• News

by Kandiss Edwards

March 9, 2025

Students Request ‘Angel Of Greenwood’ After Tulsa Massacre Book Rejected, Receive Free Copies From Author

Randi Pink sent 100 copies of "Angel of Greenwood" to Pine-Richland High School students in Pennsylvania.

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WTAE Pittsburgh reported that Randi Pink’s “Angel of Greenwood” is reaching Pine-Richland High School students despite being rejected from the ninth-grade curriculum.

Students were disappointed when the school board denied the book’s inclusion, prompting them to take respectful action. Twelfth-grader Nedda Immen contacted Pink to request copies of the historical fiction novel.

Pink responded by sending 100 free copies.

“I reached out to Randi, and I thought it would be great to get these books and distribute them because we want to make a statement without being disrespectful. That’s one of our biggest goals, and I think this is almost the perfect example of that,” Immen said.

Junior Elise Duckworth expressed confusion over the school board’s decision. “Angel of Greenwood” is set in 1921 during the Tulsa Race Massacre, a pivotal moment in American history when a thriving Black community was violently destroyed by racism and hate.

“I’m having trouble understanding the reasoning behind not allowing this book. I’m currently reading it, and I think it’s a great book. It talks about something many students don’t know about. Many people don’t know anything about the Tulsa Race Massacre,” Duckworth said.

While opinions on the book’s rejection vary, School Board President Philip Morrissette emphasized that its historical significance is not in question. Instead, the board determined it did not meet the educational rigor required for a ninth-grade curriculum.

“‘Angel of Greenwood’ is a fine book for students, with good historical significance,” Morrissette said.

In a statement to Pittsburgh’s Action News 4, Morrissette clarified that the book was not previously in the curriculum and is not banned.

“‘Angel of Greenwood’ was NOT previously part of ninth-grade ELA (English Language Arts). This was a suggested text to be added while removing an existing ninth-grade ELA core text, ‘A Tale of Two Cities,'” he said.

Despite the decision, Duckworth and Immen have spoken publicly and organized events to celebrate the Angel of Greenwood. With community support, they raised funds for two book talks featuring Pink.

Pink pushed back against the notion that her book lacks academic value, saying she intentionally wrote every page for teenagers. However, she sees hope for the future of inclusive literature through the actions of Pine-Richland students.

“When they’re in charge,” Pink said, “we’re going to be all right.”

RELATED CONTENT: Justice Department Finds 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre A ‘Coordinated, Systematic Attack‘

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 9, 2025

Exonerated Man Accuses Michigan Attorney General Of Retaliation By Seizing His Nonprofit

Mark Craighead says the attorney general wants to control the nonprofit since he received funds of the Wrongful Imprisonment Compensation Act.

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Mark Craighead, who spent seven years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit, is accusing the Michigan Attorney General’s office of retaliatory practices by attempting to take over his nonprofit’s assets, Detroit Metro Times reports. 

In a case filed by Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office, the office hopes to take control of Craighead’s nonprofit, the Safe Place Transition Center, by claiming he is improperly using funds. The business owner insists the move is a form of retaliation since he received the Wrongful Imprisonment Compensation Act (WICA) in 2023, created by state lawmakers to assist wrongfully convicted people in taking back their lives. 

As a result, Craighead received $360,000. He claims he used his own money to launch the nonprofit, fix properties, and pay off necessary expenses like gas. Craighead calls the accusations against him “baseless,” explaining that the nonprofit reimbursed him. “Everything that came out of Safe Place, it came from me first,” Craighead says. 

“I eventually got paid back. The board approved the money to me.”

The successful nonprofit provides housing assistance to formerly incarcerated residents and veterans. It has several properties with below-market rent for those who need it. In addition to housing, Craighead’s organization hands out food to nearly 200 low-income people in Mount Clemens twice a month. 

However, Nessel’s office said the case relates to a 2020 complaint filed by another individual, who claimed the former inmate “pocketed over $200,000 from money intended to help needy individuals of the community.” After the state launched an investigation, it was revealed Safe Place and Craighead failed to provide the required legal information, prompting the AG to try and take control of the group’s assets.

A spokesperson for the attorney general’s office, Kimberly Bush, denied Craighead’s accusations, saying the unit handling Safe Place’s case is the office’s Charitable Trust Unit, which is separate from the WICA unit. 

Craighead continues to stand his ground, saying he hasn’t done anything wrong. He says that since his last run-in with law enforcement led to a false confession and wrongful conviction, he is determined not to let it happen again, calling the system “corrupt.” “They did whatever they wanted to do in the past,” Craighead said. 

“I’m not going to let it happen again. It’s a corrupt system.”

This is one of two battles that the nonprofit owner is working through. According to Fox 2 Detroit, Craighead and Lamar Monson, who was also wrongfully convicted, protested in front of the Detroit Police Department to call for an investigation into the work of retired detective Barbara Simon. As part of the “Freedom Ain’t Free” movement, the men are accusing the former detective of perjury, illegally detaining suspects, and coercing them—and two others—into making false confessions.

RELATED CONTENT: Two Men Convicted In Malcolm X’s Assassination To Be Exonerated

• Sports

by Daniel Johnson

March 8, 2025

Stephen A. Smith Fires Back After LeBron James Confrontation

Smith spent the weekend addressing the tense conversation the James had with him.

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Stephen A. Smith, who recently signed a $100 million deal with ESPN, found himself in an unexpected exchange with NBA star LeBron James over remarks he’s made about LeBron’s son, Bronny James Jr., during a courtside visit on March 6.

Smith spent the weekend addressing the tense conversation the elder James had with him, first on a March 7 episode of “First Take.” Later that night, through his podcast, “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” an episode met with criticism from both NBA players and NBA fans alike on social media.

According to The Athletic, Smith stated on the “First Take” program that although he understood that James was coming to him as a father, he still took exception to him approaching Smith publicly about his comments without going through other channels, which he deemed more appropriate.

“That was LeBron James coming up to me, unexpectedly, I might add, to confront me about making sure that I mind what I say about his son,” Smith said on “First Take” while discussing a clip of the moment, which had gone viral on social media. “Can’t repeat the words because they ain’t suited for FCC airwaves. That’s what he was doing.”

Smith continued, “That wasn’t a basketball player confronting me. That was a parent, that was a father. And I can’t sit here and be angry or feel slighted by LeBron James in any way in that regard. By all accounts, he’s obviously a wonderful family man and wonderful father who cares very deeply about his son. And based on some of the comments he had heard — or shall I say, I think he thought he heard — he clearly took exception to some of the things that he heard me say. And he confronted me about it.”

Following the program’s discussion, Smith followed up by addressing the incident further on his podcast. This caught the attention of James’ former teammate, Kevin Love, who posted a reply to Smith’s announcement that he was going to discuss the matter on his podcast.

“You have no choice? lol because it went viral? lol you didn’t want to have to? lol you wouldn’t have? lol,” Love wrote, criticizing Smith’s decision to continue the conversation about James confronting him.

Later, Smith addressed Love’s post through his podcast, writing in a quote tweet, “Addressing this now,” along with a link to his podcast.

On the podcast, Smith also addressed comments made by Charles Barkley on “Inside The NBA.”

Barkley, an NBA Hall of Famer, was critical of what he perceives as an unhealthy focus on teams like the Lakers and Warriors and numerous Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James GOAT conversations at ESPN, whose network Barkley and company are set to join in 2026.

“I’ve said it for years, the only people talking about LeBron and Michael is people on television who got no talent to talk about anything else,” Barkley said on the March 7 episode of Inside The NBA. “I been saying that for years. I ain’t hanging onto the ‘90s.”

According to Awful Announcing, Smith also addressed Barkley’s comments concerning the Lakers’ coverage on “First Take” with a shot at Barkley.

“Barkley does television. He’d never be accused of knowing television. That would be Ernie Johnson who handles that responsibility,” Smith said. “Maybe Charles Barkley should look at its rundowns from time to time even though they are an NBA show as opposed to a show that talks about an abundance of things. The fact of the matter is, some stories get a higher profile than others because they resonate with the viewing public. And in television, it’s called ratings.”

RELATED CONTENT: ‘First Take’s’ Stephen A. Smith Secures $100M Bag From ESPN Contract Extension

• News

by Daniel Johnson

March 8, 2025

Black Men See Job Growth In February Amid Uncertain Economic Landscape

However, the overall unemployment rate ticked up from 4% to 4.1%.

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In a reversal of general unemployment trends, for February, the unemployment rate for Black men over 20 years old plunged to 5.5% from its 6.9% rate in January, while the overall unemployment rate ticked up from 4% to 4.1%.

