Kanye West’s Ex-Assistant Accuses Rapper Of Drugging And Sexual Assault While At A Diddy Party
According to Lauren Pisciotta, West admitted the sexual encounter after arguing with his unnamed ex-wife, assumed to be Kim Kardashian.
A former assistant of Kanye “Ye” West has accused the rapper of drugging and sexually assaulting her while at a party co-hosted by Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Lauren Pisciotta worked as a personal assistant to the rapper from 2021 to 2022 before previously filing a lawsuit with the Los Angeles Superior Court for wrongful termination and sexual harassment. In new a new filing obtained by the New York Post, Pisciotta claims that Ye drugged and sexually assaulted her at a party years before she began working for the “Carnival” rapper.
Pisciotta accused Ye of seeking out her and her former musician client by inviting them to a party that he and Combs were hosting at a music studio. According to the influencer and OnlyFans model, Ye demanded that everyone keep drinking or face removal from the event. However, as she began drinking from a cup, she allegedly became “highly impaired.”
Due to the suspected drugging, Pisciotta claims not to remember the rest of the evening. She further stated she felt “ashamed and embarrassed” by the incident. Her plus one, who has remained unidentified, deemed themselves “too traumatized and disturbed” to recall what happened.
She remained unaware of any sexual assault occurring to either of them until after her termination as West’s assistant. Before his admission to “hook[ing] up” with her, she initially believed someone else at the event drugged her.
According to Pisciotta, West owned up to the sexual encounter after arguing with his unnamed ex-wife, assumed to be Kim Kardashian. West was apparently upset about a text conversation with the mother of his four children, who allegedly wrote something negative about Pisciotta and had suspicions of West cheating with the former employee.
As Pisciotta tried to clear the rumors, West allegedly said “We did kind of hook up a little one time.” However, she told West that she did not recall the intimate moment occurring the night of the party. He reportedly responded ““Women love to say they don’t remember.”
The revelation comes after Pisciotta initially sued West for firing her without paying out her severance and also sending explicit sexual content. While Ye has not responded to the latest lawsuit, his representative called her first accusations “baseless.” As for Combs, who has his own sex crime charges filed against him, Pisciotta did not accuse him of any wrongdoing.
Broadway Dancer Zelig Williams, Known For Performances In ‘Hamilton’ and ‘MJ,’ Missing In South Carolina
Upon the news of his missing status, the Broadway community has banded together to spread awareness and bring Williams' home.
Zelig Williams, a Broadway dancer known for his performances in Hamilton and MJ: The Musical, remains missing after disappearing in his home state of South Carolina.
According to NBC New York, Williams was last seen on Oct. 3 in Columbia, South Carolina. After his family could not reach him, they informed law enforcement that next day. While the professional dancer was not in any shows at the moment, he returned to the southern state to teach an audition workshop at Palmetto Performing Arts.
“This bootcamp is perfect for aspiring performers looking to hone their skills and take their gifts and talents to the next level,” Williams described the two-day class on its Eventbrite. “Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to learn how to audition for a Broadway show and make lasting memories. From NYC to good ole SC! See you there!”
The workshop occurred on Sept. 27, with Williams going missing days later. His family told ABC News that his friend in New York City received a SOS cell phone alert form William’s phone indicating a car crash. The Richland County Sheriff’s Department later found Williams’ vehicle in a parking lot of Congaree National Park. Although he was last seen driving there, police detected no signs of the 28-year-old.
“Come home, Zelig,” the dancer’s mother, Kathy Williams, told the news outlet. “I love you. I want you home with me.”
Upon the news of his missing status, the Broadway community has banded together to spread awareness and bring Williams home. The Black and Missing Foundation also shared an image and information about Williams.
Notably, actor Hugh Jackman also took to his Instagram to help spread awareness.
“Please… if anyone has any information as to the whereabouts of ZELIG WILLIAMS please reach out to your local authorities,” Jackman wrote, as reported by the news outlet. “ZELIG we love you and are praying for your safe return PLEASE pass this message on!!!”
The widespread search for Williams remains urgent.
What Black Women Should Know On Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day
Black women are more likely to receive a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer than their white counterparts.
As Black women are more likely to receive a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer than their white counterparts, knowing the facts and symptoms of the illness remain hugely important.
