Josephine Wright settlement, 'Goon Squad' sentenced, 'Cowboy Carter'
Friday, March 22, 2024.
What I’m Reading
A Year After Attempted Land Grab, Hilton Head Elder’s Case Is Settled, Capital B News
Some of you may remember my story about Josephine Wright, the 94-year-old South Carolina woman who fought to protect her family’s land from developers. Now, the lawsuit filed against Wright, who died in January, is reportedly over.
A family spokesperson told South Carolina Public Radio that a settlement has been reached, and it requires developer Bailey Point Investment LLC to cease contact with the family about the land, repair the home’s roof, build a privacy fence, and improve landscaping.
Surgeons Transplant Pig Kidney Into a Patient, a Medical Milestone, The New York Times
Surgeons in Boston have transplanted a kidney from a genetically engineered pig into a 62-year-old Black man, in what is being called the first procedure of its kind. So far, the new kidney has produced urine and the patient’s condition continues to improve. This could be significant for Black patients, “who suffer high rates of end-stage kidney disease.”
How Quinta Brunson Hacked the Sitcom, The New Yorker
Molly Fischer profiled “Abbott Elementary” creator and star Quinta Brunson, who successfully made an old-fashioned, mainstream hit on network TV in the age of streaming. This profile also contained a bit of news: Brunson is developing a TV show about a teenage girl coming of age.
What’s In The News
Across America
Alabama: A wide-ranging effort to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs in Alabama state institutions has passed, and the bill was signed into law…
California: California’s first and only Black-led land trust acquired 650 acres of land in Placer County last year, and it is now preparing to break ground…
Florida: The state’s homeless population will be banned from sleeping on sidewalks, in parks, and other public spaces under a law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis…
Illinois: 11-year-old Jayden Perkins, a beloved dancer who was talented beyond his years, was killed trying to protect his pregnant mother from a serial domestic abuser…
Kentucky: The Kentucky House voted to ban race-based scholarships and defund DEI offices and staff positions at public universities. Now the Senate has to decide whether to accept it…
Maryland: Baltimore’s new $1 billion jail will reportedly be the most expensive state-funded project in history…
Massachusetts: Sarah-Ann Shaw, Boston's first Black woman TV news reporter, has died. She was 90 years old…
Missouri: The president of Lincoln University (MO) will remain with the institution after an investigation into the suicide of Dr. Antoinette Candia-Bailey concluded…
Mississippi: Six former law officers, including two who were in the so-called “Goon Squad,” tortured two Black men with stun guns, a sex toy, and other objects, have been sentenced to decades in prison this week…
North Carolina: An HBCU graduate is using her coffee business to raise money for Saint Augustine's University as the institution continues to face financial challenges…
Pennsylvania: CJ Rice, who was incarcerated as a teenager, has been freed after more than a dozen years in prison…
Tennessee: The Senate passed a controversial bill that would vacate the board of Tennessee State University and leave it to the governor to appoint new members…
Texas: The 2024 Rodeo season in Houston proves that Black Texas culture, and Beyoncé’s reign, endures…
What’s Happening
Dorie Ann Ladner, a largely unsung heroine on the front lines of the 1960s civil rights movement in the South, has died. She was 81…
I love this: 106-year-old Magnolia Jackson spent her birthday at Disney World, and it was magical…
Children in Chicago are in significant danger of lead exposure from drinking water, according to a new study…
More DEI fears: Two Republicans have backed a bill to ban federal funding to medical schools with diversity, equity and inclusion practices…
Shani Mott, an esteemed Black Studies scholar and champion for social justice, has died. She was 47…
Carlee Russell, an Alabama woman who lied about her kidnapping, has been ordered to pay nearly $18,000 in restitution and sentenced to probation…
A minister collapsed at the Mississippi State Capitol while standing with fellow clergy members pleading with lawmakers to expand Medicaid coverage to some of the state’s poorest residents…
Irrespective of income or education, people living in disadvantaged neighborhoods show early signs of cognitive decline, a new study found…
Joan Gibbs, a groundbreaking queer attorney and co-founder of Dykes Against Racism Everywhere, has died…
For Capital B, Aallyah Wright went to Royal, Florida, where she met residents who still live on the inherited 40-acre plots from the Homestead Act of 1862. Now, those residents are fighting to protect the historic community from encroaching development…
Vice President Kamala Harris convened a roundtable discussion on marijuana reform at the White House with Fat Joe and declared, “Nobody should have to go to jail for smoking weed”...
