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A New Era of College Football Has Begun at Sacramento State

BLACKPRESS USA Newswire – Currently, Sacramento State’s football team is ranked #1 in the Transfer Portal Class in FCS, and Coach Marion has tweeted that he’s willing to help players get to Sacramento to play ball. It was also announced before the spring game that Sacramento State is working to leave FCS to become FBS. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that the university is ready to take the next step.

Published

1 year ago

April 18, 2025

Oakland Post

By: Dawn Montgomery

Every now and then, I am afforded the opportunity to witness history in the making. Experiencing this moment with someone you know personally and professionally is even more rewarding. In this case, Sacramento State University has named Coach Brennan Marion as its 13th head football coach. He is the first Black man to hold that position in school history.

“I’m truly honored by the heartfelt welcome from President Luke Wood and Director of Athletics Mark Orr to be the program’s next head football coach,” Marion said. “Sacramento State is fully invested in becoming a nationally known football program, and I’ve always relished the opportunity to build and create. My family and I can’t wait to serve the student-athletes of this program and the Sacramento community. As a university, we’re going to write history and work tirelessly to build something that the community will be proud of for generations to come.”

I became familiar with Brennan Marion during his coaching days at Howard University, where he created the “Go-Go” Offense. This offense is something that he’s been able to successfully implement at other university football programs, and he’s truly a visionary. Former NFL running back Maurice Jones-Drew stated, “His Go-Go Offense has changed the way teams look at every position on the field. Brennan is one of the top recruiters in the country. I know he will bring some of the best recruiters, teachers, and developers in football. What a time for Northern California college football to bring back one of their own.”

Sacramento State’s Athletic Director Mark Orr shared, “Coach Marion is the perfect fit for our football program, our department, our university, and our community. His demonstrated success in recruiting promising student-athletes and maximizing their talents will help us return our football program to winning conference championships. I’m confident Coach Marion possesses the dynamic ability to cultivate impactful relationships with internal and external constituents surrounding Hornet football. He will lead the student-athletes in our program to reach and surpass their aspirations of achievement both on and off the field.”

Currently, Sacramento State University is the only non-HBCU D1 university with a Black athletic director, head football coach, and president. I think you need to read that again.

(Brennan Marion speaks at the press conference where he was introduced as Sacramento State’s head football coach.). Marion is the first African American ever hired to lead the Hornets. Russell Stiger Jr., OBSERVER)

The work that Sacramento State University President Dr. Luke Wood and Athletic Director Marc Orr have ahead of them will test the patience of their fans and community during this expansion. One true test is the spring game. Most people think that spring games for college football are unnecessary, but they are a showcase of what’s to come in the fall. On Sunday, April 13, I was present for Sacramento State’s spring game, and so were over 7,000 fans.

All were in attendance: students, professors, administrative and campus support staff, community leaders, and business owners, as well as over 400 recruits checking out this team and its new head coach. This number shattered the attendance record for the university’s spring game (which normally is in the hundreds), and Sacramento State has a chance to capitalize on this moment.

Currently, Sacramento State’s football team is ranked #1 in the Transfer Portal Class in FCS, and Coach Marion has tweeted that he’s willing to help players get to Sacramento to play ball. It was also announced before the spring game that Sacramento State is working to leave FCS to become FBS. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that the university is ready to take the next step.

“Sacramento State plans to file an application with the NCAA this week to transition from the FCS to the FBS in football as an independent,” Thamel reports. “The school has already filed a waiver to transition as an independent in football, which requires NCAA approval.”

Fans have to show up and support the team as they transition in this direction. Community support is crucial at this stage, and fans must be patient during this ‘rebuilding’ season.

Sacramento Observer Larry Hicks shared that “Marion is in a small circle of Black coaches who lead Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) programs.” The lack of opportunities Black coaches rarely receive in the college football space is baffling and downright disrespectful when you see how often white coaches are fired and rehired. Our coaches deserve an opportunity to showcase their leadership on and off the field while also showing their ability to help others achieve their dreams.

