Pastor Jamal Bryant, Black Friday, Black Business Maket

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 30, 2025

Jamal Bryant-Led New Birth Baptist Church Hosts Black Businesses Market

New Birth's lead pastor, Jamal Bryant, has led the initiative to uplift Black businesses that align with shoppers' values.

Almost 100 Black businesses were spotlighted by Pastor Jamal Bryant and the New Birth Baptist Church for its new entrepreneurial initaitive.

The Bullseye Black Market, beginning Nov. 28, featured these businesses in an effort to boost customer awareness and support. The vendors poured into the New Birth Baptist church’s metro Atlanta facilities for a day of intentional shopping within the community.

Starting on Black Friday, widely recognized as the biggest shopping event of the year, the Bullseye Black Market aimed to pour money back into local Black-owned shops across the city. Instead of shoppers putting their dollars into big chains like Amazon or Target, they could patronize businesses that sell quality goods, keeping these entrepreneurs thriving.

“It allowed me to reinvest more money into my business and help college students, one of my own, which is my daughter. So, the money, when you support my business, it helps support me and my family to be able to provide a living for us as well,” shared vendor Renee Alexander of Mrs. Renee’s Health Solutions, to 11Alive.

According to New Birth’s website, the event featured holiday cheer alongside its focus on keeping Black dollars within the community. Children could also take pictures with a Black Santa Claus as families engaged in Christmas shopping for a greater purpose.

Initiated by Pastor Jamal Bryant, who also spearheaded the boycotts of Target over the company’s DEI cutbacks, the first iteration of the market took place around Juneteenth. The move provided alternative places for people to shop that uplifted Black people in business, a mission many vendors still feel today.

“I think it’s important for us to come out and support the community and actually educate ourselves on what products we have in the Black community because how can you buy Black if you don’t know what Black has to offer,” added vendor Gerald Dean of Been to the Bayou.

The move to continuously “buy Black,” especially during the holiday season, helps shoppers support businesses that align with their values. While chains like Target have pushed back on the narrative that they don’t support diverse businesses, Bryant has remained adamant on highlighting Black entrepreneurs across the Atlanta community.

The shop will remain open throughout the holiday weekend, including Sunday hours as well.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 30, 2025

Former Morgan State Hoops Standout–Now Miss New Jersey–Finishes As First Runner-Up At Miss USA

Former Morgan State basketball star is still processing her rapid rise in the beauty pageant world.

Former Morgan State women’s basketball player Ivy Harrington says she’s still in awe after being crowned Miss New Jersey and placing first runner-up in the national Miss USA competition.

Last month, Harrington added a major milestone to her career, placing first runner-up at the Miss USA Competition behind Nebraska’s Audry Eckhert. The achievement caps off a whirlwind year that began with her being crowned Miss New Jersey in April.

Coming from a strong athletic background, Harrington, 31, says she’s still surprised by her rise in the pageant world.

“I think if anything, it just feels like an out-of-body experience,” Harrington told The Baltimore Sun. “Being a titleholder really does come natural to me. I’ve always been a really personable type of person, and I really love to communicate and just make people feel seen and really heard.”

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Harrington said she’s still adjusting to her rapid rise in pageantry and expects it won’t fully sink in until she crowns the next Miss New Jersey.

“It is the most shocking and astounding thing that I have to really come to terms with,” she said. “My mom and I joke all the time. I don’t even know when I’m going to realize it. I think maybe once I crown the next girl, that’s when it’ll all sink in, but until then, I think everybody else is more convinced than I am.”

While moving from sports to pageantry is uncommon, former Bears coach Edward Davis Jr., who served as assistant and head coach during Harrington’s time at Morgan State before retiring in March, said her journey from basketball to beauty competitions is not surprising to those who know her.

“I think she fulfilled all of her dreams in terms of her journey,” Davis said. “She wanted to be that person in the spotlight and in a positive way. I think she found that spotlight as a person who could represent her state in beauty pageants. It really fell into place in terms of what she was about and what she did well.”

Harrington was inspired to enter pageants after seeing Deshauna Barber and Kara McCullough, who both represented the District of Columbia, win Miss USA in 2016 and 2017. She was particularly intrigued that they both graduated from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, with Barber attending Virginia State and McCullough South Carolina State.

