My Brother's Keeper Announces 2026 Summer Reading List to Boost Literacy Among Newark Students & Residents

My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Newark, an initiative of Newark Opportunity Youth Network (NOYN) built on the Obama Foundation’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, announced today the MBK Newark 2026 Summer Reading List featuring 30 books for early childhood to adult readers. The annual list encourages families to read together to improve literacy skills for students and adults both over the summer.

“Improving literacy among our students, including Black and Brown boys of color is a leading priority for MBK Newark and the city at-large. Community involvement is a key factor in the effort’s success,” said Mark Comesañas, executive director of My Brother’s Keeper Newark. “Each year, we curate a list of books reflective of diverse backgrounds and experiences for children and families to see both themselves and different perspectives. We look forward to working with partner organizations to distribute the books, celebrate Newark authors, and encourage all residents to read this summer.”

MBK Newark focuses on six key life milestones to improve outcomes for young men of color. The MBK 2026 Summer Reading List highlights Milestone 2, Reading at Grade level by Third Grade, when reading to learn, not just learning to read, becomes essential for the foundation of a student’s academic success.

The list serves to engage Newark residents of all ages to contribute to investments by the City of Newark and Newark Public Schools, including Mayor Ras Baraka’s 10-point Youth Literacy Plan and the Newark Public Schools 2026 Summer Reading List, to bring students’ reading skills above grade level. One local collaborator includes Reading Partners, which is currently recruiting local tutors in partnership with GreenLight Fund Greater Newark, to improve literacy outcomes for 4,500 students.

Books on the list include titles written and illustrated by Newark authors, including West Ward Councilman Dupré L. Kelly and Khairi Williams (“You Can Do It All”); David D., Aiyana Heart, and Jada Rae Ruiz (“Meet the Tayberries”); and Daniela Palacios and Patricia Patalinjug (“El Nuevo País y la Nueva Amiga de Sara/Sara’s New Country and New Friend”).

“A movement is not a movement unless it is moving progressively forward and tomorrow cannot be built with stagnant ideas.” said authors of “You Can Do It All” West Ward Councilman Dupré L. Kelly and Khairi Williams. “Momentum begins with literacy, understanding, and self-belief. Our book “You Can Do It All” being added to the MBK 2026 Summer Reading List aligns with the incredible mission of My Brother’s Keeper Newark, making sure our children do not just dream about success, but actively march toward it .”

MBK Newark plans to distribute 500 copies of the books at local events throughout the summer, including Black Boy Joy Festival on August 1 at Military Park, Reading Under the Stars on August 5 at Ivy Hill Park, and others.

The MBK Newark 2026 Summer Reading List

Ages 0-3

“You Can Do It All” by Khairi Williams & Dupré L. Kelly (Newark Author)

“Whose Toes are Those?” by Jabari Asim; illustrated by LeUyen Pham

“Cerca/Close” by Juan Felipe Herrera; illustrated by Blanca Gómez

“At the Park” by Sally Anne Garland

“I Believe I Can” by Grace Byers; illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo

Ages 4-6

“Meet the Tayberries” by David D. Ruiz & Aiyana Heart Ruiz; illustrated by Jada Rae Ruiz
(Newark Author)

“El Nuevo País y la Nueva Amiga de Sara/Sara’s New Country and New
Friend” by Daniela Palacios; illustrated by Patricia Patalinjug (Newark Author)

“Hey Young Prince!: Discover God's Greatness Within You” by Felicia Campbell; illustrated Zuri Gray

“Little Black Boy: Oh, the Things You Will Do!” by Kirby Howell-Baptiste and Larry C. Fields III

“Freedom Soup” by Tami Charles

Ages 7-9

“The Rhythm of Time” by Questlove and S.A. Cosby

“The Library in the Woods” by Calvin Alexander Ramsey; illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

“Montgomery and the Case of the Golden Key” by Tracy Occomy Crowder

“Call Me Roberto!: Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos” by Nathalie Alonso; illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez

“A Fist for Joe Louis and Me” by Trinka Hakes Noble

Ages 10-13

“Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You!” by Marley Dias

“Kwame Crashes the Underworld ” by Craig Kofi Farmer

“The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze” by Derrick Barnes

“Black Star” by Jason Reynolds by Kwame Alexander

“Tight” by Torrey Maldonado

Ages 14-17

“Show and Prove” by Sofia Quintero

“Long Way Down” by Jason Reynolds

“The Contender” by Robert Lipsyte

“Money Out Loud: All the Financial Stuff No One Taught Us” by Berna Anat

“We Are Not From Here” by Jenny Torres Sanchez

Ages 18+

“Grocery Shopping with My Mother” by Kevin Powell

“Every Day We Get More Illegal” by Juan Felipe Herrera

“The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois” by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers

“Toni Morrison: The Princeton Lectures” by Toni Morrison

“America, U.S.A. How Race Shadows the Nation's Anniversaries” by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.

