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The Reverend Jesse Jackson passed away on February 17 at age 84, leaving behind an influential legacy of civil rights activism and political leadership that spanned six decades. Following Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, Jackson continued advocating for social justice through organizations like the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and served as one of Washington D.C.'s first shadow senators from 1991 to 1997, championing the statehood movement. His presidential campaigns in the 1980s challenged the Democratic Party's establishment and transformed its nomination process to be more inclusive and grassroots-oriented. Jackson maintained deep ties to Washington D.C., forging a close friendship with longtime Mayor Marion Barry and becoming a local fixture while maintaining an international profile that included hostage rescue missions abroad. Community leaders and officials remember him as a courageous, fearless leader whose fight for voting rights, civil rights, and D.C. statehood reflected his unwavering commitment to democracy and equality for all people. # Key Takeaways

Rev. Graylan Scott Hagler, a 71-year-old Washington D.C. pastor and social justice advocate, passed away on February 17 after battling cancer, ending a remarkable career of faith-based activism. During his three decades leading Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, Hagler transformed the congregation into a center for civic engagement while championing causes including affordable housing, workers' rights, racial justice, and Palestinian solidarity. Even while suffering from laryngeal cancer, he continued protesting against Target's rollback of diversity initiatives up until his final months, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to justice work. His bold leadership style, which included challenging traditional Black church theology on Israel-Palestine and advocating for marginalized communities, earned him recognition as both a prophetic voice and mentor to younger activists. Born in Baltimore in 1954, Hagler leaves behind a legacy of connecting spiritual faith with civic action that influenced generations of leaders. # Key Takeaways

The National Newspaper Publishers Association has issued a statement mourning the passing of Reverend Dr. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., praising his transformative leadership in civil and human rights movements worldwide. The author, who was recruited into the Civil Rights Movement at age 14, reflects on working alongside Jackson from major 1960s campaigns through Jackson's presidential runs in the 1980s, which dramatically increased Black voter participation. Jackson is remembered not only as a powerful orator but also as a prolific writer for Black newspapers who gave voice to the oppressed throughout his career. The statement emphasizes that Jackson's spirit must continue inspiring future generations to fight for freedom and justice amid ongoing challenges of racism and inequality.

Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, a towering civil rights leader who emerged from segregated South Carolina to become a national advocate for justice and equality, has passed away at age 84. Throughout his more than five-decade career, Jackson founded the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, ran two groundbreaking presidential campaigns that expanded possibilities for candidates of color, and served as an unofficial diplomat securing hostage releases abroad. A protégé of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was present at King's assassination, Jackson continued the civil rights movement's work by pressuring corporations to diversify, fighting economic injustice, and bringing moral urgency from the Black church into politics and boardrooms. Despite facing criticism and later battling illness, he remained active in protests and advocacy until his final years, leaving behind a legacy that family and supporters are calling others to continue.

More than 260 students from 88 schools across Washington, D.C., participated in cluster-level spelling competitions at THEARC, with approximately 30 participants advancing to the citywide finals scheduled for spring. The eventual citywide winner will earn the opportunity to represent the District at the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee in May. Competition coordinator Jason Moore and volunteer judges emphasized that the event's true value extends beyond winning, focusing instead on helping students develop confidence, perseverance, and the ability to overcome fear and nervousness. Students prepared by studying thousands of words over several months, and even those eliminated expressed appreciation for the experience and supported their peers' success.

Five candidates are competing for the Ward 1 D.C. Council seat after Councilmember Brianne Nadeau announced she will not seek re-election following three terms. The diverse field includes Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners Rashida Brown (endorsed by Nadeau) and Miguel Trindade Deramo, former Latino Affairs director Jackie Reyes-Yanes, democratic socialist and tenant advocate Aparna Raj, and community leader Terry Lynch. All candidates are focusing on shared priorities including housing affordability, public safety, quality city services, and preventing displacement in one of D.C.'s most racially diverse wards. The Democratic primary is scheduled for June 16, with candidates having raised varying amounts in campaign contributions and public funds, ranging from approximately $60,000 to over $268,000. # Key Takeaways

America's freight rail system significantly impacts urban communities, particularly minorities and low-income populations who bear the burden of pollution and congestion from inefficient shipping networks. The current system requires frequent transfers between rail carriers and terminals, resulting in approximately one million additional truck trips annually in Chicago alone, contributing to traffic congestion and harmful diesel emissions in working-class neighborhoods. A proposed merger between two major rail carriers aims to create unified single-line service that would eliminate many truck transfers and reduce environmental harm. This consolidation could improve air quality, lower consumer prices, and benefit communities along freight corridors, with support from the nation's largest rail labor union recognizing potential improvements for workers and system efficiency.

