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…

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…

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,…

Harlem Inc. and BMORENews.com to Present the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Award (HARLEM, N.Y. – July 8, 2026) — Every conversation has the power to deepen understanding. A lengthy conversation this week with Harlem’s community leader Vito Jones did exactly that. What began as a discussion about the upcoming Black Wall Street Harlem celebration quickly became a master class on the people whose lives have helped define modern Harlem. It also reinforced why Black Wall Street Harlem, scheduled for Saturday, July 25, is much more than another community event. It is a celebration of legacy, leadership, entrepreneurship, and the people…

(PIKESVILLE, MD 0 July 8, 2026) — Baltimore County residents will join communities across the nation on Sunday, July 19, as part of the Good Trouble Lives On Weekend of Action (July 17–19), a nationwide, nonpartisan effort that organizers say is designed to encourage voter registration and civic engagement while honoring the legacy of the late John Lewis. The local event is being organized by Pikesville Pillars, a volunteer community group. The afternoon will feature two free screenings of John Lewis: Good Trouble, the documentary directed by Dawn Porter. The film premiered in Tulsa on Juneteenth 2020, just weeks before Lewis…

2026 haul is most in statewide public TV network’s history (OWINGS MILLS, MD – June 22, 2026) – The National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences presented Maryland Public Television (MPT) with 20 Emmys during its 68th Capital Emmy® Awards ceremony at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center on Saturday, June 20. NATAS-NCCB comprises television industry professionals dedicated to fostering and recognizing outstanding achievements in television production in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The NCCB chapter is one of the largest in NATAS, with more than 1,500 members. Its annual Capital Emmy Awards competition…

(BALTIMORE – June 22, 2026) – On Saturday, I walked with my wife and our four small children to the AFRAM Festival at Druid Hill Park. Living close by, we wanted to soak up the sights and be among people we know for the 50th Anniversary of one of the largest free celebrations of Black culture on the East Coast. My wife suggested we go to let the kids run and play with our friend’s kids in the children’s area while we listened to some of the artists on stage. When we arrived, it was a beautiful sight: Black folks…

You asked for it. It’s here! Building on the tremendous energy, fellowship, and memories shared at last year’s gathering, the Easterwood community is coming together once again for the Easterwood Reunion 2026. This special event welcomes current and former residents, friends, families, and neighbors from the Easterwood community, including our extended family from the Matthew Henson community. Whether you grew up in the neighborhood, attended local schools, played ball at the rec center, or simply want to reconnect with old friends and familiar faces, this reunion is for you. Join us for an afternoon of conversation, laughter, memories, and community…

(CHARLOTTE, NC – June 8, 2026) – Photographer Jerry Taliaferro has just published his latest photo essay, BLACK WOMAN AS MUSE (MUSE).  The book is based on his traveling exhibition of the same title. It is a long-overdue homage to African American womanhood. This collection of photographs, produced over the course of decades, consists of images from one photographer’s odyssey to truly “seeing” the beauty that has always surrounded him.  Most importantly, the subjects are Black Women who inhabit the day-to-day lives of most Americans. They are our mothers, sisters, daughters, friends, and coworkers. Rarely has the American woman of African descent been so…