Crockett addressed the president’s “possible involvement” with Jeffrey Epstein, explaining that Trump is “one of the most named people in the Epstein files.”
U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett slammed the Trump administration for “protecting pedophiles and creeps” during a testy exchange with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Capitol Hill.
During a Wednesday hearing held by the U.S. Committee on the Judiciary, Crockett called out Bondi and the U.S. Department of Justice under her leadership over the agency’s botched release of the FBI files on Jeffrey Epstein, among other policy actions.
“The fact of the matter is that you will be remembered as one of the worst attorney generals in history; an attorney general who has prioritized obstruction over justice, corruption over the law, fealty to the president over loyalty to the Constitution,” said Crockett, who refused to use her allotted five minutes of committee questioning to ask Bondi questions because the AG “revealed that she has no intentions of answering questions.”
The Texas congresswoman, who is running for U.S. Senate in this year’s midterm election, used most of her time lambasting Bondi for the DOJ’s failure to redact the personal information of Epstein’s child sex trafficking survivors, yet redacted the names of rich and powerful men, some of whom are connected to President Donald Trump.
Crockett addressed the president’s “possible involvement” with Epstein, explaining that Trump is “one of the most named people in the Epstein files.”
“At least 5,000 files contain more than 38,000 references to Trump, his wife, or Mar-a-Lago,” she said. The always outspoken lawmaker also noted that Epstein and his co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence, “made young girls available to Trump on multiple occasions.”
Crockett continued, “For example, according to this file, Ghislaine Maxwell presented a young girl to President Trump, who spent more than 20 minutes apparently flirting with her. Here’s another example. This shows notes from FBI investigators that describe Jeffrey Epstein transporting a victim to Mar-a-Lago to meet with President Trump, where he bragged to Trump that, ‘This is a good one.’”
The congresswoman clarified that she is “not saying the president is a pedophile,” but rather acknowledging, “There is a lot of evidence in these files that suggests that he’s very close friends with a lot of men who are pedophiles.”
Crockett added, “What’s crazy about all of this is just that this is a big cover-up, and this administration is engaged in it. In fact, this administration is complicit.”
Though Crockett did not ask Bondi any questions directly, a Republican member allowed the attorney general a few moments to respond. AG Bondi used the time, as she did in fiery reactions to several Judiciary Committee Democrats, by broadcasting alleged criminals convicted in Crockett’s state of Texas.
“I find it interesting that she didn’t even want to try, Congresswoman Crockett, to ask any questions,” said Bondi. “This is what she didn’t want to talk about.”
Seemingly unfazed, Crockett interjected, saying, “Convicted. So what we talking about? Convict some of these perpetrators that raped these women that are sitting behind you, but you refuse to even acknowledge they are here?”
As Bondi continued to list off the alleged criminals from Texas, Crockett walked out of the hearing room.
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Target’s new CEO begins tenure with layoffs and leadership shakeup amid continued DEI rollback backlash
Target’s new CEO, Michael Fiddelke, officially took the helm on Feb. 2 and has already announced major restructuring plans.
Target kicked off February with Michael Fiddelke officially taking the helm as its new CEO, and just days into the role, he’s already making major shakeups at the troubled big-box giant.
On Tuesday, Feb. 10, the Minnesota-based retailer announced plans to reshape its leadership team in a press release, just one day after news outlets obtained an internal memo outlining plans to cut 500 jobs.
“It’s the start of a new chapter for Target, and we’re moving quickly to take action on our priorities that will drive growth within our business,” Fiddelke said.
The changes come as the company continues navigating backlash and a widespread boycott after joining several large retailers in scaling back DEI initiatives around the time the Trump administration’s broader attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts kicked off in 2025.
Effective Sunday, Feb. 15, Lisa Roath, who previously oversaw food, essentials and beauty, will step into Fiddelke’s former role as chief operating officer. Cara Sylvester, formerly chief guest experience officer, will become the company’s chief merchandising officer.
As those executives move into new roles, Rick Gomez, chief commercial officer with 23 years at the company, is leaving. Jill Sando, a 29-year company veteran who served as chief merchandising officer for apparel, accessories and home, will retire.
“These leadership changes align the right talent and expertise with key roles and simplify our structure so we can advance our strategy with greater speed, clarity and accountability,” Fiddelke added.
The announcement followed an internal memo informing staff that the company would cut 500 jobs as it works to rebuild its customer base, according to NBC News.
The job cuts include roughly 400 positions across Target’s supply chain operations and about 100 roles at the store district level. No store-level jobs will be affected, though some regional offices will close.
When Fiddelke officially stepped into the role on Feb. 2, after being named CEO in August, he acknowledged the moment’s weight, calling the opportunity “humbling and deeply personal” after more than two decades with the company.
“While we have real work to do, we are clear on who we are, our unique place in retail and in the hearts of our guests. We are equally clear on the opportunity in front of us,” he said at the time.
Fiddelke outlined a multipronged strategy to revive the struggling retailer, including strengthening merchandising authority, elevating the guest experience, accelerating technology and investing in teams and communities.
“In the weeks ahead, my focus is simple: listen closely, move with clarity and urgency, and lead with purpose,” he said. “We will make clear choices, invest where it matters most and bring this strategy to life through our stores, our digital experiences and — most importantly — our people.”
To guests, he said, “We’re committed to earning your trust and making every visit feel worth it.”
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How modern technology is providing deeper health insights than ever before
Explore the impact of modern technology on health insights. See how you can embark on a path of improved well-being and vitality.
Health insights help patients optimize their healthcare strategies through informed decisions based on data-driven analytics, expert research, wellness trends, family history, and publicly available devices. Thanks to more personalized data and wellness advice, along with the availability of clinical advancements in specialties from neurology to mental health being readily available online, people don’t need to be doctors to be attuned with global and individual health. Rapidly increasing advances in technology allow the average person to access this information with a simple tap or by slipping a band on their arm.
According to an NIH research study, taking 8,000 daily steps was associated with a 50% lower risk of dying from any cause. Count the steps to better health with a phone app or a standalone wearable device band. Use preventative screenings, like DNA reports, to see how your family history may impact specific disease onset.
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These insights provide global health data related to disease, mortality rates, new treatments, and leading health indicators (LIHs) objectives that address major public health issues. Understanding these health markers and comparing them to data from your personal device, targeted screening, and remote house calls can pave the way to a healthier, vibrant, and longer life.
A good diet, regular movement, and quality REM sleep are the basics of good health. Get more personalized guidance for lifestyle adjustments or treatments you need with wearable devices, telehealth appointments, and faster diagnosis led by AI.
A smartwatch isn’t just a high-tech fashion trend, but a way to track continuous data on:
Doing so allows one to understand early detection for sleep apnea as well as cardiac issues.
