USA Launches $10,000 Scholarship Fund for HBCUs
McDonald's launches $500,000 Black & Positively Golden Scholarship Fund for HBCU students through Thurgood Marshall College Fund partnership....
ESSENCE Festival Concert Series Sells Out All Three Nights
ESSENCE Festival 2018 made history by selling out all three nights at the Louisiana Superdome for the first time ever, drawing over 510,000 attendees to...
SHOWTIME: The Chi & Black Monday at Essence Festival
SHOWTIME brings hit drama The Chi and new comedy Black Monday to 2018 Essence Festival. Creator Lena Waithe headlines keynote while Regina Hall debuts exclusive...
Janet Jackson’s Journey to Joy in ESSENCE
Janet Jackson opens up in an intimate ESSENCE exclusive about her journey from childhood struggles with depression and low self-esteem to finding joy as a...
The ESSENCE Festival® announces Queen Latifah with Missy
Queen Latifah headlines Essence Festival 2018 with special guest Missy Elliott for her first-ever Louisiana Superdome mainstage performance on July 7th....
Café Mocha: Girlfriend Getaway at Essence Festival
Café Mocha highlights their girlfriend getaway experience at Essence Festival 2017, featuring insights from Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, Tiffany Haddish and Regina Hall on...
Rev Run & Justine Simmons at ESSENCE Fest 2023
Hip hop legend Rev Run and wife Justine Simmons will speak at ESSENCE Festival's AT&T stage in a fireside chat with Holly Robinson Peete about...
Halle Berry Opens Empowerment Stage at ESSENCE Fest
Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry will open the Empowerment Experience Stage at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans on June 30....
ESSENCE Festival Announces Full Lineup
ESSENCE Festival 2017 announces full lineup featuring Diana Ross, Chance the Rapper, and Mary J. Blige headlining the New Orleans event June 30-July 2....
Queen Sugar at 2016 Essence Festival
OWN's Queen Sugar made a major splash at 2016 Essence Festival with creator Ava DuVernay, executive producer Oprah Winfrey, and the full cast....
Mariah Carey, Judith Hill, Janelle Light Up ESSENCE Festival
ESSENCE Festival returned to New Orleans with explosive performances from Mariah Carey, Common, Judith Hill, and Janelle Monáe lighting up the stage....
NASA Hosts Space Exploration Events at ESSENCE Festival 2016
NASA partnered with ESSENCE Festival 2016 in New Orleans for NASA Week, featuring presentations by Administrator Charles Bolden and astronaut Victor Glover on African American...
McDonald’s 365Black Awards Honor Toni Braxton, Charles Tillman
McDonald's 365Black Awards will honor R&B legend Toni Braxton and NFL player Charles Tillman at the 13th annual ceremony during ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans....
Virtue Joins Essence Festival Gospel Event
Grammy-nominated trio Virtue joins the 2016 Essence Festival's Sunday Gospel Celebration lineup. Their single "Miracle" has spent 6 weeks in Billboard's Gospel Airplay Top 30....
ESSENCE Empowerment Experience Stage Announces Lineup
ESSENCE Festival 2016 announces star-studded daytime lineup featuring Tyra Banks, Misty Copeland, Iyanla Vanzant and more at the Empowerment Experience Stage....
Steve Harvey’s Behind the Scenes at ESSENCE Festival
Steve Harvey releases a behind-the-scenes documentary of his ESSENCE Festival experience, revealing why he keeps returning to the annual celebration in New Orleans....
ESSENCE Festival Draws Nearly Half Million People
The 2015 ESSENCE Festival drew nearly 500,000 attendees to New Orleans over July 4th weekend, featuring performances by Usher, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott, and...
Can’t Make it to ESSENCE Festival? – Just Tune-In Online
Essence Festival 2015 offers 24-hour live streaming coverage from New Orleans, featuring Superdome performances and celebrity interviews online....
‘s 365Black Awards
The 12th annual McDonald's 365Black Awards honor exceptional African-American leaders during ESSENCE Festival weekend in New Orleans, featuring Ava DuVernay and Dr. Marvin Sapp....
Ava DuVernay, Marvin Sapp Honored at 12th McDonald’s 365Black Awards
The 12th annual McDonald's 365Black Awards honors Ava DuVernay, Dr. Marvin Sapp, and other African-American leaders during ESSENCE Festival weekend in New Orleans....
Jussie Smollett to Address AIDS in Black Communities
Empire star Jussie Smollett headlines ESSENCE Festival panel on ending AIDS in Black America. He joins Greater Than AIDS and Black AIDS Institute for community...
Mary J. Blige on Music, Food, New Orleans & Artists
Mary J. Blige shares insights on music, New Orleans culture, and rising artists like Sam Smith backstage at ESSENCE Festival 2014....
Erykah Badu & Dave Chappelle on ESSENCE
Erykah Badu and Dave Chappelle discuss their friendship and performance at Radio City Music Hall in this backstage Essence Festival interview....
Essence Festival’s 20th Anniversary Draws Record Crowds
Essence Festival celebrated its 20th anniversary with record-breaking 550,000 attendees in New Orleans. Prince, Mary J. Blige, and Lionel Richie headlined the largest gathering in...
McDonald’s 365Black Awards Honor Community Leaders
McDonald's 365Black Awards honors community leaders including Rev. Al Sharpton and Kevin Liles at the 2014 ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans on July 5th....