(TULSA – October 24, 2024) – The two last living survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre today expressed their bewilderment at being excluded from the commission that the City of Tulsa says it has launched as a path to reparations for those most impacted by Greenwood’s destruction. Lessie Benningfield Randle,109, and Viola Fletcher,110 – who in 1921 fled from the white mob that killed countless Black people and razed the Greenwood district to the ground – hoped to have a role in the Beyond Apology Commission by the time it launched on Oct 18. But their requests to participate in…

(WASHINGTON, D.C. – October 18, 2024) – In today’s disinformation landscape, Black women aren’t just caught in the crossfire — we’re the bullseye. As a Black woman immersed in politics, I’ve seen the onslaught of lies, doctored images, and malicious rumors aimed at dismantling our leadership and eroding our voting power. But here’s the truth: we aren’t mere victims. We’re the frontline defense in this battle against digital deception. Take, for instance, the recent disinformation surrounding Vice President Kamala Harris. A crudely altered false photo of her with Sean “Diddy” Combs made its rounds online. Even after swift debunking, it continued to spread,…

(PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, MD – October 16, 2024) – Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan will face off in November in a race that could decide control of the U.S. Senate. After last week’s debate between candidates, Prince George’s County residents were left wondering, “What will Angela do?” For county voters, the upcoming decision on who to vote for is significant. Should they back Hogan, a county native whose father served as the last Republican County Executive? Or should they support Alsobrooks, who is now serving her second term as County Executive after previously…

(BALTIMORE – October 11, 2024) – In recent weeks, the reputation of Joshua Harris, a dedicated volunteer and Treasurer of the Maryland NAACP, has been unjustly tarnished by misleading accusations and sensationalized media reports. As someone who has witnessed Mr. Harris’s unwavering commitment to Black people, I feel compelled to set the record straight. Joshua Harris is not just a volunteer; he represents the changing of the guard in an ineffectual organization drowning in scandal and financial disarray. When he assumed the role of Treasurer, he didn’t find a well-oiled machine—he uncovered a financial quagmire that would send most of…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – October 6, 2024) – Looking historically at demographics, Black men in America have for centuries been singled out for the most vicious and dehumanizing attacks on their personhood and their manhood. Without delving too deeply into America’s dark past, one need only read the Autobiography of Frederick Douglas to capture a glimpse of the atrocious acts perpetrated against Black men that began during slavery and continued unabated with the murders of George Floyd, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and others to understand that the institutional animosity, the stereotyping, and the marginalizing is an everyday phenomenon that still defines…

(WASHINGTON, D.C. – October 5, 2024) – As we approach this critical election season, a remarkable story unfolds across America. Young Black women are not just registering to vote at unprecedented rates—they’re poised to make their voices heard at the ballot box like never before. According to recent data from TargetSmart, voter registration increased by a staggering 175%. This surge is not just a statistic; it’s a powerful statement about the future of our democracy and a continuation of Black women’s longstanding commitment to civic engagement. Higher Heights has been at the forefront of empowering Black women politically for nearly fifteen years. We’ve…

(OAKLAND – September 15, 2024) – The African American journey from slavery to the present has been one of both remarkable progress and continuous struggle. The complexities of freedom and liberation within this experience highlight not only the political and social battles fought but also the profound spiritual and psychological transformations that have occurred over centuries. While freedom may have been granted in a legal sense at various points in American history, liberation is a more holistic and ongoing process that touches on the soul, consciousness, and collective identity of African Americans. The Chains of Slavery The Absence of Both…

By Naba’a Richard Muhammad (CHICAGO – September 9, 2024) – In the old 1990s Nike commercials, Mars Blackmon, played by Spike Lee, asks basketball great Michael Jordan, “Is it the shoes?” In a much more serious, disturbing incident, Tyreek Hill, star wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins, was taken down, handcuffed, kneed in the back, and manhandled by Miami Dade police not far from the stadium where he plays. I can guarantee you it wasn’t the shoes that got the attention of officers in a potentially deadly encounter. It was the car, the constant criminalization of Black men, and a…

(BALTIMORE – July 18, 2024) – In an age where technology evolves at lightning speed, preparing our youth for the demands of tomorrow has never been more critical. The initiatives spearheaded by Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen to support “STEM City Baltimore” at the Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center are not just commendable—they are revolutionary. As we look to the future, artificial intelligence (AI) and Metaverse technologies will clearly dominate the landscape of innovation and employment. However, our educational systems have lagged in integrating these critical fields into the K-12 curriculum. This gap presents a missed opportunity to equip…

(WASHINGTON, DC – July 16, 2024) – Can you imagine what would have happened to a Black man who showed up at a Donald Trump rally acting “suspiciously” around the metal detectors?  It is no secret to any conscious American why the 20-year-old shooter of former President Trump was not stopped. However, police and security deemed him to be acting “suspiciously” around the metal detectors at the entrance of the July 13 Trump event in Butler, Pennsylvania. There is a reason that the 20-year-old Crooks was reportedly not interrogated for identification. He was not chased, not followed, not heavily surveilled…