If a watch isn’t your thing, buy a clip-on device, glasses, headsets, or even smart jewelry. According to UCLA Health, as many as 20% of Americans use wearables to help track their overall health and fitness. These devices encourage people to increase their personal activity by monitoring steps, logging meals and hydration, monitoring resting heart rate, and tracking blood pressure.
Some can even detect geographic risks outside. Medical alert smartwatches are ideal for seniors, as they can encourage safe mobility, include safety alerts, and provide GPS location.
Advances in machine learning now provide medical professionals with better and faster ways to analyze:
Its better accuracy can make it easier to provide earlier detection of diseases.
The onset of COVID-19 forced people to stay home but also accelerated the use of telehealth, as Shaver’s 2022 study for Elsevier noted. Now, health tips and house calls can happen onscreen as online coaching prepares patients for surgery, and some mental health care sessions can also take place. Patients may upload images of rashes, lesions, and other skin conditions for quick dermatology insight instead of an in-office visit.
With remote patient monitoring, there is also less need for in-person visits after surgery. Since a doctor can monitor blood pressure, sugar levels, and heart rate with remote monitoring devices, the option can help manage chronic care patients and allow people to go home faster after surgery.
More personalized medicine can analyze your actual genetic makeup to identify specific disease risks and use targeted solutions. This approach considers a patient’s overall lifestyle, environmental conditions, behavioral traits, and specific genetic makeup to not only find how susceptible one may be to certain illnesses, but also which treatments and drugs are more or less receptive as well.
A range of biomedical tests, like DNA sequencing, imaging procedures, and wireless health monitoring devices, help provide the data.
While DNA enables people to have an Alex Haley-style family tree documentation, it can also answer health concerns. An appointment at CircleDNA can help you learn more about genetic conditions you’re a carrier of, how your body processes:
Learning about such conditions can guide lifestyle changes and monitoring that help with cancer prevention and other ailments.
Healthcare technology is seen throughout various aspects of its infrastructure, from completing paperwork to surgery and aftercare. This technology is helping more practitioners with patient diagnostics, treatment, tools for consultations such as telehealth, scheduling appointments, accessing medical records, while providing faster and more efficient medical imagery for diagnosis and surgical planning.
With this technology, your medical records and lab results are easy to access online. Regarding surgery, it’s becoming more minimally invasive thanks to smaller incisions and more precise tools that allow less trauma to the body.
The U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion developed 10 leading health indicators for Healthy People 2030. They track major public health issues, including:
The goal is to help improve health access across all life stages and address ongoing challenges that may be affecting quality of life and life expectancy.
Health informatics provides the ongoing insight that many increasingly advanced tools provide. To be involved in the health informatics field, five essential skills include:
Professionals must analyze complex health data and trends. They should be proficient in healthcare database management, data visualization, and programs that interpret health management systems. Of course, communicating with various health professionals, from clinicians, IT staff, and administrators, is a must.
Online access to medical news and health records, wearable devices, and tailored screenings like DNA reports combine to create thorough health insights everyone can benefit from. From understanding diseases your family history is predisposed to, what your wearable says about your sleep patterns, to individualized fitness and nutrition plans, people can optimize their health profile for a longer and better quality of life.
Interested in more health-focused content? Check out some of our other useful posts.
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67 galleries will once again take over the Shed for Frieze New York
Visitors and participants at the 2025 edition of Frieze New York Photo © Steven Molina Contreras
This spring the Frieze New York fair will return to Manhattan’s West Side for its sixth edition at the Shed, which as last year will feature 67 participating galleries. It will be the first edition of Frieze’s Big Apple expo since the media and events company was acquired by Ari Emanuel’s company Mari last autumn.
As in years past, Frieze New York (13-17 May) will coincide with a smorgasbord of art fairs around the city—including Tefaf New York (15-19 May), Independent (14-17 May), 1-54 New York (13-17 May) and Nada New York (13-17 May)—as well as the marquee spring auctions at Bonhams, Christie’s, Phillips and Sotheby’s. That month’s fairs and auctions will be competing extra hard for globetrotting collectors’ and curators’ attentions this year as they will come just days after the preview and opening festivities for the 2026 Venice Biennale (9 May-22 November).
“The fair is a snapshot of the most compelling artistic practices today in an international city that embraces rigor, complexity and ambition,” Christine Messineo, Frieze’s director for the Americas, said in a statement. “Our close relationships with New York’s institutions—particularly around time-based media and performance—extend our impact beyond the fair architecture, from Chelsea and into the wider city.”
There will be 13 galleries either making their Frieze New York debuts this spring or returning after not participating for one year or more. Most of these are concentrated in Focus, the sector devoted to solo presentations by galleries that have been in business for 12 years or less and sponsored by the fashion house Stone Island. That section, curated by Lumi Tan, will feature first-timers Campeche from Mexico City (showing Abraham González Pacheco); New York locals Europa, Sargent’s Daughters and Ulrik (showing Aki Goto, Yeni Mao and Bettina Grossman, respectively); Isla Flotante from São Paulo and Buenos Aires (showing Rosario Zorraquín); Soft Opening from London (showing Joanne Burke) and the Buenos Aires-headquartered W-galería (showing Seba Calfuqueo).
In the general exhibitors sector, galleries participating for the first time or returning after a break including Daniel Faria Gallery from Toronto, Korea’s Johyun Gallery (which has spaces in Seoul and Busan), Lawrie Shabibi from Dubai, P420 from Bologna, Galerie Eva Presenhuber (which has spaces in Zurich and Vienna), Marc Selwyn Fine Art from Los Angeles and the South African gallery Southern Guild (which will open a New York outpost this spring after shuttering its Los Angeles space).
Frieze New York will once again feature strong representation of galleries from Latin America, among them the Brazilian galleries A Gentil Carioca, Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel, Mitre Galeria, Vermelho, Central, Nara Roesler and Mendes Wood DM (the last two of which have Manhattan outposts), and OMR and Kurimanzutto from Mexico City (the latter of which has a location in Chelsea).
“The fair reflects both the depth of New York’s collecting base and its role as a crossroads for global exchange,” Kristell Chadé, Frieze’s executive director, said in a statement. “It brings together carefully selected galleries and artists from across the world, with a notably strong presence from Central and South America for this upcoming edition.”
As in years past, Frieze New York will feature many of the host city’s most influential established galleries, including Tanya Bonakdar, Canada, James Cohan, Andrew Edlin Gallery, Alexander Gray Associates, Anton Kern and Ortuzar. All the biggest international dealerships will also be present, including Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, Pace Gallery, Perrotin, Almine Rech, Thaddaeus Ropac, White Cube and David Zwirner.
