Maryland HBCUs Win Lawsuit, Will Receive $600 Million To Create Equal Funding Following The Passage Of A New Bill
Support Black colleges! For 15 years, there has been a legal battle between the state of Maryland and Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Blavity reports. The lawsuit filed in 2006 accused Maryland of underfunding HBCUs while developing programs at predominately white institutions that rivaled them – taking away potential students. In 2013, a federal judge found that […]
Ohio Fire Department Swears In First Black Fire Chief In City’s 200-Year History
It’s about time! Canton, Ohio just swore in Kwameshallahu Akbar Bennett as their first Black fire chief in the city’s 200-year history, Black Enterprise reports. His appointment comes one year shy of the department’s bicentennial. The fire department was established in 1822, the same year Canton was incorporated as a village, according to the Canton Professional Firefighters Association. Bennett is a […]
She’s Set To Make History As Only Black Person To Currently Serve As Chicago Court of Appeals Judge
She’s breathing rare air! A former Chicago criminal defense lawyer is set to make history as the only Black person to currently serve as a Chicago Court of Appeals judge, the Chicago SunTimes reports. Candace Rae Jackson-Akiwumi is a Chicago-based public defender who holds a degree from Princeton and Yale law school. She got her start […]
Issa Rae’s ‘Raedio’ Signs Comedic Podcast Duo ‘The Read’ In Historic Deal
The partnership we didn’t know we needed! Issa Rae’s Raedio just signed comedic podcast duo The Read in a historic deal, Shadow and Act reports. Crissle and Kid Fury are the hosts of The Read, a popular podcast that has been giving comedy, pop-culture, shade podcast fusion for the last eight years. The platform has […]
Former Nickelodeon Executive Creates Financial Literacy Platform Aimed At Closing Wealth Gap For Black Families
This is revolutionary! A former Nickelodeon executive has created a financial literacy platform to close the wealth gap for Black families, AfroTech reports. Tanya Van Court is the founder of Goalsetter, a platform she created inspired by her daughter, that has set out to close the wealth gap for Black and brown families while educating […]
Mississippi Business Owner Creates Vaccine Transportation Services For Locals
She is putting the neighbor in neighborhood! A Mississippi business owner created a vaccine transportation service for locals, Black Enterprise reports. Pam Chatman is the owner of Boss Lady Workforce Transportation. Since the vaccination rollout, Chatman noticed some gaps in service for her Cleveland, Mississippi neighbors, choosing to aid in the efforts by creating the Vaccine Transportation […]
These Sisters Are The First Twin Doctors In Their Family And They’re Looking To Make Medicine More Inclusive
A double dose of Black girl magic! Chicago-based sisters are making history as first-generation twin doctors in their family, AfroTech reports. Brandi and Brittani Jackson were the only Black students in their class at Twinsburg High School in Ohio, graduating as salutatorians before pursuing their careers in medicine. Brandi attended Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine while […]
Meet Mr. & Mrs. Grady, Owners Of North Carolina’s Only Black-Owned Whole Hog Barbecue Smokehouse
They’re a staple in the south! Meet Mr. & Mrs. Grady, owners of Grady’s BBQ, North Carolina’s only Black-owned whole hog barbecue smokehouse. According to ABC 11 News, 86-year-old Steve and his wife, 76-year-old Gerri Grady, are the owners of Grady’s BBQ. The two opened the smokehouse in 1986 in Dudley, North Carolina, creating classic […]
Philly Teen Accepted Into 18 Schools and Given $2 Million In Scholarships Awarded Bill and Melinda Gates Scholarship
It’s the Black excellence for me! A Philadelphia teen has been awarded the distinguished Bill and Melinda Gates Scholarship, Blavity reports. Akayla Brown is an 18-year-old South Philly senior who was just accepted into 18 different colleges and universities, graduating top three in her class with a 4.19 GPA. In addition to her numerous acceptance letters, she […]
First Black Woman To Become Union Pacific Railroad Train Engineer Releases New Autobiography
What an incredible story! The first Black woman to become a Union Pacific Railroad train engineer just released a new autobiography, KNOP News 2 reports. Edwina “Curlie” Justus made a name for herself in the 1970s, making history as the first Black woman to become a train engineer for the Union Pacific Railroad. Both she and her […]