• News

by Kandiss Edwards

November 1, 2025

Former Enslaved Veteran Honored As New Jersey’s First Black Business Owner

Cudjo Banquante, an enslaved African royal descendant who fought in the American Revolution, later became Newark’s first documented Black business owner.

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Cudjo Banquante, an enslaved African royal descendant who fought in the American Revolution and later became Newark’s first documented Black business owner, is receiving long-overdue recognition through a new historical marker and a weeklong celebration, titled “Honoring Cudjo Banquante!” initiative.

The Honoring Cudjo Banquante! project was funded by a $15,000 grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities (NJCH). The initiative aims to restore Banquante’s story to its place in the state’s early history. The celebration, held April 27 through May 4, featured film screenings, genealogy workshops, guided tours, and a grave-marking ceremony at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), the site of Banquante’s former burial. The event was organized by a coalition, including the Newark History Society, Rutgers University–Newark, and the Greater Newark Conservancy.

The marker outside NJPAC now anchors the city’s growing network of African American heritage sites. “This effort connects memory to place,” said NJCH program officer Kimberly Brown. “Banquante’s story reflects how history, when told inclusively, can redefine civic pride.”

“Cudjo Banquante’s life is a reminder that the American story is not complete without the voices of those too long left out. This project brings his extraordinary journey back into public memory. This is the precise work of the humanities and the reason why this exceptional project deserves the Katz Prize,” said Carin Berkowitz, executive director of NJCH, in a press release.

Born into Ghana’s Akyem Abuakwa royal family around 1720, Banquante was captured and sold into slavery. He later fought in the Continental Army, substituting for his enslaver, Benjamin Coe of Newark, and participated in the Battles of Monmouth, Germantown, and Yorktown, according to the New Jersey Historical Society. After earning his freedom, he was granted land on what is now Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, where he established an ornamental-plant business, which historians identify as Newark’s first Black-owned enterprise.

Community leaders say the recognition offers both healing and inspiration. 

RELATED CONTENT: Descendants Of Enslaved People Who Helped Build Saint Louis University Reject Formal Apology, Calling It Performative

• Politics

by Mary Spiller

November 1, 2025

Texas Moves To Shut Down State Civil Rights Commission Amid GOP Attacks On DEI Programs

The proposed closure would leave Texas as the only state without an agency dedicated to enforcing housing discrimination laws.

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Texas lawmakers are advancing legislation to eliminate the Texas Workforce Commission’s Civil Rights Division, the only state office responsible for investigating claims of housing, employment, and public accommodation discrimination. If the bill becomes law, Texas would stand alone as the only state in the U.S. without a civil rights enforcement agency — a shift that critics say is driven not by cost-cutting, but by the political war on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Opponents of the shutdown warn that the change would gut the state’s ability to uphold fair housing laws and force victims of discrimination to rely solely on a slower federal process. “This is not just another political debate,” said Democratic state Rep. Ron Reynolds.

“We are talking about dismantling the entity that protects Texans from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations.”

Civil rights groups argue that the real goal is to weaken legal protections for marginalized communities. Gary Bledsoe, president of the Texas NAACP, called the move dangerous and historically regressive.

“This commission exists because people in this state were historically denied basic rights,” he said. “Eliminating it sends a message that those protections are no longer a priority.”

The push to dissolve the division comes amid a sweeping effort by Republican leaders in Texas to roll back DEI programs across public and private institutions. Last year, the state banned DEI offices in public colleges and universities. Attorney General Ken Paxton has also threatened corporations over hiring policies that prioritize diversity. For critics, the pattern is clear: civil rights enforcement is being reframed as a political inconvenience.

The proposal’s supporters claim the state can comply with federal law without a standalone office, and that the federal government can handle complaints directly. But housing advocates say that ignores the reality of the system. Without a state-level agency, discrimination complaints that once took months could take years, leaving renters and homebuyers with no immediate recourse.

