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38-year-old scientist crosses into the realm of preserving historic African-American cemetery
Woodland Cemetery, the burial place of humanitarian and tennis great Arthur Ashe Jr. and thousands of other African-Americans, is looking spiffier, thanks to the dogged persistence of one man, John William Joseph Slavin.
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Gearing up for Sunday’s big game – Super Bowl LVI
In looking for Super Bowl storylines, a good start might be the quarterbacks, the Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow and the Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford.
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Too late to complain about Confederate flag being co-opted
Many people do not know that the swastika is actually an ancient Sanskrit symbol denoting good luck and prosperity. It is sort of an ancient Indian-Asian four leaf clover. A lucky charm. A rabbit’s foot.
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VCU still slays on the road
The road, almost no matter where it led, used to be a scary proposition for Virginia Commonwealth University basketball.
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Ora Lomax, longtime NAACP leader, civil rights advocate, dies at 86
For decades, black women could only work behind the scenes at white-owned retail stores in Richmond during the harsh era of segregation. Ora Mae Perry Lomax helped change all that.
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VUU, VSU clash on Saturday
Panthers eyeing tournament bids
All goals remain possible for Virginia Union University as it prepares for its final regular season football game Saturday against Virginia State University in Ettrick.
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CIAA champs head to NCAA (Pt 2)
Lady Panthers celebrating title; Johnson clinches MVP
Kiana Johnson and Lady Walker may be the best celebration combination since ice cream and cake. They’re the life of a Virginia Union University basketball party that’s just spreading it wings under first-year Coach AnnMarie Gilbert.
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VUU spokesperson blasts claims by doctoral student as ‘false, ill-advised, arbitrary and capricious’
Virginia Union University is pushing back against a student-written letter and online petition calling for an investigation and the removal of VUU President Hakim J. Lucas and Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, chair of the VUU Board of Trustees.
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Starting as a pastor in the midst of a pandemic
“I never imagined I would start my ministry in the midst of a pandemic,” Dr. Joshua L. Mitchell said.
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Butler gives Patriots a super win
Malcolm Butler ranks among the most unlikely heroes in Super Bowl history. In 2010, Butler had been suspended from college and was working part time at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen chicken restaurant in his hometown of Vicksburg, Miss. From that humble point, he has become the toast of New England and Patriots fans everywhere. Butler’s end zone interception of Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson’s pass with 20 seconds left enabled the Patriots to defeat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 in Super Bowl XLIX in Glendale, Ariz. Butler’s first NFL interception may become the most talked-about pick in NFL annals, turning what looked like a probable loss for the Patriots into a jaw-dropping victory.
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Black Book Expo kicks off Feb. 15
Books and authors will be the focus of a Black History Month expo being held during the next two weeks.
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Church headed by controversial pastor burns
Tampa firefighters battled a blaze at a church led by controversial pastor Dr. Henry J. Lyons, former head of the 7.5 million-member National Baptist Convention.
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Trial continued of Henrico cop charged in shooting
The case of a Henrico County police officer, who was charged with malicious wounding for shooting into a car and injuring a woman in mid-December, has been postponed for two months.
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Pointing the finger in school shootings
Re “Walkout: City students join Wednesday’s national demonstration for tougher gun laws on one-month anniversary of Florida high school massacre,” Free Press March 15-17 edition:
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Documentary on restaurateur ‘The Hail-Storm: John Dabney in Virginia,’ on Nov. 2
African-American 19th century restaurateur John Dabney is being celebrated in a documentary. Field Studio will premiere “The Hail-Storm: John Dabney in Virginia” at the John Dabney Dinner, part of the Fire, Flour & Fork food festival, at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2.
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Myrtle H. Motley, civic, church worker, succumbs at 98
Myrtle Hobson Motley came through at a critical moment when Richmond civil rights attorney Oliver W. Hill Sr. was pursuing an important legal battle against government-enforced segregated schools.
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Corrections officers’ union calls for testing of all inmates and staff at Virginia facilities
A union representing state correctional officers is calling on Gov. Ralph S. Northam to immediately begin coronavirus testing for all officers, staff, residents and incarcerated people in facilities run by the Virginia Department of Corrections and the state Department of Juvenile Justice.
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Kudos to Richmond Free Press
Thank you, Richmond Free Press, for delivering a quality newspaper on a weekly basis.
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RRHA board eyes reopening of Calhoun Center pool
A fix may be on the way for the long-closed indoor swimming pool at the Calhoun Center that the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority owns in its Gilpin Court public housing community.
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Miguel Ojeda new manager of Flying Squirrels
For the second straight season, the parent San Francisco Giants have turned to a Latino to manage the Class AA Richmond Flying Squirrels.