Metastatic breast cancer, also known as stage IV or advanced breast cancer, occurs when cancer cells break away from their original location to form a new tumor in a different tissue or organ. Known as metastasis, the cells often spread outside the breast tissue to organs such as the bones, liver, lungs or brain.
According to Living Beyond Breast Cancer, doctors typically diagnose this form of cancer through imaging tests, blood tests, and biopsies.
Symptoms of the disease vary by location, but are often similar to other health issues. For those with bone metastasis, they can expect strong and unexplained aches and pains, as well as fractures. Lung metastasis will result in a shortness of breath and dry cough. On the other hand, metastasis in the liver can incur sudden weight loss while its impact on the brain can induce dizziness, nausea, and vision and memory problems.
According to the Black Women’s Health Imperative, Black women are not only more likely to receive a diagnosis of this form of breast cancer, but also have a more fatal outcome. Due to systemic issues in the healthcare system with preventive treatment and early detection, this demographic is more often informed of their breast cancer diagnosis when it has already reached the advanced stages.
While this form of cancer is not curable, those living with the disease can go into periods where testing shows no evidence of disease, a phrase often shortened to NED. Moreover, the cancer does not always grow, leading one to be in “stable disease” as well.
Treatment options also range beyond chemotherapy, including hormonal and targeted therapy to stunt the cancer’s growth. Moreover, palliative care provides more support to tackle symptoms and side effects of the disease.
Despite a metastatic diagnosis resulting in ongoing treatment, every person’s experience and lifestyle will be different. Ensuring one can live well despite the cancer is still possible, with a heightened focus on one’s diet and exercise also beneficial.
“The diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer is devastating and overwhelming,” explained Douglas Yee, MD, breast cancer oncologist at University of Minnesota, to the website. “The first question that frequently comes to the forefront is, ‘How long am I going to live?’ Most physicians can quote statistics (and statistics are searchable from ‘Dr. Google’), but those statistics are based on a population of women and men and do not necessarily predict how each patient will do as an individual. As each person is different, each tumor is also different. Therefore, the course of metastatic breast cancer, and its treatment, is also different.”
However, early detection remains crucial to lessening the disease’s impact. Organizations, such as Sisters Network Inc. and For The Breast of Us, also continue to spread awareness to Black women and other vulnerable demographics.
Black Men Speak Up For VP Harris At Atlanta’s Brothas And Brews Event, But Voters Elsewhere Remain Unsure
At the event, attendees underscored how vital the upcoming election is for Black men.
Vice President Kamala Harris has made it a point to engage Black men during this election cycle. As she told an National Association of Black Journalists interview panel in September, she believes that the vote of Black men must be earned, like any other constituency.
According to NPR, that includes various communities in North Carolina, forecast as a battleground state this election. It also includes Atlanta, long seen as a bastion for Black progress and a focal point of Black political power. Georgia is also a state that could turn blue this election cycle.
According to a press release, the event was moderated by Ryan Wilson, the CEO of The Gathering Spot, and featured a discussion with famed music producer and rapper Jermaine Dupri; producer, CEO, and activist Issac Hayes III; rapper, singer and activist Armani White; Atlanta Public School Board Member Shivy Brooks; and North Fulton County Democrats Chair Dontaye Carter.
“If you’re from Atlanta, If you live in this city and you’re a Black man, I don’t see how you’re voting for the other side,” Dupri told the crod. “Listen, I’m telling you. If you live in this city, you love the way this city moves, it’s no way possible you should be voting for the other side.”
Wilson, meanwhile, emphasized Harris’ stated commitments to Black-owned businesses, including “supporting minority-owned small businesses and has plans to increase generational wealth by expanding the startup tax deduction for small businesses from $5,000 to $50,000.”
Wilson continued, “Meanwhile, Donald Trump and his Project 2025 will raise taxes for Black and Brown people and give taxes to the wealthiest Americans.”
Carter impressed upon the crowd the importance of Black men voting in lock step alongside Black women in his comments.
“In 2020 Black men showed up, and we showed up again in 2022 for Georgia. We have to have that same belief in 2024, in 2025, in 2026,” Carter said. “Black men are the second-largest voting bloc in the Democratic Party behind only Black women. We have always understood the assignment. We can’t allow misinformation and false narratives to dictate how we feel about voting. If that was the mentality of Dr. King, Fred Gray, Thurgood Marshall, we would not be where we are today.”
