Greene County Democrat

Category: Community

  • Alabama schools to lose $68 million in federal grants under Trump freeze

    Dr. Corey Jones, Greene County Superintendent of Education, told the Democrat, that Greene County was informed by the state that our school system would loose $130,000 funding for programs of professional development, teacher recruitment and class size reduction in Title II. Greene County was not receiving funding under the other program titles affected.

    By Anna Barrett, Alabama Reflector

    President Donald Trump’s attempt to freeze nearly $7 billion in congressional-approved grants for personnel and afterschool programs means Alabama schools will lose $68 million. 
    “These are programs already approved and funded by Congress,” Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey said in a statement. “They include programs integral to successful and supportive schools across Alabama, and districts have planned for the 2025-26 school year with an expectation that these formula-based funds would be flowing as normal. Since Congress had appropriated the money in the recent continuing resolution, we had no reason to believe otherwise.”
    The U.S. Department of Education informed states on Monday that it would withhold the $6.8 billion in grants, one day before they were due to be sent out. The notice did not provide any timeline or reason for the move, saying “decisions have not yet been made concerning submissions and awards for this upcoming academic year.”
    Richard Franklin, president of the Birmingham chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, said in an interview Thursday that the withholding of congressionally-approved funds should have never happened in the first place.
    “They’re using our kids as political pawns to prove a point politically, when we should all be providing our kids with an education,” he said. “That’s the one thing we should be doing, the one thing we’ve always done in this country.”
    Michael Sibley, the director of communications at ALSDE, did not have an available list of programs affected or a copy of the email sent to superintendents. The affected programs, according to the Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee, include:
    Title I-C, on migrant education
    Title II-A, on improving the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders
    Title III-A, on English language acquisition
    Title IV-A, on STEM education, college and career counseling and other activities
    Title IV-B, on before- and after-school programs and summer school programs
    Grants geared toward adult education and literacy programs
    Franklin said with school starting in just over a month, it was one of the worst times to change funding. Because of the short notice, if local school districts cannot afford to pay the impacted teachers’ salaries, they would likely be let go.
    “It’s just so dangerous what they’re doing, and we’re so close to school,” Franklin said. “They don’t have a lot of guidelines to what they’re doing, just to say ‘we’re investigating.’”
    He said that rural and inner-city school systems would be the most impacted by the lack of funds, like Montgomery Public Schools and Gadsden City Schools. A message seeking comment with both systems’ superintendents was left Thursday.
    “We are hopeful that the review period will be expedited, and funds will be released quickly,”  Mackey wrote. “However, we look forward to working expeditiously with our colleagues in Washington as we are only weeks away from the beginning of a new school year and wish to avoid any disruption in services for our students and their families.”

  • Newswire : Leaders of five African countries head to Washington to meet Trump

    Map of African countries

    By Africanews

     

    Five West African leaders are travelling to Washington this week for a somewhat surprise meeting: US president Donald Trump announced in late June that he would host the heads of state of Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau for a three-day meeting.
    Washington has cited “commercial opportunities” as the reason for the mini-summit, lasting from 9 to 11 July.
    It’s seen as the first major diplomatic outreach to Africa from Washington since Donald Trump returned to office, following a tense one-on-one meeting between South African president Cyril Ramaphosa and Trump in the White House in May.
    The five countries invited to Washington have valuable natural resources, including oil, gas, gold and rare earth minerals. But all of them also face considerable challenges such as corruption, authoritarianism and political instability. 
    What agreements and results will come from their meeting with the American president remain to be seen.

  • Newswire : Pell Grants facing $9 Billion program cut

    By Charlene Crowell


     (TriceEdneyWire.com) – Each year approximately 7 million college students benefit from Pell Grants, a 50-year old needs-based program that can be used to cover costs for tuition, fees, living costs and room and board. Additionally, these funds have been available at both 4-year and two-year institutions.
     
