U.S. Olympic Fencer Curtis McDowald Suspended For 5 Years
This is just the latest scandal involving USA Fencing in recent years.
Curtis McDowald, one of the only Black fencers on USA Fencing’s 2021 Olympic squad that competed at the Tokyo Olympics, was declared ineligible to compete for a period of five years on Aug. 29 after the organization determined that he violated its codes of conduct multiple times.
According to USA Today, this action follows his temporary suspension in 2023 after allegations of his misconduct were made known to the governing body of the United States Olympic fencing team.
His behavior, at that time, including at least one report that he kicked a freestanding banner, put the team’s chances of qualifying for the Paris Olympics in jeopardy during the Pan-American Senior Games.
The suspension of McDowell, who will become eligible for retirement once his suspension ends, is just the latest scandal that has involved USA Fencing.
As The New York Times reported, a few months ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, international saber fencing was plagued by questions regarding refereeing, accusations of preferential treatment, and concerns from the sport’s top players and coaches that the web of connections in the sport plays an outsized role in determining who competes.
USA Fencing, in particular, suspended two of its officials for communicating with each other during an Olympic qualifying tournament in California.
This was preceded by sexual assault allegations against épéeist Alen Hadžić in 2021 and an open investigation of him by the US Center for SafeSport, the sport’s independent watchdog organization.
Despite those issues, USA Fencing allowed him to compete in 2021’s Tokyo Olympics as an alternate, a move that drew considerable outrage and comparisons to the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal that had engulfed the Women’s USA Gymnastics team.
More recently, USA Fencing found itself at the center of a controversy, when 31-year-old Stephanie Turner refused to compete against Red Sullivan, a 19-year-old trans woman, allegedly telling her, “I respect you a lot, but this is a women’s event. I am a woman and you’re a man. I will not fence you.”
Turner’s refusal to compete against Sullivan put the issue in front of Congress.
Delta Airlines To Pay $79 Million Settlement Over 2020 Jet Fuel Dump Over L.A. Schools
The Boeing 777-200 aircraft dumped around 15,000 gallons of jet fuel on Cudahy, a neighborhood in Los Angeles.
Delta Air Lines has agreed to a $79 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit stemming from a 2020 incident in which one of its aircraft released thousands of gallons of jet fuel over neighborhoods and schoolyards in southeast Los Angeles County, the Associated Press reports.
The lawsuit dates back to Jan. 14, 2020, when a Boeing 777-200 bound for Shanghai was forced to return to Los Angeles International Airport shortly after takeoff due to engine trouble. As the plane circled back, it dumped roughly 15,000 gallons of fuel to meet landing weight requirements. The aircraft landed safely.
L.A. County firefighters responded to schools in Cudahy, where nearly 60 children and teachers were treated on-site for minor skin and lung irritation. No one was hospitalized, but teachers from Park Avenue Elementary School filed suit.
The lawsuit described Delta jet fuel “drizzling down like raindrops” and “overwhelming” fumes that clung to their clothes, skin, and in their eyes. Homeowners from the same area later joined in a class-action complaint reporting similar symptoms.
In court filings, Delta explained that one of the plane’s two engines lost thrust soon after takeoff, leaving the aircraft approximately 160,000 pounds over its maximum landing weight. Landing with a full fuel load, the company noted, would have risked structural damage to the plane and triggered costly mandatory inspections.
“The pilots decided to dump fuel to reduce the serious risks of flying and landing an overweight airplane on just one engine,” Delta said in court documents.
The settlement, finalized Monday, August 25, resolves claims of physical and emotional harm brought by affected residents and teachers. Delta said the agreement does not constitute an admission of liability, but that the payout was meant “to avoid the legal expenses of a trial and to eliminate the distraction and other burdens this litigation has caused to Delta’s business.”
Hey, Auntie! K Camp Reveals His Celebrity Crush As Cam Newton Hypes Him Up
K Camp described his long-time crush on 'The Player's Club' actress.
K Camp is shooting his shot at his celebrity crush, LisaRaye McCoy. The rapper and singer explained why LisaRaye is still the ’90s fine woman of his dreams.
The 35-year-old artist visited Cam Newton’s Funky Friday podcast and discussed his ongoing desire for the “gorgeous” LisaRaye. During the chat, he explained how she is “one of them ones” to the podcaster.
The Neighborhood Talk reposted a clip of their candid talk.
