An early 20th-century NAACP map showing lynchings between 1909 and 1918. The maps were sent to politicians and newspapers in an effort to spur legislation protecting Black Americans. Library of Congress By Derek H. Alderman, University of Tennessee and Joshua F.J. Inwood, Penn State Originally Published: February 23, 2021 How…
Economy and security on the ballot in Nigeria – 5 things to watch in presidential election
By Carl LeVan, American University School of International Service \ Voters in Africa’s largest democracy will go to the polls on Feb. 25, 2023, to pick a new president. While voter turnout has been on a steady decline in Nigeria for two decades, a…
‘We need to see our heroes as human’: A historian connects Shirley Chisholm’s life and politics
Anastasia Curwood’s new biography on the first Black woman elected to Congress examines how Shirley Chisholm saw intersections and worked for progress. Originally published by The 19th By Rebekah Barber, The 19th Shirley Chisholm was a trailblazer: the first Black woman elected to Congress and the first Black candidate and…
‘A whole new perspective’: Jennifer McClellan could become first Black woman to represent Virginia in U.S. House
Originally published by The 19th The win in a February special election would represent a stunning first for the southern state and a boon for the ranks of Black women in the next Congress. By Mel Leonor Barclay, The 19th Jennifer McClellan, a veteran state legislator, could soon become the…
Karen Bass becomes the first woman elected mayor of Los Angeles
This story was originally published by The 19th By Nadra Nittle, The 19th Karen Bass has made history, defeating billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso to become the first woman — and the first Black woman — elected mayor of Los Angeles, Decision Desk HQ projects. Bass garnered 53 percent…
Vice President Harris says issues of “heart and home” are “under attack” on the eve of crucial midterms
Harris, interviewed by The 19th’s Errin Haines along with actor DeWanda Wise, emphasized abortion rights and democracy in her pre-election pitch to young voters of color. This story was originally published by The 19th By Grace Panetta, The 19th Vice President Kamala Harris warned that issues of “heart and home”…
How a divided America, including the 15% who are ‘MAGA Republicans,’ splits on QAnon, racism and armed patrols at polling places
By Garen Wintemute, University of California, Davis There is much talk about political violence in America these days. Garen Wintemute, a University of California, Davis, scholar who researches firearm violence, has recently led a nationwide survey research project on political violence. The Conversation U.S. asked him for a portrait of…
Why the ideology of the “New Right” is so dangerous
Johannes Steizinger, McMaster University The populist radical right has been on the rise for some time, with candidates and parties on the far-right fringe of the political spectrum reaching new heights across the world. The electoral successes of Donald Trump in the United States, Marine Le Pen in France, the…
Georgia’s GOP overhauled the state’s election laws in 2021 – and critics argue the target was Black voter turnout, not election fraud
Richard F. Doner, Emory University In the rash of election reform laws enacted after former President Donald Trump’s false claims of fraud during the 2020 presidential election, few were tougher than SB 202 – the Election Integrity Act – passed in 2021 in Georgia, a state long known for its…
More Than Two Years After George Floyd’s Murder Sparked a Movement, Police Reform Has Stalled. What Happened?
This story was originally published by ProPublica. By Jake Pearson, ProPublica ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. In the spring of 2020, George Floyd’s caught-on-camera murder by a Minneapolis police officer prompted massive…
US, Mexico prepare United Nations resolution to send help to Haiti as crisis worsens
The United States and Mexico officials are reportedly preparing a United Nations resolution that would send security reinforcements to Haiti as the country’s economic and political crisis deepens. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, announced during an emergency meeting with the U.N. Security Council that a proposed “non-U.N.”…
Nury Martinez resigns from L.A. City Council amid scandal
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nury Martinez resigned from her position today amid mounting calls for her and two other council members to resigned after an audio recording leaked. Martinez issued a statement announcing her departure from the council and asking for privacy. Dozens if people jam-packed the City Council chambers…
Crowd cheers after Alabama senator makes racist remark at Trump rally in Nevada
Alabama senator Thomas Tuberville is under scrutiny after making a racist remark during a Trump rally in Nevada on Saturday. The former college football coach told the audience that Democrats are “pro-crime” and support people who feel they are owed “reparations.” Many in attendance cheered after Tuberville, who has a…
L.A. City Councilwoman resigns as president after leaked audio of racist remarks about Black child and indigenous people
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nury Martinez resigned from her post as president of the council today after she was caught in a leaked audio recording using racist comments with two other council members and another official. In the audio, Martinez can be heard saying during a Martin Luther King Jr.…
Report: Names of hundreds of high-ranking law enforcement and elected officials documented in leaked Oath Keepers list
A report released on Wednesday revealed hundreds of names of high-ranking law enforcement officers, military service members and elected officials in leaked membership documentation belonging to Oath Keepers, a far-right extremist group. The Anti-Defamation League Center on Extremism sifted through more than 38,000 names on the leaked document and identified…
Prominent Black leaders meet with Biden after historic speech warning of extremists’ threat to US democracy
Following his historic primetime speech to the nation Thursday night, President Joe Biden convened with a group of prominent Black civil rights leaders on Friday to hear their concerns about threats to democracy and ongoing attempts by far-right conservatives to stymie Black voting power. Leaders representing multiple civil rights organizations,…
Back to School: For some kids, supplies are the least of their worries
Back to school has either arrived or is fast approaching for many children. For the millions of low-income students with food insecurities that depend on schools for free and/or reduced price breakfast to start the day — and lunches to sustain them from hunger — the school year could not…
United Nations experts warn of rising xenophobia in South Africa
Days before Nelson Mandela International Day, which is celebrated today, United Nations experts shared a warning about rising xenophobic sentiments and violence in South Africa. A group called “Special Rapporteurs,” said on Friday that xenophobic mobilization in South Africa is broader and deeper than it may appear, and has become…
Black pastor running for office shot twice with BB gun by White suspect in Washington
A Black pastor running for office in Washington state was reportedly injured after he was shot twice with a BB gun while he was canvassing. Pastor Dr. Carey Anderson of First AME Church in Auburn and Seattle, was shot at close range by a “young white male” in a black…
Video shows Nigerian official “fake” fainting during hearing over misappropriated funds
Video has resurfaced this week calling into question a hearing in 2020 over a Nigerian officials’ alleged misuse of funding for an African organization. The official was being questioned by the House of Representatives about 536 million Naira (USD $1.25 million) that he was accused of funneling instead of for…