Tag: Activism

A. Philip Randolph was one of the most influential Black labor leaders and trade unionists in American history. He founded the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first major Black-led labor union, and used organized labor as a vehicle to fight both workplace discrimination and racial inequality.

A growing number of influential Black celebrities have publicly voiced their support for Palestine as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues. Actors, musicians, filmmakers, comedians and athletes have used their platforms to spotlight the global crisis and show solidarity with the Palestinian people. From signing high-profile open letters demanding a ceasefire to leveraging content on personal social media channels, these artists are drawing parallels between international human rights movements and global fights for racial justice. By doing so, these Black celebrities build upon a historical tradition of Black-Palestinian solidarity linking domestic racial equality struggles to global movements for justice.

Six decades after Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous speech at the Lincoln Memorial, Black Americans returned to the same steps with a familiar message: the fight for voting rights isn't over. The National Action Network and Drum Major Institute organized a march bringing together activists, students, parents and everyday people who wanted to make their voices heard and stand up for the political power previous generations fought to secure.

With the news cycle continuing to look more and more abysmal for Black folks, it's more important than ever that people speak up and advocate for the issues that impact our community. That's especially true for Black celebrities who have a responsibility to use their large platforms to send a message to those who need to hear it.

Boosie Badazz is fighting to recover $600,000 after claiming lobbyists failed to deliver the presidential pardon they promised him. The Louisiana rapper opened up about the dispute during the latest episode of the Rickey Smiley On The Spot podcast.

This Friday marks a historic milestone for one of the country's most controversial Black liberation protests: Black August. It's been nearly 55 years since the first observance took shape inside California's San Quentin State Prison. Black August grew from a turbulent chapter in history marked by prison uprisings, political radicalism, racial injustice and the deaths of men including Black Panther member George Jackson who became symbols of resistance.