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ATLANTA (BAMM Network) — Labor Day weekend is becoming one of the South’s biggest annual showcases of Black LGBTQ+ culture, with major celebrations unfolding simultaneously in Atlanta and New Orleans — and generating business far beyond the official event stages. An attendee celebrates Atlanta Black Pride at Piedmont Park in 2025. Atlanta Black Pride marks its 20th anniversary this Labor Day weekend with parties, community events and Sunday’s Pure Heat Community Festival. (Th

NEW ORLEANS (BAMM Network) — New Orleans police are solving homicides at a rate the department has not seen in years, with NOPD reporting a 98% homicide clearance rate as of Aug. 12 — up from 43% in 2022, when the city recorded 266 killings. Investigators work behind police tape at a New Orleans crime scene. NOPD’s homicide unit is clearing cases at a much higher rate this year than during the city’s 2022 violence surge. (WWL-TV) The turnaround comes as New Orleans is also ex

BATON ROUGE, La. (BAMM Network) — Southern University System Board Chairman Tony Clayton wants the university system to consider a broader student dress code, arguing that students should present themselves in a way that reflects the professional preparation expected from a college education. Southern University students gather on the Baton Rouge campus. A proposed systemwide dress code is raising broader questions about professionalism, personal expression and how HBCUs shou

NEW ORLEANS (BAMM Network) — Jerome “Big Duck” Smith, a legendary New Orleans civil rights activist, Freedom Rider, educator and community leader whose work helped shape the city’s role in the national civil rights movement, has died. He was 87. Smith’s death was confirmed Friday. WDSU reported that the longtime activist and culture bearer had died, marking the loss of one of the city’s most enduring voices for racial justice and community empowerment. A lifelong New Orleania

BATON ROUGE, La. — Southern University’s famed Human Jukebox Marching Band has landed a collaboration with Gap, becoming the latest HBCU band to take its sound, style and cultural influence into a national fashion campaign. The Human Jukebox stars in Gap’s new “Denim On Your Own” campaign, performing its own arrangement of Robyn’s 2010 hit “Dancing on My Own.” Images from the campaign show band members wearing customized Gap denim featuring Southern University branding. T

SEOUL, South Korea — Louisiana-born rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again says he has relocated to South Korea and has no intention of moving back to the United States, revealing the major life change during a rare interview with comedian Funny Marco. The Baton Rouge native, whose real name is Kentrell Gaulden, discussed his new home during an episode of Marco’s “Open Thoughts” released Tuesday. The interview itself was filmed in South Korea, where YoungBoy said he is now living.

A potentially deadly bacterium found naturally in warm coastal waters is raising renewed concerns across the Gulf Coast, with Louisiana and Florida reporting infections and deaths as summer temperatures keep millions of residents and tourists near beaches and other waterways. Vibrio vulnificus, commonly described as a “flesh-eating” bacterium because severe infections can rapidly destroy tissue, is naturally present in warm salt and brackish water. Infections are relatively r

NEW ORLEANS (BAMM Network) — Every summer, thousands of people across the South trade bright colors for crisp white linen, filling streets lined with art galleries, boutiques, restaurants and live music. White Linen Night 2026_Photo from @Alexx_Robinson Instagram Page What began more than three decades ago as a neighborhood arts promotion in New Orleans has grown into a cultural tradition embraced by cities hundreds of miles apart—and one that reflects the South's growing inf

BATON ROUGE, La. (BAMM Network) — U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields announced Tuesday that he will not seek reelection after Louisiana lawmakers redrew his congressional district following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down the state's previous map. Rep. Cleo Fields, D-La., center, speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington on April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) Instead, the veteran Democrat said he plans to run for the Louisiana State Senate, where he pr

BATON ROUGE, La. (BAMM Network) — All felony criminal charges against Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill have been dismissed, ending—for now—a politically charged case that underscored growing tensions between Republican state leaders and Democratic officials in New Orleans. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill speaks with attendees during an election night watch party for U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Julia Letlow, R-La., May 16, 2026, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Matthe

NEW ORLEANS (BAMM Network) — A federal jury has convicted a Louisiana pastor on multiple fraud charges after prosecutors said he stole more than $340,000 from churches he led and used the money to pay for personal expenses, including gambling, dining and living costs. Dale Sanders' Facebook profile photo. Dale Sanders, 56, of Kenner, was found guilty following a five-day trial on charges including wire fraud, access device fraud and obstruction of a federal investigation, acc

NEW ORLEANS (BAMM Network) — New Orleans leaders are taking a closer look at the city's electronic ankle monitoring program as concerns grow over its oversight, accountability and ability to protect public safety. The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office oversees the electronic monitoring program, which allows certain defendants to remain out of jail while awaiting trial under court-ordered supervision. Participants wear GPS-enabled ankle monitors designed to track their movements

RICHLAND PARISH, La. (BAMM Network) — Meta’s rapidly expanding artificial-intelligence data center in northeast Louisiana is being promoted as a transformational investment for one of the state’s more economically challenged regions. But as the project grows in size, so do questions about who will receive its benefits—and who will ultimately bear its costs. A woman walks by the Meta Lab in Los Angeles, California, U.S., May 20, 2026. REUTERS/Daniel Cole Meta announced in July

BATON ROUGE, La. (Talk Dat NOLA) — Tensions between Governor Jeff Landry and New Orleans lawmakers escalated this week following a series of line-item vetoes that eliminated funding for numerous community projects across the city, prompting criticism from several legislators who argue the cuts disproportionately impact New Orleans residents. Among those speaking out were State Rep. Delisha Boyd, D-New Orleans, and State Sen. Royce Duplessis, D-New Orleans, both of whom accuse

NEW ORLEANS — Mayor Helena Moreno on Monday announced a new economic development leadership team aimed at attracting investment and accelerating growth across New Orleans, with a particular emphasis on New Orleans East. FILE PHOTO: Mayor Helena Moreno holds a press conference about lighting in New Orleans East, Tuesday, Jan 13, 2026 (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune) The newly formed team is part of the Moreno administration’s broader effort to strengthen the city’s