Black Boys, Maryland, graves, investigation

by Kandiss Edwards

March 23, 2026

Prayers Up! Essence Magazine’s Former EIC Susan Taylor Lays Daughter To Rest In New York

Taylor King, 57, is the daughter of former Essence Editor-in-Chief Susan L. Taylor.

On March 22, funeral services for Shana-Nequai Taylor King took place at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. Taylor-King, the daughter of former Essence Editor-in-Chief Susan L. Taylor, died March 5. Her cause of death is unknown.

Taylor King was reportedly a mother of one and a fixture at charitable events in New York. According to Primeter, Taylor King is survived by her adult daughter, Amina Suzanne King, whom she shared with former Knicks player Bernard King.

In an Instagram post, Taylor thanked family and friends for their support and requested donations to honor her daughter’s memory.

“In lieu of flowers, they ask that you consider supporting children living in poverty with a gift in Shana’s name to the National CARES Mentoring Movement.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Susan L. Taylor (@iamsusanltaylor)

Harriette Cole, author and former fashion director of Essence, posted a video on Instagram to share a small snippet of Taylor King’s service.

“So many came together today to honor the life of Shana Nequai Taylor King, Susan Taylor’s beloved daughter. It was a bittersweet day. The legacy of Essence magazine under Susan Taylor’s watch filled Abyssinian Baptist Church. The pulpit brimmed with stories of this beautiful woman’s life as it unfolded over 57 years. We shed tears, shared hugs and reveled in being able to hug one another just a bit tighter. All love.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Harriette Cole (@harriettecole)

An outpouring of love was shown in the comments on the post.

@1358balu_ expressed shock: “What? The baby girl we were introduced to when we first met Susan the seventies has earned her wings? Beautiful soul, fly high and know you were loved far and near with a mighty love…”

@donblakeley241 stated: “So sorry for Ms. Taylor. I will never forget the hug she gave me at her speaking event. She is so kind and beautiful. Prayers to her and her family on a terrible loss, burying your baby.”

@shelleyalcinay shared a memory: “Susan Taylor sending my deepest condolences.. Shana and I were both freshman residents of Frazier Hall in the memorable Tubman Quadrangle at Howard University. She was a remarkable individual.”

@thelmairenetaylor wrote a prayer: “A very sad and tragic loss for us all. She will be deeply missed. My deepest condolences and prayers for her Family Members. May God comfort and give them peace during their time of mourning and deep sorrow, Amen.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 23, 2026

Stefon Diggs Takes Football Field For First Time Since Release By New England Patriots

He participated in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic

After failing to win this year’s Super Bowl and amid some off-field issues, the New England Patriots released wide receiver Stefon Diggs earlier this month, less than a year after signing him to a multi-year contract. He was recently seen in public for the first time, participating in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic.

According to Patriots Wire, the former Patriots player was seen practicing with other players on March 21 as they prepared for that day’s three-team competition. The classic featured current and former NFL players competing for the inaugural flag football title. He played on the same team as Patriots legend Tom Brady, who also took part in the games, competing with Founders FFC, which was co-captained by Brady and Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Diggs was caught on video speaking to his fellow teammates before the games started that day.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fanatics (@fanatics)

Three teams competed in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic. Founders FFC, Team USA Football, and Wildcats FFC all took to the gridiron to compete for the title.

According to NFL.com, Brady connected on a touchdown to Diggs to take a quick 8-0 lead that would be the highlight of the day for the team as they lost the game 43-16 to Team USA. Team USA had already defeated Wildcats FFC 39-16 before blowing out Founders FFC. The Wildcats then handed the Founders another loss, 34-26, leaving them winless in the competition. Team USA then stopped the Wildcats and took home the title, winning 24-14.

The official reason the Patriots released Diggs was that the team was saving money for the upcoming season (the team would have had to pay Diggs $26.5 million for next season). The franchise tried to restructure his deal, but negotiations failed, leaving the team no choice but to release him.

Patriot Wire reported that a reunion is possible, as the team has not ruled out bringing him back.

Patrice Lumumba, Etienne Davignon, Belgium, trial, war crimes, Congo, DRC

by Keka Araújo

March 23, 2026

Colonialism On The Stand: 93-Year-Old Belgian Diplomat To Stand Trial For Patrice Lumumba’s 1961 Assassination

Hell isn't hot enough for Etienne Davignon.

The brutal assassination of anti-colonial icon Patrice Lumumba has remained a festering wound in the heart of the Democratic Republic of Congo for over six decades. Now, in a historic pivot toward criminal accountability, a Brussels court has ordered Etienne Davignon, a 93-year-old former Belgian diplomat, to stand trial for his alleged role in the 1961 execution of Congo’s democratically elected prime minister.

