Staff Report
BlackPressUSA.com

On Let It Be Known, the Black Press of America’s daily morning show, Dr. Amos C. Brown exposed what he described as an attempt to erase Black history through the Smithsonian’s decision to return artifacts he loaned to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Host Stacy M. Brown and co-host Niele Anderson led a discussion that covered the museum’s actions, the political climate under Donald Trump, and the role of the Black church in defending historical truth. Dr. Brown, president emeritus of the San Francisco NAACP and longtime civil rights leader, said the museum recently notified him that two of his artifacts—a Bible he carried during the movement and a copy of Rev. George Washington Williams’s earliest written history of Black people in America—would be returned. He said the staff cited the items’ fragility after years on display. “They claimed the light had been on the books too long,” Dr. Brown said. “It’s a museum—they know how to preserve artifacts. This was disrespectful to our history.”

Dr. Brown said the museum had previously asked to keep the items permanently. “Now, all of a sudden, you can have it back,” he said. “There was no conversation. Just an email.” He tied the museum’s actions to the Trump administration and its public plan to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. “This is a direct result of Project 2025,” he said. “We didn’t read it. We didn’t take it seriously. Now they’re doing exactly what they said they would do.” When asked if others have received similar notices from the museum, Dr. Brown said he couldn’t confirm specific cases but said sources told him the staff is acting as if they are “tiptoeing on eggshells.” He said the environment inside the museum has shifted dramatically since previous leadership. Dr. Brown identified the staffer who contacted him by first name only and said the museum officials’ response was vague. “They’re talking about some panel that will review whether to keep the items, but I don’t know who’s on this panel,” he said. “Anytime people are in closed-door sessions, and you don’t know who’s making decisions, something’s wrong.” He confirmed he has had no recent contact with Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch. “Not once,” Dr. Brown said. The segment turned to the national implications. Dr. Brown pointed out Donald Trump’s threats to defund the museum and a broader campaign to ban books and whitewash history. “There is a move in this country to induce cultural and historical Alzheimer’s,” he said. “This nation has been fed conspiracy theories, lies, and a hatred of truth.”

He warned against division and urged churches to teach Black history regularly. “As the Jews do with Passover, we need rituals of remembrance,” he said. “We should be teaching our youth what we’ve survived.” Dr. Brown also spoke about reparations in California, where he served as co-chair of the state task force. When asked if California would be the first to deliver reparations, he answered flatly: “No.” He cited a lack of political will. “We’ve had studies, apologies, and talk. But no action.” Anderson and Brown discussed the national response to the museum’s decision. “People are visiting because they’re afraid the museum won’t be the same the next time,” Anderson said. She also raised questions about the silence from museum leadership and noted that previous offers to keep Dr. Brown’s items had been replaced with attempts to remove them quietly. “Tell your own story. Speak for yourself. And never let anyone mess with your cultural identity,” Dr. Brown said.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent

Seventy-nine years after their unprecedented service in World War II, the Black women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion — the only all-Black Women’s Army Corps unit to serve overseas during the war — have finally received one of the nation’s highest honors two years after then-President Joe Biden signed a proclamation clearing the way for the award. The heroes will receive the Congressional Gold Medal. “These heroes deserve their dues,” Rep. Gwen Moore of Wisconsin said. “And I am so glad their story is being told.” Formed in 1944 as pressure grew to include Black women in overseas military operations, the 6888th was tasked with solving a massive wartime mail crisis. More than 7 million U.S. troops, Red Cross workers, and government personnel stationed in Europe were relying on mail to stay connected with loved ones back home. By early 1945, the Army estimated a backlog of roughly 17 million pieces of undelivered mail—some dating back years. The Army’s solution was a newly created battalion of about 850 Black women led by Maj. Charity Adams, who would later become the highest-ranking Black woman in the Army during the war. The unit deployed to England in February 1945 and immediately went to work in Birmingham, sorting an estimated 65,000 pieces of mail per shift around the clock, using a system of locator cards to track service members and their units. “They expected we were gonna be there about two or three months trying to get it straightened out,” recalled retired Maj. Fannie Griffin McClendon is one of only two surviving members. “Well, I think in about a month, month and a half, we had it all straightened out and going in the right direction.”

