Black-Owned North Carolina Bookstore Launches Mobile Bookshop in School Bus
A Black-owned bookstore in North Carolina is reopening in a major new way. The Urban Reader Bookstore, founded by Sonyah Spencer, was once located at a physical location in Charlotte’s University City neighborhood. But when Spencer found that the location had become financially untenable, she crafted a plan to transition her business from a fixed […]
Senator Laphonza Butler Pledges Support to the Black Press and Black Communities
Senator Laphonza Butler (D-CA) is sharing her commitment to supporting the Black press and the Black communities across the nation. Butler was recently appointed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to fulfill the late Senator Dianne Feinstein’s term. During a Zoom meeting with publishers from the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), Sen. Butler stressed her support […]
One-Armed Barber Harold Brown Is Bringing Inspiration to His New York City Community
Harold Brown says that he’s “the best one-armed barber in the world,” according to PIX11. Brown spoke highly of his barbering skills as he cut a student’s hair at the American Barber Institute. His nonfunctioning left arm is from a birth defect that he said has haunted him for years. “I’ve been called all kinds […]
Spike Lee’s New Exhibition at Brooklyn Museum Celebrates Historic Filmmaker’s Legacy
Spike Lee is being honored with an exhibition at Brooklyn Museum exploring his extraordinary entertainment legacy. Titled “Spike Lee: Creative Sources,” the exhibition opened on October 7. It offers visitors an intimate glimpse into the sources that have driven Lee’s creative process. It features an immersive display of over 400 items sourced from Lee’s personal […]
The First Woman Pitcher in Negro League to Have DC Street Named After Her
Mamie “Peanut” Johnson, the pioneering woman who made history as the first female pitcher in the Negro League, will be honored with a Washington, D.C. intersection bearing her name. On October 11, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the intersection currently known as “Dave Thomas Circle” will be renamed “Mamie ‘Peanut’ Johnson Plaza” in tribute to […]
Beauty Vending Machine for Black Students Launches at Transylvania University
Transylvania University is supporting its students in an exciting new way. The college, which is located in Lexington, Kentucky, recently unveiled a brand-new beauty supply vending machine that’s backed by the school’s diversity and inclusion department. The vending machine has become a campus staple for the small percentage of Black students at the college, according […]
Fisk University Appoints Valencia Jordan as Its New Director of Athletics
Fisk University has appointed alumna Valencia Jordan as its new Director of Athletics, a role that brings her back to her alma mater. Jordan, a former volleyball standout at the HBCU, played for Fisk from 1981 to 1982, HBCU Buzz reports. Expressing her enthusiasm for the position, Jordan stated, “Being an AD is a dream […]
Hana S. Sharif Makes History as First Black Artistic Director for Arena Stage
Arena Stage is making history again with its first Black artistic director! The theater company’s previous artistic director, Molly Smith, retired this summer after spending 25 years at the Washington D.C. theater. Now, Hana S. Sharif is ready to step in, beginning with the 2023 fall season. “Following in the great footsteps of the iconic Zelda Fichandler […]
Historic Black Community of Hogan’s Alley Explored in New ‘Union Street’ Documentary
Black history is being highlighted in some new ways at the Vancouver International Film Festival! This year’s festival included the feature-length documentary, “Union Street,” which documents the history of Hogan’s Alley in Vancouver, Canada. The formerly Black neighborhood was destroyed by the construction of the Georgia viaduct in the 1970s. The doc intersperses interviews with […]
First Black Woman Fire Chief in New England Organizes Firefighters Camp for Girls
In Connecticut, an initiative known as the Girl’s Future Firefighters Camp is equipping young girls with the skills and knowledge needed to pursue careers as firefighters. The program is led and funded by Chief Shelly Carter, who made history in March when she became the first Black woman fire chief in New England. Chief Carter […]