Entertainment
Beyoncé shared an Instagram post that explained the inspiration behind her upcoming album, "Cowboy Carter,” and in turn, sparked an intense online debate about her use of the American flag. By the way, she will also make an appearance at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards to receive its innovator award…
Very cool read: "A century ago, a dinner party in New York set in motion one of the most influential cultural movements of the 20th century — The Harlem Renaissance”…
Beauty and fashion influencer Jessica Pettway has died, according to posts from her family. She was 36…
Regina King talked with Harper's BAZAAR about how she’s learning to live with loss, the legacy of Shirley Chisholm, and finding a way forward…
Have you heard of Nicole Daniels, DeAndre Brown and Lisa Beasley? These content creators take a sharp and often satirical look at modern office culture, sharing their videos on TikTok…
Debunked: MGM Resorts International has denied allegations that Bruno Mars has a $50 million gambling debt with the casino…
A copyright infringement lawsuit against the hit series “Abbott Elementary” has been dismissed…
Debbie Allen spoke to PEOPLE about the importance of maintaining her health in order to keep up with her schedule and commitments…
Rapper Vic Mensa has gifted a Black woman-owned bookstore in Chicago with one year of free rent…
“The Color Purple” dominated at the 55th NAACP Image Awards, taking home four accolades, including outstanding motion picture…
Lil Jon has accepted Islam and makes his declaration of faith at the King Fahad Mosque in California…
Jenifer Lewis opened up for the first time about a near-death experience she had in late 2022 when she fell 10 feet off a balcony while on vacation…
Netflix has confirmed the release date and unveiled two pictures for its upcoming animated comedy series “Good Times,” based on the hit 1970s sitcom…
Gylan Kain, a Harlem-born poet who helped lay a foundation for rap music, has died. He was 81…
Diddy’s charter school has cut ties with the music mogul — but that relationship may be the least of their issues…
The Grambling State Tigers have won their first NCAA tournament game in program history by knocking off Montana State…
Storm Reid is set to star in Teyana Taylor’s directorial debut “Get Lite,” which is currently in development…
Don’t Miss
Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 35 seconds!...
The documentary “Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told” is now available to stream on Hulu. Attendees are curious whether — and how — they might show up in it. Also, read my colleague Candice Frederick’s review: Freaknik And The Question Of Black Female Sexual Liberation In The '90s…
The Black Press Research Collective is hosting "Black Press at 200," an online event where you can learn more about the archiving and the evolution of the Black press. Tune in March 27 at 5:30 pm EST…
The Freedom Monument Sculpture Park in Montgomery, Alabama weaves art installations, historic artifacts and personal narratives to explore the history of slavery in America. It opens March 27…
For the hobbyists out there, arts and crafts giant Joann has filed for bankruptcy and are currently having some amazing sales…
From April 6 to 7, scholars and activists will discuss The Black Scholar journal, and touch on issues of radicalism, gender, internationalism, and media. The panels are free and will be hosted online…
The Broccoli City Festival has just released its lineup for July 27-28…
In the wake of Claudine Gay’s resignation from Harvard and Dr. Antoinette Candia-Bailey’s death at Lincoln University in Missouri, PBS Newshour held a program discussing the treatment of Black women in higher education…
Check this out
1 Giving Stank 304 a New Meaning https://shorturl.at/fmxyV
2 Who Needs the Devil When Steph Curry is Around https://shorturl.at/svAR9