    For students of color and others who are the first in their family to attend college, Pell Grants have been an important part of financial aid packages for an estimated 80 million low-income  families with little or no wealth.
     
    But the federal Education budget for FY 2026, recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, would cut Pell Grant funding by $9 billion to $22.5 billion, compared to 2024’s $31.5 billion.  If approved, this significant cut will mean that next year a vital program will serve fewer students with smaller grants, changed student eligibility, and fewer institutions that would be allowed to administer the program.
     
    Currently,  the maximum Pell Grant award for the 2025–26 academic year is $7,395 and can be used by both full and part-time students.
     
    If the Senate agrees to the House-passed budget, a maximum Pell award would drop to $5,710 for the 2026-27 academic year and be limited to only students completing 30 academic credit hours, or 12 to 15 credits per semester. Students completing at least 12 academic hours but fewer than full-time, would receive smaller, pro-rated grants.
     
    Students enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours would no longer be eligible for Pell Grants.  Both community colleges and the adult students they serve would be affected by this specific change. Adult students are often employed and have dependent children with responsibilities that do not allow for heavy class loads. Even so, these students choose to return to academic studies to enhance their skills, credentials, and earnings.  
     
    At a recent hearing by the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee a prominent HBCU president called against enacting these steep cuts.
     
    “Today, PELL Grants provide up to $7,395 annually to more than seven million low- and moderate- income students,” testified Tuskegee University President Mark A. Brown. “For context, a single parent with two children earning up to $51,818 adjusted gross income (225 percent of the federal poverty guideline) can qualify for the maximum award.”
     
    “However, this maximum amount covers only 31 percent of tuition, fees, room and meals at the average public four-year college, compared to 79 percent in 1975,” he continued. “Cuts to the program would put college out of reach for many more low-income students, while increased would represent a true federal investment in education, reduce dependence on loans, and help address workforce skill deficits.”
     
    Nor is Tuskegee alone in attacking proposed cuts. Other education stakeholders have also weighed in. 
     
    “To reduce the maximum Pell Grant when we should be doubling it, reduce the number of students eligible for Pell Grants, increase the number of credit hours necessary for Pell without consideration for students who work their way through college, and to impose risk sharing on colleges who cannot force students to make student loan payments in an increasingly uneasy economy just seems as if those who wrote this bill are out of touch with reality,” said Lodriguez V. Murray, the United Negro College Fund’s senior vice president for public policy and government affairs.
     
    For Katherine Meyer, a fellow in the Brown Center on Education Policy at Brookings, the proposed Pell cuts are a part of a broader retreat from a federal role in higher education.
     
    “Between the ongoing budget reconciliation process and President Trump’s FY 2026 budget request, federal financial aid is at risk,” wrote Meyer in a recent post. “Provisions in the reconciliation bill would eliminate Pell grant eligibility for millions of students, and the budget proposes eliminating or dramatically reducing Pell and other federal grant aid. Without robust federal funding for financial aid, states and students will scramble to fill in the gaps, with the end result being fewer opportunities to pursue higher education for the lowest income students.”  
     
    On May 21, Education Secretary Linda McMahon testified before the subcommittee of House Appropriations to defend the agency’s FY 2026 budget request.
     
    “President Trump’s vision is to make American education freer, fairer, and more competitive globally by eliminating Federal bureaucracy and empowering states, parents, and educators,” testified McMahon. “Our FY 2026 budget request delivers on this promise by reducing spending for ineffective programs and prioritizing effective ones, while fully enforcing Federal law and giving power back to states, parents, and educators.”
     
    The nation’s broad disagreement on these and other changes to the Education Department were perhaps best summarized in another testimony at the HELP committee hearing.   According to Mark Pierce, Executive Director of the Student Borrower Protection Center:
     
    “Americans deserve more than a higher education system that acts as a finishing school for the children of millionaires and billionaires while systematically denying economic and educational opportunities to the rest of us. Our government should be relentlessly focused on making markers of middle-class American life—including education—cheaper for working families, not more expensive.”
     
    Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org”>Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.
     

  • Newswire : Attorney Ben Crump demands video of Homewood, Alabama police shooting: ‘You won’t sweep Jabari Peoples under the rug’

    By Carol Robinson, AL.com

     Attorney Benjamin Crump addresses press conference in Homewood, Alabama church.
     Jabari Peoples, 18, was shot to death June 23, 2025, by a Homewood police officer in a city soccer park.(Facebook)

    National civil rights attorney Ben Crump has joined to fight for any footage to be released in the killing of a beloved Alabama teen who was shot to death by police in a Homewood city soccer park.
    Crump, known for his work on cases such as the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, was joined by Birmingham attorneys Leroy Maxwell and Rodney Barganier, Black Lives Matter and other community activists at a Tuesday press conference. 
    Crump said he is getting involved because 18-year-old Jabari Peoples was doing everything right in life when he was shot to death June 23. 
    Peoples was a 2024 graduate of Aliceville High School where he was standout track athlete and football player. 
    Peoples had just finished his freshman year at Alabama A & M where he was studying computer information and criminal justice with hopes of becoming a law enforcement officer, specifically a detective.
    He had no prior arrests, Crump said. “There’s nothing in his history that would suggest that he’s going to try to shoot a police officer,” Crump said. 
    “This is a tragedy of unimaginable circumstances,” Crump said. “His mother and father should be given a gold medal for the child that they were raising.”
    )Maxwell said he’s thankful Crump is joining the legal team.“In all this tragedy, today is actually a good day,” Maxwell said. “I’m glad we brought in a big gun. We needed it here.One of the things he brings is that coalition,” Maxwell said. 
    “(The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency) typically acts in a certain way and oftentimes they won’t release these videos under pressure, but they haven’t felt pressure like this in what attorney Crump brings to the table.”
    Homewood police say a veteran officer, who has not been publicly identified, approached the vehicle to investigate because of a recent increase in criminal activity in and around the city’s athletic complexes.
    The officer, police say, smelled marijuana and ordered Peoples and his female friend out of the vehicle.
    Police say the encounter ended with Peoples resisting, breaking away from the officer as he tried to handcuff him, and grabbing a gun from the driver’s side door pocket.
    The officer shot Peoples, who was pronounced dead a short time later at UAB Hospital.
    Peoples’ family and attorney Maxwell disagreed with that narrative, saying that Peoples wasn’t armed and didn’t resist.
    The Homewood Police Department turned the investigation over to ALEA, which is standard policy for many officer-involved shootings.
    ALEA denied the family’s request to see the footage, saying release of the video footage would jeopardize the ongoing investigation.
    There have been several protests following the fatal shooting, including at the Homewood Police Department, ALEA’s office in west Homewood, Homewood City Hall and during the World Police and Fire Games last week in the Birmingham area.
    Though Alabama state provides a way for families to view body camera and dash cam videos, the same law also allows law enforcement to withhold the footage for investigative purposes.
    Crump said he is grateful for all lawyers who take up the mantle to fight against injustice, to fight against the system for people who others think can be swept under the rug.
    “You won’t sweep Jabari Peoples under the rug,” Crump said. 
    “His family is just asking for answers. Is that so much to ask for?” he said. 
    “Your 18-year-old son who’s never convicted of any crime, he’s never even been arrested, was doing everything right that you would want for a child and he’s killed by the police, the people who are supposed to protect and serve him. Wouldn’t you want answers?”
    The attorneys said trust and transparency are on the line. 
    “This is very straightforward,” Maxwell said. 
    “If we’re about trust and transparency, honoring Jabari and his family, honoring the community and honoring the relationship that we want so deeply with law enforcement, it is necessary to release the footage.
    “This is not a hard investigation,” Crump said. “I mean, you got a video, you got an autopsy and you got an eyewitness. It shouldn’t take you a year to finish this investigation.”
    “Show the video. You can shut all of us up, shut me up, shut Black Lives Matter up, shut up attorney Maxwell, shut up (community activist) Frank Matthews, shut up everybody,” Crump said. “Show us the officer did nothing wrong. Show us that it was justified.”

