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Black Press Celebrates Ties to Black Church in Annual Sunday Service

THE AFRO — The Black Press has sustained itself, keeping the mission alive even when faced with a variety of weapons formed against it. Early Black media professionals faced intimidation, sabotage and even death for the words and images they printed. The AFRO, for example, was founded August 13,1892 just months after The Free Speech and Headlight, a publication co-owned by teacher and activist Ida B. Wells, was burned to the ground on May 27, 1892.

Published

1 week ago

April 8, 2026

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By Alexis Taylor, AFRO Managing Editor

Emerging on March 16, 1827, with the debut of “Freedom’s Journal,” the Black Press was started by the intellect, hard work, and courage of John Russworm and Rev. Samuel Cornish.

Though Russworm was born in Jamaica in 1799 and Cornish was a free man born to free parents in Delaware in 1795, the two began their endeavor with one top goal in mind.

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“We wish to plead our own cause,” they proclaimed together, in the first edition of the publication. “Too long have others spoken for us. Too long has the public been deceived by misrepresentations, in things which concern us dearly…”

Shown here is a copy of the first Black newspaper, “Freedom’s Journal.” The four-column offering, created in New York City by John Russwurm and Samuel Cornish, was first published on March 16, 1827. Credit: Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

The Black Press has sustained itself, keeping the mission alive even when faced with a variety of weapons formed against it. Early Black media professionals faced intimidation, sabotage, and even death for the words and images they printed. The AFRO, for example, was founded on August 13, 1892, just months after The Free Speech and Headlight, a publication co-owned by teacher and activist Ida B. Wells, was burned to the ground on May 27, 1892.

In the 1940’s, dozens of Black papers, including The Baltimore AFRO, were surveilled by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, who desperately wanted to charge members of the Black Press with sedition or anything he could for informing and organizing Black people to make change.

Now, 199 years later, journalists, editors, publishers, photographers, and media professionals at large fight daily on behalf of Black communities for justice and equality, record Black history, entertain the masses, and moderate policy and social discussions focused on change. Today’s Black newspapers are working to keep up with consumer trends and integrate technology as it evolves. Though many things have changed for the Black Press, some– like government-sanctioned divestment–have remained the same.

Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, AFRO News Publisher and CEO, shares a moment on Black Press Sunday with Dorothy Gilliam, the first Black reporter at The Washington Post. Credit: AFRO Photo / Alexis Taylor.

“The issues of today really have not changed. They’ve changed in how we report, but we are still dealing with inequities. We’re still dealing with racism. We’re still dealing with a higher proportion of certain diseases impacting our community,” said Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, AFRO News Publisher and CEO. “We’re still dealing not only with the miseducation of the Negro– but the undereducation, as people seek to pull out books and other things from schools.”

“Those things are important, and it’s important to advocate,” said Draper. “The economic issues are still there. The inequities are everywhere.”

In 2026, Draper said members of the Black Press are tasked with covering local, national, and international news with a Black angle that matters to the Black community.

“Black consumers have some unique interests and unique challenges that you don’t expect the mainstream press to cover–they can’t–that’s why it’s important to have Black-owned press,” said Draper.

Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes said those who take up the fight for the Black Press today can draw strength from those who overcame the challenges of the past.

“They’ve basically laid a road map for us. We just have to stay strong, committed, and dedicated to make sure that we are passing the baton along to others who understand and appreciate the value that we give to our community,” said Barnes. “As long as we don’t forget the mission and we keep reflecting on our ancestors and the work that they did, I think going forward is not as heavy a burden as we feel that it might be today.”

The two publishers came together almost 199 years to the day of the Black Press’ founding for Black Press Sunday, which preceded the Black Press Week celebration held from March 16 to March 20. The service was held in Washington, D.C., on March 15 at Metropolitan AME Church. Each year, the occasion represents the strong tie between the Black Church and the publications that worked hand in hand with faith institutions to inform and uplift the Black community.

Members of the Black Press come together for Black Press Sunday in Washington, D.C. Credit: Courtesy photo.

“There is a symbiotic relationship between the Black Press and the Black Church because everything the Black Church has done–for good or for ill– the Black Press has reported,” said Rev. William H. Lamar IV, Metropolitan AME pastor. “They have shared where we have been at our best, fighting for justice, equity, inclusion, beauty, and they have shared what we’ve been at our worst.  And all of it has to be recorded.”

