Herschel Walker Skips His First Debate Saturday

The first major debate for the Republican U.S. Senate race in Georgia was held on Saturday. Herschel Walker was a no-show.

Each of Walker’s top rivals criticized the GOP frontrunner for skipping the event and predicted that his strategy, which involves a regimen of mostly tightly scripted events and private gatherings, would leave him vulnerable against Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock.

Since entering the race last year with Trump’s support, Walker has ignored his rivals and bypassed many large GOP gatherings, even if it meant alienating key activists and officials. He’s also indicated he won’t participate in debates until the general election.

In this instance, Walker cited the Horatio Alger Award ceremony in Washington as a scheduling conflict. The event ended Saturday morning, hours before the evening debate.

Walker has held wide leads in public polls, including an Emerson College/The Hill poll that pegged him near 60%. His opponents contend they have an opening to force him into a runoff, noting earlier polls had Walker hovering around 80%.

[SOURCE: AJC]

NYC Mayor Eric Adams test positive for COVID-19

The following is a statement from Fabien Levy, press secretary to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, on the mayor’s health status on April 20, 2022:

“This morning, Mayor Adams woke up with a raspy voice and, out of an abundance of caution, took a PCR test that has now come back positive.

“At this time, the mayor has no other symptoms, but he is already isolating and will be canceling all public events for the remainder of the week. He is also going to immediately begin taking the anti-viral medications offered for free to New York City residents and encourages all New Yorkers eligible for these medications to take them as well.

“While he is isolating, he will continue to serve New Yorkers by working remotely.”

The African American Book Festival set for April 16 in Richmond, VA

The National Museum of African American History and Culture presents the next page from Our American Story

The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is proud to present the next page from Our American Story, an online series for Museum supporters. We offer these stories to honor and celebrate the African American experience, share an immensely rich history and culture, and inspire and sustain our community as we move toward the future together.

The Second Great Awakening, an early 19th-century religious revival in the United States, marked an era of transformation for America and a new path forward for Jarena Lee. Born into a free Black family in Cape May, New Jersey, in 1783, Lee navigated the intense religiosity and social reformation of her time to emerge as the nation’s first African American woman preacher and the first woman to be recognized as an evangelist in the male-dominated African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church.

Lee’s journey to Christianity began when she moved to Philadelphia as a young adult in 1807. Like many Americans of her time, Lee struggled with changing cultural beliefs on human nature, morality, and the path to salvation. In search of answers, she sought out a personal connection to the gospel and heard the teachings of Bishop Richard Allen, a renowned preacher in Philadelphia. Inspired by his powerful sermons, Lee decided to join the church and get baptized.

But Lee’s journey of faith would be difficult. Lee struggled to find a place for herself and her passion for the gospel within the male-dominated church—a battle that brought on depression and even thoughts of suicide. She also wrestled with the inherent conflict between her spirituality and a desire for “the vanities of this life.”

Despite these challenges, Lee remained determined to go beyond the church and share her faith in Christ with the world, a conviction that she carried back to New Jersey, where she moved with her new husband, Methodist Pastor Joseph Lee, in 1811. While in New Jersey, Lee was able to serve in an African Methodist congregation and nurture her faith—but she still couldn’t practice what she believed was her true calling: preaching.

Seven years into her marriage, Lee became a widow. The grief that followed her husband’s death only strengthened Lee’s conviction to “preach the word of God.” She returned to Philadelphia soon after, determined to advocate for women in the ministry.

Bishop Allen, who by then had founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church, initially refused to grant Lee permission to preach because of the church’s ban on female ministers. But Lee, driven by the intensity of her faith, began delivering sermons wherever she could—in open fields, town squares, and her home.

One day, while attending a Sunday worship service at Bishop Allen’s church, Lee heard a guest preacher struggle with the delivery of his sermon. She sprang into action, picking up where he left off, and presented her own testimony. Bishop Allen was so impressed by Lee’s preaching and boldness that he publicly endorsed her. She was soon permitted to preach, and later became the first ordained woman preacher in the AME Church.