Maryland Democratic Senator Angela Alsobrooks has introduced legislation in the Senate that would require the Government Accountability Office to examine how mass federal employee terminations have financially impacted state and local governments. The proposed Fiscal Harms of Federal Firings Act addresses concerns about over 317,000 federal workers who have lost their jobs during the past year, with particularly severe effects on the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Representative April McClain Delaney is sponsoring companion legislation in the House, and multiple labor unions have endorsed the measure. The lawmakers argue that these widespread dismissals have disrupted essential government services while creating budget shortfalls for state and community governments that have attempted to absorb the impact. # Key Takeaways

Democratic legislators Senator Angela Alsobrooks and Representative Kweisi Mfume from Maryland have introduced the National Council on African American History and Culture Act of 2026 in response to what they characterize as Republican attempts to diminish Black history education. The proposed legislation would create a 12-member advisory council operating under the National Endowment for the Humanities, comprised of presidential appointees with expertise in African American history and culture who would require Senate confirmation. This council would be responsible for collecting data, evaluating NEH programs, providing policy guidance, and producing yearly reports to strengthen federal initiatives supporting African American historical and cultural preservation. The bill has garnered support from multiple Democratic senators and endorsements from organizations including the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture.

The District of Columbia has filed a major civil racketeering lawsuit against the Razjooyan family, accusing them of running an illegal real estate operation spanning over a decade. The family allegedly controlled more than 70 apartment buildings through a network of shell companies, obtaining fraudulent loans and over $16 million in housing subsidies while subjecting hundreds of tenants to dangerous living conditions including mold, gas leaks, and electrical hazards. Prosecutors claim the family secured excessive loans by promising renovations that never occurred, instead using funds to buy more properties and enrich themselves. Attorney General Brian Schwalb stated the city is abandoning its building-by-building approach in favor of dismantling the entire operation at once. # Key Takeaways

The House of Representatives passed the SAVE America Act on Wednesday along partisan lines, establishing stringent new voter registration and ballot-casting requirements that critics warn could disenfranchise millions of Americans. The legislation mandates documentary proof of citizenship during registration and photo identification for voting, creating potential obstacles for an estimated 69 million women and 4 million men whose current legal names don't match their birth certificates due to marriage, gender identity changes, or other reasons. Republicans claim the bill prevents noncitizen voting, which is already illegal, while opponents argue the bureaucratic requirements would create unnecessary barriers for eligible voters and could be implemented too quickly for proper election administration. The bill faces significant challenges in the Senate, where it would need 60 votes to overcome a filibuster, and some Republican senators have already expressed concerns about federalizing elections.

The Tax Foundation's analysis reveals that President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act will moderately boost economic growth by 0.7% while adding approximately $4.1 trillion to federal deficits over ten years. This federal legislation has created serious complications for Washington, D.C., where local officials previously voted to reject certain federal tax provisions to protect city revenues. Congressional Republicans are now pushing to override the District's decision, which would force D.C. to adopt tax cuts it deliberately declined and strip roughly $658 million from local coffers over five years. District leaders warn this federal intervention would destabilize their budget planning, eliminate funds earmarked for expanding local tax credits for low- and middle-income residents, and create immediate cash-flow problems during the current tax filing season. # Key Takeaways

A federal grand jury has declined to indict six Democratic members of Congress who published a video encouraging military personnel to refuse illegal orders. The Justice Department, under a Trump-appointed US attorney, had pursued seditious conspiracy charges that carried potential 10-year prison sentences against the lawmakers, all of whom had military or intelligence backgrounds. The video, released last November amid concerns about potentially illegal military strikes in South America, prompted President Trump to call it "seditious" and launch a federal investigation. One of the lawmakers, Senator Mark Kelly, is separately suing the government over attempts to reduce his military retirement rank in connection with the video. Critics characterized the prosecution attempt as retaliation against political opponents and an assault on free speech protections.

The Washington Informer highlights the often-overlooked contributions of Black Americans to building the nation's capital, including the White House, Capitol, and other landmarks, which were constructed with enslaved labor. As the Association for the Study of African American Life and History commemorates the 100th anniversary of Negro History Week's founding by D.C. resident Carter G. Woodson, the publication emphasizes local Black narratives in the DMV area. The newspaper spotlights the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 50th anniversary and profiles community leaders who have shaped the District. Founded over 60 years ago by Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, The Washington Informer continues its mission to serve and empower the community through journalism that preserves and celebrates African American history.

