In the wake of this past weekend’s shooting near Florida A&M University, alumni, students, and faculty were quick to remind people the violence wasn’t on the campuses. For others, the shooting was also a call to action. Police said Saturday’s shooting stemmed from an altercation following FAMU’s homecoming game against the University of Arkansas at […]
Criminal Justice
Posted inCriminal Justice, Partner Content, Policing
Mississippi AG Says Police Shooting That Killed 1-Year-Old Was ‘Justified’
Kohen Kartier Wiley would have turned 2 on Nov. 1, but instead of celebrating his birthday, his family is sitting with grief and anger months after he was shot by a police officer. “You shot my grandbaby from the side of the car,” his grandmother Veronica Roberson said Thursday as she stood in Senatobia Church […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, HBCUs
Morehouse College Assault Allegations Spark Spelman Student Protest
This story discusses sexual assault. If you or someone you know needs support, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at (800) 656-4673, or access online support at online.rainn.org. Accusations of sexual misconduct by a prominent Morehouse College fraternity member are roiling the Atlanta University Center, and now Spelman College students are speaking out. Earlier this […]
Posted inGun Violence, HBCUs, Partner Content
A Teenager’s Death Exposes the Gun Violence Crisis Facing HBCU Homecomings
This story was originally published by The Trace, a nonprofit newsroom covering gun violence in America. Sign up for its newsletters here. Tamika Johnson nodded her head up and down in acknowledgment as her husband, Larry, questioned whether the ambulance she saw on her cellphone could be carrying their teenage son. The couple was rushing […]
Posted inCulture, Public Safety
Black Women Are Joining Gun Groups in Atlanta Amid Political Tensions
The sporadic “pop!” of gunfire pierced the cool autumn air for hours at the South River Gun Club in Covington on Sept. 26 as Shante Stewart and her classmates took aim. Gold bullet casings decorated the gravel beneath their feet as the students lined up their shots. The targets were fluorescent orange sporting clays set […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, History
A Series of Hanging Deaths Has Black Families Demanding Answers
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. You can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or use the chat feature at 988lifeline.org to connect with trained counselors 24/7. A teenage immigrant is reported […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice, Juvenile Justice
Karmelo Anthony Denied New Trial in Deadly Track Meet Stabbing
In the months since Karmelo Anthony’s conviction in the murder of Austin Metcalf, his parents have spoken out against the verdict, details have emerged that weren’t presented in his first trial, and a judge has denied his legal team’s request for a new trial. The Texas case grabbed national attention, while a controversial Texas law […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Partner Content, Violence Against Women
Keshia Golden, Who Said She Killed Boyfriend in Self-Defense, Accepts Plea Deal
This story was originally reported by Jasmine Mithani of The 19th. Content warning: This story references incidents of domestic violence. Keshia Golden, a Black mother and survivor of domestic violence who says she accidentally killed her boyfriend in self-defense, accepted a plea deal for involuntary manslaughter that would allow her to avoid jail time. She […]
Posted inCourts, Environmental Justice, Politics & Policy
Trump Ordered to Release Billions in Climate Grants Meant for Black Communities
Dominika Parry never stopped fighting for Jackson, Mississippi, residents even after the Trump administration terminated a multibillion-dollar program last year meant to help the Black city still reeling from a water crisis. For years, if water did flow out of Black households’ faucets in Jackson at all, it was often brown. It left elders and […]
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 […]
