The Robbins House embodies Concord’s African American history
While Black history is being erased or limited across the country, The Robbins House works to keep Concord’s African American history alive.

Mass. Senate passes shield protections for journalists
He chose to protect his sources. During the high-profile Ayash v. Dana-Farber case, in which a cancer doctor sued the Boston Globe for libel, a Massachusetts judge ordered Knox to reveal his sources.

Preserving the blueprint: Inside the effort to conserve Black-designed buildings nationwide
Supported by funds from the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Action Fund, five buildings across five states will share $750,000 in planning support.

Groundbreaking affordable senior housing coming to Mattapan
The $94 million project, which exists within the broader Olmsted Village development, strives to alleviate senior isolation and preserve local wealth.

11th annual Igbo Day Festival embraces local Nigerians in culture, connection
The Igbo tribe is one of the largest ethnic groups in Nigeria, making up approximately 18% of the country’s population, according to Current Affairs NG, a Nigeria-based website. Since the 1980s, increasingly more Nigerians have emigrated from their homeland to countries around the world.

Dozens gather in Watertown for Hiroshima and Nagasaki Remembrance Day
One of the speakers was Ray Matsumiya, who recounted his grandfather’s experience as a volunteer fire captain who aided in the aftermath of the bombing. After driving towards a mushroom cloud, Matsumiya’s grandfather spent three days treating the wounded among “ashes, fire, and bodies.

Racial bias in felony murder convictions calls for criminal justice reform
Massachusetts is one of 48 states where it’s possible to be sent to prison for your entire life without killing someone with your own hands.

Equal protection under the law ...
Equal protection under the law ....

Pope Leo finally addresses his Black ancestry and slavery
Speaking to NBC News, the pontiff said his mother’s family included both enslaved people and slaveholders — a striking admission from a pope who had previously declined to publicly discuss genealogical research tracing his ancestry to New Orleans’ historic Creole community.

What shall I do with my boy?
They said the Black caulkers were “eating the bread which should be eaten by American freemen.” Douglass saw past that. The white man, he wrote, “is robbed by the slave system of the just results of his labor.” The men who owned that system taught poor whites to fight poor Blacks.

IN THE NEWS
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has honored Dr. Emery Brown by naming him an Institute Professor, the university’s highest faculty distinction.

‘No Bad Days’: How one family turned grief into a basketball court full of hope
On August 8, the gym at the Wells Ave YMCA in Newton, Massachusetts, filled up the way it always does for the Preston Settles Basketball Tournament.

Boston Arts Academy Foundation Civic Responsibility Awards
The Boston Arts Academy Foundation celebrated the 2026 Civic Responsibility Award Honorees Delta Executive Candice Stover and TV & Film Honorees Stephanie Tavares-Rance and Floyd Rance, founders of the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival at Hue Boston.

Boys and Girls Club of Boston South Bay Summer Jam Series
The Boys and Girls Club of Boston is launching a “South Bay Summer Jam Series,” transforming South Bay into a weekly gathering place where teens can enjoy music, art and food, and connect with mentors, summer jobs and Club resources..

City to conduct disparity study to help minority, women-owned small businesses
To push forward the city’s supplier diversity goals, the Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion and the Department of Supplier Diversity are preparing to conduct a comprehensive Disparity Study.

After trade, supporters point to Jaylen Brown’s deeper Boston impact
“Part of belonging is seeing yourself not only in neighborhoods, but in the center of the city,” said Imari Paris Jeffries, president and CEO of Embrace Boston. “I think [Brown] understood that, especially as an outsider or as a newcomer to the city.”.

‘Rhinoceros,’ an absurdist commentary on fascism, barrels onto the stage at A.R.T.
The absurdist play centers on a French community that’s going about its normal business, until a rhinoceros barrels in. One by one, the people around protagonist Berenger join the herd and turn into rhinoceroses. The comical premise also represents a clear commentary about following a crowd — no matter how insane its actions are.

Lights, camera, ACTION!
A new film series, organized by True North Action Alliance Boston, is featuring three documentaries about social activism with free showings in the city. Called the Good Trouble Film Series, True North Action Alliance is showing movies that “focus on voting rights, civic participation and community resilience.

16th African Festival promotes unity through food, fashion and music
“There’s a lot of things going on in Massachusetts, in New England, around the world, and for us, the message that we wanted to put out there is that together we’re strong, together we keep on rising, and you know let’s just stick together,” said Tushiminina, explaining her process for selecting this year’s artists.

Cool down with these heatwave-proof frozen drinks in Boston
The August heat is raging and there are few antidotes to the high humidity levels as effective as an ice-cold beverage. Whether you’re looking for a tropical buzz in a cocktail glass or a spirit-free spritz to keep hydrated and cool, these are the best frozen drinks in the city.

New CDC director takes the helm amid upheaval
The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the agency mandated to protect Americans’ health from preventable threats.