Protecting Tradition: Ghana Cracks Down On Misuse Of Kente Cloth Name
Copycats beware.
Kente cloth, the vibrant woven fabric originating from the Ashanti, Akan, and Ewe people of Ghana, has long symbolized wealth, royalty, and tribal identity. Over time, its cultural significance has spread across the African diaspora. Today, replicas of Kente produced outside Ghana are widely available. Ghana is now taking steps to protect its authentic tradition and stand up against copycats.
Last month, the Ghanaian government announced that Kente has officially received geographical indication status through the World Intellectual Property Organization, an arm of the United Nations that collaborates with the World Trade Organization. This protection aims to safeguard local artisans and the textile’s heritage by ensuring that only Kente cloth woven in Ghana is recognized as authentic.
Susan Scafidi, founder and academic director of the Fashion Law Institute, said that while geographical indication status is similar to a trademark, enforcing it depends on both public pressure and government support.
“It is a complicated matter that does raise the question of how we balance the fluidity of culture and the joy of cultural interchange with recognizing origin and authorship at that collective level,” Scafidi told The New York Times.
While historically Kente was a sacred fabric worn by royalty, its popularity has expanded throughout the diaspora, especially in the United States, where variations of the design appear on graduation stoles, bags, T-shirts, and other clothing. British-Ghanaian designer Daniel-Yaw Miller believes it reflects Black Americans’ desire to reconnect with African roots.
“It’s a way to signify a connection to the motherland even in the absence of specific, direct relations back there,” Yaw-Miller told The Times.
After several killings of Black Americans by police in 2020, Democrats in Congress, including Representative Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer, showed support for the Black Lives Matter movement by wearing Kente cloth and taking photos on one knee. The group faced backlash, with many critics accusing them of cultural appropriation.
As Kente cloth continues to gain global popularity, Scafidi explained that establishing a geographical indication will help ensure local artisans receive both cultural acknowledgment and financial rewards from its widespread sale.
The King Center Partners With ATL Megachurch To Support Those In Need, Other Orgs—Not So Much
Living Faith Christian Center in Louisiana is under fire for allegedly being unconcerned with the needs of God's children.
The King Center and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church will hold a food distribution event to help feed Metro Atlanta families, a starkly different response from some other churches and organizations that have witnessed the economic downturn and government shutdown affect millions of citizens, leaving them without SNAP benefits.
The event is scheduled for Nov. 15, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at The King Center on Auburn Avenue. Fresh produce and essential groceries will be handed out while supplies last. Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of The King Center, said the initiative reflects an urgent need for collective service. The charity is timely, as many Americans are feeling the strain of inflation and suffering from decreased food benefits during the government shutdown.
“When we come together in love and service, we embody the very spirit of the Beloved Community,” King said in a statement. She added, “This partnership is not just about food, it’s about hope, dignity, and the power of unity to transform lives.”
According to the release, King and Pastor Dr. Jamal Bryant will be present from 11 a.m. to noon to speak with attendees and give remarks beginning at 11:30 a.m. Mike Lewis Productions LLC is also noted as an in-kind contributor.
For more information or to learn how to participate, visit www.thekingcenter.org or follow the organization on social media.
As the holiday season approaches, organizers say the goal is simple: bring relief, dignity, and encouragement to Atlanta families facing rising need. Or, as King framed it, to “nourish both body and spirit” through shared service.
Both King and Bryant are stepping up as leaders and servants during the holiday season to lead and serve God’s children. Conversely, other faith-based organizations are being called out for their dismissal of those in need.
A social experiment conducted by TikTok user @Nikalie, real name Nikalie Monroe, went viral, leading to claims of witchcraft by some “houses of the Lord.”
After Monroe called the Living Faith Christian Center asking for help for a hungry infant and was denied, Bishop Raymond W. Johnson took to the pulpit to denounce her actions as witchcraft. Instead of acknowledging what some may consider “the church’s unChristlike response,” Johnson stated he refused to apologize to “the devil.”
