Black-owned and Black-focused newspapers continue to provide essential reporting about the people, institutions and issues shaping Raleigh, Durham and communities throughout North Carolina.

This week’s Black press roundup covers a proposed health system combination, support for families seeking cancer treatment, concerns about school meals, Black history, community safety and the opening weeks of HBCU football.

Top Stories From The Carolinian

WakeMed explains proposed combination with Atrium Health

In a contributed article published September 5, WakeMed outlined its case for joining Atrium Health while remaining a locally governed nonprofit organization.

WakeMed said the agreement would bring a proposed $2 billion investment to its facilities, including the Raleigh campus on New Bern Avenue. The organization also said it would expand financial assistance and access to specialty, virtual and community-based care.

Wake County commissioners must approve amendments to two governing documents before the combination can move forward. Because this article was written by WakeMed, readers should view it as the health system’s explanation of the proposal rather than independent reporting.

Read “WakeMed & Atrium Health – What’s Driving The Strategic Combination” in The Carolinian.⁠

SNAP reductions could threaten free school meals

The Carolinian republished an NC Newsline report on September 4 examining how federal SNAP reductions could affect children who receive free breakfast and lunch at school.

Some students automatically qualify for school meals through participation in SNAP or Medicaid. SNAP enrollment also helps determine whether schools can offer free meals to every student through the federal Community Eligibility Provision.

The potential consequences extend beyond food assistance. Hunger can affect attendance, concentration, health and classroom performance, making the issue particularly important for North Carolina families and school districts.

Read “SNAP Cuts Could Cost NC Kids Free School Meals” in The Carolinian.⁠

Peer ministers provide counseling inside North Carolina prisons

A September 6 report from NC Health News, published by The Carolinian, explored a program that trains incarcerated people to provide peer counseling, spiritual guidance, grief support and mentorship.

More than 80 men have graduated from the North Carolina Field Minister Program, and over 60 are serving at 16 prisons. A cohort of women is also completing the program at the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women.

Participants earn bachelor’s degrees in pastoral ministry and receive training designed to help them support people experiencing addiction, isolation, family separation and mental-health crises.

Read “Peer Support Brings Faith and Counseling To NC Prisons” in The Carolinian.⁠

Elbert Cox’s Raleigh connection receives renewed attention

Carolinian staff writer Jordan Meadows profiled pioneering mathematician Elbert Frank Cox on September 6.

Cox joined Shaw University’s faculty in Raleigh in 1919 before pursuing graduate study at Cornell University. In 1925, he became the first Black person known to earn a doctorate in mathematics.

The story connects an international academic milestone to Raleigh’s HBCU legacy and the educators who created opportunities for Black scholars despite segregation and discrimination.

Read “Outnumbered: Elbert Cox’s Equation for Greatness” in The Carolinian.⁠

National pickleball championships bring visitors to Cary

The Carolinian reported September 3 that more than 1,400 players were participating in the inaugural Veolia Pickleball National Championships at Cary Tennis Park.

The August 31–September 6 tournament combined professional matches, amateur competition and community activities. Organizers expected thousands of spectators, creating potential benefits for Triangle hotels, restaurants and other businesses.

Read The Carolinian’s report on the Veolia Pickleball National Championships.⁠

Top Stories From The Triangle Tribune

Durham housing initiative will support families during cancer treatment

The Triangle Tribune reported September 2 that the HEADstrong Foundation is bringing Nick’s House Village to Durham.

Three homes on West Wilson Street will accommodate as many as six families at a time. Lodging will be provided at no cost to patients and caregivers traveling to the Triangle for treatment at Duke Cancer Center, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and other facilities.

The program addresses a significant but sometimes overlooked health-care expense: the cost of temporary housing during extended treatment.

Read “Nick’s House Village Expands to Durham” in The Triangle Tribune.⁠

NCCU professor raises questions after Raleigh hanging death

Triangle Tribune reporter Kylie Marsh examined the community response to the death of a Black man found hanging from a tree in Raleigh. Police classified the death as a suicide.

Christopher Edwards, an adjunct psychology professor at North Carolina Central University, questioned that conclusion and argued that the circumstances warranted close forensic scrutiny. The September 2 story placed the local case within broader concerns about several hanging deaths involving Black people across the South.

The professor’s statements are his analysis, while the official Raleigh Police Department determination remained suicide at the time of publication.

Read The Triangle Tribune’s report on questions surrounding the Raleigh death.⁠

North Carolina students post academic gains

In a September 3 story by WUNC education reporter Liz Schlemmer, The Triangle Tribune highlighted statewide results showing academic improvement across nearly all student groups.

The results offer an important starting point for evaluating North Carolina’s educational recovery and identifying where racial, economic and geographic achievement gaps remain.

Read “NC Students Posted Significant Gains Across Nearly All Groups” in The Triangle Tribune.⁠

Labor Day commentary celebrates African American workers

April Mial reflected on the history and economic influence of Black workers in a September 3 commentary for The Triangle Tribune.

Mial connected the uncompensated labor of slavery, the restrictions of sharecropping and domestic work, and the advancement of Black professionals and entrepreneurs. She also emphasized investing, business ownership, wealth creation and opening doors for future generations.

Read “Celebrating the Power of African American Workers” in The Triangle Tribune.⁠

Tribune honors the legacy of HBCU football coach Rod Broadway

Sports editor Bonitta Best profiled coaching legend Rod Broadway on September 3.

Broadway recorded a 125-45 record during his head-coaching career at North Carolina Central, Grambling State and North Carolina A&T. The North Carolina native is the only coach to win Black college national championships at three institutions.

Read “Rod Broadway Is the Epitome of a Coaching Legend” in The Triangle Tribune.⁠

NCCU and Shaw earn early-season football victories

The Triangle Tribune reported September 5 that North Carolina Central defeated Elizabeth City State 27-6 at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium. Freshman quarterback Nelson Layne completed 12 of 18 passes for two touchdowns.

Shaw University also earned a 23-13 victory over Barton College. Trey Thorpe led the Bears with 114 rushing yards as Shaw scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.

Read The Triangle Tribune’s NCCU and Shaw football recap.⁠

Why These Headlines Matter

This week’s coverage shows the range and value of North Carolina’s Black press. The stories connect major institutional decisions to neighborhood health care, examine public safety through historical and cultural context, celebrate Black academic achievement and keep HBCU athletics at the center of the regional sports conversation.

Readers are encouraged to visit the original reports, subscribe to local Black newspapers and support the journalists documenting Raleigh, Durham and the wider Triangle.

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