Following a Federal Magistrate’s decision to overturn Brendan Dassey’s murder conviction, the Wisconsin Department of Justice has filed an appeal to keep him in jail. Dassey was one of the primary subjects of the Netflix documentary series ‘Making A Murderer,’ in which he confessed to helping his uncle Steven Avery rape, murder and dismember the
Nate Parker has been in the news a lot lately. The celebrated writer, actor and director has been lauded for his directorial debut of the film The Birth of a Nation, which tells the true story of Nat Turner, an enslaved man who led a successful slave rebellion in Virginia in 1831. In addition to
On a summer night in June 2015, self-proclaimed white supremacist Dylann Roof allegedly walked into an historically African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina, during a bible study and opened fire, killing nine people in the process. Roof already had a criminal record, having been arrested on felony drug charges a few months before the shooting,
WARNING: This article contains graphic descriptions of sexual and physical assault some readers may find disturbing. This week, Idaho teen John R.K. Howard pleaded not guilty to charges of an alleged sexual assault against a mentally impaired football teammate. Howard is being charged as an adult, as he was 18 at the time of the
Darren Seals was just 29-years-old when he was found shot to death inside of a burning car on September 6, 2016. Seals played a prominent role in the Ferguson protests after the shooting death of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown by officer Darren Wilson in 2014. Brown was black. Wilson is white. Despite the evidence of
This week I heard a story on NPR about barn wood. The Midwest is losing their scenic, falling-apart barns because the wood is a hot commodity for people who would like to add that weathered look to their restaurant wall, bar counter, or expensive home. The barns in question have already lived out their useful
What do you do with a piece of poisoned industrial land that is the site of the defunct former Anaconda Lead Product smelting operation, downwind from an old USS Lead industrial site and next to a DuPont site? Why, you build an “affordable housing complex” there for low income minority families with children, right? Isn’t
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota has been protesting the construction of an oil pipeline they say will not only threaten the quality of their water, but also destroy a sacred burial ground for months now. Dakota Access Pipeline has been busy constructing the $3.8 billion line that is set to cross four
The late Bea Arthur left more than just an enviable entertainment resume behind after passing away in 2009. Thanks to her generous donation of $300,000, the Bea Arthur Residence at the Ali Forney Center in New York will open in 2017. The 18-bed shelter will provide housing and counseling services to members of the LGBTQ
On Saturday, August 3, 2016, reality TV star Donald Trump, who also happens to be the Republican Presidential nominee, visited a predominantly African-American church in Detroit, Michigan, in a hopeful attempt to gain more minority votes in November. When speaking to the half-full crowd, Trump unveiled his “plan” to implement a new civil-rights agenda, which