The news moves fast, and keeping up can feel like a full-time job. Veteran broadcaster Sybil Wilkes helps by cutting through the noise. Her “What We Need to Know” segment delivers the stories that matter most to Black families, in clear and direct terms. This week’s rundown covers voting, health, money, culture, and sports.

Doug E. Fresh closed out the first night of the One Voyage Cruise with a performance to remember.

Headlining the festivities, the legendary Human Beat Box ran through his catalog of classics, giving cruisegoers a chance to hear fan favorite records like “The Show” and “La Di Da Di.” However, the crowd went into a frenzy when he performed “Let Me Clear My Throat,” turning the cruise into one big party.

In the middle of the excitement, Doug E. Fresh made it a point to shout out Black excellence and recognize Ms. Cathy Hughes, the founder of Urban One. 

“We’re talking about a black owned, radio conglomerate, give it up for the beautiful, powerful, Cathy Hughes.”

The Harlem MC also took fans on a fun interlude, playing “Teach Me How To Dougie” and bringing Rickey Smiley onstage to show off his dance moves. 

Smiley hitting his dougie was definitely not on our bingo cards.

Alongside Fresh, Teddy Riley and Major helped set the tone for Night 1 of the One Voyage Cruise, keeping the energy high with their own performances.

Riley pulled up dressed in all white and had the party jumping as he ran through his classic catalog. Hip-Hop Wired also caught a moment backstage between Riley and Fresh as the two legends acknowledged each other and showed mutual respect.

The King of New Jack Swing also shared a message with One Voyage Cruise attendees, encouraging everyone to keep the celebration going throughout the week.

“Keep partying and don’t stop, live life to the fullest and keep God first.”

With Doug E. Fresh closing out the night on a high note and Teddy Riley bringing his classic to the festivities, the first night of the One Voyage Cruise was a success.

Check out the full recap of Doug E. Fresh closing out the first night of the One Voyage Cruise below.

The Pullman porters are among the unsung heroes of Black history. They helped transform America’s railroad industry, making luxury train travel synonymous with comfort, elegance, and exceptional service through the Pullman Car Company, founded by businessman George Pullman. But behind the polished image of these “hotels on wheels” was a painful reality: the men responsible for delivering that luxury endured racism, exploitation, grueling hours, and low wages. So who were The Pullman Porters? Let’s unpack the history behind these hidden figures.

Who were The Pullman Porters?

According to the Jim Crow Museum, after the Civil War, George Pullman began hiring thousands of Black men, including formerly enslaved people, to serve white passengers aboard his company’s luxury sleeping cars. The first Pullman porters began working around 1867 and quickly became an essential part of the railroad experience. Yet despite serving passengers traveling across the country, these men faced the restrictions of Jim Crow segregation and were barred from traveling in passenger cars under the same conditions as the white customers they served.

Luxury for Passengers, Sacrifice for Porters.

The Pullman Palace Car Company built, owned, and operated many of the country’s luxury railroad cars. Known originally as “Palace Cars,” these trains offered passengers plush sleeping accommodations, dining cars, and lounge areas that earned them the nickname “hotels on wheels.”

George Pullman’s hiring practices, however, were rooted in exploitation. He believed formerly enslaved Black men would be especially suited to serving white customers and would tolerate long hours for low wages.

As noted by the Jim Crow Museum, the work was physically exhausting. Porters could be required to work 400 hours or travel 11,000 miles per month to receive their full salary. Meeting those requirements sometimes meant shifts lasting as long as 20 hours, with little time to rest. They also had to cover the cost of their uniforms and meals and perform unpaid preparation and cleanup duties.

Linus Scott, who was a Pullman car porter for 35 years, told CBS in 2009 that he would work for a grueling 21 hours non-stop, only sleeping for 3 hours, when he was on duty. Many of the porters only earned $1 a day.

“I was cutting the road,” Scott said. “There were some good days, and some bad days, but you take the good with the bad.”

By the 1920s, approximately 20,224 African Americans worked as Pullman porters and other train personnel, making the industry one of the largest sources of employment for Black workers in the United States and Canada at the time.

Their responsibilities extended far beyond assisting passengers. Porters carried luggage, shined shoes, prepared sleeping berths, cleaned train compartments, and served food and drinks. Some were even expected to sing and dance to entertain customers.

Tips were essential to supplementing their wages, placing additional pressure on porters to satisfy passengers at every turn.

The disrespect was just as relentless as the workload. Porters were expected to remain attentive and cheerful while navigating constant scrutiny and racial discrimination. White passengers routinely addressed them as “boy,” a degrading term rooted in slavery, or called them “George” after the company’s founder rather than using their actual names.

They were expected to serve with a smile while maintaining boundaries that would prevent their behavior from being misinterpreted. Their comfort and dignity often came second to the demands of their white clientele.

How Pullman Porters Helped Transform Black America.

Despite the discrimination they faced, Pullman porters occupied a unique position in American society. Their jobs took them across the country, exposed them to different communities, and brought them into contact with politicians, business leaders, and other influential figures.

That mobility gave them access to information, ideas, and opportunities that many Black Americans were denied. Porters helped circulate news, connect communities, and share information during a period when racial segregation restricted Black Americans’ access to many public spaces and institutions.

Their earnings, professional networks, and exposure to the wider world also helped contribute to the growth of the Black middle class. Their work connected them to the broader movement of African Americans seeking better economic opportunities and greater freedom during the Great Migration.

But perhaps their most powerful contribution came through their fight for labor rights.