Exhibitors from 2025 who are not returning to Frieze New York this year include Apalazzo Gallery from Brescia, Italy; Lodovico Corsini from Brussels; Stephen Friedman Gallery (which recently went into administration and shuttered its London and New York spaces); the South African gallery Goodman; Gray from Chicago; Tomio Koyama Gallery from Tokyo; Proyectos Ultravioleta from Guatemala City; and Paris-based Sultana.
Global director Victoria Siddall says it is a time “for creativity, flexibility and collaboration” as fair is reduced by more than two-thirds
The smallest Frieze fair returns to the Shed in early May
The fair will welcome more than 60 galleries as the event remains on a smaller scale than before the Covid-19 pandemic
Art fair hopes to present unified voice from coast to coast
57th NAACP Image Awards to Honors REV. DR. JAMAL BRYANT
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LOS ANGELES (Feb 6, 2026) – Today, the NAACP announced that Rev. Dr. Jamal-Harrison Bryant will receive the prestigious Mildred Bond Roxborough Social Justice Impact Award at the “57th NAACP Image Awards” Creative Honors on Thursday, February 26 in Los Angeles.
The Mildred Bond Roxborough Social Justice Impact Award celebrates individuals whose courage, advocacy, and impact continue the NAACP’s legacy of advancing civil rights and building a more just society. Previous honorees include Jotaka Eaddy, Benjamin Crump, Nikole Hannah-Jones, and Stacey Abrams.
“The NAACP Image Awards is proud to honor Rev. Dr. Jamal-Harrison Bryant, whose leadership is rooted in scholarship, action, courage, and an unwavering commitment to justice,” said Karen Boykin-Towns, Vice Chair, NAACP National Board of Directors. “Through his dedication to service, he has challenged systemic inequities across the country and advocated for communities that are too often overlooked. We are honored to present the Mildred Bond Roxborough Social Justice Impact Award to a leader who inspires us to confront injustice, uplift unheard voices, and lead with faith and conviction.”
“Rev. Dr. Jamal-Harrison Bryant’s influence stretches across culture, economic accountability, and activism, reshaping how communities organize and demand change in real time. The NAACP honoring him with the Mildred Bond Roxborough Social Justice Impact Award acknowledges his advocacy, vision, and courage to advance meaningful change,” said Connie Orlando, Executive Vice President of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET.
Rev. Dr. Jamal-Harrison Bryant is a nationally recognized faith leader, civil-rights strategist, public theologian, and community architect whose work stands at the intersection of scholarship, spirituality, social justice, economic accountability, and public policy. His influence extends across faith communities, civic institutions, and national movements advocating equity and accountability.
Dr. Bryant’s leadership of the Target FAST represents one of the most significant, Black-led consumer accountability movements of the last 50 years, advancing equitable business practices, supplier diversity, and respect for Black buying power. Rooted in the historic legacy of the Civil Rights Movement, the campaign reflects his belief that economic leverage remains one of the most powerful tools for social transformation.
A third-generation minister, Dr. Bryant founded Empowerment Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church in Baltimore, Maryland, which became the fastest-growing congregation in the 200-year history of the AME Church. Since 2018, he has served as Senior Pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Ga.. Serving alongside his wife, Dr. Karrianna Bryant, First Lady and Executive Pastor of Creative & Experience, has led a season of revitalization marked by multigenerational unity, expanded cultural relevance, and increased national impact in community outreach, economic justice, and public-policy engagement.
Prior to entering the pastorate, Dr. Bryant served six years as National Youth and College Director of the NAACP, where he mobilized more than 70,000 young people worldwide in coordinated nonviolent civic, political, and social justice campaigns, establishing his national reputation as a skilled organizer and strategist. He is also a proud graduate of Morehouse College and a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Leading up to the “57th NAACP Image Awards,” the NAACP will host a number of events highlighting Black voices, artistry, and talent, including:
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23
The” 57th NAACP Image Awards” Celebrity Golf Invitational, will take place at the El Caballero Country Club. The official opening event to NAACP Image Awards Week will feature a conversation with NAACP President & CEO Derrick Johnson.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23-WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25
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NAACP will recognize winners in non–televised Image Awards categories nightly in a Virtual Awards Show hosted by Angel Laketa Moore (ThatChickAngel) and actor, gamer and NAACP Image Awards nominee Khleo Thomas on YouTube/NAACPPlus Monday, February 23-Wednesday, February 25.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24:
NAACP+ Studios Short Film Showcase celebrates bold storytelling and the power of film to drive social change. The event features original short films from the 2025 Cinematic Shorts Film Competition winners, spotlighting visionary filmmakers whose work centers culture, community, and justice. The showcase also highlights Climate in Color, an NAACP initiative supporting filmmakers from frontline communities telling human-centered climate justice stories impacting Black communities. The evening concludes with the presentation of NAACP Image Awards trophies for Outstanding Short Form (Animated), Outstanding Short Form (Live Action), and Outstanding Short Form Documentary—reinforcing NAACP+ Studios’ commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices and inspiring lasting impact through film.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25:
Entertainers, artists, and activists will unite for thought-provoking conversations at the NAACP Hollywood Symposium hosted by Gia Peppers at the Museum of Tolerance. Programming includes a panel discussion– Ageless Ambition: Thriving in Hollywood at Every Age featuring actors Blair Underwood and Nia Long, along with Anna Banks of AARP, and moderated by Associated Press Entertainment Reporter, Jonathan Landrum. A panel discussion will bring together executives from Black-owned production companies for a candid conversation on shaping the future of the entertainment industry. A presentation by Showrunner Wendy Calhoun pulls back the curtain on vertical dramas, the fast-growing, mobile-first format reshaping how stories are written, shot, and consumed.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26:
NAACP Image Award nominees in select non-televised categories will be honored at the “57th NAACP Image Awards” Creative Honors. The evening will include the announcement of winners in select categories and the presentation of the Mildred Bond Roxborough Social Justice Impact Award to Rev. Dr. Jamal-Harrison Bryant in recognition of his years of service and advocacy.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27:
Multi-hyphenate artist and fashion icon A$AP Rocky will be presented with the Vanguard Award for Fashion at the NAACP Image Awards Reception & Fashion Show, in recognition of the influence and impact he has made in fashion and creative culture. Hosted by actress Meagan Good, the fashion show will also feature a showcase from Black designers including House of Gray (formally Grayscale), Bishme Cromartie, BruceGlenn, and Diarra Bousso.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28:
Live from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, the “57th NAACP Image Awards” will air on BET and CBS at 8 PM ET/PT. Hosted by NAACP Image Award-winning actor and comedian Deon Cole, the evening will recognize and celebrate the achievements of some of the biggest names in Hollywood and highlight honorees of the prestigious President’s Award, Chairman’s Awards and Hall of Fame Award.