“The Black Press also helped to move us ahead politically when the radical Black folks were saying, ‘Y’all need to do what’s right, or we’re going to burn this down,’ and the more moderate people were saying, ‘We will play within the confines of the system.’ The Black Press held us together ideologically, politically, and socially. There is no healthy Black Church without a healthy Black Press, because both are called to the vocation of truth-telling.”

This year, the sermon focused on how Biblical Prophet Elijah prepared his successor, Elisha, to step into his shoes. Lamar encouraged Black media professionals to train up the next generation so well that they can proudly step up and carry on the Black Press no matter what comes their way.

Philip Lewis, president of the Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ), said he was heartened by the message.

“I know we’re on the right path by making sure that students are doing what they need to do to become the next journalists. I’m excited about it,” said Philip Lewis, president of the Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ). ”WABJ is in a unique position, especially in the nation’s capital, to advocate and support our journalists and continue to grow.”

“The Black Press is just as important today as it was 199 years ago,” he continued. “And even in the most extremely fractured time…I think it’s important that we have our own spaces where we can focus on stories that we care about. It’s important for us to be able to plead our own cause.”

As the Black Press Sunday festivities came to a close, Draper reflected on what her own ancestors would say if they could see the Black Press at 199 years.

“I think our ancestors, first of all, would say, ‘Wow, 199 years. That’s a long time.’ We celebrate the 1827 founding of Freedom’s Journal, and while it didn’t last but a few years or so, the impact was immeasurable,” she said. “I think the ancestors would say, ‘Look what has survived with a few resources.’

“If they could do it with a few resources, I think they would tell us, ‘Don’t complain about what you don’t have–use what you do. You might not be able to tell every story, but whatever story you tell, tell it well, make sure that it has an impact and that you’re doing something to really uplift and inform the community.’”

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IN MEMORIAM: Rest in Power — Minnesota Loses a True Warrior in Yusef Mgeni

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — Yusef Mgeni, a brilliant historian, community organizer, former St. Paul educator and fierce advocate for Black people, died on April 7, 2026, leaving behind a legacy that will echo through generations of Black Minnesota history and community building.

Published

48 minutes ago

April 15, 2026

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By MSR News Online

Minnesota and the world lost a powerful voice and a true warrior on April 7, 2026. Yusef Mgeni is gone, but his legacy will echo for generations.

Yusef was a brilliant historian, a community organizer, a former St. Paul educator, and a fierce advocate for Black people. He carried with him an extraordinary archive of speeches, books, articles, and photographs documenting the work of countless Black scholars and leaders. His knowledge was not just deep. It was generational. Talk to him about any subject concerning Black history, and he would give you a dissertation.

His roots in this community ran deeper than most people knew. Yusef was the grandnephew of Fredrick McGhee, the pioneering 20th-century civil rights activist and attorney who made his mark in St. Paul at the turn of the century. That lineage was not lost on Yusef. He carried it forward with pride and purpose, spending decades making sure the stories of Black Minnesotans were told, preserved, and passed on.

As a journalist, Yusef called NAACP leaders and community figures to identify the issues that mattered most to Black people and wrote about them in local newspapers. He was a contributor to the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, a platform he understood and respected deeply. As a former St. Paul NAACP vice president, he remained active and engaged well into his retirement, answering emails and voicemails for residents who were at their wits’ end, helping them navigate evictions, legal challenges, and systemic barriers.

“Generally, they contact us when they are at their wits’ end,” he once said. “They are going to get evicted; their car is getting repossessed. We assist in navigating the system.”

His work was always about access. Under his leadership and alongside other NAACP leaders, the St. Paul chapter helped establish a landmark covenant between the police and the St. Paul community in 2001, a model that contributed to dramatically lower excessive-force costs than in Minneapolis in the decade that followed.

Yusef was also a passionate champion of ethnic studies in Minnesota’s schools, understanding that education rooted in Black and Brown history was not a supplement to American history but central to it.

“Ethnic studies is also American history,” he said. “The fact that the legislature and the MDE have both endorsed ethnic studies requirements in schools is a real plus for giving people the opportunity to explore and learn more about American history, and more importantly, to see themselves reflected in that learning.”

In the 1970s and ’80s, Yusef worked alongside Mrs. Clarissa Walker at the Sabathani Community Center, where they poured their energy into uplifting and empowering the community. Their work helped shape the cultural and political landscape of South Minneapolis during a critical era. They were part of a generation that built institutions, nurtured young people, and fought for justice with unwavering commitment.

Yusef also played a key role in the early development of KMOJ Radio, helping to establish a platform that amplified Black voices long before it was common or convenient. His activism extended through education, the St. Paul NAACP, the Million Man March, and the Urban Coalition, always rooted in a deep and abiding love for his people.