While Newton asserted that her presence could feel “intimidating,” K Camp made clear that he wasn’t afraid to go for it. The two continued their conversation about the 57-year-old actress’s pristine aura, but noted how she may try to treat K Camp like a young man trying to hit on her.
“And when she get to walking up to you and that all white,” joked Newton. “Looking like an angel and got her halo, and she hit you with the ‘Hey, young man.’ That ain’t gonna scare you?”
K Camp’s response: “Hell nah.”
When asked how and if he would introduce himself to The Wood actress, K Camp said “it depends on how many drinks I got. If I’m on some sober sh-t, I’m going to be respectful, you know what I’m saying. But if I’m in that bag, ‘I’m like what’s happening?'”
LisaRaye has been a multi-generational celebrity crush. The stunning actress first turned heads as Diana “Diamond” Armstrong in the 1998 film The Players Club. Since then, she has held multiple roles in film and television, including VH1’s Single Ladies and BET’s The Family Business.
She has not shied away from discussing her dating preferences, emphasizing how she wants a man who can match and elevate her lifestyle, choosing to only date affluent people.
“I don’t know why people are so afraid to say what they always want to really know. Miss me with the small stuff. I’ve lived, and I’m gonna continue to live the way I’m used to because I can and I do!” she said.
If K Camp’s bank accounts meet her standards, he may have a shot at bagging his ultimate celebrity crush.
photo credit: Commander Mark Moran, of the NOAA Aviation Weather Center, and Lt. Phil Eastman and Lt. Dave Demers, of the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center, all commissioned officers of the NOAA Corps, flew more than 100 hours surveying Katrina’s devastation. Eastman piloted NOAA’s Bell 212 Twin Huey Helicopter from August 31 to September 19. All three men took dozens of aerial photos from an altitude of several feet to 500 feet., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
‘We Are Not Resilient, We Are Indomitable’: New Orleans Residents Speak Out 20 Years After Hurricane Katrina
A recent gathering in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward featured former Vice President Al Gore and New Orleans rapper Mia X.
As the nation’s news outlets cover the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the residents who felt and still feel its impact are not holding back regarding what they felt amounted to an ethnic cleansing of New Orleans’ wards.
As Nola.com reported, a gathering in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward, which featured former Vice President Al Gore and New Orleans rapper, educator, and cookbook author Mia X, represented the community’s rage concerning what happened after Katrina. In traditional New Orleans fashion, the rage and sorrow gave way to a second-line procession and street festival.
Gore, a climate change advocate, railed at the connections between the systemic failures of Hurricane Katrina and what he described as the current climate crisis.
“Let’s don’t lose the connection between Hurricane Katrina and the climate crisis, which is still getting worse. And they’re (the federal government) not doing anything meaningful about it. They are tearing apart FEMA after they improved it and fixed some of the terrible mistakes made 20 years ago,” Gore told the crowd. “And the causes of the climate crisis are still continuing to get worse. It is a fossil fuel crisis—and I know it’s tricky and delicate to talk about the fossil fuel industry here in Louisiana.”
Gore revealed that nearly 20 years ago to the day, he was scheduled to talk to insurance commissioners from all 50 states in Louisiana, but it was canceled, something he still hasn’t gotten over.
“Of course it had to be canceled. It’s never been rescheduled. We’ve got to wake up!” he noted.
City Council member J.P. Morell told the crowd that he is “tired of this term ‘resilience.’ Resilience is passive — you endure stuff that happens to you. We are not resilient. We are indomitable. We are a city that, no matter what obstacle is placed before us, we run through it.”
May the 20th anniversary of #HurricaneKatrina remind us of the need to transform or discard inhumane systems and the need to transform inhumane hearts that disregard and discriminate against people. So many people should be alive. So many Black human beings were dehumanized.… pic.twitter.com/HCDQcUdwEF
“Government at every level was manifestly, murderously ill-prepared for this widely predicted possibility,” Horowitz told NPR’s Michel Martin. “People were left to drown in their own houses. Even people who had made it to emergency shelters designated by the city found them empty, without any help, any food or water. Katrina represented, I think, such a failure so shocking that it made many people question the promise of American citizenship itself.”
According to The Guardian, in addition to these local policies, what compounded the abject failure during Katrina was FEMA policy, which was directed by former President George W. Bush. In a manner not dissimilar to President Donald Trump, Bush cut funding for the program, leaving it woefully unprepared for a hurricane of Katrina’s strength.
