This story discusses suicide, self-harm, and mental health crises. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or use the chat feature at 988lifeline.org to connect with trained counselors. ARLINGTON, Virginia — Raised in a religious community […]
Brandon Tensley
Brandon Tensley is Capital B's national politics reporter.
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy, Voting
Black Voting Power Is Under Attack, So Thousands Came to D.C. to Fight Back
WASHINGTON — Shirley Lee traveled nearly 1,500 miles from Houston to the nation’s capital. Wearing a cowboy hat emblazoned with an American flag, she said that she wasn’t going to miss this year’s March on Washington. “It’s my 70th birthday on Sunday, so [being here] is my birthday present to me,” Lee told Capital B. […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Trump Is Moving to Restrict Mail Voting Just Months Before the Midterms
With the midterm elections less than three months away, efforts to restrict access to the ballot box — efforts that could have major ramifications for Black voters — continue. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Trump administration to move forward, at least for now, with its plan to restrict mail voting. For months, […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment, Culture
Dolly Parton Made an Undeniable Mark on Black Culture
The “Queen of Country” Dolly Parton has died in Nashville, Tennessee, her family announced on Tuesday. The music icon was 80. “After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones,” Parton’s publicist, Marcel Pariseau, said Tuesday. Parton’s death reverberated across her […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
A Federal Judge Is Examining the Justice Department’s Case Against Don Lemon
Months after the arrest of journalist Don Lemon, a federal judge in Minnesota will probe whether grounds exist to toss the Justice Department’s case against him. On Aug. 18, Minnesota federal Judge Laura Provinzino issued an order demanding the Justice Department provide her with a wide swath of grand jury materials related to Lemon and […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy
Surprise Wins in Florida Primaries Will Test the Future of State’s Black Political Power
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida won the Aug. 18 Democratic primary for the state’s historically Black 20th Congressional District — besting contenders including a hip-hop icon, a former congresswoman accused of stealing disaster funds, a Jamaica-born former mayor, and a progressive educator. Beneath some of the drama that’s captured headlines lie real stakes […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Voting
Delaware Gives Black Voters New Protections Against Election Discrimination
WILMINGTON, Delaware — Wearing his Sunday best, Corey Gordon Jr. drove 30 minutes to Shiloh Baptist Church in Wilmington, Delaware, to witness a historic event that would impact his fundamental right to vote. The 22-year-old graduate of the University of Delaware saw firsthand how anti-diversity backlash could unsettle a campus. Over the past year, the […]
Posted inHealth, Politics & Policy
The First Black Woman Will Lead the CDC, but Can She Restore Trust?
The Senate has confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, placing her in charge of the agency beleaguered by turmoil: resignations, deep staff cuts, and major changes to vaccine policies. In a 51-44 vote Wednesday, the 54-year-old became the 22nd leader and the first Black woman to […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy
What El-Sayed’s Michigan Win Reveals About Black Voters and Democrats
Abdul El-Sayed is projected to win Michigan’s Democratic primary for a U.S. Senate seat, concluding a bruising contest that became a national proxy battle over where the party is headed and how Black voters might shape that future. While many observers framed the race around whether El-Sayed could break through with Black Michiganders — who […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, History
Ida B. Wells’ Family Is Debunking a Viral Claim About Nolan Wells
The messages came suddenly, and in great numbers. Friends. Colleagues. Acquaintances. Even strangers on Facebook and X. People kept asking Michelle Duster the same question: Was Nolan Wells — the Black 18-year-old from Mississippi whose death this month has triggered national outrage and demands for justice — really a descendant of Ida B. Wells? “I […]