He was also an interviewee in the Rondo neighborhood oral history project preserved by the Minnesota Historical Society, ensuring that the voices and stories of that community would never be lost.

Not long ago, a colleague was blessed to sit with Yusef at his home, where he reflected on his life and his legacy. He talked about his work in education, his activism, and his years of service to the community. But what stood out just as much was how he spoke about his family and his people, with warmth, with pride, and with purpose.

Today, we honor him not only for what he accomplished but for the spirit with which he did it.

A scholar. A builder. A warrior. A keeper of our stories.

Thank you, Yusef, for everything you gave and everything you sacrificed on behalf of Black people. Your legacy stands tall, and our community is better because of you.

Rest in Power, Yusef Mgeni.

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Revolve Fund to Provide $20,000 to Support Food Access Efforts in Alabama Black Belt

THE AFRO — “Revolve Fund complements its core mission of improving capital access for entrepreneurs by partnering with leading organizations that are addressing critical community needs,” said James Wahls, founder and managing director of Revolve Fund. “Like BBCF, Revolve understands at the most fundamental level, everyone should have access to healthy food.”

Published

1 hour ago

April 15, 2026

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By Revolve Fund | The AFRO

SELMA – As over 40 million Americans grappled with the reality of not being able to feed themselves or their families due to SNAP delays, Revolve Fund is seeking to help. Revolve Fund has announced a $20,000 community grant to the Black Belt Community Foundation as part of the duo’s continued partnership. The grant will increase the foundation’s capacity to execute programs and fundraise to support food access efforts in the Alabama Black Belt region.

“Revolve Fund complements its core mission of improving capital access for entrepreneurs by partnering with leading organizations that are addressing critical community needs,” said James Wahls, founder and managing director of Revolve Fund. “Like BBCF, Revolve understands at the most fundamental level, everyone should have access to healthy food.”

“BBCF is deeply grateful for the Revolve Fund’s grant to underwrite direct food support in the Black Belt during the current disruption of SNAP benefits, continuing high food costs and unprecedented strain on our local food banks,” said Christopher Spencer, president and CEO, Black Belt Community Foundation. “As BBCF mobilizes resources and community partners during this time, Revolve is one of the first philanthropic organizations to step forward to support our Food for Families in the Black Belt Campaign. We look ahead to our productive, continued partnership with them to positively impact and transform the Black Belt region of Alabama.”

“While our communities need and deserve so much more, we hope our contribution will support the foundation’s ability to work with other philanthropic partners, individual donors, charities, and public partners,” Wahls added.

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Mamdani Plans City Grocery Store in East Harlem

NEW YORK CARIB NEWS — The store will be located at La Marqueta, a historic marketplace beneath the elevated Park Avenue tracks. The project is expected to cost approximately $30 million and is slated to open next year, utilizing currently vacant space within the city-owned facility. Operating rent-free, officials say the model is intended to lower overhead and pass savings on to consumers.

Published

2 hours ago

April 15, 2026

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New York Carib News

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced plans to establish the city’s first municipally owned grocery store in East Harlem, a flagship initiative aimed at addressing rising food costs and improving access to affordable essentials.

The store will be located at La Marqueta, a historic marketplace beneath the elevated Park Avenue tracks. The project is expected to cost approximately $30 million and is slated to open next year, utilizing currently vacant space within the city-owned facility. Operating rent-free, officials say the model is intended to lower overhead and pass savings on to consumers.

Mamdani unveiled the plan during an event marking his first 100 days in office, reaffirming a campaign pledge to build a network of five city-owned grocery stores, one in each borough, by the end of his first term in 2029.

“During our campaign, we promised New Yorkers that we would create a network of five city-owned grocery stores,” Mamdani said. “Today, we make good on that promise.”

The mayor positioned the initiative as a direct response to surging grocery prices, noting that food costs in New York City rose by nearly 66% between 2013 and 2023, significantly outpacing the national average. He argued that the city-run stores would provide fair pricing, improve worker conditions, and ease the financial burden on low-income households.

“We’re going to make it easier for New Yorkers to put food on the table,” Mamdani said, adding that staples such as eggs and bread would be more affordable.

However, the proposal is already drawing scrutiny. The estimated cost of the East Harlem store would consume nearly half of the $70 million budget initially outlined for the entire five-store program. Despite this, Mamdani remains confident that the initiative will deliver long-term benefits and help reshape access to affordable groceries across the city.

The announcement also drew political attention, with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders making a surprise appearance at the event in support of the mayor’s broader economic agenda.