“The person who goes around calling churches and putting the voice of a baby crying in the background. And I say, really the person is low. So, you know, like I teach these men over here, folk want to apologize. I don’t apologize to the devil. Sometimes Christians get so weak, you forgot we supposed to rebuke evil. So if you could pretend to have a crying baby to try to call churches to trick people into things.”
Detractors say that Johnson mischaracterized the experiment’s intent and presented it to his congregation as a grifting scheme. Though Monroe asserted a need that did not exist, at no point did she accept any help offered by institutions. After being offered assistance by a handful of faith-based institutions, she quickly revealed the experiment’s premise.
Johnson maintains that Monroe’s “dirty deed” comes directly from the “spirit of a witch.” The harsh remarks and criticism continued, calling Christians “weak” for engaging with those who may or may not need assistance. Instead of instituting corrective action for his “ministry,” Johnson opted to refer those in need to Louisiana’s Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.
Critics are calling out churches like Living Faith Christian Center, which continue to collect tithes, offerings, and donations for new construction. Organizations like The King Center and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church continue to give back to the community through year-round food box distributions.
Figure Skating Legend Surya Bonaly Pleads For Help After Burglars Steal Her Championship Medals
The trailblazing Olympian, long celebrated for breaking racial and athletic barriers in figure skating, says thieves took her most prized symbols of a groundbreaking career.
Decorated figure skater Surya Bonaly is asking the public for assistance after discovering that her Las Vegas home had been burglarized and her collection of international medals had been stolen. The 51-year-old champion athlete, whose daring one-blade backflip at the 1998 Nagano Olympics remains one of the most memorable moments in Olympic history, shared the news in an emotional Instagram post.
“You see, all those medals that I won in the past while competing in different worlds and European championships are sadly gone,” she wrote, explaining that “someone I mean a couple burglarized my home and stole all my valuable.” Bonaly urged locals to alert authorities if they encounter “foreign gold and silver medals for sale,” adding, “Please, please call the Police immediately, thanks.”
According to Cleveland, the stolen items represent years of competition at the highest levels of the sport. During her career, Bonaly amassed 13 medals across the World Championships, European Championships, and World Junior Championships, becoming a five-time European champion and one of the most dynamic athletes of her era. Now a coach in Las Vegas, she competed in three Winter Olympics in the 1990s, finishing as high as fourth place.
Bonaly’s iconic one-footed backflip in Nagano — a move banned since 1976 — defined her fearless approach to skating. She performed it despite knowing she would be penalized and despite dealing with an Achilles injury at the time. To date, no skater has replicated the feat at the Olympics.
Her story has long resonated beyond the ice. Adopted from an orphanage and raised by a white family, Bonaly quickly realized she was often “the only Black female skater” at European competitions. Her competitive career was marked not only by athletic excellence but also by navigating bias in a predominantly white sport.
At the World Championships, after placing second behind Japan’s Yuka Sato, she was loudly booed by the crowd before being swarmed by reporters asking whether she planned to quit. Figure skating coach Joel Savary, founder of the Diversify Ice Foundation, said moments like these chipped away at her spirit: “I feel that was the beginning of the judges really wearing her down… The feeling that I felt was it paints another negative picture of a person of color,” he toldTODAY.
Andrea Jordan of Figure Skating in Harlem called Bonaly’s perseverance extraordinary. “Being an athletic woman of color… and still persist in that spot and accomplish all what she accomplished is remarkable,” she said.
Police have not yet announced any leads in the burglary. Bonaly hopes someone will recognize the stolen medals and help return the defining symbols of her pioneering career.
Ray J Accuses Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner of ‘Publicity, Power, and Punishment’ In Intensifying Legal Battle
Ray J argues the lawsuit against him is a tactic to control the narrative around their decades-old sex tape, while the Kardashian legal team dismisses his claims as baseless.