By the time they finished the job in half the projected time, they had cleared the backlog and restored morale to soldiers desperate for word from home. The women then deployed to Rouen, France, and later to Paris, where they continued their mission while also investigating widespread mail theft and dealing with racism, sexism, and the trauma of burying fellow soldiers killed in a tragic vehicle accident — funerals they paid for themselves when the War Department refused. Despite their success and high praise from fellow service members, the women of the 6888th returned to a country still unwilling to properly acknowledge their service. They received standard medals issued to most who served, but no special commendation. That began to change in the 1980s as their story slowly resurfaced through reunions, books, museum exhibits, and documentaries. A monument was erected in their honor in 2018 at Fort Leavenworth, and they received the Meritorious Unit Commendation in 2019. In 2022, Congress voted unanimously — 422-0 — to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the unit. Biden signed the bipartisan bill the following year. “That really shows how long this recognition took,” said Kim Guise, senior curator at the National WWII Museum. “It is really important to recognize the accomplishments of these women and what they went through to serve their country in wartime.”

The medal is a posthumous tribute for most of the battalion’s 855 members. Only two are still alive today, including McClendon, who later joined the Air Force after military integration and became the first woman to command an all-male Strategic Air Command squadron. In addition to the medal and previous honors, their story is now part of popular culture. Netflix has a feature film titled The Six Triple Eight, directed by Tyler Perry and starring Kerry Washington. “They kept hollering about wanting us to go overseas,” McClendon said. “So I guess they found something for us to do: take care of the mail. And there was an awful lot of mail.” “It’s overwhelming,” she added. “It’s something I never even thought about.”

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02:17

Excellencies,

With all protocol noted and respected, I am speaking today on behalf of the Black Press of America and on behalf of the Press of People of African Descent throughout the world.  I thank the Proctor Conference that helped to ensure our presence here at the Fourth Session of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent.

The focus on AI and digital equity is urgent within the real time realities today where there continues to be what is referred to as the so called mainstream national and international media companies that systematically undergird racism and imperialism against the interests of People of African Descent.

We therefore call on this distinguished gathering of leaders and experts to challenge member states to cite and to prevent the institutionalization of racism in all forms of media including social media, AI and any form of digital bias and algorithmic discrimination.

We cannot trust nor entertain the notion that former and contemporary enslavers will now use AI and digital transformation to respect our humanity and fundamental rights.

Lastly, we recommend that a priority should be given to the convening of an international collective of multimedia organizations and digital associations that are owned and developed by Africans and People of African Descent.

Basta the crimes against our humanity!

Basta Racism!

Basta Imperialism!

A Luta Continua!

Victory is certain!

4.16.25

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. and Bobby R. Henry Sr.
National Newspaper Publishers Association

The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing the Black Press of America, hereby reiterates our profound disgust and unwavering opposition to the continued disrespect shown toward Black America by Target Corporation.

Two months ago, the NNPA launched a National Selective Buying and Public Education Campaign in response to Target’s blatant retreat from its stated commitments to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). This campaign is not simply about economic protest it’s about justice, dignity, and the unyielding demand for respect.

As far back as October 2024, we sent a formal letter to Target CEO Brian Cornell detailing the company’s persistent refusal to invest in Black-owned newspapers and media outlets. That letter was met with silence. Silence, in the face of truth, is complicity. By ignoring our appeal, Mr. Cornell and Target have made clear that they do not value the voices, institutions, or the economic power of Black America.

Let us be clear: we will not shop where we are disrespected. Our dollars will not finance our own marginalization. The Black Press has, for over 198 years, amplified the stories and struggles of our communities when others would not, we continue to, “plead our own cause.” Yet, in 2025, major corporations like Target continue to bypass us in favor of performative gestures and hollow statements.

We therefore announce the continuation and intensification of the target-TARGET national selective buying campaign. We call upon all freedom-loving people from across all segments of society who believe in economic justice, media equity, and corporate accountability to join us.

To those companies who do embrace the inclusion of their diverse consumer base, we say this: Stand with us not just in words, but in deeds. Show your commitment by investing in our communities, supporting our businesses, and partnering with Black-owned media companies that have long carried the mantle of truth, justice, and advocacy.