Lee’s evangelical career spanned multiple decades and intersected with her advocacy for equal rights and powerful leadership in the abolitionist movement. Lee also was the first African American woman to publish an autobiographical memoir, The Life and Religious Experience of Jarena Lee, a Colored Lady, Giving an Account of Her Call to Preach the Gospel, which was first released in 1836.

“For as unseemly as it may appear now-a-days for a woman to preach,” Lee wrote, “it should be remembered that nothing is impossible with God. And why should it be thought impossible . . . or improper for a woman to preach?”

The relentless persistence of Jarena Lee, who died in 1864, helped break down barriers and pave the way for African American women to enter the ministry. Her achievements were especially remarkable, given that they occurred during a time when women’s contributions were often overlooked, ignored, or forgotten.

Like so many pioneers of her time, Lee’s story is one of resiliency, optimism, and spirituality—values that are deeply rooted throughout African American history and culture. Although Jarena Lee’s history is not widely known, her legacy as the first African American woman preacher represents an important example of women defying social barriers, transcending traditional gender roles, and touching the hearts, minds, and souls of many.

If you’d like to learn more about Jarena Lee’s incredible journey—or if you are interested in exploring other powerful but lesser-known stories in African American history—please visit our online Searchable Museum today. This groundbreaking—and 2022 CIO Award-winning—initiative by the Museum brings innovative, immersive digital experiences and evocative content directly into the homes of supporters like you.

The Museum’s exhibitions and digital collections help connect individuals with a deeper understanding of the African American story by sharing the lives of pioneers like Jarena Lee. Please help the Museum continue this critical work by joining the Museum or making a donation today.

To learn more about Jarena Lee and other influential figures in African American history, please visit our Searchable Museum.

 

Booker T. Washington was first African American to appear on a U.S. stamp

Hi this is George Cook of African American Reports. I have recently started collecting stamps featuring African Americans, and that lead me to see who the first African American on U.S. postsge stamp. I quickly researched and learned that person would be Booker T. Washington.

If interested in buying the stamp, it can be purchased here: https://amzn.to/3jl3BYG

On April 7, 1940, the Post Office Department (POD) issued a stamp honoring African-American educator Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) as part of its Famous Americans Series. The nation's first stamp to honor an African-American, it holds a unique place in American history. Social, economic, and legislative struggles since 1940 have produced deeper understanding and acceptance among racial groups. Today, the United States Postal Service (USPS) regularly honors African-Americans and their widely varied contributions to the nation and the world.

Born a slave in Hale's Ford, Virginia, Washington served as a role model for other struggling African-Americans, and, as founder of Alabama's Tuskegee Normal Industrial School (renamed Tuskegee Institute in 1937), he profoundly influenced the community's self-esteem and self-reliance. In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, responding to numerous petitions from African-American supporters, recognized the timeliness of such a stamp and directed that Washington be considered for this important stamp series.

Major Robert Richard Wright, Sr., among others, had aggressively lobbied for a stamp honoring Booker T. Washington since Roosevelt took office in 1933. When Wright read the POD's decision to feature Washington on the 10¢ stamp, announced in 1939, he reflected with gratification, [the stamp] "comes pretty nearly within the limit of seventy-five years of Negro Emancipation.”¹ He objected, however, to its high denomination, preferring to see it as one of the lower-priced, more affordable denominations used by the public daily. He worried that the cost of the 10¢ stamp "will not induce a large first day sale . . . among colored people.”² Echoing Wright's concerns, The Washington Tribune recommended that its readers buy the stamp for special delivery and parcel post mailings. "Let's overlook no chance to use these new stamps which honor our eminent educator,” urged the newspaper's editor in a special issue released on March 23, 1940.

