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This Week in Good Black News: Civil Rights Icon Fred Gray Immortalized with Statue, GloRilla Reveals First-Ever Hometown Concert, and Nate Robinson Celebrates Life-Changing Kidney Donation

Plus, ‘Living Single’ stars Erika Alexander and Kim Coles are launching a podcast.

This week’s good Black news is all about legacy, love, and coming home. First, civil rights icon Fred Gray, the legal force behind some of the movement’s pivotal moments, was honored in Montgomery, Alabama.

Over in Memphis, GloRilla is bringing the celebration back where it started with her first-ever Glo Bash, a hometown concert that’s shaping up to be one for the books. And former Knicks guard Nate Robinson finally got to embrace the man who saved his life with a kidney donation—a selfless act born from a stadium PSA and answered with love.

For more on these stories and others, keep reading this week in good Black news.

  • Legendary civil rights attorney Fred Gray honored in Alabama

    Fred Gray, the legendary attorney who represented Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and John Lewis, was honored last month with a statue outside the Alabama State Bar Association.

    “Growing up in Montgomery on the west side, I never thought that one day my image would be in stone,” the 94-year-old said at the unveiling ceremony. The statue is engraved with Gray’s phrase “lawyers render service,” now adopted by the Alabama Bar Association, where he made history as its first Black president in 2002.

    Once called the “chief counsel” of the Civil Rights Movement by King, Gray used the courts to challenge segregation and injustice, notably representing Claudette Colvin, the Selma marchers, and victims of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study.

    “I humbly accept this award for all those unknown heroes and clients whose names never appear in print,” Gray said. A Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, Gray is still active, currently fighting to remove a Confederate monument in Tuskegee.

  • Shaq Joins Sacramento State as GM

    Shaquille O’Neal is heading to Sacramento State—not as a player or coach, but as the men’s basketball team’s new general manager. 

    “This isn’t about me—it’s about building something lasting for these young men and our community,”  the Hall of Famer said in a statement confirming the unpaid role. 

    Sacramento State President Luke Wood, the youngest leader in CSU history, tapped Shaq to help usher in a new era that includes a $40 million facility set to open next fall. Though Sacramento State hasn’t seen March Madness, Shaq’s presence may help change that.

    His surprise front-office move is part of a larger shift, with Black athletes stepping into college sports leadership. From Michael Vick’s HBCU coaching story—now a BET docuseries—to Steph Curry’s assistant GM role at Davidson, these stars are building new pipelines of power and influence.

  • GloRilla announces inaugural ‘Glo Bash’

    GloRilla is bringing the party home this summer. The “Yea Glo!” hitmaker recently unveiled plans for her inaugural Glo Bash, set to take place Friday, July 25, at Memphis' FedExForum. 

    Glo made the big announcement on Instagram, writing, “MEMPHIS !!!!! I’m coming home!!!!” alongside a flyer promoting the event. “I’m so excited to announce the 1st Annual Glo Bash in my hometown,” she continued. “Tickets for the GloRidaz are available tomorrow at 10 am local, and general on-sale is on Friday. See y’all there—dis gone be one for da books.”

    The hometown celebration comes fresh off the heels of her Glorious tour finale at Coachella and follows the success of her debut album “Glorious.”

    While no guests have been confirmed, collaborators from her project, like Latto, Megan Thee Stallion, and T-Pain, could make surprise appearances.

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  • Nate Robinson receives long-awaited kidney donation

    For Knicks guard Nate Robinson has a new lease on life and a new “brother” to thank for it. 

    In an emotional reunion posted to his Instagram account, Robinson praised Shane Cleveland, the man who donated a kidney and ultimately saved his life. 

    “I got this guy right here to thank for [my kidney]. Some people don’t get to meet their guardian angels. I got a brother in mine,” Robinson said, visibly moved. “He helped me a lot, big time. I was struggling and he came through in the clutch.”

    Cleveland, a father from Washington, had been attending a UW football game with his children when a stadium video board shared Robinson’s need for a kidney. Inspired by his wife Kara, who had previously donated an organ, Cleveland stepped up—despite not meeting Robinson until after the surgery.

    Robinson, who was diagnosed with kidney disease in 2006 and later required dialysis, underwent the transplant earlier this year. Now, thanks to Cleveland, he’s focused on healing.

  • Samara Joy makes her Carnegie Hall debut

    Samara Joy is stepping onto the stage of Carnegie Hall for the very first time, marking a full-circle moment in her career

    “Carnegie Hall did a program called ‘Count Me In’ when I was in middle school,” she told VIBE, recalling how she once sang “America the Beautiful” in sixth grade while wearing a Carnegie Hall T-shirt. “To see that picture and not even know that years later I would be making my debut there is a wild connection.”

    The now 25-year-old jazz phenom admits she was “pretty surprised” when the offer for the sold-out April 30 performance came in six months ago. “I felt like it was really early in my journey,” she shared. “But at the same time… so many legendary artists have graced the stage there, so I’m incredibly excited.”

    With her eyes also set on the Kennedy Center one day, the rising star is embracing each stage with gratitude and grace.

  • Erika Alexander and Kim Coles are launching a “Living Single” rewatch podcast

    Erika Alexander and Kim Coles are bringing fans back to the world of “Living Single” with a nostalgic twist.

    The beloved co-stars are teaming up for a new rewatch podcast, “ReLiving Single,” which will debut May 7 via The ReLiving Single YouTube channel and streaming platforms.

    “ReLiving Single is a multigenerational conversation that remains evergreen because of the love our fans have for us and the show,” said Alexander during their appearance on the “Sherri Shepherd Show”. “Kim and I, like a pair of vampires, ain’t aged a day!” Coles added, “Getting to relive  ‘Living Single’ with Erika — and with all of you — feels like opening a time capsule packed with love, laughter, and a little extra lip gloss.”

    Dubbed the “ultimate rewatch series,” the podcast is produced by Kevin Hart’s media company, Hartbeat. It will feature deep dives into the show's most memorable episodes, behind-the-scenes tea, and surprise guest appearances.

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