Race in America Topics

Democracy Now! stories, posts and pages that relate to Race in America

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  • Harburg

    A Tribute to Blacklisted Lyricist Yip Harburg: The Man Who Put the Rainbow in The Wizard of Oz

    His name might not be familiar to many, but his songs are sung by millions around the world. Today, we take a journey through the life and work of Yip Harburg, the Broadway lyricist who wrote such hits as "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" and who put the music into The Wizard of Oz. Born into poverty on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Harburg always included a strong social and political component to his work, fighting racism and poverty....
    Nov 22, 2012 | Story
  • Central_park_five

    "Central Park Five": New Film on How Police Abuse, Media Frenzy Led to Jailing of Innocent Teens

    An explosive new documentary looks at a case once referred to as "the crime of the century": the Central Park Five. Many people have heard about the case, but far too few know that innocent men were imprisoned as a result. The film tells the story of how five black and Latino teenagers were arrested in 1989 for beating and raping a white woman in New York City’s Central Park. Media coverage at the time portrayed the teens as guilty...
    Nov 28, 2012 | Story
  • Rhonda_lee

    Louisiana TV Station Fires Black Meteorologist for Responding to Viewer's Barb About Her Hair

    Rhonda Lee, an African-American TV meteorologist, was fired by Louisiana’s KTBS last month after responding to a viewer’s criticism of her short, natural hairstyle on Facebook. Lee had written: "I am the 'black lady' to which you are referring. I’m sorry you don’t like my ethnic hair. And no I don’t have cancer. ... I am very proud of my African-American ancestry which includes my hair ... I’m very...
    Dec 20, 2012 | Story
  • Christopherdorner

    Wanted for Killing 3, Christopher Dorner's Claims of Racism, Corruption Resonate with LAPD's Critics

    A manhunt is continuing in California for Christopher Dorner, the former Los Angeles police officer accused of shooting three people dead. In his online manifesto, Dorner threatened to wage "unconventional and asymmetrical warfare" against a police department he accused of racism and corruption. He was fired from the police department in 2008 after being accused of falsely claiming his training officer kicked a mentally ill suspect in...
    Feb 11, 2013 | Story
  • Atticus

    VIDEO: Gregory Peck's Daughter Cecilia Recalls How He Tackled Racism, Anti-Semitism in His Films

    We speak with filmmaker Cecilia Peck about her father Gregory Peck’s legacy of work that raises important social issues, including his films "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "The Trial of the Catonsville Nine," which landed him on Nixon’s enemy list.
    Feb 20, 2013 | Web Exclusive
  • Duane_buck

    Prosecutor Seeks Stay of Execution for Texas Prisoner Duane Buck, Sentenced to Death for Being Black

    Although Duane Buck’s guilt is not in question for the 1995 murder of his former girlfriend Debra Gardner and her friend Kenneth Butler, critics say jurors in his case were led to choose a death sentence over life without parole based on testimony of a state psychologist who argued that African-American criminals are more likely to pose a future danger to the public. We’re joined by two guests: Linda Geffin, the second-chair prosecutor...
    Apr 01, 2013 | Story
  • Iword

    Drop the I-Word: In Victory for Advocates, Associated Press Stops Using Phrase "Illegal Immigrant"

    The Associated Press has dropped the phrase "illegal immigrant" from its popular stylebook, a move welcomed by immigrant advocates who argue the term is a dehumanizing slur. The influential AP Stylebook is the definitive guide for reporters and editors both within the news cooperative and beyond. We’re joined by Rinku Sen, publisher of Colorlines.com and president of the Applied Research Center, which launched the the "Drop...
    Apr 04, 2013 | Story
  • Mareshia_rucker_brandon_davis

    "Love Has No Color": Georgia High School Students Set to Hold First Integrated Prom

    A group of Georgia high school students are making history by challenging the segregation of their high school prom. Thanks to their efforts and the support of groups like the NAACP, Wilcox County High will hold its first-ever integrated prom this Saturday, nearly 60 years after Brown v. Board of Education desegregated the nation’s school system. In the past, the proms have been organized by private groups, and parents behind the "white...
    Apr 26, 2013 | Story