Baltimore Built America, Part III: How Segregation Produced Extraordinary Black Teachers (BALTIMORE – July 11, 2026) – Every now and then, history surprises you. Not because the facts have been hidden. But because no one has ever connected them. That happened during one of my many conversations with Baltimore historian Marco Merrick. Marco and I had been discussing Baltimore’s remarkable legacy—its railroads, churches, civil rights pioneers, labor leaders, neighborhoods, educators, and institutions. Then he said something that stopped me. “If you were Black,” he said, “you couldn’t go to the University of Maryland.” At first, I thought he was simply…

(BALTIMORE – July 11, 2026) – Some opportunities become jobs. Others become traditions. For the past decade, Hip Hop Chronicles on WEAA 88.9 FM, hosted by Mike Nyce, has become one of those traditions for me. What began through a simple introduction by Frank Johnson evolved into a lasting partnership that has allowed me to bring the stories of BMORENews.com to one of Baltimore’s most respected airwaves every Thursday at midnight. I remain grateful to Mike Nyce for opening that door. Each week, our segment has featured newsmakers, entrepreneurs, elected officials, educators, artists, activists, and everyday Baltimoreans whose stories deserve…

Former Harlem Globetrotter continues changing lives through Choo Smith Youth Empowerment (LAS VEGAS – July 11, 2026) – There are some people you interview. Then there are people you have the privilege of watching over time. Charles “Choo” Smith Jr. is one of those people. For two decades, I’ve watched him pour himself into Baltimore’s young people—not for publicity, not for applause, but because that’s simply who he is. I first met Choo at a gathering inside a beautiful home in Baltimore County. Before I knew anything about his basketball résumé, before I learned he had traveled the world with…

How Faith, Labor, Mutual Aid, Civil Rights, and Black Institutions Helped Shape a Nation (BALTIMORE – July 11, 2026) – When Baltimore historian Marco Merrick first began telling me about the “City of Firsts,” he was not initially telling a Black history story. He was telling a Baltimore story. That distinction will forever stand out in my mind. Marco spoke with an enthusiasm and pride that were impossible to miss. He talked about the B&O Railroad, the telegraph, Johns Hopkins University, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, the Enoch Pratt Free Library, the Washington Monument, the Basilica, Fort McHenry, and the…

Dunbar’s Legacy of Excellence Continues as Dr. Linda Marie Weaver Appointed Maryland Military Department Assistant Secretary for Administration (BALTIMORE – July 11, 2026) — Every now and then, someone reaches a milestone that reminds us what Baltimore’s public schools—and particularly Paul Laurence Dunbar High School—have produced for generations. Dr. Linda Marie Weaver’s recent appointment as Assistant Secretary for Administration for the Maryland Military Department is one of those moments. Effective May 6, 2026, Dr. Weaver was appointed to the senior leadership position, where she will help oversee administrative operations while supporting the Maryland Military Department’s mission alongside Major General Janeen…

How Black Baltimore Helped Shape a Nation (BALTIMORE – July 11, 2026) – Few American cities have contributed more to the nation’s development while receiving less recognition for doing so than Baltimore. Mention the city today, and many people immediately think of crime, vacant houses, political dysfunction, or television dramas like The Wire. Those images have become so deeply embedded in the national consciousness that they often obscure a far more important truth. Long before Baltimore became the subject of troubling headlines, it was helping build the United States. This city pioneered transportation, transformed higher education, revolutionized medicine, advanced communications,…

(BALTIMORE – July 10, 2026) – There are moments in journalism that stay with you forever. Not because they make headlines, but because they remind you why you chose this profession in the first place. Meeting Robert W. Bogle, President and CEO of The Philadelphia Tribune, was one of those moments. The accompanying selfie, taken during the 2024 National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Convention in Baltimore, captures more than two publishers smiling for a photograph. It captures decades of Black Press history standing shoulder to shoulder. For me, it was a full-circle moment. I first learned about Robert W. Bogle through…

(BALTIMORE – July 10, 2026) – We’ve all heard the stories about Baltimore’s vacant houses. We’ve seen the blight. We’ve watched it become the backdrop of television shows, Hollywood movies, and HBO series. For many of us, it isn’t entertainment—it’s home. We know firsthand what abandoned properties, environmental neglect, and decades of disinvestment have done to our neighborhoods. We also know the history. We know about Baltimore’s infamous 1910 residential segregation ordinance, championed by Mayor J. Barry Mahool, a policy that became the blueprint for legalized housing segregation across America. We know about the courageous Black attorneys George McMechen and…

Innovation doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because people are willing to step into difficult spaces, solve problems, and … Watch full video on YouTube

(BALTIMORE, MD – July 9, 2026) — Baltimore County Executive Democratic nominee Julian Jones has confirmed his participation in the Leadership Forum at the Black Wall Street Summit: National Black Business Month Edition, joining three other Democratic nominees for an evening of discussion focused on leadership, public policy, and community progress. Presented by BMORENews and BlackUSA.News, the Summit will take place on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Justice Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center, 1315 Division Street in West Baltimore. Hosted by veteran journalist Doni Glover, the Leadership Forum will bring together four Democratic nominees…