Independence Day

Independence Day, in the midst of attacks on democracy, highlights the hypocrisy of America.

"Lift Every Every Voice And Sing," a poem written by James Weldon Johnson - often dubbed "The Black National Anthem" - was first performed on Feb. 12, 1900. Here's what you need to know about it.

In keeping with Frederick Douglass' question of what the Fourth of July meant to slaves, NewsOne hit the streets to ask everyday people what Independence Day means to them.

From the drunk uncle to the revolutionary, they show up every year.

Activists, sports players, actors and more.

“I remember you was conflicted, misusing your influence..” Having a sense of patriotism to the country we call America can be fleeting. After all, as a millennial and an African-American (with sprinkles of West Indian and Puerto Rican seeds), I can unapologetically say I’ve felt proud to be an American about four times in my life. In […]

July 4 Parade Features ‘Obama Presidential Library’ Outhouse Float An Independence Day parade in Norfolk, Nebraska included a float depicting President Obama’s presidential library as an outhouse, sparking outcry from residents as well as the state’s Democratic Party. The float, which did not identify its sponsor, featured an overall-clad dummy standing in front of an outhouse. Nailed to the […]

14-year-old Unique Russell was killed while attending a fireworks show on the 4th of July, reports KTLA.com. According to the L.A. County Sheriff’s office, a 12-year-old girl and a 21-year-old man were also shot. Two men reportedly shot into the crowd of revelers from a van across the street. They remain at large. “[Unique] was laying […]

More than 40 years ago, both political parties (Democratic and Republicans) made strategic decisions that are still being felt today. In the 1960s, the Republican Party formally adopted the “Southern Strategy.” The Southern Strategy was a deliberate strategy by the Republican Party of the 1960s concocted to win elections in Southern states by exploiting anti-Black […]

WASHINGTON — Calling the Declaration of Independence more than words on an aging parchment, President Barack Obama marked the Fourth of July on Sunday by urging Americans to live the principles that founded the nation as well as celebrate them.

DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala. — Fireworks displays have been canceled. White-sand beaches that should be crowded with sunbathers are instead dotted with cleanup workers, booms and sand-sifting equipment. Normally packed hotels are trying to fill rooms ahead of what is a crucial weekend for beach businesses.

From BET.com: A full century-and-a-half before President Barack Obama began mesmerizing the country with his moving oratory, another Black man gave what some call his greatest speech.