Superior athlete and civil rights activist Bill Russell and “Star Trek” legend Nichelle Nichols both passed away. Mayor Eric Adams initiated an effort to get emergency shelter for people seeking asylum, building off a previous cry for federal support to aid a “historical surge” of asylum seekers flocking to New York City from southern borders. Vice President Kamala Harris, along with Mayor Eric Adams and other officials, gathered at Bed-Stuy Restoration in Brooklyn to announce the creation of the Economic Opportunity Coalition, a coalition of companies promising to invest billions in small businesses in underserved communities. Mayor Adams declared the outbreak of monkeypox a state of emergency, allowing him to temporarily override local laws to address the outbreak for at least the next 30 days.
In celebration of Black Business Month, and in honor of the 28th anniversary of his flagship Brooklyn store, global fashion designer Moshood once again brought his legendary New Roots to Culture Fashion Showcase to the village of Bedford-Stuyvesant. Jazzmobile founder Dr. Billy Taylor’s 100th birthday was celebrated with a special concert at Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem. The style and impact of New York City’s legendary point guards were depicted in the Showtime Sports documentary film “NYC Point Gods.” The New York Amsterdam News announced its three-year, 3 million dollar Beyond the Barrel of the Gun initiative designed to be instrumental in raising awareness not just of the root causes of this epidemic but of how gun violence can be reduced in Black and brown communities in New York City and nationwide.
The lawyer Francia Márquez Mina took her oath of office “before God, the people of Colombia, and my ancestors” to serve as vice president of Colombia on Aug. 7. New York City kicked off 2022 with a newly elected Black mayor and newly appointed Black police commissioner. Six months later, Black arrest rates skyrocketed. Activists denounced the July 29 FBI raid on the St. Petersburg, Florida and St. Louis offices of the African Peoples’ Socialist Party. Women’s basketball star Brittney Griner was found guilty of drug possession and drug smuggling with criminal intent and sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison. In an as-told-to interview in Vogue Magazine, Serena Williams introspectively revealed she will be retiring from competitive tennis after the U.S. Open. Neurologist Ricardo Cruciani became the 11th person to die inside Rikers this year, found dead at around 6:30 a.m. Mayor Eric Adams signed legislation to protect access to safe and affordable abortions in New York City. The Cannabis Control Board approved 15 Adult-Use Conditional Processor licenses. On Friday, Aug. 12, Brooklyn’s Boys and Girls High School celebrated the life and legacy of former Assemblyman and City Council member, the Hon. Albert Vann.
The New York City-based record label Candid Records re-released a number of classic Black albums. Founded in 1960 by Archie Bleyer, Candid was on the cutting edge of releasing jazz and blues music from Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Cecil Taylor, Abbey Lincoln, Lightnin’ Hopkins and more. President Joe Biden announced his long-awaited plan to deliver on a campaign promise to provide $10,000 in student debt cancellation for millions of Americans—and up to $10,000 more for those with the greatest financial need—along with new measures to lower the burden of repayment for their remaining federal student debt. New York City Councilmember Rita Joseph introduced a bill to address the rise of suicide rates among Black girls and boys and other racial ethnic groups, an “alarming” situation that’s persisted for the past two decades nationwide. The traveling exhibit “Black Is Beautiful: The Photography of Kwame Brathwaite,” was on view at the New York Historical Society. “Regeneration: Black Cinema, 1898–1971” showed the pride and grandeur of a glorious, near-forgotten and thriving Black cinema in the early years of American filmmaking.