Ray J is once again challenging the long-standing public storyline surrounding the release of his sex tape with Kim Kardashian, claiming in new legal filings that Kardashian and her mother, Kris Jenner, have weaponized the courts to maintain control of the narrative.
In documents obtained by Page Six, the singer asserts that “Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner’s lawsuit is not about defamation — it’s about publicity, power, and punishment.” He argues that the pair have spent years shaping a version of events that shields them and vilifies him.
According to the filing, Ray J says “[Jenner and Kardashian] have spent two decades peddling the false story that the sex tape that Kardashian filmed with [Ray J] was leaked against her will.” He maintains the video was consensually recorded in 2003 and that he and Kardashian discussed releasing it in 2006—allegedly with Kardashian proposing that Kris Jenner oversee the rollout.
The R&B artist, born William Ray Norwood Jr., claims Kardashian and Jenner are “furious” that he no longer participates in what he calls their “tall tale.” He also says that Kardashian, Jenner, Kanye West, and Kendall Jenner falsely accused him on Hulu’s The Kardashians of assaulting Kardashian while she was asleep, as well as engaging in extortion and revenge porn.
Ray J’s filing states that after he responded through counsel, the Kardashians and their production team agreed to a settlement in which he would receive $6 million and the family would make “no further mention or public reference” to the tape on their show. He argues they went back on that commitment “almost immediately after the Agreement was executed.”
His attorney wrote that Ray J will “not allow Kardashian and Jenner to weaponize the judicial system, shirk their contractual obligations, and sacrifice him on the altar of fame.”
The Kardashian-Jenner legal team strongly rejected these accusations. Their attorney, Alex Spiro, told Page Six: “After realizing he is losing the case and losing his way, this disjointed rambling distraction is not intimidating anyone. Ray J will lose this frivolous case, too.”
Kardashian and Jenner sued Ray J last month for defamation after he claimed he was assisting federal authorities with a RICO case against them. The complaint notes that “no such federal investigation exists” and states: “No law enforcement agency has initiated any criminal proceedings or investigations related to racketeering charges against Ms. Kardashian or Ms. Jenner.”
Spiro added that the family “have never brought a defamation claim before … but this false and serious allegation left no choice.”
Alabama State Men’s Hoops Breaks Losing Streak In Historic Win Over UAB
In men's basketball, ASU is now the first and only SWAC team to beat UAB.
Alabama State University (ASU) men’s basketball team not only snapped a 10-game losing streak by beating the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB), 77-74, on Wednesday night, it was their first victory ever over UAB. And it was on the road.
The win was the first for any Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) team over UAB men’s basketball team, which entered the contest with 78 consecutive victories over the SWAC.
ASU started the game with an 11-0 run, leading to a 14-4 lead. But UAB went on a 16-3 scoring binge to take a 55-47 lead with 12:01 remaining in the game. ASU fought back and had a 3-point lead with 3.9 seconds left. But UAB was unable to score.
Micah Simpson hit six three-pointers and finished the game with 18 point for ASU, while Asjon Anderson scored 20 points, sealing the game with 11-of-16 free throws, including the last two that secured the victory.
“Great win for Alabama State, for all the HBCUs,” said ASU head coach Tony Madlock, according to the Birmingham Banner. “Y’all understand that we have to go play these games on the road. And they’re never easy, they’re never easy what we have to go through. But for us to be an hour and a half down the road and to come down and play the way we played and against one of my mentors, (Andy Kennedy) is one of my guys. I worked for him for four years and been knowing him forever. So it was a great win for our program.”
Alabama State, now 1-1 on the season, hosts Virginia University Lynchburg on Friday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m.
The penny's demise reflects a changing financial landscape shaped by digital payments and rising manufacturing costs.
The United States Mint produced its final penny on Wednesday, Nov. 12, after more than 230 years in production, a victim of the changing financial landscape shaped by digital payments and rising manufacturing costs.
