by Kandiss Edwards

February 12, 2026

5 Black South Carolina Teens Make Local Boy Scout History

The teen scouts, based in Orangeburg, were recently recognized after earning the rank of Eagle Scout.

A group of South Carolina teenagers has made history as the largest class of Black Eagle Scouts in the state.

The teen scouts from Orangeburg were recently recognized after earning the rank of Eagle Scout. The designation is the highest achievement in Scouts BSA. The milestone represents the largest group of African American Eagle Scouts inducted together in South Carolina. The five members of Scouting America Troops 500 and 190 rose in ranks at the Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony at Trinity United Methodist Church.

To achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, candidates must complete required merit badges, serve in leadership roles, and complete a community service project that benefits others. Willie Townes, Derwin Brailey, Khamary Cleckley, Sean Nimmons, and Melvin Hart fulfilled those requirements, earning 21 merit badges, News19 reported.

Family, friends, and community members gathered to celebrate the hard work, dedication, and historical achievement. The accomplishment reflects years of dedication by the teen scouts. Townes says the accomplishment is “surreal” as the pandemic proved a significant “roadblock” to completion.

The recognition ceremony highlighted the scouts’ dedication to completing the rigorous process required to earn the rank of Eagle Scout. Each candidate was required to demonstrate leadership within their troop and carry out a service project benefiting the community. Cleckley would like to continue working with the program to support younger scouts.

“I plan to come back and help with the young people, and we have other Eagle Scouts, so I was to come back and help the younger generation,” he told News19.

Ascending to the top ranks of the scouts denotes a sustained effort on behalf of the teens, their immediate support systems, and mentorship. As less than 10% of Eagle Scouts are Black, the accomplishment is significant. Hart acknowledged his accomplishment and the weight it carries.

“This means a whole lot to me. Not a lot of individuals get to achieve this rank,” Hart said. “It’s a very small percent, and being amongst the few, especially being young Black men, it holds a lot.”

The teens’ new rank represents a significant moment for Orangeburg and for scouting in South Carolina, setting a new benchmark within the state for African American participation at the highest level of Scouts BSA.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 12, 2026

Angel Reese Joins Undefeated’s Rose BC For Final Playoff Push

Reese was named the 3-on-3 league's Defensive Player of the Year in 2025.

After winning a championship with Rose BC in Unrivaled’s inaugural season, Angel Reese has recovered from an injury and will return to the full court 3-on-3 league.

According to CBS News, the center will play the rest of the current season with Rose BC, starting Feb. 20 against Hive BC. Reese was not expected to play this season, but the surprise announcement brings a boost to the team and the league, now in its second season.

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Rose BC is currently 5-6 and sits in fifth place, with three games remaining in the season. They are positioned to make the playoffs, which takes the top six teams in the eight-team league.

Although Rose BC took the top prize last season, without Reese, they’ve been an average team. After Rose BC traded Azurá Stevens to Hive BC, the move created a roster spot, which is being used to bring back the current Chicago Sky star.

Last season, Reese was named the Unrivaled Defensive Player of the Year, averaging 13.3 points, a league-leading 12.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists, shooting 46.9%. The team ended the regular season 8-6, good enough for the league’s second-best record.

Even though a hand injury ket Reese out of the playoffs,the team defeated Lace BC and Vinyl BC to win the league’s inaugural championship.

This season’s playoffs are slated to start Feb. 28. Rose BC’s schedule is:

Feb. 20 vs. Hive BC, 8:45 p.m. ET—TNT/truTV/HBO Max
Feb. 22 vs. Laces BC, 8:45 p.m. ET—TNT/truTV/HBO Max
Feb. 27 vs. Phantom BC, 1 p.m. ET— truTV/HBO Max

Reese ended the WNBA season last year with a back injury and was suspended by the Sky for public comments that were detrimental to the team. She also had to sit out a game after earning too many technical fouls during the 2025 season.

by Kandiss Edwards

February 12, 2026

Georgia’s First Secondary School For Black People Preserves The Past And Embraces The Future

Booker T. Washington High School, established in 1924, was the first public high school created for African American students in Georgia.

A century-old Atlanta high school that once educated Black students during segregation is now serving as an active campus and as a preserved historical space.

Booker T. Washington High School, established in 1924, was the first public high school created for African American students in Georgia. The campus continues to operate within the Atlanta Public Schools system while maintaining exhibits and archival materials that document its role in the state’s Black community and educational history.

Displays inside the building include decades of photographs, memorabilia, and historical documents tracing the school’s impact on generations of students. A replica of the Lifting the Veil of Ignorance statue stands prominently on campus, symbolizing access to knowledge and opportunity. The monument serves as a visual reminder of the school’s founding mission during a period when educational access for Black people was restricted by law.

