AURN News
AURN News brings you the stories that matter to Black America. Since 1973, American Urban Radio Networks has amplified Black voices and covered the issues that shape our lives. As the only Black-owned media network with a White House bureau, AURN delivers trusted, timely news from Capitol Hill, as well as This Day in History, health & wellness, finance, education, technology, and entertainment. Join journalists Ebony McMorris, Clay Cane, Jamie Jackson, and Tanya Hart for in-depth reporting, historic insights, and daily updates that inform and empower. Stay connected at aurn.com and follow @aurnonline on all social media platforms.
Lonnie Bunch Announces Smithsonian Retirement
Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III has announced plans to retire by the end of 2026 after seven years leading the institution. His departure comes as the Smithsonian faces increased scrutiny from the Trump administration over exhibits and interpretations of American history, though Bunch says the dispute did not drive his decision.
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Canada's New Tariffs Escalate U.S. Trade War
Canada's new retaliatory tariffs are now in effect on $27.6 billion in U.S. goods, including steel, aluminum, dairy, appliances and electronics. The escalating trade fight could hit key industries and consumers on both sides of the border.
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'Moonlight' Returns to Theaters for 10th Anniversary
"Moonlight" is returning to theaters Oct. 2 for its 10th anniversary in a newly remastered 4K version. Barry Jenkins' acclaimed film won Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali and Best Adapted Screenplay, along with four NAACP Image Awards.
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NAACP Launches Roadmap to Build Black Generational Wealth
The NAACP has unveiled a national roadmap focused on helping Black families build and preserve generational wealth through areas including credit, savings, investing, homeownership, career advancement and estate planning. The effort comes as a wide racial wealth gap persists between Black and white families.
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Black Workers Built Labor's Legacy but Still Face the Gap
This Labor Day, the Black unemployment rate stands at 6%, well above the rate for white workers. From A. Philip Randolph to today's union workforce, Black workers have helped shape the labor movement and continue to see measurable benefits from union representation.
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Missouri Court Blocks Trump-Backed Congressional Map
The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously blocked the state's new Republican-drawn congressional map, ruling that voters must get a say before the new boundaries can take effect. The state will use its 2022 map in November while Missouri's attorney general prepares an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
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#OTD in 1981: Beyoncé Is Born in Houston
On Sept. 4, 1981, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter was born in Houston, Texas. Now 45, the global superstar has built a groundbreaking career spanning music, fashion, film, business and philanthropy while becoming the most-awarded artist in Grammy history.
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Trump Tax Proposal Could Put Black Scholarships at Risk
The Trump administration is proposing an IRS rule that could affect race-based scholarships, financial aid, admissions and other programs at private schools and colleges. Private HBCUs would not lose tax-exempt status simply for serving predominantly Black students, but race-based eligibility programs could face scrutiny.
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EPA Proposal Raises New Environmental Justice Concerns
The Trump administration is proposing to eliminate a federal requirement that gives communities notice and a chance to comment before some pollution permits are issued. Activists warn the change could leave Black, low-income and overburdened neighborhoods with fewer opportunities to challenge new pollution.
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Federal Court Weighs New Postal Service Ballot Rules
A federal court battle in Boston could affect how states send mail-in ballots for the November midterms. Voting rights groups are challenging a new Postal Service system ordered by President Donald Trump, while the administration says the requirements are legal and would strengthen election security.
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Grammy-Winning Jazz Singer Cassandra Wilson Dies at 70
Grammy-winning jazz vocalist Cassandra Wilson has died at 70. The Jackson, Mississippi, native was celebrated for a career spanning jazz, blues, gospel and folk, and Jackson Mayor John Horhn praised her as "an extraordinary native daughter."
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NAACP Seeks Answers on Federal Election Monitors
The NAACP has filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking details about the Department of Justice's planned deployment of more than 1,000 personnel during the midterms. The group wants information on locations, training, legal authority and how federal monitors will comply with state polling-place restrictions.