Sybil Wilkes delivered the day’s essential headlines on Monday, Oct. 26, in her “What We Need to Know” segment. The stories ranged from the final stretch of the midterm elections to a violent end to a homecoming celebration, a nationwide health recall, and a tribute to one of the most powerful voices in Black history.

As we’ve come to understand year after year, day after day, death is an inevitable part of life—a universal truth that spares no one. Yet, despite its certainty, the weight of loss never becomes easier to bear, nor does the act of processing its impact. For those within Black culture, where community and shared experiences often serve as pillars of strength, the pain of losing someone resonates deeply, cutting through the collective spirit like a sharp blade.

Reporting on such losses carries its own emotional toll, as it means confronting the fragility of life while also grappling with the systemic inequities that often exacerbate these tragedies. Whether it’s the passing of a beloved figure or the untimely loss of a community member, the grief is compounded by the cultural significance of their contributions and the void they leave behind. Each story of loss becomes a reminder of the resilience required to navigate a world that often feels unrelenting, and yet, it also underscores the importance of honoring those who have left an indelible mark on the lives they touched.

RELATED STORY: Rest In Power: Notable Black Folks Who We’ve Lost In 2025

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**Updated – 11:00 am on October 22nd 2026**

Lawrence McCutcheon 

Former Los Angeles Rams running back Lawrence McCutcheon, a five-time Pro Bowl selection who later spent decades in the team’s front office, died Friday, Oct. 23, at 76. His family said he died with loved ones at his bedside following a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Known as “Clutch,” McCutcheon played eight seasons with the Rams from 1972 through 1979 and became the franchise’s all-time leading rusher before that record was surpassed. He also played for Denver, Seattle and Buffalo, finishing his NFL career with 6,578 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns.

After retiring following the 1981 season, McCutcheon continued building his legacy through 32 years in the Rams’ front office, serving as a scout and director of player personnel. The team remembered him as someone whose impact “spanned generations.” His family requested donations to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research in lieu of flowers.

Sybil Wilkes delivered another fast-moving edition of “What We Need to Know” on Friday morning. In just two minutes, she covered a possible political milestone, a long-overdue military record update, new support for veteran entrepreneurs and a story of freedom told through fabric. Here’s what you need to know.

A retired NYPD detective has been charged with the murder of a Black man and father of two, who was shot to death on the George Washington Bridge Tuesday night.

According to Fox 5, 62-year-old Victor Romero is accused of killing 46-year-old Con Edison employee Koran Irvine after a road rage incident. Romero was reportedly arrested Wednesday at his home in Haverstraw, New York, and is expected to make his first court appearance before a judge in Manhattan Criminal Court.

NBC 4 New York reported that Irvine was found by authorities inside a vehicle on the upper level of the George Washington Bridge, on the westbound side of traffic. Investigators said a gunman fired a shot through a window of his car, with a single shot striking him in the shoulder and exiting his neck.

Here’s how the event played out, via NBC 4:

According to sources, the victim was captured on video nearly crashing his blue Volkswagen Golf into another driver on an entrance ramp to the GWB.

Shortly after, Irvine’s back passenger window was shot out with what law enforcement sources believe was a lone gunshot.

The bullet appeared to strike the driver’s seat headrest before entering the driver’s body, law enforcement sources told News 4. The victim’s car later struck a median, bringing it to a full stop.

The suspect was seen driving on.

The shooting occurred around 7 p.m. and shut the bridge down for hours, before all lanes reopened around 1 a.m.

“He was a very nice man,” Hope Dorceoly, a neighbor of Irvine’s, told NBC. “We moved into the neighborhood; I remember when we first came, he would help us out. They had chickens in the back. He brought us chicken eggs to welcome us in. He was just a really nice guy; we’re in shock, and we are devastated for the family.”

A GoFundMe page launched to support his wife and two children describes the victim as “a man full of life, love, and dedication to the people who meant the most to him. “

For whatever reason, media outlets have been focused on a past story in which Romero, who has been retired from the force for 25 years, got shot while trying to stop a robbery at his family’s business back in 2000.

Yeah — we not doing that here.

An ex-cop is accused of killing a Black man as an emotional reaction to almost getting into an accident with him. That’s it. That’s the story.

Police said the investigation into the shooting is still ongoing. We will update this story as more information becomes available.

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U Of Arizona Fraternity Suspended After Sexual Assault Allegation

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On a recent “GED Section” segment of The D.L. Hughley Show, the comedian and commentator spoke out about a Mississippi prosecutor’s decision that a police officer was justified in shooting a 1-year-old boy. In three minutes, Hughley tied the case to a broader pattern of unanswered deaths, weakened federal oversight, and a warning that accountability may still come.

The Cohen Wiley Case: A Toddler’s Death Ruled Justifiable

Hughley opened with the news that a district attorney had ruled the police shooting of a toddler strapped into a car seat a justifiable homicide. He noted the child would be the youngest person in history killed by police. “If you can shoot an unarmed child in a car seat,” Hughley asked, “what aren’t you allowed to do? What isn’t justifiable?” He stressed that the boy was “incapable of talking, making a decision, being anything but a child.”

Mississippi’s Pattern of Unanswered Deaths

Hughley placed the ruling within a string of recent Mississippi deaths that he said ended without answers. He cited Nolan Wells, a young man found drowned, and four other people who died this year. In each case, he argued, officials signaled the same message: “There’s nothing to see here.” His sharpest line: “Nolan Wells apparently died of nothing. These other people died of nothing.”