SUNDAY, MARCH 1:
To close out the “57th NAACP Image Awards,” week of events, the NAACP Youth and College division will host the Young, Gifted, and Black Brunch. The brunch will feature panel discussions centered on the power of young people using their voice for organizing, progress and justice.
By visiting www.naacpimageawards.net, the public can vote to determine the winners of the “57th NAACP Image Awards” in select categories. Voting closes on February 13, 2026, at 12:00 midnight (ET.) Winners will be revealed during the “57th NAACP Image Awards” telecast on Saturday, February 28 live from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, on BET and will simulcast on the CBS Television Network. NAACP will also recognize winners in non–televised Image Awards categories at the “57th NAACP Image Awards” Creative Honors Thursday, February 26 and virtually on YouTube/NAACPPlus Monday, February 23-Wednesday, February 25.
For information and updates, please follow NAACP Image Awards on Instagram @NAACPImageAwards and visit www.bet.com/naacp-image-awards.
57th NAACP Image Awards to Honors REV. DR. JAMAL BRYANT was originally published on praiserichmond.com
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Acquisitions round-up: a 17ft sculpture by Anselm Kiefer, a $1.7m dinosaur skull, and a 17th-century genre painting
Die Erdzeitalter (Ages of the World) (2014) by Anselm Kiefer Courtesy of Israel Museum
Israel Museum, Jerusalem
The Israel Museum has acquired a fourth work by Anselm Kiefer for its permanent collection: the 17ft-tall sculpture Die Erdzeitalter (Ages of the World), donated by the Miami property developer and collector Martin Z. Margulies. The work, which consists of stacked canvases, dried sunflowers, rubble and lead books flanked by two paintings, evokes the apocalyptic aftermath of a disaster and is described as “part totem and part funeral pyre”. It was made for Kiefer’s 2014 retrospective at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. There, it was bought by Margulies, who displayed it at his Miami museum the Warehouse. Suzanne Landau, the Israel Museum’s outgoing director, who organised the institution’s first Kiefer solo exhibition in 1984, says the German artist’s work helps “process complex questions around cultural memory and life in landscapes impacted by war”.
Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC
Excavated in South Dakota in 2024, this virtually complete skull of a Pachycephalosaurus was sold at Sotheby’s last July for $1.7m (with fees) to the former Google chief executive Eric Schmidt and his wife, Wendy. The couple donated the dinosaur skull to the National Museum of Natural History. These dome-headed bipedal herbivores lived around 67 million years ago, at the end of the Cretaceous Period. The skull will be CT-scanned to understand the shape and size of the dinosaur’s brain. Matthew Carrano, the museum’s dinosaurs curator, says that this is a spectacular example: “We almost never get to see the animal’s face or the teeth or other parts of the head, because they usually have broken away.”
Courtesy of Frans Hals Museum
Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem, the Netherlands
This early genre scene by Maarten van Heemskerck (1498-1574) has been purchased by the Frans Hals Museum after it featured in a multi-venue exhibition of the Haarlem-born painter’s work in 2024-25. Haarlem painters are known for genre painting, but the style only became popular in the 17th century, so this is a particularly early example. It is also the only known genre scene by Van Heemskerck, who primarily painted portraits and biblical stories. The sitters are anonymous, and the closely cropped composition gives little context for what is going on—some art historians speculate it may have originally been part of a larger painting, with another figure on the right. Lidewij de Koekkoek, the director of the Frans Hals Museum, says the work demonstrates Van Heemskerck’s “steady hand” and “the high standard of painting in 16th-century Haarlem”.
An exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum brings together 42 paintings, watercolours, artist books, photos and woodcuts made between 1969 and 1982—along with three new works
Our pick of the latest gifts and purchases to enter institutional collections worldwide, including the enigmatic “Portrait of Frederick”
All you ever wanted to know about Kiefer, from a deep dive into his studios to the poetry that inspires him—selected by the curators Emilie Gordenker, Edwin Becker and Leontine Coelewij
Nearby, the White Cube gallery is also displaying homage works by the German artist, more than 60 years after he hitchhiked in Vincent’s footsteps
Georgia’s First Secondary School For Black People Preserves The Past And Embraces The Future
February 12, 2026
Booker T. Washington High School, established in 1924, was the first public high school created for African American students in Georgia.
A century-old Atlanta high school that once educated Black students during segregation is now serving as an active campus and as a preserved historical space.
Booker T. Washington High School, established in 1924, was the first public high school created for African American students in Georgia. The campus continues to operate within the Atlanta Public Schools system while maintaining exhibits and archival materials that document its role in the state’s Black community and educational history.
Displays inside the building include decades of photographs, memorabilia, and historical documents tracing the school’s impact on generations of students. A replica of the Lifting the Veil of Ignorance statue stands prominently on campus, symbolizing access to knowledge and opportunity. The monument serves as a visual reminder of the school’s founding mission during a period when educational access for Black people was restricted by law.
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“If we don’t tell our story, who’s going to tell it?” school historian Marcia Wynn told CBS Atlanta. She said the preservation effort ensures that current students understand both the obstacles faced by earlier generations and the progress that followed. Principal Tiauna Crooms said students participate in a tradition before football games in which they gather near the statue to reflect on the school’s heritage.
The school building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, confirming its historical and architectural significance in Atlanta’s Black educational history.
As Black history is being removed from national parks by presidential order, the campus represents more than a physical structure. It reflects an effort across the South to maintain sites connected to African American advancement and perseverance during segregation. Through tours, exhibits, and community engagement, the school now functions as a historical resource.
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BHM 100*: Meet Robert Smalls, who Escaped Slavery by Commandeering a Confederate Boat, Captained That Same Boat for the Union Navy, and Became the 1st African-American Elected to U.S. Congress
February 11, 2026
[*This year marks the 100th anniversary since Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the “Father of Black History” founded Negro History Week in February 1926. Fifty years after that, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month. In 1986, Congress passed a law designating February as Black History Month across the U.S.]
Robert Smalls was the first Black man elected to U.S. Congress during Reconstruction, but of course his incredible story and accomplishments did not begin there. Smalls was born into slavey in 1839 in Beaufort, South Carolina and started his journey to national prominence by daring to escape slavery during the Civil War.
Smalls, like many other enslaved people, was made to work for the Confederate forces. Menial labor such as grave digging, cooking, digging trenches, etc. were the most common jobs, but some enslaved people were used in skilled labor positions. Smalls, who could navigate the waters in and around Charleston, was used to guide transport ships for the Confederate Navy.
On May 13, 1862, Smalls convinced several other enslaved people to help him commandeer a Confederate transport ship, the CSS Planter, in Charleston Harbor. Smalls, in a captain hat and using Confederate hand signals, sailed from Confederate-controlled waters to the U.S. Naval blockade. By doing so, Smalls gained freedom for himself, several other enslaved people and also for his family.
