Volume 134 No. 43
THE BLACK MEDIA AUTHORITY • AFRO.COM
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MAY 23, 2026 - MAY 29, 2026
AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
Black leaders are imploring talented, Black athletes to boycott Southern athletic programs where they are known for bringing in big bucks for White public universities in states where legislators are actively seeking to suppress and weaken Black voting rights. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus launched their campaign on May 19. Shown here, Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.-09) (front, left), chair of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus, as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.-08) speaks alongside NAACP President Derrick Johnson (front, right).
NAACP, Black legislators call for boycott of Southern athletic programs as voting rights fight continues
By Matt Brown The NAACP and Congressional Black Caucus are calling on Black athletes and fans to boycott the athletic programs of public universities in states that are taking steps that
the nation’s oldest civil rights group says are restricting Black voting rights. Launched on May 19, the NAACP’s “Out of Bounds” campaign urges current and prospective Black athletes, their families, alumni and fans to “withhold athletic and financial support”
from major public universities in states that “have moved to limit, weaken or erase Black voting representation.” If Black athletes participate in the boycott, it could deplete rosters for powerhouse football and basketball programs across the
Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference. The NAACP’s campaign calls out Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas Continued on A6
Tribune Photo / Kayla Brow
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State Rep. Chris Rabb addresses his supporters on the night of May 19 at the Victorian Ballroom off Germantown Avenue after winning the tight Democratic primary for the 3rd Congressional District seat to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans.
Courtesy photo
Dr. Andrew Billingsley shows off his book, “Yearning to Breathe Free: Robert Smalls of South Carolina and His Families” along with his daughter, former television reporter and Dominion Energy advisor Bonita Billingsley Harris.
Chris Rabb wins Democratic primary From sharecropper to scholar: Andrew Billingsley at 100 to replace Dwight Evans in Congress By Bonita B. Harris Special to the AFRO
By Chicago Tribune Staff State Rep. Chris Rabb, a five-term representative of Mount Airy’s 200th House District, survived a hotly contested primary election on May 19 to capture the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District, positioning to replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans in November’s general election. Rabb won with 44 percent, or 60,332 votes to finish ahead of state Sen. Sharif
Street with 29.5 percent, or 40,366; Dr. Ala Stanford 24 percent or 32,940, and attorney Shaun Griffith with 2 percent or 2,880 votes. “There were moments on the journey where I was reminded that tough times pass but tough people last,” Rabb told a raucous watch party at Victorian Banquet Hall on Germantown Avenue on May 19 night. “In this race I was walking in my purpose and the purpose was much bigger Continued on A3
At 100, Andrew Billingsley is more than a witness to history; he’s part of it. From the Great Depression to the present day, the renowned sociologist and author has shaped how generations understand family and community. In March, colleagues, students, family and friends gathered to celebrate with him at his beloved alma mater, Hampton University (HU). The special event also marked the launch of the Andrew Billingsley Endowed Scholarship, extending his
lifelong commitment to students and higher education. The son of Alabama sharecroppers, Billingsley joined then-Hampton Institute Class of 1951 on the GI Bill after serving in World War II. After an innovative exchange program, he graduated from Grinnell College in Iowa. HU President Darryl Williams reflected on that full-circle journey, from HU student council president to Morgan State University president, and back again. “Thank you for the light you have shined, the example you have set, the trailblazer you are, and in our beautiful Hampton
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kind of way, this full circle moment.” Morgan State University President Dr. David Wilson, the Board of Regents and alumni honored Billingsley’s legacy. “Dr. Billingsley did a lot as Morgan’s first scholar-president. He brought a vision for research and graduate education,” Wilson said. “Working with the late Maryland Senator Verda Welcome, he helped lead the transition from Morgan State College to Morgan State University, securing the authority to conduct research Continued on A3