Art for Sale Page 2

James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1885) by William Merrit Chase. Whistler famously took John Ruskin to court after the writer was disparaging about one of his nocturne paintings Courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
“Whistler loves to wrap mystery around him as a cloak—and then go off in it and be photographed,” Edgar Degas complained about his mercurial friend, the painter James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834-1903). The French Impressionist might have explained, better than most, why Whistler has become the resident weirdo in the annals of transatlantic art history. As Daniel Sutherland here acknowledges, the artist, who chose as his personal emblem a butterfly with a stinger, is a bundle of paradoxes: an American who preferred to live in Europe; a self-declared Southerner who was born in Lowell, Massachusetts; a capricious showman who worked himself to exhaustion; and a loud-mouthed provocateur who believed in the purity of the artistic enterprise.
In the 1850s, Whistler attended the military academy at West Point, as his father had done before him. His ignorance of chemistry, he alleged, got him canned: “Had silicon been a gas, I would have been a major general.” Sutherland, though, reminds us there were other reasons why Whistler was sent packing. He went on to create an art of dreamily oscillating surfaces in which everything solid appears to tremble and melt, from the people he portrayed—like the musician Pablo de Sarasate, popping out, ghostlike from the dark abyss behind him—to his exquisite pastels of Venice, where the façades of the palazzi wobble like the waters of the canal below, and the paintings he called “nocturnes”, shimmering views of the River Thames at twilight.
Sutherland, a professor of history at the University of Arkansas and author of a 2014 biography of the artist (Whistler: A Life for Art’s Sake), has spent much of his career seeking to rescue the “real Whistler” from the falsehoods told about him (although some of these, mind you, were Whistler’s own). Whistler’s Legacy is a continuation of that project. Sutherland pulls no punches when criticising those who got Whistler wrong, first and foremost that benighted pair of early biographers, Joseph and Elizabeth Pennell, who said they had been “authorised”, though they clearly were not; Whistler’s sister-in-law, Rosalind Birnie Philip, had banned them from quoting the artist’s letters. The list of the Pennells’ infractions is long, ranging from factual errors to doctored excerpts from the interviews Elizabeth had conducted.
A print of Whistler as a butterfly by an unknown artist (19th-20th century); the artist chose, as his personal emblem, a butterfly with a stinger Courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Sutherland also takes to task some of Whistler’s contemporaries, ranking their accounts according to how “valuable” they are. But he is deeply sympathetic to those Whistler left behind, not only his long-suffering sister-in-law, buckling under the burden of administering Whistler’s enormous estate, but also the artist’s illegitimate son Charles, passed over in his father’s will, who died as unfussily as he had lived, on the same street where he was born, as if he had wanted to give the finger to his peripatetic progenitor.
Not so Sutherland. Unabashedly partisan, he defends Whistler against charges that he was a publicity-seeking Baudelairean dandy or, more damningly, “a terrible man” (a visitor’s comment Sutherland overheard in a museum). In fact, Sutherland argues, Whistler courted controversy for art’s sake. When John Ruskin remarked that Whistler’s Nocturne in Black and Gold–The Falling Rocket (around 1875) was a “pot of paint” flung in “the public’s face”, Whistler took him to court, relishing the opportunity to tell everyone what a seasoned professional he was. In his criticism of Ruskin, rehashed in Whistler’s not very gentle book The Gentle Art of Making Enemies (1890), he pointed out, in reference to Ruskin’s illustrious career as an art critic, that “a life passed among pictures makes not a painter”. For, if that were true, “the policeman in the National Gallery” could rightfully say he was an artist, too.
In the final section of Whistler’s Legacy, Sutherland investigates responses to Whistler in modern popular culture and finds them wanting, if intermittently amusing. Just think of the six-foot-four John Cleese embodying the diminutive Whistler in Monty Python’s Flying Circus. And look at the horrible Whistler portrait the US Postal Service put on its 1940 two-cent stamp! Like his hero Whistler, Sutherland is not a particularly forgiving man, lambasting everyone from gossipy biographers to uninformed art critics to art historians blinded by political correctness. If there is a major Whistler renaissance today—a large exhibition at Tate Britain opened last month—this is, Sutherland implies, thanks to serious modern scholars like himself.
To this reviewer at least, the beating heart of Whistler’s Legacy lies not in the polemical parts but in the book’s central chapter on the science behind Whistler’s nocturnes. Here, Sutherland cuts through the noise, created in part by Whistler himself, and shows how the painter, fully aware of what pollution had done to the skies over London, captures the quiet nuances of a fog-shrouded evening: the moment when, with the light almost gone, the bridges and buildings of the sooty city fade, and the water and the sky and the people appear to become one.
James McNeill Whistler’s celebrated maternal portrait reminded Vincent of his own mother
Our round-up of the latest art publications
The opening of a file on James McNeill Whistler, embargoed for a century, reveals him to have been a violent brawler, a racist and a gun-runner

