The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is disappointed with the lack of progress in the NFL’s media hiring practices. Just a few months short of a year since our initial outreach and call for change, the NFL continues to lack Black journalists and communicators in its news division.
In addition to NABJ, others have sought answers from NFL executives, but no documented progress in the organization’s media diversity efforts has been made available.
As we noted in our initial statement in May 2023, there have been no explanations given for how the NFL has allowed the practice of exclusion to operate over the years.
As a result, the NABJ media monitoring team is requesting an immediate meeting with NFL media executives and commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss what swift actions they will take to remedy the lack of diversity in its media department.
“As the NFL gears up for one of the most watched events in the world, it should not feel comfortable knowing that its news arm does not reflect the diversity of its players, audience and event participants. We are challenging the NFL to make a serious effort to address these inequities now,” said NABJ President Ken Lemon, NABJ Vice President-Broadcast Walter Smith Randolph, and NABJ Vice President-Print Kathy Chaney in a joint statement.
“A failure to move quickly to resolve this matter reflects an insensitivity to the importance of having NFL stories told by diverse voices.”
Florida is one of a growing number of states threatening to use E-Verify as a way to intimidate and control farmworkers. As farmers face worker shortages and farm communities lose residents, are GOP lawmakers shooting themselves in the foot?
Moncho had just started building a life in Florida when SB 1718’, a broad law targeting both undocumented immigrants and the people in their lives, passed through the state legislature last May. In the weeks that followed, his home stopped feeling like home. He began seeing more cops and state troopers in his town, a predominantly immigrant community. He feared it would only get worse and figured it was safest to leave before the law went into effect in July. “It was a quick decision. Once I learned about the law, I talked it over with my wife and we said, ‘OK, let’s get out of here,’” said Moncho, who is using a nickname. He has lived in the U.S. for nearly 20 years, moving between states as a farmworker and construction worker, without getting the chance to fully make any of them his home.
In June 2023, just weeks after the bill’s passage, Moncho and his wife packed up what they could fit into their car and drove—through the wildfire smoke that was blanketing the East Coast at the time—to Vermont to seek work in the dairy industry and build a new life for themselves, again.
They are just two of the many undocumented immigrants who have left Florida in the aftermath of the bill’s passage. In the last nine months, as workers have fled, “help wanted” signs havereportedlypopped up across the state. Crops have beenleft to rotin fields. Entire communities emptied out and turned into “ghost towns.”
“Once the law passed, there were empty houses,” said Moncho. “You went down the street, and it was, ‘For Rent. For Rent. For Rent,’ everywhere.”
The law targets supporters of undocumented immigrants by making it a felony, under the charge of human smuggling, to knowingly transport undocumented people across state lines. Beyond that, it requires medical providers to inquire about a patient’s immigration status (although patients need not respond).
And the most potentially sweeping provision aims to crack down on the hiring of undocumented workers by mandating the use of E-Verify, a web-based federal system that allows employers to confirm or deny workers’ legal status. This applies to workplaces with 25 or more employees and extends the use of E-Verify to many Florida farms that were previously exempt.
Proposed by Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis as an answer to “Biden’s border crisis,” the law reflects a larger Republican strategy for the upcoming election: “The GOP’s goal is to turn the 2024 election into a referendum on the Biden administration’s handling of immigration, framed by the notion of a crisis that has spilled beyond the southern border and into cities across the country,”wroteimmigration reporter Gaby Del Valle in a recent op-ed.
It’s a strategy currently on display in Congress asHouseRepublicans appearpoised to sabotagean immigration deal—even though it wouldcrack downon the southern border—that is backed by President Biden.
But some farmers and advocatesspeculatethat Florida’s law may be largely intended as a political spectacle that will stir chaos but ultimately lack enforcement—and began as an effort to boost DeSantis’s short-lived bid for president—while still allowing Florida industries to rely on undocumented laborers in the end.
“It’s not clear whether it’s a way for DeSantis to boost his image as somebody ‘tough on immigration’ versus a law that will have real penalties and consequences,” Deirdre Nero, a Florida-based immigrant rights advocate and lawyer, told Civil Eats. “We’ll see when they start imposing penalties if the proof is in the pudding.”
