A special choice
Chesterfield County officials deserve kudos for announcing their plans for a sports hall of fame, dedicated to athletes with ties to the county.
Black-owned businesses face obstacles made worse by anti-racial justice efforts, by Marc H. Morial
“Recent legal challenges have targeted programs aimed at alleviating the obstacles faced by marginalized communities, particularly those designed to promote equity in entrepreneurship … With this analysis, we can create and implement strategies that catalyze informed policymaking, advocacy efforts, and targeted interventions aimed at reversing systemic barriers and fostering a more equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem.” — Alliance for Entrepreneurial Equity, The State of Black Business 2024
What’s the meaning of antisemitic?, by Clarence Page
Who would oppose legislation to outlaw antisemitism? More people than you might think.
Oliver Hill’s haunting thoughts on landmark court case, by Carol A.O. Wolf
As we approach the 70th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision of the U.S. Supreme Court outlawing segregation in public schools, I remain haunted, and yet hopeful, by the words the late Oliver W. Hill, one of the lawyers who helped bring the case to our nation’s highest court, shared with me one afternoon at his North Side home.
Library of Virginia hosts ‘knit in’ to celebrate Worldwide Knit in Public Day
The Library of Virginia will host a “Knit In Public Day at LVA” on Saturday, June 8, in honor of the annual Worldwide Knit in Public Day. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the library’s lobby and conference rooms.
Degrees of Excitement
Virginia Union University’s undergraduates walk in and later turn their tassels symbolizing their transition from candidate to graduate during the 125th commencement exercises Saturday, May 11, the University’s campus.
Coming Together Virginia hosts dinner talk on race and psychiatry
In a culmination of a three-part series exploring the intricate relationship between race and mental health, Coming Together Virginia presents its Tuesday Dinner Gathering on May 21 at 6 p.m. at Ginter Park Presbyterian Church. This event features guest speaker Dr. Shawn Utsey, a professor in the Department of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Black History Museum to host film screenings in honor of Brown v. Board
Marking the 70th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia will host a special event titled “Our Past, Our Present, Our Future.”
Riverrock brings music and sports Downtown
Dominion Energy Riverrock, an annual outdoor sports and music festival, returns this week with a new layout and an expanded footprint.
Council members host honorary street naming ceremonies
Richmond City Council members plan to honor two esteemed citizens this week with honorary street namings.
The new guy
In this edition of the Richmond Free Press I introduce a new managing editor who I think inaugurates an exciting new era for this publication and for its readers in Metropolitan Richmond, the Old Dominion and beyond.
Vance jumps from Trump critic to maybe VP, by Clarence Page
Republican Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio has begun to remind me of an old saying about Chicago weather: If you don’t like it, just wait a few minutes.
Wake up, Black voters! Don’t let Trump’s lies fool you, by Donald M. Suggs
The fact that exit polls showed that Donald Trump received 9% of the Black vote in 2016, the highest number since George Bush in 2000, and then won 12% in the presidential race in 2020 should be a cause for concern.
Banner Christian’s Burke travels in the fast lane
Davian Burke specializes in takeoffs and landings and is almost always right on time. He ranks with the state’s top hurdlers even though he attends a high school – Banner Christian in Chesterfield – far removed from local sports’ neon lights.
VUU, VSU left mark on NFL
HBCU grads sidelined at NFL Draft
Nowadays, the NFL seems to have overlooked HBCU athletes. None were selected in the most recent draft and just one was called in the past three years. Current NFL rosters only average about one HBCU player per team.
Steadfast devotion
Faith Community’s Patricia Gould-Champ steps down from pulpit
After 28 years, Dr. Patricia A. Gould-Champ last January handed off the pastoral leadership of the church she founded, Faith Community Baptist Church in the East End.
Remembering a year of turmoil — 1968, by David W. Marshall
The year of 1968 remains one of the most historic turning points in history. This single year was marked by historic achievements, assassinations and protests over a much-hated war.
VSU’s Darrington Player of the Year
Virginia State University softball center fielder Hailey Darrington has been named CIAA Player of the Year.
School Board’s Dawn Page not running for re-election; board considers training
In a statement sent to the Free Press, the Richmond School Board’s 8th District representative Dawn Page announced that she will not run for re-election.
Otieno’s family seeks federal intervention after multiple charges dismissed
The family of Irvo Otieno is calling on federal officials to take up the prosecution of those charged with his murder at Central State Hospital last March. The call comes following the dismissal of charges against five people involved in the incident that led to his death.
