Shocking Deaths of Black Men. Trump Attacks Susan Rice. Turning Defeat into Triumph. Jackson Tribute

Dquain Johnson, 32, was shot multiple times by Grand Rapids police after a pursuit, dying the next day. Police claim he was armed, but his family disputes this, stating he posed no threat. Johnson's mother, despite her grief, delivered a powerful message urging supporters to protest peacefully, asserting that violence would undermine their fight for justice.

Police say they believe that he was armed with a handgun, so they pursued Johnson, who was on a bike. The dash camera video from police shows the emergency lights and sirens were activated as Johnson rode the bike away from the police into the parking lot. One officer deployed a K-9 that attacked Johnson. Footage from an officer's body camera shows him moving in toward Johnson with his gun drawn, demanding he get on the ground with his hands up. According to Grand Rapids police, an officer fired their weapon. As a family now fights for justice, his mother has a message... 'I do not condone any type of violence, not even to the officer who shot my son in the back of the head... if you're going to protest, please make it peaceful.'

Universities nationwide are dismantling Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives under pressure from political figures like Donald Trump and state governors. This has led to significant cuts in funding, partnerships, and programs aimed at recruiting and retaining African-American, Latino, Native American, and Asian-American students in higher education, particularly at the PhD level. The PhD Project, which connects minority candidates with resources, has seen its university partnerships drop from over 200 to less than 100, facing a substantial financial hit.

Roland Martin and Alfonso Alexander, president and CEO of The PhD Project, discuss universities all across the country dismantling the DEI initiatives under President Donald Trump... 'what we are seeing is a massive attack by Donald Trump and MAGA against efforts to recruit and retain African-Americans.' Alexander states, 'we had over 200 universities that partnered with us last year prior to the changes... and now it's less than 100... A significant financial hit has come our way.'

Reverend Jesse Jackson is recognized as the first Black man to make a serious jump from activism to major party presidential politics, paving the way for figures like Barack Obama. His campaigns in the 1980s electrified the Democratic National Convention and the party, bringing together a 'Rainbow Coalition' around a message of justice for poor and working-class Americans. Jackson effectively continued Martin Luther King Jr.'s focus on economic struggle, demonstrating consistent leadership across activism, politics, and media.

Solomon Jones weighs in on Jackson's gift to the world as an activist, a leader, and mentor... 'He's known as the first black man to make a jump from activism to major party presidential politics, paving the way for people like President Barack Obama.' Jones adds, 'I had never seen anyone black do that... he was a serious candidate for president... when Barack Obama came along, I had been prepared for that.' Jackson 'was able to bring people together around the common idea of justice that poor people really were not as separate as they had been led to believe.'

Postpartum is a highly vulnerable period for new mothers, physically, emotionally, and mentally, often lacking adequate support. For Black mothers, this challenge is compounded by historical disparities and a potential lack of generational breastfeeding experience. Organizations like Melamama Maternal Wellness address this gap by providing culturally competent lactation education, postpartum resources, and support groups, emphasizing that breastfeeding is a learned 'dance' between mother and baby, not an innate skill, and that support should be proactive, not reactive.

Sierra Woods with Melamama Maternal Wellness breaks down why postpartum support matters... 'it's huge because typically a lot of people don't have enough support.' Woods notes, 'in lactation, there really aren't that many people of color that help in the field... that's kind of where I chose to create something that more so centered in on people that look like us.' She advises, 'everyone should take a breastfeeding prenatal class... and also bring your support person with you.'

Morehouse College faced significant backlash for unveiling a portrait of Joseph Smith Jr., founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a slave supporter, in its Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel's Hall of Honor. The college justified the inclusion by citing Smith's 1844 presidential platform, which proposed abolishing slavery. However, students and staff expressed outrage, arguing the timing during Black History Month and Smith's history as a slave owner and the church's past policies were disrespectful and conflicted with the HBCU's legacy.

Controversy erupts at Morehouse College over a portrait of slave supporter Joseph Smith Jr. The painting was unveiled in the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel's Hall of Honor this month. The Hall of Honor is a space that features portraits of individuals recognized for their contributions to civil and human rights. The painting was hung to acknowledge Smith's 1844 US presidential platform, which included a proposal to abolish slavery. Alonzo Brinson, president of the Chapel Assistance Program, stated, 'It was very weird that his stance didn't come until he ran for president... I thought it was very disrespectful not only to Morehouse College but to Atlanta to the whole AU of Black History Month.'