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In March 2026, a woman reportedly fired gunshots outside of Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s home while their three children were home.
Fans are used to seeing Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s names in headlines. However, in March 2026, social media users were baffled to see reports of shots being fired outside of the multi-hyphenate couple’s family home in Beverly Hills. And while appearing on the cover of Vibe’s Limited-Edition Summer 2026 Issue, the rapper and father of three opened up about the emotional toll that moment has had on his family. 
“It was f***ed up,” he said candidly. “Somebody attempted at [harming] me and my family. It took away a lot of peace and happiness of being able to just be free.”
Prior to the woman identified as Ivana Lisette Ortiz, who fired seven shots at the Fenty mogul’s residence that officials believed to have been “willful, deliberate, and premeditated,” seeing Rocky, Rihanna, and their children walking around cities like New York and engaging with fans felt like the norm.
 “I don’t want to be robbed of my peace and joy,” the rapper emphasized. 
Sharing a glimpse of the joy he and the Fenty Beauty founder shared, Rocky recalled them laughing and cracking jokes while she was in labor with their baby girl, Rocki Irish Mayers. A joy, Rihanna has opened up about in the past following the birth of her sons RZA and Riot Rose.  
“It’s fun. I enjoy it so much, ’cause I am just looking at them, living through them, and I’m amazed by every new, like, discovery of theirs, even their boundaries,” Rihanna told Access Hollywood, reflecting on motherhood. “They’re teaching me how to be their mom, as much as I’m teaching them how to be in this world and guide them as best as I can.” 
Rocky echoed these sentiments when thinking about what it means to be a father.
“I want to make sure that I teach my boys discipline and keep them grounded, keep them humble as much as possible,” he told Vibe. “Because they could be considered nepo babies. I got to make sure they chill with their cousins, the rough cousins that’s going keep them on their toes.”
“[Fatherhood is] being emotionally present, emotionally available, receptive, still endearing, but not only that, loving. That’s easy. That’s me all day,” he concluded.
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There is a reason millions of people spent the last week arguing about whether Rue Bennett deserved a happy ending in the finale of Euphoria.
Editor’s Note: This column contains spoilers about the series finale of Euphoria.
There is a reason Elvis Presley is remembered as an icon who struggled with addiction, while Whitney Houston is still casually reduced to a punchline.
There is a reason generations can celebrate the genius of men who battled substance use, while one of the greatest voices the world has ever known is still discussed by some people as a “crackhead” before she is discussed as Whitney Elizabeth Houston. 
And there is a reason millions of people spent the last week arguing about whether Rue Bennett deserved a happy ending in the finale of Euphoria.
I understand the debate.
I just think people are asking the wrong question.
For days, I’ve watched viewers argue over whether Rue’s death was justified, tragic, realistic, or unfair. Some believe she was robbed of the future she fought so hard to reach. But I keep finding myself wondering why so many people were convinced a happy ending was ever waiting for her in the first place.
Rue is a young Black woman carrying profound grief after the death of her father. A young woman navigating addiction, trauma, fractured relationships, and systems that have never been particularly committed to protecting Black girls.
Yet millions of people still hoped. Not because the odds were in her favor, but because they loved her. And the more I listened to people debate Rue’s fate, the more I found myself thinking something I couldn’t shake: I don’t know that people were rooting for Rue.
I think people were rooting for Zendaya.
We can imagine redemption for beautiful, talented, beloved people. We can imagine grace for people we already value. We can imagine healing when the struggle comes packaged inside a character we have spent years loving.
What we struggle to imagine is that same grace for the woman standing in the methadone line.
The mother who relapsed. The woman who lost custody of her children. The woman whose addiction has become inconvenient. The woman everyone has already decided will never get better. If Rue were real, many of the same people mourning her would have given up on her years ago. And that realization has stayed with me because addiction is not an abstract issue for me.
My mother navigated addiction.
The first time I understood that something was wrong, I was a child. One evening, my grandmother and aunt showed up unexpectedly and asked my mother to come outside. A short time later, she was crying. A few days later, she was entering rehab.
Like many children raised in the 1980s, I wasn’t invited into the conversation. Adults handled adult business. Children figured things out afterward.
All I knew was that my mother, my superhero, was suddenly gone for thirty days. What I didn’t know was that addiction had arrived long after the pain. I didn’t know she was the only one of my grandmother’s children who never knew her father. I didn’t know she had survived sexual violence as a child. I didn’t know she had buried a first love before she ever met my father. I didn’t know the weight of all the losses she carried.
I only knew Colleen as my mother.
And I think that’s one of the greatest failures in how we talk about addiction. We often meet people at the point of impact and assume that is where the story begins. We see the bottle. We don’t see the grief. We see the behavior. We don’t see the wound.
Years later, after serving time in prison, I returned home to a family that had changed. My father had died. My mother had relapsed. This time, alcohol was the addiction. The substance was legal. The consequences were not.
I came home in February 2009. By Christmas, my mother was dead. Her alcoholism was not the only factor, but it was part of the story. And suddenly, I was grieving my mother while becoming responsible for my youngest sister.
For years, I carried anger.
I was angry at addiction. I was angry at the choices my mother made. I was angry at the wreckage left behind. Then I encountered harm reduction. And I found myself confronting a truth I did not want to face: What if judgment had never healed anyone?
What if the better question wasn’t, “Why did she drink?”
What if the better question was, “What happened to her before she ever picked up the bottle?”
That shift changed me. And nowhere was that shift more visible than on Rikers Island.
This May, I spent thirty days on Rikers. For the first two weeks, I was housed in intake alongside women navigating addiction in real time. Some were nineteen. Some were sixty-five. Some were pregnant.
Every morning, I watched women line up for methadone. I listened to women cry out in the middle of the night. I watched women fight battles most of us never see.
The women in that facility were not fundamentally different from my mother.
Or Whitney Houston.
Or Maia Campbell.
Or Rue Bennett.
The difference was not their humanity. The difference was whether society still believed they were worth rooting for. The data tells a story that many Black families already know firsthand.
Overdose deaths in Black communities rose dramatically during the fentanyl era, exposing disparities in treatment access, prevention, and recovery support. Black communities have experienced sharp increases in overdose deaths during the fentanyl era.
Women in jail and prison experience extraordinarily high rates of substance use disorder. Women in jail and prison experience extraordinarily high rates of substance use disorder.
Nearly 80% of women in jail are mothers.
And Black families remain disproportionately entangled in child welfare systems and family separation. Black families remain disproportionately entangled in child welfare systems and family separation.
Addiction does not happen in isolation. It collides with motherhood. Housing. Poverty. Trauma. Incarceration.
And Black women often experience those collisions at the highest stakes.
One of the things that struck me most after the Euphoria finale wasn’t the debate itself. It was how quickly people stopped talking about Rue and started talking about someone they loved.
Their brother. Their daughter. Their cousin. Their friend.
Even Tina Knowles reflected on how the finale brought back painful memories of losing a loved one to addiction.
That’s because addiction is one of the few experiences that immediately collapses the distance between fiction and reality.
People don’t see a character. They see someone they lost. Someone they couldn’t save. Someone they are still hoping will make it.
A few months ago, Maia Campbell told me she loved me. I immediately told her I loved her back.
The exchange stayed with me because I realized I had spent years rooting for her. Not studying her struggles. Not consuming her pain. Not waiting for another relapse to become content. Rooting for her.
Hope matters. Hope is what we offer people who we still believe belong to us. Too often, Black women navigating addiction are denied that belonging. They are analyzed instead of embraced. Judged instead of supported. Reduced to cautionary tales instead of being treated as human beings whose lives remain valuable while they are still struggling.
One of the most important things harm reduction taught me is that addiction leaves very little room for nuance. At first, there is often grace. Then something shifts. Hope becomes frustration. Frustration becomes anger. And suddenly, there is room only for accountability, boundaries, distance, and consequences.
Accountability matters. Boundaries matter. Consequences matter. But our culture struggles to hold more than one truth at a time. Especially when Black women are involved.
We want addiction stories to be clean. We want them to be linear. We want someone to fall down once, get back up, learn the lesson, and never struggle again.
That’s the redemption story we celebrate. But life rarely works that way.
People relapse and still fight for their lives. People disappoint us and still deserve dignity. People can be accountable for the harm they caused while also carrying wounds that deserve compassion.
What harm reduction ultimately taught me has very little to do with drugs.
It taught me something about people. No one is ever just one thing. No one is simply a victim. No one is simply a victimizer. Rarely is the person who caused harm someone who has never experienced harm themselves.
That doesn’t erase accountability. It doesn’t excuse cruelty. But it does require us to leave room for complexity. 
Human beings are complicated. Human beings contradict themselves. Human beings survive things that should never have happened to them. Human beings heal. Human beings relapse. Human beings begin again.
Recently, during a series of painful dermatological procedures, I opted to use nitrous oxide. What surprised me wasn’t that I enjoyed it. What surprised me was the relief.
For a brief moment, I understood something I had spent years misunderstanding about addiction. Sometimes people are not chasing pleasure. Sometimes they are chasing distance from pain.
That doesn’t excuse addiction. But it does require us to ask whether our response creates any possibility for healing.
My mother spent most of her life being a superhero to me. Not because she was perfect. Because she wasn’t. The older I get, the more I think perfection is one of the least interesting things a person can be.
Humanity requires far more courage.
My mother survived things she should never have had to survive.
She loved deeply. She made mistakes. She carried grief. She carried trauma. She struggled. She relapsed. She was complicated.
In other words, she was human.
And perhaps that is what addiction forces us to confront. Not whether someone is good. Not whether someone is bad. Whether we are willing to love people who are fully human.
We already know Black women are less likely to have their pain believed in medical settings. We know Black women face disproportionate maternal health risks. We know Black women are more likely to be judged through stereotypes that require endless strength while denying vulnerability. We know Black families experience disproportionate surveillance through child welfare systems.
Addiction doesn’t create that lack of grace. It reveals it. It exposes what was already there. It shows us what happens when a group of people who are already expected to carry the weight of the world is suddenly unable to carry it quietly.
Because if Black women are denied grace in the best of circumstances, what chance do they have when addiction enters the story?
The Black woman pursuing a doctorate. The Black mother raising children. The Black woman telling a doctor she is in pain. The Black woman surviving domestic violence. The Black woman running for office. The Black woman singing the soundtrack to our lives. The Black woman standing in line for methadone. The Black woman down the block.
The question is not whether they deserve care. The question is why we continue to build systems that require them to earn it.
And if we are serious about changing how addiction is addressed in this country, we should start with the people who have historically received the least compassion.
Because any model of care that works for Black women will work for everyone.
Any system capable of holding the complexity of Black women is capable of holding the complexity of human beings.
That, more than anything, is what harm reduction taught me.
Not that accountability doesn’t matter.
Not that consequences don’t matter.
But that humanity is a grace-required condition.
And any solution that forgets that will always fall short.
SEE ALSO:
What ‘Love Is Blind’ Taught Us About The Good Guy Myth
What ‘Down Low’ Discourse Keeps Us From Seeing About Harmful Men

