She’s home. Brittany Martin, the South Carolina woman who spent nearly four years in prison after being arrested at a George Floyd protest in June 2020, has been released. Martin, 36, had been separated from her five children and husband for nearly 1,000 days before her release on Wednesday morning. She was transferred from the […]
South Carolina
Posted inCriminal Justice, Partner Content, Politics & Policy
She Was Accused of Murder After Losing Her Pregnancy. This South Carolina Woman Now Tells Her Story.
ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Amari Marsh had just finished her junior year at South Carolina State University in May 2023 when she received a text message from a law enforcement officer. “Sorry it has taken this long for paperwork to come back,” the officer wrote. “But I finally have the final report, and wanted to see […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
South Carolina Court Upheld Brittany Martin’s 4-Year Sentence for Protesting
In another blow for Brittany Martin and her family, South Carolina Court of Appeal judges disagreed that her 4-year prison sentence for yelling at police officers during a protest was excessive and upheld her conviction. And, in May, Martin was denied an early release by a state parole board. She won’t have another hearing until […]
Posted inClimate Change, Environmental Justice, Partner Content
Facing Climate Gentrification, This Historic Black Community Embraces Conservation
Flooding the Market: First in a series originally published by Inside Climate News about climate change and coastal threats in South Carolina. TEN MILE, S.C. — At high tide, the marsh alongside Seafood Road disappears under an inscrutable mirror of water. Then, as it drains, reeds resurface and begin to trace hundreds of paths through the […]
Posted inCulture, Everything's Political, Politics & Policy
Everything’s Political, Including the L.A. Rebellion
Welcome back to Everything’s Political, Capital B’s weekly news, culture, and politics newsletter! In this edition, learn about how a pioneering Black actor lived up to the idea that all art is political, what an Arkansas ruling means for two Black educators in the state, why Louisiana might backtrack on its voting map, what’s next […]
Posted inEverything's Political, Politics & Policy
Everything’s Political, Including This Holiday
Welcome back to Everything’s Political, Capital B’s news, culture, and politics newsletter! Every Thursday, I’ll take a look at recent stories that seem particularly noteworthy. But before we dive into this week’s roundup, I first wanted to let you know that Capital B has released a mission statement and FAQ explaining how our national newsroom […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Voting
Federal Court Strikes Major Blow to Black Voting Rights
A federal district court’s order on Thursday allowing South Carolina to use a racially discriminatory congressional map for the 2024 election cycle is a gut punch to Black voters. “For over a century, the NAACP has worked fervently to protect Black Americans’ access to the ballot box. Make no mistake — these discriminatory maps are […]
Posted inEminent Domain, Rural Issues
A Year After Attempted Land Grab, Hilton Head Elder’s Case Is Settled
Until her last breath, 94-year-old Josephine Wright fought tirelessly to protect her family’s land from developers. Two months after her passing, the battle is over. The lawsuit filed against Wright has reached a settlement, according to a report from South Carolina Public Radio. Altimese Nichole, a family spokesperson, said the settlement requires developer Bailey Point […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice
South Carolina Punished a Black Woman for Protesting. Her Supporters Demand Her Release.
The moment Eric Kennedy laid eyes on Brittany Martin a decade ago, he knew she was the woman he wanted to share the rest of his life with. From the rich tones of her melanated skin to her unwavering pride for being a Black woman and mother, Kennedy’s admiration of Martin has been unconditional, even […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Why Some Black South Carolinians Aren’t Responding to Nikki Haley’s Message
Kym Smith is passionate about a wide range of causes, from pushing for South Carolina public schools to include Black history in their curricula to bringing adequate health care to Black communities. But rarely, if ever, does Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley grapple with issues of deep-seated racial inequality, said Smith, a 36-year-old mother and […]