“This is not about efficiency,” Reynolds said. “You can call it efficiency, you can call it reform — but at its core, this is an attack on civil rights enforcement in Texas.”
The bill has gained momentum in a Legislature where Republicans hold decisive power, though it has faced strong pushback from legal groups, housing advocates, and civil rights organizations. If passed, it would take effect in September.

“We are stripping away the safeguards that were put in place because people were denied equal treatment under the law,” Bledsoe warned. “History will not look kindly on this moment.”

A final vote is expected before the end of the legislative session.

RELATED CONTENT: EEOC Is Dropping Certain Discrimination Claims. Experts Say It’s Time To Lawyer Up

• News

by Kandiss Edwards

November 1, 2025

Simi Valley Teens Plead Guilty To Hate Crime Against Michael Robinson

Investigators said the teenagers shouted racial slurs during the Aug. 1 brawl in a California movie theater parking lot and specifically targeted Robinson, who is Black. 

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On Oct. 30, two young men accused of attacking Michael Robinson in August 2025 pleaded guilty to felony assault and hate crimes. 

Of the five teenagers, ranging in age from 16 to 17, three were charged with felony assault and special allegations of a hate crime. Two others were charged with felony assault, misdemeanor battery, and misdemeanor criminal threats. Additionally, the fifth assailant was charged with misdemeanor criminal threats and misdemeanor battery. 

Ahead of the arraignment, District Attorney Erik Nasarenko issued a statement to KTLA about the violent acts.

“Hate crimes spread fear, division, and violence throughout an entire community. Our office is committed to holding these youth accountable and ensuring that justice is delivered for the victims and our community,” Nasarenko stated.

In a statement, Simi Valley Mayor Dee Dee Cavanaugh condemned the “racism” and “gang-related activity as unacceptable.

Investigators said the teenagers shouted racial slurs during the Aug. 1 brawl in a movie theater parking lot and specifically targeted Robinson, who is Black. 

“They hit one of my friends in the face first,” Robinson told KTLA. “Then they hit another. Then they rushed me while I was between two cars. I managed to get out and ran into the parking lot. That’s when they slammed me into the hood of a car and jumped me.”

The Simi Valley Police Department confirmed that one of the young men involved is related to a department officer. However, the department said the officer will not be involved in any aspect of the investigation.

California Department of Justice data shows that hate crimes across the state rose 14% between 2023 and 2024, marking the fourth consecutive annual increase. Ventura County recorded one of the sharpest percentage jumps among mid-size counties.

The two defendants who pleaded guilty are scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 13 and Nov. 19. Proceedings for the remaining teens are continuing in juvenile court.

RELATED CONTENT: Black South Carolina Man Urges Hate Crime Law After Being Targeted On Way To Work

• Health and Wellness

by Mary Spiller

November 1, 2025

Experts Warn Daylight Saving Time Clock Changes Disrupt Health More Than We Realize

New Stanford research says the twice-a-year time switch may affect our health — and permanent standard time may be best.

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As clocks shift back an hour at 2 a.m. on Nov. 2, millions of Americans will enjoy a rare bonus hour of sleep. But experts say the seasonal switch from daylight saving time to standard time does more than change when the sun rises — it also disrupts the body’s internal clock in ways that can affect sleep, mood, and overall health.

“Plan on a glorious extra hour of sleep as most of America ‘falls back’ into standard time,” the article notes, adding that morning sunlight can help the body reset its internal rhythm more smoothly. Standard time will remain in place until March 8, when clocks jump forward.

The twice-a-year shift has long been debated, but a new Stanford University study argues that the current back-and-forth system is the worst option. Researchers found that adopting either permanent daylight saving time or permanent standard time would improve health, but standard time aligns more naturally with the body’s biology.

“The best way to think about it is as if the central clock were like a conductor of an orchestra,” said Jamie Zeitzer, co-director of Stanford’s Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences. “More light in the morning and less at night is key to keeping that rhythm on schedule — all the instruments in sync.”