For decades, the penny’s fate was debated by lawmakers, economists, and the public, particularly as the cost to produce a single cent rose well beyond its face value. According to the Mmnt’s most recent analysis, it cost more than 3 cents to manufacture and distribute each penny in 2024.
“God bless America, and we’re going to save the taxpayers $56 million,” Treasurer Brandon Beach said at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia before hitting a button to strike the final penny. Beach said the final coins pressed will be auctioned off. The actual last pennies put into circulation from the U.S. Mint were struck in June.
The mint said it will focus on producing coins commonly used day-to-day. Cashless payments, digital wallets, and real-time transfers have reduced demand for low-denomination coins. The United States is one of several countries, including Canada and Australia, to phase out its smallest currency units.
Unfortunately, retailers are not required to round prices, which may be a minor detriment of consumers.
The end of the penny marks the end of one of America’s oldest currencies, first utilized in 1792. Although its production line has stopped, the mint said it will maintain educational materials and public displays honoring the penny’s legacy.
“Today, the Mint celebrates 232 years of penny manufacturing,” said Kristie McNally, acting mint director. “While general production concludes today, the penny’s legacy lives on. As its usage in commerce continues to evolve, its significance in America’s story will endure.”
Tuskegee Sues American Veterinary Association For Trying To Revoke Accreditation
Tuskegee University has sued the AVMA over an appeal hearing that could strip the nation’s only historically Black veterinary school of its accreditation.
Tuskegee University has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the American Veterinary Medical Association’s attempt to hold an appeal hearing that could revoke the accreditation of the nation’s only historically Black veterinary school.
In two filings—a complaint and a time-sensitive motion for a preliminary injunction—Tuskegee University alleges that the AVMA and its Council on Education (COE) violated due process and ignored their own rules during an accreditation review, Yellowhammer News reports. The university warns that losing accreditation could shut down the program, cut off federal student aid, and cause lasting reputational damage.
“Tuskegee University respectfully requests that the Court enjoin the AVMA from conducting an appeal hearing under procedures that deny Tuskegee a fair opportunity to present evidence and witnesses,” the motion states.
Founded in 1945 by Dr. Frederick Douglass Patterson, Tuskegee’s College of Veterinary Medicine trains over 70% of the nation’s Black veterinarians and is the most diverse veterinary college in the United States. AVMA COE reports indicate the college has been on probationary accreditation since 2022.
In its motion for a preliminary injunction, Tuskegee’s counsel notes the AVMA cited major deficiencies in finances, clinical resources, and outcomes assessment, requiring corrective action within two years. The lawsuit claims the AVMA applied standards inconsistently and ignored its own procedures, violating the university’s right to due process.
“When Purdue University faced comparable facility challenges, the AVMA COE did not demand financial documentation before approving extensions,” the complaint claims, “but Tuskegee’s verified commitments from its Board, President, and financial institution were rejected as insufficient.”
The filing warns that the decision, set for a hearing on Dec. 5, could damage the university’s veterinary school and potentially force the program to close.
“The AVMA, a trade association, and the AVMA COE, the sole accreditor of veterinary schools in the United States, will soon decide, in large part, whether minority participation in the field of veterinary medicine will enjoy continued success,” the motion states.
The emergency motion requests that the court issue an injunction by Dec. 4, one day before the AVMA hearing, allowing the university’s program to operate normally until the case is fully resolved.
Inaugural Artist In Residence Dr. Yaba Blay and Most Incredible Studio Create ‘The BAMBOO,’ Elevating Icon to Cultural Artifact
The residency program will expand in the coming year, spotlighting creators from a variety of traditions.
In an act of cultural preservation, Most Incredible Studio (MIS), the creative house specializing in translating memory into collectibles, has announced its inaugural Artist-In-Residence: scholar, cultural worker, and visionary, Dr. Yaba Blay.
