African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund Awards $3 Million to Preserve Historic Black Places Across the U.S

The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a division of the National Trust for Historic Preservation,today announced $3 million in preservation funding for 27 historic sites and organizations across the United States through its annual National Grant Program and Conserving Black Modernism Initiative. Since its founding in 2017, the Action Fund has raised more than $200 million and supported over 430 preservation projects dedicated to protecting Black heritage nationwide.

"Historic places help us understand who we are as a nation," said Brent Leggs, President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and founder of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. "These grants are investments in communities that are preserving the full American story—from the struggles for freedom and civil rights to the achievements of Black educators, architects, entrepreneurs, faith leaders, and culture bearers. By supporting local stewards and communities, we are helping ensure these stories endure for generations to come."

"The strength of the National Grant Program and Conserving Black Modernism Initiative is their ability to meet communities where they are and provide support that responds to their unique preservation needs," said Tiffany Tolbert, Co-Director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. "This year's grantees represent every corner of the country and demonstrate that preserving Black history requires sustained investment, local leadership, and strong partnerships. We are honored to stand alongside these organizations as they protect places that continue to shape our nation's cultural landscape."

As the nation marks the 250th anniversary of the United States, this year's grants reaffirm the importance of preserving places that tell a complete and inclusive American story. At a time when communities across the country are reexamining how history is remembered, interpreted, and shared, the Action Fund continues to invest in local organizations that safeguard the people, places, and movements that have shaped the nation

This year, the National Grant Program is awarding $2.26 million to 22 grantees that reflect the diversity and national significance of Black history, supporting places that preserve cultural heritage, civil rights memory, education, and women's leadership. Awardees include: the multi-state Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, which protects one of the nation's most distinctive Black cultural landscapes in America; The Eliza Freeman House in Connecticut, home to a self-made Black businesswoman in the 1840's; the home of Dr. Jane Ellen McAllister, the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in Education from Columbia University, located in Mississippi; Thelma's Cafe in West Virginia's Hotel Thelma, a Green Book site that was visited by Etta James, Sam Cooke, Little Richard, and Tina Turner; and the Detroit Association of Women's Clubs building, which was listed on the National Trust's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in America in 2026.

The Conserving Black Modernism Initiative, a partnership with the J. Paul Getty Foundation now in its fourth year, is awarding $750,000 in grants to five projects that protect and promote the work and legacy of Black Modernist architects. This year's portfolio includes Fisk University's Park Johnson Hall; the Martin Luther King Jr. Humanities Center at Texas Southern University; St. Mark AME Zion Church in East Chicago, Indiana; Northeastern University's Southwest Corridor Project; and Milwaukee's Central City Plaza. These sites help expand public understanding of historic preservation beyond traditional landmarks by highlighting the enduring influence of Black architects and community-centered design.

"Conserving Black Modernism has helped communities in nearly every region of the U.S. protect the work of Black architects and has helped broaden the very definition of modernist architecture," said Joan Weinstein, director of the Getty Foundation. "Teaming up with the National Trust over the past five years has allowed us to take actionable steps to preserve underrepresented sites that embody Black excellence in design, activism and resilience."

This work would not be possible without the Action Fund's philanthropic partners who share a commitment to social justice through preservation and education. The Action Fund is grateful for the generous support of the Freedom Together Foundation, the Robert D.L. Gardiner Foundation, the J. Paul Getty Foundation, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for supporting this year's grantmaking round.

A complete list of 2026 National Grant Program and Conserving Black Modernism grantees is available here.

About the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund 
The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund is a division of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Since its founding in 2017, the Action Fund has raised $200 million and supported over 430 preservation projects, making it the largest national resource dedicated to the preservation of sites tied to Black history in the United States. With support from the Ford Foundation, Mellon Foundation, Freedom Together Foundation, J. Paul Getty Foundation, Lilly Endowment Inc. and others, the Action Fund is safeguarding historic places tied to Black resilience, activism, and achievement. Learn more at www.savingplaces.org/actionfund.