Numerous institutions, all important in the lives of African-Americans, clamored to host the stamp's first day of issue ceremony. The POD selected Tuskegee Institute, founded by Washington in 1881, for this watershed ceremony's location. Guests gathered in the Institute Chapel. Postmaster General James A. Farley attended the ceremony and afterwards, joined by the Tuskegee Club of Montgomery, Alabama, placed a wreath at Washington's tomb. George W. Peterson, an African-American Civil Service employee attached to the POD's Division of Stamps, attended and helped Tuskegee's postmaster, R. H. Harris, prepare the first day covers. Also an African-American, Harris attracted recognition in The Washington Tribune (March 23, 1940) as "one of the few colored postmasters in the United States.” All told, twenty-five extra clerks assisted Harris in preparing the first day covers.

Enthusiasm for the Booker T. Washington stamp and its momentous significance for the African-American population prompted two official second day of issue ceremonies, events unprecedented in philatelic history—one in New York City and the other in Philadelphia. Unable to attend the ceremony at Tuskegee, Major Robert Richard Wright, Sr., attended Philadelphia's ceremony, where he purchased a batch of 1,000 stamps. The press focused attention not only on Washington but also on Major Wright, a prominent African-American man in his own right. Wright, like Washington, had been born a slave. He had carved-out a distinctive niche within the community as an educator and administrator, through military service during the Spanish-American War, and as a banker.

Tuskegee Institute owns the first sheet of Booker T. Washington stamps sold, but it passed through several hands before reaching its final destination. Captain Alvin J. Neely, Tuskegee General Alumni Association's executive secretary, purchased the sheet, autographed by James A. Farley. Neely presented the sheet to Washington's daughter, Portia Washington Pittman, who then gave it to Dr. William J. Schieffelin, Tuskegee's chairman of the board, for preservation. Adding to the memorable event, the Tuskegee Philatelic Club issued covers with a hand-stamped cachet showing a likeness of Washington's graveside monument.

If interested in buying the stamp, it can be purchased here: https://amzn.to/3jl3BYG

[SOURCE: POSTAL MUSEUM]

Tennessee House of Representatives passes Black History education bill

Rep. Yusuf Hakeem 

As lawmakers take action to thwart Critical Race Theory teaching, a local Representative is touting his bill to highlight Black History in Tennessee.

The bill has passed the State House of Representatives, easily with bipartisan support.

Rep. Yusuf Hakeem says it would require the State Board of Education to come up with a course of instruction for 5th through 8th grades on Black history and Black culture.

And it would include multicultural diversity curricula for K-12.

He says it could include profiles of such figures as Samson Keeble, the first African-American legislator in Tennessee and Judge Bernice Donald, the first female African-American judge in the state.

“HB 2106 shows what can happen when we look beyond politics and embrace what is in the best interests of the children. We as a Legislative body demonstrated that working together works.”

The bill now goes to the Tennessee Senate.

Cavalier Johnson Becomes Milwaukee's First Black Mayor

Cavalier Johnson made history on Tuesday, becoming the first Black mayor in Milwaukee’s history.

The 35-year-old Democrat received 62,143 votes while his opponent Bob Donovan earned 24,543, according to unofficial results. Former mayor Tom Barrett left the position open after stepping down in December to become the U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg.

Johnson, who was serving as Common Council president, took over as acting mayor after Barrett resigned. As he now takes his new position, Johnson said there is a lot of work ahead. The new mayor highlighted the need to stem violence, restore neighborhoods and mend the city’s fractured relationship with the state government.

“We want our city to be loving, nurturing and stable. That’s why I ran for mayor,” he said.

Johnson is expected to finish out the remaining two years on Barrett’s term, then run for reelection.

Vice President Kamala Harris Statement on Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation to the Supreme Court

Watch Vice President Kamala Harris' statement at a White House celebration of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation to the Supreme Court.

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Watch Ketanji Brown Jackson speech celebrating her Supreme Court confirmation

Watch Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson deliver an emotional speech at a White House celebration of her confirmation to the Supreme Court.

Sen. Raphael Warnock test positive for COVID-19

Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) announced Thursday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 in breakthrough cases.

