‘At first I didn’t want to,’ says the author of this magisterial biography of the great abolitionist, ‘it was so daunting’ By Martin Pengelly, The Guardian — David Blight arrives…
The president’s speech to African American millennial supporters was rambling and toe-curling. But he and his audience loved it. David Smith, The Guardian — Put a 72-year-old man with…
The prospect of electing the state’s first black governor is expected to boost African American voter turnout. By Richard Luscombe, The Guardian — It has been nearly two years since Florida’s black voters mostly stayed home on election day and, in the eyes of some, gave Donald Trump a free pass to win the state and the White House. To Quiana Malone, it was a mistake that cannot be allowed to happen…
Carlota died for revolutionary ideals long before Castro showed up. By Jules Franco, OZY — The discovery of the young woman’s corpse on the Triunvirato estate, a sugar mill in…
By Aaron Mack, Slate — On Thursday, Republican Rep. French Hill of Arkansas condemned a racist radio ad running in support of his campaign for re-election. The ad features two women, clearly intended…
America’s Founding Fathers had some great ideas and some greatly disturbing ones. By Sean Braswell, OZY — Eight months after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream…
Fifty years ago this week, two proud Olympians raised their fists to call attention to social injustices. Their gesture made my heart swell with pride. By Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, The Guardian…
Hint: It has to do with race. By Zack Beauchamp, Vox — One of the most puzzling elements of the 2016 election, at least for a lot of Americans, was the millions of voters who switched from voting for Barack Obama in 2012 to Donald Trump in 2016. Somewhere between 6.7 million and 9.2 million Americans switched this way; given that the 2016 election was decided by 40,000 votes, it’s fair to…
California president under fire for opposing pro-tenant measure yet working as a paid consultant for real-estate backed campaign. By Sam Levin, The Guardian — The California leader of a major US civil rights group is facing backlash for fighting a rent control measure while working as a paid consultant for an opposition campaign funded by real estate companies. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in California is opposing…
We’re coming for their power. By Kai Wright, The Nation — Hell hath no fury like a white man scorned. If you take nothing else from the Senate’s confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh, take that much. Know that the angry hysterics of Lindsey Graham and Charles Grassley and Orrin Hatch were a continuation of the long, howling tantrum that began when Donald Trump descended from his tower in 2015. It is…
How the right created the illusion of colorblindness. By Joshua Tait, The Washingtion Post — Americans are at an impasse in their understanding of racism today. The activist slogan “Black Lives Matter” is met by the rejoinder “All Lives Matter” or “Blue Lives Matter.” Colin Kaepernick’s NFL protest about racial injustice is perceived only as an anti-American blast. President Trump tells reporters he is “the least racist person” they will…
Marielle Franco set an example in a country where black women make up 28% of population but hold 2% of congressional seats By Anna Jean Kaiser, The Guardian — The…