South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain on Decision for South Carolina to hold the 1st presidential primary in 2028

South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain realesed the following statement on the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee again selecting South Carolina to lead off the 2028 Democratic presidential primary. 

South Carolina Democrats are grateful to the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee for again selecting South Carolina to lead off the 2028 Democratic presidential primary. This decision demonstrates our party’s commitment to competing in the South and recognizes the importance of black and rural voters in shaping the Democratic Party’s future. Additionally, the committee valued our flexibility in setting the primary date and the certainty of conducting a well-run primary.

This moment belongs to the volunteers, organizers, county parties, activists, and candidates who have worked tirelessly to build our party and ensure every voice is heard. Time and time again, South Carolina Democrats have shown that we know how to choose a presidential nominee who can unite our party and win in November. ​

The process to determine which states will go early in the primary calendar has been extremely competitive, and we are honored to join five additional diverse states that together will lead our nominating process and deliver the strongest, most competitive nominee in 2028 that will deliver for working families across this country. Together, we are ready to deliver for the Democratic Party and the American people.

REV. AL SHARPTON: STRIPPING SOUTH CAROLINA OF ITS FIRST-IN-THE-NATION PRIMARY WOULD BE A SLAP IN THE FACE TO BLACK VOTERS

Rev. Al Sharpton, President of the National Action Network, is adding his voice to a growing coalition of Black leaders warning the Democratic National Committee not to strip South Carolina of its first-in-the-nation presidential primary status. The statement comes as the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee prepares to decide the order of the 2028 primary calendar.

“You don’t forget who showed up for you when nobody else would,” Sharpton said. “Black voters have shown up for the Democratic Party again and again. South Carolina hasn’t just cast votes in the presidential primary, time after time, it decided the nomination, and ultimately the presidency. If South Carolina gets quietly bumped after one cycle of convenient praise, that sends a message louder than any speech at a Democratic dinner: the gratitude was performance, not policy.”

South Carolina didn’t luck into its spot at the front of the calendar; it earned it. The DNC moved the state up in 2024 because a party that depends on minority and working-class voters to win needed a primary process that led with a state like South Carolina, where Black voters make up over half the Democratic primary electorate, and the rest of the electorate reflects the urban, rural, working-class, and suburban mix of the country the party is trying to win. It worked. Sharpton and other Black leaders argue reversing course now, in favor of states with calendar conflicts or political convenience, would be exactly backward.

“To turn around now and push South Carolina to the back of the line would be a slap in the face to the very voters who’ve kept this party alive,” Sharpton said. “This isn’t about one state’s ego. It’s a test of whether the Democratic Party actually means it when it says Black voters are the backbone of this coalition, or whether that’s just something we say during election years and quietly walk back once the votes are counted.”

Sharpton tied the fight directly to this year’s Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which gutted Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and opened the door for state legislatures across the South to redraw maps that dilute Black political power.

“When courts won’t protect fair districts, and state legislatures are racing to draw Black representation out of existence, the primary calendar becomes one of the last remaining levers Black voters have to shape who leads this country,” Sharpton said. “The Democratic Party cannot simultaneously turn around and strip away the one nationally visible platform where Black voters get to go first and set the tone for the entire race. That would be doubling down on disenfranchisement at exactly the moment it needs to be resisted hardest.”

Sharpton’s statement adds to a wall of support building for South Carolina in recent weeks. DNC Black Caucus Chair Virgie M. Rollins wrote directly to Rules and Bylaws Committee Co-Chairs: “African Americans continue to be the backbone of the Democratic Party and can consistently be counted on to support Democratic candidates. South Carolina has a larger African American population than any other state currently under consideration to be the first primary state,” Rollins wrote, adding that by electing Christale Spain to lead the state party twice, “South Carolina Democrats clearly recognize her leadership and that Black women get the job done of organizing and getting Black voters to the polls.” “I support South Carolina being first on our primary calendar,” Rollins said.