When that rhythm is disrupted, Zeitzer said, each system of the body “just works a little less well,” from metabolism to immune function.

Groups like the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine already support making standard time permanent, saying it better matches natural light patterns.

The spring transition — which takes an hour away instead of adding one — is widely seen as more difficult. Studies have linked the early March time jump to spikes in car crashes, heart attacks, and sleep loss. But even the November shift can affect those already struggling with limited sleep or working outside a traditional day schedule.

About one in three U.S. adults sleeps less than the recommended seven hours a night, and more than half of teenagers fall short of the recommended eight hours.

As debate continues in Congress over the stalled Sunshine Protection Act, which proposes making daylight saving time permanent, experts suggest easing into the change gradually — shifting bedtime by 10–15 minutes in the days before the switch, and getting sunlight early in the day.

“If you can’t get outdoors, sit by windows,” the article advises, noting that morning sun remains the most effective reset tool for the body’s natural clock.

RELATED CONTENT: Daylight Saving Time is a Perfect Time to Volunteer

• Celebrity News

by Mary Spiller

November 1, 2025

Fugees Rapper Pras Michel Ordered To Forfeit $64M After Federal Lobbying Conviction

The ruling comes months before Michel’s sentencing, as prosecutors say he secretly collected millions from fugitive financier Jho Low to influence U.S. politics.

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A federal judge has ordered Fugees member Pras Michel to surrender more than $64 million to the U.S. government, a decision that follows his 2023 conviction on charges tied to an international lobbying scheme, as reported by Billboard.

The ruling, issued Oct. 30 by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, states that Michel “obtained proceeds in the amount of at least $64,923,226 from his offenses,” which included conspiracy, witness tampering, and failing to register as an agent of China. Prosecutors argued that Michel funneled illicit foreign money into political circles and worked to influence U.S. officials on behalf of Malaysian billionaire Jho Low, who remains a fugitive.

Michel’s legal team pushed back against the proposed amount, calling it “grossly disproportionate” in earlier filings, but the judge rejected that argument. His spokesperson, Erica Dumas, criticized the latest order, telling Billboard, “They already took 100 [million] from him and now they want another 64 [million].”

Michel is scheduled to be sentenced next month, where he faces the possibility of decades in prison. His lawyers have asked the court for a far shorter punishment of three years, but federal sentencing guidelines allow for significantly more time behind bars.

The Grammy-winning rapper, best known as one-third of the Fugees alongside Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, was found guilty in April 2023 on 10 counts, following a high-profile trial that featured testimony from figures including Leonardo DiCaprio and former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Prosecutors said Michel helped move money from Low to political campaigns and later assisted in lobbying efforts connected to China.

The forfeiture ruling had been postponed for months after Michel underwent emergency surgery for colon cancer in August. With the hearing now concluded, the case moves toward sentencing and a likely appeal. His attorneys have already signaled plans to challenge both the conviction and the financial penalty.

Michel and his former bandmates continued to make headlines in recent years as they attempted multiple reunion tours, decades after the Fugees’ 1990s dominance with hits like “Ready or Not” and “Killing Me Softly.”

RELATED CONTENT: Pras Michel Has Emergency Colon Cancer Surgery, Sentencing Delayed

• Celebrity News

by Kandiss Edwards

November 1, 2025

Funeral Services For R&B Legend D’Angelo Will Be A Private Affair

The 'Devil's Pie' singer endured a lengthy private battle with pancreatic cancer before his death at 51 yeas old.

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The funeral for R&B soul legend Michael “D’Angelo” Archer will take place on Nov. 1 in Virginia.

An unnamed source spoke to AllHipHop about the private ceremony. The service is described as family-centered, allowing space for D’Angelo’s children to grieve without a spectacle. The Virginia native is survived by three children — Michael Archer Jr., Imani Archer, and Morocco Archer. There will be both a private viewing and a burial.