If Rue Were Real, You Would Have Given Up On Her: What ‘Euphoria’ Reveals About Addiction, Black Women, And The Limits Of Our Compassion was originally published on newsone.com

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June 2, 2026
The platform was created to make it easier for Black families to locate trusted physicians, specialists, therapists, dentists, and other healthcare providers
Originally published by BlackNews.com.
Mario Bailey, a 31-year-old Jamaican-born entrepreneur and software engineer who immigrated to the United States in 2010, has launched BlackHealth.org, a new online platform designed primarily to help patients find Black doctors, other Black-owned healthcare providers, and culturally competent medical professionals across the United States, despite growing legal and political attacks against diversity-focused healthcare initiatives.
The launch comes at a time when diversity-focused medical programs and directories are facing heightened scrutiny, including a recent discrimination lawsuit filed by a white doctor challenging similar initiatives. Supporters of Black-focused healthcare resources argue that such platforms remain critically necessary because Black Americans continue to experience major healthcare gaps, including higher maternal mortality rates, lower life expectancy, delayed diagnoses, and unequal access to culturally competent care. Numerous studies have also shown that Black patients often report better communication, higher trust, stronger treatment adherence, and improved overall outcomes when treated by Black healthcare providers.
Organizers say the platform was created to make it easier for Black families to locate trusted physicians, specialists, therapists, dentists, and other healthcare providers who may better understand their cultural experiences and health concerns. At the same time, the site also serves as the dedicated healthcare job board of BlackHealth.org, a trusted source for Black health information since 2002, connecting mission-driven employers with Black healthcare professionals across every specialty, seniority level, and employment type — from residencies and fellowships to executive leadership positions.
Bailey says the platform can also serve as an important resource for highly educated healthcare professionals from the Caribbean and Africa who immigrate to the United States seeking greater career opportunities and visibility. As someone who immigrated from Jamaica himself, Bailey says he understands many of the unique challenges immigrants can face when trying to build professional networks, navigate healthcare systems, and access leadership opportunities in the American medical industry.
“We built this platform because representation in healthcare is not just a diversity metric — it is directly tied to patient outcomes,” said Bailey. “Black communities deserve access to providers and healthcare organizations that understand their lived experiences, concerns, and cultural realities. This platform helps patients make those connections easier while also helping healthcare employers recruit talented Black professionals.”
The platform also has a very extensive career center that helps Black healthcare professionals discover employment opportunities with hospitals, clinics, and organizations that value diversity, equity, and culturally responsive care.
Learn more about the site at BlackHealth.org
Mario Bailey is a software engineer, Air Force veteran, and entrepreneur focused on building technology that creates real-world impact. He combines technical expertise with an entrepreneurial mindset to launch innovative solutions across industries, including healthcare, marketing, and the public sector.
A graduate of the University of Vermont, Mario serves as Chief Technology Officer for Black Health, where he oversees the platform’s infrastructure, performance, and security to ensure Black families have continued access to trusted health resources online.
RELATED CONTENT: White Physician Sues ‘Find A Black Doctor’ Directory For Alleged Racial Discrimination

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May 31, 2026
Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. has filed a confidential Form 10 Registration Statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission to pursue a tax-free spin-off, separating the New York Knicks and New York Rangers into independent, publicly traded companies.
This proposal follows the MSG Sports board’s February approval to explore a strategic split.
The Knicks entity would oversee the NBA team and its G League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks, while the Rangers entity would manage the NHL club and the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL.
“Completion of the transaction would be subject to various conditions, including effectiveness of the Form 10 Registration Statement, any required league approval, receipt of a tax opinion from counsel, and Company board approval,” MSG Sports said in a statement.

The primary motivation for this transaction is to narrow the ongoing valuation gap between public market capitalization and private franchise appraisals.
MSG Sports has a public market valuation of about $8.5 billion. Sportico recently valued the Knicks at $9.85 billion and the Rangers at $3.65 billion, for a total private-market appraisal of $13.5 billion. Although MSG Sports shares trade at $372.83, the public stock is 29% below the combined private valuation.
Corporate conglomerates commonly face a “conglomerate discount” because their complicated frameworks obscure the valuations of their pure-play assets. Separating the franchises allows for independent evaluation of each team’s growth prospects, cash flows, and media rights opportunities.

“The spin enhances the possibility of raising capital, and it makes minority stake sales easier, as there are two distinct teams’ business models, which makes for a clearer investment vehicle,” David Joyce, an analyst at Seaport Research Partners, wrote in a research note.
The new structure has led to speculation that long-time owner James Dolan may consider selling control of one franchise. Although sources close to the situation deny plans for a full sale, separate entities would simplify any partial or total divestiture.

The spin-off is expected to be tax-free for shareholders, but recent federal tax changes introduce financial obstacles. A revised federal tax provision expanding the Internal Revenue Code will limit deductions for executive compensation starting in the 2027 tax year. The law raises the $1 million deduction cap from five executives to 10. According to Seaport Research Partners, an independent Knicks entity would pay its top five executives and top five players $195 million, triggering an estimated $55.4 million tax liability. The Rangers would face an additional post-spin tax of $19.8 million on $76 million in payroll.

The teams are also connected to Madison Square Garden Arena, which is associated with Sphere Entertainment Co. According to the company’s annual report, Sphere Entertainment spun off a majority stake in the arena’s operating company in 2023, but retained about a one-third ownership share, making lease terms, shared costs, and cash flows among Dolan-controlled entities important factors as the arena’s permit approaches its 2028 expiration. planning.
The restructuring comes as the Knicks reach a peak in their business performance. According to Front Office Sports, strong seasons from both the Rangers and Knicks contributed to a 13% year-over-year increase in the third quarter revenue for the Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. After advancing to the NBA Finals by sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, the franchise is set to earn at least $140 million in postseason arena revenue.

In contrast, the Rangers missed the postseason for a second straight year, highlighting the two franchises’ differing competitive cycles as they prepare to separate their finances.