The first release from this collaboration is The BAMBOO—a highly detailed cultural artifact built with LEGO® bricks that transforms the enduring iconography of the bamboo earring into a monumental, collectible testament to Black womanhood. The project is far more than nostalgia; it is an assertion of inherent worth.
Shared on both parties’ Instagram accounts, the BAMBOO announcement was dropped with much fanfare. For the next year, the prominent professor will “infuse Black Girl culture into LEGO culture.”
“THE BAMBOO is making its way into y’all’s hands!! There’s a HUGE and growing community of #BlackGirlsWhoLego, so it means EVERYTHING to US to witness y’all create collectibles reflective of our own culture — Black girl culture! Thank YOU @jen_builds_!! THIS is PHENOMENAL! AND OH SO PROFESSIONAL!! #ProfessionalBlackGirl#MostIncredibleStudio“
The BAMBOO preserves a shared language of style, self-definition, and belonging, reminding its collectors that everyday culture is sacred. The collaboration with Blay turns a familiar, often-politicized symbol of identity into a cherished monument of memory—a beautiful homage to the creativity, beauty, and brilliance of Black women everywhere. Building the LEGO® artifact with one’s own hands carries the same weight as the pride with which the earring was worn, elevating the symbol from street fashion to the cultural canon.
“BAMBOO is here. The first piece of collectible art designed in collaboration with Dr. Yaba Blay, the inaugural Professional Black Girl-in-Residence at Most Incredible Studio, this limited-edition collectible reimagines the iconic bamboo earring using 303 LEGO® bricks. A symbol of beauty, identity, and legacy, BAMBOO celebrates the women who made “at least two pair” a rite of passage. Each piece comes with a custom assembly guide and photo editorial, capturing the essence of culture you can build, play with, and proudly display.”
Dr. Blay, the force behind Professional Black Girl—a dynamic multimedia platform celebrating the everyday genius and lived experiences of Black women and girls—brings her incisive scholarly eye to the residency. As the author of the groundbreaking One Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race, Dr. Blay’s work continues to validate and codify marginalized narratives.
The residency marks the beginning of a new MIS initiative designed to partner with cultural leaders who carry vital stories, traditions, and communities into the physical realm through permanent artifacts.
MIS’s mission of making memory visible, combined with Dr. Blay’s ongoing work to assert an unapologetic identity, is a hellafied force of cultural preservation.
The philosophy of Professional Black Girl posits that “Black Girl Magic” is not an exclusive achievement reserved for those who have accomplished unprecedented feats, but a ubiquitous state enjoyed by all.
By declaring themselves “Professional Black Girls,” the community asserts its identity against a world constantly promoting respectability politics on how they “ought to” act, embracing the freedom of self-definition. They are, as the platform proudly affirms, professional code-switchers who hold Ph. D.s and listen to trap music; they twerk and work.
For Dr. Blay, the material creation of the earring was a necessary step toward canonization. She noted the intrinsic demand for the partnership’s focus, “When Syreeta mentioned to me that she wanted to infuse Black girl culture into Most Incredible Studio’s canon, I told her there was no way I would allow her to do that without ME! She laughed, but I was serious. The idea of merging what she does with what we do and how we do it is beyond exciting—it’s necessary.”
The limited-edition cultural artifact arrives with MIS’s signature collectible packaging, including a custom booklet and keepsake elements, reinforcing the notion that this is not a toy, but a piece of history.
The residency program will expand in the coming year, spotlighting creators from a variety of traditions. The new residency ensures that the MIS universe becomes a permanent gallery for the stories and traditions that shape contemporary cultural life.
Trump’s Claim That Chinese Students Keep HBCUs Alive Debunked On Social Media
The claim was swiftly refuted by Black X users.
Trump’s latest assertion that Chinese students are critical to the success of HBCUs has prompted jokes and backlash from the Black side of social media.
Trump went on conservative outlet Fox News to speak with Laura Ingraham about how he views Chinese students. Recently, Trump has been vocal about allowing student and H-1B Visas, particularly from those hailing from the East Asian country.
