The 11th month of the year started tragically with the shooting death of rap group Migos member Takeoff in Houston. He was 28. Kenyans Evans Chebet and Sharon Lokedi finished first in the New York City Marathon men’s and women’s races respectively, beating out celebrity participants such as actor Ashton Kutcher and ex-Giants running back Tiki Barber. Pay transparency law went into effect, mandating that prospective employers list salary ranges for job openings. And Candy Crush brightened the New York City night sky with a drone light show to celebrate the smartphone game’s 10-year anniversary. Kyrie Irving fouled out with Nike, as the sportswear giant dropped the Nets’ star guard (and his next signature shoe) over tweeting anti-Semitic films. He was also suspended for at least five games and mandated to apologize. Lena Horne was the first Black woman with a Broadway Theater honored after her. The former Brooks Atkinson Theater was now named after the Grammy-winning entertainer, who famously marched on Washington during the Civil Rights Movement. Reel Sisters of The Diaspora Film Festival celebrated 25 years of movie magic. Black Solidarity Day was observed throughout the Tri-State area. Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul defeated Rep. Lee Zeldin in the New York gubernatorial election, although by much narrower margins than initially expected. She was the first woman elected as the state’s governor. Also staying in office were State Attorney General Letitia James and Sen. Chuck Schumer. In Georgia, incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp defeated Stacey Abrams in a 2018 rematch, while Sen. Raphael Warnock and Heisman Trophy-winning running back Hershel Walker went into a run-off for a pivotal senate seat. Wes Moore was elected as Maryland’s first Black governor. Democrats ultimately held the Senate while the Republicans flipped the House. A viral video of white University of Kentucky student Sophia Rosing racially abusing Black student workers led to her permanent ban from the school’s campus. More than 8,000 suspected cholera cases were found in Haiti. Brittney Griner was transferred to a Russian penal colony known for harsh conditions. The Netherlands apologized to Suriname for Dutch participation in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The New York Jets topped off a surprising start with an upset over Super Bowl favorites Buffalo Bills.
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” shattered multiple American and Canadian box office records as the second installment of the superhero film treads new ground following the 2020 death of lead actor Chadwick Boseman. The recently opened migrant “tent” housing facility on Randall’s Island was unceremoniously closed. Residents were transferred to fully indoor hotel shelters. And Elon Musk took over Twitter. The social media site saw a huge uptick in racial slurs as the Tesla CEO promised more “free speech.” Veterans Day Parade returned to New York City. The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree arrived at “30 Rock.” Tourists rejoiced. Marijuana dispensary licenses went up in smoke in parts of New York as a judge halted distribution in Brooklyn. Virginia McLaurin—known for dancing with then-President Barack Obama during a Black History Month White House visit—died at presumed age 113, although the sharecropper’s daughter could never track down her birth certificate as was common for those born under Jim Crow Laws. “The Lion King” turned 25 on Broadway. It’s the circle of life, after all. In Alabama, HBCU volleyball players from Talladega College withdrew from a conference tournament after racist harassment. Actress Lena Waithe was announced as the 2023 American Black Film Fest ambassador. Gov. Hochul declared a state of emergency after severe snow and cold in Upstate New York. Workers from 100 nationwide Starbucks locations went on strike as unionizing efforts at the world’s biggest coffee chain continue. The city workforce saw the greatest decline since the Great Depression. Student loan debt relief was once again paused thanks to federal judges. Political prisoner Mutulu Shakur—stepfather of 2Pac—was granted his compassionate release as the New Afrikan leader continues to battle with cancer. Kyrie Irving rejoined the Nets after suspension.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries made a bid to replace Nancy Pelosi and become first Black House party leader. The state rolled out the first 36 recreational marijuana dispensary licenses. And Nas released his 16th studio album, “King’s Disease III.” Harlem fired up holiday lights on 125th Street. Cecilia “Cissy” Suyat Marshall—widow of former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall—died at age 94. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso jump-started a Black and brown maternal health campaign. Exonerated Five member Yusef Salaam joined the already crowded field of State Assembly Members Inez Dickens and Al Taylor for incumbent Kristin Richardson Jordan’s Harlem District 9 City Council Seat. 188 misdemeanor convictions tied to eight discredited NYPD officers were vacated by Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg. The Buffalo mass shooter who targeted Black shoppers pleaded guilty for supermarket massacre. Singer-actress Irene Cara died at age 63. And New Yorkers celebrated Thanksgiving as the Macy’s Parade ran for the 96th time. During the holiday, Mayor Adams visited a mother detained at Rikers. NYPD officers saved a straphanger from the subway tracks seconds before an incoming train arrived. Brooklyn was in the House as Rep. Hakeem Jeffries was elected by colleagues to replace Nancy Pelosi and lead the party in Congress. The United States Justice Department intervened in Jackson, Miss. as the Black-majority city continues to face a water crisis. A Bronx mother was charged with killing her two children. Grad student workers went on strike locally at the New School, as well as in California, over low wages. An old photo resurfaced of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones protesting integrated schools. Mayor Adams directed police and medical workers to commit mentally-ill New Yorkers who cannot care for themselves, even if they refuse and are not an immediate threat to others. He also traveled to Greece for an anti-Semitism summit. “Walker, Texas Ranger” actor Clarence Gilyard Jr. died at age 66. Unlikely hero Mike White stepped in for struggling starting quarterback Zach Wilson to lead Jets to victory over the Chicago Bears. And a new Alzheimer’s drug showed promising results but with side effects.