POLITICAL | URBAN | ENTERTAINMENT | GOSPEL | HISTORY & CULTURE

  Statement by Chief Pentagon Spokesman, Sean Parnell, on “Establishment of the Department of War COVID-19 Reinstatement and Reconciliation Task Force” and “Reinstating Service Members Unjustly Discharged Under the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine Mandate” Memorandums     The Department of War continues to take decisive action in support of the many Service members adversely impacted by the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Today, Secretary Hegseth established the Department of War COVID-19 Reinstatement and Reconciliation Task Force to ensure return-to-service efforts for these warriors are optimized across the force.    He also directed the Secretaries of the Military Departments to ensure their Review Boards evaluate the records of any former Service member who voluntarily left service, and who now requests to return to service through the...

  A federal magistrate judge in Phoenix  ordered Albert Bazaar held in custody following his arrest on charges relating to trafficking turtles. The court unsealed an indictment from San Francisco charging Bazaar, formerly of Angie, Louisiana, on conspiracy and Lacey Act violations. A status conference will be held on May 14 in Phoenix. The indictment alleges that between January 2022 and December 2023, Bazaar poached and sold over 1,700 loggerhead musk turtles, 100 stripe-neck musk turtles, and 15 striped mud turtles from their native habitats in Florida. Florida law protects fresh and marine turtle species from unregulated harvest. The indictment charges Bazaar with aiding and abetting a co-conspirator who exported the turtles from San Francisco to Taiwan, falsely claiming they were captive-bred to obtain export permits. The turtles are estimated to be worth more than $550,000 in the Asian pet trade. The indictment describes eight transactions where Bazaar sold illegally coll...

In a landmark move for global worship, Island Tribe Collective, the Caribbean’s premier worship movement founded by international gospel artist Sherwin Gardner, has officially partnered with  Tyscot  Records as the iconic label approaches its 50th anniversary. This partnership represents a defining moment for Caribbean gospel music. Island Tribe Collective brings together voices from across the region including Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, The Bahamas, St. Lucia, Haiti, and beyond, creating music that reflects the culture, faith, and sound of the Caribbean for the global Church. With their debut release “Living Proof” already making impact, the Collective is establishing itself as a fresh and authentic voice in the contemporary gospel and worship space, blending Caribbean rhythm with congregational worship in a way that connects across cultures. “This moment is deeply meaningful for us,” says Sherwin Gardner. “What started as a vision to unify the Caribbea...

  BMW2026 Opens with Africa Day Celebration, Mzansi Atlanta Creative Industry Expo, Walk of Fame Honors, Jack the Rapper Remix, Presidential Leadership Conversations, and “An Era of Soul” Salute to 30 Years of Black Music Excellence Atlanta, GA — (May 8, 2026) — One hundred and five years ago, the Harlem Renaissance changed Black culture forever redefining music, art, business, intellect, and global influence through the power of Black creativity.  Today, Atlanta picks up the baton. Black Music Week Atlanta 2026 (BMW2026) launches May 25 through June 6 as the official cultural bridge into Black Music Month, positioning Atlanta as the modern global capital of Black music, creativity, innovation, and cultural commerce. Presented by Unite Atlanta and the Black American Music Association (BAMA), this year’s expanded celebration introduces what organizers are calling the beginning of the “Atlanta Renaissance,” a citywide movement uniting music, culture, business, techno...

Vocal dynamo  Tasha Page-Lockhart has a gift of turning a moment into a message.  On her latest release the message is clear -- God is  on the way. "He's on the Way" is the lead single on her first solo album since 2017’s  The Beautiful Project .  “ He’s on the Way ” (Giftbox Music Group / Tyscot Records) has been released on all digital music platforms and has racked up over 50,000 streams globally. The early success has also earned the track a No. 10 debut placement on  Billboard’s  Gospel Digital Song Sales chart. The modern R&B/Hip-Hop flavored track was written and produced by Page-Lockhart with Charles “Ollie” Harris who has been collaborating with the Motor City native for a decade on songs such as her former  Billboard  Top 20 smash, “Over and Over.” The song is already opening new doors for the BET  Sunday Best  Season 6 contest winner. The afternoon host  JusNik  of New York City’s legendary R&B radio sta...

