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By Jordan Meadows Staff Writer In the years following the Civil War, when the promise of freedom demanded real institutions to sustain it, the Thompson Institute emerged in Lumberton, North Carolina, as one of the most important educational lights for African Americans in the state. Born from former slaves, the origins of the Thompson Institute trace back to the founding of the Lumber River Missionary Baptist Association in 1877 in

By Jheri Hardaway Staff Writer In the world of leadership-whether political, corporate, or spiritual-how one enters a role is often just as critical as how one performs in it. I was recently inspired by the installation ceremony of Rev. Dr. Darian Bouie, where a speaker noted the profound difference between a predecessor "passing the baton" versus "throwing it" at the new leader. This essential metaphor has stuck with me. It

[caption id="attachment_15144" align="alignnone" width="2000"] Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell preaches at 2819 Church on Nov. 16, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)[/caption] ATLANTA (AP) - After Atlanta pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell stopped dwelling on growing his congregation about three years ago, its attendance surged. Now, lines packed with young adults snake outside 2819 Church, some arriving as early as 5:30 a.m. to secure a spot for Sunday worship. Christian rap and

By Jheri Hardaway Staff Writer Briar Creek, NC - December 6, 1865, was profoundly symbolic; the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, abolishing slavery. Saturday, December 6, 2025, at The Westin Hotel-RDU was powerful as well. The 2nd Annual HBCU Triumph Gala was a celebration of the very legacy, pride, philanthropy, and endurance that keep us going today. The premier black-tie event dedicated to celebrating triumphs of Historically

KFF Health News-Bekki Holzkamm has been trying to hire a lab technician at a hospital in rural North Dakota since late summer. Not one U.S. citizen has applied. West River Health Services in Hettinger, a town of about 1,000 residents in the southwestern part of the state, has four options, and none is good. The hospital could fork over $100,000 for the Trump administration's new H-1B visa fee and hire

  The Guardian - Nnena Kalu has won the 2025 Turner prize for her colourful drawings and sculptures made from found fabric and VHS tape, becoming the first artist with a learning disability to take home the £25,000 prize. Alex Farquharson, chair of the jury and director of Tate Britain, said the win by the British-Nigerian represented a watershed moment for the international art world. "Nnena's work was very much

WUNC - The City of Raleigh settled out of court for nearly $1 million after the family of Darryl "Tyree" Williams sued the Raleigh Police Department nearly two years ago. The city will pay $975,000 to Sonya Williams, who oversees her son's estate, as part of a Dec. 1 settlement agreement signed by the Raleigh City Attorney's Office. "Tyree" Williams was tased repeatedly before dying in police custody on January

NC NEWSLINE - The North Carolina State Board of Education on Wednesday focused on increasing pay for teachers and other school staff as it discussed its legislative priorities for the upcoming 2026 short session. Geoff Coltrane, senior director of government affairs at the Department of Public Instruction, warned that he expects "very limited revenue" in the year ahead and that legislators in Raleigh may not even pass a full budget

By Jordan Meadows Staff Writer As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes the U.S. economy, lawmakers, state attorneys general, and the White House are accelerating efforts to advance competing visions for national oversight. With Congress unable to pass comprehensive AI legislation, the policy vacuum has driven state leaders and federal officials to craft their own approaches-culminating this week in two major developments: a bipartisan state-led AI Task Force and President Donald Trump's

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Doris Crenshaw was 12 years old on Dec. 5, 1955, when she and her sister eagerly rushed door to door in their neighborhood, distributing flyers prepared by activists planning a boycott of city buses in Montgomery, Alabama. "Don't ride the bus to work, to town, to school or any place on Monday," the flyers read, urging people to attend a mass meeting that evening. There was