accident, livestream, tiktok — (Image: iStock.com/kali9)

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 7, 2025

Body Found Off Maryland Highway Confirmed As Missing Virginia Teen; Suspect In Custody

Maryland Governor Wes Moore also released a statement.

The body of Da’Cara Rose Thompson, the Virginia teen who went missing in late August, was found off a Maryland highway on Aug. 31, according to police in Prince George’s County.

A suspect has also been arrested.

Thompson’s mysterious disappearance generated national headlines as her family searched for her whereabouts.

Authorities shared at a Sept. 5 press conference that they arrested Hugo Hernandez-Mendez, 35, for his involvement in Thompson’s murder. He faces one count of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder, USA Today reports.

Thompson, 19, went missing Aug. 22 after leaving her home in Prince George’s County. She had last sent her father a text saying she would be “home soon.” Afterward, he family and community held multiple search efforts and hosted a vigil.

Officials did not disclose any further information surrounding how Thompson died or Hernandez-Mendez’s potential motive.

However, video footage revealed Thompson “willfully entered” a car driven by her alleged killer the night she disappeared. Thompson talked to Hernandez-Mendez in his driver’s seat, before walking to the passenger’s side to get in the vehicle.

Prince George’s Police Chief George Nader said Hernandez-Mendez drove Thompson to a home in Bowie, Maryland, six miles from her own residence. There, he said, the man killed Thompson in a bedroom and disposed the body a few miles away at a grassy area off Route 50 in a neighboring county.

Nader said Hernandez-Mendez acted alone. Detectives have yet to confirm if Thompson and Hernandez-Mendez knew each other.

Thompson, a recent high school graduate, was working for a nonprofit, becoming a member of the Maryland Service Year Option.

In a statement, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, called Thompson’s death an “act of senseless violence.”

My statement on the Da’Cara Thompson Investigation: pic.twitter.com/ohZSeuPypM
— Governor Wes Moore (@GovWesMoore) September 5, 2025

“Da’Cara raised her hand right out of high school to join our most recent cohort of Maryland Service Year Option members –patriotic Marylanders committed to public service,” Moore said. “She yearned to be part of our mission to solve big problems with bold solutions through her passion for the arts.”

He added, “She was a bright light in our state. We will use every tool at our disposal to ensure those responsible for this crime are held accountable and honor Da’Cara’s legacy of service through our unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of all Marylanders.”

Hernandez-Mendez is in jail without bond. His court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 8.

Kamala Harris, LAPD, security — (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 7, 2025

LAPD Cuts Protection For Kamala Harris Just Days After Trump Suspended Secret Service For Ex-VP

The LAPD union expressed their disdain over the decision for local officers to protect the politician.

The Los Angeles Police Department has cut its specials protections for Kamala Harris as Donald Trump suspends secret service provisions for the former Vice President.

As Trump pulled back Harris’ secret service detail, the California Highway stepped in to fill the gaps that would have leave the Los Angeles resident unprotected. To help with the transition, specialized units from the LAPD’s Metropolitan Division joined the effort, as detailed by ABC7.

However, the move garnered backlash over its repositioning of officers away from the crime suppression units in certain neighborhoods. Mayor Karen Bass had initially green-lighted the effort, but the negative spotlight prompted a reversal of the move.

According to The Los Angeles Times, those within the LAPD also expressed their concerns with taking officers from their initial posts to safeguard the former presidential nominee. Following the backlash, Bass confirmed that the officers would return to the original units, calling the plan to protect Harris as always being “temporary.”

“The plan was always to provide temporary support and I thank LAPD for protecting former VP Harris and always prioritizing the safety of all Angelenos,” shared Bass in the Sept. 6 statement.

Before leaving office, former President Joe Biden had extended Harris’ Secret Service protection past July 21. Typically, former Vice Presidents only receive 6 months of Secret Service protection after leaving office. The extension came as Harris faced death threats before and in the midst of her own presidential campaign.

The extension remained until Trump followed suit in his pattern of stripping protections for his political adversaries, already doing so for former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, per Axios. After revoking Harris’ federal police protections, Harris’ native state decided to keep the former California Senator safe.

However, the news did not bode well with the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union over the LAPD. Its board of directors even mocked Harris, calling the former attorney general a “multi-millionaire failed presidential candidate” while deeming the local protection reversal an act of “common-sense.”