To view the full MBK Newark 2026 Summer Reading List, including book synopses, MBK Summer Reading List — My Brothers Keeper Newark.

59TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1967 NEWARK REBELLION WILL BE COMMEMORATED BY PEOPLE’S ORGANIZATION FOR PROGRESS ON JULY 12TH

The anniversary of a major uprising of the 1960s will be observed this weekend by a grassroots civil and human rights advocacy group. 

A march and rally will be held to commemorate the 59th anniversary of the 1967 Newark Rebellion, a cataclysmic event of that turbulent era. 

It will take place Sunday, July 12, 2026, 2:00pm, starting at the Rebellion Monument, 250 Springfield Avenue in Newark, New Jersey. 

This event is sponsored by the People’s Organization For Progress (POP), which has held some form of commemoration for the uprising since the group was founded 44 years ago in 1982.

“We are having this event because we believe it is important to remember what happened during the 1967 Newark Rebellion, why it happened, and how it is still relevant today,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated. 

“The 1967 uprising was one of the most consequential occurrences in the city’s 350 year history. It is integral to an understanding of present day Newark, and there are important lessons to be learned from it,” Hamm said. 

“It has been called the Newark riots. We do not call it a riot. We call it a rebellion because it was a collective response to the racist oppression of black people in the city, state, and nation,” he said. 

The commemoration will begin with a rally at the Rebellion Monument dedicated to those killed during the unrest. It lists the names of the 26 people who were killed during the uprising. 

The monument is located in an area unofficially known as ‘Rebellion Park,’ which is located on Springfield Ave between Hayes Street and Irvine Turner Blvd.

Participants at the event will march from the monument to the 1st Police Precinct, 10  17th Avenue, and back. The precinct is where the 1967 Newark Rebellion started. 

“The 1967 Newark uprising was sparked by a police brutality incident. Newark police officers beat an African-American cab driver named John Smith,” he said. 

“This led to a confrontation between protestors and police outside of the police precinct building in the city’s Central Ward, where Smith had been taken, which ignited the uprising that spread to other parts of Newark,” he said. 

The rebellion took place over a four day period. A force of 7,917 police and national guard were mobilized to put it down. A state of emergency was declared and martial law was established. 

When it was over 26 people had been killed, more than 700 injured and nearly 1,500 arrested. It resulted in millions of dollars of property damage. 

“The upheaval was catastrophic but it also gave added impetus to a dynamic movement for black political power that led to the election of Kenneth A. Gibson as Newark’s first African American mayor and eventually a predominantly Black city council during his second term,” he said.

Hamm said this year’s commemoration will focus on the ongoing problem of police brutality. He said that almost 1300 people were killed by police last year with less than 1 percent of the officers involved being charged with a crime. 

“We are going to demand justice for Wali Bey, Kohen Wiley, Deborah Terrell, Carl Dorsey, Major Gulia Dale III, Andrew Washington, Najee Seabrooks, Bernard Placide, and all victims of police brutality. We are going to demand that those officers that killed them be held accountable and prosecuted,” Hamm said. 

“This not only includes local police but also state troopers, ICE agents, National Guard, and officers belonging to other law enforcement agencies. 

“We are going to demand passage of bills by the New Jersey legislature that will enable cities and towns to establish police review boards with subpoena powers. 

“We are also going to demand passage of federal police reform legislation including the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act,” he said. 

The speakers at the event will include people who lived through the rebellion, family members of recent victims of police brutality, community leaders and activists. They will discuss how what happened then is still relevant today. 

For directions and other information call the People's Organization For Progress at (973)801-0001. 

SUPREME COURT VOTING RIGHTS RULING PROTESTED AT FEDERAL COURTHOUSE IN NEWARK NJ

Social justice activists and labor leaders outraged by a recent Supreme Court ruling in a major voting rights case protested at a federal district courthouse on Wednesday.

The demonstration took place May 13th at the Martin Luther King Federal Courthouse in Newark, New Jersey. It was sponsored by the People’s Organization For Progress.

“We held this protest in response to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Louisiana v. Callais case. That ruling has effectively killed the 1965 Voting Rights Act,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated.