The Roots, Stevie Wonder, and John Mayer are rumored to perform selections at the service. Sources told AllHipHop that the lineup could expand to include other collaborators “deeply influenced by D’Angelo’s artistry.” Written remarks by former President Barack Obama recognizing Archer’s contribution to the evolution of soul and his singular artistry will be read.

D’Angelo died Oct. 14 at 51 years old. The Devil’s Pie singer endured a lengthy private battle with pancreatic cancer. His loss reverberated across music communities worldwide. For fans hoping to celebrate and mourn in a communal setting, plans for a public memorial in 2026 are underway. The event is rumored to include multimedia installations, concert footage, and testimonies from peers who credit D’Angelo with influencing a new generation of live-instrumentation soul. 

For fans, his passing marks both an ending and a continuation. D’Angelo’s spiritual, improvisational approach to music made him elusive in life but enduring in sound. 

Longtime friend and collaborator Questlove wrote about D’Angelo’s imprint on music in a reflective essay in Rolling Stone. The piece titled “The Burial of Black Genius (a.k.a. D’Angelo Lives!)” is an emotional ode to the musicians’ friendship and D’Angelo’s genius.

“He was always searching for God in the groove. Now the groove is his legacy.”

His albums “Brown Sugar,” “Voodoo,” and “Black Messiah” reshaped the sound of modern R&B and inspired artists such as Erykah Badu and Maxwell. Over the course of his career, D’Angelo has won multiple accolades, Grammys, and Billboard Awards. 

RELATED CONTENT: D’Angelo And Angie Stone&’s Son On Losing Both Parents In 7 Months: ‘Very Rough And Sad Year For Me’

• Celebrity News

by Ahsan Washington

November 1, 2025

8 Celebrities Who Slayed Halloween Cosplay The Right Way

Celebrities turn Halloween cosplay into cultural tributes.

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Each year, Halloween emerges as a showcase of flair, sartorial bravado, and reverent cultural nods. Fright Night 2025 is no different. Black celebrities stepped into the limelight to demonstrate why their Halloween costumes reign supreme over the plethora of typical costumes floating across social media. Whether delivering tributes to icons or conjuring conceptual, pop‑culture ideas, each look transcends mere head‑turning. The costumes illustrate how Black artists use Halloween cosplay to create cultural tributes.

Check out these nine ensembles that slayed Halloween day. 

Taraji P. Henson as Janet Jackson 

Henson pulled off several stages of the cultural pop icon Janet Jackson. The actress played up the megastar’s most iconic looks throughout her successful career, from highlighting Jackson’s Rhythm Nation performance days to her “Scream” video production days. 

Chlöe Bailey as Foxxy Cleopatra for Halloween

Clad in a metallic gold catsuit and sporting a gravity‑defying afro, Chlöe summons the Foxxy Cleopatra that Beyoncé once embodied delivering a nod to Black female empowerment and the electric buzz of cult‑pop‑culture.

Megan Thee Stallion as Chōsō (from *Jujutsu Kaisen)

Megan goes in with her anime devotion, showing up as Chōsō with Black cultural threads that intersect with the sprawling tapestry of global pop culture.

Winnie Harlow as Whitney Houston

Winnie’s reverence for Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” moment shines in a purple leotard and the iconic hairdo a resonant homage to the rich legacy of Black music.

Lizzo as a Cheese Pull

By turning Halloween into a stage for this cheesy outfit, Lizzo fuses humor, body‑positive messaging and pop‑culture references, crafting a look that feels playful and socially sound.

Keke Palmer and Leo as Snoop Dogg & Bow Wow 

For Halloween 2025, Keke Palmer and her son Leodis showed up as Snoop Dogg and Bow Wow, turning a costume party into homage that fuses hip‑hop culture, family chemistry and a dash of theatrical swagger. Keke’s look, complete with cornrows, a goatee and a chain‑laden outfit, hits the Snoop vibe dead‑on. The pair’s coordinated style cranks the impact up a notch. The whole affair paints Halloween not as a personal dress‑up moment but as a community‑wide branding spectacle. 