The Lower Ninth Ward, where Gore and Mia X gathered, is one of the areas where the damage unleashed by Katrina still marks New Orleans, which a resident of the area, Burnell Cotlon, described to NPR.
“This is not a third-world country,” Cotlon said. “This is New Orleans. Now, we’re only 10 minutes from the French Quarter. And the people that’s here in the Lower Ninth Ward, they’re still suffering. I lost everything. I had to start life all over. I had, like, 30-plus some neighbors. Today I have four. There’s nothing back here, you know? People forgot about the Lower Ninth Ward. I got to stay strong, positive. But sometimes it hurts. It hurts because when I drive from my house to come here, I remember, they had a store here, they had a school here, we had a hospital here. We had everything back here.”
According to Robert Green, a Katrina survivor, who has been featured in the two most recent documentaries on the hurricane, said it is the way of the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward to honor those they lost as they look forward to the future.
“I’m a New Orleanian. Our thing is commemorative. Our thing is celebrating their lives. Our thing is giving reverence to the people who lost their lives, the community that was lost, and the idea that this community will come back one day,” Green said.
The mayor offered positive feedback for Trump’s deployment of the National Guard. This is a sharp reversal in tone just weeks after she characterized his takeover as “unsettling and unprecedented.”
Initially, the mayor resisted federal control of the Metropolitan Police. She joined critics in calling the move an “authoritarian push.” Mayor Bowser also discussed steps of action to block the takeover, in an attempt to preserve D.C.’s autonomy
However, in the past few days, her tone has changed.
At a press conference, Bowser conceded that the influx of federal law enforcement and National Guard troops had yielded results. According to statistics, carjackings were down 87%, and violent crime dropped 45%.
“We know that when carjackings go down, when use of guns goes down, when homicides or robberies go down, neighborhoods feel safer and are safer, so this surge has been important to us,” said Bowser
Still, the mayor expressed concerns over other tactics.
“I am devastated by people living in fear,” she said. “I think you know very clearly how I feel about our nation needing comprehensive immigration reform, about the Congress establishing a pathway to citizenship for hard-working people who came to this country for a better life and who are not criminals, who are law-abiding.”
While Mayor Bowser is softening to the national guard occupation, other political figures are stating their frustration with the situation.
“…it’s completely performative,” said Maryland Gov. Wes Moore in an interview with ABC’s This Week.
“He is simply using honorable men and women as pawns to distract us from his policies, which continue to drive up unemployment and strip away health care and food assistance from those who need it most,” Moore continued.
D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb also called the occupation “unnecessary and unlawful.”
“The Administration’s actions are unprecedented, unnecessary, and unlawful. There is no crime emergency in the District of Columbia. Violent crime… is down another 26% so far this year,” Schwalb said.
Many onlookers are questioning the sharp reversal of Bowser. For many, the National Guard’s presence in the state is unsustainable, making resisting a federal takeover a more pressing issue.
Bayfest 2015 held on the Biscayne Bay Campus at Florida International University. Artist were Trick Daddy, August Alsina, Kes (not pictured) and Carimi (not pictured).
‘You Don’t Know Nann’ About Trick Daddy’s New Restaurant ‘Sunday’s Eatery’ In Miami Gardens
Rapper Trick Daddy, real name Maurice Young, is expanding his portfolio with a second location of his restaurant 'Sunday’s Eatery.'
Rapper Trick Daddy, real name Maurice Young, is expanding his portfolio with a second location of his restaurant, Sunday’s Eatery.
Sunday’s Eatery’s new location, in Broward County, Florida, follows the success of Young’s original eatery in Miami Gardens. The new restaurant promises the same down-home, nostalgic menu that made the first location a Florida favorite.
The rapper said Sunday’s Eatery is focused on serving the people in his Florida community. While he could have chosen a location that is already economically thriving, he wanted to choose a location that served his people.
“We could have went to Wynwood. We could have went to South Beach. We could have went anywhere we wanted. … We wanted to go to Miami Gardens to show them that we are still for our people,” Young told The Miami Herald.
Sunday’s Eatery is known for offering Sunday meal recipes every day of the week. The menu consists of soul food dishes popular in the South.
At the opening, Trick Daddy said, “Where you can get a Sunday’s meal, any day of the week. I’m talking about the starches, your greens, your corn bread and meats. We’re gonna do something different here.”