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“If we don’t tell our story, who’s going to tell it?” school historian Marcia Wynn told CBS Atlanta. She said the preservation effort ensures that current students understand both the obstacles faced by earlier generations and the progress that followed. Principal Tiauna Crooms said students participate in a tradition before football games in which they gather near the statue to reflect on the school’s heritage.

The school building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, confirming its historical and architectural significance in Atlanta’s Black educational history.

As Black history is being removed from national parks by presidential order, the campus represents more than a physical structure. It reflects an effort across the South to maintain sites connected to African American advancement and perseverance during segregation. Through tours, exhibits, and community engagement, the school now functions as a historical resource.

Remembering D’Angelo’s Greatest Hits On What Would Be His 52nd Birthday

by Ahsan Washington

February 11, 2026

Remembering D’Angelo’s Greatest Hits On What Would Be His 52nd Birthday

Soul singer Michael Eugene Archer, better known as D’Angelo, died Oct. 14, 2026

Soul singer Michael Eugene Archer, better known as D’Angelo, died Oct. 14, 2026 from pancreatic cancer. Due to his extremely private lifestyle, the event sent shockwaves throughout the music industry and his fanbase. D’Angelo’s impact and influence has always- and continues to remain strong -in modern R&B, hip-hop and soul music four months after D’Angelo’s death. The Richmond, Virginia native carved out a reimagined sound that many referred to as neo-soul, instead of following a blueprint. His musical catalog continues to be essential listening due to its combination of soulful instrumentation, gospel-laced vocal delivery and hip-hop rhythmic patterns. D’Angelo’s legacy as a composer, singer and songwriter, who transformed Black musical culture, is cemented in history. On his birthday, Feb. 11, he is remembered for his incredible gifts and hits.

“Brown Sugar” (1995)

“Brown Sugar” was the first single and title track of D’Angelo’s debut album that achieved platinum status. D’Angelo, combined jazz chords with funk basslines and hip-hop rhythms to create this hit that transformed the musical landscape at the time. The track reached the sixth position on Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart, establishing D’Angelo as a leading figure in the contemporary Black musical revival.

“Lady” (1996)

The romantic slow jam “Lady,” produced by D’Angelo and Raphael Saadiq, reached number one on the Hot R&B Singles chart, during the height of 1990s R&B commercial success. The track marked D’Angelo’s achievement of reaching number one on R&B charts and became the top hit on Billboard’s Hot R&B Singles chart. The track displayed D’Angelo’s multi-dimensional falsetto alongside Prince-influenced musical arrangements while Saadiq’s collaboration enhanced D’Angelo’s ability to cross over audiences without losing his soulful authenticity.

“Untitled (How Does It Feel)” (2000)

The Soulquarians collective members D’Angelo and Questlove worked together to release their Grammy-winning single from the album Voodoo in 2000. The song emerged at the start of the new millennium to create a notable moment in R&B music. The minimalistic music video for “How Does It Feel” attracted massive attention to become one of the most talked-about visuals in musical history. D’Angelo showed his musical talent through his ability to combine deep emotional expression with technical musical skill which earned him the Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards.

“Devil’s Pie” (1999/2000)

The song “Devil’s Pie” emerged in either 1999 or 2000 as a social commentary on greed and corruption. The song “Devil’s Pie” was created by DJ Premier during the Voodoo album release period when late-1990s hip-hop faced increasing criticism for its excessive culture. It also featured in the Hype Williams film Belly. Through its boom-bap production and sharp commentary “Devil’s Pie” showed D’Angelo could create music beyond romantic ballads, expanding his artistic expression to include political and economic analysis.

“Really Love” (2014)

D’Angelo released the lead single “Really Love” from his 2014 album Black Messiah with The Vanguard to mark his musical comeback after 14 years. The song premiered during national discussions about race and justice. D’Angelo demonstrated artistic growth through his signature analog warmth and harmonic complexity. The album reached number one on the Billboard 200 and earned a Grammy for Best R&B Album.

“Cruisin’” (1995)

Motown released a modern cover of D’Angelo’s 1979 soul classic “Cruisin’” in 1995, which appeared on his debut album Brown Sugar. Through this Smokey Robinson cover, D’Angelo connected two generations of Black music by bringing Motown’s songwriting legacy to younger listeners and establishing himself as a protector of classic soul music. The song naturally aligned with the album’s deep soul musical heritage.

