Discover Black Heritage

A new exhibit at the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum explores the unique story of Black artisans during and after the American Revolution. News4’s Dominique Moody spoke with the curators of “Fighting for Freedom: Black Craftspeople and the Pursuit of Independence.”

The annual commemoration paid homage to those who fought to secure voting rights for Black Americans and brought calls to recommit to the fight for equality.

The Washington Informer, a Black, woman-owned multimedia newspaper, is celebrating 60 years of service to the Black D.C. area community. The paper’s publisher, Denise Rolark Barnes, carries on the legacy of her father, Calvin W. Rolark, who founded the weekly newspaper in 1964 to highlight positive stories about the local Black community. There are always items on your to-do list…

The Washington Informer, a Black, woman-owned multimedia newspaper, celebrates 60 years of service to the Black community in the D.C. area. News4’s Aimee Cho sat down with its publisher to learn more about its history.

As part of Black History Month, Mount Vernon Triangle is highlighting Marvin Bowser’s photo exhibit honoring Black hair. News4’s Shawn Yancy spoke with him.

When the current owner of Old Whitewood, Mark Ohrstrom, learned the property was a former plantation, he set out to discover more about the enslaved people who once lived there. “I think it’s very important to honor those people,” Ohrstrom said. To do that, he turned to his friend Karen White, co-founder of the Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier...

The goal of the project is to merge databases to help fully identify former enslaved people who worked in Fauquier County. Northern Virginia Bureau Chief Julie Carey reports. 

Chefs David Thomas and Tonya Thomas are a married couple who started the Baltimore based company H3irloom Food Group. It focuses on honoring food traditions in the past, future and present. The chefs explain the food’s importance to Black history with News4’s Molette Green and Adam Tuss. 

Oakley Cabin African American Museum and Park in Brookeville, Maryland, gives a glimpse into the lives of African Americans after emancipation. News4’s Megan McGrath reports augmented reality makes it possible to explore the historic site even when it’s closed. 

Amid the Trump administration’s removal of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices in the federal government, Howard University is adding a new program dedicated to studying racism, led by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi.

Ibram X. Kendi will run a Howard University program dedicated to studying racism, as the Trump administration removes diversity, equity and inclusion programs within government. News4’s Jessica Albert reports.

Steps from the University of Maryland in College Park, there was once a tight-knit, self-sustaining Black community. But in the 1960s and 1970s, the people were displaced by urban renewal. This is the story of Lakeland.

One North Texas man is putting a fresh spin on traditional Western wear, blending his family’s deep ranching roots with big-city style.

Lakeland, a once-thriving Black community in Prince George’s County, Maryland, was nearly erased by urban renewal policies that displaced families and dismantled hundreds of Black communities across the country....

Today, the city of College Park is working toward restorative justice, acknowledging past wrongs and seeking to repair the harm done....

Yet, through it all, Lakelanders remain resilient, preserving their history,...

An opera believed to be the first composed by a Black American more than a century ago is on its premiere tour and playing in College Park Friday night. News4’s Dominique Moody reports. (The photo of Edmond Dede that appears in this report is courtesy of Amistad Research Center, New Orleans, LA)

Black History Month honors the achievements and struggles of African Americans throughout U.S. history, and it’s a great time to visit a favorite museum for a special exhibit or visit somewhere new. The theme of Black History Month in 2025 is African Americans and labor, according to the Association for the Study of African Life and History (ASALH). The ASALH...

August is National Black Business Month, and Baltimore native Donae Burston is trying to diversify the wine industry with his company. He talked to News4’s Molette Green.

Benjamin Banneker was born a free Black man in Baltimore County in the 1700s. Banneker accomplished many achievements and is described as an American Renaissance man. News4’s Jummy Olabanji visited his farm in Catonsville, Maryland, and discovered why his work traveled across continents.

As the national debate over Black history continues, one aspect of the legacy of race in America is undergoing something of a rebirth: Black cemeteries that were established in the era of segregation.

Kelley Robinson is the first black, queer woman to lead one of the nation’s largest LGBTQ advocacy groups, the Human Rights Campaign, but this is not her first taste of steering the progressive movement. She says now is the time for her leadership – her goal is freedom for all, without exceptions.