A week of events at UNC Asheville, Mars Hill University, and downtown Asheville.

In 1961, two young women broke the color barrier to become the first African American students at two Western North Carolina colleges: Etta Mae Whitner Patterson at UNC Asheville and Oralene Anderson Graves Simmons at Mars Hill University (then Mars Hill College).

Both women were students at Asheville’s Stephens-Lee High School, where they were members of the Asheville Student Committee on Racial Equality (ASCORE). Through nonviolent protest, ASCORE led efforts to desegregate many Asheville stores and businesses.

Patterson and Simmons, who later founded the Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County, have since received honorary doctorates from their alma maters in recognition of their achievements and lifelong service to their communities.

To commemorate ASCORE, honor the leadership of Etta Patterson and Oralene Simmons, and mark the 65th anniversary of the desegregation of UNC Asheville and Mars Hill University, UNC Asheville’s Department of History and Mars Hill University’s Liston B. Ramsey Center for Appalachian Studies invite the public to attend “Stories of ASCORE: Lessons in Courage, Desegregation, and Community Activism.”

The program will feature two panel discussions with Drs. Patterson and Simmons, along with other former members of ASCORE. Panelists will discuss how their experiences integrating Asheville’s businesses and institutions prepared them for their college careers, professional lives, and continued community activism.

The first panel discussion will take place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, in the Blue Ridge Room of Highsmith Union at UNC Asheville. The event will feature a presentation by Dr. Patterson and a panel discussion with Dr. Simmons, Marvin Chambers, Jesse Ray, and Al Whitesides. The panel will be moderated by Deborah Miles, retired director of the former UNC Asheville Center for Diversity Education.

This event is sponsored by UNC Asheville’s Department of History and Africana Studies Program, with generous support from King and Pam Prather. A free visitor parking permit is required for the UNC Asheville event. Please visit the university’s parking website for instructions on obtaining a permit for the evening’s program.

The second panel discussion will take place at 5 p.m. on Thursday, November 12, 2026, in the Tony and Terry Floyd Conference Center in the Mars Hill University Campus Center. The event will feature Dr. Simmons, Annette Coleman, and Elizabeth Colton. The panel will be moderated by Jonathan McCoy, professor of history at Mars Hill University.

This event is sponsored by the Liston B. Ramsey Center for Appalachian Studies, with generous support from the university’s Provost’s Office.

In addition, at 12 noon on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, in Pack Square in downtown Asheville, Mayor Esther Manheimer and the Buncombe County Commission Chair will proclaim ASCORE Day and present honors to Etta Patterson and Oralene Simmons. Holly Jones of the North Carolina Governor’s Office will also participate in the ceremony.

For more information, contact Leila Weinstein at Mars Hill University ([email protected]) or Ellen Holmes Pearson at UNC Asheville ([email protected]).

Based on reporting by The Urban News.

Letitia Plummer is the next Harris County judge, and the Spelman College alumna made history in Texas’ most populous county. On Tuesday night, the former Houston City Council member defeated Republican Orlando Sanchez. As a result, she becomes the first African American elected to lead Harris County.

Early unofficial results showed Plummer with about 62% of the vote to Sanchez’s 38%. Shortly after 9 p.m., Sanchez called Plummer to concede. He then asked his supporters to back her once she takes office.

The win also makes her the first Muslim elected to the post. According to the Houston Chronicle, that makes her the highest-ranking Muslim executive official in Texas history.

A Historic Night in Houston

Plummer succeeds Lina Hidalgo, who chose not to seek another term. Now, a Spelman woman takes over the top job in a county of nearly 5 million people.

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In Texas, the county judge is not a courtroom role. Instead, the job leads the Commissioners Court, which runs the county’s budget, roads, flood control and public health. So the seat carries real power over daily life in the Houston region.

The general election was never especially close. However, the road to November was brutal. In the March 3 primary, Plummer finished second behind former Houston Mayor Annise Parker. Parker took about 47% to Plummer’s 37%, sending the race to a runoff.

