RIP Tina Turner, "too much Black history" in Alabama, and a dental office dragging
RIP Tina Turner, "too much Black history" in Alabama, and a dental office dragging
Friday, May 26, 2023.
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What I’m Reading
The incomparable Tina Turner has died. The New York Times penned a worthy obituary of the singer’s life, from her start singing with the Kings of Rhythm in the late 1950s, her escape from her abusive marriage, how “Private Dancer” returned her to the spotlight, and much more. There were many tributes to the powerhouse artist, but Angela Bassett’s words about the rock 'n' roll icon stood out.
Tina Turner, Magnetic Singer of Explosive Power, Is Dead at 83, The New York Times
Kat Stafford, a national investigative reporter for the Associated Press, spent the past year exploring how the legacy of racism in America has laid the foundation for the health inequities Black people face from the moment we are born to our final breaths.
From birth to death, legacy of racism lays foundation for Black Americans' health disparities, AP News
After a suspect in a mall shooting was identified and said to have been motivated by white-supremacist ideology, right-wingers immediately declared that the suspect — Mauricio Garcia — couldn’t be a white supremacist. For The Atlantic, Adam Serwer explained why that line of thinking is incorrect.
Latinos Can Be White Supremacists, The Atlantic
In what might be shocking but not surprising news: Homes in neighborhoods of color are appraised at far less values than in white neighborhoods across every major metropolitan area in the United States, according to data analysis.
Home Value Racial Disparities Top $1 Million in LA, NYC, San Francisco, Bloomberg
What’s In The News
In Alabama, conservative activists are complaining about “too much Black history” in school textbooks…
The family of Shanquella Robinson and their attorneys are “encouraged” after meeting with White House officials about the mysterious death of the 25-year-old…
Cori Bush introduced new legislation calling for $14 trillion in reparations for Black Americans, saying it would “eliminate the racial wealth gap”...
The Oakland A's main play-by-play announcer was fired after saying a racist slur while describing a visit to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum…
The New Republic: Tim Scott has announced his presidential run, allowing Republicans to demonstrate — briefly — that they aren’t racists…
Jim Brown, who has died at 87, received much praise for his abilities on the football field and off the field for his civil rights activism. However, his legacy includes several allegations of domestic violence and abuse toward women…
During her public spat with Jamaal Bowman, Marjorie Taylor Greene has shown her white nationalist cards — again, Zeeshan Aleem writes…
wrote a thoughtful piece on how racism is pushing some Black women to choose not to have kids…SMH: In his first interview since killing Jordan Neely, Daniel Penny said the confrontation between the two "had nothing to do with race," and that he was even planning a trip to Africa…
Have you heard about Virginia’s historic Black watermen communities? The Black watermen culture is fading and here’s what’s being done about it…
Black women looking for Black sperm donors are struggling to find them. Related: Read Amber Ferguson’s award-winning story on this topic…
The NAACP issued a formal travel advisory for Florida, warning visitors that the state has become “openly hostile toward African Americans.” Current and former professors held a 24-hour teach-in in Florida to “highlight the history that’s being erased”...
On a former plantation in North Carolina, a land conservancy and two determined sisters are pioneering a model for providing land to Black gardeners and farmers…
More: Ted Cruz said Martin Luther King Jr. would be “ashamed” of the NAACP's travel warning. The civil rights icon’s daughter, Bernice King, disagreed…
A Florida school has limited access to Amanda Gorman's inaugural poem and other books after parent complaints. Guess who’s behind it…
“Days after an 11-year-old boy was shot in the chest by a Mississippi police officer, family and community members are calling for answers and for the officer’s termination”...
Color of Change, one of the most high-profile social justice organizations in the United States, is being accused of sexual assault, bullying and little accountability…
A Jacksonville, Florida, man waited 12 years to get a new heart. But in 2022, after a misdemeanor arrest kept him in jail for two days without his life-sustaining medication, his body rejected it and he died…
A newly unsealed court document shows the FBI wrongly searched a vast digital database for information about U.S. citizens and others more than 278,000 times in 2020 and early 2021…
A federal judge extended his order that temporarily stops the Mississippi Supreme Court chief justice from appointing judges in the capital city of Jackson and the county where it’s located, both of which are majority-Black…
What’s Happening
A sign that read “No Bonnets, No House Shoes, No Pajama Bottoms” in a dental office went viral. Black Twitter had some thoughts…
Jay Caspian Kang wrote about ‘one of the last spaces in the world immune to cancellation: Battle rap’…
Viola Davis would like to see a wider range of roles for women over 50, particularly for women of color, saying the lack of interesting roles is problematic…
Bill Lee, jazz musician who scored four of his son Spike’s early films, including the hit “Do the Right Thing,” has died. He was 94…
Mankaprr Conteh wrote an amazing profile of Janelle Monáe for Rolling Stone…
Sheldon Reynolds, the singer and guitarist who performed with Earth, Wind & Fire, has died. He was 63…
In an interview, Tamron Hall opened up about her role model Oprah, her signature haircut, and her life and career when she was 28…
Kurtis Lee entered the world of influencer barbers, “where these ‘architects of swag’ earn six figures, taking what can be a monotonous job to new levels”…
A mother-daughter duo are celebrating graduating from nursing school together, having helped each other along the way…
23-year-old Leona Serao is preparing to become the first Black woman to fly solo around the world…
Madame Tussauds has unveiled new wax figures of Megan Thee Stallion in Las Vegas and New York — and they actually look like her…
talked with actor and singer Amber Riley about being “open to love after calling off an engagement, mental health, being a Black woman in Hollywood and more”...Cyclists in Mobile, Alabama rode on the city’s first Underground Railroad Bike Tour…
Offset talked with Variety for a wide-ranging interview, where the rapper discussed the death of Takeoff, moving on from the rap group Migos and launching his next era…
Try to watch this video of a recent graduate and his father without catching some feelings…
Two Black entrepreneurs have launched HealthyMD, a digital platform that aims to provide underserved communities with free at-home testing for sexually transmitted diseases…
When Jalen Brown tweeted that he’s the first person to graduate from Morehouse College with a degree in journalism, many were skeptical. But it’s true, thanks to Michael Jordan…
My colleague Ruth Etiesit Samuel talked to the iconic costume designer who dressed the stars of “A Different World,” “Living Single,” and “Sister, Sister”...
NBA legend Carmelo Anthony has announced his retirement from the NBA. Speaking of retirement, LeBron James is reportedly considering hanging it up…
Wendell Pierce received an honorary doctorate in Fine Arts from The Juilliard School! Congratulations!…
What I’m Watching
Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 46 seconds!..
Shannon Sharpe sat down with social media personality Tabitha Brown for his podcast…
The Library of Congress is looking for the next scholar/artist in residence. Maya Cade of Black Film Archive is currently one…
Colin Kaepernick's publishing company is releasing “ OUR HISTORY HAS ALWAYS BEEN CONTRABAND: IN DEFENSE OF BLACK STUDIES” as a free eBook in response to Florida’s attack on Black studies…
Longtime radio personality Donnie Simpson is returning to TV with “Donnie Simpson’s Video Soul” on BET+, streaming June 1st…
The trailer is out for “The Color Purple,” starring Fantasia, Taraji P. Henson, Halle Bailey and others. The film will be in theaters on December 25th…
Kel Mitchell shared video from the set of the upcoming “Good Burger 2,” which is rumored to hit Paramount+ later this year...
Read a really interesting excerpt from Jonathan Eig’s biography of Martin Luther King’s life in TIME…
I appreciate this newsletter so much and read it with interest every time it’s published. Thank you.