Halle Bailey as Lisa Bonet

Halle Bailey’s Halloween 2025 post channels Lisa Bonet’s authenticity, blending nostalgia, Black legacy and her own star persona. The content‑driven, brand‑reinforcing look emerges as a statement. 

Janelle Monáe as Cat in the Hat

Janelle regards Halloween as a showcase one moment she’s embodying the Cat in the Hat, the next she’s unveiling a parade of off‑beat, imaginative ensembles, each costume morphing into a fresh ongoing moment.

Latto as Lil Kim

Honoring rap legend Lil Kim with a hair, makeup and flawless styling, Latto turns homage into a full‑blown transformation, embodying the icon’s wardrobe, swagger and everything that comes with it. The ensemble is within Latto’s brand; bold, expressive, and unapologetically hip‑hop, making it as much a calculated content play, as it is a costume. 

RELATED CONTENT: Teenager Steps Out As Notorious B.I.G. For Halloween And Goes Viral

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

November 1, 2025

How Jamaica’s Hurricane Melissa Insurance Bond Is Paying Off

Analysts and disaster experts estimate Melissa will cause Jamaica a total between $2 billion and $8 billion of economic loss, representing close to a third of the country’s gross domestic product.

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Following the devastating hit Jamaica took from Hurricane Melissa, a category five storm, the country doesn’t seem too worried about rebuilding since an insurance bond was set in place long before for financial protection, CBC reported. 

In 2024, Jamaica issued $150 million in a “cat” bond for cases of a catastrophe such as Melissa, which tore through homes, roads, and essential infrastructure. Florian Steiger, CEO of Icosa Investments, a firm focused on catastrophe bonds, says the bonds “are linked to the central pressure of the hurricane when it makes landfall.” “Based on everything we’ve seen, the payouts are going to happen,” Steiger said. 

Risk financing adviser at the U.K.-based Center for Disaster Protection, Conor Meenan, commended Jamaica on securing protection financially before disaster struck, saying that more countries should pay attention. “Jamaica’s strategy is, in my perspective, one of the most comprehensive of any country globally at the minute,” he said. 

Days before the storm hit on Oct 28, the country’s Finance Ministry announced it had close to $820 million available in financing to help it restructure. It won’t cover everything, but it’s a good starting place. Payout could be released in the next coming days as the insurance-related financing will help Jamaica get back to normal faster by restoring services deemed essential like  healthcare, transportation, and telecommunications. 

Jamaican economist and financial analyst Mikol Mortley said Hurricane Melissa is the true test of the bond, as Hurricane Beryl in 2024 — a category four storm —  wasn’t strong enough to trigger the funds’ release. According to the New York Times, Beryl caused an estimated $995 million in damages, including a widespread loss of crops in St. Elizabeth parish, a lucrative crop area, where Melissa made landfall. 

Analysts and disaster experts estimate Melissa will cause Jamaica a total between $2 billion and $8 billion of economic loss, representing close to a third of the country’s gross domestic product. “Hurricane Melissa will be the true test of whether or not Jamaica insured itself by being fiscally responsible,” Mortley said. 

“But one thing I know for certain is that we are better off today than we were last year with Beryl, in 2004 with Ivan, and in 1988 with Gilbert.”

With most catastrophe bonds being issued to richer countries like the United States, Steiger feels the large bond market gives lower-income countries an opportunity to spread their climate risk. The analyst argued that Jamaica’s strategy could be looked at as a model for other Caribbean nations and climate-vulnerable countries to access money faster following a disaster. “Cat bonds are not the answer, but they can be a part of the answer,” Steigler said. 

“I would hope that a lot of people see this as an example of something that can be assisting in broadening out the resilience of economies around the globe, and also bringing people together to better share the risk around the globe.”

RELATED CONTENT: 8 Orgs To Support Jamaica’s Much-Needed Hurricane Relief

• Celebrity News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 1, 2025

Outkast, MUNDIAL Drop Football Shirt Honoring The 25th Anniversary Of ‘Stankonia’ Album Release

The group is also being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Nov. 8.

