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.

NAACP Calls for a Federal Investigation in the Deaths of Black Men in Tennessee

In a letter sent to the Department of Justice, the NAACP called for an immediate investigation into the deaths of both Darius Chappell of Clarksville, Tennessee, and Tyrin Johnson of Memphis, Tennessee. The Association is also calling for the immediate suspension of the Memphis Safe Task Force due to concerns of lack of training. The demand for a federal investigation by the Department of Justice could provide transparency to affected communities and ensure full accountability and justice.

Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and CEO, shared the following statement:

"The Department of Justice cannot continue to stand by while Black lives are taken. The DOJ has a fundamental responsibility to support, protect, and defend the United States Constitution — and let me be entirely clear: that Constitution includes the rights, the safety, and the futures of Black Americans. When officers fail to deliver equal protection under the law, the federal government must step in with its investigative authority.

"We demand a thorough, transparent federal investigation. We demand accountability. We will not allow the names of Darius Chappell and Tyrin Johnson to be overlooked. We demand immediate suspension of National Guard activity in Memphis, and we will fight until justice is served."

Under Trump, the Department of Justice has abandoned police accountability work. In May 2025, the department retracted a report that outlined systemic problems in the Memphis Police Department. Today, the Justice Department calls for this taxpayer funded agency to investigate the tragic deaths of Black Tennesseans. 

The NAACP conducted a survey of Memphis residents on the approval or disapproval of the deployment of the National Guard in their communities. According to the results, 63% of respondents strongly disapprove of the deployment of the National Guard, and 54% of survey respondents perceive that the deployment of the National Guard has significantly undermined the safety and trust of residents.

The NAACP has always fought to protect Black lives and will continue this fight by utilizing every tool at our disposal to ensure justice prevails. To read the full letter, visit naacp.org.

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EBONY UNVEILS 2026 POWER 100: A CELEBRATION OF BLACK IMPACT, INFLUENCE AND POWER

The iconic franchise returns with Jesse Collins Entertainment spearheading production for the 2026 celebration!

For more than 80 years, EBONY has chronicled, celebrated, and elevated the people, stories and ideas defining Black life across generations. In 2026, that legacy continues with the return of the EBONY Power 100, EBONY's signature recognition of the leaders and visionaries whose work is shaping culture, driving progress, and expanding what is possible.

The 2026 EBONY Power 100 will spotlight a dynamic class of honorees across entertainment, business, sports, media, music, science, technology, community leadership, and the arts. Together, they represent the breadth of Black excellence today: creators building global movements, executives transforming industries, athletes redefining leadership, advocates strengthening communities, and innovators imagining the future.

This year's celebration marks a new chapter for the franchise, with Jesse Collins Entertainment joining EBONY as production partner. The Emmy-winning production company, known for producing some of television's most memorable live events, awards shows, and cultural moments, will help bring the 2026 EBONY Power 100 experience to life with a production designed to honor achievement, amplify legacy, and celebrate the next era of Black influence.

"EBONY Power 100 has always been more than a list; it is a cultural record of the people moving us forward," said Eden Bridgeman, EBONY CEO. "As EBONY continues to evolve, this franchise remains one of our most powerful platforms for recognizing the brilliance, leadership and creativity shaping our community and the world."

The EBONY Power 100 has long served as a definitive celebration of Black achievement, honoring individuals whose impact reaches across industries and generations. Past honorees include Academy Award-winning director Ryan Coogler, four-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson, award-winning screenwriter and producer Mara Brock Akil, and media personality Scott Evans, among many others.

"Jesse Collins Entertainment is honored to partner with EBONY on the 2026 Power 100," said Dionne Harmon, President. "EBONY has been central to how Black culture is documented and celebrated, and we look forward to helping create an unforgettable experience worthy of this extraordinary group of honorees."

The 2026 EBONY Power 100 will recognize leaders across the following categories:

• Artists in Residence
• Business Disruptors
• Community Crusaders
• Entertainment Powerhouses
• Generation Next
• Influential Creators
• Leaders in Sports
• Media Mavens
• Music Innovators
• STEM Trailblazers

Final honorees will be celebrated at the highly anticipated 2026 EBONY Power 100 ceremony in Los Angeles, produced in partnership with Jesse Collins Entertainment.

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. 

Town hall meeting over proposed AI data center at Fisk University gets heated.

Fisk University leaders faced a packed room of frustrated residents, alumni and community members Monday night during the school’s first public town hall addressing its proposed data center, a project that has stirred mounting opposition in the North Nashville community. According to WKRN, attendees raised concerns ranging from noise and energy consumption to broader environmental impacts on the surrounding neighborhood.