In North Carolina, there are sentiments from Black voters that align with what former president Barack Obama called out during a campaign speech for Harris.
According to Cherita Evans, a Black woman who cuts hair at the Head Changerz shop in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, her circle of Black women friends are solidly pro-Harris, she is not as sure about the men.
“In my community, you have a lot of men, who, you know, won’t even be under a female leadership in church,” Evans told NPR.
Damian Johnson, a 51-year-old Black man who runs No Grease Barber School, located 25 minutes outside of Charlotte, said that some of Trump’s appeal with younger Black voters comes down to an entertainment factor.
Johnson, who is currently undecided on who he will vote for, also said that more broadly, the way American politics works, Black men have been largely ignored. He also noted that his two daughters are excited about their ability to vote for the first Black woman candidate in their lifetimes.
“The campaigns haven’t really spoken to the everyday Black man,” said Johnson, whose barbershop chains are located in states with large populations of Black people. “So, Black men are on the fence a little bit. I don’t know if there’s ever been a candidate who has actually spoken to the Black man.”
Johnson continued, “Listen, I got a Black wife, Black daughters. I’m Black, Black, Black. I love Black. I’m for Black, but for my vote, we want to talk about reparations. We want to talk about our economic situation here in this country. We could deal with crime, we could deal with education, we could deal with healthcare, if we got support. Not assistance, but investment. This is a capitalist country. It’s built on investment. It’s not built on healthcare. No, it’s built on capitalism. So, we want our needs to be addressed specifically for us as Black men. Black people, period.”
“Black men are not going to vote for Donald Trump in any significant numbers. There will be some. We’re not a monolith,” said Warnock, who also dismissed the notion that a large number of Black men will vote for him.
“I think that folks will recognize how much is really at stake in this moment, and that the choice really is not between voting and not voting,” he added. “Not to vote is a vote. It pushes Donald Trump that much closer to the White House and that’s something that we cannot afford to happen.”
Darius Cooks Criticizes Tabitha Brown For Partnering With Target
Chef Darius Cooks is accused of hating from outside the club after blasting Tabitha Brown's Target partnership.
Chef Darius “Cooks” Williams had a lot to say about Tabitha Brown’s permanent partnership with mega-retailer Target.
On Oct. 10, the outspoken culinary insider went live on Instagram to share his thoughts on Brown’s latest limited-edition collection with Target. The collection, released in July, offers an uplifting range of products across five categories—groceries, gift essentials, stationery, kitchenware, and home decor—with prices ranging from $2.99 to $70.
Although this is the latest in a series of collections Brown has launched with Target over the past two years, Williams criticized Brown for partnering with the retail giant instead of releasing the products through her own brand. He also believes the retailer is setting Brown up to fail by placing her items “on the bottom shelf.”
“Target buy eight palettes from you. If you don’t sale them palettes, guess what, you owe Target money,” Williams said in a clip reposted online. “That’s in the contract.”
He described the “two different concepts” Brown could pursue. First, was “Target using your name,” which Williams called Brown a “fool” for doing.
Williams said no matter how much Target offered Brown, her strong following could have enabled her to sell the products through her own platform.
“How many followers does Tabitha Brown have?” he said “Millions. She could convert 1 million of her followers into buying a $56 air fryer. That’s $56 million to your bottom line.”
He went on to call her a “fool” again, stating that he would “never” have entered into a partnership with Target if he had the same level of fame as Brown. The majority of the reactions to Williams’ tirade was negative.
“Saying “I woulda never” when you were “never” asked to is diabolical,” one user wrote.
“Chef Darius, if you ain’t having a good day don’t you dare go out there messing up nobody else’s,” added someone else.
There was one person who appeared to understand where Williams was coming from and offered to further reiterate his point.
“We may not like the person or the delivery but Darius made some valid points, we all love Tabitha, I think in a nutshell he’s saying she sold herself sort,” they explained.
“She could’ve made way more and done way better, especially for a company who didn’t even value her enough to put the products in a better place in the store and I disagree, they typically have her stuff off to the side, you wouldn’t know about it unless you were intentionally looking for it,” they added.
Brown seems pleased with her Target partnership, releasing multiple limited-edition collections since 2022. Her latest collection showcases vibrant, eye-catching patterns like tropical florals, polka dots, tropical fruit prints, and rainbow stripes across products such as notebooks, gift wraps, and picture frames.