“Every now and then common-sense prevails and we are happy to report that the Metro officers assigned to protect the multi-millionaire failed presidential candidate are back on the street fighting crime,” the union said in a statement provided to City News Service.

The LAPD union leaders did not hide their feelings on the unpopular protection, making it clear where they stand about California policemen protecting one of the state’s former politicians.

“Maybe Ms. Harris can start a GoFundMe campaign instead of mooching off Los Angeles taxpayers,” their statement added.

Kelly Price, Black women — (Photo: Prince Williams/Wireimage)

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 7, 2025

Kelly Price Calls Black Women ‘DEI Hires’ And ‘Nasty, Disrespectful People’ In Rant Over Her Appearance

The singer did not mince words about Black women and apparent trolling.

Kelly Price is seemingly fed up with Black women mocking her appearance.

The singer went off on her biggest critics, whom she believes to be Black women, in a new rant. She went to Instagram Live to voice her frustrations with the demographic, not mincing any words about the constant trolling. During the outburst, she called them “DEI hires” and “nasty, disrespectful people.”

Significantly, the “Friend of Mine” singer called them unemployed, noting the unemployment crisis disproportionately impacting Black women. Meanwhile, she noted how she continues to sell out shows for her music career. One X user re-shared the footage.

Kelly price goes off on black women. pic.twitter.com/VcKRym8tpP
— Hip Hop Fev3r (@Hiphopfev3r) September 3, 2025

“I’m letting you have it right now, because ain’t nothing you can do about that,” she continued. “And while you’re looking for a new job, I’m still going to be selling out theaters and venues. Looking like a fat slob in clothes that you said I look nasty in, and my feet are so damn big, and who dressed me. I’m still going to be making my money.”

In her rant, she asserted that Black women say harmful and degrading stuff about her looks while claiming that they uplift the community.

“Black women, you are some of the most nasty, disrespectful people on God’s planet earth. The things that you say about other Black women…but you’re an activist, and you are educated…find yourself, because a degree does not give you class,” she shared to her over 1 million Instagram followers.

While her rant took primary aim at her Black women critics, she also took a jab at the men who join in on the trolling.

“Any man who feels the right to disrespect a woman who has never done anything to them… you’re a bi**h. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart,” she added.

However, not all were receptive to Price’s vulnerable yet polarizing post. One popular comment emphasized how the majority of ticket-buyers to her sold-out shows are Black women, and how calling them “DEI hires” is inherently more harmful than she thinks.

“You do know that the main people that purchase your music and go to your shows are BLACK WOMEN? You do know that black women are not DEI hires because they are the most educated women in the world,” wrote the commenter, according to The Grio.

Despite the backlash, one fellow Black woman celebrity shared her support for Price. Renowned boxer Claressa Shields came to Price’s defense, stating Price “read y’all” for the fake love.

“If it don’t apply to you shut yo ass up,” wrote Shields on X. “Ain’t nobody making stuff up bout y’all ass. Knowing damn well y’all be fake “girl girls” & fake “women empowerment.” Kelly price read y’all just like she was supposed to. I hope whoever talked about her feet being big that she stick it up your [butt.]”

Price, however, doesn’t care what the commenters say, stating that she is not the problem. Instead, her issue lies with how the Black women community treats one another, in real life and online.

“The one thing you will never catch me doing is going to someone else’s social media page and talking in a disparaging way about them disrespecting them to the utmost,” she shared. “We complain so much about how other races, ethnicities and classes of people treat people of color, but I can absolutely tell you that it never compares to the mistreatment that we do of each other. We need to get it together.”

Support Your Girlfriends, Barbados — Courtesy of Nikkia McClain

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 7, 2025

Support Your Girlfriends Partners With Barbados Tourism To Celebrate Sisterhood At Empowerment Retreat

Support Your Girlfriends headed to Barbados to celebrate and reconnect with women trailblazers for its Empowerment Retreat.

Support Your Girlfriends has successfully concluded its 7th annual retreat, bringing its mission of empowerment and sisterhood to Barbados.

Founded by communications strategist Dr. Nikkia Tené McClain of the Tené Nicole Agency, Support Your Girlfriends has evolved into a network of dynamic women who are game changers in their industries. For this year’s reconnection, a cohort of 30 esteemed professionals and creatives headed off to the Caribbean island for the transformative retreat.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Debra Marshall (@deb.marsh)

In partnership with Barbados Marketing Tourism Inc., the Empowerment retreat took place from Aug. 25 to 29. During its four-day festivities, women from the corporate, entrepreneurial, and artistic sectors came together to uplift one another, in line with the communal organization’s mission.