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Bryson’s family announced the veteran singer of “A Whole New World” had suffered a stroke on Sunday. No cause of death was immediately mentioned.
Peabo Bryson, one of R&B’s vocal giants who rose to global fame with the 1992 song “A Whole New World” from Disney’s “Aladdin” soundtrack, has died.
Bryson’s family issued a statement on Tuesday, days after informing the world that the singer had suffered a stroke and was recovering.
“With broken hearts and profound sadness, the family of two-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and balladeer, Peabo Bryson, announces his passing,” the statement read in part. “He transitioned peacefully at 5:00 p.m. ET on the evening of Tuesday, June 2, 2026, surrounded by the love of his family and those closest to him.”
It continued, “For more than five decades, Peabo’s extraordinary voice served as the soundtrack to some of life’s most cherished moments. His music carried generations through joyful celebrations, great love stories and enduring moments of comfort and inspiration, creating a legacy that will forever live in the hearts of those who loved him and the countless lives he touched through song.
“In this deeply difficult moment, the family asks for privacy as they mourn the loss of a beloved husband, father, family member, friend and artist whose impact extended far beyond the stage.
“We are tremendously moved by the outpouring of love, prayers and support from fans, friends, and colleagues around the world,” the family shared. “While our hearts are broken, we find comfort in knowing how deeply Peabo was loved and how many lives were touched by his voice and his generous spirit. His legacy and music will live on for generations to come.”
Known for hit ballads with Regina Belle, Celine Dion, Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack and others, Bryson struck big with solo hits as well, including 1977’s “Feel The Fire,” 1984’s “If You’re Ever In My Arms Again,” “Show And Tell,” and “Can You Stop The Rain.” Along with “A Whole New World,” he scored another global hit performing the theme song to the Disney film “Beauty and the Beast” in 1991, alongside Dion.
Bryson was survived by his wife, Tanya Boniface Bryson, their son, Robert, his daughter, Linda Bryson. Funeral arrangements and a celebration of life will be announced at a later date.

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“Even Stevie Wonder could see the racism that they’re perpetuating,” said Ed Anderson, an Air Force veteran and organizer for Common Defense, told theGrio.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is continuing to block Black and other minority military officers from promotions at the Department of Defense, appearing to prioritize his anti-DEI stance over merit.
According to the New York Times, the controversial Trump administration official disproportionately targeted women and minority officers in a recent decision to remove nine individuals from a list of 22 selected for promotion to be one-star admirals by a board of senior Navy admirals.
Three of the officers removed by Hegseth from the promotion list are women, and two are Black men. The others are white men. However, given the racial and gender makeup of those removed from the promotions list versus those who were not, Hegseth’s move stands in contrast to the military’s diverse makeup. For example, despite Black Americans making up 13% of the U.S. population, they overindex in the U.S. military at 19%.
The Times reports that Hegseth’s removal of minority and women officers appeared to “violate the rules governing a promotion system,” which are supposed to be “apolitical and merit-based.”
This comes a couple of months after Hegseth blocked the promotion of two Black Army officers to one-star generals, even as the U.S. military’s leadership remains overwhelmingly white under the Trump administration.
President Donald Trump and Secretary Hegseth have taken a hard stance on DEI, using the broad term to suggest that previous administrations prioritized race and gender more than preparedness in the U.S. military, which has been disputed by countless former military leaders and advocates.
Military and veteran advocates say this series of actions targets Black servicemembers, including the firing of top-ranking officers like former Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown Jr., who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and implementing anti-DEI policies like the ending of a grooming policy that allowed Black men with skin conditions to waive rules around shaving their beards.
Critics say these actions create an unwelcoming environment for Black and minority military men and women, who make up 43% of the 1.3 million U.S. troops.
“He’s not even hiding it anymore,” Ed Anderson, an Air Force veteran and organizer for Common Defense, an advocacy group for veterans and military servicemembers, said of Hegseth. Anderson told theGrio, “The anti-DEI, let’s call it what it is. It’s racism. Period.”
The military advocate based in Georgia said he believes Hegseth and the president are trying to reverse the decades-long progress in diversifying the military’s ranks and the recent efforts to build a military leadership that reflects the diversity of the broader military population.
“He’s trying to turn the military back into what it was before World War II. That only certain people qualify for leadership roles if they meet a very narrow criteria. It’s distressing,” he told theGrio.
“When asked if the military officers seemingly removed improperly could have a legal case against the U.S. military, Anderson said, “Unfortunately, the way the military is set up, I think that pursuing an option like that will probably more than contribute to the killing of their careers.”
He added, “The only thing that’s going to change is when we get that this whole administration out of office. They’re going to drag their feet, they’re going to justify it, however they want to justify it.”
Anderson said he would like to see Congress use its legislative powers as a check and balance on the Trump administration.
“The oversight is surely, surely lacking, and they can’t keep saying that they don’t see this stuff,” he told theGrio. “I hate to say it, but even Stevie Wonder could see the racism that they’re perpetuating.”
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Sony had plenty of big announcements.
It’s Summer Game Fest week, and Sony is kicking things off with a massive State of Play presentation.
We all knew that Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Wolverine was going to be a part of the presentation, and Sony wasted no time showcasing the brutal action we can expect when taking control of Logan.
At first glance, we see Logan in his iconic yellow suit, slicing and dicing members of the Reavers, and he even teams up with Jean Grey as he is on the hunt for mutants in a race against the clock.
Here is a description of the footage from Aaron Jason Espinoza, senior community manager at Insomniac Games, via the PlayStation Blog:
To set up our Extended Gameplay Trailer, Logan is tailing a group of mutants that have been hunted and captured by the Reavers, a guns-for-hire cybernetic militia. The Reavers have plans to deliver the mutants to their client, Bolivar Trask – a billionaire industrialist driven by a fanatical belief in human superiority. We also introduce another major player in Logan’s journey: Jean Grey, a powerful telekinetic and emergent leader of the captured mutants.
The situation is dire, and help is limited. Mutants live in the shadows fearful of those hunting them, while the rest of society lives unaware of their existence. The only ones potentially capable of protecting their own is Team X, a last-stand mutant task force facing its darkest hour, which Logan rejoins after leaving three years prior. For the mutants, the fight for survival is theirs alone.
In his search for the mutants, Logan crosses paths with unsuspecting Reavers. They’re armed to the teeth with advanced technology, equipped with lethal weapons and cybernetic implants. They’re ready for a fight… but so is Wolverine. He can stalk enemies, ambush from above, or shred through them with fast, fluid, and brutal claw attacks.
Marvel’s Wolverine arrives on the PS5 and PS5 Pro console on September 15. Pre-orders are now live.
But that wasn’t the only announcement; there are plenty more to dive into, including MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Ace Combat 8: Wings of the Veil, God of War Laufey, a new installment in the God of War franchise, and more.
A fourth team, the Knights of Doom, was announced for MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, the fast-paced 4v4 fighting game featuring your favorite Marvel heroes and villains.
Per the PlayStation Blog:
Led by Doctor Doom (voiced by SungWon Cho), Knights of Doom bring three powerful newcomers to the MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls roster: Magneto (voiced by James Arnold Taylor), Green Goblin (voiced by Steve Blum), and Carnage (voiced by Kellen Goff). This fearsome team of villains may have taken some fans by surprise.
MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls launches on PS5 and PC on August 6th, 2026!
We get a new look at Lara Croft in the reimagining of the first game in the iconic franchise, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis.
A description of the game, per a press release, reads:
In Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, players will step into the boots of Lara Croft as she embarks on a treacherous globe-trotting quest to discover the lost secrets of Atlantis, with jaw-dropping visuals, modernized gameplay, and new surprises that honor the spirit of the original game. Immersive environments, familiar puzzles redefined with new mechanics, and unforgettable moments – like the legendary battle against the T-Rex – are transformed as epic gameplay encounters on a cinematic scale. This is the legendary adventure fans remember, reimagined in ways that weren’t possible before, and with new surprises.
In Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, players will:
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, February 12, 2027.
We knew Cory Barlog was cooking something up at Santa Monica Studios, and now we know it’s another new entry in the God of War franchise, God of War Laufey.
In the game, players control Laufey (Faye), the warrior and wife of Kratos, whom we learned died in 2018’s God of War.
Instead of resting in peace, Laufey is fighting to help keep the ones she loves safe while in the afterlife for gods.
Per the PlayStation Blog:
Death was supposed to be the end, but for Laufey (Faye), warrior and wife to Kratos, a new adventure is just beginning. Awakening unexpectedly in a strange land after her funeral, Faye discovers the plans she put in place to protect Kratos and Atreus are now at risk.
To save the ones she loves, Faye must fight through the afterlife of the gods — the Everywhen — where ruthless gods from across mythology vie for power in a land overflowing with dangerous magic.
This game looks absolutely insane and is currently in development.
Everyone can live or die in Until Dawn 2.
A description for the game on the PlayStation Blog reads:
Until Dawn 2 is a standalone experience, featuring a brand new cast, a whole new world to explore, and true to form, a modern horror experience packed with intrigue, emotion, twists, and the kind of choices that will keep you up at night. Your decisions still shape the story: who falls victim, and who survives Until Dawn…
Our cast this time is a crew of ghost hunters, the faces behind the wildly popular paranormal channel, Dead True.. Only, well… they’ve never actually seen anything supernatural. The scares they are known for are, let’s say, a little staged. But all that changes when for the very first time, they come face-to-face with real horrors and must start living up to their reputation to survive until dawn.
Until Dawn 2 comes to PlayStation 5 consoles in 2027.
SILENT HILL: Townfall is coming to PS5 on September 24th – Pre-Order Now for bonus content.
Simon Ordell is called back to the island of St. Amelia to ‘put things right’, encountering a town lying quiet beneath a heavy fog, seemingly abandoned but not at rest.
Venturing deeper, and driven to understand his connection to the place and its inhabitants, Simon begins to discover fragments of a past rising to the surface.
Storm the seas, fly through stunningly realistic cities and landscapes, and ‘Rise Above’ as Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. today announced the launch date, preorder bonuses, and the first-ever Premium Ace Pass for ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE.
The long-anticipated sequel will take to the skies with early access available for Deluxe Edition holders on September 29, 2026, and launch for all players on October 2. Developed by Bandai Namco Aces Inc., the first mainline entry in ACE COMBAT in seven years promises to elevate the flight shooting franchise to new heights, harnessing the power of Unreal Engine 5 and Cloudly proprietary technology to create an ultra-realistic aerial thrill ride. ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE is available now for pre-orders on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam in Standard and Deluxe Editions.
Take on iconic stunts inspired by fan-favorite Universal Pictures films and NBCUniversal TV shows like Fast & Furious, Back to the Future, Knight Rider, Miami Vice, and Death Race. The entire game is built around movie shoots, where you perform stunts in all kinds of vehicles including legends like the Time Machine and KITT along with many other cars, SUVs, motorcycles, and even a school bus.
Capcom continues to cook. Onimusha: Way of the Sword has a release date and a new demo.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword, an all-new entry in Capcom’s swordplay action series, will be released on Friday, September 25, 2026!
Check out the newest trailer for a first glimpse of the Mount Oe stage, and the fearsome boss who waits there, Shuten Doji.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword, an all-new entry in the Onimusha series, plunges the Oni Gauntlet wielding protagonist, Miyamoto Musashi into an early Edo-period Kyoto under siege by monstrous fiends known as Genma. Feel the ring of steel on steel as blades clash in a tense back and forth duels. Cut down foes with authentic and satisfying swordplay. Awaken Oni Powers to pull off superhuman feats. All these elements combine to deliver an unprecedented swordplay action experience you will not want to miss.
ILL is Team Clout’s highly anticipated debut title, a realistic first-person action survival horror game focused on body horror, cinematic immersion, environmental storytelling, and cutting-edge physics-based gameplay. The game is also the first title developed through the Mundfish Powerhouse initiative. ILL surpassed 1 million wishlists earlier this year.
Something sinister has awakened inside a massive research fort. As horrific Aberrations spread throughout the complex, the protagonist must fight through grotesque monstrosities and unravel the truth behind the catastrophe in a desperate attempt to save what matters most.
Balancing survival and action mechanics, ILL remains a pure, unforgiving horror experience where every threat is deadly, and resources are critically scarce. To survive, players must master tactical combat assessment—while a diverse arsenal of firearms is available, ammunition is a luxury, forcing them to adapt to different types of Aberrations and rely heavily on improvised melee combat. Players can utilize objects around them to gain the upper hand, hurl bricks to stun enemies, and rip pipes that will degrade with use straight from the walls.
ILL launches in 2027.

