Author: Carma Henry

     The Frederick Douglass Foundation (FDF) is honored to announce its designation as an America250 Supporting Partner as the nation prepares to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026.

     When federal agents arrested journalist Don Lemon and independent reporter Georgia Fort in connection with a protest inside a Minneapolis-area church, many commentators framed the incident as a straightforward defense of sacred space. Worship was disrupted. Congregants were frightened. Law enforcement restored order.

     Beginning January 1, 2026, certain higher‑earning employees who make catch‑up contributions to employer‑sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457(b)) must make those catch‑up contributions on a Roth (after‑tax) basis. This requirement comes from SECURE 2.0 Act §603 and is now fully clarified through final IRS regulations issued in September 2025.

   As we place our spiritual stethoscope to the heart of these so-called United States of America, what we hear is not a steady, life-giving rhythm, but an irregular, labored pulse that signals deep distress. The heart of America, once aspirationally committed to liberty and justice for all, appears today to be in critical condition. The symptoms are evident in blatant acts of racism, public disrespect, and an alarming disregard for human dignity and decency; acts that are no longer whispered at the margins but boldly displayed in the public square.

       “Valentine’s Day is about love, and our shelter pets are ready to give unconditional love,” said Doug Brightwell, Broward County Animal Care Director. “Every adoption changes two lives—the animal who finds a home and the family who gains a loyal companion. Through Plenty of Pets, we’re removing barriers and creating lifesaving opportunities for animals who are ready to go home today.”

       Famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump is expanding his body of work beyond the courtroom with the release of his debut fiction novel, “Worse than a Lie,” set for February 17, 2026. The book launches a new legal thriller series built around the character Beau Lee Cooper, a lawyer drawn into a case that begins with a violent traffic stop and spirals into a fight over truth, power, and freedom inside the criminal legal system.

  The Pioneers Classic honored the 75th anniversary of Chuck Cooper, Nathaniel “Sweetwater” Clifton and Earl Lloyd breaking the NBA’s color barrier in 1950. The event was a deserving reminder of the historical significance of the aforementioned trio, each a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, Lew’s home state. Still, Lew has not made it there with them. It’s time he receives his rightful induction.  

  So wrote W.E.B. Du Bois in his seminal work “The Soul of Black Folk,” published in 1903. One of the most effectuating figures in the history of this country, Du Bois was a leading intellectual of his time, a social scientist, civil rights activist, and the first Black man to earn a Ph.D from Harvard University. His words to open this piece aptly applies, 123 after he penned them, to the current state of the National Football League.

       Among this year’s semi-finalists for the 2026 Hospital for Special Surgery Jr. Knicks Coach of the Year award are one woman from New York and one from New Jersey, whose passion for uplifting young people matches their passion for basketball.

     We keep Black History Month on one shelf and Valentine’s Day on another. One is supposed to be about pain and struggle. The other about flowers and pastel sugary hearts. Public remembrance of the most important Supreme Court decision about love in American history—Loving v. Virginia—waits for June, as if love itself were a summer excursion.