Then Plummer flipped the script. On May 26, she beat Parker in the runoff with about 51% of the vote. From there, she turned to Sanchez and never looked back. Houston Public Media has full coverage of election night.

Letitia Plummer’s Road From Linkwood to Harris County Judge

Plummer grew up in Linkwood, a neighborhood south of Brays Bayou near Buffalo Speedway. Her family history runs deep in Houston. Her grandfather was a Tuskegee Airman flight instructor. After the war, he became the first African American investigator for the Harris County district attorney.

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Her father, Matthew Plummer Jr., studied dentistry at Harvard. Later, he served in the Peace Corps, where he met her mother in Africa. Her mother brought Yemeni and Indian roots to the family. As a result, Plummer grew up in a multicultural household that shaped her outlook.

As a teen, she attended what is now DeBakey High School for Health Professions. Then she headed to Atlanta for Spelman. There, she joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

After Spelman, she came home to Texas for dental school at Baylor College of Dentistry. Like her father, she became a dentist. She went on to own dental practices in the Houston area, including in Pearland.

From Dental Chair to City Hall

Plummer’s political career started with a 2018 run for Congress. She made the Democratic runoff in Texas’ 22nd District but lost to Sri Preston Kulkarni. Still, the campaign put her on the map.

A year later, she won Houston City Council At-Large Position 4. She took office in January 2020. In doing so, she became the first Muslim woman elected to the Council.

On the Council, she focused on police reform, food deserts and apartment inspections. She also chaired the Government Operations Committee. Notably, fellow Spelman alumna Carolyn Evans-Shabazz served alongside her on the Council.

In 2025, she launched her campaign for county judge. Then she timed her exit from the Council so the city could fill her seat during a regular election. That move saved Houston the cost of a standalone special election.

What She Ran On

Plummer pitched herself as a unifier for a Commissioners Court that has often split along party lines. She promised to build stronger working relationships among its members.

She also called for better county services and changes to the county’s Flock camera contract. In addition, she pushed back on state leaders for exerting authority over Harris County.

On election night, she spoke about her personal struggles with surrogacy. She said that experience helped inspire her decision to run.

Why Letitia Plummer’s Win Matters for Spelman

Spelman women had a big night across the country Tuesday. In New York, alumna Adrienne Adams won the lieutenant governor’s race. Now Plummer will run one of the largest counties in America.

Together, the wins show how far the Spelman network reaches in politics. Both women built careers outside government before winning office. And both broke barriers on the way up. For more on the school, check out our Spelman College coverage. You can also follow our Keisha Lance Bottoms coverage for more HBCU wins from election night.

What Comes Next

Plummer will take office in January. Between now and then, she will build her team and prepare for the county budget fight. For more on her path, the Houston Chronicle tracked her rise through a political roller coaster year.

Stay with HBCU Buzz for continued coverage of Harris County Judge-elect Letitia Plummer as she prepares to take office.

In this article:HBCU LOVE, Letitia Plummer, Spelman’s Dr. Letitia Plummer Makes History as Harris County’s First Black Elected County Judge

Based on reporting by Texas Metro News.

Scott Colom, a Mississippi Democrat challenging Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, could become the first Black person elected to represent the state in the U.S. Senate since Reconstruction.

As of Thursday afternoon (November 5), unofficial results showed Colom leading Hyde-Smith by 1,138 votes, with 96% of estimated votes counted, according to Associated Press election results. The race has not been called.

If Colom wins, the longtime prosecutor would become the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Mississippi since John C. Stennis won reelection in 1982. A seventh-generation Mississippian raised in Columbus, Colom comes from a family with deep legal and political ties.His mother, retired Judge Dorothy Colom, was the first Black person elected to serve on her region’s Chancery Court. His father, Wilbur Colom, is an attorney and former Republican who worked for President Ronald Reagan.

