The pope’s grandparents were considered Black or people of color “This discovery is just an additional reminder of how interwoven we are as Americans,” New Orleans genealogist Jari C. Honora told The New York Times in a text message Thursday […]
President Donald Trump has fired the head of the Library of Congress in an email sent on Thursday, according to the Associated Press. Carla Hayden was the first woman and the first Black person to occupy the position.
“Carla,” the Thursday email read. “On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as the Librarian of Congress is terminated effective immediately. Thank you for your service.”
What to know about Carla Hayden
Hayden was confirmed to the job by the Senate in 2016. Her 10-year term was set to expire next year. She graduated from Roosevelt University and the University of Chicago, and has led Baltimore’s library system prior to her role. Hayden was known for modernizing the Library and making it more accessible online and to rural communities.
“Libraries are the great equalizer,” she tweeted in April 2025, according to the Associated Press. “And when you have a free public library in particular,” she added, it’s an “opportunity center for people all walks of life, and you are giving them the opportunity to make choices on which information, entertainment and inspiration means the most to them.”
Hayden recently became the target of the American Accountability Foundation, a conservative group. American Accountability Foundation said she had been standing in opposition to Trump’s agenda and had been promoting children’s books featuring “radical” content.
“The current #LibrarianOfCongress Carla Hayden is woke, anti-Trump, and promotes trans-ing kids,” the group tweeted on Thursday, per American Accountability Foundation. “It’s time to get her OUT and hire a new guy for the job!”
Carla Hayden is one of the countless federal workers who have been fired by Trump
“Hayden has spent her entire career serving people — from helping kids learn to read to protecting some of our nation’s most precious treasures,” Democratic Rep. Joseph Morelle of New York said. “She is an American hero.”
“Enough is enough,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said of the recent wave of federal workers being first by Trump.
Over a half-dozen Pentagon top generals have been fired since January. The acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency was also pushed out yesterday after saying he disagreed with plans to dismantle the organization.
“Donald Trump’s unjust decision to fire Dr. Hayden in an email sent by a random political hack is a disgrace and the latest in his ongoing effort to ban books, whitewash American history and turn back the clock,” New York Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said. “The Library of Congress is the People’s Library. There will be accountability for this unprecedented assault on the American way of life sooner rather than later.”
Robert Newlen, the principal deputy librarian, will be serving as acting librarian of Congress “until further instruction,” he said, according to the Associated Press. “I promise to keep everyone informed.”
Usher jokingly apologized to Sabrina Carpenter’s father after feeding her his signature cherry during a surprise performance at this year’s MET Gala. Both singers posted photographs of the interaction, while joking about it online.
Each year, the event features a surprise performance by a special guest. Usher was one of the artists to perform inside the museum on Monday in front of a crowd of VIP guests and celebrities. He performed singles like “U Don’t Have To Call,” “Yeah!” and “OMG.”
Usher even fed a special guest a cherry, a part of his show that often goes viral among fans. This time, the singer fed the cherry to none other than Sabrina Carpenter. Both Usher and Carpenter shared photographs of their interaction in carousels of the event on Instagram.
Carpenter included a screenshot of a conversation with her father, David Carpenter, who reacted to the interaction.
“? Weird,” Carpenter’s father wrote after sharing the photo, per People.
Here’s how Usher responded to Sabrina Carpenter’s father
In the comment section, Usher jokingly apologized, commenting, “Apologies Mr Carpenter 😅🍒”
After the Met Gala, Usher resumed his Past Present Future Tour with a London date, according to Vibe.
Musical performances at the 2025 Met Gala
Usher wasn’t the only surprise musical guest this year. He was joined by Stevie Wonder, who performed several classics, including “Sir Duke,” “Higher Ground,” “Isn’t She Lovely” and “I Wish,” Vogue reported. He and Usher even performed “Another Star” as a duet.
Prior to their performances, the 20-person chorus Silk & Sound sang a rendition of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” on the red carpet. The chorus continued their performance inside the MET, where they covered Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Let’s Groove,” Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You,” Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds,” Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” and McFadden & Whitehead’s “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now,” just to name a few.