The new site in Broward is part of Trick Daddy’s continued mission to bring his homegrown Southern-style cuisine to new neighborhoods. His inventory typically features dishes such as fried ribs, Cornish hens (baked and fried), greens, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, and candied yams.
In 2019, Customer Chronic Chris told WVSN, “I think the food is excellent. I think it’s a real good, down-home flavor. Everything is cooked to perfection. I like everything. I mean, I’m on his plate eating.”
Trick Daddy remains active behind the scenes, working in the kitchen alongside his brand and hosting ventures, such as his Facebook cooking show, Bleep I Got My Pots.
He has also stayed visible in South Florida’s entertainment circles, blending artistry with culinary entrepreneurship. He told The Miami Herald he has plans to continue Sunday Eatery’s expansion, “Y’all get ready,” he warned. “We coming.”
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 4: Revelers put motor oil on their skin while participating in a Caribbean street carnival called J'ouvert on September 4, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. J'ouvert, which draws tens of thousands of costumed celebrants, has been plagued by violence in recent years resulting in new intensive security measures. (Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
For ‘Lavish The Band’ Founder Ebony Telesford, Grenada’s Spicemas Is More Than Profit – It’s Culture
In a competitive carnival landscape, where bands often vie for the most commercial appeal, Telesford’s business model stands apart.
In the vibrant, rhythmic chaos of Grenada’s Spicemas, where elaborate costumes and booming soca music fill the streets, a quiet revolution is underway. The festival pays tribute to the Caribbean nation’s rich history as a spice producer, with many of its cultural traditions deeply intertwined with the island’s identity. Corporate giants or international sponsors aren’t leading the way; instead, it’s a young, determined Grenadian woman with a simple philosophy: culture over commerce.
Ebony Telesford, the founder and leader of Grenada’s Lavish The Band, has built her enterprise not on the promise of immense profit, but on the love for her nation’s most treasured cultural expression.
In a competitive carnival landscape, where bands often vie for the most commercial appeal, Telesford’s business model stands apart.
“The goal behind it has just always been about the love for culture,” she said in an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE. Rather than chasing a hefty bottom line, her focus is on sustainability and accessibility.
“As long as the business breaks even for me, I’m totally okay with that,” she explained. “I see it as my contribution to my culture itself.”
Telesford’s commitment to a break-even model allows her to keep a promise that resonates deeply with her people: to keep her costumes affordable for local revelers, ensuring that residents aren’t priced out of their own traditions.
The cornerstone of Lavish The Band’s identity is its unique offering, which Telesford sums up in a single phrase: “experiencing the true essence of Spicemas.”
While many bands sell a single costume for the main parade, Lavish provides a comprehensive, four-part carnival journey for the price of one. This inclusive package offers masqueraders a pass to four distinct events, a nod to the authentic, full-immersion experience Telesford cherished in her youth.
“I knew growing up as a Grenadian what it felt like doing a four-piece,” she said, recalling the marathon of festivities from the dawn of J’ouvert to the climax of the Parade of the Bands. Lavish takes the guesswork out of the process for foreign visitors, while delivering an authentic experience.
The experience begins with a deeply personal tribute: a traditional Jab Jab jump-up dedicated to her father, who was known as the “king of jab.”
Lavish’s version of the centuries-old tradition uses a mixture of charcoal and coconut oil as an alternative to the heavy, oil-based paint, ensuring a more authentic and less abrasive ritual of freedom and rebellion.
From there, the journey continues with Monday afternoon’s “pageant,” followed by the electric, glow-stick-filled street parade of Monday Night Mas. It culminates in the final, gem-adorned spectacle of Carnival Tuesday.
Beyond the front-facing parades and vibrant aesthetics, Telesford’s philosophy extends to her supply chain and creative process. She and her team, including a lead designer and a creative manager, brainstorm a unique theme each year.
For Lavish The Band’s recent Greek-inspired collection, Telesford focused not on the gods, but on the Muses of creativity.
On Lavish’s latest collection, the website says, “The Muses have watched over humanity, guiding the arts, music and storytelling from their celestial realm. But as time passed, their influence weakened and creativity began to fade, smothered by the demands of modern life and the rise of technology. Now, with the world losing its spark, the Muses are summoned one more–reborn and with a new mission: To ignite the fire of imagination and remind humanity that the power of creation is its most divine gift.”