Regardless, Florida farmers, farmworkers, and lawmakers will continue to deal with the consequences of the law in the coming months and the potential for another exodus if E-Verify is enforced. As Florida looks to fill worker shortages, the law poses big questions about the future of farm labor in the U.S. as similar policies could expand elsewhere.
As the presidential election season kicks into gear, Donald Trump and other GOP candidates arepromisingsweeping crackdowns on undocumented workers and expanded federalmandates of the use of E-Verify. But Florida, often a bellwether of the GOP’s future, shows that even a political tool can have real consequences.
Chilling Effect
SB 1718 has already disrupted the lives and livelihood of undocumented immigrants and their communities. “It’s a political stunt gone too far,” read alettersent in October by a group of Democratic members of Congress, led by U.S. Representative Darren Soto from Florida. The letter calls upon Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate the law, which they say is “causing immense harm to families and could jeopardize Florida’s economy.”
Agriculture is one of Florida’s major industries, and along with construction and tourism, it plays a significant role in employing the state’sestimated772,000 undocumented immigrants. Nearlyhalfof Florida’s farmworkers are undocumented, according to the Florida Policy Institute.
After many farmworkers began to flee, some Republican lawmakers briefly realized they may have bit the hand that, quite literally, feeds them. Last June, Representative Rick Roth, a vegetable farmer and Republican who voted for the law,pleadedwith constituents to convince workers to stay. “This is more of a political bill than it is policy,”he toldan audience of South Florida pastors at the time, implying that it wouldn’t be enforced with any real consequences.
So far, there have been afew arrestsunder the law’s human smuggling provision, which is being challenged as unconstitutional ina lawsuit. But the E-Verify mandate isn’t set to begin enforcing penalties until July.
Now, nine months after the law’s passage, some farmers arestrugglingto find workers to harvest crops, while farmworkers live and work with heightened uncertainty that ultimately impacts their health and safety.
Jeannie Economos coordinates a pesticide safety and environmental health program for the Farmworker Association of Florida, a group that represents more than 10,000 workers. She told Civil Eats that she typically fields complaints from them about “wages, pesticides, harassment, and other conditions in the workplace.”
But since SB 1718 passed, those complaints have slowed to a trickle, despite last summer’srecord-breaking heat. A similar silence fell over the community under the Trump administration, she said, when farm workers feared speaking out.
The E-Verify Mandate
Still largely voluntary on a federal level, the E-Verify system emerged from the Immigration Act of 1990, a major overhaul of the U.S. immigration system. This established a commission that recommended a national registry for checking immigration status and employment eligibility. After aseries of pilots,the program became available in 2003 to employers in all states as a voluntary database. Since then, a growing number of states have mandated its use, but industry pushback often narrows the scope of these mandates.
Previous attempts to strictly enforce E-Verify have unraveled in Florida. In 2020, when DeSantis pushed for a law mandating use of the database in the hiring process, it was strongly opposed by the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, for instance, until it was amended toexclude farmworkers.
The version of the bill that passed also created loopholes for private employers, prompting some to call it “E-Verify Light” and “Fake E-Verify.” Prior to that, twoother effortsto require use of the database failed to pass. The reason is clear: The current E-Verify mandate could hurt Florida’s economy to a tune of$12 billionin just one year.
“[Florida’s E-Verify mandate] has always been defeated, and it’s not defeated by the immigrants that would be impacted,” said Paul Chavez, a lawyer with the Southern Poverty Law Center, representing a legal challenge to the law. “It has been defeated by the business community, including from lobbyists for farmers, tourism, and construction.”
“I can’t say for sure, but my understanding is that there will definitely be advocacy from the business community to try to poke holes in the E-Verify law, or even get it repealed,” added Chavez, who expects to see efforts to do so in the current legislative session.
Greg Schell, a lawyer who represents migrant farmworkers in Florida, thinks there is good reason to believe the E-Verify mandate will lack enforcement. “There are no regulations to guide employers,” he said. “It certainly would be plausible for an employer to claim that the returning worker is ‘grandfathered in’ and does not need to be the subject of an E-Verify inquiry.”