Brown and Target introduced a variety of food and beverages, including snacks, dips, pre-made lunches, meal kits, and red and white wines priced at $7.99 per bottle. Staying true to her commitment to veganism, Brown ensured that all food and drink items in the new Target collection are entirely vegan.
Alabama’s Black Community Frustrated By Slow Progress On Sanitation Equity
Since settling a civil rights complaint over racially discriminatory sewage treatment in 2023, the state has made few changes.
Since settling a civil rights complaint regarding racially discriminatory sewage treatment with the U.S. Department of Justice in 2023, Alabama has made frustratingly slow progress in achieving equity in Lowndes County, a historically significant area at the heart of the lawsuit.
According to Inside Climate News, the lack of urgency from the state has inspired the non-profit sector to take initiative.
A non-profit, Black Belt Unincorporated Wastewater Projects, run by Sherry Bradley, a Black woman, is hoping to speed up the equity that the State of Alabama seems determined to slow walk to the mostly Black and poor population of Lowndes County.
Over a year after the settlement, Alabama has only officially entered the planning stage, and has only signed contracts to begin the installation of up-to-date septic systems which are necessitated by the presence of heavy “red clay” soil in the area.
Lowndes County sits in Alabama’s Black Belt, which, according to the University of Alabama, is an area that has been home to “the richest soil and the poorest people,” a designation that stretches back to the days of slavery.
According to the university, the area typically features “declining populations, a primarily agricultural landscape with low density settlement, high unemployment, poor access to education and medical care, substandard housing, and high rates of crime.”
Due to the widespread poverty in the area, Bradley’s organization settled on a maintenance fee the local residents can afford, $20 a month after asking them directly what they would be comfortable paying.
The systems generally cost $28,000 not including any costs associated with installation like removing trees or upgrading electrical systems, according to Inside Climate News.
In contrast to Bradley’s more boots on the ground approach, the unwieldy bureaucracy of Alabama’s state government is taking a much, much slower pace but one that Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris is pleased with.
According to Harris, the state department’s inexperience in the area of installing septic systems means it has to contract that work out, so companies have to bid on the work, which takes more time.
“We have sanitation engineers who understand how these systems work, but that’s not the same as having people who install them,” Harris told Inside Climate News. “So we’ve contracted out that work, but overseeing big infrastructure projects is not something that we normally have experience with.”
The department has circulated a survey to approximately 10,000 residents in the county, but is waiting for more residents to respond as they analyze the responses they have received.
“It’s a way for us to get some sense of the scale of the project that we have, but also it lets us prioritize people, and understand who’s most at risk and who’s got the greatest need. Because there’s always going to be more need than we have resources to help with,” Harris said.
The Alabama Department of Public Health is required, per its settlement with the DOJ, to provide a Public Health Infrastructure Improvement Plan that has to meet both DOJ and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services approval.
According to Harris, that plan should be finalized and submitted for their approval in the near future.
The State of Alabama’s improvements are largely being funded by the Biden-Harris administration’s American Rescue Plan Act, with some outside help from the Lowndes County Unincorporated Wastewater Project, a different non-profit from Bradley’s. They provided $1.5 million for the installation of septic systems.
“We’re just excited to finally see the fruits of all this labor that’s gone on for the past year. DOJ always understood this was going to be subject to funding availability,” Harris said. “We’re asking for what we can get and then making sure that we use responsibly the resources we have. There’s not a hard and fast number [of systems that need to be installed].”
Chicago’s Black Harvest Film Festival Set To Celebrate 30th Anniversary With Over 75 Premieres
November's Black Harvest Film Festival will feature filmmakers across the African diaspora.
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Gene Siskel Film Center has announced the full schedule for the Black Harvest Film Festival, which will run from Nov. 8 to Nov. 21 at the center.
The festival will celebrate 30 years of Black filmmakers and storytelling across the African diaspora, highlighting marginalized voices and award-winning pieces.
This year’s festival will feature more than 75 first-time Chicago premieres, Reel Chicago reports.
According to the roster, this year’s Black Harvest Film Festival will have 13 feature films and 10 short programs from 18 countries.