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025 with the theme "Roots. Ready. Rising." to honor its legacy of developing African American leaders and advancing equity-focused policies. Founded in 1976 by three visionaries when the Congressional Black Caucus had only 13 members, the organization has grown alongside the caucus, which now includes 62 representatives and stands as Congress's largest branch. The anniversary celebrations include commemorative events, expanded programming across multiple cities, and new initiatives like a scholarship partnership with Zelle and Community Development Investors that provides MBA funding to students at five historically Black colleges and universities. CBCF President Nicole Austin-Hillery emphasizes that this milestone represents not merely longevity but a renewed declaration of purpose to continue transforming political representation into tangible power and opportunity for Black communities nationwide.

Washington D.C. justice leaders and community organizations are mobilizing to protect vulnerable populations from increased ICE and federal agent activities following violent enforcement operations in Minneapolis that resulted in two deaths. Local advocates are working to sever the connection between the Metropolitan Police Department and federal immigration enforcement agencies through upcoming public hearings, proposed legislation, and grassroots organizing. Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George has introduced legislation that would prohibit local law enforcement from participating in immigration enforcement without court orders and protect sensitive locations like schools and shelters. Multiple community organizations are coordinating teach-ins, protests, and solidarity efforts while emphasizing that ICE operations threaten all residents regardless of background. These groups view general strikes and nationwide shutdowns as powerful tools to challenge federal enforcement policies.

This article commemorates the 40th anniversary of Pearl B. Settles' death, a Ward 7 civic leader who fostered a clean, crime-free community in Washington D.C.'s Stoddert Terrace public housing development during the 1970s and 1980s. Her legacy lives on through her daughter Karen Settles and community members who continue her work, particularly as the ceremonial naming of Pearl B. Settles Way honors her contributions last May. The late Settles provided youth employment opportunities, affordable daycare, and community programs while serving as an advisory neighborhood commissioner and DCHA board member until her death in 1986. Today, community members face ongoing challenges including the opioid crisis and debates over public housing redevelopment, while Karen Settles advocates for resident involvement in decision-making and removal of a fence that physically and symbolically divides the community. # Key Takeaways

Four Black women educators and advocates in Washington D.C. organized a grassroots movement called "Recess at the Capitol" in response to congressional efforts to interfere with the District's local budget and tax legislation. The movement brought over 700 students, parents, and teachers to Capitol Hill to protest a continuing resolution that would have eliminated more than $1 billion from D.C.'s budget and later organized against a disapproval resolution targeting the city's child tax credit and earned income tax credit programs. The Senate is now poised to vote on this disapproval resolution, which the House already passed along party lines, threatening to disrupt the current tax season and cost the District approximately $670 million in revenue over four years. The organizers view their work as part of a broader struggle for D.C.'s autonomy and home rule, continuing their advocacy through community organizations like CARE Anacostia while inspiring young people to engage in civic activism.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore, the nation's only currently serving Black governor, was unexpectedly removed from the guest list for the annual National Governors Association dinner at the White House without explanation. The NGA's interim CEO indicated that the White House administration, not the organization, made the decision to exclude certain governors, prompting the NGA to withdraw its official recognition of the event. Moore publicly expressed concern that his exclusion from this traditionally bipartisan gathering may carry racial undertones, particularly given the timing shortly after President Trump posted and removed a racist video. While White House officials defended the decision as the president's discretionary right to invite whomever he chooses, the move has been criticized as undermining important federal-state collaboration and turning a bipartisan tradition into a partisan affair. # Key Takeaways

President Donald Trump removed a racist video from his social media account on Friday after widespread criticism from political leaders across party lines. The video, posted overnight, superimposed images of Barack and Michelle Obama onto cartoon apes while spreading false election fraud claims, imagery historically used to dehumanize Black people. The White House initially defended the post as an internet meme about "The Lion King" and dismissed concerns as "fake outrage," but Trump quietly deleted it before noon. The incident, occurring during Black History Month, drew condemnation from Democratic leaders, civil rights organizations like the NAACP, and even Republican lawmakers including Senator Tim Scott who called it "the most racist thing" from the White House. The controversy recalled Trump's earlier promotion of birther conspiracy theories questioning Obama's citizenship and sparked debate about political leadership's responsibility regarding racist imagery.

Katie Paris, founder of Red Wine & Blue, a suburban women's organization with over 600,000 members, hosted a Zoom meeting for more than 4,000 participants to support Springfield, Ohio's Haitian community facing potential immigration enforcement. The organization, which started in Ohio in 2019 and expanded to key swing states, focuses on mobilizing suburban women—a politically powerful demographic that helped determine recent elections—through grassroots, friend-to-friend organizing rather than traditional advertising campaigns. During the Tuesday night call, participants heard from local religious leaders, charity workers, and legal experts about how to support Haitian residents whose Temporary Protected Status was set to expire, despite a federal judge's temporary block. The meeting raised over $107,000 in less than an hour for local Springfield organizations assisting Haitian families, demonstrating the group's effectiveness at rapid mobilization and fundraising.