Davignon, who later ascended to the heights of European power as a Commissioner, was a junior diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the Congo’s violent transition to independence. Prosecutors allege that Davignon was not merely a bystander but a functional cog in the machinery of war crimes. The indictment centers on the unlawful detention and transfer of Lumumba to the secessionist region of Katanga, where he was met by a firing squad overseen by Belgian mercenaries in Jan. 1961—six months after his famous speech on Congo’s Independence Day.

“We are going to show the world what the Black man [and woman] can do when he works in freedom, and we are going to make of the Congo the center of the sun’s radiance for all of Africa. We are going to keep watch over the lands of our country so that they truly profit her children.”

According to legal filings by the Lumumba family, Davignon’s involvement extended to the “humiliating and degrading treatment” of the prime minister, stripping him of his basic right to a fair trial. The gravity of these charges lies in the meticulous nature of the elimination. After the execution, Belgian police officer Gerard Soete reportedly oversaw the disinterment of the bodies of Lumumba and his associates, Maurice Mpolo and Joseph Okito, to dissolve them in sulfuric acid.

For years, the Belgian state shielded itself behind the findings of a 2002 parliamentary commission, which admitted “moral responsibility” but stopped short of criminal prosecution. This trial, however, seeks to convert that abstract morality into concrete judicial consequences. As the sole surviving suspect of the 10 individuals originally targeted by the 2011 complaint, Davignon represents the final opportunity for the Brussels court to adjudicate the specific actions of the colonial administration.

The defense has historically argued that junior officials were merely following the geopolitical currents of the Cold War when the assassination was ordered. Yet, as the Lulumba family’s attorney Christophe Marchand revealed, the case is a “gigantic victory” for those challenging the “culture of impunity” that has long characterized European reflections on colonial crimes.

The trial will likely delve into the “Blueprints for Intervention” found in Belgian archives, which suggest a coordinated effort between Brussels and local secessionists to neutralize Lumumba’s “pan-Africanist” threat.

The physical evidence of this crime was reduced to a single gold-capped tooth, which Soete kept as a macabre trophy for decades. It was only in 2022 that the relic was repatriated to the Democratic Republic of Congo in a somber ceremony. During that handover, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo reiterated the state’s apology, but for the Lumumba family, an apology without a verdict is incomplete.

“It is a step in the right direction,” Yema Lumumba, the leader’s granddaughter, told Reuters. “What we want is to search for truth and establish different responsibilities.”

The trial is expected to scrutinize the “Belgian-Congolese technical assistance” agreements of the era, which prosecutors argue provided the legal cover for the military support of Katangan rebels.

By forcing a 93-year-old statesman to account for wicked decisions made in his youth, the Belgian judiciary is finally addressing the historical debt owed to its former colony. This proceeding is a trial of a system that believed it could dissolve a revolution in a vat of acid, only to find that the memory of Patrice Lumumba has outlived nearly everyone who conspired to silence him.

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 23, 2026

ICE Agents Deployed To U.S. Airports As TSA Agents Continue To Quit, Delays Reach New Lengths

CNN anchor Dana Bash asked how effective it could possibly be with just 24 hours notice with Homan seemingly saying it's not that hard.

Amid a battle between Democrats and Republicans over funding the Department of Homeland Security and securing pay for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers during the ongoing partial government shutdown, the Trump administration has decided to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to assist, according to NPR.

President Donald Trump confirmed the move on his Truth Social app just hours after Border Czar Tom Homan announced it on CNN.

“On Monday, ICE will be going to airports to help our wonderful TSA Agents who have stayed on the job,” Trump posted.

Homan made the announcement on March 22, saying that he and his team were curating a plan to activate on March 23. But when anchor Dana Bash asked how effective it could be with just 24 hours, Homan seemed to say it’s not that hard.

“Again, ICE has been in airports a long time; it’s just expanding the same,” he said.

“How much of a plan does it mean to guard an exit to make sure no one comes through that exit? We’re talking about security options, and these officers are well trained in security, and they’re well trained in identification, and we’re going to do what we can to help TSA move those people through the line.”

BASH: With respect, if you're implementing a plan to have ICE at airports in 24 hours, how well thought out could it possibly be?

HOMAN: How much of a plan does it mean to guard an exit to make sure no one comes through that exit? pic.twitter.com/cvLS0BI1iP
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 22, 2026

However, in a statement, Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said ICE has no business assisting agents, because the job is more than just checking IDs; agents spend months being trained to detect explosives, weapons, and threats designed to evade checkpoint detection. “ICE agents are not trained or certified in aviation security,” he said.