In honor of the festival’s 30th anniversary, the event will feature a “DIRTY 30s” shorts program. The piece will reportedly capture “life’s humor, heart, and complexities in your thirties, reflecting on the festival’s journey to 30 years,” Reel Chicago reports. “Audiences will enjoy exclusive screenings, thought-provoking dialogues, and celebratory receptions as they come together to honor three decades of Black Harvest.”
“As we celebrate 30 years of Black storytelling, we honor the legacy of voices and visions that have brought us to this moment,” Black Harvest Film Festival Lead Curator Jada-Amina said. “Over the past three decades, new paths of cinematic expression have continued to unfold. Each film in this year’s lineup offers a powerful connection across time and space, reminding us of the stories that shaped our past and the visions that will inspire our future.”
Opening night will be emceed by NBC Chicago entertainment reporter LeeAnn Trotter. It will begin with a showcase of selected Black Harvest Film Festival short films and conclude with the announcement of the winners of the Richard and Ellen Sandor Family Black Harvest Film Festival and the Sergio Mims Prize for Excellence in Black Filmmaking prizes.
Throughout the event, the Black Harvest Film Festival will have over 50 filmmakers sit for discussions following the screenings. Among the films shown at the festival will be The Debutantes, Jimmy, and Ernest Cole: Lost and Found.
Members Of Harlem’s Abyssinian Baptist Church Petition To Void Election Of New Pastor
'The process that I witnessed unfold effectively pushed aside other highly qualified candidates.'
Typically, church drama doesn’t reach the courts, but a group of congregants at Harlem’s influential Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City has filed a petition with a New York state court to void the election of its new pastor, Rev. Dr. Kevin Johnson.
According to NBC New York, although Johnson was elected to lead one of the nation’s most powerful churches in September, four members are alleging that the vote was not conducted according to established church bylaws.
Per the legal document, Rev. Dr. C. Vernon Mason, one of the original members of the search committee who was expelled described a flawed process.
“The process that I witnessed unfold effectively pushed aside other highly qualified candidates,” Mason said.
Another petitioner, Clarence Ball III, who has been a member of the church for 10 years, told the outlet that the search and selection process undermined the ability of members to have their voices heard.
“Abyssinian has been a beacon of intellectual and spiritual light for the broader African American community for 216 years,” Ball said. “This flawed pastoral search and election process has not only usurped the pulpit, but also members’ opportunity—and religious right—to have a pastor properly chosen with integrity and truth to lead our people through the modern challenges we are facing as community.”
LaToya Evans, the church’s spokesperson, said Abyssinian Baptist Church stands behind the results of the election and “will continue to defend our church, legacy and pastoral selection process from baseless attacks by a disgruntled few.”
According to Jasmine McFarlane-White, another petitioner, Rev. Johnson did not achieve the support from rank and file congregation members.
“You need a super majority, a majority of all the members in good standing versus a majority of people who vote,” McFarlane-White told NBC New York.
The petition asks for the court to void all salary and payments or other compensation the church has provided Johnson and to order the formation of a new pastoral search committee and force the church to present a different candidate for the congregation to vote on.
Other concerns center around the ouster of Johnson from Philadelphia’s Bright Hope Baptist Church, and negative coverage of Johnson by the Philadelphia Inquirer described him as having clashes with church members who “tried to get answers about the church’s financial affairs, including his salary.”
Guilda Squire, another church member who voted against Johnson’s appointment, said that the church just needs to start from scratch.
“How did what happened at Bright Hope Baptist Church factor into the search committee making an intentional decision to move this candidate into the top position?” Squire said.
Urban League’s 2024 State Of Black Los Angeles Tackles Economic Empowerment, Health Equity, And Homelessness
The goal of the event: use Los Angeles County data to solve issues facing Black Los Angelenos.
The Los Angeles Urban League’s 2024 State of Black Los Angeles featured a series of panel discussions focusing on the current state of Black Los Angeles, with a special emphasis on economic empowerment, health access and equity, and housing and homelessness.
According to NBC 4 LA, a media partner for the discussion series, the goal of the event was to use available data from Los Angeles County to craft solutions to issues facing Black Los Angelenos.
On Oct. 10, several keynote speakers addressed the crowd, including included Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League, Cynthia Mitchell-Heard.
“The ultimate goal is to eliminate racial disparities and achieve equality and equity by disrupting harmful trends and transforming systems and policies,” Mitchell-Heard said.