“It sparked my interest because I saw two African-American women win such a prestigious title,” she said. “… I saw that so many women who were on the path that I was hoping to walk on — journalism, hosting, and producing — they got their start in pageantry. Diane Sawyer, Oprah Winfrey, Giuliana Rancic, Olivia Culpo. So it just kind of sparked this curiosity.”

Now holding her title, Harrington plans to focus on her workshop, Most Valuable Pivot, which helps female athletes develop identities beyond sports. She also hopes to create a platform that blends athletics, lifestyle, and pageantry, signaling her readiness to eventually step back from the pageant world.

“Other than being Miss USA, first runner-up really is a nice way to go out,” she said. “So I think I’m OK with just being the one of three women from New Jersey who have placed that high.”

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 30, 2025

N.C. Republicans Win Redistricting Battle As Local Dems Call Out Gerrymandering Efforts

The ruling comes despite lawsuits by the NAACP and local voters.

North Carolina Republicans have won a federal redistricting battle, with the move likely flipping an area long-held by Black Democrats.

A federal three-judge panel voted in favor of a new congressional map that will mainly impact the North Carolina’s 1st district, as reported by 828 News Now. The panel also upheld several other GOP-enacted maps, which helped Republicans garner several seats in the southern state.

The ruling has greatly aided Donald Trump’s multi-state redistricting campaign, especially as the midterms get underway. Trump called on the state’s GOP leaders to redraw the maps in order to secure favorable election results in 2026. The campaign seeks to keep GOP leaders in the House for next year.

However, this congressional map could jeopardize a seat currently led by Black leadership. Rep. Don Davis represents over 20 counties in the district, with Black predecessors keeping the position for three decades.

The ruling has dismissed lawsuits filed by the NAACP and voters. The first lawsuit, launched by a state chapter of the NAACP and Common Cause, says the redistricting violates the First Amendment. The filing stated that the redrawn maps target the “Black Belt” of diverse voters in the area. The voter-led lawsuit also argued that the maps based the redistricting on old census data.

While GOP leaders have rejoiced over this ruling, local Democrats have called out the ruling as an act disregarding voters’ rights in the area.

“This ruling gives blessing to what will be the most gerrymandered congressional map in state history, a map that intentionally retaliates against voters in eastern North Carolina for supporting a candidate not preferred by the majority party,” said Bob Phillips, Executive Director of Common Cause North Carolina.

As some lower courts block Trump’s direction, some states like California have also begun their own defense against the effort, redrawing districts to ensure more Dem-leaning turnouts. The party breakdown in the House currently stands at 219 Republicans and 213 Democrats, leaving little room for error during next year’s midterms.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 30, 2025

Tuskegee Kicker Faces Backlash After Kicking Ball At Alabama State Marching Band

Tuskegee kicker Ryan Lorcens, a junior originally from Limerick, Ireland, began practicing kicks while the Alabama State Mighty Marching Hornets performed their halftime routine.

The rivalry between Alabama State and Tuskegee University thickened at the Turkey Day Classic when a Tuskegee kicker began practicing on the field during Alabama State’s halftime show.

A now-viral video captures the moment Tuskegee kicker Ryan Lorcens began practicing kicks while the Alabama State Mighty Marching Hornets performed their halftime routine on Nov. 27. The junior, originally from Limerick, Ireland, can be seen sending balls toward the Hornets as they performed at midfield, leading to a brief confrontation when he tried to retrieve one of them.

“Tuskegee kicker is on the field kicking during ASU band performance and the ball keeps hitting people and he just walks onto the field while they are playing and taking the ball and starts kicking it again,” one X user wrote along with a video of the incident.

Found it on tik tok https://t.co/iKSFl25N3Z pic.twitter.com/0YgB7QotGW
— Ms. Bella Noche’s (@ayetorious) November 28, 2025

The moment quickly drew backlash online, with many calling Lorcens out for disrespecting a cherished HBCU game-day tradition.

“He was taunting,” one X user wrote.

Another user asked if the “thug” had been arrested for “assault.”

Following the incident, Alabama State Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. Jason Cable released a statement on Nov. 28, calling Lorcens’ actions “unacceptable and unwarranted” and noting that they did not reflect the spirit of healthy rivalry between the two schools.

“The incident involving a member of the Tuskegee football team pushing a member of the Mighty Marching Hornets at the conclusion of halftime was both unacceptable and unwarranted,” Cable said. “It in no way reflects the spirit of healthy rivalry or the character of either historic institution.”

