As a young girl, I vaguely remember rocks being thrown at my Dad’s old Ford station wagon, as he drove through the gates of the newly integrated Sandy Point State Park; as a high schooler, I remember my mother taking my brother, sister and me to D.C. for the March on Washington; as a college student, I remember marching and protesting and, yes, writing about the rioting after the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and a mere five years ago, I remember being in the streets of Baltimore with fellow clergy as we linked arms with other community leaders to protest the murder of Freddie Gray.

It is a movement primarily led and organized by young people; young people who understand that, while we deeply mourn the murders of  George Floyd, Breonna Taylor,  Ahmaud Arbery, Freddie Gray, and so many more whose pictures have appeared on the front page of the AFRO, there must be reform in every area beginning with a radical overhaul of many of the nation’s police departments.

These young, and not so young protestors (even in the midst of the possible resurgence of the coronavirus) are willing to lift their voices and their signs, until justice is served; willing to unashamedly declare that Black Lives Really Matter.

It is true that all lives matter, and no one is saying that only Black lives matter.

While there are no easy answers, the AFRO-American Newspaper will continue to fight for justice and equity, as we have for nearly 128 years by:

We thank all of our readers and advertisers for your support and we pray that you will continue to work with us, to make sure that Black Lives Matter — for when Black Lives Matter, then all lives will matter.