THE DAILY DRUMBEAT
TODAY'S EDITION — VOL 1 NO 14 — MONDAY, JULY 27, 2026
[ P2 · POLICY & JUSTICE · BRIEFING ]

Graham Death Triggers South Carolina Senate Succession Fight

GOVERNMENT WATCH — Following the death of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, his sister Darline Graham emerges as a potential Republican candidate to fill his seat. President Donald Trump on Friday endorsed Sen. Darline Graham Nordone to run for a full term in November, signaling potential influence in the competitive special primary race ahead of the November general election.

The takeaway
Black South Carolinians express concerns about the future of their political representation, emphasizing the importance of remaining vigilant and demanding accountability from elected officials.
[ P5 · HBCUS & EDUCATION · BRIEFING ]

Howard Reinstates 46 Students After Enrollment Mass Removal

EDUCATION WATCH — Howard University has reenrolled 46 incoming freshmen after more than 500 students lost their spots last week. Keyana Scales, Howard University's senior vice president for enrollment management, told WJLA News 7 the incident was caused by low resources, with classes beginning August 17.

The takeaway
Timing gaps between when financial aid posted and when charges finalized may have caught some students in the sweep.
[ P9 · HEALTH EQUITY · BRIEFING ]

Breakthrough Drug Nearly Doubles Survival for Pancreatic Cancer Patients

HEALTH BREAKTHROUGH — In a 500-person trial, daraxonrasib, a daily pill designed to block the growth-powering proteins made by RAS genes, increased the average survival time for people with advanced, previously treated pancreatic cancer from 6.7 months to 13.2 months. The drug also caused fewer side effects than chemotherapy.

The takeaway
Researchers have called the findings one of the most significant advances in cancer treatment in the past 15 years.
The quick 11
[ P10 · LAND & LEGACY ]

Jennine Labuzan spent two weeks in federal custody in June after refusing a judge's order to sign away more than 1,300 acres of land she says her family has owned for generations.

[ P11 · BLACK EXCELLENCE ]

Black players like Alyssa Thomas and Chelsea Gray face real death threats as 11 Republican lawmakers signed a letter to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, threatening to have the Department of Justice investigate the league.

[ P1 · BUSINESS & ENTERPRISE ]

Officials announced the development team for the Bowie State project, which is slated to include more than 400 housing units, retail and commercial businesses and office space.

[ P2 · POLICY & JUSTICE ]

Annie Benefield works as the first woman of color to lead the League of Women Voters of Houston, working to get as many people as possible to the polls.

[ P9 · HEALTH EQUITY ]

A 2024 report found that 56% of white adults with a mental health condition in the U.S. received treatment, while only 38% of Black adults received mental healthcare.

[ P9 · HEALTH EQUITY ]

Experts agreed that community care, midwives, and economic support could transform maternal health for Black women.

[ P11 · BLACK EXCELLENCE ]

The Afriski Mountain Resort is Lesotho's single fully operational ski resort and the only one in sub-Saharan Africa.

[ P3 · ECONOMY & WORK ]

Black-owned businesses grew 14% yearly pre-2026, per U.S. Small Business Administration, yet entrepreneurs continue facing capital access challenges.

[ P5 · HBCUS & EDUCATION ]

TMCF awards $2,500 to $20,000 to students attending HBCUs and Predominantly Black Institutions, with multiple scholarship programs opening each year for undergraduates.

[ P8 · TECH & INNOVATION ]

Since Trump returned to office, the Black unemployment rate has only gone up from 6.2% in January 2025 to 8% last fall.

[ P3 · ECONOMY & WORK ]

Medicaid covers more than 60 percent of births to Black mothers in the U.S., and threatened cuts could jeopardize both maternal and mental health support for Black families.

[ P4 · MONEY MOVES ]
S&P 5007,411.98 +0.0%
Dow Jones51,947.25 +0.5%
30-Yr Mortgage6.58%FRED / Freddie Mac
CPI (YoY)3.5%BLS via FRED
Bitcoin$65,566 +1.7%CoinGecko
Ethereum$1,969 +4.5%CoinGecko
Black Wall Street Watch
UONE$5.16+0.2%
RLJ$12.51+1.4%
CARV$1.55+2.0%
[ P6 · SPORTS ]
HBCU Watch
Ivy League of HBCUs: MEAC Commissioner’s comment strikes a chord [HBCU Gameday]
Howard University says some re-instated while most still not enrolled [HBCU Gameday]
Last Night
MLB: full slate, 15 games
On Deck Tonight
MLB: full slate, 12 games
[ P10 · THIS DAY IN LEGACY ]
1955 — Chuck Berry's 'Maybellene' entered the Billboard R&B chart on July 27, 1955, becoming one of the first rock and roll songs popular with both Black and white audiences.
[ GB · THE GREEN BOOK ]
Business Spotlight

Fulton Street Books & Coffee

Community space celebrating BIPOC and marginalized voices

Located on historic Greenwood Ave., Fulton Street Coffee and Books is a local, black-owned coffee shop and bookstore that specializes in curating books written by authors of the BIPOC and/or marginalized communities, with belief that representation matters.

Visit Business →
Opportunity

Thurgood Marshall College Fund Scholarships — $2,500–$20,000 per award — Deadline Multiple waves throughout year (check tmcf.org for current deadlines)

Thurgood Marshall College Fund scholarships are thoughtfully designed to ease the financial strain for students at TMCF member schools and other eligible accredited institutions, though most are one-time, non-renewable awards.

Apply →
Ad Slot — Money Moves Sponsor · 300x100 · Available
D

The Drum Roll

The Number
6.58%
30-year fixed mortgage, this week · FRED
[ THE CLOSER · P7 · CULTURE & COMMUNITY ]
“We are the only Black-owned bookstore in town and, as a Black woman in Tulsa, I think it's historically significant for us to be located on Black Wall Street.”
— Onikah Asamoa-Caesar, founder of Fulton Street Books & Coffee