Leslie Rose

D.C. Metro-based veteran journalist, editor, photographer, and creative writer.

After serving 68 years in prison for a spree of robberies as a juvenile offender, Joe Ligon, known as the nation's oldest juvenile lifer, was released this week from State Correctional Institution Phoenix in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, according to The Philadephia Inquirer.

Rap and hip hop music became major tools for advertising, marketing, and branding in the mid-1980s. It is likely the perception of cool that works well for advertisers, coupled with the ever-growing popularity of the genre among younger audiences. Over the years rap has been used as a means of drawing in consumers not familiar with it but fascinated with its elements, as well as rap fans seeking to emulate popular artists. Since the mid-1980s, rap has been used to sell everything from clothing to cars, cell phone providers, computers, beverages, food, lint rollers, and dolls.

There’s no experience quite like the HBCU experience.
Outside of these institutions, you'd be hard-pressed to find a plethora of Black folks learning and growing together while surrounded by tradition, fashion, Black empowerment, step shows, marching bands, football and a bevy of other customs. There’s a reason why so many HBCU graduates won't stop boasting about being HBCU graduates.

Abdullah Muflahi reflects on the loss of his friend and how his convenience store became a local protest landmark

Calling myself a proud HBCU graduate would be quite the understatement. I am a gold and white waving, “that’s my HBCU” saying, history spouting, “my school is better than your school” bragging, #HBCUProud kind of alumna.

A New Orleans street along the perimeter of Xavier University of Louisiana has officially been renamed after the university's president emeritus and longest-serving HBCU president, Norman C. Francis, J.D.

Students in McKinley’s Humanities Amped program do hands-on research on local social issues

Wonder and Coretta Scott King presented a petition to the speaker of the House bearing more than six million signatures of support for a national holiday honoring Dr. King.

HBCU rivalries are sibling-like competitions between historically Black colleges and universities that allow for a year’s worth of boasting.

These competitive, yet playful spats derive from things like Hampton and Howard University’s ongoing Real HU battle to Grambling State and Southern University’s Bayou Classic, to even the playful teasing that comes along with the annual rankings of best HBCUs, that often sees Spelman College, Howard and Xavier Unive...

Bootsy Collins has made a career out of fun music and exciting costumes. He was a pivotal member of the funk culture in the 1970s with the band Parliament-Funkadelic, a collective known for characters, costumes and outer space themes, which gave way for Collins’ childhood sketch-inspired star costume and bass guitar design.

Throughout the years, he has continued to be a representative of the funk, taking just three years away from the stage during his entire career. This week, he returns to the road, embarking on the yearlong #iGiveaFunk Tour. And he’s completely sober.

Acclaimed actor Will Smith says he's been called the n-word to his face at least five times in his life, but it's never hurt his feelings because he doesn't consider the name-callers to be intelligent people.

Alfred Banks aptly named his recently wrapped solo tour #TheTherapyTour. The up-and-coming New Orleans emcee has been building success over the last few years while his musical focus has shifted: He's openly addressing mental health and promoting a more well-rounded depiction of the human inside of the rapper persona.

HBCU alumni are leading on that they are none too pleased with Urban Outfitters' HBCU Capsule Collection that launched on Feb. 8 to celebrate Black History Month.

A partnership with New York-based apparel company Alife and sportswear manufacturer Champion, the line, which is licensed through Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC), features 19 historically Black colleges and university names individually plastered across ash heather hooded sweatshirts for $89 each via Urban Outfitters or direct from Alife.

Austin, Texas delivery driver Chelsea Timmons was just about to complete her last grocery dropoff of the day last Sunday when she rode up an icy driveway during the unprecedented winter storm that hit much of the country this past week, Good Morning America reported, according to 6ABC.