That support follows on the heels of a joint push from Congressman Bennie G. Thompson, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Institute, and Democratic Party chairs from across the Deep South. Thompson wrote to DNC Chair Ken Martin and the Rules and Bylaws Committee that “South Carolina’s first-in-the-nation status is not a procedural privilege; it is a hard-won recognition that the Democratic Party’s coalition must be centered, not assumed.” Southern state party chairs from Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and West Virginia echoed that message in their own joint statement: “When South Carolina goes first, we send a message to the nation that the Democratic Party will not retreat from its commitment to multiracial democracy, even as the courts and the Republican Party work in concert to undermine it.”

“Keep South Carolina first,” Sharpton said. “Not because it’s owed as a favor, but because it’s the right thing to do for a party that wants to win.”

Dr. Lennor M. Johnson Named the First Black President of MiraCosta College

On June 25, 2026, the MiraCosta Community College District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the contract of Dr. Lennor M. Johnson as the institution’s next Superintendent/President. Following a comprehensive national search, Dr. Johnson will succeed Dr. Sunny Cooke and officially step into his new role on August 3. 

Dr. Johnson brings more than 28 years of educational leadership, a deep commitment to student equity, and a clear track record of removing barriers to academic and career success. 

"On behalf of the Board of Trustees, it is with great excitement that we welcome Dr. Johnson to MiraCosta College," said Frank Merchat, President of the Board of Trustees. "The Board is confident that his collaborative approach, passion for equity, and dedication to community partnerships make him the ideal leader to build upon the solid foundation Dr. Cooke has established.

"Dr. Johnson joins MiraCosta College from Imperial Valley Community College District, where he served as Superintendent/President. Under his leadership, the district earned the prestigious Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, a national recognition highlighting his ability to build environments where student success thrives. 

His broad career spans multiple facets of higher education, including roles as Vice President of Student Services, Dean, Campus Director, Graduate Curriculum Chair, and Professor. Throughout his career, Dr. Johnson has championed the needs of diverse student populations, including first-generation students, foster youth, veterans, and system-impacted individuals. He possesses conversational and professional proficiency in Spanish, enabling him to engage meaningfully with students, families, employees, and community members throughout the region. This ability will further support MiraCosta College's mission as a proud Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). His strategic focus on enrollment growth, fiscal health, and curriculum alignment has consistently earned national recognition for institutional excellence and student retention. 

 The pairing of Dr. Johnson and MiraCosta College brings together a leader recognized for institutional excellence with a college that holds a distinguished national reputation. Additionally, Dr. Johnson's appointment marks a historic milestone for the district, as he becomes the first African American Superintendent/President in MiraCosta College’s 92-year history. MiraCosta College is widely recognized as an Achieving the Dream Leader College for its efforts to close equity gaps. It has also consistently been named to the Aspen Prize Top 150 Community Colleges and is recognized regionally and nationally for its pioneering bachelor’s degree programs in biomanufacturing. 

 Outside of his academic roles, Dr. Johnson is a proud veteran who served honorably for four years in the United States Marine Corps. He has dedicated much of his personal time to advocating for educational reform and economic development in minoritized communities, earning the Stone of Hope Award for his efforts. He is also a founding board member for several youth-focused non-profits and actively mentors individuals to help them realize their full potential. 

 Dr. Johnson holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Robert Morris University, a Master's degree in Business Administration from Governors State University, and a Doctorate in Education from Argosy University. With his contract officially approved, the college community looks forward to beginning this new leadership chapter in August. 

 Dr. Johnson and his wife, Michelle, look forward to becoming part of the MiraCosta College community and engaging with students, employees, and community partners throughout the district.

Watch Attorney Ben Crump release of independent autopsy of Nolan Xavier Wells 08/22/2026

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump will hold a press conference tomorrow 08/22/26 to announce the findings of an independent autopsy connected to the death of Nolan Wells.

The press conference is set at 8 a.m. Central Time (9 a.m. Eastern) Wednesday. Crump will be joined by Derrick Johnson, presidents of and chief executive officer of the NAACP, and the Wells’ family at the news conference. The press conference will take place at the 117th NAACP convention in Chicago.

Watch live below: