Black voters heading to the polls later this year in Massachusetts will have the opportunity to weigh in on not only the 2024 presidential race — a rematch between incumbent President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump — but a contested race for the U.S. Senate seat held by Elizabeth Warren, at least six ballot questions, several contested legislative races and an rare race for an open court position.

On April 15, jury selection began in The People of the State of New York v. Donald Trump. This is the first-ever criminal trial of a former president of the United States, and it is one of four criminal and civil cases against Trump that are percolating before the presidential election of 2024.

On Friday, April 5, 2024, past and present collided when a sort of incarnation of James Brown took the stage at the Strand Theatre for a concert commemorating the day Brown saved Boston.

Orenthal James Simpson, the hall-of-fame running back and pitchman supreme whose acquittal on charges of double-murder proved a racial Rorschach test on perceptions of justice and police misconduct in America, died April 10 of prostate cancer at his home in Las Vegas.

The 128th edition of the Boston Marathon played to the script as male and female runners of color continued the current trend of dominant performances in this event. Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia took the lead from the start of the race and completed his surprising wire-to-wire victory in 2 hours, 6 minutes, 17 seconds.

This weekend, visitors to the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Roxbury might spot some unusual characters. The center’s typical runners and basketball players will be replaced with superheroes, steampunk warriors and anime adventurers during the annual Boston Comics in Color Festival celebrating stories by and about people of color. and about people of color.

On April 3, 2024, Mayor Michelle Wu announced the second round of Supporting Pandemic Affected Community Enterprises (SPACE) Grant awardees. These local entrepreneurs will receive American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to help them expand their businesses and move into vacant storefronts.