mississippi
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Weeks After Attending Haircutting Competition, Mississippi Barber Dies From COVID-19
The family of a beloved Mississippi barber who recently passed away from COVID-19 is making a plea to anyone who will listen: Stay at home. Eugene Thompson, owner of Taper Nation barbershop and barber academy in Brookhaven, Miss., died Saturday in a Jackson hospital two weeks after testing positive for the novel coronavirus, WJTV reports.…
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Appeals Court Revives Lawsuit Alleging Racial Disparities in Mississippi Schools
Racial disparities in education have long been an issue that black people want addressed and remedied. From redlining to a general lack of resources, schools in black communities have gotten the short end of the stick for some time. In Mississippi, a group advocating for education reform seeks to take action in closing the racial…
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Mississippi Gov. Declares April ‘Confederate Heritage Month’ as Global Pandemic Rages On
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has recently received criticism for his handling of the coronavirus crisis after having initially refused to shut down nonessential businesses in his state, a decision he reversed a day later. Now, as the world continues to suffer under a global pandemic, Reeves has been working really hard… declaring a “Confederate Heritage…
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‘A Dangerous Gamble’: Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey Refuses to Order ‘Shelter-in-Place’ for Residents, Leaving Black Alabamans Especially at Risk
It looks like Nathaniel Woods isn’t the only person Gov. Kay Ivey is willing to put to death. The Republican governor announced during a press conference on Thursday that the state would not be enacting “shelter-in-place” measures, which have been shown in other countries to mitigate the disastrous effects of the coronavirus. From Talking Points…
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Multiple GOP-Led States Use Coronavirus to Limit Abortion Access
The entire country is in the midst of a public health crisis not seen in modern times. That fact hasn’t stopped the GOP from being the GOP. In fact, they saw fit to fully take advantage of the situation. CNN reports that Ohio, Mississippi and Texas have listed abortions as non-essential surgery. They defended this…
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With Lack of Consistent COVID-19 Messaging From Trump Administration, Lax Responses and Misinformation May Increase Health Risks
Since the coronavirus broke out in the U.S., Donald Trump has offered mixed messages on the severity of the virus, America’s readiness to combat it, and what the administration plans to do to help millions of Americans access healthcare and resources as the pandemic spreads. Just today, Trump said he hoped to have businesses back…
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Mississippi Police Investigating Hate Crime After 12-Year-Old Is Given Racist Doll With Noose Around Its Neck
Parenthood is all about preparation. Before heading to the zoo, you fumble through your diaper bag to make sure you’re stocked up on wet wipes. Or if you’re hosting a playdate, you might want to childproof your living room to avoid an inevitable injury should your kid slip and bust their ass. But there are…
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Jackson State University President Among 17 Arrested in Prostitution Sting
I believe the phrase is “not like this.” USA Today reports that William Bynum Jr., president of Jackson State University in Mississippi, was among 17 people arrested over the weekend during a two-day prostitution sting that led to a total of eight felony charges. The 57-year-old was charged with procuring the services of a prostitute,…
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Justice Department to Investigate Conditions in Four Mississippi Prisons
Each week it feels like yet another story comes out about a prisoner being killed in a Mississippi prison. Hopefully,tonight’s news means that meaningful change is on the way. CNN reports that the Justice Department has begun an investigation into four Mississippi prisons. The investigation is being spearheaded by the departments Civil Rights Division and…
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Changes Are Coming to Mississippi Prisons Amid Rising Violence and Lack of Inmate Care
Lately, the Mississippi prison system has been doing a lot to challenge my assumption that HBO’s Oz was a complete work of fiction. The sheer violence and harsh living conditions inmates suffer alone is enough for Mississippi prison stories to inspire another season or two of the show. Earlier this month, The Root reported that…