    “If the officer did nothing wrong, we’ll be quiet,” Crump said. “We won’t say a word. But if he did something inappropriate, then we want justice for Jabari.”
    Crump said the family is seeking to have a private autopsy done before Peoples’ funeral which is set for Saturday at Aliceville City Hall. 
    “Because we don’t have the autopsy from the medical examiner, the family has to go through extraordinary lengths to have an independent autopsy performed before the funeral and that’s exactly what they are going to do because we need to know,” he said. 
    “We know the cause of death was a gunshot, we want to know the trajectory, the point of entry, the point of exit.” 
    Maxwell has said previously that an investigator who conducted a detailed charting of Peoples’ body found he was shot once in the back. Peoples’ parents, siblings and other family members joined Crump at the press conference at Friendship Baptist Church in Homewood and spoke of their slain son.
    “He had a lot of dreams, and he was willing to work for those dreams,” his mother, Vivian Sterling, said. 
    “Sometimes I thought he wanted to do too many things. He’d pass the airport and say, ‘Mama, I’m going to get my pilot’s license, but I don’t know if I’m going to do it before or after I go into the military.’”
    “He wanted three different degrees, computer engineering, electrical engineering, criminal justice,” Sterling said. “He wanted to do all sorts of things, and he knew he could do it.”
    “Jabari was one of the brightest kids, one of the loveliest kids,” his father William Peoples said. “We don’t know how we’re going to go on without Jabari but we’re going to fight for Jabari until our last breath.”
     Crump said the fight is far from over. 
    “We refuse to be well-behaved victims,” he said. “Jabari is going to continue to be a priority for us.”

  • Newswire : Trump signs largest cut to Medicaid after a marathon protest speech by Leader Hakeem Jeffries

    Democratic Leader of the House of Representatives meets with press after 8 hour speech against Trump’s Budget Bill

    By Lauren Burke, NNPA Congressional Correspondent


    By a vote of 218 to 214, the GOP-controlled U.S. House passed President Trump’s massive budget and spending bill that will add $3.5 trillion to the national debt, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The bill also represents the biggest cut in Medicare in history and is a threat to the health care coverage of over 15 million people. The spending in Trump’s signature legislation also opens the door to a second era of over-incarceration in the U.S. With $175 billion allocated in spending for immigration enforcement, the money for more police officers eclipsed the 2026 budget for the U.S. Marines, which is $57 billion. Almost all the policy focus from the Trump Administration has focused on deporting immigrants of color from Mexico and Haiti.
    The vote occurred as members were pressed to complete their work before the arbitrary deadline of the July 4 holiday set by President Trump. It also occurred after Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries took the House floor for over 8 hours in protest. Leader Jeffries broke the record in the U.S. House for the longest floor speech in history on the House floor. The Senate passed the bill days before and was tied at 50-50, when Vice President J. D. Vance broke the tie in favor of the bill.
    Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who was last minute supporter, after winning some concessions for her state, said, “my hope is that the House is gonna look at this and recognize that we’re not there yet.” There were no changes made to the Senate bill by the House. A series of overnight phone calls to Republicans voting against, not changes, was what won over enough Republicans to pass the legislation, even though it adds trillions to the debt. The Trump spending bill also cuts money to Pell grants.
    “The Big Ugly Bill steals food out of the hands of starving children, steals medicine from the cabinets of cancer patients, and equips ICE with more funding and more weapons of war than the United States Marine Corps. Is there any question of who those agents will be going to war for, or who they will be going to war against? Beyond these sadistic provisions, Republicans just voted nearly unanimously to close urban and rural hospitals, cripple the child tax credit, and to top it all off, add $3.3 trillion to the ticking time bomb that is the federal deficit – all from a party that embarrassingly pretends to stand for fiscal responsibility and lowering costs,” wrote Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Yvette Clarke (D-NY) in a statement on July 3.
    “The Congressional Budget Office predicts that 17 million people will lose their health insurance, including over 322,000 Virginians. It will make college less affordable.  Three million people will lose access to food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). And up to 16 million students could lose access to free school meals. As many as 300 mostly rural hospitals may be forced to close by the Medicaid cuts. Health research groups predict that 51,000 people a year may die from not receiving needed medical attention due the health and nutrition cuts.
    The Republican bill does all of this to fund tax breaks for millionaires, billionaires, and corporations,” wrote Education and Workforce Committee ranking member Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) in a statement. The bill’s passage has prompted Democrats to start thinking about 2026 and the next election cycle. With the margins of victory in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate being so narrow, many are convinced that the balance of power and the question of millions being able to enjoy health care come down to only several thousand votes in congressional elections. But currently, Republicans controlled by the MAGA movement control all three branches of government. That reality was never made more stark and clearer than the last seven days of activity in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate.