In 2015, Colom defeated 27-year incumbent Forrest Allgood to become district attorney for Mississippi’s 16th Circuit District at age 32, making him the first Black person to hold the position, Mississippi Public Broadcasting reported. His campaign says his office has won 94% of its trials and secured convictions in more than 15 high-profile murder cases.

Colom’s history with Hyde-Smith dates back to 2023 when she blocked his nomination to a federal judgeship despite support from Republican Sen. Roger Wicker, according to CNN.

Colom told CNN, “I’m a Christian. I forgive her,” adding that the blocked nomination was not motivating his Senate campaign.

His campaign website outlines priorities that include raising the federal minimum wage, lowering costs for families, protecting rural hospitals and restoring Affordable Care Act tax credits. He also wants to require data center companies to cover their own electricity and water costs.

Mississippi’s last two Black U.S. senators were Hiram Revels, who was elected in 1870 and became the first Black senator in the country, and Blanche K. Bruce, who was elected in 1875 and served until 1881, according to the U.S. Senate Historical Office.

The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HEREto tune in live.

The post Meet Scott Colom, The Mississippi Democrat Leading Tight Mississippi Senate Race appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

Based on reporting by Atlanta Daily World.

Big Mama used to say, “Baby, don’t come knocking on my door only when you need something. Come see about me when you need something, too!” And if you knew my Big Mama, you knew that wasn’t a suggestion. That was a standard!

Well, Election Day has come and gone. The campaign signs are coming down, the political commercials have disappeared, and some politicians have already forgotten the roads leading into our neighborhoods. Isn’t it amazing how quickly folks can find our churches, barbershops, restaurants, and community centers when they need our votes? They shake hands, hug babies, take pictures, and some even learn a gospel song! But Big Mama would ask, “Baby, now that they’ve counted our votes, who’s counting our needs?”

Where are they when our schools need resources, seniors need assistance, Black-owned businesses need contracts, and young people need mentors and jobs? Big Mama would remind us, “You can’t eat a handshake, and a photograph won’t pay the light bill!”

But here’s where the village must accept some responsibility. We cannot keep building election machines that disappear after Election Day. We need an ecosystem, connecting our churches, businesses, nonprofits, fraternities, sororities, educators, and community leaders into a year-round network of opportunity, accountability, and collective progress.

Imagine turning voter mobilization into economic mobilization. Imagine churches connecting families to resources, businesses opening doors for young entrepreneurs, and elected officials reporting measurable results instead of delivering another campaign speech. That’s how we turn political influence into community investment.

And let’s stop measuring success by how many politicians attend our events. Let’s count jobs created, contracts awarded, young people mentored, and promises kept. Accountability isn’t partisan. It’s personal, and it belongs to the entire village.

Now, I’m asking you, my readers: Send me the name of an organization, business, or community initiative we should invest in and support. Let’s connect our resources and build an ecosystem that strengthens the entire village! I have two organizations I’d like to add to the conversation: Don’t Believe the Hype, which focuses on scholarships and educational opportunities, and City Men Cook, which provides mentoring, leadership development, and opportunities to invest in the next generation of young men. Both are about more than talking about change. They’re about putting resources, relationships, and opportunities into action.

Big Mama understood that relationships require reciprocity. You cannot keep withdrawing from a community without making deposits. So whether your candidate won or lost, our responsibility remains. The election determines who holds office, but the village determines what accountability looks like.

Big Mama said, “Baby, if they know the road to your house when they need your vote, make sure they know the road back when you need results!”

The election is over. Now let’s build something that outlives the campaign!

Based on reporting by Texas Metro News.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has begun the process of commuting the death sentences of all 548 people on the state’s death row to life in prison without the possibility of parole, The Washington Post reported.

If completed, the move would empty the nation’s largest death row, affecting more than a quarter of the country’s death-sentenced population.

However, the commutations will not be automatic for everyone. Approximately 70% of the inmates have multiple felony convictions and will need approval from at least four of the California Supreme Court’s seven justices before their sentences can be changed.