“He was sleeping on his reclining sofa,” his wife, Gigi Lemon, told the Detroit Free Press. “He just wasn’t responsive.” Lemon had a series of health issues over the last 30 years Lemon battled health issues for three decades after […]
Tougaloo College said it received “concerning calls” following the commencement speech delivered by Texas Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett on Sunday, according to Black Enterprise. The HBCU is investigating threats, while Crockett called out these incidents.
The HBCU sent a letter to the campus community a day after commencement.
Tougaloo College has launched an investigation
“We are not taking these occurrences lightly. Appropriate actions have been taken. Contact has been made with law enforcement authorities to ensure that safety protocols are in place, if needed,” Tougaloo College President Donzell Lee wrote. “As always, your continuing safety is our primary concern.”
Although Lee did not share details of the calls, he did ask those who received calls or noticed anything suspicious to report it.
“We are asking for your help in keeping our campus safe,” Lee added.
How did Rep. Jasmine Crockett react to news of threats?
Crockett suggested supporters of President Donald Trump were responsible for the threats.
“No low is too low for MAGA… now explain to me why an institution would be receiving threats because of the commencement speech that I GAVE,” she tweeted. “This type of behavior is why I’m constantly having to be protected & I understand that truth telling in this country; sadly, is a dangerous business, but college students don’t deserve this.”
She reiterated her comments about the importance of the Civil Rights movement she made in her keynote speech.
“As a side note: you consistently prove me right & just as this was the only campus that MLK could speak at in Mississippi in the 1960s… it’s 2025, and this country is still stuck on hate… I’m proud to say Tougaloo is tough & so am I,” she added.
No low is too low for MAGA… now explain to me why an institution would be receiving threats because of the commencement speech that I GAVE. This type of behavior is why I’m constantly having to be protected & I understand that truth telling in this country; sadly, is a… pic.twitter.com/SopOsPxdZB— Jasmine Crockett (@JasmineForUS) May 7, 2025
What was Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s commencement speech about?
Crockett received an honorary doctorate degree from Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Tougaloo alum. She was invited as this year’s commencement keynote speaker, according to Mississippi Public Broadcasting.
During her speech Crockett spoke about the legacy left by civil rights activists at Tougaloo College.
“How many times did you sit back and think about the fact that you walked the same hallowed grounds where the Tougaloo Nine organized,” she said. “For years you sat in the same seats as Anne Moody and Memphis Norman as you were bestowed with knowledge, skills and critical thought.”
She also made parallels between the Civil Rights Movements and today.
“Sadly enough, in the year of our Lord 2025, sitting in these very classrooms is just as much of a protest as Anne and Memphis pulling up to Woolworth’s in 1963,” Crockett added.
Jasmine Crockett’s inspiring commencement keynote speech at Tougaloo College’s graduation in Jackson, Mississippi, is going viral.”Your moment is now.” pic.twitter.com/eEhbZcJULF— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) May 7, 2025
The Congresswoman also suggested that her invitation to be a keynote speaker had received some backlash.
“To think about the fact that people have to be fearful of having a sitting member of Congress to come and address their graduates, tells us that we still got a lot of work to do,” she said.
She still chose to deliver some words of encouragement to graduates.
“Your moment is now,” Crockett said. “This country is relying on each and every one of you to walk into your purpose and to walk in greatness with your head held high. There are going to be people that tell you that you don’t belong. I am here to tell you over and over and over that you absolutely belong.”
Four women who previously worked as housekeepers for Robinson filed a $50 million lawsuit against the “Who’s Lovin’ You“ singer and his wife, Frances Robinson, alleging years of sexual abuse at his properties. The suit also accuses Frances of maintaining […]
Bill Gates moved up the timeline to release all his wealth within the next 20 years instead of decades after his death. As CNN reported, Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, launched the Gates Foundation in 2000 to aid global health and equity efforts. Since its inception, the organization has granted $100 billion, which has been used to develop new vaccines, diagnostic tools and methods of distributing healthcare solutions worldwide. When the pair initially created the foundation, they intended the generous work to continue decades after their deaths using their riches. Recently, the billionaire is singing a different tune.