  • Ke’Undra Cox qualifies for Eutaw City Council District I

    I am excited and honored to officially announce my candidacy for Eutaw City Council, District 1. Like many of you, I have watched our city face significant challenges. I’ve asked myself the same question you have: When will we finally move forward? When will we see real progress? I’ve come to this answer—progress is not given; it is earned through hard work, commitment, and a relentless pursuit of what’s possible.

    That is the commitment I make to you. Every day, I will dedicate myself to doing the hard work of moving Eutaw forward. I will not rest until we have not only met but exceeded our potential.

    My Platform: 5 Key Priorities for District 1: 1. Public Safety – Building a safer community for all. 2. Economic Prosperity – Creating opportunities for growth and local success. 3. Transparency – Ensuring open, honest, and accountable leadership. 4. Citizen Involvement – Empowering every voice and strengthening community engagement. 5.Population Growth – Positioning Eutaw as a city where people want to live, work, and raise families.

    If we can advance these five priorities, I firmly believe we will create a city where residents can thrive and businesses can grow.

    I won’t take up your time with a lengthy biography, but I will share this: service has been the foundation of my life. As a child, I proudly wore the uniform of the Boy Scouts of America, where I first learned the value of serving my community with honor and pride. After high school, I enlisted in the Air Force Reserve to defend the rights and freedoms of our nation. Today, I continue that service as the President of the West Alabama Young Democrats, where I have worked to uplift young people and promote social justice across our region.

    I am ready to work. I am ready to lead. And I am ready to serve you. Together, our future is bright. Let’s move forward—because together, anything is possible. Warm regards, Ke’Undra Cox, Candidate for Eutaw City Council, District 1.

     

     

  • Corey Cockrell seeks Eutaw Mayor’s office


    A Proven Leader
    Committed to the Community
    Dedicated to progress


    My name is Corey Cockrell, and I am proud to announce my candidacy for Mayor of Eutaw. I believe I am the best candidate for this position because I will bring proven leadership, a strong vision, and a deep commitment to the future of our city.
    With over 11 years of experience serving on the Greene County Commission, I have developed the skills and insight necessary to lead effectively. I understand the challenges we face, and I know how to bring people together to build a solid foundation for lasting progress.
    My mission is to uplift our community—working hand in hand with the city council, our citizens, local businesses, and the school system—to build a brighter, more united Eutaw. I am a hardworking, dependable, and dedicated public servant. I am not just ready to lead; I am ready to work—for you, for our families, and for our future.
    As your Mayor, I will focus on:
    •Creating better job opportunities
    •Expanding programs and activities for our youth
    •Strengthening services for our senior citizens
    •Promoting affordable housing
    •Ensuring that every citizen has a chance to build a stable life
    I believe Eutaw has the potential to be one of the most vibrant and livable cities in Alabama. Together with GOD, faith, accountability, and unity, we can move Eutaw forward.
    Let’s build a future we can all be proud of— together.
    Active Member – Ezekiel Baptist Church
    Graduated – Greene County High School
    Bachelor of Science Degree – Physical Education, Jacksonville State University
    Member of Business Association Program – Jacksonville State University
    Member of Jacksonville State University Hyper Club
    Physical Education teacher & Coach at Greene County High School
    District 3 Greene County Commissioner

