Rapper Kurtis Blow responds
Rapper Kurtis Blow said he was blown away when Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring admitted last week that he wore blackface to dress up as the revered rap legend in 1980.
Joe Morrissey exploring run against Sen. Dance
Joseph D. “Joe” Morrissey is preparing to make a political comeback.
Richmond Branch NAACP to honor 3 at luncheon Feb. 23
The Richmond Branch NAACP is holding its Founders and Membership Recognition Luncheon noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, at The GRACE Center, 1302 Victor St. in Highland Park.
A boulevard named Arthur Ashe
City Council approves street to honor Richmond legend
From now on, it will be Arthur Ashe Boulevard.
‘It’s a real tragedy’
Virginia political icon Dr. William Ferguson Reid reacts
Dr. William Ferguson Reid Sr. may have stepped down from the ranks of Virginia’s political leaders, but the retired surgeon and pioneer in modern Virginia politics has his attention glued to the controversies surrounding the state’s governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.
EVMS dean, who shut down yearbook in 2013, launches investigation into racist photos
As Gov. Ralph S. Northam weighed his political future after a racist photo on his 1984 medical school yearbook page surfaced last week, Eastern Virginia Medical School officials held a press conference Tuesday in Norfolk to address the school’s investigation surrounding that photo and others that have since been brought to light.
STATEMENT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL MARK R. HERRING
"The very bright light that is shining on Virginia right now is sparking a painful but, I think we all hope, important conversation. The stakes are high, and our spirits are low.
What next?
Virginians shaken as the top 3 officials are embroiled in controversy
In the suddenly topsy-turvy world of Virginia politics, one fact is certain: Ralph S. Northam is still Virginia’s governor. He also has no immediate plans to resign, despite the uproar and the torrent of calls for him to quit the office some believe he is no longer fit to hold.
Kamras delivers first State of the Schools address
Richmond Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras delivered his first State of the Schools address Tuesday night to a packed house of more than 300 people at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School.
Mayor Stoney highlights new eviction prevention program
Good things are happening in Richmond, Mayor Levar M. Stoney said as he used his State of the City speech last week to tout the city’s progress during his first two years.
Reactions to Lt. Gov. Fairfax
“The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus takes all allegations of sexual assault or misconduct with the utmost seriousness. Given the recent allegations regarding Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, the VLBC will continue to assess this developing situation as more details become available.”
Statement of Dr. Vanessa Tyson
Released Wednesday, Feb. 6
On the night of Friday, February 1, 2019, I read multiple news accounts indicating that Virginia Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax would likely be elevated to Governor as an immediate result of a scandal involving Governor Ralph Northam.
Sen. Booker launches 2020 presidential bid
U.S. Sen. Cory Booker declared his bid for the presidency in 2020 with a sweeping call to unite a deeply polarized nation around a “common purpose.” Announcing his run on Friday, Feb. 1, the first day of Black History Month, the New Jersey Democrat is the second African-American candidate in a primary field that’s already historically diverse. He delivered his message of unity amid an era marked by bitter political division.
Free Press readers speak on Gov. Ralph S. Northam
Does Gov. Ralph S. Northam have no human decency? The blackface and the Ku Klux Klan outfit each alone speak of racism. Shown together, they speak clearly of racist intent. This was in 1984.
Lifting workers with wages
Nowhere in the country can a full-time worker earning the federal or state minimum wage afford a two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent. One in nine U.S. workers are paid wages that can leave them in poverty, even when working full time.
Who really won the Super Bowl?
As far as I’m concerned, neither of the teams on the field won the Super Bowl. Something wonderful happened along the way, and we had a consciousness-raising event.
Surprised, no. Sickened, yes.
Is it white privilege, white hubris or just plain arrogance that keeps Gov. Ralph S. Northam in office well after most reasonable Virginians — and people across the nation — believe it is time for him to exit?
Beware of predatory tax refund loans, advances
Across the country, advertising — particularly on urban radio — tempts listeners with easy ways to get a loan against anticipated tax refunds. But just like other predatory lending products, what is advertised is not quite what consumers receive. Convenient tax-related loans almost always come with a price that takes a big bite out of consumers’ money.
Finding one’s self abroad
Born in Norfolk, and raised by a single mother, I felt a special responsibility to go to college but, at first, I failed at it — quite literally. But I turned my life around and see a pathway to success. Studying in London as a Frederick Douglass Global Fellow was instrumental in healing my wounds and making me whole again.
