Black Monday Briefing

20 Stories They Hoped You’d Miss.

Welcome to the Black Monday Briefing…your rapid-fire dispatch of stories the mainstream press skimmed, skipped, or sanitized. From grassroots movements and diaspora pride to DEIA threats and policy shifts, here's what happened over the weekend between July 25th and 27th that Black America needs to know.

1. Nonprofits Fear Funding Crisis Under Project 2025 DEIA Ban (July 25, 2025)
   Black-led nonprofits in California's Inland Empire warn they are at risk of losing critical federal funding due to the president's executive orders dismantling DEIA programs. The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 has inspired over 170 such orders, including one that eliminates DEIA considerations. Sector leaders say this codifies a political backlash and threatens gains made after 2020.

2. Black Church and Black Press Forge Unity to Confront Inequities (July 25, 2025)
   In Nashville, major Black faith organizations and the National Newspaper Publishers Association announced a strategic coalition to address disparities in healthcare, education, and justice. Led by NNPA's Dr. Benjamin Chavis Jr., the effort aims to amplify stories of Black resilience and pressure politicians and corporations to act.

3. Newark Mayor Leads Statewide 'Black Agenda' Summit in New Jersey (July 27, 2025)
   Newark Mayor Ras Baraka hosted the second statewide Black Agenda meeting, bringing together officials, activists, and clergy to advance equity in New Jersey. Leaders called for better youth outreach and noted the meeting was "more than a gathering; it's a movement."

4. Minneapolis Kicks Off Black Business Week to Boost Entrepreneurs (July 25, 2025)
   Minneapolis launched its fifth annual Black Business Week, celebrating Black-owned businesses as drivers of equity and generational wealth. Events included expos, panels, and a street marketplace at George Floyd Square.

5. Mathew Knowles Joins Prairie View A&M to Mentor Next-Gen Leaders (July 25, 2025)
   Dr. Mathew Knowles was appointed as Prairie View A&M's first Executive-in-Residence, bringing his entrepreneurship expertise to the HBCU. He'll mentor students and faculty in branding and business leadership.

6. Liberian Independence Day Parade Unites Diaspora in Minnesota (July 26, 2025)
   Liberians in Minnesota held their first official Independence Day parade, marking Liberia's 178th year. The Brooklyn Center celebration featured food, music, and 70+ vendors, spotlighting the resilience of Liberians in the state.

7. Chicago Honors Black Panther Legacy at Fred Hampton Headquarters Site (July 26, 2025)
   A plaque was unveiled at the former Illinois Black Panther Party headquarters to honor Fred Hampton and community programs like the free breakfast initiative. It's part of a new Black Panther Heritage Trail to preserve radical Black history.

8. Black Cowboys Celebrate Legacy at Texas Invitational Rodeo (July 26, 2025)
   Over 7,000 attended the Texas Black Invitational Rodeo in Dallas, honoring Black cowboys' overlooked role in Western history. The family-friendly event included classic rodeo competitions and cultural education.

9. Florida City Preserves Historic Black Town's Story with Quilt Project (July 26, 2025)
   Sanford, FL honored Goldsboro—a historically Black township annexed in 1911—by creating a commemorative community quilt. Residents shared oral histories for the quilt as part of the city's "Pathway to Reconciliation."

10. "Reverse Migration": African Americans Moving to Kenya for Heritage and Peace (July 25, 2025)
    A growing number of African Americans are relocating to Kenya to escape U.S. racial tensions and reconnect with heritage. Kenya joins Ghana in welcoming diaspora returnees, as "reverse migration" gains momentum.

11. Africville Reunion in Nova Scotia Returns, One Year After Tragedy (July 26, 2025)
    The Africville Reunion, an annual festival in Halifax honoring a razed Black community, returned under tight security after a 2024 shooting. Descendants gathered to preserve Africville's memory and celebrate Black Canadian resilience.

12. Houston Expands 24/7 Ban on Homeless Encampments, Drawing Concerns (July 26, 2025)
    Houston's City Council passed a 24/7 "civility ordinance" banning public camping downtown. Advocates say it criminalizes homelessness, especially as 55% of Houston's unhoused population is Black.

13. Video of Florida Deputies Beating Black Driver Sparks Outrage (July 25, 2025)
    Bodycam footage of Florida deputies dragging and punching college student William McNeil Jr. went viral, fueling nationwide outrage. Charges against McNeil were dropped, while the deputies face investigation.

14. Rochester Black Culture Festival Showcases 'Dripping in Culture' (July 27, 2025)
    Rochester, NY's sixth Black Culture Festival highlighted Black fashion, art, and business. With concerts, food trucks, and interactive exhibits, it celebrated pride and economic empowerment.

