Feb 13 How St. Louis is approaching the question of reparations for Black citizens By Gabrielle Hays The city is set to launch a reparations commission soon, which will hold its first public meeting no later than 45 days after its appointment. All meetings will be open to the public and include public input. Continue reading
Feb 11 Watch 6:07 Doug Williams on the significance of 2 Black quarterbacks in the Super Bowl By John Yang, Rachel Wellford, Winston Wilde Sunday’s Super Bowl will mark the first time in NFL history that both teams’ starting quarterbacks are Black — Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles. Former NFL star Doug Williams, who was… Continue watching
Feb 11 Watch 4:32 How Robert Smalls sailed his crew and family to freedom during the Civil War By John Yang, Kaisha Young During the transatlantic slave trade, Charleston, South Carolina was one of the largest slave ports in the United States. But at the height of the Civil War, Charleston’s waterfront was the backdrop of one enslaved man’s daring escape. In part… Continue watching
Feb 07 Watch 6:51 New England’s role in Frederick Douglass’ first steps to freedom By Pamela Watts, Alison Thoet When Frederick Douglass escaped slavery he was aided by friends in the daring and dangerous getaway. He went from being on the run to becoming one of the most influential Americans of the 19th century. Pamela Watts of Rhode Island… Continue watching
Feb 04 Watch 5:24 How a trailblazing Black lawyer took down a top New York City mafia boss By John Yang, Kaisha Young This Black History Month, PBS News Weekend is highlighting stories of Black Americans whose lives and work are lesser known — their accomplishments all the more significant because they were made in the face of injustices and discrimination. In the… Continue watching
Feb 01 Watch 8:18 College Board releases African American Studies course framework after DeSantis criticism By Geoff Bennett, Karina Cuevas The College Board released the official framework of a new Advanced Placement course on African American studies. It comes after criticism from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who said the initial curriculum violated a state law limiting teachings on race in… Continue watching
Jan 31 Watch 6:36 Jake Blount’s new twist on Black American folk music By Tom Casciato When folklorists went to the American South last century to record and preserve traditional string band music, they probably didn’t imagine that someday a 27-year-old like Jake Blount would come along to not only update the tradition but to help… Continue watching
Jan 30 Watch 6:46 How videos of police brutality traumatize many Americans By Geoff Bennett, Courtney Norris Authorities said releasing video of the Tyre Nichols beating was important to convey the brutality of the attack. But for many Americans, the video is traumatizing and one of far too many they have witnessed after a police killing. Clinical… Continue watching
Jan 26 A statue honoring a Native ballerina was stolen in Oklahoma. This artist is piecing it together again By Adam Kemp A bronze statue of a Native ballerina was stolen, dismantled and sold for scrap in Tulsa, Oklahoma. One artist is piecing the sculpture back together in hopes that it will continue inspiring Native dancers today. Continue reading
Jan 23 Watch 6:25 Filmmaker Sky Hopinka’s unconventional ways of telling Native stories By Jeffrey Brown, Lena I. Jackson The artist and filmmaker Sky Hopinka was awarded the prestigious MacArthur Genius Award last fall, celebrating a decade of his experimental work focused on Indigenous people. Jeffrey Brown met Hopinka in New York’s Hudson Valley for the final story in… Continue watching