Issue 84
Photostory: AFRAM in its early years
Baltimore photographer Robert Breck Chapman photographed the annual AFRAM Expo from 1976 until 1996, according to information provided by the library. These photos, courtesy of Special Collections at the University of Baltimore’s Langsdale Library, where Chapman’s work now resides, were taken during the first three years of the festival from Charles Center to Rash Field.
Youth Charging Reform Act ‘ensures that hundreds of Maryland youth are directed toward support and services within the juvenile system’
The new law removes first-degree assault and misdemeanor handgun offenses from among those where 16-17 year-olds are automatically charged as adults.
Maryland has a new AC law for renters, but many Baltimore tenants are still left out
While the legislation made Maryland one of the first states to set cooling standards for rentals, its limited scope provides little immediate relief for renters facing high heat this summer.
Baltimore Beat’s 2025 Impact Report
An accounting of the kinds of stories we’re telling, the people who are telling them, and the way they are changing our city for the better.
Welcome to Baltimore Beat’s pay-what-you-can advertising page.
We know that algorithms make the internet a less reliable way of publicizing the great work local businesses do. We also know that people here in Baltimore are looking for ways to keep their money in their communities. We hope this is a way that small businesses can feature themselves in Baltimore Beat, keeping their services at the front of readers’ minds.
For more information, go to baltimorebeat.com/paywhatyoucan.
News
Dimples Bar & Grill serves up cheesesteaks and charm
After six months of operating their Locust Point location, the couple officially announced Fells Point for their second location at 1718 Thames Street, in the former Riptide location, opening later this fall.
Photostory: Day and night during Baltimore’s Pride weekend
From VERSION to Pride in the Park, Baltimoreans celebrated Pride weekend all around the city.
For more than 10 years, Baltimore’s Youth Poet Laureate Competition has empowered young people to speak their truth
Since the first competition in 2015, the Baltimore Youth Poet Laureate program has been a platform to uplift youth voices from the city through poetry, connecting them to city officials and other community leaders as a voice of the city.
Arts & Culture
‘Is God Is’ is a tragedy in the guise of a revenge thriller
Aleshea Harris establishes herself as a filmmaker to watch with this adaptation of her own celebrated stage play.
Bry Reed: Three recent books by local scholars analyze different aspects of police power
While some stories will recall 2020 as the powder keg that blew the lid off American policing in the public forum, columnist Bry Reed is not interested in the quick and easy version of assessing police and violence in the United States.
OP-ED: In Baltimore, where you go to high school is a life-changing decision
“Where you go to high school here isn’t just a chapter. For better or worse, it’s part of the story you tell about yourself for the rest of your life,” writes Alanah Nichole Davis.
Day and night during Baltimore’s Pride weekend
From VERSION to Pride in the Park, Baltimoreans celebrated Pride weekend all around the city. Photos by Sydney Allen.
Baltimore Events 6/17/26-7/1/26
Here’s our list of events around the city.
What’s Poppin’ Issue #084
Baltimore Art. Alive, thriving, and waiting for you.
Black Crossword: June 10, 2026
Black Crossword is a free mini crossword puzzle that places emphasis on terms and clues from across the Black diaspora.
A Beautiful Thing
Baltimore Beat publishes poems from participants in the group Writers in Baltimore Schools, which offers programming that builds skills in literacy and communication while creating a community of support for young writers.
June 2026 Tarotscopes
Find out what’s in store for you this June with Iya Osundara’s Tarotscope forecast. Take what resonates and leave the rest.
Community Resources
This Baltimore Beat section aims to help the community with resources and support they may not know are…
Want to get the new issue delivered to your inbox?
Processing…
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.