
2nd Street Festival: A wolf in sheep’s clothing
The fact is this festival has and continues to be owned and controlled by white people during most of its existence. This, for me, is a major problem because at no point has its owners envisioned, stated or promised that, in addition to extolling the past importance of Jackson Ward, they want to or are even interested in reviving, resuscitating and restoring Jackson Ward to its former glory and past.

Kavanaugh represents the hijacking of America
After the dramatic fiasco played out in the Brett Kavanaugh hearings two weeks ago, we witnessed the true desperation of the GOP to claim the power of the U.S. Supreme Court.

The real ‘problem’ needs to be addressed
For about the last 40 years, we have been throwing money at our school “problem” with the same failing result.

A council of cowards
As a political scientist, nothing angers me more than politicians who fail to effectively represent their constituents.

Personality: Jacquelyn E. ‘Jackie’ Stone
Spotlight on ALM National Women in Law Lifetime Achievement Award winner
Passion and purpose are the driving forces for Jacquelyn E. “Jackie” Stone, one of Richmond’s brightest and dedicated lawyers.

Lost cause
Richmond City Council rejects resolution requesting General Assembly approval for authority over city’s Confederate monuments
The racist Confederate past has maintained its stranglehold on Richmond’s future.

Chicago verdict raises hopes of greater police accountability
A rare scene in the American justice system unfolded last week in a Chicago courthouse. A white officer stood before a mostly white jury and was convicted of killing an African-American teenager.

African-American communities must factor into infrastructure upgrades, clean energy jobs
Disadvantaged communities, including African-American enclaves, must be a central focus for any future legislation to upgrade the nation’s aged and deteriorating infrastructure, according to Gilbert G. Campbell III, co-founder and managing partner of Volt Energy, a minority-owned solar energy development firm based in Washington.

Justice Kavanaugh takes seat on U.S. Supreme Court
Justice Brett Kavanaugh spent a collegial first day on the bench as an associate justice on the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday that contrasted sharply with the venom of his confirmation process, taking an active role in arguments alongside his eight new colleagues.

Schools, broken pledges and future election
Let’s be honest: We have two school systems in Richmond. One is a private, mostly white student body attending modern, clean facilities providing the educational opportunities. The second is a public system, where a 90 percent minority and mostly poor student body attends the most decrepit, non-maintained, obsolete facilities in Virginia.

Minority doctors in residency programs routinely face racism
Minority doctors in training routinely deal with bias, sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle, a new study suggests. Researchers found that resident physicians from racial and ethnic minorities face a daily barrage of microaggressions as well as overt prejudice, according to the study published in JAMA Network Open.

Critics assail racial double standard in Kavanaugh case
Marcus Dixon was sentenced to 10 years behind bars in Georgia for having sex with an underage white girl when he was 18. Dayonn Davis, another black youth, got a five-year prison sentence for stealing a $100 pair of shoes at gunpoint when he was 15.

$13.5M surplus
That’s what city expects this year after crying money blues
Just like last year and the year before, financial officials at City Hall were singing the hardship blues in May in reporting to Richmond City Council that revenues were barely keeping up with expenses. They warned the council not to expect any big surplus.

First Lady Melania Trump lays wreath at slave castle in Ghana
First Lady Melania Trump laid a wreath at a 17th century slave fortress in Ghana on Wednesday, vowing never to forget where Africans were held before being shipped away into further hardship, most across the Atlantic.

Personality: Maiesha Hawkins
Spotlight on volunteer chair of Slay for a Purpose Fashion Show
When you have a vision that exudes sincerity and genuine caring in helping others, people can relate to what it stands for, applaud what you are doing and want to be counted as part of your effort.

Penn State Coach James Franklin on course to win NCAA title
Coach James Franklin is in position to make history one day. It possibly could happen as early as this season. The talented Penn State coach seems a strong bet to become the first African-American coach to win an NCAA collegiate football title on the highest level.

MLB playoffs start Oct. 4
After a grinding seven-month regular season, Major League Baseball is starting all over this week with playoffs leading to the World Series.

VSU kicks it up a notch to beat Shaw 34-17
The 2018 Virginia State University football team is starting to look a lot like the 2017 version, which is exciting news around Ettrick.

VUU QB ties touchdown school record
Darius Taylor’s initials are “D.T.” but “T.D.” might be more apropos. Virginia Union University’s senior quarterback is on a touchdown passing binge.

Nonprofit’s effort to buy St. Emma-St. Francis property collapses
A nearly two-year effort to protect the heritage of a sprawling Powhatan County site that was the home of two African-American Catholic boarding schools has collapsed.