“They deserve to be paid, not replaced by untrained, armed agents who have shown how dangerous they can be.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Neighborhood Talk (@theneighborhoodtalk)

Given ICE’s recent history, there is also concern that its presence may instill fear.

“The last thing that the American people need is for untrained ICE agents to be deployed at airports all across the country, potentially to brutalize or, in some instances, kill them,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said.

Social media users have similar thoughts, some even wondering how TSA agents aren’t getting paid but ICE agents are as they fall under the same agency. “So they are getting paid but the TSA workers they are standing alongside aren’t? Doesn’t seem very fair,” @ebonyesha wrote on Instagram.

Another user feels this is a waste of resources as the government can just pay TSA so they can return to work. “So they’d rather pay ICE agents who don’t know wtf they doing than to just pay the TSA agents to do their job. Got it,” @christen_noelle said.

The administration blamed the Democratic Party for making ICE’s presence necessary in the first place. “This pointless, reckless shutdown of our homeland security workforce has caused more than 400 TSA officers to quit and thousands to call out from work because they are not able to afford gas, childcare, food, or rent,” Acting Assistant DHS Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement.

Trump followed with the same sentiments. “If the Democrats do not allow for Just and Proper Security at our Airports, and elsewhere throughout our Country, ICE will do the job far better than ever done before!” the president wrote on social media, according to Politico.

“I look forward to moving ICE in on Monday, and have already told them to ‘GET READY.’ NO MORE WAITING, NO MORE GAMES!”

Leaders of metro cities across the country confirmed ICE’s presence, like Atlanta’s Mayor Andre Dickens. He said agents will be deployed to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to “support operational needs directed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), including line management and crowd control within the domestic terminals.”

As seen on social media, security lines at the world’s busiest airport have wrapped around the building.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 23, 2026

Black ‘Harry Potter’ Actor Says He’s Received Death Threats Over Severus Snape Casting

'I’ve been told, ‘Quit or I’ll murder you,’' Paapa Essiedu said.

A Black actor in the upcoming live-action “Harry Potter” series has received significant racist backlash over his casting.

When Paapa Essiedu earned the coveted role of Severus Snape in the HBO show, he thought he had secured his breakout role. However, the accomplishment also came with death threats and other harassment from fans dissatisfied with the decision.

The Ghanaian-Brit spoke to The Sunday Times of London in an interview about his treatment since the casting announcement. He shared with the publication the death threats hurled his way and how they have impacted his moment.

“I’ve been told, ‘Quit or I’ll murder you,’” revealed Essiedu.

Essiedu was among the many highly anticipated castings for the series. Currently in production, the show is expected to be released on the streamer in early 2027. However, some naysayers deemed Essiedu ill-suited to take over the role, seemingly due to his race.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Paapa Essiedu (@pessiedu)

While still excited to take on the gig, he did note that all the racially fueled backlash has clouded the moment.

“It really matters. The reality is that if I look at Instagram, I will see somebody saying, ‘I’m going to come to your house and kill you.’ So while I’m pretty sure I’m not going to be murdered…That could age badly! But, yes, while I hope I’ll be OK, nobody should have to encounter this for doing their job. Many people put their lives on the line in their work. I’m playing a wizard in ‘Harry Potter.’ And I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t affect me emotionally,” he expressed.

A longtime fan of the books and films, Essiedu still plans to deliver his best performance. Instead of succumbing to the hatred, he uses it as a fuel for his acting. The “Black Mirror” star wants to make Black “Potterheads” proud of his inclusion on the show.

“But the abuse fuels me,” he continued in the interview. “And makes me more passionate about making this character my own, because I think of how I felt as a kid. I would imagine myself at Hogwarts on broomsticks, and the idea that a kid like me can see themselves represented in that world? That’s motivation to not be intimidated by someone saying they’d rather I died instead of doing work I’m going to be really proud of.”

With plans to portray the beloved character for the long haul, he hopes to shut down hateful critics as he helps bring the Wizarding World to the small screen.

'The Lion King', Chant Composer, Comedian, Defamation, Song

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 22, 2026

‘The Lion King’ Chant Composer Sues Comedian For $27M Over Defamation On Film’s Song

The lawsuit is over the misinterpretation of the signature chant heard in the classic film.

The chant composer for Disney’s The Lion King franchise has sued a comedian for $27 million for allegedly defaming the chant’s meaning.

Lebohang Morake, also known as Leso M, filed the lawssuit against Learnmore Jonasi on March 16. Leso M decided to take legal action after the African comedian seemingly mocked the chant, famously heard during the 1994 and 2019 versions of the movie, during a podcast appearance.

