Black Monday Briefing

Stories they hoped you’d miss.

Aug 12, 2025

Welcome to the Black Monday Briefing, your rapid-fire dispatch of stories the mainstream press skimmed, skipped, or sanitized. Here’s what happened over the weekend (08/08–08/11) that Black America needs to know.

Trump Orders Colleges to Prove They Don’t Consider Race in Admissions (08/07) – President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring colleges to submit data proving compliance with the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ban . The administration accuses schools of using essays and “proxies” to skirt the ban and has threatened audits, as conservatives claim even personal statements are being used to favor diversity .
White House Targets ‘Woke’ Diversity Grants in Federal Spending (08/07) – A new executive order aims to “improve oversight” of federal grants by curtailing “offensive waste,” citing funds spent on drag shows in Ecuador, critical race theory trainings and transgender education programs . The Trump administration’s directive, part of its Project 2025 agenda, is expected to clamp down on grants for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across agencies.
Court Blocks Abrupt Defunding of Education Equity Center (08/04) – A federal judge issued an injunction halting the Education Department’s termination of a longstanding regional Equity Assistance Center grant . The NAACP and others sued after the grant – which since 1964 has helped schools remedy discrimination – was axed without warning. The court’s decision restores the program for now, calling the administration’s action unlawful and harmful to students’ civil rights .
Jackson Sues Mississippi over ‘Racist’ Airport Takeover Plot (06/03) – A federal court ruled that Jackson, Mississippi – the Blackest large city in the U.S. – may proceed with a lawsuit accusing state officials of a racially motivated power grab . Back in 2016, the white-majority state legislature passed a law to seize control of Jackson’s majority-Black airport authority. The city argues the takeover, along with a state-imposed court and police district, is part of a pattern of stripping Black local governance under race-neutral pretenses .
Louisville Implements Police Reforms; Urban League Weighs In (08/11) – As Louisville begins its search for an independent monitor to oversee a Justice Department consent decree on policing, national and local Urban League leaders offered recommendations to transform the troubled department . Their proposals focus on rebuilding trust through accountability, better training, and community oversight in the wake of the Breonna Taylor case and DOJ findings of systemic misconduct.
Black Homeownership Rate Stubbornly Lags Behind (08/08) – New data show Black homeownership remains stuck around 46% – far below the 66% national homeownership average . The gap has barely narrowed in decades, as discriminatory lending, lower wealth, and rising housing costs continue to keep Black families from buying homes at the same rates as white households . Experts call the persisting 20+ point divide a major driver of the racial wealth gap.
HBCUs See Surge in Applicants After Affirmative Action Ban (08/09) – Many historically Black colleges are reporting a leap in student interest and enrollment this fall . Hampton University saw applications jump from 13,000 to 17,000, and Morehouse College had a 34% surge, amid concerns Black students feel less welcome at predominantly white institutions . Early enrollment numbers show double-digit freshman increases at several HBCUs, a potential “silver lining” as elite colleges note declines in Black admissions after the Supreme Court’s ruling.
NBA Foundation Grants $140M+ to Black Youth Programs (08/05) – Marking its 5th anniversary, the NBA Foundation announced a new round of grants to 25 nonprofit organizations focused on career readiness, mentorship and entrepreneurship for under-resourced Black youth . The league-backed foundation has now committed over $140 million to empower 14–24-year-olds across the U.S. and Canada with skills training and job opportunities, part of a broader effort to tackle economic inequity .
Harlem Week Celebrates 51st Year of Black Culture and Pride (08/08) – The annual Harlem Week festival is in full swing in New York, running from late July through August 17 with the theme “Celebrate Our Magic” . Now in its 51st year, the famed uptown celebration features concerts, a Harlem Health Hub, a Small Business Expo, and tributes to icons like the late Harry Belafonte – all showcasing the neighborhood’s outsized influence on Black arts, music, and politics .
Hip-Hop Museum Secures Funding, Moves Closer to Bronx Opening (08/10) – The Universal Hip Hop Museum received a critical $5 million bridge loan from New York City, keeping the project on track after earlier delays . The museum – located in the South Bronx, where hip-hop was born – is slated to open by 2026 and will celebrate the genre’s 50+ year history and cultural impact. Supporters say this financing milestone brings the long-awaited museum one step closer to reality.
