The COVID-19 pandemic is still devastating Black communities because our fight for civil rights isn’t yet done. ... read more »

Despite unprecedented federal housing assistance during the pandemic, a report by Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) finds stark racial and income divides in its analysis of the nation’s rental market. Nearly a quarter of Black renters were behind on rent in the third quarter of 2021, as well as 19% of Hispanic renters. By contrast, the share of white renters in arrears was half that: 9%.     ... read more »

Whether it is other philanthropists, local or regional health centers, or state and federal officials, there is a desperate need for creative solutions to getting more people screened and saving more lives. Smith’s initiative is an innovative approach, but there are other ways to spread awareness and boost screenings in the Black community.   ... read more »

A recent Washington Post story found that Black Americans donate a higher share of their wealth than their white counterparts – to the tune of around $11 billion each year. Given their cultural and educational importance to the Black community, HBCUs are the repository of much of these donations with a number of household names – and some you may not know – making big-dollar contributions to these institutions.   ... read more »

Few Americans believe there has been significant progress over the last 50 years in achieving equal treatment for Black people in dealings with police and the criminal justice system, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. ... read more »

In March 2020, when college campuses across the country closed and sent students home, many HBCUs continued to house hundreds of students who did not have homes to return to. Groups of students were stuck on campus without the funds to pay for transportation back to their home cities. This challenge was a byproduct of several students losing the jobs they used to help fund their education, along with loss of family income. Many students became both food and housing insecure without the critical resources that HBCUs often provide. ... read more »

Jaime Harrison, chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), remains optimistic that Democrats can defy the odds in the upcoming 2022 midterm elections, Black and minority voters,  ... read more »

The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) released a new analysis of the impact of economic trends and barriers on Black Americans. ... read more »

During a call with members of the African American media, health officials held a briefing to discuss vaccinations and the “We Can Do This” campaign. “The delta variant has become a major factor in what we’re dealing with. It’s almost a new pandemic,” said Dr. Cameron Webb, the senior policy advisor for Equity on the White House COVID-19 Response Team. ... read more »

The NAACP's mission is that everyone receives the facts they need to make the best decisions for their families and communities while the fight against the pandemic goes forward, said NAACP president Derrick Johnson. Johnson appeared for a live interview with the National Newspaper Publishers Association's morning news program, "Let It Be Known." ... read more »

“Since it became law more than a decade ago, the Affordable Care Act has been a lifeline for millions of Americans. The pandemic has demonstrated how badly it is needed and how critical it is that we continue to improve upon it,” President Biden stated. ... read more »

The NAACP has commissioned proprietary research, which will be featured and updated bi-monthly, taking a consistent pulse of Black America’s status and progress as we collectively progress toward full recovery. African Americans surveyed have expressed ongoing concerns about the vaccines, the rise of COVID-19 variants, public adherence to guidelines, jobs availability, safely returning to work and other factors affecting their daily lives. The key learnings from this exclusive polling will serve to fill in the information gaps, and further strengthen our communities as they build back given the expressed need for reliable updates on the factors impacting their daily lives over the coming year. ... read more »

I have had a love for history for as long as I can remember. I often wonder why I did not make it my major in college. Family history is interesting to me, especially due to the complexity of my heritage. My mother’s family is from Germany and my father is from Texas. ... read more »

When King Minos imprisoned Daedalus and Icarus in the labyrinth, it was impossible to escape by foot, and the sea was guarded. Daedalus was the master craftsman, ... read more »

“We need a president who is after the heart of God,” Rev. Dr. Sylvester Beaman, of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Wilmington, Delaware, told NBC News. “In these terrible times, if anybody can bring healing and reconciliation to a divided country, if we give him room to work, Joe Biden can be that person,” Rev. Beaman continued. ... read more »