One viral clip focused on Jonasi’s issue with the film and its depiction of Africa.

The phrase “Nants’ingonyama bagithi Baba,” opens the film, and was created and performed by Leso M. However, while on the One54 Africa podcast, Jonasi claimed that the phrase means “Look, there’s a lion. Oh my god.”

In the lawsuit, obtained by People, Leso M asserted that Jonasi made “false statements of fact about the meaning of the ‘Nants’ingonyama’ composition.” The filing argued that his words violated the Lanham Act, especially as he “mocked the chant’s cultural significance with exaggerated imitations.”

For the misinterpretation, which Leso M argues Jonasi stated as “authoritative fact,” the Grammy winner wants $27 million in damages. Leso M claims the false narrative perpetuated by Jonasi trivializes his work on the acclaimed film, insinuating a misuse of the Zulu language.

The complaint added, “Jonasi’s reduction to ‘Look, there’s a lion. Oh my god’ is not a simplified translation—it is a fabricated, trivializing distortion, meant as a sick joke for unlawful self-profit and destruction of the imaginative and artistic work of Lebo M. The true meaning of Nants’ ingonyama bagithi Baba is ‘All hail the king, we all bow in the presence of the king.”

As for the hefty sum for damages, Leso M said the accusation has jeopardized his economic opportunities and representation. The two reportedly had an exchange on Instagram before Leso filed the lawsuit, in which he told Jonasi that he had undermined his career. If the issue goes to court, a jury will make the determination.

Summer Lee, epstein files, Pam Bondi, James Comer

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 22, 2026

Rep. Summer Lee Claims James Comer Called Her ‘B-tch’ During Private Meeting Over Epstein Files

The meeting was over Attorney General Pam Bondi's handling of the Epstein Files and their public release.

U.S. Rep. Summer Lee says James Comer called her a “b-tch” during a closed-door meeting over the Epstein files.

The Pennsylvania congresswoman shared her frustrations with reporter over how the meeting went with Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee. “I just walked out of a fake deposition…a fake hearing, where chairman Comer called me a b***,” she said after the incident, as reported by BET News.

Comer denied saying that on X.

The hearing escalated over Attorney General Pam Bondi and potential repercussions surrounding her handling of the Epstein files. Bondi has been subpoenaed over the release of the documents, which detailed the conviction of Jeffrey Epstein, the infamous late financier, on sex trafficking charges.

Lee attempted to impeach Bondi regarding her involvement in the files’ botched rollout, which allegedly sparked a heated exchanged with Comer.

“[Bondi] has not been in compliance with our subpoena in the Epstein Transparency Act to release the full, complete, unredacted Epstein files. She has been withholding them. She has been obstructing justice since last July, and a couple of weeks ago, we finally got bipartisan support to subpoena her, to bring her into our committee to ask questions,” Leee said.

CNN’s Chief White House Correspondent, Kaitlan Collins, reported that Comer did use the word “bitching” in the exchange with Lee. He used the term to insinuate that she was wasting time in the briefing as she tried to initiate articles of impeachment.

“You’ve wasted three minutes of everyone’s time just kind of, bitching…,” reportedly said Comer during the meeting, as posted by the journalist.

However, the Kentucky Rep. argued that he did not hurl the phrase solely at his female colleague. While doubling down on the word’s usage, he directed his message toward all Democrats in the case against Bondi.

🚨FACT CHECK: True.

I said Democrats were bitching and wasting everyone’s time because Democrats were bitching and wasting everyone’s time. https://t.co/eSJX41Q0AT
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) March 18, 2026

“FACT CHECK: True,” Comer said. “I said Democrats were bitching and wasting everyone’s time because Democrats were bitching and wasting everyone’s time.”

Lee, however, still felt the direct attack of the phrase, especially as a Black woman political figure. While the two continue to butt heads over Bondi’s refusal to comply with Democrats’ demands, Democrats have urged GOP lawmakers to hold Bondi accountable for her role in the delayed release of the files.

by Ann Brown

March 22, 2026

Trump Deploys ICE To Airports As DHS Shutdown Stretches On

The president said ICE would conduct “the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country” and take over airport security.

President Donald Trump announced plans to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to airports nationwide starting Mach 23 as the standoff over funding for Department of Homeland Security continues. On Truth Social, Trump said ICE would conduct “the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country” and take over airport security if Democrats did not approve DHS funding.

The announcement comes amid long airport lines caused by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers working without pay during the partial government shutdown. TSA scanner and security officer (TSO) training typically lasts several months, NBC News reports.

Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, confirmed on March 22 that ICE agents would be strategically placed in airports with the heaviest delays, Politico reports. While agents won’t operate X-ray machines—tasks for which TSA staff undergo extensive training—they will assist with specialized roles and continue routine immigration enforcement.

BASH: Are ICE agents going to move into American airports starting tomorrow?

HOMAN: Yes. I'm currently working on the plan. We'll execute tomorrow.

BASH: Are ICE agents even remotely trained to handle security at airports?

HOMAN: ICE agents receive high-level training. pic.twitter.com/Z7ZNzJth6a
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 22, 2026

Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic effort to fund TSA on March 21, while Democrats previously rejected GOP-backed proposals tying ICE funding to broader DHS appropriations.

ICE’s presence may heighten concerns among travelers, labor advocates, and Democrats who continue to push for TSA funding without tying it to ICE policy changes. The DHS shutdown, now extending into its second month, seems to have turned airports into a high-profile battleground for the ongoing partisan struggle over federal funding and immigration enforcement.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 22, 2026

Texas Tween To Sing At Carnegie Hall As A Top Young Performer In Country

Layla Janae McWilliams, 11, was selected to be part of this year's young cohort of musicians.

One lucky Texas tween will get the chance to perform at New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall.

Layla Janae McWilliams, 11, of San Antonio was selected to take part in the Honors Performance Series, a national program for the top young performers in America. KENS 5 News shared the child’s accomplishment on social media.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by KENS 5 News (@kens5)

As part of the prestigious program, she will train for a week before gracing the Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall. She will sing under the direction of world-class conductors alongside fellow talented musicians. More than a “music camp,” The Honors Performance Series offers young musicians the opportunity to showcase their growing skills on a global stage.

“Big dreams start young, and the Middle School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall is where rising talent starts an unforgettable first act,” detailed the program on its website. “Exclusive to the selected 6th–8th grade musicians from around the world, this program sets the stage for students to rehearse and perform under the guidance of master conductors in New York City’s iconic Carnegie Hall.”

Before singing on the very stage where the likes of Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday once stood, McWilliams will participate in this program.

Outside of rehearsals, Honor Performances Series participants will also follow stacked itinerary from Broadway shows to sightseeing for a New York experience like no other.

While she establishes a bright start to her career as a trained vocalist, McWilliams has already made her family and the San Antonio community proud with her accomplishment. Her performance will take place on July 24.

Tunisia, Rights Activist Saadia Mosbah, Financial Crimes

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 22, 2026

Tunisia Sentences Rights Activist Saadia Mosbah For Financial Crimes, Critics Call It Political

Mosbah, who has emerged as a voice for human rights freedoms, will spend 8 years in prison in the North African country.

Saadia Mosbah, a leading human rights activist in Tunisia, has received a lofty prison sentence for a crime she claims she did not commit.

Authorities arrested Mosbah in May 2024 for charges of money laundering and illicit enrichment, as reported by the BBC. Now, a Tunisian court has ordered her to spend eight years in prison, as well as pay a fine of $35,000.

The 66-year-old has been the face of political opposition in Tunisia, leading the anti-racism group Mnèmty in their support of sub-Saharan migrants in the North African nation. However, this group faced tremendous backlash from national leadership, particularly the country’s authoritative president, Kais Saied.

As Saied strengthens his regime in Tunisia, Mosbah has emerged as a voice for human rights freedoms, which have become jeopardized in the country. She and her fellow activists, including her son, were found guilty as well, in a verdict that sparked international concern as an attempt to thwart their organizing.

Their legal team also called out the federal government, seemingly trying to shift blame on the migration issue to the group, especially amid the President’s upheaval of civil society groups. The President has already suspended multiple organizations dedicated to civil rights in the country, including the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights and the Association of Democratic Women.

“The verdict is a major shock, and it is part of a broader effort to dismantle civil society groups and shift responsibility for the state’s failure to address the migrant issue onto these groups,” explained Mosbah’s lawyer, Hela Ben Salem, to Reuters.

The migrant issue has placed tremendous pressure on Tunisia, as many Sub-Saharan Africans use the country as a gateway to Europe. To combat this issue, the President has implemented security measures to take down migration networks and deport migrants back south of the desert.

Mosbah’s conviction has also garnered attention from the international human rights community. Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and the World Organization Against Torture have urged Tunisian authorities to release Mosbah immediately.

Alongside health and age concerns regarding her incarceration, the organizations also called Mosbah’s conviction a move to further restrict the civil rights of Tunisians. Mosbah, her son, and the other activist jailed have maintained their innocence.