    My Vision

    To work together with my fellow city council to obtain the following:

    •Attract high paying jobs Make Eutaw a desirable place to live and do business by creating an environment that encourages economic development and supports local entrepreneurs.
    •Expand Recreational Opportunities Promote a healthier lifestyle for all ages by developing a modern Recreation Center, enhancing youth sports programs, and creating more spaces for families to enjoy.
    •Improve Infrastructure Continue the fight for better roads, clean and safe water, effective drainage and sewer systems, and a commitment to keeping our city clean and welcoming.
    •Strengthen Education & Workforce Readiness Build a closer partnership with our local schools to ensure our children are prepared for success and our workforce remains competitive in today’s economy.

     

  • Towns of Union, Forkland and Boligee list municipal candidates

    The Towns of Union and Forkland released the official list of candidates who qualified for the August 26, 2025, municipal elections for Mayor and five Town Council positions. The qualifying period, which ran from June 10 to 24, is now closed.

    There are two candidates for Mayor of Union, Incumbent Mayor James Gaines is challenged by Ms. Loydleetta J. Wabbington, retired educator.

    In each of the five Town of Union council districts the current incumbents qualified, and are unopposed in the election. These include Hon. Gene Colvin, Hon. Geraldine Thompson, Hon. Louise Harkness, Hon. Helen Sanford and Hon. Rosie Davis.

    For the Town of Forkland, Incumbent Mayor Charlie McAlpine is challenged by Sharon Renee Washington and Incumbent Councilman Alonzo Thomas is challenged by Preston Davis for District 3 council seat..

    Forkland Districts 1,2,4 and 5 are unopposed, including Hon.Tony Quarles, Hon. Christopher Armstead, Hon. Samitria Gray and Hon. Emma Sugar.

    The Town of Boligee Mayor and council members are running unopposed. These include Hon. Mayor Hattie Samuel, Hon. Harley Vogt, Hon. Michael Gibson, Hon. James Morrow, Hon, Teresa Mack and Hon. Earnestine Wade.

    In each of the town elections, if no candidate wins a majority of the votes for Mayor or in their district for City Council member, there will be a Run-off Election scheduled for September 23, 2025, for the top two vote-getters in each race.

    The election is open to all registered voters who have lived in the city or their respective district for 30 days or more prior to the election. The polls will be open from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM on election day and for the run-off election, if necessary.

    The last day to register to vote in this election is August 15, 2025, for those who recently moved into the city limits, or never registered to vote or are trying to reclaim their voting rights. The newly elected Mayors and Council Members will take office in November 2025.

  • In 20 years BBCF provided $100 million in grants to Black Belt with Greene County receiving $880,803

    BBCF holds listening sessions in Black Belt counties

    Participants at Greene County Listening Session and L to R: Darlene Robinson, Carol Zippert, Rev. Chris Spencer, Miriam Leftwich and Johnnie Morning.