RELATED STORY: D.L. Hughley Calls Out America: A Hard Look at Race, Children, and Who the U.S. Values

RELATED STORY: Stephen A. Smith’s Dinner With Trump Crosses the Line

A Department Under Scrutiny

Hughley highlighted troubling details about the police department involved. He said its police chief was fired for racism about a month before the decision. “How racist you got to be to get fired for being a racist?” he asked. He also said the officer who fired the shots has a “dubious past” and has not been publicly named. He added that the family had not yet been allowed to see the video footage when the ruling came down. “None of that matters,” he said, describing how the decision moved forward anyway.

Federal Oversight Weakened

Hughley argued that local officials act with confidence because they expect no federal intervention. He blamed the Trump administration for stripping the power of agencies that once investigated cases like this one. He pointed to the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, saying it now has about as much reach as a Kiwanis Club. He also cited the administration’s actions against the Southern Poverty Law Center. “He did this on purpose,” Hughley said.

Hughley closed with a message of resolve. “This administration will not always be in charge,” he said, adding that politicians respond to pressure. He predicted a future administration will reopen these cases. As an example, he pointed to the Ahmaud Arbery case. Hughley said the original district attorney repeatedly declined to bring charges. He noted that outside investigators later stepped in, the men responsible were prosecuted, and the prosecutor herself was charged. “We’re not gonna let this go,” he said.

A University of Arizona fraternity has been suspended after a sorority member says she was sexually assaulted by two men during a fraternity gathering in August, adding to a growing list of allegations putting college Greek life under scrutiny.

ABC15 Arizona reports that in a letter sent to the fraternity on Wednesday, the university’s Dean of Students Office wrote, “Activities Suspension has been imposed pending the outcome of this investigation because it has been determined that your organization presents a substantial risk to members of the university community.”

More from ABC 15:

According to the university, Sigma Phi Epsilon is accused of serving alcohol to underage guests and “created an environment that is a danger to the university community” during two unregistered social events held this semester.

Under the suspension, the fraternity is prohibited from hosting, attending, participating in or sponsoring any organizational activities until the investigation is complete.

“All members of Sigma Phi Epsilon are prohibited from having any contact with any alleged victims of these events and/or the victims’ families,” the letter stated.

The fraternity may continue to hold business meetings during the suspension.

According to The Guardian, the student told campus police she attended an event at the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house on Aug. 26. She recalled consenting to kiss one of the men but said she had no memory of agreeing to have sex.

During interviews with investigators, the woman described drinking tequila and sharing a cup with friends before the alleged assault. She said she remembered two men assaulting her, including feeling one man’s breath against her face. The next morning, she woke up without clothing below her waist and experienced difficulty swallowing, which she raised as a possible indication of strangulation.

She contacted police the day after the alleged incident and underwent forensic examinations at a nearby hospital.

Two days after the gathering, one of the men reportedly spoke by phone with another sorority member and acknowledged having sex with the woman. He maintained that the encounter was consensual and denied that the second man had sex with her. He also said his memory of the night was “fuzzy” because he had been drinking, according to The Guardian. He claimed video existed showing the woman kissing him in a bathroom.

The allegations emerged amid a broader disciplinary crackdown at the university. Officials previously suspended activities for 21 fraternities following reports of hazing, assault and alcohol- and drug-related misconduct. The Guardian reported that five chapters have since had their suspensions lifted following required meetings with the dean of students.

Sigma Phi Epsilon’s national organization said it suspended members implicated in the allegations while the investigation continues.

“The Fraternity has suspended those involved while the investigation proceeds,” CEO Brian Warren said in a statement. He added that the organization would expel members found responsible and cooperate with law enforcement.

The Arizona case comes as other universities confront similar allegations.

At Cornell University, a former student accused multiple Chi Phi fraternity members of sexually assaulting her in October 2024. The lawsuit has prompted campus protests, scrutiny of the school’s disciplinary procedures and a state investigation. The accused men have denied wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, a woman recently sued Alpha Delta Phi and its University of Chicago chapter, alleging she was raped by a fraternity member at an on-campus party in February. Chicago police are investigating a reported sexual assault from that period.

Police are also investigating a separate allegation involving a party at the University of Chicago’s Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house earlier this month. The fraternity has denied that any of its members participated in the alleged attack.

Together, the cases have renewed questions about student safety, accountability within Greek organizations, and whether universities are doing enough to protect students.

SEE ALSO:

Cornell Rape Accuser Says President’s Response Made Her Feel Dismissed

Police Investigate Alleged Sexual Assault At U Of Chicago Frat Party

Trying to figure out Killer Mike is exhausting. Not because the man is particularly complicated, but because he seems determined to make being a Black capitalist with a revolutionary marketing strategy everybody else’s problem.

One minute, he’s talking about Black liberation. Next, he’s doing an NRA commercial, interviewing Herschel Walker and Brian Kemp, and positioning himself as the kind of independent thinker who apparently believes the best way to fight oppression is to make friends with the people who benefit from it. It’s confusing because Killer Mike is giving off in-the-house vibes while trying to act like he’s off the plantation. 

Never forget that Killer Mike didn’t just cozy up to Kemp; he chose to platform the political magician who made Black votes disappear, but he was literally running against Stacey Abrams, who would’ve become the first Black female governor of Georgia had she won. 

And whenever somebody questions the contradictions, Mike seems to have the same response: You must be broke.

At this point, Killer Mike needs to change his name to “Karen Mike” because lately, he’s been doing a whole lot more complaining, demanding to speak to the manager, and giving conservative politics a platform than killing anything. Certainly not the status quo. That thing seems perfectly comfortable around him.

His latest interview with Vic Mensa only adds to the frustration. The conversation, released Oct. 14 on The Vic Mensa Show, took place inside Fred Hampton’s childhood home. Yes, THAT Fred Hampton, the Black Panther Party leader who was assassinated by police in 1969. The symbolism practically writes its own jokes.