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To celebrate the Atlanta group’s 25th anniversary of the “Stankonia” album, MUNDIAL magazine has announced that it has collaborated with OutKast to release the group’s first football shirt.

The publication also acknowledged the group’s upcoming induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and previewed the black shirt, featuring the United States flag on the left and their logo on the right. The group’s name is centered on the shirt, featuring one of their most famous lines, “Forever Eva (from their hit single, ‘Ms. Jackson’), in a scripted font, directly below their name. The album’s cover art featured a black-and-white U.S. flag with group members Big Boi and André 3000 posing in front of it. It was released Oct. 31, 2000.

“We are extremely excited to announce that we have collaborated with OutKast to release their first-ever official football shirt. A celebration of their induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the 25th anniversary of the genre-bending funk-ascending Stankonia album, we’ve put together a blacked-out classic shirt with nods and hints to the album, the city of Atlanta, and, of course, MUNDIAL throughout. The capsule also includes a banging tee, college-adjacent long sleeve, and a hoody to keep you warm all winter. Out now. Bosh.”

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A post shared by MUNDIAL (@mundialmag)

On the back of the shirt, the No. 25 is the uniform number, with the album title as the featured name, and the stars are arranged vertically. There is also a hoodie (featuring “so fresh” on one sleeve and “so clean” on the other), a long-sleeve shirt, and a short-sleeve T-shirt on sale.

The hip-hop group will be honored Nov. 8 in a televised ceremony, live from the Paramount Theater in Los Angeles.

Another legendary hip-hop group, Salt-N-Pepa, is also being recognized that night for their significant contributions to the music industry, as is rock legend Chubby Checker and songwriter-producer Thom Bell, who helped shape the Philly sound alongside Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.

RELATED CONTENT: André 3000 Welcomes Newborns To The World With A Surprise Concert

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 1, 2025

Sonya Massey’s Family Angered Over Ex-Deputy’s Lesser Conviction, Reveals Apology From His Mother

"He told my child he would shoot her in the F-ing face, and he did it. And all we got was a second-degree murder conviction out of this?"

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Members of Sonya Massey’s family voiced their frustration on Oct. 29 after Sean Grayson, originally charged with three counts of first-degree murder, was convicted of a lesser charge of second-degree murder, CBS News reports. The verdict spared him a potential life sentence for killing Massey, a 36-year-old unarmed Black woman, who was shot in her kitchen after calling the police for help.

“He told my child he would shoot her in the F-ing face, and he did it. And all we got was a second-degree murder conviction out of this?” Massey’s father, James Wilburn, said. “He was in six police departments in three and a half years. That is shameful.”

Grayson’s family seemed to show remorse, said Teresa Haley, a family friend.

“The mother came over and apologized, and she said, ‘We did not raise him that way. And I’m really sorry for your family,'” Haley said. “My heart goes out to them. We lost Sonya, but they lost a son, and what he did for Sonya, he has to pay, and they realize that.”

Grayson’s family offered additional apologies in the courtroom and gave their seats to Massey’s loved ones who came for the verdict, according to CBS News’ Jericka Dunkin.

Grayson, a Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy in Illinois, shot Massey after she called police to check on a suspected prowler. He claimed he acted in self-defense, saying Massey approached a boiling pot of water while behaving erratically, and he perceived it as a threat. Prosecutors said that he failed to provide medical aid afterward.

The trial centered on disturbing body cam footage from Grayson’s partner. A 12-person jury deliberated about 12 hours before reaching a verdict.

Grayson’s sentencing is set for January. He could receive a maximum of 20 years in prison. Earlier this year, Sangamon County agreed to a $10 million wrongful death settlement with Massey’s family.

RELATED CONTENT: San Antonio Confirms Status As U.S. Dia De Los Muertos Epicenter After Record Festival