This is not just about advertising. This is about visibility. This is about representation. This is about the moral obligation of, “Good corporate citizenship” by honoring its promises not with press releases, but with action.

The time for silence is over. The time for selective buying is now.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent

A photograph of Harriet Tubman has been removed from a National Park Service webpage about the Underground Railroad. Previously, the page opened with a photo of Tubman and a description that acknowledged slavery and the efforts of enslaved African Americans to escape bondage. That language is now gone. In its place are images of postage stamps and a reworded introduction that refers to the Underground Railroad as “one of the most significant expressions of the American civil rights movement” that “bridged the divides of race.” The updated version does not mention slavery. The change follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump last month directing the Smithsonian Institution to eliminate “divisive narratives.” A review by The Washington Post found that since Trump’s return to office, dozens of webpages across the National Park Service have been edited to soften or eliminate references to slavery, racial injustice, and the historical struggles of African Americans.

On the website for the Stone National Historic Site in Maryland, mentions of Declaration of Independence signer Thomas Stone owning enslaved people were removed. Elsewhere, references to “enslaved African Americans” were changed to “enslaved workers.” A page exploring Benjamin Franklin’s views on slavery and his slave ownership was taken offline. The Defense Department also removed several webpages related to diversity and minority contributions to the U.S. military, including a tribute to Jackie Robinson’s Army service and content honoring the Tuskegee Airmen, the Navajo Code Talkers, and the Marines at Iwo Jima. Officials later said some content would be republished after public outcry. Nearly 400 books were removed from the library at the U.S. Naval Academy. The list includes Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Memorializing the Holocaust, Half American, and Pursuing Trayvon Martin. Officials cited Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s directive to eliminate books that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Private companies contracting with the federal government have begun rolling back language diversity and initiatives in response to federal pressure. UnitedHealth Group removed DEI language from its website. Goldman Sachs dropped its diversity requirement for companies it takes public and revised annual filings to reflect “developments in the law.” Bank of America replaced the term “diversity” with “talent” and “opportunity.” Deloitte instructed U.S.-based employees working with federal clients to remove pronouns from email signatures. Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Disney, Paramount, JPMorgan Chase, Victoria’s Secret, and others have renamed or eliminated DEI programs. Some, like Paramount, cited the need to comply with Trump’s executive orders.

Target has faced financial and reputational fallout following its reversal of DEI commitments. The company has lost over $12.4 billion in revenue and faces multiple lawsuits related to its shifting policies. Rev. Jamal Bryant launched a national “Target Fast,” urging community mobilization. Separately, the NAACP and the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) initiated public education and selective buying campaigns to increase pressure on the retail giant.

“Black consumers helped build Target into a retail giant, and now they are making their voices heard,” said Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., president and CEO of the NNPA. “If corporations believe they can roll back diversity commitments without consequence, they are mistaken.”

By Lauren Victoria Burke
Independent Investigative Journalist

At the beginning of a city council meeting this morning, Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced that the former Mayor and current Houston Congressman Sylvester has died — to the shock of many.

During their caucus meeting this morning, nembers of Congress were also shaken by the news of Sylvestor’s death.

Sylvester Turner served as the 62nd Mayor of Houston from 2016 to 2024.

Senior staff on Capitol Hill informed Black Press USA that Congressman Turner became ill sometime after President Trump’s address last night.

Today, the Congressional Black Caucus has their weekly Wednesday meeting where they will grapple with their colleague’s death and the news of the possible censure by House Republicans of another Texas congressman: Rep. Al Green.

Turner, who was one of 9 children, was born and raised in Houston. He graduated from Harvard Law School, with a Juris Doctorate.  After law school, Turner returned to Houston and established himself as a lawyer and a hardworking community leader. In 1983, Turner co-founded the law firm Barnes & Turner.

The firm was focused on public service.  Turner was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1988. He served for over 25 years and was an influential leader in the legislature. Turner focused on the working-class issues of the era: education, health care, and issues facing the local economy in Houston.

Turner was elected in 2024 to fill the congressional seat of late Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee after her death from pancreatic cancer.