Racial terrorism
The Toxic, Hidden History of a Black Man Castrated in a Small Texas Town
Almost 80 years after a brutal castration in a Texas town, residents’ strident opinions show that race remains front and center.
This Bridge in Mississippi Has Hosted Decades of Racial Violence
A new history of brutal lynchings at the same spot in 1918 and 1942 offers insight into the terror of white supremacy.
Photos of an American Flag Burning in Brooklyn Last Night
In Brooklyn's Fort Greene Park Wednesday night, police reform activists promised to burn both the Confederate Flag and the Stars and Stripes to highlight America's troubled racial history. Angry biker dudes showed up to stop them.
Why Do Black Churches Keep Burning?
A series of fires at predominantly black churches since the horrific shooting in Charleston, South Carolina—including two blazes in the same state—have raised the specter of copycat racial violence.
Why Juneteenth Needs to be a National Holiday
June 19, 1865, marks the day when news of emancipation and the Civil War's end finally reached the last group of slaves in America. It should be treated with the same respect we give Independence Day.
The Hanging Death of a Black Man Stirred Up Old Racial Fears in Mississippi
When 54-year-old Otis Byrd was found hanging from a tree in this former hotbed of racial terrorism, many people suspected foul play—even though the authorities say his death was a suicide.