Bill Gates sets 20-year deadline to give away his wealth
On Thursday, Gates announced in a blog post that he wanted to speed up the process of giving out his fortune, which he said is nearly $200 billion, before or by December 31, 2045, when he foresees ceasing operations. He plans to draw from the foundation’s $77 billion endowment and his money, including future earnings from ventures like his nuclear energy company, TerraPower.
This comes off the cuffs of Microsoft commemorating its 50th anniversary, worth over $3 trillion, a few weeks ago.
“It feels right that I celebrate the milestone by committing to give away the resources I earned through the company,” he wrote.
As philanthropy faces political pushback, Bill Gates doubles down on giving back
The timing of the news follows efforts by President Donald Trump’s administration to significantly cut funding for domestic and international aid and health programs. The Gates Foundation supports health, foreign aid and public assistance campaigns. When Gates, French Gates and Warren Buffett started The Giving Pledge in 2010, they encouraged fellow financially elite individuals to donate a good percentage of their wealth to philanthropy initiatives by donating personally or leaving a gift in their estate. The trio has gotten more than 240 of their peers to join in.
In response, there are concerns that necessary research and global initiatives could be disrupted or delayed.
“People will say a lot of things about me when I die, but I am determined that ‘he died rich’ will not be one of them,” Gates’ blog post read. “There are too many urgent problems to solve for me to hold onto resources that could be used to help people.”
The Gates Foundation warned of stalled progress in global health. At the same time, in a Financial Times interview, Gates sharply criticized Elon Musk for slashing U.S. foreign aid programs, accusing him of “killing the world’s poorest children.”
Still, he remained hopeful in a blog post, noting that AI innovations, paired with his philanthropy, could help accelerate future improvements.
Blavity’s Shadow and Act has an exclusive preview of this week’s upcoming episode of Law & Order, featuring Mehcad Brooks and Reid Scott.
In the episode, titled “Tough Love”: A tough-love sports agent is found stabbed to death, leaving the squad with a trail of suspects who wanted him gone. Despite a wealth of evidence, Price and Maroun worry that a lack of motive will tank their case.
Details on the ‘Tough Love’ episode of ‘Law & Order’
In the below clip, Shaw (Brooks) and Riley (Scott) visit the sons of their homicide victim, a well-known former football player and sports agent. They ask if their father had been having issues with anyone lately.
Hugh Dancy, Tony Goldwyn, Odelya Halevi, Mehcad Brooks and Maura Tierney also star. Dick Wolf is the show’s creator and executive producer, with Rick Eid, Pamela Wechsler, Alex Hall and Peter Jankowski also executive producing.
When does the new ‘Law & Order’ episode air?
Check out the exclusive preview below: The episode airs Thursday at 8 p.m. on NBC.
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Legendary Motown singer Smokey Robinson faces multiple charges, including rape, sexual assault and creating a hostile work environment, in a lawsuit filed by lawyers representing four of his former housekeepers.
Rondell Sheridan, a beloved actor from That’s So Raven who portrayed the title character’s father, Victor, recently shared his health journey and asked fans for assistance with mounting medical expenses.
In an Instagram video from his hospital bed, Sheridan revealed that his health troubles began in April while he was traveling. Doctors thought it was a gastric issue, but his condition worsened, leading to a diagnosis of severe pancreatitis.
After returning home on April 12, he was hospitalized for nine days. Though he was discharged, his recovery has been complicated by ongoing inflammation.
The 66-year-old expressed gratitude for the medical care he received but acknowledged the financial burden of being unable to work. To help cover his expenses, he launched a GoFundMe campaign.
Fans rally behind the actor
“Hey friends, it’s Rondell Sheridan here,” he said. “On April the 10th, I was on the road and got sick. I went to the hospital, and they thought it was gastric. I got home on the 12th, immediately went to the hospital at North Ridge, and was told it’s pancreatitis. Tons of tests. I was in the hospital for nine days. I got released, and I thought I was on the road to recovery, but… my pancreas is inflamed, and there’s not much you can do about it but just wait for the inflammation to go down.”
“If you have anything that you could donate, I would gladly appreciate it. Thank you so much,” Sheridan concluded.
Fans have answered the call, with his campaign raising over $41,000 so far toward its $35,000 goal.
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