To witness history-making and feel the new wave of energy at Hornet Stadium was something I will never forget. Sacramento State University President Dr. Luke Wood shared with me, “We are excited about what’s to come, and as you can see, the community has shown up for us. It’s important that we continue to work with local media like the Sacramento Observer so that we can share not only what’s happening here but also our stories. It’s crucial to our growth, and I feel like our students and fans feel the shift happening.”

Shouts out to the Sacramento Observer newsroom for keeping us informed on what’s happening in their city.

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Jovita Moore Mural Still Has Not Been Repainted in Grant Park

ATLANTA VOICE — A mural depicting late journalist Jovita Moore, painted on the exterior wall of a building now occupied by Bellwood Coffee in Grant Park, was painted over in April. Moore passed away in 2021 after decades of working in Atlanta television news. Bellwood Coffee owners stated in May they were unaware of Moore’s identity or significance to the community before painting over the mural.
The post Jovita Moore Mural Still Has Not Been Repainted in Grant Park appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

July 8, 2026

Oakland Post

At the corner of Boulevard, SE. and Rosalia St., SE., directly across the street from an abandoned home and a Methodist Church, is Bellwood Coffee. One of hundreds of coffee shops in Atlanta, this place of business would not be worth a solitary discussion if not for the way its exterior walls are currently painted. There was once a mural depicting the late Jovita Moore, a beloved journalist who worked in Atlanta for decades. Moore, who passed away in 2021, mentored many of the people you see on television newscasts today. Though her legacy will never be forgotten, it was the mural of her image that was erased.

In April, members of the Grant Park community voiced their disgust at the mural, which graced a side wall of the building now occupied by Bellwood Coffee’s Grant Park location, before it was painted over. In its place are the words “Bellwood Coffee; Cocktails, Biscuits, Dry Goods, Air Conditioning. *Heat Too”. In May, the business owners responded to the community pushback on social media by acknowledging they did not know who Moore was before painting over her image. And later admitted that they did not attempt to find out what she meant to the community.

On May 21, the Bellwood Coffee Instagram account had a post about being “in close contact with Jovita’s family and are actively working on next steps in this process.” Two months later, the mural has not been replaced, repainted, or repositioned on the property. Nothing has been done. Black history is often erased, most recently by the current Presidential administration, but oftentimes on a smaller, quieter scale. The mural was originally painted by muralist Tommy Bronx, who had been in contact with the business owners about repainting it. As of July 6, Tommy Bronx had responded to a direct message via his Instagram account from The Atlanta Voice about any updates on his plans to repaint the mural.

“We’re currently working on it. You should see some movement in the weeks to come,” he wrote in a response.

On Monday, July 6, the business had several patrons inside and was running smoothly with three employees manning the counter. The Atlanta Voice dropped by Bellwood Coffee to get a look at the exterior wall where the mural once stood as a memorial to a journalist and mother who lost her life to brain cancer at the young age of 54. Moore’s image added some color to the block. The grey wall in its place does not.

A direct message was sent to the Bellwood Coffee Instagram account, and there hasn’t been a response as of 7 p.m. on Monday.

The post Jovita Moore Mural Still Has Not Been Repainted in Grant Park appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

Based on reporting by Atlanta Voice.

The post Jovita Moore Mural Still Has Not Been Repainted in Grant Park appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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‘Proud to Hang Her from a Tree’: Man Arrested for Threatening Black Senator

ATLANTA DAILY WORLD — A New York man faces felony hate crime charges for allegedly posting a threat against New York State Senator Lea Webb. James A. Crosby, 49, of Binghamton, was arrested by New York State Police after investigators determined he posted a threatening comment on a social media news post about a Juneteenth celebration.
The post ‘Proud to Hang Her from a Tree’: Man Arrested for Threatening Black Senator appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

July 8, 2026

Oakland Post

A New York man is facing felony hate crime charges after allegedly posting that he’d be “proud to hang” New York State Senator Lea Webb from a tree in response to a news story about a Juneteenth celebration.

James A. Crosby, 49, of Binghamton, was arrested June 23 by New York State Police after investigators determined he posted a threatening comment on a WBNG 12 News Facebook post. “I’d be proud to hang her from a tree,” Crosby wrote, according to WBNG.

Crosby was charged with making a terroristic threat as a hate crime, a class C felony, per the New York State Police. He is currently being held at Broome County Jail.