    The Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF) conducted a series of county-wide listening sessions across its 12-county service area in Alabama’s Black Belt Region, including Bullock, Choctaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, Wilcox.
    The Greene County listening session, chaired by BBCF staff Rev. Christopher Spencer, was held Tuesday evening, June 24, 2025 at the Greene County Baptist Association facility on Finches Ferry Road in Eutaw. Approximately 40 persons participated, including local groups who are recipients of BBCF grants.
    Greetings were brought by Miriam Leftwich, Greene County Community Associates Coordinator and Co-Coordinator and BBCF Greene County Board Member Darlene Robinson.
    These gatherings were designed to provide a vital platform for residents, community leaders, grassroots organizations, and local stakeholders to come together and share their voices on the pressing issues, opportunities, and needs facing their communities.
    The listening sessions created a welcoming, inclusive space where participants could openly discuss challenges related to education, healthcare access, economic development, infrastructure, cultural preservation and much more.
    In each county the gathering separated into small discussion groups to address the following topics: What are our greatest strengths as a community; What would our ideal community look like if we had no limitations; Based on your answer, what is needed to create your ideal community; What are the most important things we need to focus on in the next 1-2 years to grow our community into the place we would like it to be. The small group responses were listed on charts and shared when the larger group re-assembled.
    Feedback gathered from these sessions will directly inform BBCF’s strategic priorities, investments, grant-making initiatives, and collaborative partnerships moving forward.
    These listening sessions were patterned after the initial community gatherings 20 years ago which were the cornerstones giving birth to BBCF. During that organizing period, a volunteer coordinating committee visited each county to hear from the people what they saw as their community assets. This committee envisioned that the best way for the Alabama Black Belt to capitalize on Taking what we have to make what we need was to determine what we really had. These community sessions led to the formation of BBCF.
    The Black Belt Community Foundation reaffirms its commitment to working alongside the people of the Black Belt — amplifying their voices, honoring their experiences, and investing in the dreams and solutions that emerge from within. Since its incorporation, BBCF has deployed nearly $100 million into the Black Belt through partnerships with more that 200 regional nonprofit organizations throughout the Black Belt.
    From 2005 to 2025, Greene County has received a total of $880,803 in BBCF community and arts grants and in support of other projects relating to healthy food provisions, health care information, storm damage assistance and more.
    Ms. Felecia Lucky, who was a member of the organizing committee for BBCF will leave her position as CEO/President in September to assume a similar leadership role with the F.B. Heron Foundation. Rev. Christopher Spencer, who was engaged in the organizing sessions in Sumter County and worked on the BBCF staff since the early years, has been selected by the BBCF board to serve as CEO/President.
    The session adjourned with the participants enthusiastic with the prospects of new approaches for working together to grow Greene County. Refreshments were shared with all in attendance.

     

  • Newswire : Black man is found hanging from a tree in upstate New York

    Earl D. Smith

     

    By Blackmansstreet Today

    Earl D. Smith, 58, a Black man, was found hanging from a tree in the middle of the day in Albany, New York, the capital city of the state of New York. His body was discovered on June 18 around 8 a.m.
    Police removed his body from the tree and ruled his death a suicide, but others question their assessment.
    Several neighborhood residents have posted on TikTok that Mr. Smith had been baptized recently, according to a GoFundMe page organized by Melissa Saunders, who writes that Smith was her uncle.
    Mr. Smith was born on October 17, 1966. He was a husband, father, and grandfather, as stated in his obituary. He worked odd jobs, and one of his favorite songs was “Nuthin’ But a “G” Thang” by Dr. Dre.

    Although police said his death was a suicide, others claimed he may have been lynched, which has been rampant throughout our history. There is considerable history to support that belief.
    From 1882 to 1968, 4,743 lynchings occurred in the U.S., according to records maintained by the NAACP.
    The highest number of lynchings during that period occurred in Mississippi, with 581 recorded. Georgia was second with 531, and Texas was third with 493. Lynchings did not happen in every state. There are no recorded lynchings in Arizona, Idaho, Maine, Nevada, South Dakota, Vermont, or Wisconsin.
    Black people were the primary victims of lynching: 3,446, or about 72 percent of the people lynched, were Black. But they weren’t the only victims of lynching.
    Some White people were lynched for helping Black people or for being anti-lynching. Immigrants from Mexico, China, Australia, and other countries were also lynched.