The beloved comedian attended the June 12 commencement ceremony to watch his son, Tracy James Morgan, receive his bachelor’s degree in music and sound recording. The school captured the proud father-son moment in an Instagram post, showing their embrace right after Tracy Jr. stepped off the stage.
The pair warmly embraced before Tracy Jr. gave his dad a kiss on the cheek and Tracy Sr. returned the love with a forehead kiss. It was a true celebratory moment for the family that came shortly after the 11th anniversary of Morgan’s near-fatal car accident.
The former Saturday Night Live star was on the New Jersey Turnpike when a Walmart truck rear-ended his limousine. Morgan’s friend and mentor, James McNair, 62, died in the crash. Morgan was left in critical condition and a coma with a broken leg.
“There are times when I have my good days and my bad days and I forget things,” Morgan told TODAY in March. “There are times where I have the headaches and the nosebleeds, and I won’t even let my lady know because I don’t want her to be worried about it. But I have my good days and my bad days.”
Morgan sparked concern in March when he began vomiting courtside during a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, causing a delay of more than 10 minutes. Photos and videos showed Morgan holding a towel to his face while being escorted out of the game in a wheelchair.
He turned to Instagram to update fans on his health and added a touch of humor.
“Thank you for all your concern! I’m doing ok now and doctors say it was food poisoning,” he captioned a photo of himself in a hospital bed. “Appreciate my MSG family for taking such good care of me and I need to shout out the crew that had to clean that up. Appreciate you!
“More importantly, the Knicks are now 1-0 when I throw up on the court so maybe I’ll have to break it out again in the playoffs,” he added.
Allyson Felix On the ‘Huge Splurge’ She Made In Her Youth, ‘Did I Really Need That?’
Allyson Felix reflects on the pricey items she splurged on early in her career that she regrets.
Allyson Felix is opening up about the money management skills she acquired after spending big bucks on material items early in her sports career.
The Olympic gold medalist recently appeared on SoFi’s Richer Lives podcast with host Vivian Tu, where she dished on the pricey luxury items she bought on early in her career as she adjusted to life as a high-earning professional athlete.
“I remember two things I bought that to this day, I still regret,” Felix recalled. “I bought this anaconda skin Gucci bag for $7,000, and at that time, that was a huge splurge. And I was like, ‘Did I really need that?’ And then I remember, these were like the early days, I got rims on my Escalade in the early 2000s. I was doing the most.”
Thankfully, Felix, the most decorated track and field athlete in Olympic history, had a village behind her that gave her the guidance to shift toward better financial decisions. “It was all about work ethic, never quitting and really being in service, helping others,” Felix said. “My mom was a teacher and my dad a seminary professor. So they were really people who cared about people who gave back.”
Competing in the Olympics doesn’t always mean big paychecks. Felix discussed the financial challenges pro athletes often face, with incomes that fluctuate depending on performance, sponsorships, and market trends.
“As an athlete, you’re so hyper-focused on performance. I didn’t quite think so much about the practicality of it all,” she explained. “I tried to surround myself with really great people, but it’s one of those things now looking back that it’s like, ‘Wow, if you’re not at the very top one percent, it’s a hard industry to maintain and have longevity.”
Felix continued, “You really can’t dip below too much, which can also play into your performance because it’s stressful to be thinking about your next paycheck. I really tried to focus on my performance and let that take care of everything,”
Black Man Found Hanging From Tree Ruled Suicide by Albany Police, But Residents Doubtful
The unidentified man, 58, was discovered on Wednesday, June 18.
Police in Albany, New York, claim a Black man found hanging from a tree was a suicide.
According to the Times-Union, the man was discovered June 18, on Westerlo Street. Police officers were called around 8 a.m. When they arrived, they pronounced the 58-year-old man dead.
There were reports of a video circulating online showing the man’s condition, but it has since been taken down, according to the newspaper. The man has not been identified.
“At this time, based upon preliminary investigation, the circumstances appear to be consistent with suicide and no evidence to suggest that the incident is criminal in nature,” the police department said in a written statement.
News One reports that there are doubts over the police’s ruling from residents and people claiming to be family members of the deceased.
