Capital B is a nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering Black-focused, independent, fact-based journalism that informs, inspires, and empowers our community. We work hard to bring you the stories that often go untold—stories that matter. We believe in keeping our journalism accessible and free for everyone, and as a nonprofit, your tax-deductible contribution makes all […]
Aallyah Wright
Aallyah Wright is the rural issues reporter for Capital B. From farmers to land fights to health care and jobs, her reporting explores the issues that matter most while celebrating culture and joy.
Follow her on Bluesky @aallyahpatrice.bsky.social and Instagram @journalistaallyah.
Posted inAgriculture, Black Farmers, Rural Issues
In the Mississippi Delta, Black Farmers Are Rebuilding the Legacy of Land Ownership
JONESTOWN, Miss. — As Pastor Bennie Brown sat in the bright red pews of St. James Missionary Baptist, just a few feet away from the podium where he preaches every Sunday, the 71-year-old farmer recalled feeling the spiritual presence of the ancestors. The church is located in Jonestown, an all-Black rural town in the Mississippi […]
Posted inEconomy, Employment, Money, Partner Content
Black Women’s Unemployment Is Rising. Economists Say It’s a Warning Sign.
Originally published by The 19th Unemployment rates over the past year have remained largely steady for every group of workers but one: Black women, whose unemployment rates have been rising. For the past three months that increase has been even more pronounced, with Black women’s unemployment rate hovering at 6 percent — twice the rate […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice, Partner Content, Public Safety, Violence Against Women
For Black Women, ‘Diddy’ Verdict Is a Reminder of Justice Denied
Originally published by The 19th A raucous scene unfolded outside the New York City courthouse where a jury Wednesday acquitted Sean “Diddy” Combs of the most serious charges — sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy — against him during a six-week trial in which witnesses painted the rap mogul as a monster who preyed on vulnerable […]
Posted inCulture, History
Despite Corporate Pullback, Black Americans Keep Juneteenth Traditions Alive
This story was originally published in 2022 and has been updated. Nearly four years ago, a year after the death of George Floyd, corporate sponsors and business poured money and support into celebrating the Juneteenth holiday. They’ve since scaled back its efforts, as the political climate has changed in some parts of the country, and […]
Posted inCulture, History
South Carolina’s Gullah Geechee Are Denied Their Right to Bury Their Loved Ones
For generations, Mary Mack’s family has offered free burial plots to the bereaved families on St. Helena Island. It’s an ancestral calling and a tradition. Spanning 64 square miles, the island on the coast of South Carolina is home to one of the largest remaining Gullah Geechee communities in the southeast U.S. Surrounded by creeks, […]
Posted inHealth, Partner Content, Science
Kennedy’s HHS Sent Congress ‘Junk Science’ To Defend Vaccine Changes, Experts Say
A document the Department of Health and Human Services sent to lawmakers to support Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision to change U.S. policy on covid vaccines cites scientific studies that are unpublished or under dispute and mischaracterizes others.
Posted inCulture, Economic Development, History
‘Sinners’ Shows Clarksdale’s Past. What’s Next for the Birthplace of the Blues?
CLARKSDALE, MISS. – Tyler Yarbrough makes it clear. Sinners and the cultural fest that followed may have thrust Clarksdale into the national spotlight, but this moment represents the culmination of years of hard-fought progress. In as little as three weeks, community members, more than a dozen sponsors, and partners planned and executed Clarksdale Culture Capital’s […]
Posted inCulture, History
Clarksdale Pushed for a Screening of ‘Sinners’. They’re Getting One This Week.
When Jaleesa Collins discovered that Sinners was set in her hometown, she saw it as a great opportunity to organize a public screening. The military veteran, philanthropist and entrepreneur — along with Dave “Dooney” Houston, owner of Dooney’s Barbershop and Carnival Treats — originally pitched the idea as a fundraiser for the first-ever Clarksdale Day, […]
Posted inEducation, HBCUs
Despite Pushback From Students and Alumni, DeSantis Ally Picked to Lead FAMU
The Florida A&M University Board of Trustees on Friday picked Marva Johnson as the school’s 13th president in an 8-4 vote. Her selection is subject to confirmation by the 17-member Florida Board of Governors, which oversees the state’s public university system. This decision comes as a blow to many students and alumni. Over the past […]