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Tarrant County Cuts 92 Polling Sites Before Midterms
Tarrant County commissioners have approved a plan cutting 92 Election Day polling sites, reducing the total from 316 in 2022 to 224 this year. Civil rights groups warn the closures could disproportionately affect Black and Latino communities as a competitive U.S. Senate race between Ken Paxton and James Talarico approaches.
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Harrison Barnes Invests $25 Million in Iowa Bank
San Antonio Spurs veteran Harrison Barnes has invested $25 million of his own money to purchase Community State Bank in Paton, Iowa. The Iowa native studied finance at UNC and recently enrolled in the Iowa School for Banking while continuing his NBA career.
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Whistleblower Warns USPS Barcode Rule Could Delay Ballots
A federal whistleblower says USPS rushed development of a new ballot-processing system that could reject entire shipments if even one sampled barcode fails. The plan is temporarily blocked, with a major court hearing scheduled for Sept. 3.
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Duane Keith Davis Convicted in Tupac Shakur Murder
Duane Keith Davis was found guilty of first-degree murder for orchestrating the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas. Davis, the only person charged in the case, faces life in prison and has said he plans to appeal.
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Trump Meets With Oil Executives as Fuel Prices Surge
President Donald Trump is meeting with oil refining executives at the White House as gasoline prices climb above $4 a gallon and diesel averages more than $5.60. The administration is seeking ideas to lower prices and expand refinery capacity as fuel costs become a growing economic and political concern.
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Trump Calls for FCC Action Against Kristen Welker
President Donald Trump is calling for federal action against NBC's Kristen Welker after she said his Republican primary endorsements had "some mixed results." The dispute is raising broader questions about press freedom, the FCC's authority and First Amendment protections.
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Questions Grow Over Major U.S.-Venezuela Oil Deal
A new U.S.-Venezuela oil agreement calls for development of 17 oil fields and could bring roughly $100 billion in investment, but the full contract has not been released and key questions remain about ownership, control and how the deal will work.
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Colin Kaepernick to Receive Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award
Colin Kaepernick will receive the Muhammad Ali Center's Humanitarian of the Year award at a Nov. 7 ceremony in Louisville. The center cited his advocacy against racial injustice and his work supporting underserved communities through initiatives including his Know Your Rights Camp.
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DHS Memo Details National Guard Immigration Strategy
A Department of Homeland Security memo lays out a legal strategy that could place federalized National Guard troops under Title 10 authority and grant them immigration enforcement powers. Legal experts dispute the theory, while American Oversight warns it could have broader implications for domestic military enforcement.
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Colleges Cut Back Black Studies Programs Nationwide
At least 12 colleges have scaled back Black, African or African American studies programs since President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting diversity programs. Schools cite a mix of low enrollment, budget pressures, state laws and reduced funding, while supporters say politics is also driving the cuts.
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Jeffries Joins Civil Rights Leaders to Defend the Vote
Hakeem Jeffries is joining the Rev. Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King III, Arndrea Waters King and other civil rights leaders at the Lincoln Memorial for the Defend the Vote March, 63 years after the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
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Africa Business Summit Pushes Investment Into Action
The Africa Business Investment Summit brought together African leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and members of the diaspora with a focus on turning discussion into deals, including a $500 million investment mandate.
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New Federal Lending Changes Could Hurt Black Homebuyers
The Trump administration and Federal Reserve have withdrawn support for 2022 guidance encouraging special purpose credit programs designed to expand access to mortgages and other credit. The change comes as Census data show Black homeownership at 44%, compared with 75% for non-Hispanic white households.
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#OTD in 2008: Barack Obama Makes History
On Aug. 27, 2008, Barack Obama made history at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, becoming the first Black presidential nominee of a major U.S. political party. He accepted the nomination the following night and went on to become the nation's first Black president.