“There’s been skepticism over it being a cut-and-dry suicide given how little information has been released about the incident,” News One reports. “In fact, most reporting on the case has come from locals doing their own digging into what happened.”
Several neighborhood residents have posted on TikTok that the unidentified individual was a man named Earl Smith. He had been baptized recently, according to a GoFundMe page organized by Melissa Saunders, who writes that Smith was her uncle
“In loving memory of my uncle, Earl Smith,” the page reads. “Earl was A husband, A father. A Grandfather, a great-grandfather. A brother. Who was often the life of the party. He loved to sing And dance.Earl Was A hard worker, That loved and adored his family. Just recently getting baptized. Just last Sunday. He had many plans and looked forward to so much. For some reason, we are here. So we’re raising funds to cover funeral expenses, & memorial service . Your support would mean the world to us during this difficult time.”
Over 300 Flights Canceled And Delayed Across Europe’s Major Airports
Three of the busiest international airports, including Heathrow in London, are experiencing issues with major global carriers.
Thousands of passengers have experienced long delays or are stranded across Europe’s largest airports after hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed earlier this week.
Three of the busiest international airports, including Heathrow, Schiphol, and Charles de Gaulle, are experiencing issues with major global carriers. Air France, American Airlines, Oman Air, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates, and United Airlines are all caught up in operational woes.
According to Travel and Tour World, disruptions were triggered by staffing shortages, gate allocation delays, ground handling issues, and tight aircraft rotations. It has been a recipe for chaos and throwing flights significantly behind schedule.
Schiphol in the Netherlands is the hardest hit airport, according to Airport Transportation.So far, a total of 20 flights have been cancelled and more than 100 flights have been delayed.
At Paris’ Charles de Gaulle (CDG), its largest carrier, Air France, saw heavy disruptions, including eight cancellations and 58 delays.
Disruptions and delays at London’s Heathrow Airport include eight cancellations and over 50 delays. British Airways, Finnair, Air India, American Airlines, Emirates, and United Airlines were all impacted. Regional carriers such as Brussels Airlines, Aegean, Eurowings, and Etihad also reported multiple delays.
The Israeli strikes against Iran are also affecting travelers. As Reutersreports, several major airlines have canceled or diverted flights to and from the Middle East.
These three European airports serve as key transit hubs across Asia, North America, and the Middle East. Passengers flying across these regions on Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Oman Air, and Saudia were also caught up in the chaos.
NAACP National Office Sues Local Colorado Chapter For Attempted Dissolution, Control Of Assets
The NAACP says the actions of former Boulder County executive members are unlawful and threaten the organization and its members.
The national NAACP organization is taking legal action against a chapter in Boulder, Colorado, alleging former executive committee members attempted to take control of funds, dissolve the branch, and spread misinformation.
The lawsuit, filed June 16 in U.S. District Court, names 13 former executive committee members of the Boulder chapter whom the non-profit civil rights organization claims overstepped their authority after they filed documents of dissolution with the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office without permission from the national office.
The NAACP further accuses the former Boulder County members of “breaching their fiduciary duty” after attempts to liquidate $77,000 in assets from a bank account. The lawsuit notes an additional attempt to liquidate $25,000 of Google stock.
“For the past several months, Defendants have engaged in a campaign of misinformation and disparagement against the NAACP that has harmed the organization’s reputation and, on information and belief, financially,” the lawsuit states. “Upon dissolution, Defendants began ‘winding up’ the Branch, including disposing of the Branch’s assets and causing irreparable harm.”
The complaint states that the former Boulder County members have “deprived the NAACP of the Branch’s existing assets and new donations, converted the Branch’s assets, misappropriated trade secrets, publicly disparaged the NAACP, engaged in deceptive trade practices, and conspired against the NAACP.”
The NAACP Boulder Branch was chartered by the national office’s Board of Directors on February 18, 2017. A letter attached to the Articles of Incorporation filed with the Colorado Secretary of State for the Boulder Branch stated, “Any assets accumulated during the life of the organization shall be distributed to our State/State-Area governance according to the Bylaws of the NAACP.”
