The Black Past in American History Anne Moody was born on Sept. 15, 1940, on a rural plantation in Mississippi owned by a Mr. Carter. In her famous autobiography, Coming of Age in Mississippi, [...] Continue Reading
BIPOC
Paul Robeson: The Tallest Tree
(Editor’s note: This is the second installment of a new monthly column). Paul Robeson was born in Princeton, N.J., on April 9, 1898. His mother, Maria Louisa Bustill, was married to Reverend [...] Continue Reading
Survival of the Fittest
Many people assume that conflicts in the Middle East and surrounding regions are primarily driven by religion or the actions of extremist groups. While these factors are often highlighted in modern [...] Continue Reading
What’s Wrong with Fresno!?
By asking this question some might think this is to be a bash piece against Fresno. In truth, it is quite the opposite. This is not a feel-good piece either. I ask the question because I truly [...] Continue Reading
Africans Sold Africans—Myth or Reality?
The transatlantic slave trade remains one of the most devastating systems of exploitation in human history. Among the most persistent and controversial claims surrounding this history is the assertion [...] Continue Reading
The Black Past in American History: Then and Now
(Editor’s note: This is the first installment of a new monthly column. In the current political climate, Black history is contested terrain.) When one reflects upon American colonial history, one [...] Continue Reading
Mayor Makes Controversial Remarks at MLK Event
In a speech to a crowd of 1,000 at the Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration in downtown Fresno on Jan. 19, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, also the former police chief of the city, seemed to blame protesters [...] Continue Reading
An African American Pope
Citizenship and nationality have objective legal and identity meanings. Nationality is based on where one is born. Citizenship is based on a country giving you citizenship by birth or through a legal [...] Continue Reading
MLK’s Radical Legacy and Lessons for Today
The Revolutionary MLK Organizing Committee of Fresno is a community-led effort focused on honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s radical legacy, especially concerning his economic justice and antiwar [...] Continue Reading
Trump’s Attack on Black History
During his first term in office, Donald Trump took a tour of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture and was guided by Lonnie Bunch. Bunch is the first Black American [...] Continue Reading
Is Zohran Mamdani an African American?
Congratulations to Zohran Mamdani for winning the New York City mayoral election and becoming the first Muslim, first South Asian American and third African American to become mayor of New York [...] Continue Reading
MLK and His Legacy in Fresno
The September 2025 issue of Vanity Fair magazine features Bernice King’s essay entitled “The Fight to Protect MLK’s Legacy.” She begins her essay with these words: “…on March 28, 1968, I celebrated my [...] Continue Reading