Haines City hopes to revive rich history, legacy of Historic Oakland Business District
The Historic Oakland Business District on Dr. Martin Luther King Way in Haines City was once a thriving business district decades ago.
Female umpire Jen Pawol gets MLB spring training assignment
Jen Pawol is on the verge of becoming Major League Baseball’s first female umpire after securing a spring training assignment.
Tampa Black Heritage Music Festival celebrates African American culture
The sounds of strummed guitars and snare drums will fill the air that surrounds Curtis Hixon Park this weekend, as local and national musicians take center stage at the 24th annual Tampa Black Heritage Music Festival.
MLK Day 2024: 10 timeless Martin Luther King Jr. quotes to honor civil rights icon
The reverend and civil rights icon would have turned 95 this year.
Watch Night service: How the tradition for Black Americans has evolved since 1862
Watch Night services, which date back to the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862, are still observe on New Year's Eve at many multiracial and predominately Black churches in the US.
Pope Francis says priests can bless same-sex unions, requests shouldn't be matter of moral analysis
The Vatican issued a new document explaining a radical change in Vatican policy by insisting that people seeking God’s love and mercy shouldn’t be subject to “an exhaustive moral analysis" to receive it.
Moscow gay bars raided by police after Supreme Court decision deeming LGBTQ+ movement 'extremist'
Russian security forces raided gay clubs and bars across Moscow Friday night, less than 48 hours after the country’s top court banned what it called the “global LGBTQ+ movement” as an extremist organization.
Chipotle faces federal lawsuit over allegations of religious harassment and retaliation
A federal agency has sued the restaurant chain Chipotle, accusing it of religious harassment and retaliation after a manager at a Kansas location forcibly removed an employee's hijab, a headscarf worn by some Muslim women.
March on Washington: Masses gather on National Mall to commemorate 60th anniversary
Thousands converged on the National Mall on Saturday for the 60th anniversary of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s March on Washington.
National Black Business Month celebrates Black entrepreneurs
August is National Black Business Month, a time to celebrate Black entrepreneurs and their contributions, and Tampa Bay continues to add Black-owned businesses to the local economy.
Skittles' new packaging has some calling to boycott candy company
New Skittles Pride wrappers say, 'Black Trans Lives Matter.'
Henrietta Lacks' family reaches settlement with medical company that profited from her cells
Henrietta Lacks' cancer cells changed the course of modern medicine after they were taken from her without consent or knowledge. The cells were the first living human cells to ever survive and multiply outside the body.
Tampa's first female firefighter honored by city
This year marks 45 years since Tampa Fire Rescue hired its first female firefighter.
For Emmett Till's family, national monument declaration cements his inclusion in American story
The Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument will be located across three sites in Illinois and Mississippi and will be federally protected places.
Tampa professors say Supreme Court blocking affirmative action impacts more than education
The U.S. Supreme Court announced race can no longer be used as a factor to determine who gets admitted to colleges and universities across the country, joining states that previously blocked affirmative action including Florida.
Bud Light no longer America's top-selling beer as backlash continues
It's a milestone in Bud Light's months-long sales decline since early April, when critics who were angered by the brewer sending a commemorative can to transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney vowed to boycott the brand.
Chick-fil-A gets heat from Twitter users over diversity position
Chick-fil-A is being criticized by conservative Twitter users who say the fast-food chain is "woke." They did so while pointing to the company's diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) page.
Gov. DeSantis signs 3 education bills that include targeting diversity programs at Florida universities
From New College of Florida – where its Board of Trustees was revamped earlier this year – Gov. Ron DeSantis signed several education reform bills that include prohibiting colleges and universities from spending money on diversity programs.
Tampa buys back Memorial Park Cemetery from property flipper: ‘I’m sorry it got to this’
There's a new statewide program on the way to help search, maintain and memorialize Black cemeteries after the Florida senate voted Thursday to approve the bill, which passed the House on April 19.
Montana GOP bars transgender lawmaker from 2023 session
Transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr was barred from participating on the House floor as Republican leaders voted Wednesday to silence her for the rest of 2023 session after she protested GOP leaders’ decision earlier in the week to silence her.