The two discussed Black liberation, political organizing, Cop City, and Mike’s relationship with Kemp. They also addressed the “move like a capitalist” line that has turned Mike into a meme. Mike pushed back on the characterization, saying he never claimed to be a capitalist, while defending his approach to engaging political leaders he disagrees with.

That is an interesting argument to make inside the childhood home of a revolutionary who was murdered by the state. And the funniest part, and possibly the saddest, is that Killer Mike doesn’t get it. He doesn’t get the jokes, the memes, or the irony. He doesn’t get that, in his complacent thinking, he’s not radical. He doesn’t realize that, at some point, his Timberlands turned into tap shoes, and he just can’t stop dancing. 

Mike’s defense is essentially that being in the room with powerful people gives him an opportunity to get things done. But Mike doesn’t seem to understand that not all money is good money, and not all rooms are good rooms. 

He’s currently proposing a grassroots funding model in which a million people contribute $10 a month to support movement infrastructure, beginning with efforts to preserve Hampton’s home. Fine. Community funding is a legitimate organizing strategy. Preserving Black history is important. And talking to politicians you disagree with is not inherently a betrayal.

But being in the room isn’t the same as changing the room. And constantly telling people you’re playing some sophisticated political game doesn’t mean the rest of us have to applaud every move you make. Mike believes he’s playing 4D chess when he’s actually just playing cookout checkers. 

Mike’s defenders will say he is a businessman who understands how power works. Yet his history of political engagement includes an NRA interview that drew widespread criticism after the organization used his comments to promote its agenda. Mike later apologized for the timing and how his words were used, yet he still doesn’t see that he’s playing a dangerous game and always on the wrong side of the race war. 

His interviews with Kemp and Walker, Republicans whose political agendas deserve scrutiny from anyone claiming to champion Black interests, were choices, not accidents. At a crucial moment during the Black Lives Matter movement and during Trump’s first term in office, Mike was out here kicking it with the opps of Black people. 

Which is fine. For every Fresh Prince there is always a Carlton.  

The problem emerges when somebody sells himself as a champion of Black liberation while repeatedly lending his credibility to politicians and institutions whose agendas conflict with the interests of many Black Americans.

And when criticism comes, the conversation too often turns into a referendum on the critic’s bank account.

Apparently, if you don’t have Mike’s money, you don’t get to question his judgment.

That’s a convenient argument from somebody who has spent years telling Black people to educate themselves about power, economics, and the ways wealthy people manipulate the system. If you believe engaging conservative politicians is the best way to advance Black interests, make the case. Explain what you accomplished. Tell us what changed for Black people because you were in the room.

But don’t act as if the people asking questions are merely jealous because they don’t have a successful business. The man can be rich and wrong at the same time. These things are not mutually exclusive.

The contradictions sting because Mike is talented and politically engaged enough to know better. Run the Jewels built its reputation on music that challenged entrenched power, confronted racism, and encouraged listeners to question the people running the show. Mike’s solo work and public commentary have often carried that same energy.

Which makes the conservative photo ops and the lectures to his critics feel like watching somebody slowly become the manager he once rapped about fighting.

The latest Vic Mensa interview also reveals the problem with Mike’s insistence that people misunderstand him. Let me make this abundantly clear: We don’t misunderstand Killer Mike; we just can’t believe him. We can’t believe he has the audacity to act like some truth-teller whose harsh realism is too difficult to digest. Nah, Fam. We know exactly who you are, and we are disgusted by it. 

Mike can explain his intentions all day, but intentions don’t erase the consequences of political choices. And when the criticism is coming from people who share his stated concerns about Black liberation, dismissing them as broke or confused is not a substitute for answering their arguments.

At some point, the audience can stop doing public relations for the artist.

Mike’s wealth, conservative connections, and proximity to power are not some magical force field against racism. White supremacy has never promised to spare Black people just because they have money or know the right people. Killer Mike is free to be a capitalist, even if he rejects the label. He’s free to interview Republicans, defend his strategy, and build his business empire. But the rest of us can notice when revolutionary talk starts sounding like an advertisement for the ruling class.

So maybe it’s time to retire Killer Mike and make room for Karen Mike: the guy who wants to speak to the manager, complain about the haters, and remind everybody how much money he has.

Because right now, the only thing he’s consistently killing is the patience of the people who once believed he had something important to say about Black liberation.

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The Food and Drug Administration announced the recall of more than 4.3 million tubes of fluoride toothpaste that have been distributed nationwide.

The voluntary recall was initiated by Pritam International Private Limited, an Indiana-based manufacturer. On September 10, the FDA classified the recall as class 2 on October 19. The recalled products include toothpaste sold under the Brush Buddies, Crayola, Hot Wheels, My Little Pony, evo, ARU, and BB brands.

TRENDING: FDA Recalls: Food and Medications Recalled August 2026

The products include anticavity fluoride toothpaste in flavors such as bubble gum, strawberry, watermelon, peppermint, sweet mint, cool mint, and various ice cream flavors. The products were distributed by Ashtel Studios Inc., based in Ontario, California. The recalled toothpaste comes in 3.5-ounce and 4-ounce tubes, as well as a two-pack containing two 3.5-ounce tubes.

TRENDING: National Food Days and Deals Coming Fall 2026

The recall includes products with expiration dates ranging from November 2026 through June 2028. Consumers should check the lot numbers and expiration dates listed on the FDA’s recall notice to determine whether they have an affected product. The FDA’s recall notice to determine whether theft has an affected product. The FDA recall has not yet reported any illnesses or injuries linked to the recalled toothpaste. 