After Tuskegee University Vice President Reginald Ruffin reached out to Cable following the game day incident, Cable said, “I am confident that appropriate actions will be taken.”

ASU Athletics stands firmly for respect, integrity, and sportsmanship. Vice President & Director of Athletics Dr. Jason Cable addresses Thursdays incident and reaffirms our commitment to upholding the highest standards on and off the field.#SWARMAS1 pic.twitter.com/Ef3ShRD43B
— Bama State Athletics (@BamaStateSports) November 29, 2025

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 30, 2025

Rep. Jim Clyburn Releases Book Detailing Legacy Of ‘The First Eight’ Black Congressman

The book details the plights of the first Black men to lead U.S. politics.

Rep. Jim Clyburn from South Carolina may be one of the most notable Black congressmen within and beyond his state. However, he does not forget who paved the way for his political position, nor does he want the public to.

According to NPR, eight men served in U.S. politics before contemporary leaders like Clyburn. Their appointments during and after the Reconstruction period brought them backlash and other obstacles. However, their steadfast resilience ensured that today’s Congress held similar and crucial representation.

This detailing of the Black political leaders from generations before has been highlighted in Clyburn’s latest book, The First Eight: A Personal History of the Pioneering Black Congressmen Who Shaped a Nation. Released Nov. 11, the book prominently details the legacy of these men, particularly Robert Smalls.

Smalls smuggled his family aboard a Confederate transport ship, steering the ship to their freedom among Union forces. His stewardship and courage made him the first African American captain in the U.S. Navy.

Another leader, George Washington Murray, became the only Black representative in Congress in the late 1800s. However, his dealings with voter fraud and redistricting to disenfranchise Black voters felt eerily similar to today’s current political state. Upon researching his congressional journey, Clyburn felt it crucial to remind readers of this history. Furthermore, he wants these stories to ensure history does not repeat itself.

“When I saw what was happening after the 2020 elections, someone had taken the playbook from the 1876 election,” he said. “The book was going to be just to inform people about these guys, but then it got to the point that it was, ‘no, it’s got to be more instructive than informant’ and so I almost started over with the book.”

Clyburn hopes the book not only educates about this forgotten Black history but serves as a call-to-action against figures opposing equality and justice. Clyburn emphasized the need to remember the lives of these “First Eight,” as their plights could remedy the struggles witnessed today.

“Anything that’s happened before can happen again,” he said. “And so you cannot allow this President [Trump], with this majority in the Congress, to cause you to react to their foolishness, because that’s what happened before and it will happen again if you aren’t careful.”

The First Eight is available now for purchase across multiple retailers.

RECENT CONTENT: Jim Clyburn Highlights Similarities Between Project 2025 And ‘Jim Crow Era’

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 30, 2025

Cory Booker Marries Investment Exec In Private D.C. Ceremony Just Months After Engagement

The two met in May 2024 after being set up by a mutual friend.

Cory Booker is now a married man. The U.S. Senator wed Alexis Lewis in a private ceremony just months after announcing their engagement.

On Nov. 29, the New Jersey Senator married the investment firm exec in Washington, D.C., at a small but elegant affair. While kept under wraps due to privacy concerns, the two lovebirds tied the knot at an interfaith ceremony. According to The New York Post, Lewis identifies as Jewish while Booker practices Christianity, with both a pastor and a rabbi present to bless their union.

However, only close family attended the wedding, keeping things out of the D.C. circus that Booker remains a pivotal face within. Prior to their ceremony, the two made things official at the U.S. District Court in Newark, where Booker served as mayor before his move to Congress.

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“Overflowing with gratitude,” captioned the two in a shared social media post. “We said, ‘I do’ in two places that shaped us—Cory’s beloved Newark and Alexis’s hometown of Washington, D.C.—first at the courthouse, then with our families. Hearts full and so grateful.”

The two met in May of last year through a mutual friend, with the then-L.A.-based Lewis traveling to D.C. for their blind date. The two hit it off immediately, later moving in together in a whirlwind romance. Their growing relationship resulted in an engagement in Hawaii this past August. Booker and Lewis announced their intentions to marry the following month.

“After so many years on my own, I’m not entirely sure I believed I would get married. But now, we’ve found each other at this stage of our lives, after epic personal journeys. And that deserves celebration,” she told The New York Times about her relationship with Booker.