15. Detroit's First Black-Owned Brewery Opens with a Mission (July 23, 2025)
    Roar Brewing, Detroit's first Black-owned brewery, opened with a three-day celebration. Owner Evan Fay aims to diversify craft beer and create a community hub in the historic space.

16. Emmett Till's 84th Birthday Marked by Preservation Effort in Chicago (July 25, 2025)
    Till's family and local leaders gathered at Roberts Temple Church to commemorate Emmett Till's legacy and restore the site of his 1955 funeral. The church is undergoing a historic preservation effort.

17. Ex-Georgia Deputy Sentenced to Prison for Jail Beating of Black Man (July 25, 2025)
    Former Camden County sheriff's deputy Ryan Biegel received 16 months in prison for beating a Black detainee. Two other deputies face state charges. The case is seen as a rare measure of accountability.

18. Refugee Program for South Africans Raises Racial Bias Alarms (July 25, 2025)
    A new U.S. refugee program favoring white South African "Afrikaners" sparked criticism after internal cables showed intent to exclude mixed-race applicants. Critics say it echoes "white genocide" narratives.

19. Flo Rida Invests $10M to Open Miami Gardens' First Black-Owned Plaza (March 11, 2025)
    Rapper Flo Rida transformed Cloverleaf Plaza into Miami Gardens' first Black-owned shopping center. The space now houses Black-owned businesses and symbolizes reinvestment into his hometown.

20. Atlanta Falcons Launch Fellowship Pipeline for HBCU Students (July 20, 2025)
    The NFL's Atlanta Falcons began their third HBCU Fellows Program, offering 14 students from local HBCUs paid summer internships across sports and entertainment departments to diversify the industry.

If this made you feel seen or slightly more paranoid then share it. Somebody you know still thinks the only news worth reading comes with a push alert.

Source Links: Black Monday Briefing (July 25–27, 2025)

1. Black-Led Nonprofits & Project 2025 Cuts
   🔗 https://blackvoicenews.com/2025/07/25/project-2025-threatens-black-nonprofits/

2. Black Church x Black Press Coalition
   🔗 https://www.blackpressusa.com/black-church-black-press-unity-nashville/

3. New Jersey Black Agenda Summit (Ras Baraka)
   🔗 https://whyy.org/articles/ras-baraka-black-agenda-new-jersey-summit/

4. Minneapolis Black Business Week
   🔗 https://www.minneapolismn.gov/news/2025/july/black-business-week-2025-kickoff/

5. Mathew Knowles Joins Prairie View A&M
   🔗 https://www.defendernetwork.com/news/mathew-knowles-joins-pvamu/

6. Liberian Independence Day Parade (Minnesota)
   🔗 https://liberiandaily.org/2025/07/26/liberian-parade-brooklyn-center-minnesota/

7. Fred Hampton Panther Headquarters Plaque (Chicago)
   🔗 https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/07/26/fred-hampton-panther-headquarters-commemorated/

8. Texas Black Rodeo (Dallas)
   🔗 https://www.keranews.org/arts-culture/2025/07/26/black-invitational-rodeo-legacy-continues

9. Goldsboro Quilt Project (Sanford, FL)
   🔗 https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2025/07/26/goldsboro-quilt-sanford-black-history/

10. African Americans Moving to Kenya
    🔗 https://www.apnews.com/article/black-americans-kenya-reverse-migration-2025

11. Africville Reunion (Nova Scotia)
    🔗 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/africville-reunion-returns-security-2025-1.7240094

12. Houston Homeless Encampment Ban
    🔗 https://communityimpact.com/houston/2025/07/26/houston-extends-24-7-homeless-ban/

13. William McNeil Jr. Police Beating Video (Jacksonville)
    🔗 https://apnews.com/article/william-mcneil-florida-deputies-video-2025

14. Rochester Black Culture Festival
    🔗 https://13wham.com/news/local/black-culture-festival-rochester-2025-dripping-in-culture

15. Roar Brewing Co. Opens in Detroit
    🔗 https://detroit.eater.com/2025/07/23/first-black-owned-brewery-roar-detroit-opens

16. Emmett Till’s 84th Birthday / Church Restoration (Chicago)
    🔗 https://news.wttw.com/2025/07/25/emmett-till-birthday-restoration-roberts-temple

17. Camden County Deputy Sentenced (Georgia)
    🔗 https://apnews.com/article/georgia-deputy-sentenced-hobbs-beating-2025

18. Trump Refugee Program for South African Farmers
    🔗 https://www.reuters.com/world/us-south-africa-white-farmer-refugee-policy-2025/

19. Flo Rida Buys Plaza in Miami Gardens
    🔗 https://afrotech.com/flo-rida-cloverleaf-black-owned-plaza-miami-gardens

20. Falcons HBCU Fellowship Program
    🔗 https://roughdraftatlanta.com/2025/07/20/falcons-launch-2025-hbcu-fellows-program/

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