It all started with a QR code. When Gerry James learned this summer that signs had been posted at National Park Service sites encouraging visitors to use a QR code to report information that could be considered “negative about either past or living Americans,” he wanted to change the conservation. He felt as if the […]
Brandon Tensley
Brandon Tensley is Capital B's national politics reporter.
Posted inFederal Overhaul, Politics & Policy
A Growing Warning From Black Veterans: The Military Isn’t Safe for Us
Federal Overhaul is a multipart series that explores the impact of the Trump administration’s restructuring of the federal government on Black communities. ARLINGTON, Virginia — “Not right now, baby girl. Now’s not the time for you.” That was the advice that Tavorise Marks, who served in the U.S. Army for 15 years, recently had for […]
Posted inHistory
National Parks Drop Free MLK Day and Juneteenth Entry, Further Erasing Black History
Alan Spears remembers visiting Gettysburg National Military Park with his parents in the 1970s. They wanted something educational, free, and fun to do with their only son, and the park was an obvious choice, given Spears’ interests — his favorite television show as a child was The Rat Patrol, about soldiers during World War II. […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Voting
‘We Don’t Want Voices Silenced’: Black Voting Power at Risk in Redistricting Battle
When Marsha Mitchell’s racial solidarity organization, Community Coalition, participated in Day of the Dead celebrations this month, she honored her grandparents. They were born in the Jim Crow South, in Arkansas, and didn’t enjoy the same rights that she grew up with, like the right to vote. Mitchell, who lives in South Los Angeles, wanted […]
Posted inEducation, HBCUs, Politics & Policy, Student Loans
Fate of HBCU Funding Uncertain as Trump Moves to Dismantle Education Department
In a move that could have disproportionate impacts on Black students and families, the Trump administration announced this month that it will relocate certain responsibilities out of the U.S. Department of Education in an effort to strip the agency of much of its authority. This includes plans to transfer several key programs — including those […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Voting
Supreme Court Case Threatens Mail-in Ballots for Black Voters
For Mississippians, there’s been no escaping the attempts to dilute Black political power. Two Black Democrats won special elections on Nov. 4 to break the Republican supermajority in the Mississippi Senate. Then, six days later, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a Republican-led challenge to mail-in voting. Johnny DuPree and Theresa Gillespie Isom both […]
Posted inEconomy, Employment, Food Access, Health, Politics & Policy
Government Shutdown Ends, Offers Relief for Black Federal Workers
It’s over. The longest government shutdown in history — and one that disproportionately impacted Black Americans — formally ended Wednesday after a handful of Democratic senators broke ranks with the party to advance a deal. The Senate passed the measure on Monday, and the House followed on Wednesday; President Donald Trump signed the funding bill late […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy
Virginia’s History-Making Governor’s Race Win Is About More Than Representation
ARLINGTON, Virginia — Democrats secured victories in key races in Virginia on Nov. 4. Abigail Spanberger, 46, won the governor’s race and will be the first woman to enter the state’s Executive Mansion in the role. She defeated Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, 61. And Jay Jones, 36, overcame a scandal involving violent text messages. He defeated […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
This District Built On Civil Rights Legacy Has Gone Months Without Representation
Uncertainty continues to hang over Texas’ 18th Congressional District. No single candidate secured 50% of the vote in the Nov. 4 special election, meaning that the race is heading to a runoff. The top two vote-getters — Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee and former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards — will compete at a date […]
Posted inEconomy, Employment, Politics & Policy
Employment and Health Care Take Center Stage in Virginia Governor’s Race
ARLINGTON, Va. — Sequoia Ross was stunned when she saw the price of groceries during a recent trip to the store. Items ought to be more affordable, said the single mother of four and eighth grade English teacher, who lives in Amelia County, located in Virginia’s Richmond metropolitan area. “And I don’t mean through stipends […]