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“Hands Off Blacksonian,” Says Congressional Black Caucus

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Trump’s March 27 Executive Order entitled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” specifically targeted the National Museum of African American History.

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By Lauren Burke

Seven members of the Congressional Black Caucus spoke exclusively to Black Press USA after the Caucus was briefed on issues related to protecting the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) and other historic sites under the control of the National Parks Service that feature Black trailblazers. Their reactions were blunt. “House Democrats are working very closely with the Congressional Black Caucus and civil rights leaders throughout the country to put up a strong wall of defense and protect the Museum of African American History. There are several action items that we will roll out shortly all in service and making sure that the White House and the extremists cannot whitewash our history,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries exclusively told Black Press USA as he walked the stairs back to his office after the CBC’s weekly meeting. Two members, Reps. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and Bennie Thompson (D-MS) also spoke at a March 29 event that had to be relocated after the office of Rep. Cleaver was informed that Cleaver and Bobby Scott (D-VA) were prohibited from speaking on education policy at the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri. Cleaver relayed the story to colleagues in the CBC’s April 9 meeting.

“I just heard from Congressman Cleaver that he had an event in his district with Congressman Scott as the invited speaker, and they were told they couldn’t hold it. I have never heard of a member of Congress not being able to speak in a government-owned building, notwithstanding the fact that this person is a ranking Democrat on the committee. They’ve taken it to the extreme. You know, this is not Nazi Germany. This is the United States of America,” Thompson pointedly said during an interview in a hallway in the U.S. Capitol. “I don’t know how it’s a threat to the government to have Bobby Scott speaking at the Truman Library. The only thing I can come up with is his skin color,” Rep. Cleaver said on the March 29 visit. Cleaver said that “the Truman Library was notified that they could not have the program” on March 26. The two spoke at Metropolitan Community College instead. A recent flip-flop by the Trump Administration involving the removal of a photo of Harriet Tubman on a National Parks Service website and the whitewashing of her historic acts was met with fury after a report in The Washington Post on April 6. The decision was reversed on April 8. “I’m hearing that people who work for the Park Service feel intimidated,” added Rep. Thompson as he referred to the experience of some National Park Service employees.

Trump’s March 27 Executive Order entitled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” specifically targeted the National Museum of African American History. The March 27 directive was followed by an April 4 report that NMAAHC Director Kevin Young was leaving after four years. “Hands off Donald Trump! If you try to erase it, we will replace it. More importantly, Black people all across the country will rise up like a big black tsunami, unlike anything you’ve ever seen,” Rep. Kwesi Mfume (D-MD) said in an interview with Mfume told Black Press USA. NMAAHC opened in 2016 and is the most visited of all of the Smithsonian museums in the Nation’s Capital. The 10 millionth in-person visitor walked through the door on Sept. 30, 2023. A 7-day waiting list to visit is standard.

“No matter how hard he [Trump] tries to wipe out our history or us it is not going to be successful. I’m very concerned, I have the Pullman National Historic Park in my district,” said Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL). “The president better keep his hands off the museum and off of — not African American history — but American history. What makes America great is everything that’s in that library… because it shows what you can overcome and why and how we move forward to become a better nation,” said Rep. Greg Meeks (D-NY). As he stood in a crowded hallway in the House Rayburn Building, his voice rose over the nearby crowd noise. “People need to understand, and the President needs to understand, that all of America is better when they go see those exhibits so that we don’t make the same mistakes. We shall never forget the past… keep your hands off of American history and the African American museum,” Meeks concluded.

On April 8, The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) released a statement that in part asserted that, it “calls on policymakers, educators, and citizens across the country to reject false narratives that seek to divide us. We must support institutions that honor our collective past and protect our shared future.” Changes to historic narratives or “whitewashing” have appeared on DoJ websites and beyond. “I think it’s one of the most ridiculous things this administration has done. The effort to rewrite or seriously distort history is an affront to America … It’s hard to imagine, but it is happening,” said Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL). What happens next is likely to represent an epic battle between the truth, who tells it, and who makes the decisions on matters of fact and history.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

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The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.


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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

 

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