According to Boulder Reporting Lab, the former treasurer refused to relinquish control of assets despite multiple requests from the national office to do so.
While unit executive committees are entrusted with day-to-day decision-making responsibilities and direction, no unit is permitted to dissolve itself. In an April 1 press statement, the NAACP said “The NAACP Boulder County Chapter has not been dissolved, and any claim otherwise is completely false. Members cannot close NAACP Chapters. Per the NAACP Constitution, only the Board of Directors has that authority, and it has not voted to do so.”
Last year, three members of NAACP’s Boulder County executive committee were accused of unethical conduct by Boulder City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde during a July 2024 mediation session which followed her hiring Stephen Redfearn as police chief.
The decision left the city at odds with Boulder County chapter members who raised concerns about Redfearn’s role in the death of 23-year-old Black Colorado man, Elijah McClain. In a statement released last October, Rivera-Vandermyde claimed the NAACP members violated the “Mutual Respect and Dialogue Agreement” after they “secretly recorded” a mediated and “supposedly confidential” meeting between city officials and organization members.
The national office has deemed the behavior of the former executive committee members as unlawful and said it harms the NAACP and its members.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore Marks Juneteenth With Historic Cannabis Pardons And $400M Investment To Close Racial Wealth Gap
Gov. Wes Moore announced Just Communities, a new program that will allocate millions to historically disadvantaged communities.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore and his administration announced two major moves that will address the racial wealth gap in Maryland.
Talking to the congregation at Bethel AME Church in Cambridge on Juneteenth, Moore announced that he is pardoning 6,938 additional individuals convicted of simple cannabis possession, which expands the more than 175,000 pardons issued by the administration last year.
“We cannot have a society that makes every sentence a life sentence,” Governor Moore said. “We found people who were unable to get barber’s licenses, obtain student loans, and unable to get housing loans because of misdemeanors that happened in the 1980s and 1990s.”
Moore said he believes the pardons, which he says are the largest in the country’s history, will give people second chances, all while boosting Maryland’s economy.
“If you want to get people back into the economy and give your larger economy a chance to grow and thrive, it means being intentional,” Moore said. “Giving people the chance to grow and […] be a part of economic growth will turn around and benefit our entire state’s GDP.”
Governor Wes Moore Investing $400 Million To Reverse Wealth Gap
The second initiative Moore announced was Just Communities. This new program will allocate $400 million in state funding to historically disadvantaged communities that he said faced discriminatory housing practices, including redlining, urban highway construction, mass incarceration, and appraisal bias.
“I’m fully committed to making sure that we are ending the racial wealth gap. When I first came into office, Maryland had an 8-to-1 racial wealth gap,” he said. “I’m very clear that we didn’t have an 8-to-1 racial wealth gap because one group was working eight times harder.”
Moore added, “There were structures and systems in place that allowed it. Maryland is not just the home to amazing innovators like Frederick Douglas and Harriet Tubman but, unfortunately, the birthplace of red lining.”
One significant reason for the wealth gap in Maryland is a lack of ownership. The other factor is decreased appraisal value in historically red-lined neighborhoods.
In Maryland, Governor Moore recently signed a bill that attempts to reduce discrimination in real estate appraisals with a relatively small change: eliminating the bachelor’s degree requirement from certain types of appraiser licenses. This would eliminate barriers to becoming an appraiser and help to diversify the industry in the state. According to the Appraisal Institute, the professional organization for appraisers, 77% of appraisers nationally are white and 68% are men.
Moore has already approved the first round of funding for 419 of Maryland’s 1463 census tracts. The Just Communities designations are effective July 1, 2025. Selected communities will receive a five-year designation and priority consideration for competitive state funding.
“This is a larger frame of the work of repair that we are doing in the state of Maryland. This work of repair is honoring the promise that we are doing to create long-term wealth and to be able to address and erase the racial wealth gap in the state of Maryland,” Moore said.
Manhunt Ends In Michigan As Suspect Who Allegedly Shot Two Officers Is Captured
Twenty-year-old Jeremiah Christian Kemp is accused of shooting two Southgate police officers
After two Michigan police officers were shot and a manhunt took place to find the suspected gunman, officials have announced that the 20-year-old man, Jeremiah Christian Kemp, is now in custody.