According to CNBC, the jobless rate for Black workers overall dropped from 6.2% in January to 6% in February. Although Elise Gould, a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, indicated that the full effect of the government layoffs is not yet reflected in the data and that unemployment numbers are generally volatile from one month to the next, the positive numbers for Black men cannot be ignored.

“It’s the calm before the storm,” Gould told CNBC. “We’re not seeing the layoffs in the data yet, for the most part. You see a fair amount of volatility month-to-month. It’s a little hard to ignore the huge drop in the unemployment rate for Black men…that’s a positive indication.”

According to Rick Rieder, the chief investment officer of global income at BlackRock, the payrolls report from the reS. Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting survey has a “load of footnotes.”

Rieder continued, “For instance, the reporting survey was conducted following a period of significant job displacement in California related to the wildfires and other adverse weather conditions around the U.S., in the midst of a changing immigration picture, more labor strikes, and the beginning of the impact of DOGE on federal government employment.”

Although the data does not break down jobs held by ethnicity, it does indicate that healthcare and social assistance, financial activities, construction, transportation and warehousing, and government are the highest positive net change jobs from January to February, a further indication that the cuts by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency are not included in the data yet.

According to Reuters, the data indicates that cracks in the labor market are beginning to show thanks to the chaos introduced by the Trump administration’s trade policy and federal spending cuts, which have marked Donald Trump’s first month in office.

According to its reporting, the share of American workers holding more than one job is the highest it’s been since the Great Recession. Economists indicated that unpredictable trade policy makes it difficult for businesses to plan ahead, reflected in the slowed rate of hiring in the private sector.

Among private sector jobs, those companies only added 77,000 jobs in February.

According to a report from payroll processing firm ADP, which was released in advance of the BLS report, those numbers are well off the pace of the 186,000 jobs projected to be added in January and the 148,000 jobs that the Dow Jones estimate projected.

According to Nela Richardson, ADP’s chief economist, employers are hesitant to increase hiring as they wait for the economic landscape post-tariffs to become clear.

“Policy uncertainty and a slowdown in consumer spending might have led to layoffs or a slowdown in hiring last month. Our data, combined with other recent indicators, suggests a hiring hesitancy among employers as they assess the economic climate ahead,” Richardson told CNBC.

RELATED CONTENT: Report: Black Folks Could Make Up Almost 80K Of Employees Out of Work After February Job Cuts, Primarily In Government Sector

• News

by Mary Spiller

March 8, 2025

Black-Owned Baltimore Bookstore Targeted By Racist Harassment

Owner Tia Hamilton has been receiving threatening racist messages on Urban Reads' social media accounts.

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The owner of Urban Reads Bookstore in Baltimore, Tia Hamilton, told CBS News that her shop has been intimidated and targeted by progressively worsening racial harassment on online forums.

Since its founding in 2019, Hamilton has used Urban Reads to promote literacy and uplift the Black community. In her magazine, State vs. Us, Hamilton discusses mass incarceration and systemic racism, highlighting the voices of those who have been wrongfully incarcerated in her pieces.

She believes that her advocacy has made her a target for racist threats to Urban Reads.

On her Instagram, Hamilton posted a series of screenshots documenting the disturbing social media threats to bring awareness to Urban Reads’ plight. However, the severity has been getting worse, and it’s taken a toll on Hamilton’s mental health.

She said, “I still haven’t really eaten, you know, and I’m barely sleeping…I’m angry, and I’m angry because this is a faceless enemy. “I’ve always gotten threats, but things really started up on the 20th [of February].”

After Feb. 20, Hamilton explained that she began receiving disturbing online messages through State vs. Us‘s Facebook page. Threats also began appearing on other social media accounts for Urban Reads.

Hamilton said, “We’re really supposed to be coming together — but instead their hate runs so deep that they want to hate me.”

It eventually became so severe that Hamilton contacted the city of Baltimore, including Mayor Brandon Scott. She additionally posted on Instagram, calling for men and volunteers to help protect her store.

The local advocacy group — The Tendea Family — stepped in to help her. The group, founded by Elijah Miles, sent several men to guard Urban Reads following the threats.

The Black community group’s goal is “to protect women, children, and elders, to stop the violence, to save the youth, to shift the culture, to rebuild this commUNITY!”

Other members of the Baltimore community have rallied around Hamilton. Baltimore City Councilwoman Odette Ramos announced that the incident is being investigated as a hate crime.

