Tulsa race massacre case dismissed, Four Tops singer lawsuit, Usher visits the Capitol
Tulsa race massacre case dismissed, Four Tops singer lawsuit, Usher visits the Capitol
Friday, June 13, 2024.
What I’m Reading
An African American holiday predating Juneteenth was nearly lost to history. It's back, USA TODAY
A Black American holiday older than Juneteenth was popular in New York and New Jersey dating back to at least the 1700s. It was nearly lost to history. Now, New Yorkers are trying to bring back Pinkster, which was outlawed in the 1800s.
40 Acres and a Lie
As a journalist, sometimes I’ll come across stories that I wish I had come up with. 40 Acres and a Lie is one of those projects. A collaboration between Mother Jones, the Center for Public Integrity and Reveal, this project examines the broken promise of 40 acres and a mule. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, of former slaves received land grants—only to have them seized back.
What’s In The News
Across America
California: Comedian and TV host W. Kamau Bell wants to train the next generation of Oakland filmmakers…
Connecticut: A town is set to pay $100,000 to settle a lawsuit that claims the son of a police officer suffered emotional distress after the student's class was shown a Kendrick Lamar music video...
Florida: A new law will place unprecedented new curbs on the power of homeowners’ associations, and other states may follow…
Georgia: An Arizona man is facing federal charges for planning a mass shooting at an Atlanta rap concert to incite a race war…
Louisiana: The City of New Orleans celebrated Juvenile and the 25th anniversary of the "Back That Azz Up" music video by declaring June 11 as "Back That Azz Up Day”...
Michigan: The Midwest Invitational Rodeo, a Black American cowboy showcase, made its debut appearance in the Flint area, drawing thousands…
Missouri: A judge has expunged the misdemeanor convictions of a St. Louis couple who threatened Black Lives Matter protesters outside their mansion with guns…
Ohio: A new exhibit tracing the history and contributions of the forgotten Black American founders of Cincinnati is now on display at the Walnut Hills Branch Library…
South Carolina: South Carolina will soon go from having an all-male Supreme Court to an all-white one. Some lawmakers said there needs to be more diverse judges reflecting a state that is 28 percent Black…
Texas: Tony Evans, the leader of a Dallas megachurch for nearly 50 years, has announced that he is stepping away from pastoral duties due to an unnamed “sin”...
Virginia: The Virginia NAACP sued a county school board over its reinstatement of Confederate military names to two schools…
What’s Happening
The American Cancer Society is pushing to enroll 100,000 women in a large long-term study and follow them for three decades to find out what’s causing their higher case and death rates…
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas acknowledged in a financial disclosure that he took two luxury trips paid for by a GOP donor…
Waffle House plans to increase pay for servers at its restaurants across the country over the next three years…
Gabby Petito’s family is bringing attention to thousands of missing persons who normally don’t get press coverage because of race…
From Capital B: “Black people have borne the brunt of the 900% increase in heat-related deaths compared to the 1960s, and all levels of government have failed to offer solutions. Instead, Black community groups have filled the gaps”…
An appeals court handed down two rulings that stated police can be held liable for killing a dog … but not a Black man, Elie Mystal explains…
Four Tops singer Alexander Morris is suing a hospital for allegedly putting him in a straightjacket after he told staff he was in the renowned Motown group. He was apparently offered a $25 supermarket gift card as an apology…
New story from me in HuffPost: Jay-Z’s Roc Nation garnered headlines for a new educational campaign in Philadelphia — but critics say it’s just another attempt to gut public education…
The South Carolina Department of Education said AP African American studies will not be offered in the state’s schools anymore…
Corey Harris, the man who went viral for driving during his Zoom court appearance, just got his learner’s permit…
Although only 9% of Sacramento’s general population is Black, Black residents now comprise 35% of Sacramento’s homeless population, a report found…
Research suggests repeated exposure to stressors, such as racism and discrimination, leads to poor health outcomes among Black Americans. Alexa Imani Spencer explored the effects of racial weathering…
The African American Cultural Center in Long Beach, California exhibits and teaches Black history beyond the typical surface-level…