According to Click on Detroit, after issuing a shelter-in-place order to Southgate residents, police officers found the man they believe may have shot two police officers June 19. Kemp was discovered hiding in an apartment in the complex where the incident took place. Police reportedly went to the complex after they received a report of a man waving a gun in the vicinity.
Police were called to the apartments after a report of a dispute between several people inside the complex. When officers arrived at the scene, they were confronted by the suspect, who was armed with a weapon on the second floor of the building. The two officers were met with gunfire as Kemp allegedly started firing the gun at them. The gunman escaped by jumping out of a second-floor window.
“Two of our officers were initially struck, both in the lower legs,” Joe Marsh, Director of Public Safety for the city of Southgate, said. “I checked with my mayor on those individuals, and they are both in stable condition at a local hospital.”
“I’m sure they’re going to like to hear that this shooter is in custody,” said Marsh.
After the shooting, a shelter-in-place order was issued by the police department as they searched for Kemp. Marsh stated that the quick capture was due to a concerted effort by multiple law enforcement agencies, including federal, state, and local law enforcement.
“It’s a relief that nothing happened to any other police officers trying to apprehend him,” Marsh said.
He also announced that the weapon has not been recovered, and if anyone has any information or finds the location of the gun, they should contact local authorities.
“If anybody sees the gun, we don’t want them to touch it. Just contact 911,” Marsh said.
Memphis Mayor Was The Target In An Attempted Kidnapping
Abston was observed entering the neighborhood and bypassing multiple residences heading straight to Mayor Young’s Memphis residence.
On June 15, Memphis Mayor Paul Young was the target of an attempted kidnapping. The suspect, 25-year-old Trenton Abston, is now in custody.
Abston was observed entering the neighborhood and bypassing multiple residences, heading straight to Young’s home. Subsequently, Abston has been charged with “criminal trespassing, stalking, and attempted kidnapping,” Fox 13 reported.
“Upon further review of both public and private security camera footage, we have determined that the suspect did not approach multiple homes, as initially reported. Instead, after scaling a wall, the individual went directly to the mayor’s residence. Thanks to the rapid response of our officers and the use of camera technology throughout the neighborhood, we were able to quickly identify, locate, and arrest the suspect,” the post stated.
Mayor Young’s Response
Mayor Young made a statement on Instagram revealing the circumstances surrounding the incident. The evening of Father’s Day, the father of two was disturbed by a knock on his door. According to Young, the then-unknown man was observed with “gloves on, a full pocket, and a nervous demeanor.”
Although Mayor Young had no interaction with Abston, his statement attributed his actions to “online disagreements.” Furthermore, he cautioned his followers against escalations and implored them to find better communication methods. Referencing the assassination of Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, the Mayor admonished that “the link between angry online rhetoric and real-life violence is becoming undeniable.”
“What starts as reckless words online can all too quickly become something much more dangerous. The angry rhetoric, the hateful speech, and the heated threats create a culture where violence feels like a next step instead of a red line. We cannot allow that line to be crossed. Political violence and intimidation – whether threatened or enacted – simply cannot become our norm,” Young wrote. “Memphis, we have to change how we talk to and about each other. Disagreement must never lead to violence.”
After law enforcement questioned the suspect, Young claimed his goal was to speak with the Memphis Mayor about rising crime in the city.
Trump Uses Juneteenth To Complain About Workers Not Wanting ‘Too Many Non-Working Holidays’
In 2020, Trump took credit for making Juneteenth “very famous,” claiming “nobody had ever heard of it."
To mark Juneteenth — a federal holiday when many businesses close — President Donald Trump took to social media to gripe about workers allegedly not wanting “too many non-working holidays.”
On his Truth Social platform, Trump pushed a narrative that America’s non-working holidays cost the “country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS” and the workers aren’t too fond of that. “Too many non-working holidays in America. It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed. The workers don’t want it either! Soon we’ll end up having a holiday for every once working day of the year,” he wrote.