Consumers who have recalled products should stop using them and contact the retailer they purchased from or the manufacturer for information about returns or a refund.

Sybil Wilkes delivered another fast-moving edition of “What We Need to Know,” covering political flashpoints in Texas and Ohio, a national food safety alert, and an urgent search for a missing Black teenager in California. Here is what you need to know.

Health scares can arrive at any time, and most importantly at anyone’s doorstep. We learned that recently with the shocking news of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts’ blood clot diagnosis, which has forced him to sit out the remainder of the current NFL season.

His health status was shared with fans on Monday (October 19) in a joint statement from the Eagles and his agent, Nicole Lynn. Based on the statement (seen below), it’s understood that Hurts is currently on blood thinners to combat a diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli, originally thought to be a superficial vein thrombosis in the left calf.

RELATED: Jalen Hurts Out For Season With Multiple Blood Clots

“The risk of superficial blood clot progressing to a deep vein thrombosis and/or a pulmonary embolism can vary depending on the risk factors of the individual, and especially the risk factors of the clot,” said Dr. Jordan K. Schaefer in a report by ESPN, relegating it to factors like length of the clot, where it is anatomically and ultimately how close it is to the deep vein system. She also stated, “All of these superficial blood clots have some degree of risk of progressing to a deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, and that’s why the follow-up is so important to monitor people over time and assess for clots that start as superficial vein thrombosis and turn into a deep vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism.”

While the term “superficial” can make it seem less important in comparison to a DVT, in reality it should be treated more like an early warning sign towards a far more severe diagnosis. It’s believed that 10% of patients diagnosed with superficial clots will experience the clot moving to the deep-vein system, so quick detection can be the key factor that saves a life. Whether you’re a Super Bowl Champion QB or a regular 9-to-5 civilian, it’s worth knowing the essentials to getting ahead of a health issue that clearly doesn’t discriminate in its path.

Take a look below to get familiar on 10 important things to know when it comes to understanding a superficial blood clot diagnosis:

Know The Terms

A superficial venous thrombosis, also abbreviated as SVT, is a clot that develops in a vein closer to the skin’s surface. If untreated, it is often seen as the first stage towards deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, which forms in larger veins farther below the surface and can also trigger a pulmonary embolism to the lungs with fatal results.

From the campaign trail to city hall to the pages of early American history, this week’s “What We Need to Know” segment with Sybil Wilkes covered stories shaping Black communities across the country. The recap below breaks down each one.

We learn our basics in daycare, social skills in pre-K, the fundamentals in grade school and our first encounters with puberty in middle school. However, the foundation of who we become as adults is deeply rooted in the formative years of high school.

With a new semester already underway, many students are working hard to best represent their respective institutions. However, a handful of high schools in America have managed to successfully rank at the top of the scholastic ladder based on a combination of college readiness, state assessments, performance by underserved students and graduation rates.

RELATED: Little Known Black History Fact: Paul Laurence Dunbar High School

The top 20 high school rankings for the 2026–2027 school year provide an important way to evaluate academic excellence, educational opportunities and student achievement. These rankings show the schools that offer strong academic programs, experienced teachers, advanced coursework and resources that prepare students for college and future careers. Schools that perform well in rankings often demonstrate high graduation rates, strong standardized test results and opportunities for students to participate in extracurricular activities, leadership programs, and specialized academic courses.

The official 2026–2027 U.S. News & World Report rankings highlight schools that demonstrate the importance of academic rigor, college preparation and student performance. The rankings evaluated nearly 27,000 eligible public high schools, with approximately 18,000 receiving national rankings, making the results a significant resource for comparing educational performance across the country.

In case you missed the report, take a look below at the Top 20 high schools in America for the 2026-27 school year:

1. Central Magnet School – Murfreesboro, TN

Graduation Rate: 100%
Enrollment (9-12): 799

Across politics, business, and community safety, Black Americans are making history on multiple fronts. From the halls of the U.S. Senate to the NASCAR racetrack to the streets of Birmingham, Alabama, a new wave of progress is taking shape, driven by leaders, entrepreneurs, and communities who refuse to be sidelined. In this edition of What We Need to Know, Sybil Wilkes breaks down four stories that reflect a larger truth: representation matters, and the push for it is producing real, measurable results.

The sky appeared to be the limit for 21-year-old Morgan Gamble, a Clark Atlanta University senior, former Miss Omega Psi Phi, collegiate softball athlete and even an extra on the recent Netflix revival of A Different World.

Sadly, her inspiring story came to an end earlier this week (October 13) when she was killed in a fatal car crash due to a reckless driver who was clocked going 94 mph in a 35 mph zone.

RELATED: More Drivers Are Turning To Dash Cam Footage When Crash Stories Do Not Match

According to Atlanta News First, the crash was caused by a vehicle driven by Nikolai Dunford on Hank Aaron Drive and Glen Street roughly around 11:30 PM on Tuesday night. Gamble was struck at full speed while sitting in her car, which put her in critical condition before later dying at the hospital. Dunford is being charged with reckless driving, speeding and first-degree vehicular homicide. Her father, George Gamble, is now left in a state of confusion with many unanswered questions, telling the outlet, “I’m just really perplexed as to how a car can travel 95 miles an hour in a ’30 miles per hour’ zone.” Her sister, Azhae Hylton, shared his sentiments by adding, “There should be no reason why that should have have happened. There should be speed bumps put down on the ground, I don’t know.”