Ramos told news outlets, “I feared for her safety. We’re going to have to find a way that there are more protocols and ways that these things can be measured. I think this is going to grow. When something like this happens, we feel that kind of pride in our city is being tested. We’re not going to let it. The thing about Baltimore is that we care for our own, absolutely.”

Hamilton has confirmed that although the threats and comments have persisted, she refuses to be bullied out of being an activist. She intends to continue uplifting the Baltimore community and doing literacy work for those in need.

RELATED CONTENT: Black Business Owner Receives Racist Email From Client Demanding Refund After Discovering ‘You’re a Person of Color’

• Entertainment

by Mary Spiller

March 8, 2025

Filmmaker Ezra Edelman Speaks Out Against Netflix’s Decision To Cancel Prince Documentary

Edelman’s project was allegedly pulled back for editorial issues, not factual inaccuracies.

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Filmmaker Ezra Edelman expressed his disappointment over his nine-hour Prince Netflix documentary on March 4 on the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast. He compared the lost project to Indiana Jones’ prized Ark of the Covenant.

Edelman said, “The image I’ve had in my head is the last shot of Raiders of the Lost Ark: of just a huge warehouse somewhere in Netflix, a crate just, like, put away.”

Edelman is no stranger to the documentary scene, winning an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature for his 2016 “O.J.: Made in America.”

The filmmaker described the nixed Prince documentary as something that would have given an honest picture of an entertainer that most friends would have been excited to see.

Edelman wanted to make a documentary that showed the “Purple Rain” singer’s humanity following his death in 2016.

The documentary included over 70 interviews with people around Prince. As described by New York Times Magazine Deputy Editor Sasha Weiss, the project tackled some of the abuse that Prince suffered in his relationships during his rise to infamy.

Edelman said, “I’m like, ‘This is a gift — a nine-hour treatment about an artist that was, by the way, f—ing brilliant.’ Everything about who you believe he is is in this movie. You get to bathe in his genius. And yet you also have to confront his humanity, which he, by the way, in some ways, was trapped in not being able to expose because he got trapped in his own myth about who he was to the world, and he had to maintain it.”

Weiss added, “Like most Americans who grew up in the 1980s, I had an image of Prince emblazoned in my mind: wonderfully strange; a gender-bending, dreamy master of funk.”

“Edelman’s film deepened those impressions, while at the same time removing Prince’s many veils. This creature of pure sex and mischief and silky ambiguity, I now saw, was also dark, vindictive, and sad. This artist who liberated so many could be pathologically controlled and controlling. The film is sometimes uncomfortable to watch. But then, always, there is relief: the miracle of Prince’s music.”

Edelman continued to explain what led to the Netflix documentary being pulled. He alleged that Prince’s estate checked the film for factual inaccuracies and allegedly found a “17-page document full of editorial issues — not factual issues” instead.

“You think I have any interest in putting out a film that is factually inaccurate?” Edelman said.

As reported by Entertainment Weekly, Edelman articulated, “The lawyer who runs the estate essentially said he believed that this would do generational harm to Prince.”

Edelman said this whole ordeal is ironic, considering Prince advocated for artistic freedom.

He said, “Prince was somebody who fought for artistic freedom, who didn’t want to be held down by Warner Bros., who he believed was stifling his output. I’m not Prince, but I worked really hard making something, and now my art’s being stifled and thrown away.”

Prince’s estate and Netflix released a joint statement to explain their reasoning for pulling Edelman’s documentary. The statement read, “The Prince Estate and Netflix have come to a mutual agreement that will allow the estate to develop and produce a new documentary featuring exclusive content from Prince’s archive. As a result, the Netflix documentary will not be released.”

RELATED CONTENT: Prince To Receive Posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award At 2025 Grammys Alongside Frankie Beverly and Roxanne Shanté

• Celebrity News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 8, 2025

Suge Knight’s Attempt To Overturn 28-Year Sentence Deemed ‘Not Sincere,’ Request Denied

Knight will remain in prison after his attempt to overturn his 28-year sentence was denied.

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Suge Knight’s bid to overturn his 28-year prison sentence in his hit-and-run manslaughter case has been denied.

Los Angeles County Judge Laura F. Priver “summarily denied” Knight’s request March 4, stating that it was both untimely and based on evidence deemed “not sincere,” Rolling Stone reports. The Death Row Records founder claimed his sentence was “illegally imposed.”