  “BEYOND THE GATES” WHAT TO WATCH: MAY 11-MAY 15, 2026 CBS welcomes you inside “BEYOND THE GATES.” Below, please find episode descriptions for Monday, May 11-Friday, May 15, 2026. “BEYOND THE GATES” airs weekdays (2:00-3:00 PM, ET; 1:00-2:00 PM, PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+*.  

Rapper Teams With Freeway Rick Ross To Transform Regional Staple–Boosie Bash–To A Worldwide In-Home Viewing Experience   YFN Lucci, Plies, YK Niece, Sexyy Red, Big Boogie, H3adBand, BG, Baby Mel, And Flau'Jae Headline Hip Hop Festival Is southern rap super star  Boosie Badazz  quietly becoming the most influential ‘Southern Network’ in media? A livestream collaboration with  Freeway Rick Ross  is set to disrupt digital, offering an in-home pay-per-view experience for  Boosie Bash VII . “You can party in your living room,” says Boosie, the creator of the annual Louisiana festival now in its seventh year. “Invite your friends, cousins; Bash with us at home!” WATCH: Boosie Badazz Talk About Live-streaming The Concert His online presence, a masterclass in “unfiltered entertainment,” was recently at the center of viral debate with VLAD TV, a podcast platform popularized by Lil Boosie (rapper’s OG moniker). A self-contained reality show, ...

  Lavelle Dontae to Host the Red Carpet as BET Honors the Power, Influence, and Impact of Black LGBTQ+ Excellence BET today announced the return of the BET Black + Iconic Soirée, set to take place on  Saturday, May 23, 2026 , at  MGM National Harbor in Oxon, Maryland . The annual event continues its mission of honoring and celebrating the intersectionality of the Black and LGBTQ+ communities, recognizing cultural leaders, and fostering collective impact. Emmy-nominated actress, producer, and advocate  Laverne Cox  will serve as host for this year's Black + Iconic Soirée, bringing her signature voice, visibility, and cultural influence to the evening. Comedian and content creator  Lavelle Dontae  will host the red carpet, setting the tone for the night ahead. The Black + Iconic Soirée brings together luminaries, advocates, and changemakers for an intimate evening of recognition, reflection, and celebration. Through powerful storytelling, performances, a...

A group of South Carolina House lawmakers is pushing to strip funding from South Carolina State University after students successfully protested Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette’s selection as commencement speaker — a move critics say is an abuse of legislative power. Students at the historically Black university staged a peaceful demonstration last month after President Alexander Conyers announced Evette as the keynote speaker. Many objected to her long‑standing opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion programs, arguing she was not an appropriate choice to address Black graduates about achievement and opportunity. The protest prompted the university to remove Evette from the program. Evette publicly blasted the decision, calling the students a “woke mob,” despite no reports of aggression or disruption during the demonstration. Now, five Republican members of the South Carolina House are backing a proposal to defund the state’s only public HBCU in response to the controversy. Evette has voi...

  Mona Austin is a Washington, D.C.-based multimedia journalist and the founder and creative director of Jireh Communications Group, established in 2002. She is known for her work as a White House and Congressional correspondent, with a focus on political, entertainment, faith-based, and lifestyle content. Austin has been a journalist since 2002, starting her career in community news at a small paper in Colorado. She has since worked as a nationally syndicated web and radio journalist, contributing to outlets such as EURweb, Essence, AXS, and The Slice News, where she serves as a White House reporter. Her reporting covers a wide range of topics, including significant political events like President Joe Biden’s infrastructure grants for marginalized communities, Dr. Jill Biden’s 2023 Africa visit, and the federal charges against police officers in the Breonna Taylor case. She also reported on cultural and political stories, such as Deion Sanders’ appointment as a college football c...

