#NNPA BlackPress
Michigan’s Ashley Myatt Crowned Miss Black America in Historic 55th Anniversary Pageant
NNPA NEWSWIRE — The festivities commenced on Friday and culminated in the grand crowning ceremony on Saturday night, where Myatt, a native of Detroit, expressed her joy and disbelief at winning the prestigious title. “I feel amazing. This is such a great opportunity, especially for little girls who may be looking up to me,” Myatt shared.
The post Michigan’s Ashley Myatt Crowned Miss Black America in Historic 55th Anniversary Pageant first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
In a dazzling celebration of black beauty, talent, and achievement, Michigan’s Ashley Myatt was crowned Miss Black America on Saturday night at the historic 55th-anniversary pageant. The glamorous event unfolded at the former House of Blues venue within the Showboat Resort Atlantic City. Myatt emerged as the standout among the five final candidates. This group included first runner-up Courtney Renford from New York as well as Donna Fairclough, Azraya Davis from New Jersey, and Malani Brayboy from Georgia.
The festivities commenced on Friday and culminated in the grand crowning ceremony on Saturday night, where Myatt, a native of Detroit, expressed her joy and disbelief at winning the prestigious title. “I feel amazing. This is such a great opportunity, especially for little girls who may be looking up to me,” Myatt shared. “And it’s just a great opportunity to stand here today. Thank you so much. I’m so happy.” The diverse contestants, aged 17 to 29, showcased their intelligence, talent, and charisma throughout the competition, making the final decision challenging for the judges.
“The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) is proud and pleased to have a national strategic media alliance with the Miss Black America Pageant under the founding leadership of J. Morris Anderson of Philadelphia,” NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., who served as a judge for the contest. The NNPA is the trade association of more than 230 African-American-owned newspapers and media companies that comprise the Black Press of America. “For the past 55 years, the Miss Black America Pageant has effectively uplifted the genius and beauty of emerging women leaders of Black America,” Chavis continued.
“Across the United States and worldwide, Miss Black America is acknowledged as an empowering journey and a global social change phenomenon.” Myatt, a University of Toledo graduate in veterinary medicine, currently works as a vet technician and aspires to become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, a field she studied at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia. The pageant’s return to the city where the “Historic Protest Pageant of 1968” occurred generated considerable anticipation.
Anderson’s daughter, Aleta Anderson, emphasized distinguishing the Miss Black America Pageant from a Black Miss America pageant. “I’ve been working with this pageant since I was a little girl,” Anderson declared. “The thing that it originally was meant for is still there, and it means so much more in that it provides an opportunity for the young women to participate.”
The post Michigan’s Ashley Myatt Crowned Miss Black America in Historic 55th Anniversary Pageant first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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Tiguan’s AI Touchscreen & Gear Shift: VW Just Changed the Game! #2
Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive

https://youtube.com/watch?v=0xUKM6U2Lpc&autoplay=0&cc_lang_pref=en&cc_load_policy=0&color=0&controls=1&fs=1&h1=en&loop=0&rel=0
Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive
#NNPA BlackPress
IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82
Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire
Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.
His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.
Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.
In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.
The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.
Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.
Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.
As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.
Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.
His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.
“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”
Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.
“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”
Sly Stone is survived by three children.
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PRESS ROOM: Clyburn on 10th Anniversary of Mother Emanuel AME Church Shooting in Charleston
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

By Congressman James E. Clyburn
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.
“Over 6 years ago, the House first passed my Enhanced Background Checks Act to close the Charleston Loophole that allowed a white supremacist to obtain the gun he used to murder nine worshipers at Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015.
“I’ll never stop fighting to pass this law.”
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