Rural Black Belt County Loses Its Only Maternity Ward (08/08) – Grove Hill Memorial Hospital in Alabama’s Black Belt will shut down its labor and delivery unit on Aug. 16, converting into an emergency-only facility . The closure – due to lack of funding and staff – leaves a large, majority-Black rural region with no birthing hospital. Advocates note this is part of a trend: hospitals across the South’s Black Belt are eliminating obstetric services , worsening an existing maternal health crisis for Black women in underserved areas.
Brooklyn’s Black Church Choirs Battle Gentrification and Decline (08/08) – In New York’s “borough of churches,” Black church choirs are shrinking as congregations dwindle and neighborhoods gentrify . But many choirs, like at Brooklyn’s historic Concord Baptist, press on with joyful noise despite fewer voices. Local faith leaders say gospel music remains the bedrock of Black worship – even as a Pew study shows Black Protestant church attendance fell from 61% to 46% monthly in recent years .
Gullah Geechee Elders Fight to Preserve Enslaved Ancestors’ Songs (08/06) – On South Carolina’s St. Helena Island, Gullah Geechee elders in their 70s and 80s are performing sacred spirituals passed down through slavery . Members of the “Voices of Gullah” travel the country singing in the Gullah Creole language to keep this West African-descended culture alive. “A lot of our songs were coded…a legacy of strength and resilience,” says one performer, highlighting the importance of safeguarding these traditions for future generations .
African Diaspora Conference Spurs Investment in Nairobi (08/09) – Nairobi, Kenya hosted the 5th annual Diaspora Africa Conference, gathering investors and innovators from across Africa, the U.S., and Europe to promote diaspora investment . The two-day summit featured panels on finance, tech and philanthropy, aiming to leverage the wealth and expertise of the global African diaspora for development back on the continent . Organizers celebrated new partnerships formed at the conference to channel resources into African-led initiatives.
Jamaica Takes Steps to Drop the British Monarchy (08/06) – As it marked 61 years of independence, Jamaica’s government introduced a bill to remove King Charles III as head of state and become a republic . The constitutional amendment – which would replace the monarch with a ceremonial Jamaican president – must pass Parliament and a public referendum. Leaders across party lines support “fully decolonizing” Jamaica’s governance, though some debate remains on issues like the court system. The goal is to complete the transition by 2025, ahead of the next general election .
Windrush Scandal Victims Short-Changed by UK Scheme, Review Finds (06/16) – A British study revealed that Black Caribbean victims of the Windrush immigration scandal received far less compensation than they were owed under a UK government program . Many elderly claimants struggled to navigate the complex process without legal help – one man initially got £0 until lawyers helped him secure £295,000 . The review urges overhauling the “failing” scheme, noting two-thirds of applicants have been denied outright .
California Marks Transgender History Month Amid Nationwide Attacks (08/01) – August is now officially Transgender History Month in California, the first state to honor trans contributions in such a way . San Francisco pioneered the idea – citing events like the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot – and state lawmakers followed suit in response to “a barrage of legislative attacks” on trans rights . Advocates say celebrating trans history and “transcestors” is especially vital now, as other states enact bans on books, healthcare, and recognition for trans people.
Justice Department Ends Some 50-Year-Old School Desegregation Orders (08/08) – The DOJ moved to dismiss two of its oldest active school desegregation cases – one in Mississippi’s Copiah County and one in Hendry County, Florida – effectively declaring those districts “unitary” . Federal oversight of their integration efforts had been in place since the late 1960s. While the administration cast the move as bureaucratic housekeeping, education advocates note many Black students in these areas still face achievement gaps, and fear this could signal retreat from enforcing equal education rights.
Senators Reintroduce John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (08/06) – On the Voting Rights Act’s 60th anniversary, lawmakers in Washington rolled out an updated John Lewis VRAA to restore protections against racial voter suppression . The bill would reinstate federal oversight of election changes in states with histories of discrimination (struck down by the Supreme Court in 2013) and set national standards like same-day voter registration . Facing a divided Congress, supporters invoked the late John Lewis’s legacy and urged urgent action as states like Texas redraw maps mid-decade at President Trump’s urging .