“We pull colors, we pull different elements, the moods that we’re going for, and we give it to the designers,” she explained to BE, giving them “free range” to create within that conceptual framework.
Telesford’s commitment to authenticity is also deeply rooted in her staffing decisions. She makes a concerted effort to predominantly hire Grenadian locals, from the entire road staff to the engineers and, most critically, the DJs.
“I predominantly hire locals,” she affirmed. “I feel like if you’re coming into Grenada to experience Grenada Carnival, you’re not coming to listen to Trinidadian DJs or American DJs. You want to hear what’s happening in Grenada.”
Despite her success, the journey is not without its challenges. Telesford sees her biggest emerging obstacle as being a female entrepreneur in an industry that, while catering to a female-dominated customer base, is still led almost exclusively by men.
“I think I am one of two in Grenada with all the bands that they have,” she noted, highlighting the single-digit number of female band leaders across the entire Caribbean.
Telesford shared a heartfelt message on Lavish The Band’s official Instagram account, thanking revelers and supporters for sticking with the company.
“As we wrap up an incredible Spicemas season, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for bringing your enthusiasm, spirit, and positive vibes to ‘Muses.’ Your ongoing support means the world to us! A big shoutout goes to our sponsors, partners, affiliates, and vendors. Your invaluable contributions have made Lavish the Band shine even brighter. A special thank you goes to our extraordinary team! Thank you for your hard work and dedication year after year.
“To our amazing masqueraders, you are the heart of Lavish the Band, and we thank you for choosing us as your band for Spicemas 2025. Our preparations for the next season are already in full swing, and we eagerly anticipate bringing you the True Essence of Spicemas once again in 2026. 1 LAVISH,” the band’s Instagram captioned.
As she continues to innovate and adapt to an ever-changing Carnival scene, the reality remains a poignant force in her work, driving her to succeed not just for herself, but for her culture and for other women who may one day follow in her footsteps.
HBCU Student, Isaiah Hand, Becomes First Tuskegee Airman In 80 Years
Isaiah Hand, an Aviation Science major at Tuskegee University, is the first student in nearly 80-years to earn private pilot’s license.
Isaiah Hand, a 20-year-old Aviation Science major at Tuskegee University, has become the first student in nearly eight decades to earn a private pilot’s license from the university, which recently relaunched its defunct aviation program. In a university press release, Hand reflected on the moment he earned his license at historic Moton Field, the original training ground of the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II.
“There is no other feeling like it,” Hand said.
The four-year Aviation Science degree integrates Federal Aviation Administration–certified pilot training. The career track offered by Tuskegee’s Aerospace Science Engineering Department was approved by the Southern Association of Colleges in 2024. Approval came after a $6.7 million infusion of federal funding. Students now have the opportunity to earn private, instrument, commercial, multi-engine ratings, and professional aviation licenses.
Dr. Mark A. Brown, Tuskegee University’s president, praised Hand’s accomplishment as an example of the university’s renewed mission to move forward in excellence.
“Confident, excited, poised, and ready to tackle the most complex problems our world has to offer,” Brown said. “Like Isaiah, our students are excited about our Aviation Science Degree Program and ready to continue the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen and serve our nation.”
Titus Sanders, director of the Aviation Science program, said Hand’s driven approach came as no surprise, as the student clearly holds a deep passion for aviation.
“His enthusiasm and excitement for both aviation and Tuskegee were very clear from day one,” Sanders said. “I am not surprised that he is the first of this year’s cohort to get his check ride.”
Hand, a first-generation college student from Tallahassee, Florida, focused equally on excelling in academics and flying with dedication. He opted out of vacation to complete his training over a 12-week summer session. He is already working toward the next milestones: instrument rating, commercial license, and multi-engine certification.
Beyond the cockpit, Hand brings passion to campus life as a euphonium player and section leader in Tuskegee’s Crimson Pipers band.
“Flight, class, band, and then more flight, class, and band!” He said. “It takes time to mature into this mindset and to know your end goal—but it’s all paying off.”
Hand’s accomplishment revives Tuskegee’s storied aviation history and begins its newest chapter.
‘The Cutting Room Floor’ Podcaster Riles Internet Up Over Demanding Assistant Gig Paying $55k A Year
The job only offered $55,000 annually for a full-time, New-York based commitment.