The Lost Wild is coming to PS5 in 2027 True fear is primal.
Embark on an evasion-based survival horror experience against nature’s ultimate hunters — dinosaurs. Explore overgrown research facilities nestled in a lush wilderness. Be resourceful as you evade, distract, survive, and unravel the mystery at the heart of the island.
If you noticed something out of the ordinary in your daily life, would you ignore it, or take a closer look?
KEMURI is a Yokai Possession Action Game about taking that first step into the unknown.
Welcome to Kemuri City — the city closest to the afterlife, where reality and the other side have never quite stayed separate.
As a Yokai Hunter, use the Fox Window to reveal what others cannot see, form contracts with the yokai you encounter, and wear their power as Possession Apparel.
Your appearance, your movement, your way of fighting — everything changes. Play solo or with up to 3 players in co-op. Welcome to Kemuri City. Now that you’ve seen it, it can’t be unseen.
Coming to PlayStation 5 in 2027.
Manhattan is under attack by otherworldly forces. Humanity’s only shot at survival is Dylan Faden, who has to remember how to be human again himself.
But can he let go of the echoes of the past? And can he do it before all is lost to the Hiss? CONTROL Resonant releases September 24, 2026 on PlayStation 5. Pre-order now.
Meet Bancho – long before he became the acclaimed sushi master of Blue Hole.
Bancho the Chef is an all-new standalone prequel from the creators of Dave the Diver, following a young Bancho as he travels across Asia to learn from master chefs on his journey to greatness.
Rayman Legends Retold reimagines the beloved platformer with stunning 3D visuals, a brand‑new world, Kung Foot, and legendary co‑op fun. Launches August 27.
Leap, glide, and punch your way through vibrant worlds brought to life with fully voiced cinematics, an expanded soundtrack, and unforgettable musical stages. Discover a mysterious new realm, team up in up to four‑player couch co‑op, and jump into the joyful, chaotic competition of Kung Foot.
About Rayman Legends Retold:
Embark on a bold reimagining of the critically acclaimed platformer, enhanced with stunning 3D visuals and an immersive new story leading to a mysterious new realm. Play the adventure solo or in up to four‑player couch co‑op, jam through all‑new musical stages, saddle up for epic dragon rides, and more!
Dune: Awakening, the open-world survival game set in one of science fiction’s most iconic universes, is coming to PlayStation 5 on September 22nd. Featuring a brand new single-player mode, a new chapter in its cinematic storyline, and countless more additions and improvements, this is the definitive version of the game. Arrakis doesn’t wait. Neither should you.
This is only the beginning of what’s next for Phantom Blade Zero, a fast-paced action RPG built around authentic kungfu combat.
Full trailer and Pre-order Launch in Summer 2026.
A gameplay and story deep dive is coming to State of Play in late Summer 2026. Phantom Blade Zero releases September 9, 2026.
From Moon Studios, the award-winning creators of Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps, comes No Rest for the Wicked, a unique, visceral Action RPG set in a hand-crafted world with Souls-like combat.
We set out to build the souls-like action RPG we always wanted to play.
Not a clone, but something more raw, tactile, and alive. A world you could actually feel. No Rest for the Wicked comes to PS5 with 100+ hours of content, new powerful weapons, new bosses and enemies, new areas to explore and a completely reimagined class system.
Built for solo players and co-op squads alike. Over 1.8 million players helped us shape Wicked into something far bigger than we ever imagined. Now it’s PlayStation’s turn.
Coming to PS5 in October 2026
State of Play: ‘Marvel’s ‘Wolverine,’ ‘MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls,’ ‘God of War Laufey’ & Other Big Announcements was originally published on hiphopwired.com

