For over 198 years the Black Press and the Black Church have joined together for causes of freedom, justice, equality, equity, and empowerment. Today more than ever before there is renewed urgency for the Black Church and the Black Press to publicly amplify our mutual interests to protect and maintain the hard-fought gains and progress that has been accomplished by African Americans in the last two centuries. On the record, “We are not going back in America and nowhere else in the world in 2025.” We have already suffered too much from the vicious unprecedented genocide, terrorism, and crimes against…
Author: Benjamin Chavis
On behalf of the www.BlackPressUSA.com and the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), I am pleased to first state for the record that the Black Press of America remains on the frontlines of authentic journalism reporting facts and news, as well continuing to be the vocal, vibrant, voice of Black America. For the past 198 years since the first publication of Freedom’s Journal on March 16, 1827, the Black Press continues to be an active advocate for freedom, justice, equality, equity and empowerment. In the veracious words of the initial publishers of Freedom’s Journal, John Brown Russwurm and Samuel Cornish: “Others…
Last year, the U.S. Department of Education sent all colleges and universities across the nation a notice, reminding them that they need to comply with the newly updated cybersecurity regulations published by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The regulations – which include specifications such as implementing critical controls for information security programs, maintaining oversight of service providers and designating an individual to oversee a school’s cybersecurity infrastructure – came in response to an uptick in ransomware attacks on schools around the United States. While these regulations are certainly warranted in an age where personal data is becoming increasingly vulnerable to cyber-criminals,…
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Mosby, a trailblazing prosecutor, made national headlines in 2015 for her bold decision to charge six officers involved in the death of Freddie Gray, an unarmed Black man whose death in police custody sparked widespread protests. Her pursuit of accountability was lauded by many as a necessary step toward justice in a system riddled with racial bias. Her zealous advocacy brought significant reforms to the criminal justice system, including implementing police body-worn cameras, decriminalizing marijuana, securing exonerations for the wrongfully convicted, and ending prosecutions for low-level offenses.By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., President and CEO, National Newspaper…
NNPA NEWSWIRE — The loss of Title IV funding would drastically affect around 80 percent of the student bodies at HBCUs and would have a consequential negative impact on the future of these vital institutions of higher education. Endowments at HBCUs pale in comparison to those at the U.S.’s top ranked colleges and universities, with the overall endowments at all the country’s HBCUs accounting for less than a tenth of Harvard’s. The gap in funding between PWIs and HBCUs isn’t just because of smaller endowments, it’s also because state lawmakers keep funds off HBCU campuses – in North Carolina, for…
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Swipe fee reform isn’t radical; it’s about fair competition and a level playing field. The Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA) — a bipartisan bill being considered in Congress — aims to introduce competition into this marketplace by requiring at least two competing processing networks on each credit card. This could save American consumers and businesses an estimated $15 billion annually. America’s financial system is quietly reinforcing old inequities. Black American communities — historically denied access to wealth-building tools due to practices like redlining and restrictive banking — now face a new predatory financial hurdle: credit card swipe fees. For…
by The Reverend Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr, There are moments in life when the convictions of the spirit and personal consciousness collide in opposition to the mainstream, popular outcries for the blood, life, and the end of the future existence of another human being. I refuse to be a silent witness to another lynching in America. Thus, the following is what I have observed and witnessed firsthand over the past days to the lynch mob-like escalation of calls for President Joe Biden to step down from campaigning for reelection in 2024. I am not representing any organization or political party. …
From less access to quality healthcare, to the exclusion of anti-obesity medications from Medicare, and most Medicaid and general insurance coverage, our healthcare systems under-prioritizes the well-being of Black Americans. And we’ve learned from history that until we make our voices heard, this crisis will continue to be brushed aside. Whether we accept it or not, obesity continues to be a complex, chronic disease that kills thousands of Black Americans every year. Indeed, nearly half of Black Americans live with obesity, so we cannot afford to ignore this national emergency any longer. The public discourse around weight loss that has…
By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. I will not be silent on the issues of racial hatred, violence, and prejudice. I am speaking out publicly in support of the recent call by billionaire African American business leader and philanthropist, Robert F. Smith, to stand up against the resurgence of racism and antisemitism in America. Blacks and Jews in the United States have had a long history and tradition of working together and sacrificing together for freedom, justice, equality and equity. Lest we forget that we have marched together for over a century. We have shared blood together. And we have…
By Benjamin Chavis Several months ago, I co-wrote an op-ed with my long-term friend and national media colleague, Jim Winston. Our commentary emphasized why “Diversifying American Media Ownership Must Become a National Priority.” Now after the results of the high turnout of communities of color and young voters in the recent Mid-Term Elections across the United States, it is time once again to reiterate the relevance and importance of ensuring an increase in the multiracial diversification of ownership of radio and TV broadcast stations as well as all other media platforms including print and social media. The multimedia publishing and…