Race

An officer speaks to migrants as they arrive at the Roxham Road border crossing in Quebec, Canada, earlier this month.

U.S. and Canada reach a deal to close a popular but unofficial border crossing

7:29pm March 24, 2023

by Joel Rose

The U.S. and Canada have reached a deal that will allow both countries to turn back migrants at unofficial border crossings. President Biden announced the deal in remarks to the Canadian Parliament.

National

Black veterans are less likely to be approved for benefits, according to VA documents

4:37pm March 24, 2023

by Quil Lawrence

A whistleblower said the Department of Veterans Affairs has known of and tracked racial disparities in benefits decisions for years. Here's an update an ongoing discrimination lawsuit against the VA.

The Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas was the site of an attack by British national Malik Faisal Akram, who was in a 10-hour hostage standoff with law enforcement. A new report by the Anti-Defamation League says antisemitic incidents in the U.S. rose 36% in 2022.

Antisemitic incidents are at an all-time high, the ADL reports

9:24pm March 23, 2023

by Vanessa Romo

The annual report says instances of harassment, assault and propaganda are all on the rise. It warns public officials and social media stars have helped normalize longstanding antisemitic tropes.

Tommy Nalls Jr. at a teacher job fair in Starkville, Miss. The head of recruitment for Jackson Public Schools says he's proud of his district's rise in state rankings, from an F-rated district to a C.

What we do (and don't) know about teacher shortages, and what can be done about them

12:12pm March 22, 2023

by Cory Turner

Limited national data suggest teachers are plentiful, but many districts that serve some of the most vulnerable students would beg to differ.

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Carole Lindstrom's new book My Powerful Hair features illustrations by Steph Littlebird.

'Like a living scrapbook': 'My Powerful Hair' is a celebration of Native culture

6:12am March 22, 2023

by Elizabeth Blair

Author Carole Lindstrom follows Caldecott-winning We Are Water Protectors with another children's book featuring Native culture. She says she hopes it helps kids "see themselves in a positive way."

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Republican state Rep. Mallerie Stromswold votes on a bill on the House floor of the Montana state Capitol on Jan. 13, 2023.

Can moderates survive state politics? In Montana, they may be going extinct

3:39pm March 21, 2023

by Shaylee Ragar

Across the country, parties are consolidating political power in states and squeezing out the moderate middle. In Montana, that squeeze is changing political representation and whose voice counts.

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Books
Arts

'Benjamin Banneker and Us' traces generations of descendants of the mathematician

10:05am March 21, 2023

by Ericka Taylor

Rachel Jamison Webster learned she is related to Benjamin Banneker at a cousin's wedding. The news was unexpected, not only because of Banneker's place in history but also because the author is white.

"They are thriving," says Gary Walker of his adopted children Mazzy and Ransom. The hope is that with better addiction care, more Cherokee children can remain in intact families.

Opioids are devastating Cherokee families. The tribe has a $100 million plan to heal

5:33am March 19, 2023

by Brian Mann

The fentanyl crisis is hitting young people hard, and the highest death rates are in Native American communities. The Cherokee Nation is working to help young families recover.

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A Florida professor says his contract was terminated for teaching about racial justice

4:51pm March 18, 2023

A longtime English professor at Palm Beach Atlantic University says his "decision to teach and speak about racial justice" led to a parent complaining and the university terminating his contract.

John James Audubon inspired generation with his Birds of America compendium. But his legacy also includes racist views and the owning and selling of enslaved people — bringing calls for the National Audubon Society to change its name.

National

Audubon faces a backlash after deciding to keep name that evokes a racist enslaver

2:39pm March 18, 2023

by Bill Chappell

Three board members resigned after the National Audubon Society rejected calls to change its name. Some local groups are renaming themselves anyway.