“We do have a lot of people coming in from China,” he began. “We also have a massive system of colleges and universities, and if we were to cut that in half… You would have half the colleges in the United States go out of business.”
Trump says that HBCUs would be "all be out of business" if fewer Chinese students were allowed to go to American universities pic.twitter.com/QWCtipwVcH
However, his particular note about HBCUs struck the wrong chord with many in the Black community.
The president claimed, “You would have the historically Black colleges and universities would all be out of business.”
Trump’s audacious claim had Black X users perplexed, leading them to inquire when Chinese students began to put HBCUs on their backs.
Since when did HBCUs rely on Chinese students ??? FBA would be having wall To wall spaces if Biden said we need immigrant students … https://t.co/4BbQQvc1xN
“Since when did HBCUs rely on Chinese students,” questioned one commenter. “FBA would be having wall to wall spaces if Biden said we need immigrant student…”
Bruh really can’t make a decent talking point without making black ppl either the villain or the scapegoat. https://t.co/u98XAABcdr
The X user wrote, “Bruh really can’t make a decent talking point without making black ppl either the villain or the scapegoat.
Another, however, apparently debunked Trump’s idea that Chinese students kept HBCUs afloat.
I was curious so I ran the IPEDS data for fall 2023. Approximately 3000 students listed as Asian attended HBCUs, or 1%. So based on the numbers and my experience as a president, this scenario won’t impact HBCUs. https://t.co/LCGmHNY0U1
“I was curious, so I ran the IPEDS data for fall 2023,” wrote Walter M. Kimbrough, a three-time HBCU president. “Approximately 3,000 students listed as Asian attended HBCUs, or 1%. So based on the numbers and my experience as a president, this scenario won’t impact HBCUs.”
Black Information Network also obtained data from the Institute of Education Sciences. The outlet confirmed that international students account for only 2.5% of total enrollment at HBCUs.
However, Trump’s evolving policy views toward immigration have caused friction with his”MAGA” base. Despite this, he defended his stance on the importance of allowing Chinese people to work and study in the United States.
Top U.S. Women’s Basketball Recruit Saniyah Hall Signs With USC
She is going along with Sitaya Fagan, considered one of the top basketball players in Australia.
The No. 1 prospect for American women’s basketball, high school recruit Saniyah Hall, will soon be joining arguably one of the best women’s college basketball players in the world, JuJu Watkins, when she heads to the University of Southern California (USC).
The school announced that Hall signed to play for the Trojans in 2026, along with Sitaya Fagan, considered one of the top basketball players in Australia. Both players will join a strong basketball nucleus consisting of Watkins, Jazzy Davidson, and Kennedy Smith.
USC women’s basketball head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said she is excited for both players deciding to be a part of the winning squad at USC.
“I mean, what can I say? We could not be more excited with our class of 2026,” said Gottlieb in a written statement. “We think we have the best class in the country and the best duo in the country. Both for what they bring as humans and as talented athletes, but also how they fit with what we are as a program and what we are aiming to become.”
Hall’s talent and athletic prowess have already been recognized, as she is ranked at the top in the country. Recently, she was named to the 2025-26 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Girls High School Player of the Year Watch List.
She earned Most Valuable Player honors at the FIBA U19 World Cup, where she played for Team USA and led the team with an average of 19.9 points per game, which is a USA U19 scoring record. Last season, she was named the 2025 MaxPreps National Junior of the Year, earning Naismith Trophy First Team All-America honors at Montverde Academy in Florida, where she averaged 20.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.8 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game. The team went 26-2 and advanced to the Chipotle National Championship game.
Fagan, an international phenom, averaged 12.3 points and 5.3 rebounds for her country at the FIBA U19 World Cup. She helped her team reach the gold medal game. The Australian also earned gold medals at both the FIBA U16 Asian Championship (2023) and the FIBA U15 Oceania Championship (2022).