In other states, E-Verify mandates have often spared the agriculture industry and other industries dependent on undocumented workers, either by the law’s design or its lax enforcement. For instance, North Carolina passeda lawmandating E-Verify in 2011, but carved out an exemption for “temporary seasonal workers for fewer than 90 days,” which would allow farms to continue employing, with less risk, undocumented people for seasonal work.
In 2013, this exemption wasexpandedto employees of less than nine months. Since then, North Carolina lawmakers have introducedseveralbillsto carve out an even larger exemption for all farmworkers.
Presidential candidate Nikki Haley, who served as South Carolina’s governor between 2011 and 2017, has called for a national E-Verify mandate in her campaign. She often cites the law that she helped pass in 2011 as an example. “What we did in South Carolina with E-Verify was you had to verify that that person was in this country legally or else you could not hire them,” Haley said, in aninterviewwith Breitbart. “That’s what we put in place in South Carolina and, more importantly, we enforced it.”
However, like in other states, South Carolina’s law doesn’t require E-Verify for every employee, exempting a number of essential jobs, including farmworkers and domestic laborers. “The S.C. Farm Bureau convinced lawmakers that the E-Verify requirement could scare off migrant workers needed to harvest crops,” The Statereportedin 2017. A representative from South Carolina’s Department of Labor confirmed that this exemption remains in effect today.
In fact, no state has been able to enforce E-Verify across every industry, without it backfiring. Take Georgia. In 2011, when the state attempted to enforce E-Verify fornearly allemployers, it triggered a mass exodus of farmworkers and an estimated$140 millionloss in agricultural revenue.
The expansion of E-Verify mandates is often framed, including by former Governor Haley, as a way to protect the jobs of U.S. citizens. Yet when this policy has prompted an exodus of undocumented farmworkers, U.S. citizens haven’t exactly jumped at the opportunity to work on farms. In fact, when E-Verify mandates are strictly enforced in agriculture, they have beenfoundto lead to worker shortages, loss in farm revenue, and shrinking farm production.
“E-Verify is a way of sharing immigration status with the government that has no positive value for either the undocumented worker or the employer,” said Mary Jo Dudley, the director of the Cornell Farmworker Program. The consequences are most dire, of course, for the farmworkers who would face criminal penalties and a heightened threat of deportation.
“[For] farmworkers, E-Verify is a pathway to share information with the government that you’re deportable,” said Dudley. “Because once you register that you don’t have a social security number with the government, you become immediately deportable.”
Questions About the Future of Farm Labor
Despite the rippling economic consequences, the promised expansion of E-Verify mandates has become increasingly central to the GOP platform. Currently, Republican lawmakers in Iowa and West Virginia are pushing for state mandates, while DeSantis, Haley, and Chris Christie campaigned for a federal mandate. E-Verify is also part of the conservative playbook,Project 2025, which plans to “permanently authorize and make mandatory E-Verify” on a federal level if a Republican wins the 2024 presidential election.
As Congress tensely debated the latestborder security bill, which was released by the Senate in early February, Republicans have repeatedly insisted on even more stringent proposals. In arecent letter, House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, pointed to the Secure the Border Act (H.R. 2), a Republican-sponsored bill that passed in the House last year—which would federally mandate E-Verify, among other sweeping measures—as reflecting his core legislative demands.
But in recent years, even major bipartisan efforts to reform immigration for farmworkers, namely the multiple versions of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, have also included E-Verify mandates. First introduced in 2019, the legislation creates a path to citizenship for undocumented farmworkers, while streamlining the hiring of foreign agricultural workers with a temporary H-2A visa.Re-introduced and abandoned last year, the bill is a political compromise that has deeply divided farmworkers and their advocates, and one of the major sticking points is E-Verify.
“There are basic things that we cannot negotiate away, and E-Verify is one of them,” said Edgar Franks, the political director at Familias Unidas por la Justicia, an independent farmworker union in Washington state representing Indigenous farmworkers. “[The Farm Workforce Modernization Act] is sold as immigration reform . . . but it would implement the E-Verify system for the first time across a whole industry in the United States.”
