Jalyn Broussard went to kindergarten one day, proudly sporting a new hairstyle. But his modern fade quickly raised eyebrows among administrators at his Belmont, Calif., Catholic school. Officials called the 5-year-old’s mother to pick him up because his haircut violated the school’s standards. She was outraged. The school and Jalyn’s family reached a stalemate. According to…

A U.S. Department of Justice report finds significant faults in law enforcement’s response to the demonstrations last summer in Ferguson, Mo., over the slaying of Michael Brown, the Associated Press reports. State and local authorities antagonized demonstrators in several ways, such as using military-style equipment and inappropriately using tear gas. The DOJ also concluded that authorities…

Numerous people attended the Pickens County, Ala., NAACP meeting on June 29 to complain about false arrests from a drug sweep. The state’s NAACP said that the organization is launching an investigation, WBRC-TV reports. The claims stem from an 18-month drug operation that netted more than four dozen suspects. But many of them claim that…

North Carolina authorities have recaptured escaped murderer Kristopher Antonio McNeil and brought up a female prison worker on multiple charges, including having sex with the inmate, NBC News reports. McNeil, 29, is believed to have climbed a fence to escape from a minimum-security unit at Brown Creek Correctional Institute in Polkton, N.C., according to the…

The Baltimore County Police Department’s homicide unit has launched an investigation into the fatal police shooting of an unarmed black man in the Baltimore suburb of Owing Mills, according to Reuters. As The Root reported, three police officers, responding to a domestic disturbance Thursday, fired at least 19 rounds and killed 41-year-old Spencer Lee McCain.…

The Episcopal Church General Convention Saturday elected Bishop Michael Curry to serve as the denomination’s new presiding bishop, making him the first African American to lead the 1.9-million-member church, the Associated Press reports. It was a landslide victory, according to AP. Curry earned 121 of 174 votes on the first ballot. None of the other…

The Houston Texas City Council voted on June 24 to appoint Anthony Graves (pdf) to the board of the Houston Forensic Science Center, NBC News reports.   Graves, 49, is capturing headlines because he spent 18 years in prison—most of that time on death row—before his murder conviction was overturned in 2010. He has the full…

Updated Friday, June 26, 11:40 a.m. EDT: The Supreme Court has ruled that same-sex marriage is legal in the United States. The ruling effectively ends the ban on same-sex marriage that was still in effect in some 13 states.   Earlier: As the U.S. Supreme Court readied to announce its decision on same-sex marriage, a group of black clergy vowed to push…

Two decades ago, scores of black men gathered in the nation’s capital to pledge support to family and community. Some of the leaders of that original rally are planning another march—one that will include black women this time. Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan announced on June 24 that he plans to hold a Millions…

A police investigation has concluded that a Colorado Springs, Colo., officer acted properly when he pulled a black man from his car. The police sent a letter (pdf) notifying Ryan Brown that the officer is cleared of wrongdoing, despite what’s shown in the video of the encounter. The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado said the letter fails to…