Smalls’ example of cunning and bravery helped convince President Abraham Lincoln to accept Black soldiers into the U.S. Army and Navy. Smalls became Captain of the same boat for the Union Navy and helped free enslaved peoples as he fought and outwitted the Confederate Navy several more times during the duration of the War.
Check out the PBS NewsHour video about this event:
After the South surrendered, Smalls returned to Beaufort, S.C. and purchased his enslaver’s house, which was seized by the Union in 1863. His enslaver sued to get it back, but lost in court to Smalls.
Smalls learned to read and write during this time, and after going into business to service the needs of freedmen, Smalls was elected to the State House of South Carolina. While there, Smalls authored state legislation to provide South Carolina with the first free and compulsory public school system in the United States. He also founded the Republican Party of South Carolina.
In 1874, Smalls was elected the first Black member of U.S. Congress. In backlash to his election, his opposers began gerrymandering across South Carolina to start tilting seats back to white men.
Conservative Southern Bourbon Democrats, who called themselves the Redeemers, also resorted to violence and election fraud to regain control of the South Carolina state legislature. As part of wide-ranging white efforts to reduce African-American political power, Smalls was charged and convicted of taking a bribe five years prior in connection with the awarding of a printing contract.
Smalls was pardoned as part of an agreement by which charges were also dropped against Democrats accused of election fraud. But the scandal took a political toll, and Smalls was defeated by Democrat George D. Tillman in the senate election in 1878, and again, narrowly, in 1880. Smalls successfully contested the 1880 result and regained the seat in 1882.
According to curators at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smalls’ family went on to be very successful, and there is a Robert Smalls lecture at the University of South Carolina every year.
The monument to Smalls in the churchyard is inscribed with a statement he made to the South Carolina legislature in 1895:
My race needs no special defense, for the past history of them in this country proves them to be the equal of any people anywhere. All they need is an equal chance in the battle of life.
To learn more about Robert Smalls, check out Be Free or Die by Cate Lineberry or Gullah Statesman: Robert Smalls, From Slavery to Congress 1839 to 1915 by Edward A. Miller, Jr.
Published in African-American Firsts, History and U.S.
Wow. I had not heard about Robert Smalls before and now I’ll watch the PBS video as well as read the other sources. Thank you, as always, for these Monday reads.
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Sade cracks the top 10 of the Billboard R&B Albums chart with a project more than 30 years old
The band, who have ruled the Contemporary Jazz and Jazz Album charts, have not released a new album since their 2010 chart topper ‘Soldier of Love’.
For more than four decades, Sade has been the definition of smooth sounds and melodies. Generations of fans have flocked to albums such as “Diamond Life,” “Promise,” “Stronger Than Pride,” and “Love Deluxe” for the band’s vibrant sounds and the unmistakable voice of their frontwoman, Sade Adu.
Those classic feels have translated even more in 2026 as fans have pushed “The Best Of Sade,” the group’s 1994 greatest hits album, into the top 10 of the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart. The album first landed on the chart in 2024, and the project continues to climb, reaching No. 10 after 62 weeks on the chart.
On the traditional Billboard 200 chart, the project peaked at No. 9 when it was released more than 32 years ago, but the band reaching such heights with an album that could rent a car and book a hotel without supervision is a testament to its staying power. The group last released an album 16 years ago with 2010’s “Soldier of Love.” That album, buoyed by the title track, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with over 500,000 copies sold. It was the band’s first No. 1 album since 1985’s “Promise,” marking one of the longest gaps for a No. 1 album at 23 years and 10 months.
Speaking of the Billboard 200, “The Best of Sade” is at No. 95 on this week’s chart after rising to No. 90 last week.
The question is, why is Sade’s work catching on to the R&B chart now? The answer, ironically enough, lies with Billboard’s categorization of the band’s music. Labeled as jazz, pop, R&B, and soul, the group has seen its most sustained success on the jazz charts. “The Best of Sade” currently leads the Contemporary Jazz album chart for a 79th consecutive week, whereas it sits at No. 1 on the Jazz Album chart for 25 weeks. Its dominance on the Contemporary Jazz chart stands out because it has been No. 1 throughout its tenure.
Fans immediately wondered if a new Sade album was in the works when a photoshopped image of lead singer Sade Adu began floating around, but there was zero truth to the rumor. The band last released a song in 2024, where Adu highlighted her son Izaak, who had previously come out as trans.
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A Valentine’s Day gift guide that loves on you, your lover, and your friends
Whether you’re single, coupled, or in a situationship, these Valentine’s Day gift ideas celebrate love in all its forms.
Valentine’s Day is around the corner. And this romantic holiday can bring up a lot, whether you’re last-minute shopping for your partner, planning a Galentine’s night with friends, or rolling your eyes at the whole thing while still subconsciously wanting something cute. Wherever you land, this gift guide meets you there with ideas that feel thoughtful, fun, and actually usable long after February 14.
From cozy nights in to self-care staples and a little grown-folk energy, here are Valentine’s Day gifts and activities that celebrate love in all its forms.
For the Jet-Setters (and the “I Should Take A Solo Trip” Folks)
Whether you’re traveling with your boo or moving through the world on your own terms, a good travel accessory is non-negotiable. Cincha, a couple-founded brand, creates sleek, functional pieces that make getting from point A to point B that much easier. If you’re feeling extra generous, pair this gift with a booked plane ticket to your baecation.
For him: The Cincha Toiletery bag or Travel Belt Bag | For her: The Cincha Go-To Totes.
Cincha is also available on Amazon
For the Lovers Who Like a Little Play
If you’re craving an activity that doesn’t involve a screen, Puzzles of Color offers beautifully illustrated puzzles that double as art once completed. Perfect for date night, Galentine’s gatherings, or a solo evening with your favorite glass of red,
Puzzles of Color is also available on Amazon
For Date Nights That Need a Spark
When you want to spice things up, or simply see how well you really know each other, Drunk in Love delivers. Designed specifically for couples, these card and board games invite laughter, vulnerability, and spice back into any relationship.
Shop the Drunk In Love Date Night Board Game – Cuffed on Amazon
Shop the Drunk in Love Couples “X-Rated” Drinking Card Game on Amazon
For The Singles & Hopeless Romantics:
Gift yourself or your single friends a book boyfriend or girlfriend this Valentine’s Day. Getting lost in the romantic (and sometimes deliciously spicy) worlds created by authors like Natasha Bishop, Aricka Alexander, Julian Winters, or Eric Jerome Dickey has a way of making February 14th feel a lot less lonely and a lot more indulgent.
For Self-Care or Couples Care
Whether you’re pampering yourself or planning a DIY massage night with your partner, these picks invite touch, softness, and intention.