“It will enable states to redraw their congressional districts and eliminate those which have majority black populations. This in turn will cause many black congressional representatives to lose their seats,” Hamm said.

He said the court’s ruling is a major set back to the African American struggle for voting rights and political representation in the United States. It will leave many states, particularly those in the South with no Black congressional representation.

“This may be one of the worst U.S. Supreme Court decisions since the ruling in the Dred Scott case of 1857 which said that black people had no rights that white people were bound to respect,” he said.

As soon as the protesters arrived they set up a picket line outside the entrance of the courthouse. They chanted and drummed while carrying signs and banners.

Courthouse security came outside and watched them from the steps but did not interfere. Drones hovered above the demonstrators for several hours until the conclusion of the protest.

Through the loudspeaker that they brought with them their chants could be heard several blocks away. During the protest they had a number of speakers representing community, labor, and religious groups.

Unlike most demonstrations where the crowd stops to listen to the speakers, during this event they made their presentations during the picketing. The picket line never stopped moving. It continued until the demonstration was over.

Hamm opened the rally saying the protesters were there to oppose this “abominable” decision by the court and that they demanded the restoration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

“We demand that Congress pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act at the federal level. We demand that the state legislature pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act of New Jersey. It has been passed by the Assembly now we want it passed by the Senate,” he said.

“We also demand the reform and restructuring of the Supreme Court. Lifetime appointments must end, term limits should be imposed, and stronger ethics laws should be put in place,” he said.

Speakers at the rally included Deborah Smith-Gregory, President, NAACP Newark, Larry Hirsch, President, Local 913 American Federation of Government Employees, Daryn Martin, Secretary-Treasurer, District 1199J, and Rev Michael Corso, Sophia Inclusive Community.

Other speakers there were Jimmy Small, Chairman, Muslim League of Voters of New Jersey, Zayid Muhammad, New Jersey Communities for Accountable Policing, and Assatta Mann-Colon, Community Organizing Manager, New Jersey Institute for Social Justice.

Additional speakers addressed the crowd including Heather Richner, Associate Counsel for the Democracy and Justice Program, Rev Anya Sammler, Senior Co-Minister Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, Evelyn Williams, Vice Chairwoman, South Ward Democratic Committee, and Larry Adams, Vice Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress.

An earlier written statement announcing the protest also called for the expansion of the court from nine to thirteen justices to allow for the appointment of four liberal members to break the ideological stranglehold of the current right wing super majority on the court.

During the demonstration the protesters called for the impeachment of those justices that were part of the court majority that issued the ruling in the Callais case. They also called for the impeachment of President Trump.

For more information please call People’s Organization for Progress at 973 801-0001.

POP CHAIRMAN LAWRENCE HAMM ENDORSES MAYOR RAS BARAKA FOR RE-ELECTION

A longtime civil rights activist has announced his support for the re-election of the current mayor of Newark in the city’s upcoming Municipal election on Tuesday, May 12th. 

“I am endorsing Ras Baraka for mayor of Newark because I believe that at this time he is the best choice among the candidates running in the city’s upcoming general election,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated. 

“He is the most qualified and he is the most experienced of those in the race. Regarding the workings of government at the local, state and federal levels he is the most knowledgeable.” Hamm said. 

“During this period of instability in the country it is important for the city to have strong, steady and dependable leadership. We find those qualities in the mayor,” he said. 

“This is not to say that he has not had challenges, or that he won’t have challenges to face in the future,” he said. 

“However, it is to say that over the years he has accumulated a record of accomplishments and that he is prepared to handle future problems,” Hamm, a former candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020 and 2024, stated.

Hamm has been a supporter of the mayor for many years. As an activist he first became involved with the mayor’s father poet, playwright, author, educator, and activist Amiri Baraka in 1971. 

He has endorsed all four of Ras Baraka’s campaigns for mayor. In the aftermath of Amiri Baraka’s passing in 2014 Hamm endorsed Ras Baraka’s first campaign for mayor that year. 

Since then he endorsed the next three subsequent mayoral campaigns and last year’s gubernatorial campaign. 

Hamm went on to say that he has endorsed Mayor Baraka because he is politically progressive and has been outspoken on a number of issues that are a part of the progressive agenda. 

Some of these include jobs and economic justice, raising the federal minimum wage, universal basic income, police brutality, reparations to African Americans for slavery, and defending immigrant rights. 

He established Newark’s first police review board and supports legislation to give police review boards subpoena powers. Having such powers would make these review boards more effective in their investigations, deliberations, and decision making. 

