Breaking News! History in the Making

Louisiana Governor Pardons Homer Plessy From ‘Separate But Equal’ Ruling
By BET staff, BET News The landmark 1896 case solidified Jim Crow. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards has pardoned Homer Adolph Plessy, of the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson ruling. According to CBS, Edwards signed the pardon during a ceremony outside the former rail station in New Orleans where Plessy was arrested 130 years ago for sitting in a white area…

George Floyd’s 4-Year-Old Niece Shot While Sleeping in Houston Home on New Year’s Day
By Noah A. McGee, The Root.com Houston Police took four hours to arrive at the scene of the shooting. A shooting that occurred on New Year’s Day in Houston, Texas injured a 4-year-old girl, Arianna Delane, while she was sleeping. The girl turned out to be the niece of George Floyd, who was killed last year after…

Wrongfully Accused: The Exoneration of Black People
By Noah A. McGee, The Root.com Experts explain why we ‘re seeing so many high-profile exonerations of Black people in the United States during the last few decades. In 2021, a total of 132 people received exonerations: 81 of them were Black. Just a decade ago in 2011, only 40 Black people were exonerated. Since 1989 there’s…

Racism Declared A Public Health Crisis In New York
By Joshua Eferighe, BET News The declaration is to combat discrimination and racism in New York’s healthcare system. Racism is now a public health crisis in New York. The declaration is a part of a series of measures signed last week (December 23) by Governor Kathy Hochul in an effort to address the inequities in New York’s healthcare…

Texas governor considers George Floyd pardon for 2004 conviction
By Associated Press, via The Grio Gov. Greg Abbott has yet to decide if he will issue the posthumous pardon. Doling out pardons is a holiday tradition for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who around every Christmas grants them to a handful of ordinary citizens, typically for minor offenses committed years or decades ago. But one name…

Pioneering Black educator’s statue to replace Confederate statue at the Capitol
By Kynala Phillips, NBC News The statue of Mary McLeod Bethune, a civil rights activist born to former slaves, will represent Florida in the National Statuary Hall Collection, starting in 2022. Civil rights activist and Bethune-Cookman University founder Mary McLeod Bethune will soon make history again. She will be the first Black person to represent…

Sharon Bowen named first Black woman chair of NYSE Board
By Ny Magee, The Grio.com Her appointment follows senior leadership changes across the company. Sharon Bowen has made history as the newly named board chair of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Bowen, a finance and securities lawyer, is the first Black woman to be appointed to the position. She has been a member of the…

America’s Black Holocaust Museum receives a $10 million commitment!
America’s Black Holocaust Museum (ABHM) is the recipient of a $10 million commitment made by an anonymous donor through the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. This transformational commitment is in support of ABHM’s recent announcement to reopen on February 25, 2022, and a strategic plan by NMBL Strategies that provides a roadmap to growth and sustainability for generations to come.

Homeowner convicted in killings of 2 teens smoking marijuana
Victor Santana, 65, of Dayton, Ohio will be sentenced later this month after being convicted of murder and felonious assault on Thursday.

Black worker claims employer required dreadlocks be cut in lawsuit
Jeffrey Thornton’s lawsuit may test the limits of California’s 2019 CROWN Act law against anti-Black hair discrimination.

Tech Firm Uses White Actors to Portray Black People
Murison Inc. conducts corporate diversity training but some question its tactics.

In Denver, Suicide Among Black Men is Soaring
Halim Ali is helping young Black men in Denver address the trauma and anger that can turn into violence and suicide.

White Police Officer Lied on Report to Justify Arresting Black Man in California
Headline: A former police officer in La Mesa, California lied on his report to get a Black man arrested. Shocker.

Nathanial Woods was Sentenced to Death For The Murder of Three Officers He Didn’t Shoot
On March 5, 2020, Nathanial Woods was executed in Alabama for the murder of three white Birmingham police officers. But, he was not the one behind the gun that murdered them…

Author Alice Sebold apologizes to Anthony Broadwater, wrongfully convicted of raping her
Broadwater’s 1982 conviction was overturned last week after authorities determined there were serious flaws in his prosecution.

LeBron James Enters NBA’s COVID-19 Protocols, Could Miss Multiple Games
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James will be sidelined indefinitely after entering the NBA’s coronavirus health and safety protocols.

Landlords less likely to reply to applicants with Black, LatinX names
The survey tracked over 25,000 interactions across the country between property managers and fake renters using names associated with non-White identities.