  Data on murders (homicides) committed by race in the United States primarily comes from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, which relies on reports from law enforcement agencies. The most recent detailed breakdown available is for 2023, but due to the FBI's transition to a new reporting system (NIBRS), not all agencies submitted complete data—only about 70-80% of the population was covered, so totals are undercounts. These figures represent known offenders (where race was identified), not arrests or convictions, and include single-offender and multi-offender incidents. In 2023, there were approximately 15,708 known murder offenders with identified race. Here's the breakdown: Race Number of Offenders Percentage of Known Offenders Rate per 100,000 Population White 8,842 56.3% 3.51 Black or African American 6,405 40.8% 14.00 Other (American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander) 461 2.9% 1.31 Notes on the...

“I often think about the brave people who make the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.” First Lady Melania Trump opened her remarks at today’s White House tribute to military mothers, in advance of Mother’s Day. The First Lady honored the fallen Service Members from the 103rd Sustainment Command, who were killed on March 1, 2026, at Port Shuaiba in Kuwait while supporting Operation Epic Fury.   Mrs. Trump has long been an ardent supporter of America’s military and its families. With Mother’s Day approaching, she asserted, “It is these military mothers who find themselves alone, awake in their thoughts, in the darkest hours of the night. Of course, we must also remember the mothers with a spouse overseas, praying for a safe return so their family can become whole once again.” The First Lady called for military mothers to find strength while their loved ones defend our nation’s liberty. The First Lady also took time to address the important role mothers play within America, sharing t...

About 21% of American adults (roughly 43 million people) have low English literacy skills , according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics. But the crisis is not limited to adults. Recent federal assessments show that youth literacy, especially among Black students, has reached its lowest point in decades , deepening concerns about long‑term educational and economic inequality. NCES data from the 2024 Nation’s Report Card shows that only 17% of Black eighth‑graders read at or above proficiency , compared with 44% of White students. Among fourth‑graders, just 18% of Black students scored proficient in reading , a decline that mirrors national trends but hits Black communities harder. Overall, 34% of U.S. fourth‑graders cannot read at a basic level , signaling a multigenerational literacy emergency. The adult literacy picture reflects similar disparities. White adults make up about 35% of Americans with low literacy , while Black adults account for roughly 23% . Hi...

The U.S. Supreme Court has cleared the way for Louisiana to immediately begin redrawing its congressional voting map ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, bypassing the usual 32-day waiting period for such changes. The decision, issued Monday by Justice Samuel Alito, allows the state to move forward quickly with a new map after the previous one was ruled unconstitutional. The ruling exposed sharp divisions on the Court. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, in a dissent, criticized the move as a break from standard procedure that risks undermining public trust. She argued the expedited action could create confusion, especially since overseas and military ballots had already been sent out for Louisiana’s May 16 primary. Jackson also invoked the “Purcell principle,” which discourages courts from altering election rules close to an election, accusing the majority of inconsistency and political bias. Alito, writing in support of the decision, defended the urgency, saying any delay would force Loui...

#AmericaAt250 The current fight to restore voting rights is essentially about the frailty of the Constitution. Poet Gil Scott Heron sang on the 1974 recording "Winter In America," that the Constitution is a "noble piece of paper." One interpretation of that opening line is that the rights inscribed in the Constitution are worthless if they were not applied as the writers intended. Otherwise, the nation's blueprint for fair laws is merely paper. His words today are especially relevant as key parts of the document seem to be getting shredded, leaving Black Americans who are concerned about the creation of equitable voting districts feeling insecure -- appearing to hold Heron's sentiment. Withing the Black community, a risky narrative about when Blacks became U.S. citizens is emerging as Black leaders and advocates challenge the Supreme Court's recent redistricting decision. U.S. born slaves became citizens in 1868 with the passage of the 14th Amendment...