“It must change if we are going to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) June 19, 2025
His tone is a vast change from when he sat in the White House for his first term. In 2020, Trump took credit for making Juneteenth — the oldest celebration of the end of slavery in the U.S. since 1865 — “very famous.” He once claimed that “nobody had ever heard of it” while the country was ailing in civil unrest following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.
During the White House press briefing held on the holiday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that it was unlikely her boss was going to mark the federal holiday, boasting that everyone showed up for work. “I’m not tracking his signature on a proclamation today,” Leavitt said.
“I know this is a federal holiday — I want to thank all of you for showing up to work. We are certainly here, we’re working 24/7 right now.”
DISGUSTING: Karoline Leavitt suggests Trump won’t acknowledge Juneteenth and acts like it’s not a holiday: “I’m not tracking his signature on a proclamation today. I want to thank all of you for showing up to work. We are certainly here.”
He even pledged to make Juneteenth a federal holiday, but that didn’t happen until his successor, Joe Biden, stepped in and made it so in 2021.
Biden had a different approach to celebrating the holiday. During a speech at a historically Black church in Juneteenth’s birthplace, Galveston, Texas, according to The Hill, the former Democratic president took pride in seeing the holiday for what it was — telling the truth about the history of this country. “I took the view as president, we need to be honest about our history — especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase our history,” he said.
He touched on such efforts being Trump wanting to reinstate names to military bases related to Confederate leaders. “I played a role in changing names of all those military camps with names tied to slavery,” Biden said. “What are they doing now? Reinstating those names.”
“Folks, darkness can hide much but can erase nothing, and only with truth can come justice and healing.”
Philly Pretzel Factory Makes Florida Debut Inside Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks
Big Dave’s is making headlines again—this time through an expanded partnership with its largest and first franchisee, Derek Lewis.
In March, BLACK ENTERPRISE spotlighted businessman Derrick Hayes in the article “Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks Opens First Franchise In South Carolina,” highlighting the brand’s growth into the Southeast. Now, just months later, Big Dave’s is making headlines again — this time through an expanded partnership with its largest and first franchisee, Derek Lewis.
Lewis currently operates six Big Dave’s locations, including two in Orlando’s Kia Center through a multi-level partnership with the Orlando Magic, two in Camping World Stadium, and traditional storefronts in Oviedo and SoDo, Florida. With eight additional locations already in the pipeline — exclusively in Central Florida — Lewis is further deepening his regional footprint.
In addition to his role with Big Dave’s, Lewis is also the largest Philly Pretzel Factory franchisee in the Southern region. He recently debuted a Philly Pretzel Factory counter inside his Big Dave’s location in Oviedo. Rather than a traditional standalone shop, this innovative collaboration offers a curated menu of Philly favorites under one roof, enhancing the guest experience and laying the groundwork for future expansion.
Lewis has an impressive career in the food & beverage industry as a former president within PepsiCo Beverages NA, widely recognized as a corporate leader, entrepreneur, and social change advocate. Known for generating billions in revenue while advancing culture and community, Lewis now channels his expertise into franchise growth and leadership. Earlier this year, Lewis added “author” to his list of accomplishments, publishing his memoir, Survive + Advance: Lessons on Living a Life Without Compromise, sharing lessons in resilience and purposeful leadership.
Lewis is driving local growth with plans to open four additional Philly Pretzel Factory locations across Orlando. “Bringing Philly Pretzel Factory to Orlando is all about delivering value and authenticity,” said Lewis. “As a fan of both brands and a lifelong lover of Philadelphia flavors, I’m excited to offer our guests the best of Philly in one place. This is just the beginning — our limited menu launch in Oviedo paves the way for more locations across Central Florida.”
Building on the success of their joint opening in Atlanta earlier this year, the new Oviedo location marks the next step in the shared mission of Philly Pretzel Factory CEO and Co-Founder, Dan DiZio, and Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks Founder, Derrick Hayes, to introduce authentic Philly flavors to new communities. Today, Philly Pretzel Factory, the world’s largest Philly-style pretzel bakery, currently boasts 170 locations across the country.