Rest In Power: Notable Black Folks Who We’ve Lost In 2026
The 30 Most Beautiful Black Women In Hollywood
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Night one of the 2026 Roots Picnic was definitely one for the history books! Jay-Z let his afro swing and the chopper sing with with a fierce freestyle fans think relentlessly roasted rap rivals like Drake, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Dame Dash, and Tory Lanez. Whew, nobody was marked safe!
On Saturday, May 30, Jay-Z took the Roots Picnic stage with his co-headliners The Roots crew, and although they performed hits from his catalog of classics, nobody was ready for the Roc’s return. The star-studded set included cameos from Jazmine Sullivan for “Need U Bad” and “Feelin’ It,” and Bilal for “No Church In the Wild.”
He also reunited with Beanie Sigel and Freeway for “What We Do.”
That would be an epic performance for any star, but the Blueprint boss had to stand above rest with more surprises than that. As BOSSIP previously reported, Jay-Z warmed up with a preview show the night before and fans suspected he had something up his sleeve. Well, more like something hidden under his hood.
After years of rocking freeforms frequently compared to Basquiat, Jay-Z pulled up with a flowing fro. While skeptical fans debate whether the new look is combed out locs or shake ‘n’ go shenanigans, he made it clear nobody gets away with coming for his seemingly Cécred crown.
In his first headlining performance since 2019, an unloc’d Hov unloaded on his industry enemies and thumb thugging with vicious verse after verse of a freestyle. Everyone from Nicki Minaj and Kanye West to Tory Lanez and, most recently, Drake have taken aim at Jay-Z.
The first thing he said put this revenge on his grandmother, Hattie, who recently turned 100. And that should tell you everything you need to know about how hard he was about to go.
Check out how Jay-Z aired out his opps, brutal bar for bar, after the flip!
The latest rapper to join the Hov hate train was Drake with his “Janice STFU” lines on Iceman like:
“You boys got big on my name, that’s big enough … we know how you OGs rocking already my n***a, the jig is up… I’ll take $500K, not the dinner, I never could learn sh*t from none of y’all.”
Welp, Jay-Z reminded Drizzy to find something safe to do!
“The jig is up, n***a I’m up 10, wrong chart champ you gotta look up again. N***as looked up to Hov, I never looked up to them. Them cr*ckers got your publishing checks, go talk tough to them. Don’t talk success to me, you n***as is workers, in perpetuity is how your contract is worded,” the 56-year-old rapped.
Of course, Jay-Z had to take Aubrey’s work wife through there as well!
Nicki Minaj’s diss is up next after the jump!
Nicki Minaj not only claimed accused Jay-Z of cheating her out of $200 million through Tidal and career sabotage, but has turned Roc Nation rants into a hobby. The 4:44 star didn’t react in the moment, but fans think this is a sign he ran out of patience for the Pink Friday 2 rapper.
“That lady back on that stuff, she like she in love with em. Her Ken can’t even… take they kid… enough of them,” he shadily said.
The bars were brief, but fans claimed bringing out her ex Meek Mill in front of his hometown crowd was another dig at the diva.
Hit the flip for Jay-Z’s Dame Dash denture diss.
Hov hit his Roc-a-fella co-founder Dame Dash with ruthless and toothless low blows for multiple incendiary interviews. In a sit-down with Cam Capone News, Dash claimed “homeboy is cold, he don’t look out for nobody,” including loyal artists like Memphis Bleek.
“Another one fumbled his wonder how I get the blame/N***a teeth is tumbling out they mouth and somehow I’m the one who done its a murder mystery gang/ That nut ass n***a still stuttering/the Chatty Patty is down on his luck again/Quest introduced me to Jaguar, I don’t know why I still f**k with him,” he laughed.
In addition to the Jaguar Wright shade, Jay got his Lilliputian lick back at Tory Lanez for years of those “Roc Nation, you will crumble” memes. Tory’s dad Sonstar Peterson is the one who said it, but sins of the father…
“The ROC’s not crumbling, till the leprechaun magically run out of pranks, your son on a federal jail line mumbling something about having too much in his drink. You know how dumb that is?” he said, aiming at the pipsqueak prisoner.
Meghann Cuniff aka Meg Thee Reporter made sure to add context about her biggest hater taking yet another L.
Last, but not least, fans say Ye got it the worst and earned every word. Hit the flip to see more!
Diehard Ye fans swear Jay wasn’t talking to their fave or going that hard, but social media says that’s wishful thinking. After Ye repeatedly crossed the line with thumb thugging about his family, Hov didn’t hold back. And he didn’t let the Donda deviant’s mental health struggles justify repeatedly coming after innocent children. In a bizarre interview with DJ Akademiks, a black Klan-costumed Kanye doubled down that it was “one of his best” tweets. Jay-Z claimed when Ye sees him in person, it’s giving “mind control over Deebo,” instead of the same energy as his online outbursts.
“You ever heard of wunderkind? My children is some of them, have you n***as no shame? Y’all trying to get under skin, I really get under skin. Ask Un how I’m playin. Y’all thoughts with your thumbs again. Everybody thinks they’re the ones insane. You’re no maniac. Watch how sane he acts in my presence, n***s shrink,” Jay-Z defiantly declared.
That is a lot of direct hits for a 4-minute freestyle! We probably haven’t heard the end of Jay-Z finally firing back at some of the biggest (and messiest) names in the game.
Which Jay-Z diss was the best (or the worst) from his Roots Picnic performance?
Lawd, Have Marcy! Cécred Cloud Bobbed JAŸ-Z Umlaut Unloads At Roots Picnic, Pummels Drake, Nicki Minaj, Dame Dash, Kanye West & Tory Lanez In Fiery Freestyle was originally published on bossip.com