Under this year’s theme, “Getting Back To Us: Wholesome Friendships Lead to Impactful Sisterships,” the retreat hosted several sessions to foster unity, growth, and impact among its attendees. The retreat commenced with a Keynote Dinner, led by McClain, to ground the experience in intentionality and purpose to elevate these women.

Its programming also included a conversation with Barbados NGO “I AM A GIRL,” a session led by “The Golden Hoops” author Jen Hayse Lee. With the organization’s pillars of SupportHER, CelebrateHER, and Pow(H)er at the forefront, attendees then indulged in lifestyle and wellness workshops, featuring special guests such as Modupé Rouse, Lucinda Cross, and Debra Marshall.

The legendary retreat concluded with a Pow(H)er dinner of “Getting Back To Sistership.” Hosted by Sharene “Shay” Wood, the dinner solidified these connections as the women championed each other in their future journeys.

Established in 2017, Support Your Girlfriends offers affordable annual memberships for women trailblazers of color, providing a platform for them to find support and encouragement from one another. The organization provides access and resources for women to elevate their ideas and careers, while connecting with like-minded female visionaries.

In a press release shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE, McClain shared how the retreat found new bliss and purpose in Barbados, especially as it shaped the experience for women of color.

“This year’s retreat was absolutely wonderful! I feel truly thankful to Barbados Marketing Tourism Inc. and Apes Hill Barbados for opening a warm and inviting space for me and my #GlossyPosse tribe of women. As women of color, it’s essential to have moments and spaces that celebrate all aspects of who we are, from our dreams and desires to our struggles and happiness, which is exactly what this retreat provides.

As Support Your Girlfriends continues to elevate women leaders, no matter the industry, its retreats help women embrace all they are, while encouraging them to remain their unapologetic selves.

Tuskegee, HBCU, campus fashion — (Photo: Visual Vic/Getty Images)

by Daniel Johnson

September 7, 2025

First-Of-Its-Kind HBCU Prep High School Opens In NYC

According to Dr. Asya Johnson, the principal of HBCU College Prep High School, the aim of the school goes well beyond offering dual credit and a path to an associate’s degree.

On Sept. 4, New York City officials opened the doors to a school they hope will transform the prospects of the students who learn within its halls. The school is a first-of-its-kind historically Black college and university preparatory school, part of a bid that its administrators hope will have the upshot of advancing both college readiness and exposure and access to HBCUs among its enrollees.

As Dr. Asya Johnson, the principal of HBCU College Prep High School, told ABC News in an interview before the school’s opening, “There’s just not enough exposure to HBCUs across the country. We talk about college and college access, but we do not spend enough time celebrating the history and the data around it.”

In part, the lack of exposure is due to the fact that the majority of HBCUs are located in the South, due to the fact that those particular institutions were created as a counter to the denial of Black students by universities in the former Confederate states that observed Jim Crow segregation laws.

Because of this history, HBCUs tend to punch above their weight class when it comes to producing Black graduates, particularly when it comes to professional occupations like doctors, lawyers, and judges, despite only operating a few of these specialized schools in comparison to predominantly white institutions. HBCUs produce the majority of Black people (over 80%, according to studies) who operate in these fields.

Delaware State University, one of a handful of HBCUs, otherwise referred to as historically Black land-grant universities, located outside of the South, is both a partner institution of the high school as well as the alma mater of its principal, something that likely shaped her desire to expose students to the rich history and possibilities created by HBCUs.

“It’s important because it doesn’t exist. We often don’t explain to students what exists beyond just our state or our local tri-state area. Why not expose students to that? We want them to know that from the minute they walk into the doors, how much we love and care for them,” Johnson said.

The school, located in Jamaica, Queens, had only 100 seats available in its first year, but received over 1,000 applicants. Like many charter schools, it used a kind of entrance exam to help determine who would receive one of the coveted seats.

Its criteria involved writing an essay, which involved the student asking for admission to solve either a technology or health issue in their community, and a video discussing how they wanted to use their degree to give back to their communities.

According to DSU President Tony Allen, “To be clear, the greatest indicator for a lower-resourced student from an under-served community to actually get into the middle class and change the economic trajectory for themselves, their families, and their communities is their attendance at an HBCU.”