Even in Washington, where E-Verify is voluntary, Franks has observed farmers threaten to use it when engaging with the union. “We’ve seen E-Verify weaponized, especially when immigrant workers are trying to organize themselves into unions, or to get some kind of justice in their workplace,” said Franks. As he sees it, “the main intention [behind E-Verify] is always having this hanging over people’s heads—or raids or deportations—to make sure that the workforce is controllable.”
This perspective was echoed in aletterto the House Agriculture Committee’s newly formed Labor Workforce Working Group last September by a group of farmworker advocates, including the Farmworker Association of Florida and the Agricultural Justice Project, which raised concerns about the Farm Workforce Modernization Act and its E-Verify mandate.
“Do not implement mandatory E-Verify for farms, since it serves as a control and scare tactic in an immigration and trade policy system that strategically created a large population of undocumented immigrant workers to ensure an exploitable labor pool,” reads the letter. “Agriculture risks losing some of its most highly skilled workers.”
Mandatory E-Verify could also create a more exploited workforce by helping funnel more farmworkers into the H-2A guestworker program. The federal program, which recruits farmworkers from other countries, has ballooned bymore than 7 timesbetween 2005 and 2022. It represents one of the only pathways to legally enter the U.S. with a high acceptance rate. Yet the program isrife with exploitation and abuse, often perpetuated by its structure: Farmworkers live in employer-supplied congregate housing, often in unfamiliar rural areas, and are not allowed to switch employers.
“The vulnerability of H-2A workers makes them an attractive workforce for growers,” reads the letter from the group of farmworker advocates. “They are tied to the grower or contractor who recruits them and can be legally fired for not meeting exhausting production quotas, or for raising issues about workplace conditions.”
In fact, the American Farm Bureau, the largest lobbyist group representing growers, hasstatedthat they would support E-Verify mandates under one condition: a “workable guest worker program” so that farmers could more readily hire H-2A workers and curb the anticipated labor shortage. So, by making a pathway to citizenship conditional upon both an E-Verify mandate and streamlining the H-2A program, The Farm Workforce Modernization Act strikes a compromise that appeals to farmers. As Edgar Franks put it, “It’s basically a gift to the agricultural industry.”
As the state with the most H-2A workers, Florida has played a major role in driving the rapid expansion of this program, and it’s likely that it could rely on this program even more to address labor shortages. As of September, Florida’s farms recruited over86,000 H-2Afarmworkers in 2023, already surpassing the amount recruited in 2022. For comparison, California, the second biggest H-2A state, recruited nearly 46,000 workers during that time.
In recent years, Florida’s labor-intensive citrus industry has moved to nearly exclusively hiring H-2A workers, representing 95 percent of the workforce in 2022, according to theFlorida Citrus Manual. If E-Verify is enforced, it’s possible other agricultural industries in Florida may follow suit.
Meanwhile, undocumented farmworkers in other parts of the country have felt the chilling effect of Florida’s law. In New York, a farmworker who asked to remain anonymous and a leader with Alianza Agricola, a group of undocumented dairy workers organizing for their rights, observed an influx of farmworkers coming from Florida to New York late last spring. He welcomed a couple families from Florida to their meetings, helping them feel at home. But witnessing this also made him worry about what could happen if a E-Verify mandate ever came to New York.
“Those of us who are farmworkers in the dairy industry are concerned about this too,” he said. “It puts the status of many workers in the food chain at risk and [people] who have been working here for 10, 15, or even 20 years—like me.”
In a long sought-after interview by mainstream media outlets and journalists, Tucker Carlson was the one selected to conduct an exclusive interview with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
In his over two hours long interview, Putin undressed America in front of the world to show all its ugly parts. The frightening takeaway was laid bare: our elected officials, under the control of the CIA, are failing us miserably.
Putin accused the United States of supporting Nazism in Ukraine and compared the nations downward spiral and foolish foreign policy bullying and maneuvers to the fall of Rome. Carlson’s unrestrained interview is what journalism used to be before our mainstream media, drunk on its power and wealth, became an agency wing of the United States government. The discussion—amidst the fog of endless wars, a crippling and frustrated society with open borders, and economic chaos orchestrated by a young and lost country—was a timely history lesson that reminds again that history is cyclical.