The university released a statement as well, in addition to issuing designating days of support over the past two days for the many students and staff who will forever be affected by her loss. “As the University community grieves, may everyone find strength in the bonds of the Panther family and comfort in the care and compassion extended to one another,” says the Clark Atlanta administration, which will also offer extra emotional support courtesy of the CAU Office Of Spiritual Life and the Counseling Services Office.

While details are still developing to determine if intoxication or any other influence is at the center of the crash, many familiar with the area are saying it’s been a troubled road to travel for some time now. Local resident Mali Glemaud-Thesee told Atlanta News First that he’s seen and heard accidents on that corner before, stating, “I’ve literally seen somebody get hit before by a car.”

We pray for the family and friends of Morgan Gamble as they only begin to piece together such a great loss to the community.

Every family has somebody who knows the stories behind the stories. They remember whose ambition began the family’s legacy, who owned the house where everyone gathered, and who made a way when there wasn’t one. On Martha’s Vineyard, the African American Heritage Trail has spent nearly three decades making sure the island’s Black history is remembered with that same care.

Martha’s Vineyard’s reputation as a beloved summer destination for Black families is well earned. Its history also includes the people who established businesses, created gathering places, built institutions, and challenged discrimination so that future generations could live, work, rest, and return. Much of that history remains visible throughout the island, from the cottages of Oak Bluffs to the waterfront of Edgartown, where ordinary-looking places hold extraordinary stories about Black life.

The African American Heritage Trail of Martha’s Vineyard exists to preserve and share those stories. Through historical research, educational programming, guided tours, and commemorative markers, the nonprofit has spent nearly three decades documenting the lives and contributions of people of African descent on the Massachusetts island. What began as an effort to address the absence of local Black history in schools has developed into an expansive preservation initiative, with more than 40 recognized sites across Martha’s Vineyard.

RELATED CONTENT: Harriet Tubman Erased From National Park’s Underground Railroad Webpage By Trump Admin

Sybil Wilkes is back with What We Need To Know, delivering stories that touch our families, our wallets and our pursuit of justice, along with a reminder that excellence still makes headlines. Here is what you need to know today.

You gotta love a viral Karen confrontation that turns into an epic moment in FAFO history, all because of white people’s Caucasian urge to move into neighborhoods and assert authority that they do not have.

Last week, we reported on the viral moment when a white woman who recently bought a house across the street from Huston-Tillotson University, an HBCU in Austin, Texas, shouted to one of her neighbors, a student at the school, “THIS IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD,” all because the student confronted her about messing with people’s cars that were parked on the public street in front of her house.

As we noted previously, the student who recorded the video,  Bri Nunn, was calm and polite as she approached the Karen and the man she was with, asking them, “Excuse me, do y’all live here? Y’all know that it’s legal to park right here, right?”

Karen responded by telling the Huston-Tillotson senior that “we paid $1.5 million for this house,” before berating the students, claiming out of nowhere that “y’all’s graduation rates are at 25%,” which had nothing to do with the parking situation that she was trying to police with no authority to do so. 

Now, before things even escalated that far, the white woman could have relented. She could have come to glory on the fact that public street parking is public street parking, and she can’t just decide otherwise because she “paid $1,5 million” to live in a Black neighborhood that won’t let her gentrify in peace.

Well, now Karen the Kooky Kolonizer has bigger problems than Black people parking their cars where she wishes they wouldn’t; she’s been dealing with protests and makeshift Black cookouts she’s not invited to, despite them happening right outside her door.

From Fox 7 Austin:

The video posted by Bri has since gained over one million views on Instagram. It led to crowds of students and community members gathering outside the home this weekend, playing music, chanting, and waving signs. A few of them read, “You bought a house, not our history, East Austin is ours.”

Neighbors say that at points throughout the protest, police officers were called to the neighborhood, but the interactions remained peaceful.

“Police are showing up three or four times a day, at least three or four deep,” says Bradley. “[The protesters’] voices were being heard, they were respectful, they weren’t disrespectful, they stayed in their lane.”

When asked about her neighbor’s remarks, she said it was unacceptable. “We can’t tolerate that. She’s entitled to how she feels, but there are consequences for that, and she’s feeling the consequences of that.”

Sybill Bradley, who said she’s been living along E 9th Street for the past 16 years, also told Fox 7 that she and her family hadn’t “had any issues with parking at all,” and that she didn’t understand why Karen “felt the need to say it’s her neighborhood.”

Another neighbor told the outlet, “I was very upset. I was disappointed, frustrated, especially living as close as we are to that, to see that, and especially to hear the words that she said when she kept screaming, ‘my neighborhood.’ And then for her to make the remark about the school, that was very disappointing. If you didn’t want to socialize with us, you just speak and move on, but what happened the other day, we’ve never had that happen before.”

But Karen made the decision not to stay in whatever communities Karens are welcome, opting to move to where Black people socialize, and now her Karen cup runneth over with Black socialization she can view from her window.

Here’s a video a neighbor took of Black people “barbequing and playing Dominoes” right next to her home.

Again, all they had to do was leave Black people alone. Karen and her Ken-tlemen friend could have lived in the neighborhood in peace, as long as they accepted that public street parking included the space in front of their home, and that they could do nothing about it. Now, her home has basically become an episode of The Boondocks, with protests and impromptu cookouts happening outside her door long enough for cops to show up multiple times a day and leave without making arrests.

See, they do it to themselves; everyone else is just there to get it on camera.