Warnock said in a tweet that he tested positive for COVID-19 that afternoon after a “routine test.”

“I’m so thankful to be both vaccinated & boosted, and at the advice of the Attending Physician I plan to isolate,” Warnock said.

Warnock’s positive test follows an influx of COVID-19 cases among lawmakers, including Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine).

Warnock used his announcement to encourage COVID-19 vaccination.

“If you haven’t gotten your shot yet, I encourage you to do so,” Warnock said.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

Rep. Payne, Jr.’s Statement on Confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson

Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr. issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Senate’s confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to become the next U.S. Supreme Court Justice. Judge Jackson becomes the first African-American woman to be a Supreme Court Justice and the fourth woman on the current Supreme Court. She replaces Justice Stephen Breyer, who is retiring from the Court later this year.

“I want to congratulate Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on her appointment to be the next U.S. Supreme Court Justice. She is a brilliant legal mind with the highest character and integrity. Justice Jackson has served at all levels of the legal system and brings decades of legal experience to her new position. Her work as a public defender gives her an understanding of how legal decisions affect the lives of all Americans. I am proud that President Biden has fulfilled his campaign promise to select an African-American woman for the Supreme Court and applaud the Senate for confirming such an exceptional judge. Today is a historic day in America.”

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman Celebrates Confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson as Associate Justice

Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) released the following statement upon the Senate confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States:

“I’m overjoyed today. I am thrilled for Justice Jackson. I am thrilled for Black Women. I am thrilled for America. With this confirmation the Supreme Court will not only look more like America; it will think more like America. Today, my granddaughter got to see the first Black woman to serve as Vice President announce the confirmation of the first Black Woman to serve as a Supreme Court Justice. From this day forward she’ll know, and millions of Black girls and Black boys will know, that they can do anything.”

Michelle Obama statement on the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court

Michelle Obama released the following statement after the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court:

I was so moved to see Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmed this afternoon. Like so many of you, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride—a sense of joy—to know that this deserving, accomplished Black woman will be a part of the highest court in the land.

Sen. Cory Booker Statement on the Confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Supreme Court

U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement:

“For the first time in America’s history, a Black woman will sit on the highest court in our nation’s land. Like many Americans, I feel immense pride and so much joy at this historic occasion.

“As Judge Jackson ascends to the United States Supreme Court, I see in her the affirmation of our ancestors who suffered the indignities of this country yet sacrificed to bend the moral arc of our nation towards justice. They knew that America, though haunted by its past failings, was not bound by them and believed that a day like this would eventually arrive.

“Judge Jackson brings to the court a unique set of experiences. She has clerked at all three levels of the judiciary, including for Justice Stephen Breyer. In 2005, she became a public defender, embarking on the noble work that is a cornerstone of our justice system. Since then Judge Jackson has continued to serve our nation, first as Vice Chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission and then on the federal bench. Her sterling credentials have earned her broad support and this will be the fourth time that the United States Senate will confirm her to a role she was nominated for in a bipartisan manner.

“Throughout her confirmation hearings, Judge Jackson has displayed poise and grace, and I commend President Biden for nominating her. He has found the right person to serve as the 116th Justice of the Supreme Court, and I am overjoyed to cast my vote in favor of a brilliant jurist who will inspire generations to come.”

Barack Obama statement on the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court

Former President Barack Obama released the following statement after the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court:

Congratulations to Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for her appointment to the Supreme Court. This is a great day for America, and a proud moment in our history.

NAACP Statement on the Confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson

NAACP President Derrick Johnson issued the statement below on today's historic senate confirmation vote of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States:

"Today's vote to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court is of enormous consequence to our nation and to history. After 233 years, the Court will finally have a Black woman justice deciding our most significant cases with tremendous impact on our lives and the lives of our families. 

This has taken far too long. Fifty-five years ago, former NAACP Chief Counsel Thurgood Marshall broke down the wall when he was confirmed as the first Black American to sit on the Supreme Court. Today, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson shatters the glass ceiling to finally make room for a Black woman on our nation's highest court. 

