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Bakersfield News Observer

Locally owned and operated since 1977.

Proudly serving Kern County for 49 years, the Bakersfield News Observer is Bakersfield’s oldest locally owned newspaper, dedicated to trusted local news and community coverage.

09/08/2026

California Black Civil Rights Leaders Mobilize to Defend Voting Rights

Black voting rights advocates in California convened virtually Aug. 28 after a federal court temporarily blocked new U.S. Postal Service restrictions on mail ballots, a ruling civil rights leaders described as an important but temporary victory ahead of the November election.

Learn more: https://ognsc.com/california-black-civil-rights-leaders-mobilize-to-defend-voting-rights/

09/04/2026

Why Kern County and Black Americans love Dolly

I wonder if “quiet” is the right reference here. Maybe it’s more a particular kind of “grief?” In Kern County, Dolly Parton is being mourned as much for her philanthropy and impact on children as she is for her worldwide impact on music and bridging cultures.

Learn more: https://ognsc.com/why-kern-county-and-black-americans-love-dolly/

09/03/2026

He Learned to Believe in Himself. Then He Built a Legacy

After 35 years with the Bakersfield City School District, Lewis Neal leaves behind generations of students, mentors, and a blueprint for the work to continue.

Learn more: https://ognsc.com/he-learned-to-believe-in-himself-then-he-built-a-legacy/

08/31/2026

Bakersfield’s Nigerian Community Eyes a Role in Growing California-Nigeria Ties

The relationship between California and Nigeria took center stage at the United Nigeria Diaspora Foundation’s (UNDF) 2026 annual dinner, where community leaders, elected officials and a senior California state official explored how the Nigerian diaspora could help deepen economic, cultural and diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Learn more: https://ognsc.com/bakersfields-nigerian-community-eyes-a-role-in-growing-california-nigeria-ties/

08/27/2026

Gov. Newsom Nominates 3 Black Women Judges to Serve on State Courts of Appeal

Gov. Gavin Newsom nominated three Black women — Justice Rashida Adams and Judges Denise Hippach and Juliet Macaulay — to serve on the California Courts of Appeal.

Learn more: https://ognsc.com/gov-newsom-nominates-3-black-women-judges-to-serve-on-state-courts-of-appeal/

08/26/2026

Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber Urges Californians to Vote Early as Voter ID Battle Intensifies

California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber is asking voters to help protect the integrity of the November 2026 election by taking one important step: Vote early.

Learn more: https://ognsc.com/secretary-of-state-shirley-n-weber-urges-californians-to-vote-early-as-voter-id-battle-intensifies/

08/24/2026

Poll: One in Four Young Black Men Uncommitted to Voting in 2026

A survey of more than 1,600 registered Black men ages 18–45 in six battleground states finds they overwhelmingly value voting — but a quarter are not yet committed to casting a ballot in the midterms, and no one appears to track what campaigns actually spend to reach them.

Learn more: https://ognsc.com/poll-one-in-four-young-black-men-uncommitted-to-voting-in-2026/

08/22/2026

“Sickle Cell Warriors” Urge Gov. Newsom to Sustain Critical Patient-Care Funding

Representatives of the Cayenne Wellness Center, a leading advocate for California’s sickle cell community, delivered a petition with more than 1,000 signatures to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office on Aug. 14. The petition calls on state leaders to provide $15 million over the next three years to support care for people living with the genetic disorder.

Learn more: https://ognsc.com/sickle-cell-warriors-urge-gov-newsom-to-sustain-critical-patient-care-funding/

08/21/2026

Asm. Isaac Bryan’s Corporate Reparations Bill, Other Black Caucus Measures Advance From Suspense File

Assembly Bill 2599, the Truth in Disclosure Act, advanced from the Senate Appropriations Committee’s suspense file Aug. 13 with a “do pass as amended” recommendation.

Learn more: https://ognsc.com/asm-isaac-bryans-corporate-reparations-bill-other-black-caucus-measures-advance-from-suspense-file/

08/19/2026

Something happened in your neighborhood and nobody reported it.
That’s not an accident. It’s what happens when newsrooms shrink and the outlets that remain were never built for us in the first place.
Bakersfield News Observer has covered Black community news since 1977. News Observed is the next step — you send us the story directly.
Here’s how it works. You submit a story, photo, video, or tip. Our newsroom checks it against public records and real sources. Our editing team reads every word before anything runs.
It’s free. There’s no account to make. Your name stays private unless you tell us otherwise.
From Freedom’s Journal in 1827 to your feed today — this is the press that shows up when nobody else does.
Tell us what they buried: newsobserved.com

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