Breaking News! History in the Making

Happy Birthday, Faith Ringgold, Boundary-Breaker, Black Artist and Arts Promoter!
Faith Ringgold is an activist who made sure that her art represented and reflected her African heritage.

ABHM’s Brad Pruitt’s Latest Film Premieres Sunday/Monday at the Milwaukee Film Festival
Bending Toward the Light explores the challenges and triumphs of educational systems in the US through the lens of students, parents, teachers, reformers and activists in the country’s heartland – Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Less of an indictment of the education system and more of a dialogue on what can be done to fix its problems,…

Dolce & Gabbana responds to accusations that ‘Blackamoor’ earrings are racist
After outfitting a white model with earrings that evoke a the racial stereotype of the mammy, one design company faces backlash.

Will ‘White’ and ‘Black’ Lose Their Meaning?
As the American population becomes more colorful, we must reexamine what words like “minority” mean and who systems serve.

How White Ideals Color US Race Relations
One author tackles a tired, racism belief about economic disparities and what–if anything–they say about work ethic.

Anti-Amalgamation Law Passed This Day in 1664
More than 350 years ago, Maryland made interracial marriages illegal between white women and Black men with the anti-amalgamation law.

“In My Genes,” Feature Debut By Lupita Nyong’o, Actor in “12 Years A Slave”
Not only a talented actor, Lupita Nyong’o proves she can direct with this full-length documentary film focusing on Kenyans with albinism.

9-year-old Brooklyn rapper pens rap against pants sagging, ‘Pull Ya Pants Up’
Despite being just 9 years old, Amor “Lilman” Arteaga is making waves with his new song, a rant against sagging pants.

William Parker and the Resistance at Christiana, September 11, 1851
William Parker led the first rebellion against fugitive slave laws in 1851, but more followed at enslaved people resisted.

Discovering Black America’s Jailed Gems
One higher education leader has offered a suggestion that could help Black inmates and lead to rehabilitation.

Bobby Jindal Appeals Ruling On Bernette Johnson, Black Supreme Court Justice
Louisiana’s governor’s attempts to block a Black state supreme court judge reflect political impartiality and highlight racial antagonism.

Today Marks the Founding of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History
Many who don’t know the Association for the Study of African American Life and History know the Black History Month it inspired.

When Family Trees Are Gnarled by Race
Thanks to DNA testing, people are discovering surprising racial ancestry–and having to reconcile that with their identities.

Michelle Obama’s DNC Dress Designed by African-American Designer Tracy Reese
The Obamas don’t just offer representation inside the White House; they shine a spotlight on Black designers with their choices.

New Study Confirms Racial Bias in Criminal Sentencing
Research finally supports what people of color have known all along: there is racial bias in the criminal justice system.

A Ballot Box Tactic Has Deep Historical Roots
Sherrilyn A. Ifill explains how barriers to voting unfairly impact Black Americans–and what it means for politics.

The Case of the Disappearing Black Voter
Here in Milwaukee, the housing crisis has an unusual impact on politics as Black voters have seemingly disappeared.

As Republican convention emphasizes diversity, racial incidents intrude
The Republican party’s new tactic, which embraces diversity, struggles as party members and supporters display racist behavior.