Affirmative Action watch, Texas bans college diversity offices, Quavo & Offset reunite
Friday, June 23, 2023.
What I’m Reading
Within the next several days, The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling on affirmative action — and the high court appears poised to strike it down. For The Atlantic, Bertrand Cooper argues that no matter what the court decides, nothing will change for poor Black kids. “[The] reality is that for the Black poor, a world without affirmative action is just the world as it is—no different than before,” he writes.
The Failure of Affirmative Action, The Atlantic
A new Dutch museum exhibit highlights Black musicians like Beyoncé and Nas, exploring how they’ve “drawn inspiration and pride from the idea that ancient Egypt was an African culture.” Egyptians, however, aren’t happy about the exhibit, calling it Western appropriation of their history.
Black Artists Embrace Ancient Egypt. Egyptians Aren't Happy About It, The New York Times
Lawyers and judges continue to cite thousands of cases involving enslaved people as good precedent to this day — about 18% of all published American cases are within two steps of a slave case, according to a law professor. His team has been documenting them, hoping to affect change.
Slave cases are still cited as good law across the U.S. This team aims to change that, NPR
Climate change disproportionately impacts incarcerated people who have limited access to air conditioning and other life-saving measures as temperatures rise. As a result, prisoners are literally being cooked to death.
“Cooking Them to Death”: The Lethal Toll of Hot Prisons, The Marshall Project
What’s In The News
All state-funded colleges and universities in Texas will have to close their diversity, equity and inclusion offices under a measure signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott…
State offices remained open in Mississippi during the Juneteenth federal holiday, even though they were closed for Confederate Memorial Day in April…
Research found that Black entrepreneurs are still severely discriminated against by banks, even when they are more qualified than their white counterparts…
A Black charter school teacher in Charlotte is suing, claiming that he was fired after white parents complained about him teaching the novel “Dear Martin” to students…
5 passengers who took a submersible to see the Titanic wreckage are presumed dead. A series of safety concerns is the cause, but conservatives are blaming “wokeness” instead…
80% of Black women develop fibroids by age 50. The medical community doesn’t appear to know why…
Study: Nearly half of all unhoused adults in California are over the age of 50, with Black residents dramatically overrepresented. Read this column in The Los Angeles Times about the crisis…
A Mississippi GOP state senator is calling on the state to bring back its Confederate-themed state flag…
A Philadelphia student who was shot 10 times and spent months in the hospital was banned from his high school’s prom and graduation after officials saw him as a threat…
Yusef Salaam, one of the Central Park Five, is running for New York City Council...
Tennessee Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones have cleared an election hurdle after they were expelled for their protest on the House floor, and then reinstated…
In a baffling public airing of case strategy, Tory Lanez's first lawyer told him blaming Kelsey Harris for shooting Megan Thee Stallion was not “a viable strategy”...
This fall, Duke University will offer free tuition to students from North Carolina and South Carolina with family incomes of $150,000 or less…
A former graduate student made an incredible discovery — she found the largest known slave auction while searching archives of classified ads…
What’s Happening
Quavo and Offset appear to have squashed their beef in order to celebrate the birthday of the late Takeoff…
There were several really entertaining interviews this week — Brooklyn White talked with Missy Elliott for Essence, Niki McGloster interviewed Big Freedia in Refinery29, and Marlow Stern chatted with Samuel L. Jackson for Rolling Stone…
Enjoying NPR’s Tiny Desk for Black Music Month? Bobby Carter is the one to thank…
For the past two years, one “super dad” has juggled three jobs, studies and parenting to graduate with a master’s degree. Now he’s inspiring others to do the same…
Colin Kaepernick had a conversation with The New Republic on Black studies, white supremacy, and capitalism…
CNN's Omar Jimenez spoke with 109-year-old Viola Fletcher about Juneteenth and what "freedom" means to her…
Killer Mike said an Andre 3000 album is on the way, but don’t hold your breath…
Fast Company: “Photography is inherently racist. Can new technology change that?”...
John Amos is accusing his daughter of elder abuse, clarifying that he’s “doing well” despite previous reports…
The family of a Black businessman who helped popularize Juneteenth in San Diego are suing a cemetery after his remains were reported missing…
Finding traditional parenting groups to be hostile, this mom took action and created the first safe space strictly for Black queer parents…
The New York Times: “For more than 60 years, David Austin Roses has named new varieties after historical British figures, all of them white. The Dannahue, which honors Danny Clarke, changed that.”...
Author Jenn Baker wrote about her experiences in publishing and the challenges Black women face in the industry…
Michigan's new Crown Act has now made it illegal to discriminate based on hairstyle…
North Carolina civil rights leader Bishop William Barber is retiring from his church, but says he will continue his work as an activist…
The Come Up: J. Cole is part of the new ownership group for the Charlotte Hornets…
A Morehouse College alumnus has launched a business management firm to keep professional athletes from going broke…
Remember the Black birdwatcher who had the police called on him by a Central Park Karen? He now has a memoir and a TV show…
If you’re wondering about the Black designers Beyoncé exclusively wore during her Amsterdam tour stop, look no further…
Rick Ross donated over $30,000 to help a Georgia clinic that provides free care stay open…
What I’m Watching
Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 56 seconds!
This one is strictly for the saints: The Reunion Tour, featuring Kirk Franklin, David and Tamela Mann, Tye Tribbett, The Clark Sisters and Israel Houghton, has been announced…
Read an excerpt from Wesley Lowery’s forthcoming book “American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress” here: How the activist wave inspired by Ferguson helped free a St. Louis man…
Speaking of the church, a new episode of NPR’s Code Switch dives into Black Christians who found their spiritual homes in white evangelical churches…
A must-watch: Here’s how a grieving mother transformed a neglected block near Detroit into a village of beauty and opportunity…
Tony! Toni! Toné! are also reuniting this fall for their first tour together in nearly 25 years…
Charleston’s long-awaited International African American Museum is finally opening on June 27. It has been in the works since 2000…
One of the last ballparks still standing from the days of the Negro Leagues has reopened…
Jonathan Majors will be headed to trial on August 3…
Thank you so much for putting this together for us every week! I know your family is proud!