes through a very selective process to decide who will participate in the annual parade. While thousands of high school, college, community and military bands apply alongside international groups, only 20-25 bands are chosen to take the main stage. 

The limited spots make the selection process intense; the university stated that the bands are judged upon “musicianship, marching ability, and entertainment or special interest value,” among other attributes.

While this will be the university’s first time participating in the California  New Year’s tradition, they are more than ready to show what the Magnificent Marching Machine can do.

“The selection of Morgan’s Magnificent Marching Machine to participate in the 137th Rose Parade is a major achievement, not just for our band but for the entire Morgan community,” said Dr. David K. Wilson, president of Morgan State University in a statement. 

“This is an extraordinary moment of pride for Morgan, and I do not doubt that the world will be as captivated by the Magnificent Marching Machine as we are every time they take the field.”

Dr. Jorim Reid, Morgan State’s director of the bands, expressed the importance of the achievement and what it means for Morgan to have this opportunity. The annual parade is viewed by more than 50 million people worldwide.

“There’s no bigger event in the marching band world than the Rose Parade. When you perform on New Year’s Day, the eyes of the world are watching,” said Dr. Reid in a statement, emphasizing the global significance of the event. 

“It is an honor for our university to be invited, and a great opportunity for our students and marching band program to be highlighted globally,” said Dr. Reid. “We look forward to our turn to participate in what’s known as ‘The Granddaddy of Them All.’”

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By Ariyana Griffin 
AFRO Staff Writer 
agriffin@afro.com

CultureCon, a unique homecoming gathering for creatives, returned to Brooklyn, New York, Oct. 5-6 for its seventh annual convening. CultureCon offers a vibrant platform for Black and Brown entrepreneurs, innovators, leaders and creatives to connect.

Thousands of patrons from diverse industries such as fashion, entertainment, technology and more gathered at this year’s convention. Many attendees were excited to hear from guest speakers such as fashion stylist Law Roach, actor Morris Chestnut, rapper Remy Ma and actress Yara Shahidi, among many others.

Morris Chestnut emphasized the importance of telling Black stories through movies and shows as he discussed his newest role on Hulu’s “Reasonable Doubt.”

“Everyone who’s watching the show, please continue to watch because I feel it’s an extremely quality show done by us,” said Chestnut. ” I’m telling you, I have not been on a show that has this many people of color in pivotal positions and pretty much across the board on the show.”

The weekend-long event was jam-packed with activities, workshops, panels and a creative job fair along with numerous opportunities to mingle, take photos and have a good time. Above all, it was a place where attendees were motivated and inspired.

“Meeting a lot of Black creatives in this space and seeing how excellence is so diverse has inspired me to look at how I create and approach creativity with a new lens of community and inclusion,” Florida native Jordan McNear told the AFRO.

For the first time, the convention established a theme: “CultureCon goes to Camp.” It invited everyone to be adventurous while also taking a moment to relax and enjoy the present. Many panel discussions focused on wellness, mental health, and the different ways poor mental health can manifest for creatives, such as writer’s block, burnout and more.

“When it comes to just prioritizing yourself, I think it’s also important to remember that self care is a form of productivity,” said Minaa B., a licensed social worker and mental health educator. “It’s not just tied to the system of work – taking care of yourself also is a productive mentality and a lifestyle that you should have.

“Don’t neglect yourself in exchange for doing things for others or doing things to engage in the system of work,” she added.  

This year’s presenting partner was Max, formerly known as HBO Max. Major partners were McDonald’s, Verizon, Amazon Prime, Shea Moisture, Netflix, Gucci Changemakers, Jordan Brand, Uber and many more.

Each year, the conference continues to grow, providing a space for people to be authentically themselves while also learning tips on how to maneuver in the industry. 

“Seeing so many people of color in the same space was very beautiful and encouraging. I had a good time,” Kathie Pilet shared with the AFRO.

For more information about CultureCon, visit theccnyc.com and follow them on Instagram @culturecon to get information for next year’s convention.

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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 Ariyana Griffin 
AFRO Staff Writer 
agriffin@afro.com

On October 3, Morgan State University (MSU) held the grand opening of its state-of-the-art Health and Human Services Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The new building is one of several to open in 2024, underscores MSU’s commitment to growth and development for its students and community. 

MSU’s Marching Band, the Magnificent Marching Machine, cheerleaders and ROTC Bear Battalion members welcomed state and city officials, faculty, staff, students, alumni and the community. 

“This is the sixth building this year that we would have cut the ribbon on either brand new or renovated,” Congressman Kwesi Mfume (D-Md.-07), chairman of the Board of Regents said. “It’s important that a center like this will be here for many, many years to drive home the fact that we can overcome disparities if we are providing the correct health and human services to our communities.”  

According to research conducted by Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute, “every single health indicator, including diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, childhood asthma, smoking and poor mental health days is higher for African Americans than for White residents” in Baltimore. 

The  208,000-square-foot, six-story $171M project has been in the works since 2019 with construction beginning in 2021. It will serve as an academic and research facility for faculty and students, providing essential resources directly for the Baltimore Community and society.

“I want our students to know that this is indeed for you – we will serve Baltimore, we will serve the larger region,” Dr. David Wilson, president of Morgan State University stated at the ribbon cutting. “We will serve the nation by educating the next generation of health professionals, the next generation of public health leaders, the next generation of social workers and the next generation of scientists.”