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March on Washington Returns With New Call to 'Defend the Vote'
The March on Washington returns to the Lincoln Memorial with a renewed focus on voting rights, economic dignity and affordability. Organizers are calling on supporters to turn public protest into sustained political action ahead of the 2026 midterms.
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Dolly Parton's Legacy Extended Far Beyond Country Music
Dolly Parton's legacy stretched far beyond country music. From supporting Black Lives Matter and investing royalties from Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" in a predominantly Black Nashville neighborhood to challenging sexism through her music, Parton's choices reflected a broader commitment to dignity and opportunity.
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Dolly Parton, Country Music Icon, Dies at 80
Dolly Parton, the country music legend behind "Jolene," "9 to 5" and "I Will Always Love You," has died at 80. Her career stretched across music, film and generations, from Whitney Houston's global hit to Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter."
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Supreme Court Lets Trump Election Order Move Forward
The Supreme Court has allowed key parts of President Donald Trump's election order to move forward while litigation continues in the lower courts. The 6-3 decision turned on standing rather than the merits, drawing a sharp dissent from Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
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LDF Calls for Federal Probe Into 70 Suspicious Black Deaths
The Legal Defense Fund is urging Congress to create an independent commission to examine suspicious Black deaths and questions surrounding local investigations. A separate report cited by LDF identified 70 possible modern-day lynching cases between 2000 and 2025 across seven Southern states.
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Bessent Announces 'Economic D-Day' Sanctions Against Iran
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced what the administration is calling Operation Economic Outcast, a new sanctions campaign targeting Iran-linked oil networks and sectors including digital assets, technology, gold, aviation and shipping.
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Trump Escalates Canada Trade War With 50% Tariffs
President Donald Trump has escalated the U.S.-Canada trade war, announcing that tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks, automotive parts and steel will rise to 50% on Jan. 1, 2027. Canada is preparing retaliatory tariffs of its own as Prime Minister Mark Carney vows to respond dollar for dollar.
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Michael Wright, 'The Five Heartbeats' Actor, Dies at 70
Actor Michael Wright, known for playing Eddie King Jr. in "The Five Heartbeats," has died at 70. Wright's career stretched from "The Wanderers" and "Streamers" to television roles in "V" and HBO's "Oz."
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More Than 5.5 Million Americans Fall Off SNAP Rolls
SNAP participation has fallen by more than 5.5 million people compared with a year ago, dropping from 42.2 million recipients in May 2025 to 36.6 million in May 2026. Anti-hunger advocates warn that stricter work and reporting requirements may be pushing some eligible families off the program.
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First Deportation Flight Arrives in Haiti After TPS Ends
The first large U.S. deportation flight to Haiti since the end of temporary protected status arrived with more than 160 people. The flight landed in Cap-Haitien after officials avoided Port-au-Prince because of ongoing gang violence and security concerns.
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Charles Walker Sr., Georgia's First Black Senate Majority Leader, Dies
Charles Walker Sr., Georgia's first Black Senate majority leader, has died at 78. The longtime Augusta lawmaker spent two decades in the Georgia General Assembly, helped shape regional development and founded The Augusta Focus newspaper serving the city's Black community.
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Bessent Says Growth Is Key as U.S. Debt Hits $40 Trillion
The U.S. national debt has crossed $40 trillion, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the country will need stronger economic growth to overcome the challenge. Bessent pushed back on parts of the debt figure and defended the administration's economic approach.
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8 Million Americans Estimated to Have Lost Health Coverage
Protect Our Care estimates that 8 million Americans have lost Medicaid, CHIP or Affordable Care Act coverage, while more than 1,100 health care providers have closed, cut services or are considered at risk. The Congressional Budget Office projects the number of uninsured Americans will rise from 30 million this year to 37 million by 2036.
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Judge Removed as Karmelo Anthony Seeks New Trial
A visiting judge removed Judge John Roach from Karmelo Anthony's post-trial proceedings after finding that Roach's conduct could cause a reasonable observer to question his impartiality. Anthony's 35-year murder conviction still stands as he seeks a new trial.
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