Lewis also has a previous history in the political sector. The D.C. native used to work with former L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti. She has since moved in with her newly-wed husband to the East Coast. This is also Booker’s first marriage, as the 56-year-old was once one of the most eligible bachelors in U.S. politics.

Now, the 38-year-old will stand by his side as Booker continues his political career. The former presidential candidate has publicly considered a run for 2028, but remains focused on his re-election to the senior Senator seat next year.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 30, 2025

Madrid Unearths Hidden Black History Through Launched Walking Tours

Black European history is gaining a new spotlight with these Madrid walking tours.

Certain walking tours in Madrid offer a deeper look into Spain’s lesser-known Black history.

A new focus in the capital city of Spain offers visitors new insight into its Black community. Typically, these histories sit under the radar in favor of more positive perceptions of European achievement.

However, these walking tours bypass the popular architecture and art to talk about this darker history, such as Spain’s role in colonialism. Spain was one of the many European countries heavily involved in the Transatlantic slave trade, with these tour guides ensuring that the legacy of those impacted remains alive.

This has become especially important as this history is rarely taught in Spanish classrooms. This erasure left many Black Spaniards feeling unrepresented in their country’s legacy. However, one guide is doing his part to promote Black history across Europe.

Kwame Ondo, originally from Equatorial Guinea — a former Spanish colony — later settled with his family in the Spanish region of Andalusia, Reuters reports. Describing the nation’s past as a “silenced history,” Ondo now operates a tour line, Afroiberica Tours, to unearth this diverse side of Spain.

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While all are welcome to learn more about Spain’s true diversity, he especially wants Black Americans visiting the country to learn about this sector of the Diaspora. He aims to help Black people discover this connection within Spain that mainstream teachings often disregard.

Other tours also promote a Black Spanish heritage and foundation in their offerings. While more provocative in nature, the “Black Madrid” activist collective hosts its own tours that seek to hold Spain accountable for its role in enslaving Africans.

Its coordinators directly call out the use of slave labor to further development across Spanish regions. They want Spain and the world to recognize Black people’s undeniable impact on societal advancement.

“We can’t understand the industrial development in Catalonia or the Basque Country without knowing that it comes from the slave trade,” explained co-coordinator Nieves Cisneros.

The tours differ slightly in intent from Ondo’s, which takes a more educational approach than direct activism. However, both tours are part of a growing movement to spotlight African European histories that have been left in the shadows for more favorable perceptions.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 30, 2025

Denny’s In Pennsylvania Sued By 5 Black Women For Racial Discrimination

The women were told there were electrical issues and couldn't be served, yet, there were white customers enjoying their meals.

After five Black women were told that the Denny’s that they stopped in was having electrical issues and couldn’t be served, they are suing the Pennsylvania restaurant for racial discrimination after realizing that the restaurant was not only serving patrons, but all of them were white.

According to The New York Daily News, the five Black women, Daniella Bonhomme, Tatiana Poulard, Aminique Kirnon, Selina Sacasa, and Quantavia Grant, claimed they experienced racism at the Denny’s on Jan. 14, 2024. As the women were making their way into Denny’s in Bloomsburg, they stated they were approached by a staff member who informed them the restaurant was closed because “the lights are flickering.” Yet, when the women used the restrooms, they observed that there were no electrical issues and that customers were enjoying their meals.

However, they also noticed that all of the patrons were white. Realizing the alleged blatant racism at hand, one of the women recorded the scene. As they walked toward the bathrooms, she narrated what was going on and even took time to show the people in the restaurant before showing the white woman who lied to them when they came into the venue.

@aimeemichelle_mimi
Nah, yall really tried it @dennysdiner. Imagine Denny's diner chain making ads that claims to be America's Diner – their chief marketing officer Frances Allen said "There's a soul to a diner that is very authentic, very warm, very accepting." Clearly, that's not the case 9… the hostess/waitress ran to the door, to deny us service due to a power outage.
♬ original sound – Aimee Michelle

The paperwork was recently filed in the United States District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania. In the lawsuit, the women alleged that they “were humiliatingly denied seating and service at the Denny’s in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, simply because of the color of their skin. “Clearly, the alleged ‘flickering’ lights were nothing more than a pretext for blatant racial discrimination.”

Kyle Platt, who is representing the women, stated, “This is something that was incredibly blatant and obvious to anyone who could have seen it. They entered the restaurant and were immediately basically ushered away, while all the white patrons were able to eat without issue.”

“Our clients were deeply hurt by what happened that day,” Carranza told the media outlet. “There was no reason for any employee to rush to them before they even entered the premises.”

To make matters worse, Denny’s corporate Vice President Chioke Elmore, who is also Black, attempted to “placate and persuade” Kirnon by telling her, “I look like you, and I wouldn’t want to work here if they didn’t want people like us to eat here,” according to the complaint.

Over the years, Denny’s was known for its discrimination against Black people. The restaurant chain settled a class-action lawsuit in 1994 for $54 million after numerous allegations of the practice. Black customers were typically treated differently from their white counterparts.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 29, 2025

George Foreman’s 1968 Olympic Gold Medal Is Being Auctioned

A year before turning pro, 19-year-old George Foreman won a boxing gold medal at the 1968 Summer Games.

A year before turning pro, 19-year-old George Foreman won a boxing gold medal at the 1968 Summer Games, and that medal is now up for auction.

According to TMZ, the medal has been placed up for auction at Lelands. Foreman won the gold medal at the Olympics on Oct. 29, 1968, after beating Jonas Cepulis of the Soviet Union, when the referee stopped the fight in the second round. Anyone interested in owning the item has until Dec. 6, when the online auction ends.

The starting bid was $2,500.

Lelands stated that they obtained the medal from a woman who was once a neighbor of the heavyweight champion when he lived in Houston in the 1970s. She allowed him to use her garage as storage. In recent years, after cleaning her house, she discovered the medal, along with other items, including two passports and his driver’s license, in the garage. She stated that the gold medal was found in a box containing some of his trophies.

The auction house stated that the gold medal “is highly likely” to be the medal he won, although it had to be cleaned after being in the box for so many years. They state it’s in excellent condition, but also warn that they “cannot say for certain without a photo-match or the original plaque” to confirm its authenticity.

Two years after Foreman became a professional boxer, he became the World Heavyweight Champion on Jan. 22, 1973, when he scored a second-round knockout of Joe Frazier. After two successful defenses of the title, he met Muhammad Ali in the infamous “Rumble in the Jungle” boxing match in Zaire, Africa. On Oct. 30, 1974, almost six years to the day that he won his gold medal, he lost the title to Ali.

He became the oldest boxer to win the heavyweight title in 1987, when he knocked out Michael Moorer in the 10th round. He was 45 when he achieved that accomplishment at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The boxer died earlier this year in March at the age of 76.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 29, 2025

Diddy Helps Organize, Chips In For Thanksgiving Dinner For Fellow Fort Dix Inmates

'We just wanted to come together as a family and do our own thing,' he said.

Although Diddy’s last two thanksgivings probably weren’t ideal, he made sure this one was not only better for him but for every inmate currently incarcerated at FCI Fort Dix, where he is presently spending time. The entertainment mogul helped his fellow prisoners have a better-than-usual holiday this year.

According to TMZ, Diddy funded the meals that the inmates feasted on this past week. He worked with a group called Bankroll Bosses at the facility, as he funded the meal. Diddy reportedly bought the food from the prison commissary, had it prepared over two days, and then made sure every housing unit at Fort Dix received the meals, according to one of his representatives.

“Thanksgiving, to me, is about making sure other people eat. Everybody misses their family. People get depressed during the holidays. We just wanted to come together as a family and do our own thing,” the “It’s All About the Benjamins” producer told the media outlet.

TMZ also spoke with a former gang leader, B.I., who helped organize the meals being prepared and delivered to the inmates.

“We cooked the food and sent it to all the buildings. Enough for about 200 people in each building. It took two days to prep everything.”

Diddy is at the facility serving a 50-month prison term after being convicted on two counts of transporting individuals to engage in prostitution under the Mann Act in July.

The mogul seems to be adjusting to prison life well.

“There’s a lot of misinterpretations about prison. There is a strong brotherhood. We all look out for each other. It’s nothing but a positive thing,” Diddy informs TMZ. “It’s like a little bit of home in a dark place.”

His expected release date is May 28, 2028, but he could be coming home before the date if he completes a drug treatment program at the facility that’s designed to cut time for successful completion.