During the subsequent investigation, state police found Crosby was in illegal possession of firearms despite being prohibited from owning them due to a prior felony conviction. Investigators recovered a rifle, a large-capacity ammunition feeding device, and a firearm suppressor — all prohibited under New York state law, per the NYSP.

Crosby was charged with four additional counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, all class D felonies.

Webb, who represents New York’s 52nd Senate District, had been a featured speaker at a Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony at Binghamton City Hall, where the celebration included prayers and the singing of the Black national anthem.

Police said Crosby’s comment was posted in response to a WBNG news story covering the event.

The day before his arrest, Crosby posted a Facebook apology claiming the comment “was not intended to be racial in any way” and was made in reference to what he described as a “criminal,” citing criticism of Webb over her use of nonprofit legal aid in a foreclosure case — a matter state watchdogs said created an appearance of a conflict of interest, per the Ithaca Voice. He was arrested the following day.

Webb issued a public statement June 25 condemning the threat.

“It was extremely disappointing and hurtful to see the now-deleted threat and attacks on my life in response to a story about Juneteenth, a national holiday that recognizes the ending of slavery in America,” she said. “Feedback and thoughts on policy are one thing, but to make a public call for lethal violence is absolutely unacceptable and dangerous. We must recognize our shared humanity and reject violence in all forms.”

She thanked Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and law enforcement for their “swift response.”

Following Crosby’s comments, social media users called for a boycott of his contracting business, Crosby Home Improvements.

The Binghamton City Democratic Committee also called for an investigation into the incident before his arrest.

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The post ‘Proud to hang her from a tree’: Man arrested for threatening Black Senator appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

Based on reporting by Atlanta Daily World.

The post ‘Proud to Hang Her from a Tree’: Man Arrested for Threatening Black Senator appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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CARICOM: Strengthen Integration for Future Generations

NEW YORK CARIB NEWS — Outgoing CARICOM Chairman Terrance Drew called on regional leaders to build a stronger and more effective Caribbean Community that benefits future generations. Speaking at the 51st Regular Meeting, Drew urged modernization of governance structures and improved implementation of Community decisions to make CARICOM safer and more prosperous.
The post CARICOM: Strengthen Integration for Future Generations appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

July 8, 2026

Oakland Post

Speaking Sunday at the opening of the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in Saint Lucia, Dr. Terrance Drew said the region must modernize its governance structures, improve the implementation of Community decisions, and ensure CARICOM becomes safer, more prosperous, and more relevant to the lives of its citizens.

The meeting, being held under the theme “CARICOM: From Resilience to Renewal in a Changing World,” coincides with the Community’s 53rd anniversary. During the ceremony, Dr. Drew formally handed over the rotating CARICOM chairmanship to Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre.

Reflecting on his six-month tenure as chairman, Drew praised fellow regional leaders for maintaining their commitment to democracy, good governance, unity, and the rule of law despite mounting global economic and geopolitical challenges.

“Throughout these challenges, CARICOM chose engagement over isolation. Together, we reaffirmed our commitment to a fair and rules-based international trading system and ensured that the interests of small developing states continued to be heard.”
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He highlighted progress made in strengthening the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, including deeper trade cooperation, expanded labour mobility, and efforts to lay the foundation for long-term economic growth. Drew also noted the Community’s growing partnerships beyond the Caribbean, particularly with the African Union, while stressing that every international partnership should advance the interests of all parties involved.

The outgoing chairman also expressed appreciation to Dr. Carla Barnett and the CARICOM Secretariat for their professionalism and unwavering support during his tenure.

“Whenever I called, you answered. Whenever support was required, you and your team responded with diligence, competence, and excellence.”

Dr. Drew urged the Secretariat to continue preserving its impartiality while faithfully implementing decisions made by Heads of Government, saying that balance has helped strengthen the regional integration movement.

The conference continues in Saint Lucia with regional leaders expected to deliberate on key issues including regional security, climate resilience, trade, economic integration, food security, Haiti, reparations, and strengthening the CSME.

Based on reporting by New York Carib News.

The post CARICOM: Strengthen Integration for Future Generations appeared first on BlackPressUSA.