For the Fragrance Fans who Love to Leave an Impression
FORVR MOOD Deluxe Duo Perfume Set
A scent moment that reminds you, and everyone else, that you are, in fact, that girl. FORVR MOOD’s “I am Her” and “She Was Here” fragrances linger in the kind way that has someone thinking, “She was here,” long after the night ends.
And for the men, BETTER WORLD FRAGRANCE HOUSE by Drake’s “Summer Mink Eau de Parfum” will have your date swooning.
For The Grown Folks
Whether it’s solo exploration or partnered pleasure, consider this a reminder that intimacy with yourself is just as important as intimacy with others. Bedroom Kandi’s Peach Buzz is playful, powerful, and unapologetically adult.
Remember, Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to look one way to be meaningful. Whether you’re celebrating romance, friendship, or yourself, let it be intentional, indulgent, and rooted in love.
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By 2030, 40% of those living with Alzheimer’s disease will be Black and Latino, a new campaign is starting the conversation
AlzInColor launched in January, spearheaded by Deanna Darlington, to inspire others to speak up and share their experiences with the disease.
By 2030, nearly half (40%) of those living with Alzheimer’s disease, which impacts roughly 7 million people annually in the U.S., will be Black and Latino. Yet Black and brown communities continue to face significant barriers to care and awareness and remain underrepresented in clinical trials. Deanna Darlington, who launched the new campaign AlzInColor, hopes to help change that, starting with spreading the word.
Launched in January, the campaign aims to elevate brain health conversations across Black and Latino communities. It offers a resource library, brain health quiz, personal stories, and webinars designed to help families normalize discussions around brain health.
“We have to begin to speak about it more,” Darlington told theGrio in a recent interview. “We have to talk about it with our healthcare practitioners earlier, and not wait until there’s a diagnosis or memory issues that we’re noticing.”
Darlington hopes to spark conversations among communities of color who, despite being at greater risk, often remain in the dark about the disease, which occurs when abnormal protein buildup in the brain causes cells to die over time, leading to brain shrinkage, according to the Mayo Clinic. It is the fourth leading cause of death for Black individuals over 65.
Common symptoms include severe memory loss and changes in thinking, reasoning, or judgment. There is still no cure, and a distinct cause — including what is driving the disproportionate impact on Black and Latino communities — has not been determined. What is clear, however, is that stigma surrounding the disease can be overwhelming.
“We really don’t talk about the impact to Black and brown communities when we talk about Alzheimer’s,” Darlington stressed, noting she speaks from personal experience.
Her father died from the disease, she explained. But she had access to resources, a strong support system, and open communication with her family, an experience she says “helps me here,” because she understands what others may need. Sharing stories and speaking openly can shed light on the disease and help eradicate the shame that often prevents families from connecting with life-changing resources sooner. Through the campaign, she is inviting others — in whatever medium they see fit, be it video, spoken word, and beyond — to share their experiences of living with Alzheimer’s or caring for loved ones to further help break down stigma.
Since launching, the campaign has been behind the inaugural “Latino Brain Health Awareness Week” from January 26 through January 31, commemorated AlzInColor Day on Feb. 2, and “Black Brain Health Awareness Week” Feb. 3 through Feb. 8.
In a PSA video released alongside the campaign, two families, one Black in a barbershop and one Latino during a family gathering, grapple with an older relative who occasionally struggles with memory. In both scenes, family members candidly discuss how their loved one doesn’t always connect the dots the way they used to, only for moments of clarity to return. Each family urges viewers to “raise the volume” on this urgent conversation.
“I think it’s important because it shows diverse communities — it shows our brown faces — and that we’re impacted by this, but it’s okay,” Darlington said of the video and shared stories. “It’s nothing for us to be ashamed of. Rather, it’s something for us to talk about, to learn from one another, and to understand somebody else’s journey.”
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5 Times Sports Reporter Maria Taylor Showed Off Her Sporty-Chic Style
Super Bowl LX may be over, but the conversation definitely isn’t. One of the biggest sources of post-game chatter? Maria Taylor.
Maris made history as the first Black woman to host the Super Bowl and present the winning team’s trophy. A major career moment — and of course, she did it in style.
The NBC Sports host and former ESPN analyst is one of the most respected voices in sports media. Before stepping in front of the camera, Taylor was a volleyball and basketball player at the University of Georgia. She was very active in college and pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Maria is a Tennessee native.
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Today, she leads coverage for the NFL, Olympics, NBA, and more — bringing credibility, charisma, and lewks to every broadcast. Maria is one of the only women of color in her position.
And on Sunday’s primetime stage, she proved once again that fashion and football absolutely go together. For the big night, Taylor wore a navy and white pinstriped suit and added unexpected flair with leopard gloves.
The moment was polished, powerful, and very on-brand.
Whether she’s reporting from the sidelines or hosting in studio, Maria consistently delivers both commentary and style. She loves monochromatic looks, sharp tailoring, denim moments, and elegant gowns. In more ways than one, she is that girl.
As we celebrate her historic Super Bowl career milestone, we’re looking back at her style. Keep scrolling to see Maria Taylor’s take on sporty chic fashion.
Denim & Black
Maria proved that casual style can still feel elevated at a Fanatics event. She layered a cropped black top under a structured blazer and paired it with a two-tone denim vest and relaxed jeans. White sneakers kept the look effortless and sporty. This outfit felt cool, modern, and perfect for a daytime sports event.
Burgundy Is Still Having A Major Moment
At the Sports Power Brunch, Maria stepped out in a rich burgundy leather look that felt bold and polished. The fitted blazer and matching mini skirt created a sleek monochromatic vibe. She paired the outfit with matching tights and pointed heels, keeping the color story strong from head to toe. It was powerful, fashion-forward, and perfectly tailored.
Statement Power Suiting Done
During a Variety panel, the reporter leaned into bold color blocking with a black mini dress trimmed in bright yellow. The sharp contrast created a strong silhouette that stood out on stage. Gold buttons and a sleek turtleneck neckline added sophistication while still feeling fun and edgy.
All Black Everything
On the red carpet at NFL Honors, Maria embraced timeless elegance in a black asymmetrical gown. The one-shoulder design and high slit gave the dress drama and movement. Paired with black pumps and minimal jewelry, the look was refined and red-carpet ready.
It’s Her Leather Corset For Us
Even on assignment, Maria’s style never misses. While reporting courtside, she layered a black leather corset over a crisp white pinstriped shirt. The combination of structured tailoring and sporty energy perfectly captured her signature aesthetic.
