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Amtrak to Make $90 Million in Renovations to Baltimore’s Penn Station

THE AFRO — Baltimore’s landmark Penn Station, a hub for Amtrak and Marc commuter rail service, is slated to undergo $90 million in renovations, Amtrak announced Thursday.

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By Eugene “Jesse” Nash IV

BALTIMORE – Baltimore’s landmark Penn Station, a hub for Amtrak and Marc commuter rail service, is slated to undergo $90 million in renovations, Amtrak announced Thursday.

“By investing in the modernization of Baltimore Penn Station, Amtrak seeks to transform central Baltimore into a premier regional transportation hub that will provide new amenities and transit connections,” said Amtrak President and CEO Richard Anderson. “This work is part of Amtrak’s ongoing efforts to improve the customer experience and grow passenger rail.”

Maryland lawmakers applauded the announcement.

“Commuters throughout Maryland rely on Baltimore Penn Station every day,” Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, both Democrats, said in a joint statement. “This funding will make necessary updates to improve the lives of those who live and work in our community.”

“We’re glad to see this significant investment in the station, and we will continue working in the Senate to modernize infrastructure across our state,” the senators added.

Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings, who lives in the city, praised the agency’s efforts to improve the community around the station.

“I am very excited about this partnership, & I applaud Amtrak for their financial commitment to the revitalization of Penn Station,” the congressman tweeted. “I look forward to working with Amtrak, Penn Station Partners, & the Baltimore community to ensure that this project reflects our local priorities.”

The station sees more than a million passengers a year, according to Amtrak.

The plans are to “expand and modernize” the century-old structure at the heart of Baltimore, Amtrak said.

The nation’s eighth-busiest Amtrak station will see new bike and walking paths and the addition of parking spaces, according to development vision concepts released by the assigned developers, Penn Station Partners. The development group is comprised of around a dozen consulting, design and construction firms.

As part of the planned renovations, one of the existing platforms will be redone and a new platform will be added. Plans so far have envisioned preserving the existing historic structure.

Developers are going to lease neighboring land to build a mixed-use project that will include apartments, shops and offices.

From the conception of the project, developers involved have turned to the community for recommendations, holding a public forum last July.

“This is an important project for the city of Baltimore and one that we need to get right,” Michael Beatty, president of Beatty Development Group, one of the contractors involved, said in a statement.

Residents of the surrounding Mount Vernon neighborhood told developers in July that they wanted improvements to the station that would help foster a sense of community in the area. Suggestions included a public playground, art pieces, and a basketball court, according to a summary report.

Penn Station Partners acknowledged the comments but has not given detailed plans for the renovations yet.

This update comes on the heels of reconstruction to the other central train station in the city, Camden Station, which began in Fall 2018. Renovations to Camden Station are expected to be completed this summer, according to a Marc statement.

This article originally appeared in The Afro

Capital News Service

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025

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Activism

OPINION: Your Voice and Vote Impact the Quality of Your Health Care

One of the most dangerous developments we’re seeing now? Deep federal cuts are being proposed to Medicaid, the life-saving health insurance program that covers nearly 80 million lower-income individuals nationwide. That is approximately 15 million Californians and about 1 million of the state’s nearly 3 million Black Californians who are at risk of losing their healthcare. 

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Rhonda M. Smith.
Rhonda M. Smith.

By Rhonda M. Smith, Special to California Black Media Partners

Shortly after last year’s election, I hopped into a Lyft and struck up a conversation with the driver. As we talked, the topic inevitably turned to politics. He confidently told me that he didn’t vote — not because he supported Donald Trump, but because he didn’t like Kamala Harris’ résumé. When I asked what exactly he didn’t like, he couldn’t specifically articulate his dislike or point to anything specific. In his words, he “just didn’t like her résumé.”

That moment really hit hard for me. As a Black woman, I’ve lived through enough election cycles to recognize how often uncertainty, misinformation, or political apathy keep people from voting, especially Black voters whose voices are historically left out of the conversation and whose health, economic security, and opportunities are directly impacted by the individual elected to office, and the legislative branches and political parties that push forth their agenda.

That conversation with the Lyft driver reflects a troubling surge in fear-driven politics across our country. We’ve seen White House executive orders gut federal programs meant to help our most vulnerable populations and policies that systematically exclude or harm Black and underserved communities.