“In the second installment of this report, we not only pay attention to the unique challenges that shape Black residents’ quality of life in Los Angeles County, we also explore the availability of existing County services aimed at addressing these challenges,” the report read. “In addition, we explore how the aforementioned evolving political context have and will continue to shape Black people’s experiences in years to come, as well as the lingering effects of COVID-19 on Black communities.”
The political context the report refers to is explored in great detail, citing an era of regression ushered in by several Supreme Court decisions as well as attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
“Although heavily coordinated efforts to undo the progress made on several measures are nothing new, the last four years mark what appears to be the early stages of an era of regression in which progressive policies are being dismantled and legislative actions that roll back civil, human, and political rights for marginalized populations are being implemented.
“These legal and policy reversals weaken laws that protect against discrimination, create a resurgence in discriminatory practices, and deepen social stratification.”
The report also cited a one-on-one interview with Mayor Bass in which she indicated that homelessness and the economic divide in Los Angeles County and the most pertinent issues affecting Black Los Angeles.
According to the report, Black poverty increases exceeded that of all other ethnic groups, which the report indicated is not a random occurrence. White residents who live in poverty increased by 3.3%, Asian residents in the same situation went up by 4.4%, while Latinx residents’ poverty increased by 6.1%, and Black residents poverty went up by 7.2%.
“The racial disparities on the above-mentioned economic outcomes do not occur randomly, rather they are a function of both systemic and interpersonal anti-Black racism that hinders Black people from acquiring (and retaining) employment,” the report read. “And, when Black people do obtain employment, they are often sorted into the sectors of the labor market that provide less security, lower wages, little to no benefits, and fewer opportunities for career advancement—minimizing these workers’ chances of experiencing upward social mobility.”
The report included several initiatives for Los Angeles County to implement: a countywide approach to targeted universalism, repairing historic harms and expanding access, and providing mobile services to residents in need.
“Angelenos, committed to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, must be vigilant in the face of growing uncertainty about the future of equity-based policies and programs aimed at protecting the rights of and ensuring access to opportunities for all communities, especially Black people in Los Angeles and across the country,” the report stated.
Ed Vaughn, Owner Detroit’s First Black Bookstore, Dies At 90
A former Michigan state representative, Vaughn opened Vaughn's Books in 1965.
Edward “Ed” Vaughn, the owner of Detroit’s first Black bookstore, Vaughn’s Bookstore, and a former Michigan state representative, died on Oct. 8. Vaughn was 90.
“I was deeply saddened to learn about the passing of a legend in Detroit — Ed Vaughn,” Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said in a statement. “In addition to his fierce activism and political career, Ed was the owner of Vaughan’s Bookstore on Dexter Avenue, which last year was placed on the National Register of Historic Places for the role it played as a community resource and gathering place for Black activist leaders in Detroit and from across the country.”
Rep. Donavan McKinney said that Vaughn’s love for Black people was well reflected in the work he engaged in during the Black Power movement and that “his contributions in the national spotlight during the Black Power Movement reminds the world of Detroit’s allure and promise of Black prosperity and possibilities. He was a giant in the community and his legacy will live on in all our hearts.”
Vaughn opened his bookstore in January 1965 with the help of his aunt, and at the time, it was believed to be the second Black-owned bookstore in America, according to the Detroit News.
The store stocked books about Black history, culture, and heritage because the white bookstores in Detroit wouldn’t. The bookstore eventually became a popular meeting place for leaders in Detroit’s Black nationalist and Pan-African movements.
Vaughn was also involved in Pan-Africanism; he was the founder of Detroit’s Pan-African Congress-USA and helped to organize the Detroit chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality.
In July 1967, during the race riots in Detroit, the store was damaged by fires that neighbors alleged were set by officers of the mostly white Detroit Police Department.
Undeterred, Vaughn kept running the store and got involved in Detroit’s political scene, working for Detroit Mayor Coleman A. Young, the city’s first Black mayor. Vaughn also served two terms in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1978-1980.
In 1994, Vaughn was elected again to the House where he represented what was then the 4th House District from 1995-2000.
Duggan is hopeful that the bookstore, named to the National Registry of Historic Places in August 2023, will now be restored as “Ed’s passing is all the more reason to make sure we see this through.”