Per the office of New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams, students who attend the school will receive up to 64 college credits toward a liberal arts degree at Delaware State University and are guaranteed admission should they choose to apply there.

According to Johnson, the school’s aim extends well beyond offering dual credit and a path to an associate’s degree; it is her desire that these students become productive members of society.

“We’re not just trying to give kids a high school diploma and an associate’s degree, but we want to prepare them for the real world to make sure that they can be active citizens in this society. HBCUs, and our school, in particular, are not just for students who are Black.” An admission that is plain to see, but is likely politically imperative given the current climate that equates diversity, equity, and inclusion with programs designed to benefit Black Americans at the expense of more privileged individuals. “Anyone can attend an HBCU, just like anyone can attend and apply to HBCU Early College Prep here in New York City,” Johnson noted.

Cracker Barrel, racism, lawsuit — photo credit: pexels

by Daniel Johnson

September 7, 2025

Black Cracker Barrel Server Called ‘Burnt Biscuit’ By Coworkers As Managers Ignored Racism, Lawsuit Claims

Roberta Mendez's lawsuit claims coworkers referred to her as 'nappy headed [N-word,] burnt biscuit,' and 'monkey.'

Cracker Barrel, the popular restaurant with the decor that hearkens back to the Old South, is the subject of a federal lawsuit from former server Roberta Mendez, a Black woman, who is accusing one of the company’s Tennessee locations of looking the other way regarding racist behavior and attitudes from fellow employees.

According to The Independent, Mendez’s lawsuit, filed on Aug. 21, levies accusations that her coworkers would refer to her as “nappy headed [N-word,] burnt biscuit,” and “monkey.”

The lawsuit comes at a time when the company is facing drama over revamping its logo, removing the “old-timer” in overalls. After facing backlash from conservatives who complained the company had gone “woke” with the move, the company reverted to its old logo.

Mendez claims that on at least one occasion, a shift leader pointedly told Mendez in 2024, “I don’t like Black people.” Mendez, who has worked at the Nashville-area establishment since 2015, also says in her lawsuit that despite either meeting or exceeding the expectations in her performance reviews, she was “treated less favorably than her Caucasian counterparts who made derogatory comments to [her] based on her race,” during that same time period.

Among the more explosive claims, as well as a familiar one concerning Cracker Barrel’s culture in the lawsuit, is Mendez’s assertion that management at the restaurant “segregated its Black workers from its Caucasian workers,” and when she brought her concerns to her superiors, instead of disciplining the employees she told the company was engaging in unsavory behavior toward her, she was instead written up.“

When Mendez escalated her concerns to Human Resources, she was only told not to sign the write-up,” per the complaint. “No remedial action was taken.”

In August 2024, after her working conditions still had not improved, Mendez went further up the chain of command and submitted a grievance to Cracker Barrel’s corporate division, which detailed “her treatment and the treatment of other Black employees.”

However, much like when she escalated her concerns to the company’s HR department, Mendez was the only one held accountable. Despite doing nothing wrong, she was fired the next month for what the company described as “breaking company policy,” while none of her white coworkers were called to account for their reported conduct.

Cracker Barrel has faced lawsuits alleging discrimination before. In 2010, it settled a civil rights lawsuit brought by the Department of Justice that alleged that the company “engaged in a pattern or practice of denying to African-American customers and potential customers, on the basis of their race or color, the use and enjoyment of the facilities, services, and accommodations of Cracker Barrel restaurants on the same basis as they make such available to non-African-American persons.”

Further back, in 2004, the company agreed to pay $8.7 million to settle all lawsuits brought by the NAACP, lawsuits which indicated that the company engaged in the segregation of Black and white patrons, complete with allegations that it served Black patrons food that had been reclaimed from trash cans. According to The African American Registry, the settlement is similar to another settlement it provided to the Justice Department.

“That settlement found that Black customers at many of the country store-themed restaurants were seated in areas segregated from white patrons, frequently received inferior service, and often were made to wait longer for tables. Blacks who complained about poor service also were treated less favorably than whites,” the African American Registry noted.

Representatives for Cracker Barrel, meanwhile, did not respond to a request for comment from The Independent before the story was published.

