coronavirus pandemic
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BET and National Urban League Launch Black Voter Day to Ensure Black Voices Are Heard at the Ballot Box
The diversity and political potency of Black voters is no secret, especially during a presidential election many regard as the most consequential of our lifetimes. Recognizing this, BET and the National Urban League on Friday launched the first Black Voter Day, aimed at encouraging Black Americans to vote and circulating important resources to help them…
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American Express Launches 'Coalition to Back Black Businesses,' Applications for First Round of $5,000 Grants Now Open
The coronavirus pandemic has placed an extraordinary toll on the Black community. The virus has become the third-leading cause of death for Black people and the economic fallout has had a disproportionate effect on Black people, as well. A program launched by American Express intends to alleviate some of the economic stress. Fast Company reports…
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Racist Letter With Coronavirus Misinformation Found Taped to Homes in Long Island
In recent months it’s felt like racists have been on a letter-writing campaign. If it’s not sending anonymous letters to families with Black Lives Matter signs in front of their homes, it’s spreading coronavirus misinformation. NBC News reports that multiple residents of the North Shore neighborhood in Long Island have reported finding letters taped to…
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Protesters Chant 'Orange Lives Matter' at Oklahoma Prison Facing Coronavirus Outbreak
In Taft, Okla., a group of protesters have gathered outside a local prison currently facing an outbreak of COVID-19. KTUL-8 reports that protesters have taken to chanting “Orange Lives Matter,” outside of Eddie Warrior Correctional Center, a minimum-security women’s prison. They’re concerned with the way the prison has handled an emerging coronavirus outbreak. Merri Davila…
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Study Shows Black People Are Underrepresented in COVID-19 Vaccine Trials
A new study has revealed that despite being disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Black people are underrepresented in clinical trials for a vaccine. CBS News reports that while Black people make up 18 percent of the nation’s population, they only represent 11 percent and 16 percent of Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccine trials, respectively. Both…
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Pennsylvania Governor Wants to Legalize Marijuana to Help With COVID-19 Recovery Effort
Pennsylvania’s Democratic Governor Tom Wolf included marijuana legalization as part of his legislative agenda for the state’s COVID-19 economy recovery plan. CNN reports that Gov. Wolf has asked the state legislature to work towards legalizing marijuana. A press release outlining his proposed plan states that 50 percent of marijuana sales be directed towards historically disadvantaged…
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Study Shows Police Killings Haven't Slowed Despite There Being A Whole-Ass Pandemic
A new study has shown that despite the ongoing pandemic, there has not been a significant decrease in fatal police shootings. According to NBC News, a report by the ACLU titled “The Other Epidemic: Fatal Police Shootings in the Time of COVID-19,” shows that through June of this year there had been 511 fatal police…
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Can the NCAA Survive Financially If March Madness Is Canceled Again? Coach K Doesn't Sound Too Sure
I’m sure you’ve heard this before—more than likely here at The Root—but the NCAA is big business for everybody but Black players. And when I say big business, I mean it’s been generating over a billion dollars annually since 2016, between television and marketing rights fees and ticket sales. Yet as lucrative of a business…
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As US Death Toll Hit 1,000 Per Day, New Study Says COVID-19 Has Become Third Leading Cause of Death for Black People
COVID-19 has taken an unrelenting toll on this country in the five months since the pandemic began. As deaths hit 1,000 per day over the last month, new data suggests that COVID-19 has become the third leading cause of death for Black people. According to CBS News, a new study from the Brookings Institution shows…
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NFL to Get Rid of Live National Anthem Performances This Season. Could That Affect Protests Too?
Whether or not we’ll see fans in attendance this season at NFL games has yet to be determined. But one thing we won’t see this season is live performances of the national anthem. The NFL we all know and love will undoubtedly look drastically different this year. And in its efforts to reduce the threat…