“Why are the Ukrainian authorities dismantling the Ukrainian Orthodox Church? Because it brings together not only the territory, it brings together our souls. No one will be able to separate the soul.” – Vladimir Putin
America is honoring the release of the new Pauli Murray quarter by the U.S. Mint on February 22, highlighting one of Murray’s timely poems, 54 years later.
“Hope is a song in a weary throat” Murray wrote in Dark Testament: Verse 8. This quote feels particularly meaningful right now, as we enter Black History Month, and as we take measure of the struggles and challenges at home and around the world.
The Reverend Dr. Pauli Murray and the New Coin
The United States Mint has announced that it will be issuing a new coin in honor of the Reverend Dr. Pauli Murray. Murray was a civil rights activist, lawyer, and Episcopal priest who is best known for her work on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. She was also the first African American woman to be ordained an Episcopal priest. The coin will be a $1 gold coin and will feature Murray’s portrait on the front. The reverse of the coin will depict a representation of Pauli’s home and a quote from her: “We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right.” The coin is scheduled to be released on February 22, 2024 and will be available for purchase through the United States Mint.
About the Reverend Dr. Pauli Murray Pauli Murray was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1910. She graduated from Hunter College in 1933 and from Howard University Law School in 1944. After law school, Murray worked as a lawyer for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Murray was a tireless advocate for civil rights. She was one of the founders of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and the National Women’s Political Caucus. She was also a member of the board of directors of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Murray died in 1985 at the age of 75. She is remembered as a trailblazing civil rights activist and a brilliant legal mind.
Pauli Murray became an enduring voice for freedom and equal opportunity during her lifetime (1910–1985). She was a founding member of the Congress of Racial Equality and the National Organization for Women, as well as a pioneer of African American genealogy.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced the launch of a new software program that allows taxpayers to file their federal tax returns directly with the IRS. The software, called “IRS Free File,” is available to taxpayers with an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $73,000 or less.
IRS Free File is a secure and easy-to-use program that allows taxpayers to file their federal tax returns electronically. The program is available in both English and Spanish. To use IRS Free File, taxpayers must first create an account on the IRS website. Once an account is created, taxpayers can access the software and begin filing their tax returns. IRS Free File is a great option for taxpayers who want to file their federal tax returns electronically. The program is secure, easy-to-use, and free.
Here are some of the benefits of using IRS Free File:
Secure: IRS Free File is a secure program that protects taxpayers’ personal information.
Easy-to-use: IRS Free File is an easy-to-use program that can be used by taxpayers of all income levels.
Free: IRS Free File is a free program that is available to taxpayers with an AGI of $73,000 or less.
If you are looking for a secure, easy-to-use, and free way to file your federal tax returns, then IRS Free File is a great option.
April 15, 2024 – Tax day (unless extended due to local state holiday). The tax deadline typically falls on April 15 each year, but can be delayed if it falls on a weekend or holiday.
The physical and emotional abuse many Black families suffered in pursuit of an education and civil rights in America was a traumatizing and arduous journey. Most of the stories have never been told. Some of the victims were as young as 6-years-old Ruby Bridges and 11-year-old Donna Jean Barksdale, who sat alone on her first day of school in Hoxie, Arkansas. Barksdale was one of 21 children to integrate the school in 1955.
School Integration in America School integration in America refers to the process of desegregating schools and creating racially mixed learning environments. The fight for school integration was a key part of the broader civil rights movement in the United States, and it has had a profound impact on American society.
History of School Integration
Pre-1954: Prior to the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling in 1954, schools in the United States were largely segregated by race. This segregation was often enforced by law, and it created a system of education that was unequal and unjust.
Brown v. Board of Education: The Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling in 1954 declared that racial segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. This ruling was a major victory for the civil rights movement, and it paved the way for the integration of schools across the country.
Challenges to Integration: Despite the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, the process of school integration was not easy. Many white communities resisted integration, and there were numerous instances of violence and intimidation directed at black students and families.
Progress of Integration: Over time, however, school integration has made significant progress. Today, most schools in the United States are integrated, and the vast majority of students attend schools that are racially diverse.
Impact of School Integration School integration has had a positive impact on American society in a number of ways:
Improved educational outcomes: Studies have shown that students who attend integrated schools are more likely to achieve academic success. They are also more likely to develop positive attitudes towards people of other races.