21 Black Beauties From The ’90s Who’ve Been Fine Forever
Rest In Power: Notable Black Folks Who We’ve Lost In 2026
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October Gallery Museum
Connecting People with Art since 1985
Chennedy Carter’s competitive nature led to some trash-talking on threads because fans thought “Azzi really showed her up.”
Azzi Fudd has put the league on notice. Well, at least Chennedy Carter.
Fudd may be a rookie on the Dallas Wings, but in her first career start, she dropped 22 points in the 97-85 victory against the Las Vegas Aces.
Carter had a more subdued night, scoring 14, and once fans began to point out that rookie Fudd topped her performance, the social media shots began.
Carter’s competitive nature led to some trash-talking on threads because fans thought “Azzi really showed her up.”
I made her ankle touch the ground,” Carter wrote on Threads. “But y’all can hollar at me when my leash is off, too. It’s completely unfair, even though statistically, it’s not even close.”
Atop the scoreboard was the Aces captain, Aja Wilson, with 21 points, who appeared to jump into the controversy subtly.
“That’s great sportsmanship. However, you need to make that who you are,” one person replied. “Going on a rant about a rookie w/ a huge brand who literally smiles and hugs her opponents and has never talked trash (won’t even give us a slight celly) doesn’t help showcase this side of who you are. Which is the brand that you need to promote to help your pockets.
Wilson appeared to like the comment, which called Carter “incredibly gifted” and suggested she “stay out of your own way!”
There’s no question that Carter is talented; she was drafted fourth overall in 2020 by the Atlanta Dream and made the WNBA’s All-Rookie Team.
But her behavior already fractured the Dream’s locker room in 2021 when she reportedly wanted to fight a teammate who called her out for her attitude. It led to her getting suspended for the remainder of the season, and when she moved on to the Los Angeles Sparks for a sole season, she was benched for “poor conduct.”
The 2026 WNBA campaign is still young, but Carter is averaging an impressive 19.1 points per game off the bench and will have a chance to go at Fudd again when the teams meet again on June 28.
See social media’s reaction to Carter’s comments below.
Chennedy Carter Starts Azzi Fudd Beef After Fans Say She “Ate Her Up” In Aces Loss was originally published on cassiuslife.com
21 Black Beauties From The ’90s Who’ve Been Fine Forever
Rest In Power: Notable Black Folks Who We’ve Lost In 2026
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COMMENTARY: 5 Reasons Why Obama Will Beat Romney
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The October Gallery Museum places art in the community. Here are partner locations where you can have an art experience.
Some locations art is installed inside buildings and visits are during regular business hours. Other locations are by appointment only. Schools are not open to the public. In addition, we have many outdoor installations that you can enjoy around the clock. Check each location below for details. Tours are available upon request. 215-352-3114.
Here are some of our patrons that have donated art and art related items installed as part of our Art in the Community program. Thanks!
Watson and Sonia Brown
Stephanie Daniel
Chad Cortez Everett
Gail Gaines
Dr. Darryl J. Ford
Kelly R. Harrison
Deborah Kelly
Betty Ann D. Lawrence
David Lawrence
Leon McDuffie
Michael Muhammad
Jay R. Ogilvie
Marjorie H. Ogilvie
Junious Rhone, Sr.
Robin Rhone
Shirley Rhone
April Rice
Karen Roach
Monica Rocha
Steve Satell
Deborah Stephens
Staci Watson 
Stephanie R. West
Horace Wright

Sign Up Now
Art and art related items may be returned to October Gallery in good condition within twenty (20) days of the purchase for store credit ONLY – unless otherwise stated on an invoice.
Items on layaway or even items paid for will be held by the gallery for no more than ninety (90) days from the original sale date. Refund is in store credit ONLY – unless other stated on an invoice.

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In April demonstrators gathered outside Argentina’s parliament as lawmakers debated changes to the glacier law, which will enable mining in glacial regions © Silvana Safenreiter/ZUMA Press Wire/Alamy Stock Photo
Days before Argentina’s congressional approval on 9 April of an amendment to the country’s glacier law to facilitate mining in glacial regions—which, according to environmentalists, weakens the protection of these freshwater reservoirs—president Javier Milei’s government removed a monumental painting depicting the Perito Moreno Glacier from one of the halls of the Casa Rosada, the presidential palace.
The work’s disappearance did not go unnoticed, due to both its poignant subject matter and enormous size. The Triumph of Nature (2006), by the Argentina-born, Austria-based photorealist painter Helmut Ditsch, measures 1.3m by 4m and depicts the ice fields of Patagonia, which are part of Los Glaciares National Park, a Unesco World Heritage site.
The painting was loaned to the government and had been on display in one of the halls of Casa Rosada since 2012, remaining on view throughout various administrations of different political affiliations. A spokesperson for the government’s communications office tells The Art Newspaper that Ditsch’s painting was removed “for maintenance reasons” to address “structural damage”, but did not elaborate.
Ditsch says he has not received any official notification about his work’s removal or whereabouts. “I found out through the news that the government removed my work, which they cannot do without notifying me, since that was the agreement when I loaned it,” he tells The Art Newspaper. He says his attempts to contact the government’s heritage office have gone unanswered and he has contacted his lawyers. Ditsch adds: “My first reaction was to think of the glaciers law that was about to be debated.”
Helmut Ditsch, The Triumph of Nature, 2006 © Helmut Ditsch. Courtesy the artist
In addition to the glacier painting, a portrait of Juan Domingo and Evita Perón, two figures who continue to divide Argentine society, was removed from the same room at Casa Rosada on the same day. The work is a 1948 copy by the painter Numa Ayrinhac. Asked the reason for its removal, a spokesperson only stated: “Maintenance.”
Since Milei took office in December 2023, his administration has pushed a series of changes at Argentina’s public institutions in line with an agenda that is openly critical of what it deems “woke”. On 8 March 2024 (International Women’s Day), the “Women’s Hall” at Casa Rosada was renamed the “Hall of Heroes” and its portraits of historical women were replaced with portraits of men. Once again, the timing drew particular attention. The same month, the government announced the renaming of Buenos Aires’s Kirchner Cultural Center (after former president Néstor Kirchner) to Palacio Libertad.
For the historian Felipe Pigna, one of the country’s most widely read authors, these types of actions have troubling parallels with Argentine history. “These precedents date back to military dictatorships,” he tells The Art Newspaper. “The idea of removing paintings to deny the past, as if trying to erase it from history, is a classic move. It happened in 1955 with Peronism. It happened during the last dictatorship, which went so far as to burn over one million books. This kind of behaviour is typical of the far right.”
In Pigna’s view, the removal of images is part of a broader logic. “It’s a way of imposing a new narrative, often lacking in historical basis. It’s about wanting to erase from view whatever is uncomfortable,” he says. “The message is clear: I remove what I don’t like.”
The string of erasures has reached even beyond the country’s borders. In February, at the Maison de l’Argentine—a university residence and cultural centre in Paris run by the Argentine government—a plaque honouring the 30,000 people disappeared during the last military dictatorship was removed from the facility’s entrance, according to the Assembly of Argentine Citizens in France. The plaque had been installed in 2022 and was taken down just days before the 50th anniversary of the 1976 coup d’état, a date that in Argentina prompts large demonstrations under the slogan “Memoria, Verdad y Justicia” (memory, truth and justice).
On 24 March, the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris installed a new plaque directly in front of the Argentine residence, bearing a nearly identical inscription: “In tribute to the 30,000 disappeared and victims of state terrorism in Argentina between 1974 and 1983.” Representatives of the Maison de l’Argentine did not respond to The Art Newspaper’s enquiries.
With far-right candidate Javier Milei slightly ahead in polls before the 19 November election, Argentina’s resilient cultural sector braces for turmoil
British illustrator’s only known paintings—on front and back of the same canvas—will be displayed for the first time in new exhibition
The new far-right president halved the number of government ministries (and devalued the peso by 50%) in a show of “control” over the nation and its economic troubles
As the ESMA Museum and Site of Memory in Buenos Aires gains international recognition, the history it seeks to safeguard is under attack by Argentina’s extremist frontrunner in the upcoming presidential election