“I am supporting the mayor is because he speaks out on issues that affect working people, poor people, and people of color even when those issue are controversial,” he said. 

“Again and again I have seen him speak at rallies, marches, demonstrations, and protests of those struggling against injustice,” Hamm said. 

“On Election Day, Tuesday, May 12th, I urge Newark residents to vote Ras Baraka for mayor of Newark,” he said. 

Newark NJ to unveil statue of George Floyd

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka on Wednesday is set to unveil a statue of George Floyd that officials say will be displayed outside City Hall for at least a year.

“The artwork honors the life of George Floyd, an African-American man who was brutally murdered by a white Minneapolis police officer,” the mayor’s office said in a statement. “Mr. Floyd’s death elevated the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement which has resulted in an international response, including protests, police reform measures, and the removal of Confederate statues from public parks and racist names from organizations.”

Baraka will join actor, director, and filmmaker Leon Pickney, who commissioned the 700-pound statue and the sculptor, Stanley Watts, among other officials at the event, according to the mayor’s office. The event is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. outside City Hall on Board Street and will be streamed via the city’s Facebook page.

The statue was donated to the city this week as part of an effort to develop a “world class public art program,” in Newark, the announcement said.

[SOURCE: NJ.COM]

Seton Hall and Prudential Center to host 2025 NCAA Regional in Newark NJ

Seton Hall University and Prudential Center in Newark NJ have been selected to host an NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament regional in 2025, the NCAA announced Wednesday as part of its unveiling of more than 450 selections of host sites for preliminary rounds and final sites of predetermined championships in Divisions I, II and III, with most to be held from 2022-23 through 2025-26. The regional will take place March 27 and 29 in 2025.

In response to the news, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Tweeted:

Happy to have @NCAA #MarchMaddness return to Newark in 2025!!!

This will be the first NCAA men's basketball tournament site in the state of New Jersey since Prudential Center and Seton Hall hosted the East Regional in 2011. Seton Hall is one of six BIG EAST schools to receive a men's basketball tournament site in this cycle, joining Creighton, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence and St. John's.

The proud home arena for Seton Hall men's basketball, Prudential Center was ranked a top-10 venue in the U.S. earlier this year and annually hosts the biggest names in entertainment and sports.

The NCAA sports committees made the nearly 450 selections of host sites based on criteria that included the ability to create an outstanding experience for student-athletes, along with adherence to NCAA sport-specific bid specifications.

Specifications can include, but are not limited to, providing optimal facilities; ease of travel to the location and ample lodging; and adherence to NCAA principles, which include providing an atmosphere that is safe and respects the dignity of all attendees.

Bertha S. Dyer, Newark school principal reported missing

Police on Thursday asked for the public's help to find a woman who was reportedly last seen at the Newark school where she works as its principal.

Bertha S. Dyer, 68, of Franklin, was reported missing by her sister on Wednesday, according to the Franklin Township Police Department. Dyer's sister told officers she was last seen around 3 p.m. Tuesday at Newark's Mount Vernon Elementary School, where she is the principal.

Authorities described Dyer as 5-foot-4 inches tall and known to drive a white 2011 Toyota 4Runner with New Jersey license plate of U79GXM.

Anyone with information was asked to call Franklin police at 732-873-2300 or Detective Trevor Wilson at 732-873-5533, extension 3161.

[SOURCE: NJ.COM]

Newark NJ police mistook 10 year old black boy for a grown robbery suspect

Officials are investigating claims that Newark police officers pulled their guns on a 10-year-old boy, Legend Preston after they allegedly mistook the child for an armed robbery suspect that was 6' tall adult suspect with dreadlocks. It's apparent to anyone with eyes that Preston does not have dreadlocks. Legend Preston told WABC-TV (NY) about his terrifying ordeal Watch that story below.

Newark's own Kenneth Faried saves USA Basketball team at FIBA World Cup

With the United States down by 5 points at halftime against Turkey Newark's (NJ) own Kenneth Faried stepped up and saved the day for Team USA. Kenneth Faried finished with 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks during what was not a good game for the US Team in the early going.

Displaying the grit, defensive tenacity, and hustle the Newark native out of Technol0gy High is known for Faried help lead a rally that resulted with Team USA winning 98-77. Anthony Davis finished with 19 points and 6 rebounds. James Harden chipped in with 14 points. Team USA is now 2-0 with victories over Finland and Turkey.

Newark mayor's race: Payne supports Jeffries in TV ad

Watch Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. Endorsement of Shavar Jeffries for Newark Mayor.