Judge Jackson is a breathtakingly qualified candidate to make this history. We joined the nation in beaming with pride as we learned about her background and family. She has impeccable credentials and a brilliant intellect. Her work as a public defender and on the Sentencing Commission will bring a perspective to the Court that has been missing since Thurgood Marshall served. Her impressive record as a trial and appellate jurist makes her one of the most prepared and experienced justices ever appointed to the Court. She has an even-handed approach to the law and is committed to fairness and equal justice. Our Supreme Court will be better and stronger with Judge Jackson's presence, her votes, and her voice. 

We greet this moment with joy, hope, and gratitude. We thank President Biden for keeping his promise to nominate the first Black woman justice. We thank the Senate for its bipartisan vote to confirm this historic nominee. We extend special gratitude to Senator Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney, who rejected appeals to partisanize this vote and instead, voted their conscience. 

History is watching this moment. The votes to confirm Judge Jackson will recorded as ones in favor of justice and equality. The votes against her will forever be known as hostile and cowardly, as were the attacks by certain Senators throughout this process. The unjust hurdles Black women like Ketanji Brown Jackson face each and every day were regrettably centerstage during her confirmation. But as Black women do, Ketanji Brown Jackson outshined the hate. Today and every day, we celebrate Black women. 

The NAACP remains committed to tearing down the racist obstacles that continue to obstruct paths for far too many Americans, especially Black women, throughout our nation. While we celebrate today, tomorrow we are back at work tackling student debt, voting and reproductive rights, climate change, and police reform, so that everyone in America can realize their dream."

NAACP General Counsel Janette McCarthy Wallace, who attended today's confirmation of Judge Jackson, released the following statement:

"Today, Black women truly are supreme. Over the past few weeks, it has been an incredible privilege to bear witness to the rise of the first Black woman Supreme Court Justice. The significance of this moment for the Black community, especially for Black women like me who have spent decades in the legal profession, is impossible to overstate. Representation is powerful – now, Black women and girls who dream of reaching the highest levels of our government, or any profession for that matter, can see that it is possible. While soon-to-be Justice Jackson's confirmation did not come without racist, misogynistic attacks on her career and character, it is without question that Ketanji Brown Jackson is imminently qualified to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. Alongside the rest of our nation, I celebrate her confirmation and this stride toward achieving true equity, and look forward to seeing her take the bench."

Alabama plan advances to "change'" the name of the Edmund Pettus Bridge

The Alabama Senate voted 23-3 for legislation that would change the official name of Selma's Edmund Pettus Bridge, but not to a name many wanted or to one that many would expect. While I somewhat understand the explanation given I don't like the proposed name change.

George Cook African American Reports.

From the Associated Press:

Alabama lawmakers on Tuesday advanced legislation that would alter the name of Selma's Edmund Pettus Bridge to honor those who were beaten on the bridge as they marched for civil rights in 1965.

The Alabama Senate voted 23-3 for legislation that would change the official name to the “Edmund W. Pettus-Foot Soldiers Bridge.” However, the lettering on the famous bridge would remain unaltered. The name “Foot Soldiers” would be on a separate sign that would include a silhouette of the marchers.

The bill, dubbed the “Healing History Act,” now moves to the Alabama House of Representatives with three meeting days remaining in the legislative session.

“Not a single letter would be touched. It would stay intact in its historical context. And at the same time... honor the history that is there and the history that came out of it,” said state Sen. Malika Sanders-Fortier, a Democrat from Selma.

Through the years some have proposed changing the name of the bridge, including a push to name it for the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis. The Georgia congressman was one of the demonstrators beaten on the bridge in 1965.

Sanders-Fortier said many who marched for civil rights in her community do not want the bridge name changed entirely because of what the bridge has come to represent.

Sanders-Fortier said it is important to honor all of the state's history and “to heal from our past so we can move forward as a state.”