However, Judge Priver stated that Knight waited too long to file the writ of habeas corpus and also ruled that he lacked the grounds to support it. Knight filed his petition in March 2023, citing issues with his permanent prison housing, lack of assistance from his previous lawyer, the COVID-19 pandemic, and his blindness in one eye as obstacles. However, given the other motions Knight had been able to file, the judge was not persuaded by his argument.

“It is clear that the petitioner was not as isolated or as helpless to act as he wishes this court to believe. He was able to file the writ in a timely manner had he chosen to do so,” Priver wrote.

Knight’s longtime lawyer, David Kenner, has criticized the ruling and vowed to file an immediate writ of mandate with the appellate court, requesting a hearing on the underlying facts. He argues that Knight was entitled to an evidentiary hearing before any decision was made.

“I find this decision to be shocking and unconscionable,” Knight’s longtime lawyer David Kenner said. “I think the court has grossly erred in the decision it rendered. I think it is legally improper and the court did not follow the law.”

He continued. “She’s deciding herself that she believes the [district attorney] and disbelieves Mr. Knight. It’s a deprivation of every constitutional right he has, and that frankly is nothing new in his case. This case is the worst abuse of prosecutorial and judicial interference with the rights of the accused I’ve ever seen. He had less rights to be in contact with the lawyer of his choice than the people in Guantanamo Bay.”

Knight is currently serving a 28-year sentence in San Diego after pleading no contest to a voluntary manslaughter charge related to a 2015 fatal hit-and-run. The incident occurred at Tam’s Burgers in Compton, California, where local businessman Terry Carter lost his life.

Prosecutors argued that Knight was “angry” on the day of the hit-and-run after being turned away from a meeting earlier that day with Dr. Dre and Ice Cube regarding the movie “Straight Outta Compton.” The former record exec was reportedly seeking compensation for his portrayal in the film.

Initially, prosecutors charged Knight with murder, alleging he reversed his Ford Raptor truck, shifted gears intentionally, and hit the gas to run down Carter. Knight accepted a plea deal in September 2018 and has since claimed his public defender at the time forced him to. His attempt to overturn his sentence remains ongoing while he remains behind bars.

RELATED CONTENT: Suge Knight ‘Slapped the Sh*t Out Of’ Anyone In Prison Who Trash-Talked Oprah Winfrey

• Celebrity News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 8, 2025

Steph Curry’s New Office Headquarters ‘Cements’ His Commitment To San Francisco

he NBA champion is relocating his 30 Ink collective.

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New renderings showcase the 25,000-square-foot office and event space Stephen Curry is developing, highlighting his commitment to San Francisco and efforts to revitalize the city’s commercial real estate sector.

The NBA champion is relocating his 30 Ink collective to a new building at 600 20th St. in San Francisco’s Dogpatch neighborhood, the SF Chronicle reports. Newly revealed renderings showcase plans for a ground-up development to serve as the headquarters for Curry’s eight businesses and 13 entities.

The company plans to replace the existing 9,200-square-foot, two-story masonry and concrete building on the site with a five-story structure. The new building will feature a ground-floor community and event space and accommodate Curry’s 60-person team across his various companies.

It will include 2,680 square feet of lab space, nearly 9,000 square feet of office space, about 3,300 square feet for arts activities, and a three-bedroom unit on the fifth floor for out-of-town business partners. The plan also includes a roof deck and green roof space.

“This is a pivotal step for 30 Ink in terms of our evolution — it cements our commitment to be in the Bay Area and San Francisco specifically,” said Tiffany Williams, chief operating officer for 30 Ink.

“Stephen’s career is winding down — he has more years behind him than ahead of him — and we are saying that work doesn’t stop. We are going to be here and continue working and growing and elevating the under.”

The company, which focuses on athlete management, branding, lifestyle, impact, media, philanthropy, and technology, operates under the mantra “elevate the under.” After relocating its headquarters from Howard Street in the SoMa neighborhood to the Dogpatch district, Williams hopes the move will demonstrate Curry’s commitment to the Bay Area.

“We are not afraid to do work and build in San Francisco,” she said.

Williams also hopes the move inspires others to join in revitalizing San Francisco’s struggling office vacancy and commercial real estate development, which has largely stalled since the pandemic.

“We hope that attracts more businesses to seek out opportunities in the city,” she said.