5 Times Sports Reporter Maria Taylor Showed Off Her Sporty-Chic Style was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
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Mexico City’s Zona Maco fair continues to draw upbeat crowds and eager buyers
Visitors during the opening day of Zona Maco’s 2026 edition Benjamin Sutton
Mexico City’s hulking Centro Banamex convention centre is once again hosting the Zona Maco fair (until 8 February), and though the geopolitical turbulence in the Western Hemisphere is felt—in conversations in the aisles, and on some stands’ walls—the atmosphere during Wednesday’s preview and Thursday’s opening day was buoyant. The addition of the concurrent Art Basel Qatar fair to the increasingly congested international art market calendar has done little to detract from the turnout of collectors, curators and museum groups from the Americas, as well as from Europe.
“One of the first sales we made was to a lovely couple we’d never met before who were here with a museum group from Munich,” says Sean Kelly, whose eponymous New York-based gallery is showing a group of works by artists including Marina Abramović, Kehinde Wiley, Janaina Tschäpe, Ana González. They are priced between $20,000 and $300,000. Kelly noted the presence at the fair of “a lot of Americans trying to escape both the weather and the idiot in the White House”.
Kelly added that one of the fair’s strengths is that, even amid the boisterous crowd energy, he and his team are able to have long, in-depth conversations with visitors. “We had a prominent New York curator on the stand for an hour and a half [on Wednesday]—if we were at any other fair, that would never happen.”
Teófilo Cohen, a director at the influential Mexico City gallery Proyectos Monclova, concurs. “This fair is different from every other fair—it’s not all the same international galleries showing the same thing every year,” he says. “People come here because they want to discover something new.”
Ceramic sculptures by Víctor Hugo Pérez on Proyectos Monclova’s stand at Zona Maco Photo: Ramiro Chaves, courtesy of Proyectos Monclova
The Proyectos Monclova stand includes, among other works, a series of dystopian, science-fiction tinged paintings by the Havana-based artist Brenda Cabrera, intricate gouache and pencil compositions on wood by the Mexico City-born artist Circe Irasema and a wall of ceramic sculptures by the Guadalajara-based artist Víctor Hugo Pérez. “Victor has been working with traditional ceramic processes from Guadalajara that are disappearing,” Cohen says. The sculptures, contemporary reinterpretations of pre-Hispanic vases and figures of dogs and cats, are priced between $3,000 and $6,000.
Ceramics and, more broadly, works foregrounding material techniques feature prominently throughout Zona Maco this year. “There’s a very strong response to materiality at Zona Maco, which is quite distinct,” Kelly says.
Among the exhibitors tapping into that predilection is Kouri + Corrao, a gallery based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which is showing works by two artists specialised in textiles—Karen Hampton and Kendall Ross—and two specialised in ceramics—Raven Halfmoon and Joon Hee Kim. Prices on the stand range from $500 for Ross’s hand-knitted underwear emblazoned with pointed and political slogans to $40,000 for Hampton’s large mixed-media woven works incorporating dyes made from plants she grows herself.
“Most of the artists we work with make art about identity and push the boundaries of their media,” says Justin Kouri, a managing partner at the Kouri + Corrao. He adds that the gallery made several sales during Wednesday’s VIP preview and that overall “the energy is strong” at the fair.
A view of the Kouri + Corrao stand at Zona Maco Courtesy Kouri + Corrao
Materiality is also a prominent feature on the stand of Palo Gallery, from New York, which has paired intricate wood sculptures by the Mexico-born, New York-based artist Raul De Lara with architectural constructions of cinderblock, plaster and ceramics by the Brazilian artist Manoela Medeiros.
“Both these artists are making work about their heritage,” says Paul Henkel, Palo Gallery’s founder. “For Raul it’s about his experience as an immigrant, and a longing for the Mexico of his youth. For Manoela it’s about Brazilian Modernist architecture and design, and how we live with and adapt our build environments.” Works on the stand are priced between $6,000 and $25,000.
Henkel says that within the first hours of the fair he spoke with members of museum groups and curators from MoMA PS1 in New York, London’s Tate, SFMoMA in San Francisco and Museum Brandhorst in Munich, among others. A list of visiting museum groups compiled by the fair’s organisers stretches to more than 75, with an especially strong contingent of institutions from the US and Canada.
The Livia Benavides stand at Zona Maco Courtesy of Livia Benavides
“We’ve seen a lot of collectors and institutions from Canada,” says Maria Godoy, a manager at the Lima-based Livia Benavides Gallery. “Overall the collectors here are very serious. I’ve spoken to a lot of people who are already familiar with our programme, they arrive at our booth already knowing many of our artists.”
Most of the six artists featured on the gallery’s stand (where works are priced at $10,000-$60,000) are either based in Mexico City or have recent or upcoming projects in the city. The Peruvian artist Rita Ponce de León, who has two large works on paper on the stand, is based in the Mexican capital and is featured in El gesto y lo invisible, an exhibition opening at the Museo Tamayo on Friday (6 February). The Lima-born artist Fátima Rodrigo, who is showing a towering new sequin-on-fabric abstraction, will open a solo exhibition at Museo Tamayo in June.
Works by Kylie Manning on the Pace Gallery stand at Zona Maco Photo: courtesy of Pace Gallery
Pace Gallery, the largest international dealership showing at Zona Maco, reported selling almost all the work from its solo stand of large-scale abstract paintings by the New York-based artist Kylie Manning during the VIP preview. “The day-one energy was frenetic! The booth is nearly sold out, with all day one sales made to local collections,” says Simone Shields, a director at Pace. “At the edge of things (2025), a triptych by Kylie Manning sitting at the conceptual and physical focal point of our presentation, was acquired by a seminal collection in Mexico.”
Galleries big and small, young and old, are benefitting from Mexico City’s rising standing on the global art stage. The city’s oldest gallery, Galeria de Arte Mexicano—which celebrated its 90th anniversary during last year’s Zona Maco—started the fair strongly. “We have been participating since the first year of the fair, and this opening day was the busiest we have ever seen it in [those] 24 years,” says Patricia Torres, a coordinator at the gallery. “For the past six to eight years, there has been an enormous increase in the number of international visitors for Mexico City Art Week.”
The gallery’s stand features an intergenerational mix of artists, from leading Modernists such as Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros to established contemporary figures like Jan Hendrix and María Sada, to emerging artists like Andrea Villalón and Mariana Paniagua Cortés.
Meanwhile Ambar Quijano, whose eponymous gallery opened three years ago, is participating in her first fair and says she made enough sales during Wednesday’s VIP preview to cover the costs of her stand. She is showing works by three artists—Sebastián Hidalgo from Mexico, Armig Santos from Puerto Rico and Paula Turmina from Brazil—on a stand whose arched entryway is intended to evoke the architecture of her space in the city’s Escandón neighbourhood.
“All three artists are interested in speculative futures—imagining spaces where new realities are possible,” Quijano says. Works on the stand are priced between $1,500 for a small marble work by Hidalgo to $25,000 for a large canvas by Santos. The Santos work interprets art historical imagery through the lens of contemporary life in Puerto Rico.
