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Black churches do better weathering decline in number of Christian faithful
At Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, the pews start to fill more than half an hour before the service begins. Ushers guide people of all ages to their seats. Some stand and wave their hands in the air as the large, robed choir begins to sing.
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‘Tear those statues down’
Richmonders decry mayor’s plan to put Confederate statues ‘in context’
Ora Lomax is still fuming over Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s plans for dealing with the stone and bronze figures that have been defining symbols of Richmond for generations — the statues of Confederate defenders of slavery that punctuate Monument Avenue.
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Former first lady Rosalynn Carter dies at 96
Former first lady Rosalynn Carter, the closest adviser to Jimmy Carter during his one term as U.S. president and their four decades thereafter as global humanitarians, has died at the age of 96. The Carter Center said she died Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023, after living with dementia and suffering many months
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19-year-old Soto called up to play forA royal wedding to remember
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wed in ceremony marked by new traditions, global audience
Prince Harry and his American actress bride Meghan Markle married on Saturday in a dazzling ceremony that blended ancient English ritual with African-American culture, infusing the 1,000-year-old British monarchy with a blast of blackness and modernity.
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Queen Harrison misses Olympic qualification by less than a second
If she were from any other country, Queen Harrison likely would be making plans to compete in the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
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Overby-Sheppard Elementary School set for 6-month overhaul
A North Side elementary school is about to get a $4 million overhaul — complementing the housing developments that have begun reshaping the Highland Park community.
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What’s at stake
Our spirits are heavy with the Trump victories this week that put Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama and Betsy DeVos in the critical roles of U.S. attorney general and U.S. secretary of education, respectively. The fight for civil rights, voting rights, gay rights, immigration and equity in education just got tougher, but we knew what was coming and are ready for the battles ahead.
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Help available for restoration of voting rights
The midterm elections are just over a month away, and many Virginians still can’t take part in what is the most important part of the democratic process: Voting.
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A piece of Cuba
I remember a line from Gil Scott-Heron in “The Bicentennial Blues,” where he was discussing the Nixon administration and this nation’s penchant for getting in on the economic action of other nations. He called Henry Kissinger the “International Godfather of Peace, a ‘piece’ of Viet Nam, a ‘piece’ of Laos, a ‘piece’ of Angola, a ‘piece’ of Cuba.” That line is fitting 40 years later as President Obama returns from Cuba accompanied by a dozen business executives.
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Recent Free Press article ‘was not a forum for litigation or absolution’
In my conversations with Mr. Jeremy Lazarus that resulted in the Jan. 26-28 edition of the Richmond Free Press article, “It’s Complicated,” I believe that I was clear in stating that I became an Enrichmond board member in October of 2017.
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Daniel 'Sonny Strong' Gordon Jr., karate instructor at YMCA, dies at 79
Karate Grandmaster Daniel Gordon Jr., nicknamed “Sonny Strong,” died Thursday, July 11, in Richmond. Mr. Gordon was 79 and had taught martial arts at the Downtown YMCA for more than 40 years. His pupils over the decades ranged in age from toddlers to senior citizens.
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Woodson’s wisdom, by Dr. E. Faye Williams
Carter Godwin Woodson, The Father of Negro (Black) History, remains an invaluable source of historic information and critical thinking, which prepares today’s young African- Americans to confront and challenge the persistent racism that continues to plague the national psyche.
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Pressure mounts on UNC in Nikole Hannah-Jones tenure dispute
The pressure on trustees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to grant tenure to investigative journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones continued to mount last week as a major funding partner joined the call to change her status and a sought-after chemistry professor decided not to join the faculty over the dispute.
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Evangelicals gather on D.C. Mall to pray during ‘Together 2016’
Evangelical Christians converged on the nation’s capital last Saturday for a prayer rally on one of the hottest days of the summer. With the nation reeling from recent shootings and shocked by news of a terrorist attack in France and an attempted coup in Turkey, speakers at “Together 2016” cited the global events from the stage and spoke of the challenges facing Americans. “Jesus can heal our nation,” said former Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd to applause and cries of “Amen.”
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State NAACP on the move
I have watched the Virginia State Conference NAACP up close over a number of years as a result of my membership initially in the Chesterfield County Branch NAACP and now the Richmond Branch NAACP.
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50 homeless people aided under city’s new shelter plan during weekend cold snap
City Hall appears to have succeeded in sheltering the homeless in the first test of its new model to assist people when the temperature plunges.
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What now, America?
With the 2020 election cycle coming to an end and a new year on the horizon, I should feel hopeful for the state of this nation and for the state of politics. However, I do not.
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Richmond mom takes action after teen deaths
Candice Walker, like many people in Richmond, was appalled and outraged by the recent slayings of five teenagers.
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Disabled student advocate arrested again
More trouble has hit Kandise Lucas, a Henrico resident and advocate for parents of schoolchildren with special needs. On Monday, she was arraigned on a charge of trespassing at Glen Allen High School in Henrico County.
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Free Press readers react to Nov. 8 presidential election 2
After receiving the presidential election results, it has felt like a nightmare for so many.
