All results / Stories / Free Press wire reports
Howard University renames school for Cathy Hughes
Howard University has renamed its School of Communications the Cathy Hughes School of Communications, after the founder of Radio One Inc., the largest African-American owned multimedia company in the United States. Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick, president of Howard University, announced in early October a multimillion-dollar gift to the communications school from the Catherine L. Hughes and Alfred C. Liggins III Foundation.
Bennett College meets fundraising goal
Bennett College, a historically black all-women’s college in North Carolina that was facing loss of accreditation and possible closure because of financial problems, has exceeded its $5 million fundraising goal.
Lawyer contends no justification for U.Va. student’s arrest
State ABC agents charged University of Virginia honor student Martese Johnson with public intoxication even though the agents did not believe he was drunk, according to their statements. Instead, they believed he might be using a false ID.
Local couple in Paris bears witness to Notre Dame fire
George K. Martin of Mechanicsville and his wife, Anita, arrived in Paris on Sunday night and made a sightseeing list that included some of the top tourist spots in the City of Lights, including Notre Dame Cathedral.
National president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority dies after recent illness
Cheryl A. Hickmon, national president of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and chair of its National Board of Directors, passed away peacefully last Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022 at the age of 60, following a battle with a “recent illness,” according to the sorority’s national website.
Trump refuses to hold official White House portrait unveiling for President Obama
President Trump is showing his true colors again.
NASA pioneer Katherine Johnson takes her place among the stars
Three African-American astronauts joined hundreds of other mourners Saturday, March 7, at a funeral service for trailblazing mathematician and NASA pioneer Katherine G. Johnson.
Abortion battle erupts with leaded U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion
America’s decades-old battle over abortion rights exploded anew on Tuesday as the U.S. Supreme Court authenticated a draft opinion leaked to the news outlet Politico that signaled the court will soon overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.
Rev. Jesse Jackson diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease
The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. disclosed publicly on Friday that he has been seeking outpatient care for two years for Parkinson’s disease and plans to “dedicate” himself to physical therapy to slow the progress of the disease.
VMI appoints Black interim superintendent amid shakeup
The Virginia Military Institute has selected a retired U.S. Army major general to serve as its interim superintendent amid a leadership shakeup that followed a newspaper article describing allegations of persistent racism at the school.
Suicide takes Miss USA 2019
Cheslie Kryst, who won the 2019 Miss USA pageant and worked as a correspondent for the entertainment news television show “Extra,” reportedly committed suicide Jan. 30.
Teenage shooter involved in infamous D.C. Sniper Case to get new sentencing hearing
A federal judge tossed out two life sentences for one of Virginia’s most notorious criminals, sniper Lee Boyd Malvo, and ordered Virginia courts to hold new sentencing hearings.
‘Black Panther’ pounces on box office
“Black Panther,” the Disney and Marvel Studios’ epic superhero film featuring a largely African-American cast and director, is blowing away audiences and box offices, raking in record amounts from its opening weekend while gaining praise from former First Lady Michelle Obama.
Herring breaks silence on blackface; GOP offers reward for evidence
The Republican Party of Virginia is offering a $1,000 reward for photographic evidence of Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring in blackface.
Tiger Woods roars back to win Masters Tournament
Tiger’s back! The fallen hero and crippled star is now a Masters champion again. The 43-year-old Tiger Woods thrilled viewers — and himself — as he rallied to win the Masters Tournament for the fifth time on Sunday in a comeback that goes well beyond the two-shot deficit he erased before a delirious audience that watched memories turn into reality at Augusta National.
Friends, family say goodbye to Aretha Franklin in marathon funeral
The “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin was remembered and celebrated in a star-studded marathon funeral service last Friday that drew laughter, tears and, as with any large family gathering, controversy.
Madman
First 2020 presidential debate is derailed by President Trump’s rantings, falsehoods and interruptions of Democratic candidate Joe Biden
In a debate performance that left even his Republican supporters shaking their heads, President Trump stunningly refused to condemn racist, white supremacist groups.
Trump’s budget plan raises hackles, skepticism with deep cuts to social programs
Angry Democrats and skeptical Republicans are fighting back against attempts by administrative officials to defend President Trump’s proposed $4.1 trillion budget that slashes safety net programs for the poor, targeting food stamps, Medicaid and student loan forgiveness, while relying on rosy projections about the nation’s economic growth to balance the budget within 10 years.
One down
Trump’s first year in office marked by controversy and protests
Less than 24 hours after Donald Trump took office, his presidency started generating controversy. Photographs showing that the crowd at President Trump’s swearing-in was smaller than at Barack Obama’s first presidential inauguration in 2009 caused the first ruckus in his administration — but not the last.
Almanac, coin found in Lee monument time capsule
A rust-colored 1875 almanac, a cloth envelope and a silver coin were found Wednesday in a time capsule that had been buried beneath a towering statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue for more than 130 years.