According to Kyle Biesecker, who, along with his co-counsel Rachel Ringer, is representing Mendez in her lawsuit against the company, the next step is for Cracker Barrel to officially respond to their lawsuit, which he believes will lead to depositions.

“Next, Cracker Barrel will file their answer to the complaint and discovery will proceed from there,” Biesecker told The Independent. “We expect depositions to bear out many of the facts as alleged by Ms. Mendez.”

Mendez is suing under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion or national origin, and the substance of her complaint revolves around the accusation that Cracker Barrel “subjected her to pervasive harassment on the basis of her race, created a hostile work environment, and terminated her employment… when she complained of racially disparaging comments and behavior from her coworkers and supervisors.”

Mendez seeks reinstatement to her position at both the salary and seniority which she would have earned were she not fired by the company, in addition to back pay, lost benefits, compensatory and punitive damages with interest, and a trial by jury. Mendez is requiring the company to cover her court costs and legal fees if it loses in court.

Black Art,LA Art Week — (Photo: Matheus Viana/Pexels)

by Mary Spiller

September 7, 2025

Artist Amy Sherald To Debut ‘American Sublime’ At Baltimore Museum After Withdrawing From Smithsonian

Artist Amy Sherald, renowned for her portrait of Michelle Obama, has relocated her major solo exhibition 'American Sublime' after pulling it from the Smithsonian over censorship concerns.

Artist Amy Sherald, best known for her portrait of former first lady Michelle Obama, has found a new home for her solo exhibition, “American Sublime.” The show will now open at the Baltimore Museum of Art on Nov. 2 and run through April 5, museum officials announced.

The exhibition was originally slated for the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery this fall, but Sherald canceled in July after learning that officials were considering removing her painting “Trans Forming Liberty” — a reimagined Statue of Liberty as a transgender figure — to avoid sparking controversy with President Donald Trump.

“When I understood a video would replace the painting, I decided to cancel,” Sherald said at the time. “The video would have opened up for debate the value of trans visibility, and I was opposed to that being a part of the ‘American Sublime’ narrative.”

In her new statement, according to The New York Times, Sherald expressed excitement about bringing the show to Baltimore, a city where she has built much of her career. “Baltimore has always been part of my DNA as an artist,” she said. “Every brushstroke carries a little of its history, its energy, its people and my time there. To bring this exhibition here is to return that love.”

The Baltimore Museum of Art’s Director Asma Naeem praised Sherald’s voice and vision, calling her work “powerful and resonant in their profound humanity.” Sherald will also be honored alongside artist Wangechi Mutu at the museum’s annual fundraiser in November.

“American Sublime” marks the largest presentation of Sherald’s work to date. It debuted last year at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, later moving to the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, before the Smithsonian controversy derailed its third showing.

The dispute over “Trans Forming Liberty” unfolded as Trump ramped up efforts to reshape the Smithsonian. In March, he signed an executive order accusing the institution of embracing “a divisive, race-centered ideology” and later demanded a review of its exhibitions. Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet resigned in June after Trump said he was firing her.

Sherald has since become vocal about the broader implications. Writing on MSNBC‘s website, she argued: “Constraining museums does not protect the public. It impoverishes us.”

She added, “It became clear during my exchanges with the gallery how quickly curatorial independence collapses when politics enters the room.”

Missouri, NAACP, Black voters, lawsuit — Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for Play Golf Designs Inc., PGD Global

by Mary Spiller

September 7, 2025

NAACP Sues Missouri Over Special Session Redistricting Plan

The NAACP is suing Missouri over a special redistricting session, arguing the plan is unconstitutional and threatens to silence Black voters’ voices.

The NAACP has filed a lawsuit against the State of Missouri, challenging what it describes as an unlawful effort to redraw political maps that would weaken the voting influence of Black residents. The legal action, filed jointly with the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP, seeks to block a proposed special legislative session that the group argues violates both state law and constitutional protections.

“This case is about defending democracy and protecting the voice of every voter,” said Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO. “The Missouri legislature’s attempt to force a rushed, unconstitutional redistricting process in a special session is a blatant effort to silence Black voters and strip them of their fundamental rights. We will not stand by while elected officials manipulate the system to weaken our power and representation.”

The lawsuit, filed Sept. 3, calls for immediate judicial intervention to prevent the governor and state lawmakers from proceeding with the session. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People leaders argue that the proposed plan undermines the principle of fair representation and exacerbates the systemic barriers that already exist for Black communities in Missouri.