Newsom defended his decision in an open letter to Californians, arguing that he believes capital punishment is incompatible with California’s values and undermines the justice system.

“I take this action because I firmly believe that state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with California’s values, undermines the foundations of our legal system, and diminishes each of us,” Newsom wrote.

He also acknowledged that his decision could reopen painful memories for victims’ families, writing that the announcement “may surface excruciating memories for victims’ families.”

California voters previously rejected a ballot measure to repeal the death penalty in 2016, but Newsom argued that the state Constitution gives the authority to grant clemency.

“California voters have voted to keep the death penalty on the books and I respect that,” he wrote. “But the Constitution also gave every governor clemency authority, and that power exists for moments when law as applied cannot be squared with justice. For me, this is that moment.”

The Washington Post reported that California has not executed anyone since 2006. Newsom previously imposed a moratorium on executions in 2019, dismantled the state’s death chamber, and repealed its lethal injection protocol.

The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HEREto tune in live.

The post Gov. Gavin Newsom To Commute All 548 California Death Row Sentences appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

Based on reporting by Atlanta Daily World.

On April 3, 1968, at Mason Temple in Memphis, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” sermon.

As he prepared to close, he told the overflowing crowd: “We’ve got some difficult days ahead.”

Those words ring just as true today as they did nearly six decades ago. We, too, have some difficult days ahead.

By the time this article hits the newsstands (I’m dating myself), the midterm elections will be over. Regardless of the outcome, the fight for justice and humanity will continue with full force.

We’ve got some difficult days ahead.

The present administration and those driving a malicious agenda of anti-human policies driven by greed will likely ratchet up the rhetoric of ruin against safety-net programs. These are the very programs that support the people who actually do the living and dying in this country.

We’ve got some difficult days ahead.

Following the midterms, people who believe in the sacredness of humanity must turn their attention to holding elected officials accountable. Senators and representatives promised to protect the people’s agenda: health care for all, quality education for all, and ensuring billionaires pay their fair share of taxes to fund programs for “the least of these.”

If sober, principled leaders are not elected, and the hounds of hell break through the gates of Congress, then those who believe that every person has inherent dignity, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, or economic status, will have to redouble their efforts. We must resist the fanatical intent of those who believe one race is superior to others.

We’ve got some difficult days ahead.

Churches must stand in the tradition of the prophet Amos. They must declare to wannabe kings and sycophants who trade human principles for profit that God says: “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

Black churches in particular must make a Sankofa move, reaching back to reclaim the lessons of ancestors who waged heroic battles against white supremacy and settler colonialism, forcing this country to make drastic changes for the better.

We’ve got some difficult days ahead.

Black churches and people of goodwill must reclaim the narrative. We must prevent the masses, often captivated by social media talking heads who lack the bandwidth for deep theology, ideology, or political literacy, from falling under the influence of rampant ignorance online.

We’ve got some difficult days ahead.

Those who have always wondered what they would have done during the Civil Rights Movement will soon confront a hard truth: what they are doing right now is exactly what they would have done back then. For many, that means doing nothing but talking. Others will realize they are the kind of people Harriet Tubman would have left behind, because they did nothing but get in the way.

We must answer the question Dr. King posed in the title of his final book: Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?

We’ve got some difficult days ahead.

That sentiment reflects the words Jesus left with His disciples, hours before He was executed by the Roman Empire on a cross. In John 16:33, Jesus told them: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Yes, we have difficult days ahead, but we have truth on our side. We have justice on our side. We have our ancestors on our side. We have history on our side.

And for those of us who follow that barefoot preacher from the northeast African region of biblical Palestine, Jesus of Nazareth, we know that victory ultimately triumphs over defeat, because resurrection is a living reality.

Be vigilant, be authentic, and stay woke. Uhuru Sasa!

The Rev. Dr. John E. Jackson, Sr. Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ-Gary, 1276 W. 20th Ave. Gary, IN. Contact the church at [email protected] or by phone at 219-944-0500.

Based on reporting by Gary Crusader.