Written by J.J. McQueen

Featured below are articles and stories by award-winning photojournalist J.J. McQueen. A dedicated community advocate, McQueen is driven by the belief that storytelling should place individuals at the forefront, with a focus on presenting their narratives in the most compelling and visually striking way. His unwavering commitment to portraying people with integrity and respect continues to be a cornerstone of his work.

The Good Deacon

On the weekend of his 100th birthday, Deacon Willis C. Williams Sr. was celebrated by his family and friends with a drive-by parade. A native of Wallace-Rose Hill, North Carolina, Deacon Williams migrated to Baltimore with his late wife and family following his military career. With just an 8th grade education, he maximized his skills and talents as an auto-mechanic, a trade he acquired during his military service. By doing so, he proved to be the epitome of a good steward to family and community. At 100 years young, he’s also the oldest living deacon at Concord Baptist Church in Baltimore City. The ‘good Deacon’ is known for his zeal, sense of humor, love for family and his faith.   

Bowie State hosts CIAA Division II playoffs fourth year in a row

Bowie State jumped out to an early lead behind quarterback Ja’rome Johnson who rushed for a 65-yard touchdown. Much to be expected, Lenoir-Rhyne put up a sound fight after having traveled from the southern mountain edge of North Carolina. With the defense building a turnover wall, and the offense capitalizing on opportunity after opportunity; the Bowie State Bulldogs were able to pull-off a 31-10 victory, and advance to the next round in CIAA playoffs.

Performing in a pandemic: Artists grapple with COVID restrictions, canceled shows

In recognizing the catastrophic gravity of COVID’s impact, Black artists have taken it upon themselves to shoulder the next steps of safely putting people back to work. So much so that Hamilton stopped mid-show and shared that he’d been hospitalized in December 2020 for two weeks as a result of a COVID-19 diagnosis. He told the audience with a little comedic inflection, “People please wear your mask. Seriously, I said that in a fun way, but we want y’all to be able to come back and safely enjoy these shows.”