“Our communities already face systemic barriers to full participation in our democracy,” said Nimrod T. Chapel Jr., President of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP. “This attempt to redraw maps behind closed doors and outside of regular order is nothing more than an attack on Black Missourians’ ability to choose leaders who reflect and respect their needs. We will use every tool at our disposal to stop it.”

The Missouri case follows a similar lawsuit recently filed by the NAACP against Texas, also challenging redistricting maps it says are unconstitutional. Both efforts, the organization argues, reflect a broader pattern of attempts to weaken the political power of Black voters nationwide.

The NAACP emphasized that its mission remains rooted in the fight for racial equity, civic engagement, and fair representation. “We fight to ensure that democracy works for all,” the group said in its statement.

Founded on a legacy of grassroots activism, the NAACP said it continues to advocate and litigate in pursuit of equal rights and representation for Black Americans. The organization pledged to remain vigilant against efforts to undermine voter power and to push forward policies that ensure equity and opportunity for marginalized communities.

Nine men from the 369th Infantry, Harlem Hellfighters, on their return home from World War I. (NPS.gov/Public Domain)

by Daniel Johnson

September 7, 2025

Harlem Hellfighters Awarded Congressional Gold Medal Amid Ongoing U.S. History Debate

The Harlem Hellfighters ar the most well-known group of Black World War I soldiers.

The Harlem Hellfighters, a group of Black New York National Guardsmen who served in the 369th Infantry Regiment during World War I, were posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal on Sept 3. That particular award is the nation’s highest honor bestowed upon civilians by Congress, given to the families of those soldiers several decades after the U.S. Army ignored their military service.

According to NPR, the historical correction of the erasure of the all-Black infantry group was accompanied by a rare moment of bipartisanship from Republicans, who have previously faced criticism for their efforts to erase the contributions of Black people from United States history in general and the military in particular.

In his comments, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) noted that throughout history, Black Americans have often answered the call to serve their country, even though, as history will show, their country did not serve them.

“We know that generations of African-American soldiers have answered that call to fight for freedom, whether on battlefields at home or abroad. Their nation asked them to fight, and they did again and again, even while being denied the full measure of those freedoms here on American soil,” Johnson said.

Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY), who proposed honoring the group in 2021, declared in his comments at the ceremony that no matter how long it has been since an injustice has occurred, it’s never too late to make amends.

“It’s never too late to do the right thing. Today, we honor the legacy of your fathers, your grandfathers, and your great-grandfathers who served our nation under extreme circumstances and despite intense discrimination. We are all better for their service,” Rep. Suozzi noted.

According to Suozzi’s bill, the medal awarded to the Harlem Hellfighters will be donated to the Smithsonian Institution, “where it will be displayed as appropriate and made available for research.”

Debra Willett, the granddaughter of Harlem Hellfighter Sgt. Leander Willett accepted the award on behalf of the group, remarking that the honor is one that her grandfather and his compatriots likely never expected or anticipated during the course of their military service.

“I know that my grandfather and the other brave men that fought alongside him never thought that their courage and their exploits would be celebrated in such a revered setting. They sacrificed, and they thought they were making a difference. And today proves that they did,” Willett stated.

Interestingly enough, the group was honored by a video game company, Electronic Arts, through a DLC pack for 2016’s Battlefield 1, before it was collectively honored by the United States. However, Black gamers rightfully criticized EA’s short narrative treatment as a bait-and-switch after featuring a Black soldier on the game’s cover.

Despite this controversy, the accomplishments of the Harlem Hellfighters, who are believed to have earned that particular nickname from the Germans they met on the battlefield, are noteworthy.

According to The History Channel, the group survived for more than six months in combat, more than any other American group. In addition, members of that unit were among the first American units to be honored by France, which outfitted them with better weapons after noticing the shoddy equipment the United States had provided them and allowed them to fight alongside French units. When the Harlem Hellfighters returned home, they were the subjects of a ticker tape victory parade, an honor that was rare for Black soldiers at the time.

According to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, despite the fanfare that accompanied their return, their story was largely forgotten and erased from history; however, the opening of that museum allowed for their story to be revived and told through their “Double Victory: The African American Military Experience” exhibition.

As Chad Williams, a professor of history and African American and Black diaspora studies at Boston University, told NPR, the honor bestowed upon the group, while overdue, also represents a “cynical” Trump administration.