According to the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, in 2023, Black men and women earned only 7 percent of doctoral degrees in science and engineering and just 9 percent of the overall STEM field. 

The center will be the hub for the University’s School of Community Health and Policy and School of Social Work, the University Counseling Center and Prevention Sciences Research Center, and the School of Education and Urban Studies’ Family and Consumer Sciences Department.

The building will give students access to demonstration areas, laboratories, offices, communal areas and more. The Human Services Center is located at the corner of Argonne Drive and Hillen Road in Northeast Baltimore. 

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By Ariyana Griffin 
AFRO Staff Writer
agriffin@afro.com

The Washington Commanders are calling all artists to show their artistic creativity and participate in their t-shirt design competition for their 4th annual HBCU-themed game.

Those interested must submit their application by the Sept. 29 deadline. The winner’s design will be part of group ticketing packages and will be featured during their HBCU Game Night on Dec. 1, when they play against the Tennessee Titans. 

Designs must incorporate HBCU culture and aspects of the Washington Commanders. 

For more information on the application, visit Commanders.com.

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By Ariyana Griffin 
AFRO Staff Writer 
agriffin@afro.com

The Enoch Pratt Free Library held a ribbon cutting on Sept. 25 for its Pratt Free Market at the Southeast Anchor Branch in Highlandtown.

The Pratt Free Market will hold various items such as produce, non-perishable items, snacks and other household necessities like laundry detergent. 

Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott expressed the importance of libraries worldwide and especially the impact that the Pratt Free Library has directly on the Baltimore community. 

“Pratt is always showing up for Baltimoreans no matter their circumstance, no matter what neighborhood they come from and no matter what brings them to the door,” Scott said. “This is yet another example of how the Pratt continues their long legacy of partnering with other groups looking to do good work in our communities to help meet a need wherever it may be.” 

According to research by the Johns Hopkins 21st Century Cities Initiative, “roughly one in five Baltimore-area respondents experiences hunger because they don’t always have enough money for food; two in five worry about running out of food.” The study also found that “half of Black respondents suffer from food insecurity compared to 15 percent of White respondents.”

The market will be open to all Baltimoreans as a way to help aid the food insecurity issue in the city. 

“Across the nation, one in every eight people face hunger, and libraries are increasingly on the front lines assisting in this struggle,”  Darcell Graham, interim CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, said in a statement. “We hope the Pratt Free Market will serve as a hub for food and nutrition-based programming for our community.” 

The space will be more than a market; it will also serve as a place for community members to learn about food and nutrition. Dwayne Benbow, of Benbow Concession Services, said he is excited to curate programming for the community. 

“We will be doing a substantial amount of meal planning so individuals will be able to come in, grab a meal out of the refrigerator and feed their family,” said Benbow. “I’m going to be in here showing them different creative ways to cook – I want to be able to cater to those individuals who may only have a microwave.”

Community members can utilize the free market every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Fridays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Each person will be allotted to fill one bag, which is supplied by the library. Every fourth Friday of the month, the market collaborates with the Maryland Food Bank and serves as a Pantry on the Go!, a free produce giveaway. 

The Pratt Free Market will also receive food from accredited partners, including Plantation Park Heights, Leftover Love, Benbow Concession Services, Moon Valley Farms and Black Butterfly Farms.

The Pratt Free Market will officially open to the public on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 10 a.m.. A free family day celebration will take place, complete with music, face painting, food demonstrations and more.

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By Ariyana Griffin 

AFRO Staff Writer 

agriffin@afro.com

The City of Baltimore and Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced an $80 million settlement with pharmaceutical giant, Walgreens,  on Sept. 10.

Baltimore officials claim that Walgreens furthered the destruction caused by the opioid epidemic in the city, and the business has agreed to resolve the city’s claims. The full terms of the agreement are set to be shared with the public on Oct. 3. 

“As part of the settlement, Walgreens requested that we delay announcing the specific terms of the agreement for 30 days,” said City Solicitor Ebony M. Thompson, said in a statement. “In order to resolve the case against it and focus our trial on the worst actors in the opioid epidemic, we agreed to this term.”

According to the Baltimore City Health Department, Baltimore has “ 620,000 residents, nearly 25,000 people are estimated to misuse opioids, and many of them are not connected to adequate treatment or social support services.”

This is the fifth settlement the city has accumulated in an ongoing six-year case against opioid distributors and manufacturers that have, according to Baltimore City officials, “caused the worst opioid epidemic in the nation.”

Baltimore City has reached settlements with Allergan, for $45 million, CVS for $45 million, Teva, for $80 million, and Cardinal Health, to the tune of $152.5 million. With the inclusion of the Walgreens settlement, the city has gathered $402.5 million in total.

“We are proud of our efforts to bring these companies to justice over the past several years,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott in a statement. “The reality is, addressing the opioid epidemic requires an enormous amount of resources and through this litigation, our outside counsel and Law Department have begun to provide that.” 

“As we approach the beginning of trial, it is time to finish the job against the remaining defendants and begin using this money to support and grow the work we’ve already been doing to tackle the opioid epidemic where it can do the most good,” continued Mayor Scott. 

Next week, the search for compensation to offset the effects of the opioid epidemic in Baltimore will continue, as city officials will see Johnson and Johnson, McKesson and AmerisourceBergen in court.

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