Reduced prejudice: Integrated schools help to reduce prejudice and promote understanding between different racial groups. Students who attend integrated schools are more likely to have friends of other races, and they are less likely to hold negative stereotypes about other groups.
Increased social mobility: Integrated schools help to increase social mobility by providing all students with access to the same educational opportunities. This can help to break down the cycle of poverty and create a more just and equitable society.
School integration is a key part of the American civil rights movement, and it has had a profound impact on American society. Integrated schools help to improve educational outcomes, reduce prejudice, and increase social mobility. They are essential to creating a more just and equitable society for all.
School Integration in Arkansas School integration in Arkansas has been a complex and challenging process that began in the late 1950s and is still ongoing today. The process began with the Little Rock Nine crisis in 1957, when a group of nine African American students were forcibly integrated into the all-white Central High School in Little Rock. This event sparked a national controversy and led to the deployment of federal troops to protect the students. In the years since the Little Rock Nine crisis, Arkansas has made significant progress in integrating its schools. However, the state still faces challenges, such as poverty, segregation, and a lack of resources.
Key Events in School Integration in Arkansas
1957: The Little Rock Nine crisis
1968: The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1968
1972: The desegregation of the University of Arkansas
1982: The passage of the Arkansas School Integration Act
Challenges to School Integration in Arkansas
Poverty: Arkansas is one of the poorest states in the United States, and this poverty has a significant impact on its schools. Poor students are more likely to attend underfunded schools with fewer resources.
Segregation: Despite the progress that has been made, segregation still exists in Arkansas schools. This is due to a variety of factors, including housing patterns, school zoning, and the lack of resources.
Lack of resources: Arkansas schools are chronically underfunded, and this lack of resources has a negative impact on all students, regardless of their race or ethnicity.
School integration in Arkansas has been a long and difficult process, but the state has made significant progress in the last 60 years. However, there are still challenges to be faced, such as poverty, segregation, and a lack of resources. By working together, Arkansans can ensure that all students have access to a quality education.
School Integration in Mississippi The history of school integration in Mississippi is a complex and challenging one. In the early 1950s, Mississippi was one of the most segregated states in the United States. Public schools were segregated by race, and there were no black students enrolled in any white schools.
In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that racial segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. The decision was a major victory for the civil rights movement, and it led to the gradual desegregation of schools across the country. However, Mississippi resisted school desegregation for many years. In 1962, James Meredith became the first black student to enroll at the University of Mississippi. His admission was met with violent protests by white segregationists, and federal troops had to be sent in to protect him.
Despite the resistance, school integration in Mississippi continued to move forward. By 1970, more than half of black students in Mississippi were enrolled in integrated schools. However, segregation continued to exist in many areas of the state, and it was not until the 1990s that Mississippi finally achieved full school integration. The process of school integration in Mississippi was a long and difficult one, but it was ultimately a success. Today, the state has a diverse and integrated system of public schools, and students of all races and ethnicities have the opportunity to learn and grow together.
Impact of school integration in Florida: School integration in Florida has had a significant impact on the state’s education system. It has led to increased educational opportunities for black students, improved academic outcomes, and reduced racial isolation. However, school integration has also been controversial, and there are still some challenges to overcome.
Current challenges to school integration in Florida:
Resegregation: Some Florida school districts have become more segregated in recent years, as white students have moved to private schools or to other districts.
Lack of diversity: Many Florida schools still lack diversity, and black students are more likely to attend schools with predominantly black student populations.
Achievement gap: Black students in Florida continue to lag behind white students in academic achievement.
Despite these challenges and by continuing to work to desegregate schools and ensure equal educational opportunities for all students, Florida can create a more just and equitable society.
Read more about segregation in America by ejiHERE.
Vertus Wellborn Hardiman was the victim of an unethical secret U.S government radiation experiment in 1928. Hardiman was born on March 9, 1922 in Lyles Station, Ind., known as one of the earliest Negro settlements in the United States. When Hardiman was five years old, he was one of nine children that took part in a terrifying medical experiment, where he and other children were severely irradiated during a medical experiment conducted at the local county hospital. To get parental consent the experiment was misrepresented as a new therapy for the scalp fungus known as ringworm.