“On the one hand, it’s long overdue recognition, but it is certainly ironic, considering the times that we’re in. It speaks to the very complicated and oftentimes very hypocritical ways in which this country has chosen to address its racial history. It was a very inspiring, very patriotic, very well-deserved recognition of the historical significance and sacrifices of the 369th,” Williams said. “On the other hand, it was a very cynical display of selective racial memory.”

Trump, Chicago, National Guard — Donald Trump Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images/Brandon Johnson Photo by Trent Sprague/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

by Daniel Johnson

September 6, 2025

Trump Appears To Threaten Chicago With National Guard Deployment, But Chicago Isn’t Scared

'The President’s threats are beneath the honor of our nation, but the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution,' Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson posted on social media.

After Donald Trump appeared to threaten Chicago with a National Guard invasion using his favorite communication device, memes posted to his Truth Social account, leaders in Illinois responded with swift and strong condemnations of both his message and tone.

According to The Chicago Sun-Times, Trump made several references to the 1979 movie “Apocalypse Now,” with Trump apparently casting himself in the role of Lt. Colonel Kilgore. In a take on Robert Duvall’s delivery of the often-quoted line, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning,” Trump amended his post to read, “‘I love the smell of deportations in the morning,’” a clear reference to the film.

The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city.

This is not a joke. This is not normal.

Donald Trump isn't a strongman, he's a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator. pic.twitter.com/f87Zek7Cqb
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) September 6, 2025

The implication is both clear and troubling, as evidenced by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s response on X on Sept. 6. Pritzker declared that the post, which the White House’s official account also posted on the social media site, “is not normal.”

He continued, “The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal. Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.”

Likewise, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson used his X account to call on the city’s citizens to protect each other amid more lawless threats aimed at the city from Trump and the Trump administration.

The President’s threats are beneath the honor of our nation, but the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution.

We must defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by protecting each other and protecting Chicago from Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/B7AH1ufByH
— Mayor Brandon Johnson (@ChicagosMayor) September 6, 2025

“The President’s threats are beneath the honor of our nation, but the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution. We must defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by protecting each other and protecting Chicago from Donald Trump,” Johnson wrote.

As a Chicago resident and former member of the Chicago City Council, as well as the former CEO of the Chicago Sun-Times from 2017 to 2019, Edwin Eisendrath told The Guardian that the National Guard won’t solve any perceived problems with crime. In addition, Chicago’s history as a city of activists does not bode well for a deployment of troops inside the city.

“If you think of the civic action you’ve seen over history, whether that’s the Pullman strikes a century ago, or Haymarket, or the early union movement, or what we did in the civil rights movement, or the organizing for the Women’s March, Chicagoans are organized. So we aren’t helpless,” he told the outlet.

Sjonia Harper, a resident of Bronzeville, one of Chicago’s most well-known historically Black neighborhoods, also recognizes the pattern in Trump’s calls to invade certain cities across the country, which he says are dealing with unacceptable crime rates.

“It’s not going to just end with [Chicago]. It’s going to expand. He’s already talking about New Orleans, and if you think about all the cities he’s talking about – LA, Black mayor; DC, Black mayor; Chicago, Black mayor; Baltimore, Black mayor; New Orleans, Black mayor. We have to be able to call it out for what it is,” Harper noted.

According to Matt Conroy, a Democrat who is running for election in Chicago’s fifth congressional district, the federal troops will likely “terrorize” Black and Latinx communities while costing taxpayers an exorbitant sum of money.

“Rather than addressing the root cause of this, they’re just doing what they think looks good for the TV and pretending to be a strongman authoritarian, and that’s all that Donald Trump really wants to be. What they’re doing is completely illegal. … Honestly, [Trump could] invoke the Insurrection Act, but [it’s important] to stay together, have a plan, know your rights and be respectful of law enforcement, to not escalate the situation further, and to provide [Chicago residents] with additional resources,” Conroy pointed out.

To that end, Denise Poloyac, a board member for the Indivisible Chicago Alliance, indicated in her comments to the outlet that for Chicagoans, the best prescription for federal overreach is solidarity.

“We can’t be effective if we don’t act together, and I think we draw our strength from each other. I think that is the strength of Chicago, and that’s what’s going to get us through this, and, you know, I think that’s the strength of a lot of places in this country. I think that’s what Trump’s administration doesn’t understand, that we are in a community,” she noted.