Black
States lose track of thousands of foster children each year
Sharday Hamilton, a 28-year-old advocate for foster youth, homeless youth and runaways, still bears her own scars from running. There’s one near her left knee. She got it as a little girl, running away from her foster mother, who was trying to hit her with a bag of frozen food but who sometimes used a […]
A 24-note bugle tune honors all veterans, living and dead
Promptly at 5 p.m., every day, rain or shine, blizzard or heat, a volunteer bugler wearing a period World War I U.S. Army uniform stands at attention near the flagpole at the National World War One Memorial not far from the White House in Washington D.C. On a brilliant autumn day, I watched as a Black soldier […]
The violent and racist fight against laborers’ basic rights in the South
In February 1887, Oregon became the first state to create a Labor Day holiday in recognition of the achievements of workers. Later that year, four more states — Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York — passed laws establishing a Labor Day holiday. Also in 1887, about 10,000 Black sugar plantation workers in Terrebonne, St. […]
Study shows sharp increases in maternal deaths over two decades
A study from the University of Washington released Monday shows maternal mortality rates more than doubled in some states between 1999 and 2019, with sharp increases for some racial and ethnic groups. Researchers touted it as the first study to provide such maternal mortality calculations for every state. Previous reports have not included rates for […]
White House launches national plan to address gender-based violence in the U.S.
For the first time in history, the White House has launched a national plan to address gender-based violence on a federal level, introducing seven strategic action plans to help communities across the United States. “As long as there are women in this country and around the world who live in fear of violence, there’s more […]
The GOP won on Thursday in Tennessee. They’ll lose the fight on gun safety | John L. Micek
In the annals of brazenly destructive attacks on democracy, Thursday’s vote by Tennessee’s Republican-controlled state House to expel two Democratic lawmakers who led a decorum-busting protest over the cold-blooded murders of children is right up there. The hard reality that both of the expelled lawmakers were young Black men, while another lawmaker who avoided expulsion […]
Arkansas Senate narrowly passes bill to end state affirmative action programs
State Sen. Dan Sullivan’s bill to “end state-sponsored discrimination” squeaked through the Senate on Thursday by a single vote. Senate Bill 71 now goes to the House for consideration. The bill, which passed the Senate 18-12, prohibits state and local government agencies, including schools and universities, from taking into consideration race, sex, color, ethnicity or […]
Arkansas legislator says ending ‘state-sponsored discrimination’ is aim of his bill
Legislation that criminalizes government affirmative action programs in Arkansas heads to the full Senate after a panel approved it Tuesday. Senate Bill 71 by Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Jonesboro would do away with programs that encourage state agencies, public schools and colleges to hire people of color and women. The bill would make it […]
Aviation turmoil shifts attention to stalled confirmation of FAA chief
A breakdown in the federal aviation system earlier this month threw a spotlight on the absence of a Senate-confirmed leader of the Federal Aviation Administration, prompting Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to push for the chamber to confirm President Joe Biden’s choice to lead the agency. But key Senate Republicans have raised concerns about that nominee, […]
U.S. House Democrats make history electing first Black party leader in Congress
WASHINGTON — The three U.S. House Democrats who have led their party through four presidencies and thousands of floor votes formally passed the torch to the next generation Wednesday, when the party gathered behind closed doors to elect its top leaders for the 118th Congress. House Democrats named Hakeem Jeffries, of New York, as their […]
Young Black and Latino voters seen as key in turning back midterm ‘red wave’
WASHINGTON — Young Black and Latino voters were critical in holding off the Republican “red wave” in several battleground states for U.S. Senate seats and in tight U.S. House races in the midterm elections, according to analyses by researchers and grassroot organizations. Young, diverse voters between the ages of 18 and 29 had the second-highest […]
Affirmative action supporters rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court
WASHINGTON — The onset of rain did not deter students and supporters of affirmative action from protesting Monday morning outside the U.S. Supreme Court while justices considered two cases that could reshape the college admissions process. “It’s not a secret that if you eliminated race conscious policies, it would further diminish the number of students […]