The Cutting Room Floor has a new role open, for anyone naive enough to take it. The Black woman-led podcast sparked controversy over its new low-paying assistant gig.
Recho Omondi has been the face of the style podcast as it garnered new listeners for its insights into the fashion industry. However, as the show gains momentum, Omondi wanted to scale up operations by bringing someone new onto the team.
According to Complex, she made a since-deleted post about the new “Office Coordinator” position. As she began to describe the role, it looked as those the filler would wear multiple hats, despite the entry-level pay of $55,000 a year. However, the listing remains on LinkedIn, where submissions have since closed.
“This role is ideal for someone highly organized, excellent at comms (both written & verbal), proactive, and ready to hit the ground running,” detailed the LinkedIn post.
In the initial video, Omondi shared that the hired person would take on much more than office management. They would also serve in a personal assistant capacity to Omondi, who also said it “combines the responsibilities of a bookings administrator and studio coordinator.”
While the New York-based opportunity would come with inside access to an emerging platform, the pay caught a lot of social media users off guard. Not only does the job require in-person hours of 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., but it also offers no benefits.
The $55,000 salary would leave much to be desired, especially after New York taxes. After gaining immediate pushback on the uneven pay and expectations, Omondi defended the wages by stating its for someone ready to hustle.
“It’s not lost on me that that’s not a glamorous wage. You can’t be living lavishly,” she asserted.
She also said the role is for “the kind of person who wants to come to New York and hustle in the early years of their career.”
However, the internet still wasn’t having it. Some even stated that they would stop tuning into episodes over her tone-deaf post. Others also noted how inaccessible the fashion industry can be for people of color and those not from wealthy backgrounds. Given Omondi’s own awareness of this, they thought she would know and do better for those she lifts up.
In the midst of the backlash, Omondi told her Patreon that The Cutting Room Floor will freeze hiring for the role.
Dallas’ African American Museum To Receive $3M To Help Preserve Its Collection
Per the museum's website, it holds the distinction of having one of the largest collections of Black folk art anywhere in the United States.
The African American Museum in Dallas will be receiving $3 million in support from the Texas Historical Commission, a figure, which includes some additional support from Google, in an effort to preserve the materials the museum has collected during the 50 years it has been in operation.
According to Margie Johnson Reese, chief program officer of the museum, “This investment is about more than just conservation. It’s about making history accessible to a global audience. We are thrilled to work with the Texas Historical Commission and Google to preserve the works of art and the historical documents in our care. It is our responsibility to ensure that this irreplaceable material will endure to educate and inspire current and future generations.”
AAM Dallas is thrilled to announce that a very special conservation project is on the way! This exciting initiative will highlight our commitment to safeguarding history, art, and culture for generations to come.
— African American Museum Dallas (@_aamdallas) August 31, 2025
According to the museum, the funds will be used to make the collections it has archived more accessible and accentuate its role as a resource for education and research, both in Dallas and beyond. Currently, some portions of the museum’s collection is stored in non-climate controlled facilities, and these funds will help the museum to ensure that those sensitive artifacts are not degraded by the elements.
Traci Thompson, Google’s Global Community Development Strategy Manager, indicated in the press release that the company is thrilled to support the museum and its work to engage the community.
“Google is committed to making a positive impact in the communities where we operate, and we welcome opportunities to support the sharing of powerful stories. By working with the African American Museum, Dallas, we’re proud to be part of the effort to ensure that this rich cultural history remains available to inspire and educate people around the world,” Thompson said.
In addition to work by renowned artists like Romare Bearden, Clementine Hunter, Mose Tolliver, and Rev. Johnnie Swearingen, and others, plus archeological materials from The Freedman’s Cemetery; the museum also houses a number of historically significant documents, including early Dallas-based African American newspapers and rare photographs and papers from influential leaders such as Juanita Craft, Mamie McKnight, and the late U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson.
As stated on the website, the museum’s mission is to inspire understanding, foster pride, and encourage unity among all who walk through its doors.
“The African American Museum, Dallas is committed to preserving, celebrating, and educating the public about the rich heritage and contributions of African Americans in Dallas and beyond. Our purpose is to serve as a cultural hub that honors the past, highlights the present, and shapes the future by showcasing the diverse experiences, achievements, and stories of African Americans. We aim to be a catalyst for dialogue, reflection, and action, empowering individuals to connect with history, embrace diversity, and contribute to a more inclusive society,” the museum states.