The radiation of the skull led to immediate symptoms but also to a severe progressive necrosis of the bone all through his life. At the time, many human radiation experiments were conducted on African Americans and were funded by the United States Department of Defense and United States Atomic Energy Commission. Experiments included feeding radioactive food to disabled children, inserting radium rods into school children and injecting pregnant women and babies with radioactive chemicals. The studies were classified until 1986, when they were released in the report entitled “America Nuclear Guinea Pigs: Three Decades of Radiation Experiments.” The treatment on Hardiman’s skull left him with progressive necrosis of the scalp throughout the rest of his life. These types of experiments led to distrust of the medical community among African Americans that lingers on today.
Editor’s note: contributed by Charmaine Simpson, Black History Studies
Read the expanded report below from STAT, a publication reporting from the frontiers of health and medicine.
As part of the theme and commemoration of Black History Month, it is only fitting to highlight the power of love and family depicted in the film Django Unchained. Albeit a tragic love story, Dangerfield and Harriet Newby exemplify the true meaning of love and courage.
Editor’s Note: This account of Dangerfield Newby, the real Django, comes from African Archives. Please follow and support their historical storytelling of American history and culture.
Dangerfield Newby is the actual man on which the movie Django Unchained is loosely based. He was a member of the John Brown raiders. He joined the gang to save his wife, Harriet and children from slavery. —Dangerfield Newby (1815 – October 17, 1859) was the oldest of John Brown’s raiders, one of five black raiders, and the first of his men to die at Harpers Ferry, Virginia.
Born into slavery in Fauquier County, Virginia, Newby married a woman also enslaved. Newby’s father was Henry Newby, a landowner in Fauquier County. His mother was Elsey Newby, who was a slave, owned not by Henry, but by a neighbor, John Fox. Elsey and Henry lived together for many years and had several children, although interracial marriage was illegal in Virginia. Dangerfield was their first child. Dangerfield Newby, his mother and his siblings were later freed by his father when he moved them across the Ohio River into Bridgeport, Ohio.
John Fox, who died in 1859, apparently did not attempt to retrieve Elsey, Dangerfield, or any of his siblings. Dangerfield’s wife and their seven children remained in bondage. A letter found on his body revealed some of his motivation for joining John Brown and the raid on Harpers Ferry. Dangerfield Newby’s wife, Harriet Newby, was the slave of Jesse Jennings, of Arlington or Warrenton, Virginia. Newby had been unable to purchase the freedom of his wife and seven children. Their master raised the price after Newby had saved the $1,500 that had previously been agreed on. Because all of Newby’s other efforts had failed he hoped to free them by force.
Harriet’s poignant letters, found on his body, proved instrumental in advancing the abolitionist cause. Newby was six foot two. On October 17, 1859, the citizens of Harpers Ferry set to put down the raid. Harpers Ferry manufactured guns but the citizens had little ammunition, so during the assault on the raiders they fired anything they could fit into a gun barrel. One man was shooting six inch spikes from his rifle, one of which struck Newby in the throat, killing him instantly.
After the raid, the people of Harpers Ferry took his body, stabbed it repeatedly, and amputated his limbs. His body was left in an alley to be eaten by hogs. In 1899 the remains of Newby-plus remains of nine other raiders-were reburied in a common grave near the body of John Brown in North Elba, New York. Dangerfield Newby’s wife, Harriet and her children were sold to a Louisiana slave owner after the raid.
Additional information and an official biography, by Virginia Changemakers also states that Dangerfield Newby (ca. 1820-1859) was born in Culpeper County, the oldest child of Henry Newby, a white man, and Elsey Newby, an enslaved black woman. In 1858, Henry Newby sold his land in Culpeper and moved with his family to Bridgeport, Ohio, thereby freeing his wife and their children.
African Americans and the Arts is this year’s theme in commemoration of Black History Month.
The National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC) is marking the occasion with a host of events throughout February. BHM events are organized around five weekly focus areas that celebrate the Black people who have used art as their platform for social justice.
Black History Month, celebrated annually in February in the United States and in both February and March in Canada, stands as a testament to the remarkable achievements and enduring contributions of African Americans to the fabric of global history and culture. Far beyond a mere commemoration, this month-long observance serves as a vital platform for education, understanding, and collective growth.