SEE ALSO:

Karen Moves Across From HBCU, Harasses Students, Professors

NY Karen Arrested After Striking Black Teens And Getting Knocked Out For It

October 13 is Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about Stage 4 breast cancer, amplifying the voices of those living with the disease, and calling for more research, better treatments, and increased funding. Because when it comes to breast cancer, awareness should go beyond the pink ribbons. It should also include the realities of living with cancer that has spread.

According to Breastcancer.org, more than 2 million women worldwide are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Behind every statistic is a person, a family, and a future suddenly filled with questions. A cancer diagnosis can feel like an incredibly heavy weight to carry, but understanding the disease, recognizing the warning signs, and knowing what treatment options are available can help people feel more informed and empowered as they navigate their next steps.

So, let’s talk about metastatic breast cancer: what it is, how it spreads, and why continued awareness and research matter.

What Is Metastatic Breast Cancer?

Metastatic breast cancer, also known as Stage IV or advanced breast cancer, occurs when cancer cells spread beyond the original breast tumor to distant parts of the body, according to National Breast Cancer. These areas commonly include the bones, lungs, liver, and brain.

Think of it this way: breast cancer may begin in one place, but sometimes its cells find a way to travel. Cancer cells can break away from the original tumor or nearby lymph nodes and move through the bloodstream or lymphatic system, eventually forming new tumors in other organs.

Metastatic breast cancer can develop in two main ways. There’s distant recurrence, where breast cancer returns in another part of the body months or even years after the initial diagnosis and treatment. There’s also De novo metastatic breast cancer: Cancer has already spread to distant parts of the body when breast cancer is first diagnosed.

Although these two situations differ in when the cancer is discovered, both require specialized care and treatment tailored to the individual.

Sybil Wilkes is back with What We Need To Know, delivering a packed edition of “What We Need to Know” this Tuesday. The segment covered politics, money, sports, and history that matter to Black America. Here’s the rundown.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. While breast cancer predominantly impacts women, today we’re going to discuss the rare but very real impact of male breast cancer. 

While it’s true that women make up the majority of new breast cancer cases, Susan G. Komen estimates that men make up 1% of new breast cancer diagnoses every year. The risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000 for men in the U.S. compared to 1 in 8 for women in the U.S. Those odds may sound fairly small, but it adds up to about 2,670 new cases of invasive male breast cancer expected this year. Men also make up 530 of breast cancer deaths yearly. 

So with the reality established, you may be wondering what symptoms you should be looking for when it comes to male breast cancer. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms include A painless lump or thickening of the skin on the chest. Changes to the skin covering the chest, such as dimpling, puckering, scaling, or changes in skin color. Changes to the nipple, such as changes in skin color or scaling, a nipple that begins to turn inward, or discharge or bleeding from the nipple.

Several risk factors can make a breast cancer diagnosis more likely for men. The first is age, as most male breast cancer diagnoses occur after 50, with 69 being the median age. Obesity, liver disease, and a family history of breast cancer are also some of the major risk factors. 

One of the biggest risk factors is genetic mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Both genes are integral to your body’s ability to fight cancer. 

From the CDC:

When they work normally, these genes help keep breast, ovarian, and other types of cells from growing and dividing too rapidly or in an uncontrolled way.

Sometimes, changes or “mutations” occur that prevent genes from doing their job properly. This raises a person’s risk for breast, ovarian, and other cancers. About 3% of breast cancers and 10% of ovarian cancers result from mutations in BRCA genes. If your mother or father has a BRCA gene mutation, you have a 50% chance of having the same gene mutation.

Breast and ovarian cancers can also be caused by mutations in other genes. These mutations might be found through genetic testing.

As a man, I know there is a tendency among us to just grin and bear it whenever we’re dealing with bodily pain or illness. That tendency can be counterproductive and ultimately lead to harmful outcomes. While men have the same mortality rate as women when it comes to breast cancer, men are often diagnosed at a later stage of cancer. 

This is important for Black men in particular, as we have the highest incidence rate when it comes to male breast cancer diagnoses, as well as the highest mortality rate. So please, if you notice any changes in your breast area or are feeling any of the aforementioned symptoms, go to your primary care provider. The sooner you find out what’s going on with your body, the sooner you can receive treatment and avoid a potentially bleak prognosis. 

SEE ALSO:

The Cost of Treating Black Men’s Health Like a Joke

‘Wellness In Black Life’ Panel Focuses On Black Men’s Health

On Martha’s Vineyard, a spare bedroom could be both a business strategy and an act of hospitality. For generations, Black homeowners have turned their properties into places where visitors could stay, families could reunite, and entrepreneurs could earn a living. These arrangements helped make summers on the island accessible to more Black Americans while establishing economic opportunities for the people who called it home.

The history of Black homeownership on Martha’s Vineyard is as much about what people did with their properties as it is about who owned them. Across generations, families purchased modest cottages, established businesses, offered accommodations, and created networks that allowed others to experience the island. Their efforts contributed to the development of the cultural destination that Black Americans continue to enjoy today.

Among them were Charles and Henrietta Shearer, whose Oak Bluffs property became one of the island’s best-known Black-owned hospitality establishments. Henrietta operated a successful laundry business before the couple opened Shearer Cottage as an inn in 1912, providing accommodations for African American travelers during a period when racial discrimination restricted their lodging options. The property became a gathering place for Black visitors, including prominent artists, intellectuals, and professionals. Today, the family’s history remains an enduring example of how property ownership and entrepreneurship helped sustain the island’s Black community.

The Shearers’ story is familiar to those acquainted with the island’s history, but their experiences also reflect a much broader tradition of Black families using the resources available to them to build businesses, support their neighbors, and establish a presence that could endure for generations.

