You can’t bury hope or history, by Julianne Malveaux
On July 16, Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson announced that he would pivot from his role as president of the National Rainbow Coalition to become a university professor and adviser to his successor, the Rev. Frederick Douglas Haynes III, an activist and the pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas. This announcement, accompanied by a laudatory speech from Vice President Kamala Harris, should have been front-page news. Instead, except for the Chicago newspapers, Rev. Jackson’s resignation from the group he founded in 1971 garnered little national news.
All is forgiven? by Charlene Crowell
When the Biden Administration announced its latest initiative to reduce the nation’s unsustainable trillion dollar student debt, both borrowers and advocates rejoiced. In the coming weeks an estimated 804,000 student loan borrowers will together receive $39 billion in federal loan debt cancellations.
Slavery was good?
Africans were so lucky to be captured, shipped in torturous conditions away from their homeland, stripped of their languages, kinship, religion and culture and bound into perpetual servitude in America so that they could learn “useful skills.” Pretty preposterous, right? Not for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
DHR approves 7 state historical highway markers
City’s African burial ground, Washington Park to be recognized; Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup hailed
The Virginia Board of Historic Resources recently approved seven new historical markers that will be placed along roadsides in Virginia. The signs will highlight the City of Richmond’s first municipal African burial ground; three communities founded by formerly enslaved African-Americans after the Civil War; and the life and work of Arthur Crudup, a 20th century blues musician of the Eastern Shore whose song, “That’s All Right,” launched the career of Elvis Presley.
Ezibu Muntu marks 50th year at Dogwood Dell program
Ezibu Muntu, the oldest African dance company in the Richmond area, will mark its 50th year with a “golden” dance program at Dogwood Dell at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5.
Free community testing for COVID-19 continues
The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following locations:
RRHA prepares to launch home-buying initiative
Richmond is preparing to become the first place in the country to test a revamped federal regulation aimed toward making it easier for people who hold housing vouchers or live in public housing to buy homes. Describing it as a “groundbreaking and historic ini- tiative” that would build wealth for those who qualify, Steven B. Nesmith, the chief executive officer for the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority,
Council approves Highland Park housing units, ban on wild animals, and more honorary street signs
Rushing to get to their August recess, City Council spent less than 90 minutes passing more than 40 pieces of mostly routine legislation that largely involved approvals of special use permits for development and authorizations for future transportation projects.
Albert Ruffin assumes lead Eastern Star post
A Richmond area man has been elected to a top state post in the women’s auxiliary of the Prince Hall Masons.
Former city educator memorialized at Fifth Baptist Church
Emma Darlene Nunery, a veteran Richmond educator whose career spanned more than 40 years, has died.
VSU’s legacy of musical excellence
Earlier this year it was announced that Virginia State University was awarded the prestigious All-Steinway School designation — a recognition of their commitment to providing only pianos from the Steinway & Sons company for students and faculty to use.
Jaylen Brown, Celtics agreement is biggest in NBA history
The Boston Celtics have answered their most pressing question of the offseason. Jaylen Brown will be part of the franchise for the foreseeable future.
Personality: Tiya Williams
Spotlight on Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity board chairman
Tiya Williams, a board member of Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity since 2015 and the outgoing board chair, knows from personal experience the life-changing effect the nonprofit can have on people’s lives.
At International African American Museum opening, a reclaiming of sacred ground for enslaved kin
When the International African American Museum opened to the public last month in South Carolina, it became a new site of homecoming and pilgrimage for descendants of enslaved Africans whose arrival in the Western Hemisphere begins on the docks of the low country coast.
For Emmett Till’s family, national monument proclamation cements his inclusion in the American story
When President Biden signed a proclamation Tuesday establishing a national monument honoring Emmett Till and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, it marked the fulfillment of a promise Till’s relatives made after his death 68 years ago. The Black teenager from Chicago, whose abduction, torture and killing in Mississippi in 1955 helped propel the Civil Rights Movement, is now an American story, not just a civil rights story, said Mr. Till’s cousin the Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr. “It has been quite a journey for me from the darkness to the light,” Mr. Parker said during a proclamation signing ceremony at the White House attended by dozens, including other
Bold beginnings
RPS pilots new program at 2 schools
It was bright and sunny Monday morning when Angela Swafford brought her sons, Zarkarin and Zionyah, back to school. While other Richmond students and parents are still in the middle of the summer break, Ms. Swafford was one of the first of many parents escorting their children to Fairfield Court Elementary School this week as part of a pilot program extending the school’s semester from 180 to 200 days.
New life, new name for Wythe
When making remarks about the new Richmond High School of the Arts last Saturday, Jason Kamras’ words were noticeably cheerful and upbeat.
Final tributes for August Moon announced
Funeral arrangements are now complete for Richmond entertainer and political advocate August Moon, who died at age 85 on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.
Hip-hop comes to the Hippodrome
Celebrating art form’s 50 years as a ‘culture-defining superpower’
Local rapper Ant the Symbol remembers when he first connected to the sound of hip-hop. He was 2 years old when he heard “Bonita Applebaum,” a song by New York-based rap group A Tribe Called Quest.
Woolfolk picks baseball over football
Jay Woolfolk has decided to move forward with baseball and leave football in his rearview mirror.
