Featured – These Black Soldiers Fought for America. It Didn’t Protect Them From Jim Crow. The black soldiers of the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion had a critical role to play in WWII—but before they deployed, they faced violence in the Jim Crow South. In a little-known chapter of World War II, thousands of African-American troops trained to fly barrage balloons, defensive weapons used to protect Allied soldiers from dive-bombing enemy planes during the D-Day invasion. This is their story. Linda Hervieux / The Daily Beast Read more

The Newest Jim Crow. Many of the current reform efforts contain the seeds of the next generation of racial and social control, a system of “e-carceration” that may prove more dangerous and more difficult to challenge than the one we hope to leave behind. Increasingly, computer algorithms are helping to determine who should be caged and who should be set “free.” Freedom — even when it’s granted, it turns out — isn’t really free. Michelle Alexander / NYT Read more

‘The Worst Attorney General in Modern History’: Jeff Sessions’ Last Act at the DOJ Solidified His Devotion to Racist Policies. His last decree was to drastically limited the ability of federal officials to use court-enforced deals to require reforms at police departments that are found systematically violating people’s civil rights. Jessica Corbett / AlterNet Read more

Half of white women continue to vote Republican. What’s wrong with them?  Some 53% of white women voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election – the real story of white women voters is both more grim and more complex than the figure reveals. Moira Donegan / The Guardian Read more

Real America Versus Senate America. Economic and demographic trends have interacted with political change to make the Senate deeply unrepresentative of American reality. Real America is mainly metropolitan; Senate America is still largely rural. Real America is racially and culturally diverse; Senate America is still very white. Paul Krugman / NYT Read more

Letitia James wins race for New York attorney general race. Letitia James won the race for New York attorney general on Tuesday, setting her up to become a key legal combatant to President Donald Trump’s administration. Jon Cambell / Democrat & Chronicle Read more

Two Native American women are headed to Congress. This is why it matters. Centuries ago, colonists demoted indigenous women from leadership roles. We’ve been fighting to get them back ever since. Sharice Davids, a Kansas Democrat who was elected to a U.S. House seat, gives a victory speech to supporters at an election party in Olathe, Kan., on Nov. 6. Sarah Sunshine Manning / Wash Post Read more

In ‘Becoming,’ Michelle Obama Mostly Opts for Empowerment Over Politics. Early in “Becoming,” she recalls how, as a 10-year-old, she earned the respect of a mean girl named DeeDee by throwing a punch at her. Four decades later, campaigning for Hillary Clinton, Obama made an impassioned case for civility — “When they go low, we go high” — that she explains as part of a lifelong belief in speaking out “against bullies while also not stooping to their level.” Jennifer Szalai / NYT Read more

‘Amazing Grace’: Watch Long-Awaited Aretha Franklin Concert Film Trailer. Sydney Pollack’s 1972 documentary will premiere November 12th at 2018 DOC NYC film festival. Aretha Franklin belts her signature gospel songs in the debut trailer for long-awaited concert documentary ‘Amazing Grace.“The album sold over 2 million copies and became the jewel in the crown of the queen. Ryan Reed / Rolling Stone Watch here
Common teams up with Tony Parker, Drew Brees for new boxing documentary. Hollywood’s creative community came out on Tuesday night for the premiere screening of a documentary that aims to deliver hope. They Fight follows a group of Washington, D.C., athletes who are part of the Lyfe Style Boxing training program. Kelley L. Carter / The Undefeated Read more

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