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Sybil Wilkes is back with What We Need To Know, with a fast-moving rundown of the stories shaping the week. The segment covered a deadly storm, a federal probe into major networks, a fuel debate on Capitol Hill, and a tribute to one of Black America’s sharpest voices.

It’s still hard to wrap our heads around the mysterious circumstances in the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, even more so with it officially being ruled a drowning despite an autopsy that suggests otherwise. Even more surprising, his premature passing has now become linked to the family legacy of late civil rights pioneer Martin Luther King Jr.

His daughter, Bernice King, recently revealed that the sorrowful fate of Wells mirrors the still-unsolved drowning death of her uncle and MLK Jr.’s only brother, Reverend A.D. King.

RELATED: Nolan Wells’ Mom Argues Against Calling Him A Man: “He Was A Teenager”

Wisconsin High School Students Stage Walkout In Support Of Nolan Wells

“Uncle A.D. was found dead in his swimming pool in July 1969,” Bernice candidly shared in a post on social media (seen above), going on to add, “Fifty-seven years later, my family still carries unanswered questions about the circumstances of his death.” She makes note of the shared pain with a bittersweet relatability, writing, “There are details that make Nolan’s family’s questions painfully familiar. Both were strong swimmers. Uncle A.D. had a bruised forehead and no water in his lungs. Nolan also had bruising on his head and no water in his lungs or airways. His cause and manner of death remain undetermined.”

Along with most of Black America, her note didn’t end without a prayer for the fallen. “I pray Nolan’s family receives a thorough, transparent investigation and the answers they deserve. I pray they do not have to live with decades of unanswered questions as my family has,” says Bernice, ending her touching statement with a closing line that reads, “Grief is already a heavy burden. Families deserve truth, and their loved ones deserve to be remembered for the fullness of their lives.”

More into the unsung history of A.D. King below, via The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University:

“Alfred Daniel Williams King was born on 30 July 1930, in Atlanta, Georgia. A. D. was the third child of Alberta Williams King and Martin Luther King, Sr. In contrast to his peacemaking brother, Martin, A. D. was, according to his father, “a little rough at times” and ‘let his toughness build a reputation throughout our neighborhood’ (King, Sr., 126). Less interested in academics than his siblings, A. D. started a family of his own while still a teenager. He was married on 17 June 1950, to Naomi Barber, with whom he had five children. Although as a youth he strongly resisted his father’s ministerial urgings, King eventually began assisting his father at Ebenezer Baptist Church. In 1959, King graduated from Morehouse College, and that same year he left Ebenezer to become pastor of Mount Vernon First Baptist Church in Newnan, Georgia.”

A.D. was in many ways just as big of an activist as his famous brother, even being arrested alongside MLK Jr. during an October 1960 Atlanta lunch counter sit-in. “My friends, we have had enough problems tonight. If you’re going to kill someone, then kill me…. Stand up for your rights, but with nonviolence,” he once shouted from the top of a car as an angry mob rightfully protested the home bombing of a prominent Black lawyer in downtown Birmingham. Sound familiar?

We stand alongside Bernice King in demanding the unfiltered truth so yet another Black family isn’t robbed of answers to an unsolved death. Sadly, many other families within our culture relate explicitly to this tired tale of fatal misfortune.

Sybil Wilkes is back with What We Need To Know, from the high-stakes midterm elections and life-saving breast cancer awareness updates, to approaching health coverage deadlines, HBCU homecoming season, and practical steps toward building household wealth before the holidays.

Halle Berry is continuing to push back against what she describes as her ex-husband Olivier Martinez’s “outrageous, false, and misleading” abuse claims in his recent petition seeking sole custody of their son, Maceo. As previously reported, the legal dispute escalated after Martinez accused the Hollywood actress of being violent toward their 13-year-old son during an alleged Sept. 26 incident. He claimed Berry “physically abused” Maceo and alleged there had been “other instances of abuse” in recent years, according to court documents obtained by US Magazine and PEOPLE.

Halle Berry responds to Olivier Martinez’s custody petition.

However, Berry strongly denied the accusations. In a declaration filed Oct. 5 and obtained by PEOPLE, the Oscar-winning actress stated:

“I have never physically, emotionally, or otherwise abused Maceo. I am a victim of domestic violence, and I help victims of domestic violence.” She continued, “I am not a perpetrator of violence. I would never hurt our child.”

RELATED CONTENT: Halle Berry Accused Of Choking 12-Year-Old Son As Judge Grants Ex Olivier Martinez’s Temporary Restraining Order

Martinez, 60, filed for sole custody last week, claiming that Berry, 60, “physically abused” their son during the Sept. 26 incident at Berry’s home. According to a legal filing in Los Angeles Superior Court obtained by US Magazine, Martinez’s attorneys claimed Maceo called his father and asked to be picked up after allegedly being “physically attacked” and “choked” by his mother during an argument.

Martinez alleged that Berry became upset with Maceo while he was playing a virtual reality game. According to his account, she allegedly put their son in a headlock and choked him.

He further claimed that the incident left Maceo “traumatized” and that the boy did “not want to spend time” at his mother’s home. Martinez also alleged that Berry had previously placed Maceo in “choke holds” while practicing “mixed martial arts.”

Halle Berry vehemently denied the claims. See what she had to say after the flip!

From the polling place to the courtroom to the front door of a new home, Sybil Wilkes is back with What We Need To Know, covering stories that reach directly into Black communities across the country. Here is a closer look at each headline.

Sybil Wilkes is back with What We Need To Know, covering three Black candidates seeking governor’s offices, a new executive order on diesel fuel, and a former Baltimore library worker who brings free books directly to children. Here is a closer look at each story.