Race

A Birthday Cake for Washington has been the subject of much criticism because it portrays slaves as being happy.

Amid Controversy, Scholastic Pulls Picture Book About Washington's Slave

2:50pm January 18, 2016

by Eyder Peralta

The book tells the story of Hercules, a slave who President George Washington used as a chef. The book shows Hercules and his daughter happy and taking pride in making Washington a birthday cake.

Cover detail from William Grimes' narrative.

Books
Arts

When Ancestry Search Led To Escaped Slave: 'All I Could Do Was Weep'

1:49pm January 18, 2016

Regina Mason's great-great-great-grandfather, a man named William Grimes, was a runaway slave and the author of what is now considered to be the first fugitive slave narrative.

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Actor Idris Elba To U.K. Politicians: More Diverse Roles Needed

12:22pm January 18, 2016

by Tanya Ballard Brown

"When you don't reflect the real world, too much talent gets trashed," the Golden Globe winner says. Elba is scheduled to speak to senior TV executives and more than 100 members of Parliament.

Politics & Government

Over Decades, Jail Populations Rise, Disproportionally Affecting Black Residents

11:21am January 18, 2016

by Sean Bueter

The number of people being held in jails nationwide has more than quadrupled over the past few decades, and it's disproportionally affecting African-Americans.

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Demonstrators march in December 2015 in Cleveland, Ohio, the day after a grand jury declined to indict a police officer in the fatal shooting of Tamir Rice in 2014.

National

Decades Since His Death, MLK's Shadow Still Shapes Today's Activism

6:30pm January 17, 2016

by NPR Staff

It's been nearly half a century since the death of Martin Luther King Jr. As the U.S. prepares to celebrate his work, it's worth asking: What does King's legacy mean for today's grass-roots activists?

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A screenshot of Florida Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart Spanish-language response to the State of the Union address, which has a different message on immigration than the one in South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley's response speech.

Latino Reaction Split On Republicans' Spanish Language Message

7:15am January 16, 2016

by Adrian Florido

The Republican Spanish-language response to State of the Union was almost identical to the one delivered in English, except on the issue of immigration. Will that help or hurt with Latino voters?

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National

Slocum Massacre Highlights Historical Double Standard In The South

6:24pm January 15, 2016

by David Martin Davies

On Saturday in Slocum, Texas, the state will officially recognize the Slocum Massacre of 1910 — the attack on a black community in east Texas by white residents. The recognition comes over the objections of the white county officials.

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Arts

Oscars Still So White: Academy Nominates Nearly All White Actors, Again

6:10pm January 15, 2016

For the second year in a row, no non-white actor was among the 20 acting nominations for the Academy Awards.

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Tom Houck, standing in front of a mural at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta.

National

The Accidental Wheelman Of Martin Luther King Jr.

11:09am January 15, 2016

by NPR Staff

In the mid-'60s, Tom Houck left high school to join the civil rights movement. But he never expected he'd become the personal driver to the movement's leader — mostly because he had a license.

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Housing segregation leads to racially distinct social spaces, and not just when it comes to schools or offices.

Where Brunch And Housing Segregation Collide

4:16pm January 14, 2016

by Leah Donnella

The consequences of housing segregation can be severe. But they can also be intimate and nebulous, and show up at the most awkward times.