Freedmen News

Across the country, more organizations are stepping into the space of identity verification—especially around descendants of American slavery. Many of these nonprofits are promoting what they call “lineage verification” as the standard. At first glance, that sounds right. It feels historical. It feels grounded. It feels legitimate. But there’s a deeper question most people are missing: Is proving where you come from the same as controlling how that identity is recognized? The

The Freedmen Reparations Fund Trust (FRFT), through its enforcement authority, has initiated a coordinated trademark protection action on the Amazon marketplace involving the unauthorized commercial use of the SOULAAN mark. This action represents a structured effort to address misuse, misclassification, and unauthorized merchandising tied to a protected identity-based trademark. Background of the Issue Multiple third-party sellers on Amazon were identified using the SOULAAN

Deed theft is not just a legal issue—it is happening where it hurts the most: Homes. Families are losing houses they’ve lived in for decades—not through sale, but through: Forged deeds Fraudulent filings Heir confusion Lack of clear structure This is not random. It targets vulnerability. The conversation must shift from “Who owns the home?” to “How is the home protected?” The Misunderstanding: “A Trust Is Enough” It is true—any properly structured trust can: Hold title to a h