“Left & Right” (2000)

The song “Left & Right” (2000) combines hip-hop with neo-soul elements through D’Angelo’s collaboration with Method Man and Redman. The year 2000 marked an increase in R&B and rap artist collaborations which included this release. Through this raw partnership, D’Angelo demonstrated his deep understanding of hip-hop culture which expanded his fan base while demonstrating the natural connection between these musical styles.

“Be Here” (2000)

During the Soulquarians period, D’Angelo and Raphael Saadiq produced their soulful duet, “Be Here.” The song represents D’Angelo’s Voodoo style through its perfect combination of live bass with gospel elements and introspective lyrics about being present and finding purpose. The track reveals D’Angelo’s dedication to authentic musical expression and his’round-the-way vibes.

The musical work of D’Angelo continues to be essential despite his death four months ago. D’Angelo’s musical collection depended on purposeful creation instead of extensive production. Through three studio albums and select collaborations, he reshaped R&B expectations while maintaining musical integrity in a digital age and perfectly connected religious musical elements with secular ones. The best way to honor D’Angelo on his birthday is to understand that his greatest hits served as musical plans which shaped the future direction of Black music.

by Sharelle B. McNair

February 11, 2026

‘Ghost Students’ Scam Deserving Students Out Of Millions In Financial Aid By Fraudulently Applying

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Inspector General has more than 200 investigations open across the country as some schemes are suspected of stealing over a billion dollars.

College students, there’s a new group of scammers called “ghost students” who are creating fake identities or stealing others to enroll in colleges and universities and taking off with millions in financial aid assistance, ABC News reports.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, scammers took advantage of remote learning settings within higher learning and leveraged A.I. to increase their tactics in identity theft, targeting financial aid and Pell grants. Artificial intelligence allowed them to expand their reach and circumvent identity verification controls. Almost overnight, the scam grew.

“Ghost students” got the name as once they receive the funds, the scammers disappear, robbing deserving students of the opportunity for an education and stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from the federal government.

Jason Williams, the assistant inspector general for investigations for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General, called it “a huge issue” but nothing new. “As they’re stealing identities … these loans are not being repaid. They’re being assigned to people [who] don’t even know they have a debt with the U.S. Department of Education … [until] the Internal Revenue Service says you owe the Department of Education money,” Williams said, pushing that fraudsters have made attempts to steal student financial aid for decades.

“But when the pandemic [hit], everybody went to online learning. Well, by doing that, it really did open the door.”

His office has more than 200 investigations open across the country, as some schemes are suspected of stealing over a billion dollars.

According to AL.com, community colleges in California, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, and New Jersey are key targets. One high school student was excited to continue his education and applied for student loans, but was labeled as ineligible. Shortly after, the student realized his identity was stolen and used to apply for several schools.

While the “ghost” scammers from overseas can be challenging to detect, a majority come from within the U.S. A father and son scammer duo from Arizona took more than $7 million, but after authorities caught up with them in 2018 and 2019, both pleaded guilty and served 12 months. Another man from Maryland stole the identities of 60 people, stealing over $6.7 million in financial aid, resulting in him serving four years in prison.

However, the federal government is working with certain software to protect students and stop the scammers.

Former NFL linebacker Maurice Simpkins owns one of software companies. Student Application Fraudulent Examination, also known as S.A.F.E. works as a firewall or “an offensive line” for the schools, catching roughly 95% of fake applications. Arapahoe Community College in Colorado and 100 more schools work with S.A.F.E. as clients.

To date, Simpkins says one of the worst instances came when a school identified that almost one-third of the enrolled students were frauds.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 11, 2026

Trump Administration Removes Pride Flag From Historic Stonewall National Monument

The flag was removed on the weekend of February 7.

The Trump administration has taken another step in its broader push against diversity and inclusion efforts, moving to remove a large Pride flag from the historic Stonewall National Monument in New York City.

On Feb. 10, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal announced on Instagram that the Pride flag had been removed over the Feb. 7 weekend, following a Jan. 21 Interior Department memo limiting which flags can be displayed at National Park Service sites. The guidance allows only U.S., agency, and POW/MIA flags, with limited historical exemptions, The Guardian reports.

“They cannot erase our history. Our Pride flag will be raised again. Stay tuned,” Hoylman-Sigal wrote online.

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The monument, designated by then-President Barack Obama in 2016, honors the June 1969 uprising that erupted after a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a well-known gay bar in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. The six days of protests helped ignite the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, making the site a lasting symbol of Pride. But as the Trump administration moves to roll back diversity initiatives and reshape historical displays in national parks, the iconic Pride flag was removed.

The memo stated that Interior Department flagpoles “are not intended to serve as a forum for public free expression,” adding that any approved non-agency flags may be displayed only to reflect the federal government’s official positions.