Installation view of the Kates-Ferri Projects stand at Zona Maco Courtesy of Kates-Ferri Projects
The New York-based gallery Kates-Ferri Projects is presenting a three-artist stand, anchored by the Mexican artist Salvador Jiménez-Flores’s blown-glass sculpture of a cactus-like bust (or bust-like cactus). His work is flanked by paintings by the Venezuelan artist Luis Figueroa and, above them, sculptural ceramic weeds by the Pakistani artist Noormah Jamal, each of which encloses a tiny head in place of a flower. Natalie Kates, the gallery’s co-founder, describes the curatorial theme as “nature run amok”.
“This is our third time doing Zona Maco and we’re seeing fewer US collectors than in years past,” Kates says. “But we have sold works to several multi-generational Latin American collectors—people whose grandparents started collecting. Now the children and grandchildren have a say in shaping the collection.”
Works are priced from $10,000 for Flores’s glass cactus to $1,500 for Jamal’s ceramic weeds. “It’s an entry point that is accessible to newer collectors but will make an enormous difference to the artist.”
Ambitious programmes during the city’s Art Week span fairs, galleries, museums and pop-up spaces
From emerging artists to Modern art and antiquities, by way of design and photography, around 220 exhibitors span seemingly every collecting category
The fair’s VIP preview saw a rush of collectors and museum groups, many sales and little hand-wringing over a possible Mexico-US trade war
The biggest art fair in Latin America is marking a significant milestone while showcasing the booming local scene
Georgia Man Files Lawsuit Against Police For Violating His Civil Rights
February 10, 2026
Lawyers claimed that authorities sought warrants based on claims that disregarded video evidence.
A Georgia man who was arrested and jailed on kidnapping accusations after an incident in an Acworth, Georgia, Walmart is suing his accusers, the Acworth Police, in federal court for allegedly violating his civil rights.
Mahendra Patel and his attorneys filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Caroline Miller, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office, and the Acworth Police. Miller accused Patel of attempting to kidnap her toddler inside a Walmart located in the Atlanta suburb.
According to the complaint, police and prosecutors filed criminal charges without probable cause and held Patel in jail for over 40 days, despite surveillance footage that his attorneys say contradicts Miller’s story, in which she accused Patel of trying to grab her child. Miller claimed that she and Patel exchanged a heated set of words and a tugging match for her child, but video evidence shows that this did not occur.
Attorney Solomon M. Radner said the lawsuit seeks accountability and damages from city officials and Miller.
“We want to hold the police and prosecutor accountable for completely destroying a man’s life for absolutely no reason, for destroying a man’s family for no reason,” Radner told 11 Alive News.
The incident occurred in March 2025, when Patel said he asked Miller for help finding Tylenol. Radner states that surveillance footage shows Miller riding a motorized scooter with two small children sitting in her lap. When Miller stood up to point to the medication, Patel reached down to prevent one of the children from falling. According to records, Miller later called police to report an attempted kidnapping. Police then arrested Patel on charges that they later dropped.
“A simple trip to Walmart to get a Tylenol turned into a nightmare,” Patel told Atlanta News First.
Soon after the encounter with Patel, the surveillance footage shows Miller backing the scooter into a display, causing one of her children to fall off. Another man stepped in to steady the second child, as Patel had moments earlier. However, unlike Patel, the second man faced no charges.
Patel said the surveillance video, which his lawyers said contradicts the police report, is why he is free today.
“That literally saved my life,” said Patel. “Imagine if there was no Walmart video…it was her words against my words, and I would never see daylight,” Patel told 11 Alive News.
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BHM100*: Celebrating NFL Trailblazer Doug Williams, the 1st Black Quarterback to Win a Super Bowl Championship and Super Bowl MVP
February 10, 2026
On a January evening in 1988, Doug Williams became first Black quarterback in the National Football League to both start and win a Super Bowl. Williams’ performance leading the Washington Redskins (now Commanders) in Super Bowl XXII remains one of the most significant moments in sports history, a triumph that resonated far beyond the gridiron.
Born August 9, 1955, in Zachary, Louisiana, Williams grew up in an era when the very idea of a Black quarterback leading an NFL team seemed impossible. He honed his skills at Grambling State University from 1974 to 1977, playing under legendary coach Eddie Robinson. At Grambling, Williams passed for over 8,000 yards and 93 touchdowns, leading the Tigers to three Black College National Championships and finishing fourth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1977.
In 1978, Williams made history when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him 17th overall, making him the first Black quarterback drafted in the first round. Over five seasons with Tampa Bay, he led the team to the playoffs three times, including an NFC Championship Game appearance in 1979.
Despite his success, Williams was significantly underpaid compared to his white counterparts, a disparity he later attributed to racism. After a brief stint in the now-defunct USFL (United States Football League), Williams joined Washington’s team in 1986 as a backup QB. When head coach Joe Gibbs named him the starter for the 1987 playoffs, few could have predicted the historic performance that would follow.
In Super Bowl XXII against the Denver Broncos, Williams delivered one of the greatest quarters in football history, throwing four touchdown passes in the second quarter alone. He finished with 340 passing yards and led his team to a commanding 42-10 victory, earning Super Bowl MVP honors.
When a reporter at Media Day asked Williams, “How long have you been a Black quarterback?” he famously responded, “I’ve been a quarterback since high school, and I’ve been Black all my life.”
Following his historic Super Bowl XXII win, Williams continued playing for Washington through the 1989 season, though injuries limited his playing time in subsequent years. After retiring as a player, Williams transitioned into coaching and personnel roles.
He returned to his alma mater Grambling, serving as head coach (1998-2003, 2011-2013), where he won four Southwestern Athletic Conference championships. In 2010, Williams helped establish the Black College Football Hall of Fame, ensuring that the achievements of HBCU athletes would be properly honored and remembered.
In 2024, Williams was selected as the American Football Coaches Association‘s recipient of the Trailblazer Award as one of the most storied “G-Men” in the history of Grambling State’s program.
After a stint in the NFL as a personnel executive with Tampa Bay, Williams eventually rejoined the Washington franchise in various front office capacities, and currently serves as senior advisor to the Commanders. In a full-circle moment, his son D.J. Williams was named the team’s quarterbacks coach in January 2026.
To learn more about Williams, read The Great Black Hope: Doug Williams, Vince Evans, and the Making of the Black Quarterback by Louis Moore or Black Trailblazers in Sports: Doug Williams by David Lee Morgan, Jr.
Sources:
*This year marks the 100th anniversary since Dr. Carter G. Woodson founded Negro History Week in February 1926. Fifty years after that, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month. In 1986, Congress passed a law designating February as Black History Month across the U.S.
Published in African-American Firsts, History, Sports and U.S.
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