One of the most dangerous developments we’re seeing now? Deep federal cuts are being proposed to Medicaid, the life-saving health insurance program that covers nearly 80 million lower-income individuals nationwide. That is approximately 15 million Californians and about 1 million of the state’s nearly 3 million Black Californians who are at risk of losing their healthcare.

Medicaid, called Medi-Cal in California, doesn’t just cover care. It protects individuals and families from medical debt, keeps rural hospitals open, creates jobs, and helps our communities thrive. Simply put; Medicaid is a lifeline for 1 in 5 Black Americans. For many, it’s the only thing standing between them and a medical emergency they can’t afford, especially with the skyrocketing costs of health care. The proposed cuts mean up to 7.2 million Black Americans could lose their healthcare coverage, making it harder for them to receive timely, life-saving care. Cuts to Medicaid would also result in fewer prenatal visits, delayed cancer screenings, unfilled prescriptions, and closures of community clinics. When healthcare is inaccessible or unaffordable, it doesn’t just harm individuals, it weakens entire communities and widens inequities.

The reality is Black Americans already face disproportionately higher rates of poorer health outcomes. Our life expectancy is nearly five years shorter in comparison to White Americans. Black pregnant people are 3.6 times more likely to die during pregnancy or postpartum than their white counterparts.

These policies don’t happen in a vacuum. They are determined by who holds power and who shows up to vote. Showing up amplifies our voices. Taking action and exercising our right to vote is how we express our power.

I urge you to start today. Call your representatives, on both sides of the aisle, and demand they protect Medicaid (Medi-Cal), the Affordable Care Act (Covered CA), and access to food assistance programs, maternal health resources, mental health services, and protect our basic freedoms and human rights. Stay informed, talk to your neighbors and register to vote.

About the Author

Rhonda M. Smith is the Executive Director of the California Black Health Network, a statewide nonprofit dedicated to advancing health equity for all Black Californians.

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Black History

Henry Blair, the Second African American to Obtain a Patent

Being a successful farmer required consistent production. Blair figured out a way to increase his harvest. He did this with two inventions. His first invention was a corn planter. The planter had the same structure as a wheelbarrow, with a box to hold the seed and rakes dragging behind to cover them. This machine allowed farmers to plant their crops more economically.

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A sketch of one of Henry Blair’s inventions, the seed planter. Image courtesy United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A sketch of one of Henry Blair’s inventions, the seed planter. Image courtesy United States Patent and Trademark Office.

By Tamara Shiloh

The debate over whether enslaved African Americans could receive U.S. Government-issued patents was still unfolding when the second African American to hold a patent, Henry Blair, received his first patent in 1834.

The first African American to receive a patent was Thomas Jennings in 1821 for his discovery of a process called dry scouring, also known as dry cleaning.

Blair was born in Glen Ross, Maryland, in 1807. He was an African American farmer who received two patents. Each patent was designed to help increase agricultural productivity.

There is very little information about his life prior to the inventions. It is known that he was a farmer who invented machines to help with planting and harvesting crops. There is no written evidence that he was a slave.

However, it is apparent that he was a businessman.

Being a successful farmer required consistent production. Blair figured out a way to increase his harvest. He did this with two inventions. His first invention was a corn planter. The planter had the same structure as a wheelbarrow, with a box to hold the seed and rakes dragging behind to cover them. This machine allowed farmers to plant their crops more economically.

Blair could not write. As a result of his illiteracy, he signed the patent with an “X”. He received his first patent for the corn planter on Oct. 14, 1834.

Two years later, taking advantage of the boost in the cotton industry, he received his second patent. This time for a cotton planter. This machine worked by splitting the ground with two shovel-like blades that were pulled along by a horse. A wheel-driven cylinder behind the blades placed seeds into the freshly plowed ground. Not only was this another economical and efficient machine. It also helped with controlling weeds and put the seeds in the ground quickly Henry Blair received his second patent on Aug. 31, 1836

During this time, the United States government passed a law that allowed patents to be granted to both free and enslaved men. However, in 1857, this law was contested by a slaveowner. He argued that slaveowners had a right to claim credit for a slave’s inventions. His argument was that since an owner’s slaves were his property, anything that a slave owned was the property of the owner also.

In 1858 the law changed, and patents were no longer given to slaves. However, the law changed again in 1871 after the Civil War. The patent law was revised to permit all American men, regardless of race, the right to patent their inventions.

Blair died in 1860.

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