The removal of the Stonewall Pride flag comes a year after the National Park Service stripped references to transgender and queer people from its Stonewall monument webpage, which covers the area surrounding the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village. Local leaders criticized the move, with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani saying he was “outraged” by the decision.

“New York is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, and no act of erasure will ever change, or silence, that history,” Mamdani tweeted.

I am outraged by the removal of the Rainbow Pride Flag from Stonewall National Monument. New York is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, and no act of erasure will ever change, or silence, that history.

Our city has a duty not just to honor this legacy, but to…
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) February 10, 2026

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and the co-chairs of the council’s LGBTQ+ caucus condemned the Pride flag’s removal in a letter to the Trump administration, urging the National Park Service to restore it.

Added Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Minority Leader, in a statement, “If there’s one thing I know about this latest attempt to rewrite history, stoke division and discrimination, and erase our community pride, it’s this: that flag will return. New Yorkers will see to it.”

living wage, basic needs, struggle, families

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 11, 2026

Evanston, Illinois, Will Give $25K To 44 Black Residents Through Reparations Program

The payments are meant to cover housing costs.

The Reparations Committee in Evanston, Illinois, will begin issuing $25,000 payments to 44 Black residents as part of its ongoing reparations initiative.

The payments are meant to help cover housing costs, Evanston official Cynthia Vargas said, and residents will be notified in the coming weeks as the funds are distributed, Fox News reports.

According to a city memo, the funding comes from $276,588 generated through Evanston’s real estate transfer tax, while officials have also discussed potentially taxing Delta-8 THC products to help sustain the program long term.

“It’s really important for people to understand we pay as we have the money, and it’s not that we’re withholding from paying everyone,” said Ald. Krissie Harris. “It’s just we have to accumulate the funds to make sure we can pay.”

The payments are part of Evanston’s groundbreaking reparations initiative launched in 2019 and approved by the City Council in 2021, which provides $25,000 payments to eligible Black residents and descendants of those who lived in the city between 1919 and 1969. As of Jan. 31, the fund had received no philanthropic donations this year and is largely supported by cannabis sales taxes and real estate transfer tax revenue.

Calls for reparations are gaining momentum across the nation, with new proposals emerging in state legislatures and grassroots advocacy. Several municipalities have launched exploratory efforts, forming committees to study the legacy of slavery and potential compensation models, while cities like Asheville, Durham, St. Paul, and Providence are developing targeted investment and restitution programs.

In June 2025, Evanston’s Reparations Committee reported it had distributed $6.36 million to ancestors and direct descendants of Evanston’s Black community. City officials said they had met with 116 of 126 eligible direct descendants, who received a combined $2.89 million, while 135 qualifying ancestors impacted by discriminatory housing practices received about $3.47 million.

But Evanston’s reparations program has its fair share of conservative pushback.

Last year, Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit challenging the initiative’s use of race-based eligibility, arguing it violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

“To date, Evanston has awarded over $6,350,000 to 254 individuals based on their race. The city must be stopped before it spends even more money on this clearly discriminatory and unconstitutional reparations program,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said at the time.

Fannie Lou Hamer, sick and tired, breast cancer

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 11, 2026

Fannie Lou Hamer’s Presidential Medal Of Freedom Finds Home In Mississippi Museum

Hamer received the honor in 2025, nearly 50 years after her death.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom that was posthumously awarded to Fannie Lou Hamer is officially available for public viewing.

The award, granted to the late civil and women’s rights activist in January 2025, has found its new home at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, a part of the Two Mississippis Museum. Her family opted to gift the award to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, allowing visitors to view it in Hamer’s home state.

Hamer received the award for her work with voting rights, civil rights, and women’s rights.

“I am gratified that Aunt Fannie’s Presidential Medal of Freedom will be exhibited in the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum,” Hamer’s niece, Marilyn Mays, told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “Her courage and perseverance in the face of adversity are a shining example of patriotism and a reminder of our responsibility to safeguard our rights and freedoms for all and for future generations.”

Hamer, born in Montgomery County, Mississippi, in 1917, experienced the hardships of the Jim Crow South throughout her upbringing. Her involvement with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in the 1960s made her a champion of voting rights advocacy and an organizer for Mississippi’s Freedom Summer of 1964.

Her famed “I Question America” speech, delivered at the 1964 Democratic National Convention, helped secure the support needed for the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Throughout her lifetime, she used her voice to effect change and spark justice for marginalized groups, especially Black people and women. Her leadership also extended to co-founding the National Women’s Political Caucus, which aimed to help all women run for elected office.

Her legacy for gender and racial equity continues to resonate with Black Mississippians and the country at large. Now, her home state will carry her legacy forward for future visitors.