A Time for Reflection and Celebration
Black History Month provides a crucial opportunity to reflect on the pivotal role that African Americans have played in shaping the very foundation of our nations. It invites us to delve into the rich tapestry of their experiences, struggles, and triumphs, paying homage to the countless individuals who have left an indelible mark on society.
Simultaneously, this month is a joyous celebration of the vibrant culture and heritage of African Americans. Through music, art, literature, and culinary traditions, we come together to appreciate the beauty and diversity that emanates from this remarkable community.
Fostering Education and Understanding
One of the paramount values of Black History Month lies in its potential as an educational platform. It offers an invaluable chance to rectify the omissions and distortions that have plagued the teaching of history for far too long. By shedding light on the contributions and perspectives of African Americans, we strive to cultivate a more complete and accurate understanding of our collective past.
Furthermore, Black History Month provides an avenue to promote tolerance and foster a greater sense of empathy among people of all backgrounds. By engaging in open dialogue, sharing stories, and acknowledging the shared humanity that binds us all, we work towards dismantling the barriers of prejudice, racism and discrimination.
Strengthening Community and Pride
For the African American community, Black History Month serves as a beacon of unity and a source of immense pride. It is a time to come together, celebrate shared heritage, and draw strength from the indomitable spirit of resilience that has defined the African American experience and shaped American culture.
By honoring the sacrifices and successes of their ancestors, African Americans find inspiration to continue the fight for justice, equality, and a more inclusive society. Black History Month empowers them to embrace their unique identity, cultivate a sense of self-worth, and envision a brighter future for generations to come.
Creating a More Just and Inclusive Society
Ultimately, Black History Month transcends its historical significance to become a catalyst for social change. It compels us to confront the lingering vestiges of racism and inequality that continue to plague our societies. By acknowledging the past and celebrating the present, we lay the groundwork for a more just and inclusive future.
Through education, empathy, and collective action, Black History Month empowers us to challenge discriminatory practices, dismantle systemic barriers, and work towards creating a society where all individuals are treated with dignity, respect, and equality.
The value and importance of Black History Month extend far beyond the confines of a single month. It is a time for learning, reflection, celebration, and action. By embracing its significance, we honor the legacy of African Americans and pave the way for a more united, equitable, and harmonious nation and world.
A prized Jackie Robinson statue was stolen from a public park in Kansas by thieves who sawed off the bronze sculpture, leaving behind the iconic baseball player’s feet.
The brazen theft slammed by officials as “horrendous” and “disgusting” took place just one week before the start of Black History Month. “More than frustrated, I am angry to see that this has happened,” said Wichita City Council member Brandon Johnson. “This was disgusting. This should never happen.”
According to news reports the thieves struck sometime during the night at the League 42 baseball fields in McAdams Park, which is also home to the Jackie Robinson Pavilion. Surveillance footage shows at least two people topple the hefty statue and load it into a silver pick-up truck. City officials theorize the criminals are planning on selling the beloved statue as scrap metal. The sculpture cost the city upwards of $100,000 to install in 2021.
“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives,” Jackie Robinson
“It has a huge impact in regards to the history of our community, the history of baseball, what Jackie Robinson really means and this step is actually the opposite of everything that Jackie Robinson stood for. So it’s just appalling to me,” said Troy Houtman, the Director of Parks and Recreation.
According to Houtman, the park has been dealing with a string of vandalism in recent months, and officials are offering the opportunity to return the iconic statue “no questions asked.” “We move on and repair this statue. Hopefully, they’re wise enough to do that and bring the statue back so we can make the repair. If not, I think we’ll find some other actions might occur,” said Houtman. The Wichita Metro Crime Commission offered a reward of up to $2,500 for tips leading to arrests and another $5,000 for tips that lead to the statue’s recovery.
Update:
Charred remnants of the stolen Jackie Robinson bronze statue were found Tuesday inside a trash can at a Kansas park, officials said. Pieces of the statue were dumped in the garbage and lit on fire at Garvey Park in Wichita, a police spokesperson said during a press conference streamed by KWCH.
