By Marie Brown Dear Neighbors, As Marie Brown, a fellow resident deeply invested in the vibrancy of our community and our city, I often reflect on how life’s journey can sometimes divert us, causing us to lose sight of our…
Category: Editorial
Our Rich Black Heritage: Frank Perkins, Negro Founder and President of “The XYZ Club” of Monroe, Louisiana
By Garry Blanson “The First Annual Negro Zulu Mardi Gras Parade ever held in Monroe” Please Note: This is part of a two-part series. Well, I must admit that as a Black male currently living in the Booker T. Washington…
Tuskegee got it right, being sloppy is not Black culture
Black culture and ethnic pride cannot be used as an excuse for sloppy dress, absenteeism, and poor performance. So, we agree with Tuskegee for being among of the first HBCUs to raise the standard for its students. For decades, Historically…
Our City, Our Community
By Marie Brown August is upon us, and those of us who are football fans can start planning for all the fall games, including high school, college,, and professional. There is absolutely nothing like sitting in the stands on Friday…
Our Rich Black Heritage: 50 Year Anniversary of the B. D. Robinson Commissioned “Black Bicentennial Report”
By Garry Blanson In October of 2025, Facebook finally “began payouts” from the “2022 class action lawsuit” that resulted from the “Cambridge Analytica scandal,” and other privacy violations. In order to have qualified for receiving settlement funds, you must have…
NELA Black voters weighing U.S. Senate options
As November approaches, Black voters across Northeast Louisiana face a critical decision for the U.S. Senate—one that presents two distinct, compelling options and requires a careful calculation of community interest, political leverage, and long-term representation. Option 1: Supporting Principle and…
Our City, Our Community
By Marie Brown Ouachita Parish is currently flooded with yard signs all over the place. The most amazing sights are the number of billboards from various political candidates running for offices. This is a new norm because in the past…