“I am so happy we were able to gift this award to the museum and to the people of Mississippi,” added Hamer’s other niece, Monica Land. “Aunt Fannie Lou loved Mississippi and, hopefully, this donation will spark or further interest in her life and all that she fought so hard to accomplish for all people—not just Black people.”

Hamer died of breast cancer in 1977. She was 59.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 11, 2026

Regulating The Legacy: Nate Dogg’s Son Calls Out Snoop Over Father’s Masters

'Supposedly, Snoop got the okay from my grandma to go to her house and get my pop's masters.'

Death Row Records’ owner, Snoop Dogg, has been accused of taking the master recordings of the late Nate Dogg; but Nate’s son, Nathaniel Hale Jr., said Snoop claims he does not have the masters.

According to The Source, Hale Jr., named after his father, recently appeared on a podcast to say that Nate Dogg’s former collaborator had purportedly gotten the masters without permission. He stated that there is a feud within his family and said that Snoop acquired the masters from his grandmother, who had the recordings after they were stored at her place by Nate’s brother, as the “Regulate” singer was having health issues before he died. The crooner died March 15, 2011, at the age of 41.

He explained that the issue came to a head at a recent show.

“There is something going on that’s a feud right now,” Hale said. “I’ll be the one to say it because it’s my family.”

“Supposedly, Snoop got the okay from my grandma to go to her house and get my pop’s masters. She pretty much showed him where the masters were, or however this occurred, and he left with the masters. When my Daddy got sick, my uncle placed the masters at my grandma’s house. He wasn’t aware that Snoop went to my grandma’s house and got the masters.”

He added that he and his uncle argued at that show and haven’t spoken since, as it has caused a rift between them. He said he spoke to Snoop about it, but Snoop denies his uncle’s account.

“What Snoop has always told me is, he don’t got it, and he would never do something like that,” he continued. “I at least want to know that he did get them and they are safe.”

Nate Dogg’s son claims Snoop Dogg took his father’s masters without the family’s approval. pic.twitter.com/FgrEbbEj7t
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) February 10, 2026

He also posted to his Instagram account about the situation, as he stated that he doesn’t want to diss Snoop since he remembers being young and when he still had dreams of making it to the NFL, Snoop would send cars to pick him up from his grandmother’s house so he could make it to practice.

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by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 11, 2026

State-Sponsored Murder: 75-Year-Old Man Scheduled to be Executed for Murder He Did Not Commit

Charles “Sonny” Burton is facing execution although he did not take part in his accomplice killing the victim

A 75-year-old man, Charles “Sonny” Burton, is facing execution by the state of Alabama, although the state has already admitted that he did not commit the crime he was accused of. Advocates are asking Gov. Kay Ivey to halt the planned execution scheduled for March.

According to ABC News, Burton has been on death row for more than 30 years for his role in a 1991 robbery at an auto parts store where a customer, Doug Battle, was killed during the crime. He and his accomplice, Derrick DeBruce, along with four other men, took part in the robbery, but it was DeBruce who shot and killed Battle.

Burton was outside the store when the killing occurred.

Both Burton and DeBruce were given death sentences, but DeBruce was later resentenced to life imprisonment; however, Burton is still on death row, despite not killing Battle. The shooting happened Aug. 16, 1991, at an AutoZone in Talladega.

The Alabama Supreme Court authorized the governor to set an execution date for Burton using nitrogen gas. Yet Battle’s daughter and several jurors from the trial are asking Gov. Ivey to grant Burton clemency, arguing that the case raises fundamental questions of fairness.

The man’s daughter, Tori, who was only nine at the time of his death, has asked Ivey to “consider extending grace to Mr. Burton and granting him clemency.”

Meanwhile, six of the eight living jurors are not opposed to commutation, according to the clemency petition. Three are saying that they never would have recommended a death sentence if DeBruce was getting a lesser sentence.

“It’s absolutely not fair. You don’t execute someone who did not pull the trigger,” one of the jurors, Priscilla Townsend, said in a telephone interview.

Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office is opposing the clemency request.

“Burton was convicted of capital murder in April 1992, and that the jury unanimously recommended the death penalty. That conviction and sentence have been upheld at every level,” a spokesperson said.

Burton’s attorney, Matt Schulz, said, “We hope and pray that Governor Ivey recognizes that this case slipped through the cracks. It would be wrong to execute a man who did not even see the shooting take place, after the state agreed to resentence the shooter to life without parole, and this is simply not the kind of case most people think of when they envision the death penalty being carried out.”

Burton’s accomplice, DeBruce, died in prison in 2020.