RELATED CONTENT: Steph Curry’s UNDERRATED Golf Tour Swings Back To UK For Junior Golfers Showcase

• Sports

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 8, 2025

Amazon Jumps On Board As Title Sponsor Of The Magic City Classic

Mayor Randall Woodfin calls the Classic 'the best thing happening in Birmingham.'

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The Magic City Classic — the biggest HBCU football game of the season — has secured Amazon as its title sponsor, HBCU Gameday reports. 

Magic City Classic and the online retail giant collaborated on a four-year deal, so the duel between Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University will be known as the Amazon Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola. In a statement released on March 6, Classic Executive Director Perren King says he looks forward to elevating the Magic City Classic experience. “This four-year partnership represents a shared commitment to education, diversity, and economic growth in our community,” King said. 

“We look forward to working with Amazon to elevate the Classic experience for our fans and the broader HBCU family.”

With McDonald’s once being the title sponsor, the rivalry between the Bulldogs and the Hornets goes back 80 years as a staple of excitement for the city of Birmingham. Attendees can participate in a number of activities, including tailgates, festivals, and parades. It also results in economic prosperity for the schools and the other HBCUs in the state. In 2024, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) gave Alabama a grade of B for the “$1.4 billion — billion with a B — economic impact on an annual basis.”

Despite the economic outcome, there has been a push for more financial support for Alabama A&M and State. The Bulldogs signed an agreement to receive $1 million when designated as the home team and $300,000 when defined as visitors. The Hornets secured a four-year contract to receive $1.5 million when it is the home team. 

With an additional $500,000 given to each school annually, both HBCUs will receive an average of $1.5 million over the next four years. 

According to the Birmingham Times, city officials predict the Classic will generate $23 million for Birmingham as the game’s festivities, scheduled to kick off on Oct. 25, 2025, attract 65,000 attendees. An additional 60,000 are predicted for tailgating outside the stadium. Mayor Randall Woodfin thanked Amazon for coming on board to what he calls “the best thing happening in Birmingham.” Donetta Houser-Sly, HR Director of Amazon North America People Experience & Technology, says the company is “committed to ensure they are growing and developing.” 

She described the game as bringing the community together and celebrating “the rich legacy of HBCUs, which have been pillars of academic excellence and leadership development for over 150 years.” “This historic game isn’t just about football — it’s about community, opportunity, and the endless possibilities that arise when tradition meets innovation,” Houser-Sly said.

RELATED CONTENT: Alabama’s Magic City Classic Promotes $1.4B Economic Impact And Importance Of HBCUs

• News

by Mary Spiller

March 8, 2025

Rodeo Houston Celebrates Black Heritage Day With Event-Filled Weekend

The Houston Rodeo featured concerts, cheerleaders, marching bands, and more.

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On March 7, the NRG Stadium was packed with occupants in celebration of Black Heritage Day at Rodeo Houston. The big event honored the continued contributions of African Americans to Western culture, highlighting the history and legacy of Black cowboys with activities and performances throughout the day.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo kicked off with a musical concert performance.

Before the performance, the Rodeo Houston event paid tribute to two Black governmental figures: the late Houston mayor and U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner, as well as U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. Turner died suddenly earlier this week due to continuous health complications, and Lee died after a battle with cancer.

Black Heritage Day has been a tradition since the 1900s.

Vice President of HLSR Wendy Lewis Armstrong said, “It was just an idea that we needed to make sure that we tapped into the African-American culture.”

She continued, “To make sure that the rodeo understood the history and the legacy and the amazing things that the African-American community has done and continues to do in Western culture. So I think it’s twofold, one, to educate the rodeo folks who want to educate the community.”

According to KHOU 11, the Rodeo Houston events included cheerleaders, bands, choirs, and Black steppers. The marching band performances from historically Black colleges Prairie View A&M University and Texas Southern University played together for the very first time in their schools’ rich histories.

Following the excitement at the weekend Houston event, rodeo season will kick off, and attendance is expected to hit an all-time high over the course of the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, Rodeo Houston will showcase the culturally diverse heritage of the Wild West while visitors enjoy the weekend’s entertainment.

One attendant, Cardell Bey, traveled from Ohio for Rodeo Houston.

Bey said, “Black people got a big influence on country music, cowboys, and everything, and it’s good to see yourself represented in that way.”

RELATED CONTENT: An 11-Year-Old Black Cowgirl Made Her Mark At First Televised Black Rodeo