Ancestry.com has released a new collection of newspaper records related to enslaved persons that will be searchable thanks to AI, the company announced…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution spoke with Alphonso David, co-counsel to the Fearless Fund, about the potential implications of the recent ruling and the venture firm’s next steps…
World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma took the Kansas City Symphony stage with Ralph Yarl, the Black teen who was shot after going to the wrong house to pick up his siblings…
Nikole Hannah-Jones, the creator of The 1619 Project, spoke with Kaitlyn Greenidge on the past five years and unveiled her next project: a place to celebrate Black culture in Brooklyn…
Most Black Americans say they’ve experienced racial discrimination regularly or from time to time, which colors how they view U.S. institutions like policing, the political system and the media, according to a study on conspiracy theories…
Rep. Bryon Donalds, a frontrunner for Trump's running mate, joined Rev. Al Sharpton to discuss his recent comments glorifying the Jim Crow era…
Entertainment news
Spotted in DC: Usher was on Capitol Hill to talk about diabetes screening with Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock…
The Howard University Board of Trustees has revoked Sean “Diddy” Combs honorary degree, disbanded a scholarship in his name, and will return his 2016 $1 million contribution…
“Instead of absorbing Negro-league statistics and the mythic figures behind them, the MLB shouldn’t count any statistics — Negro league or major league — accumulated during the segregation era,” Malcolm Ferguson argues in The Atlantic…
President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus, and more convened on the White House lawn for a celebration of Juneteenth…
Quavo will sit with VP Harris to discuss the methods to decrease gun violence and protect communities in Atlanta on June 18…
The man charged with robbing Houston rapper Bun B and his wife Queenie during a home invasion has been sentenced to 40 years in prison…
The trailer for Peacock’s “Fight Night,” starring Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Hart, Don Cheadle, Taraji P. Henson, Terrence Howard, and Chloe Bailey, is out…
The Apollo Theater held its annual spring benefit with a star-studded event featuring Usher, Babyface, Big Daddy Kane, Jordin Sparks and more as it celebrates its 90th anniversary this year…
A new attraction starring the first Black Disney princess, Tiana, is opening at the company’s U.S. theme park resorts, replacing Splash Mountain…
“Blade” is facing yet another setback: Another director has left the Mahershala Ali-led film…
Christian Cooper is now a Daytime Emmy Award winner for his National Geographic show, “Extraordinary Birder”...
Wild moment: The judge presiding over Young Thug’s trial held the musician’s attorney in contempt…
Will Smith surprised a theater crowd by watching “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” with them the entire time…
“Power” star Michael Rainey Jr. says he's “still processing” after he was sexually assaulted on a livestream…
Kendrick Lamar delivered a surprise speech at Compton College’s commencement ceremony…
Obituaries
Civil rights leader Rev. James Lawson Jr., a close advisor to Martin Luther King Jr. who championed non-violent protest, has died. He was 95…
William Pickard, author, philanthropist and one of the nation’s most successful Black entrepreneurs, has died. He was 83…
Enchanting, the Texas rapper who was signed to Gucci Mane’s Atlantic Records imprint, has died. She was 26…
Doris Biscoe, a favorite reporter and news anchor in Detroit with WXYZ-TV, has died. She was 77…
Chet Walker, one of the Philadelphia 76ers’ all-time greats and a member of their 1967 NBA championship team, has died. He was 84…
Nathan Hare, an author and sociologist who was known as the father of Black Studies, has died. He was 91…
Robert Hughes, a legendary basketball coach who spent nearly 50 years coaching at Fort Worth high schools, has died. He was 96…
Harry Roland, a man well-known in New York as a street orator calling out to others about the loss and destruction on Sept. 11, 2001, has died. He was 70…
Don’t Miss
Can you beat my time on Black Crossword? 55 seconds!...
The legendary Chaka Khan delivered an incredible NPR Tiny Desk performance…
The Department of African American and African Studies at Michigan State University is hiring…
The SNCC Legacy Project and the NAACP are hosting the Freedom Summer 60 Conference, commemorating 60 years of struggle and progress, starting on June 21 in Mississippi…
1:19 on Black Crossword! Fun game I just solved Black Crossword's puzzle "Friday, June 21, 2024" in 1:19. Can you beat my time? blackcrossword.com https://crosshare.org/crosswords/xrjM6vErhn377t3YwXyr/friday-june-21-2024