“Many of the events in our state’s history have been traumatizing, been traumatizing to African-American folk to Indigenous folk to white folk," she said, adding that healing means considering the "hurt of each group.”

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, Black Women of Influence in Hillside, NJ, and the Making of American History

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, Black Women of Influence in Hillside, NJ, and the Making of American History

By Dr. Christopher Michael Jones

On Monday, April 4, 2022, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez along with a strong contingent of politicians, clergy, business owners, community activists, union leaders, and heads of organizations assembled on the grassy front lawn of First Baptist Church of Hillside to pray. The focus of that prayer centered on the well-being of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson and the Senate Judiciary Committee vote scheduled to take place later that afternoon.

Having been given this task to pray four days before, I considered the magnitude of the moment. There will never be another time in history when a U.S. Senate Judicial Committee gathers on the 54th year of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination to affirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s candidacy to be presented to the U.S. Senate as the first African American female Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. In many regards, Judge Jackson is an existential representation of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech declared on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., on August 28, 1963. Judge Jackson is a dream come true, and the full embodiment of the hopes and dreams of so many black and brown girls who look just like her.

The thought hasn’t escaped me that Hillside, NJ is undergoing a bit of its own renaissance as it relates to dynamic black women serving and leading the local community. The Township of Hillside is the only municipality in the state of New Jersey currently being led by an African American female mayor, police captain, city councilwoman, district leaders, board of education president, and founder and president of a local NAACP chapter simultaneously. Each of these dynamic leaders work in tandem with an African American female county commissioner who is also a former Hillside mayor. This is history. This is our history. The story needs to be told about how Mayor Dahlia Vertreese, Commissioner Angela Garretson, Captain LaShonda Burgess, City Councilwoman Andrea Hyatt, Board of Education President Kimberly Cook, District Leaders Val Mayo and Monique Fletcher, and NAACP President and Founder Nicole Graves-Watson strive to lead ethically from a place of compassion as black women in power. They too share in the story of black women like Judge Jackson and have overcome some of the same systemic barriers which have made Judge Jackson’s ascension to the Supreme Court so improbable.

I stated in my prayer on Monday morning, “America has been afforded another opportunity, “to let justice roll on like a river, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” As the U.S. Senate prepares to take their vote to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first African American female Supreme Court Nominee in its 233-year history, I pray for the fulfillment of Dr. King’s prophetic words: “We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.” Let’s make history. In making history, let’s also make sure the whole story is being told.

###

The Reverend Dr. Christopher Michael Jones is the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Hillside, NJ and Co-Mentor at United Theological Seminary, Dayton, OH.

No charges will be filed in killing of Amir Locke

The Hennepin County Attorney announced Wednesday that no criminal charges will be filed in the death of Amir Locke, a 22-year-old man who was shot and killed by a SWAT team during a no-knock raid in February.

County Attorney Michael Freeman and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a statement that there is "insufficient admissible evidence" to file charges in the case.

"Specifically, the State would be unable to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt any of the elements of Minnesota's use-of-deadly-force statute that authorizes the use of force by Officer Hanneman," the statement said. "Nor would the State be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt a criminal charge against any other officer involved in the decision-making that led to the death of Amir Locke."

Ellison said at a press conference Wednesday morning that it would be "unethical" for prosecutors to file charges in a case they know would not prevail in court.

"And still, and yet, a loving promising young man is dead," Ellison said. "His death leaves us with a wound in our community, but that is small in comparison to the wound his family is suffering from."

[SOURCE; CBS NEWS]

NAACP wants President Biden to cancel student loan debt

The Biden administration is planning to extend a pause on federal student loan repayments through August 31, according to an administration official familiar with the matter.

Wisdom Cole, National Director of the NAACP Youth and College Division, released the following statement in response to President Biden's student loan repayment extension.

"President Biden, student loan debt is a racial and economic justice issue that stains the Soul of America. With each and every repayment extension, you make a stronger case for canceling it.

At this point, just cancel it. $50,000 is the bare minimum. $10,000 is not enough."