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June 1, 2026
New App and Browser Extension Scores 800+ Companies
Originally published on BlackNews.com.
Seneca Connor, an African American attorney and entrepreneur from Northern California, has officially launched Reckond, a first-of-its-kind consumer accountability platform that scores major brands on their real commitment to the Black community. It also surfaces verified Black-owned business alternatives at the point of purchase. Available today as a mobile app for iOS and as a browser extension for Chrome and Safari, Reckond launches with more than 800 companies scored across seven dimensions of community commitment and a free directory of more than 1,300 verified Black-owned businesses.
Black consumers represent more than $2.2 trillion in annual spending — a force that moves markets and shapes industries. Yet the vast majority of that spending flows to companies with little accountability for their records on workforce diversity, supplier diversity, community investment, and racial equity. At the same time, corporate rollbacks of DEI commitments are accelerating across Fortune 500 companies, leaving consumers with limited tools to separate genuine commitment from marketing language. Reckond was built to close that gap.
Reckond evaluates companies across seven publicly documented dimensions using verifiable data sources, including EEOC filings, FEC political contribution records, supplier diversity disclosures, the NAACP Black Consumer Advisory, and the As You Sow Racial Justice Scorecard. Each brand receives a score from 0 to 100 and a letter grade from A through F, and is curved based on the entire brand population. Scores are editorial opinion, generated through an independent, attorney-built methodology, and are not for sale.
When a consumer searches for a brand in the Reckond mobile app or visits a brand’s product page while using the Reckond browser extension, they see the brand’s Reckond Score and are shown verified Black-owned alternatives in the same product category. Every click goes directly to the Black-owned business’s own website. Reckond does not capture transactions or retain commission on sales.
Workforce Diversity: Black representation at entry, management, executive, and board levels
Supplier Diversity: Documented spend with Black-owned and minority-owned suppliers
Political Alignment: Political contribution history and alignment with Black community interests
Crisis Response: How the brand has responded to racial justice moments and community crises
Black Spending & Investment: Tracks whether the company directs real money toward Black communities
— through advertising spend with Black-owned media, investment in Black entrepreneurs, HBCU endowments, or community development funds. Pledges without disbursement count against a brand.
Legal Record: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filing record and documented discrimination lawsuits and settlements.
Community Investment: Looks at ongoing structural investment in Black communities – not crisis-driven-pledges. This includes partnerships with HBCUs, presence in Black neighborhoods, support for Black cultural institutions, and employee volunteerism or matching programs directed at Black causes.
Reckond’s directory of Black-owned businesses is completely free for every business listed — at launch and permanently. Black-owned businesses are the beneficiaries of the Reckond platform, not its revenue source. There are no listing fees, no platform charges, and no commissions collected on sales. Reckond drives consumer traffic directly to each business’s own website. The directory launches with more than 1,300 verified Black-owned businesses across fashion, beauty, food and beverage, home goods, financial services, tech, and more.
About the Founder
Reckond was founded by Seneca Connor, a licensed California attorney and MBA holder who built the platform’s scoring methodology, legal framework, and evidentiary standards herself. Connor is also the founder and CEO of The Bag Icon LLC, an accessible luxury accessories brand that has earned editorial coverage in Black Enterprise, Business Insider, Yahoo, and Essence, and the creator of The Spotlight Program, an Instagram feature series that highlights Black-owned brands at no cost. Reckond is the technology infrastructure for a mission Connor has pursued across her entire career: ensuring that the Black dollar lands where it belongs.
Reckond is available now via the website, Reckond.com, and can also be downloaded from the Apple iOS App Store. It will be available on the Google Play Store in June 2026.
RELATED CONTENT: This Startup Is Using AI To Keep Oral History Alive

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May 29, 2026
Opponents of the SCORE Act argue that it would strengthen the NCAA’s power while limiting labor protections and voting rights for college athletes.
A coalition of Black lawmakers and progressive Democrats has successfully blocked the advancement of the controversial Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act, a sweeping proposal aimed at reshaping college athletics and name, image, and likeness (NIL) compensation rules for student-athletes.
The legislation, introduced by Rep. Gus Bilirakis, sought to establish a national NIL framework while giving the NCAA and athletic conferences broader authority to regulate college sports. Supporters argued the bill would bring consistency to the rapidly evolving NIL landscape and protect student-athletes from exploitation. However, critics said the proposal would primarily benefit universities and athletic organizations while limiting athlete rights and labor protections.
According to The Hill, Republican leadership pulled the bill from consideration after failing to secure enough bipartisan support in the House. Black lawmakers and athlete advocates played a major role in derailing the legislation, warning that the bill would weaken athletes’ bargaining power and prevent future state-level protections.
One of the bill’s most contentious provisions would have barred student-athletes from being classified as employees, effectively denying them access to collective bargaining rights and certain labor protections. The legislation also proposed granting the NCAA limited antitrust protections, shielding the organization from certain legal challenges related to athlete compensation rules, reports Morgan Lewis.
The failed vote underscores the growing political divide over the future of college sports, particularly as Black athletes continue to generate billions of dollars in revenue for universities, conferences, broadcasters, and sponsors. Critics of the SCORE Act argued that federal legislation should prioritize athlete empowerment, long-term financial security, healthcare protections, and equitable compensation instead of restoring power to institutions already benefiting from the current system.
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Uncle Nearest Nears Possible Sale as Receiver Signs Letter of Intent
A federal investigation has put Uncle Nearest under court control, with a receiver signing a letter of intent to sell the brand’s assets to an unnamed investment firm with Black ownership and leadership. The prospective buyer plans to maintain the brand’s workforce, strengthen sales and distribution, and honor the legacy of Nathan “Nearest” Green, the first Black master distiller in the U.S. The sale is not final yet and still requires court approval, with a formal agreement expected within 45 days. The deal would exclude certain assets, and the receivership has also expanded to include a Weaver-controlled holding company amid ongoing legal battles.

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Whether you’re looking for inspiring documentaries or nostalgic favorites, this month’s Netflix lineup offers a little something for everyone.
Summer streaming season is officially here, and Netflix is making sure Black stories, Black talent, and Black culture remain front and center throughout June. Whether you’re looking for inspiring documentaries, nostalgic favorites, family dramas, sports stories, or award-worthy performances, this month’s lineup offers a little something for every mood.
According to both Netflix’s Tudum, several notable films, series, and documentaries featuring Black actors, filmmakers, athletes, and cultural icons are heading to the platform throughout June.
One of the biggest highlights is the arrival of the entire Creed trilogy. The franchise helped solidify Michael B. Jordan as one of Hollywood’s leading men while introducing a new generation to the legacy of the Rocky universe. Fans can revisit Adonis Creed’s journey from underdog fighter to champion all month long.
Netflix is also bringing back acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee’s thriller Inside Man, starring Denzel Washington in one of his most memorable detective roles. The film remains a masterclass in suspense and storytelling nearly two decades after its release.
Television lovers have plenty to celebrate as well. Lawmen: Bass Reeves continues to spotlight the incredible true story of one of America’s most legendary Black lawmen, with David Oyelowo delivering a powerful lead performance. Meanwhile, Sweet Magnolias returns for a new season, giving fans more small-town drama, friendship, and romance.
In honor of Black Music Month, Hip Hop Treasures and Origins of Hip Hop offer something for music and culture enthusiasts. They both offer a deeper look into the artists, artifacts, and stories that helped shape one of the most influential genres in the world.
Documentary fans may also want to check out Michael Jackson: The Verdict, which revisits the historic trial and examines the complicated legacy of the King of Pop through interviews and archival material.
If you’re building your June watch list, these are the Black-led titles worth adding to your queue.
Starring Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone.
Adonis Creed faces new challenges inside and outside the ring.
Michael B. Jordan steps into the director’s chair while reprising his iconic role.
Spike Lee’s thriller starring Denzel Washington.
David Oyelowo stars as the legendary deputy U.S. marshal.
Featuring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan.
Starring Alfre Woodard, Sanaa Lathan, Kathy Bates, and Tyler Perry.
A documentary examining Michael Jackson’s trial and legacy.
The beloved drama series returns with new episodes.
A moving drama about grief, fatherhood, and resilience.
Rare artifacts and memorabilia from Hip Hop history.
Hip Hop legends reflect on the culture’s roots and evolution.
Comedy starring Eric André alongside John Cena.

What are you looking forward to watching this month? Comment below.
What’s New & Black On Netflix: June 2026 was originally published on globalgrind.com

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COMMENTARY: 5 Reasons Why Obama Will Beat Romney
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