Featured
Colorado’s Travis Hunter wins Heisman Trophy after historic season on both sides of the ball. By Ralph D. Russo / The Athletic
By doing two jobs — and doing them both as well as any other player in the country — Travis Hunter delivered on coach Deion Sanders’ hype and brought the Heisman Trophy to Colorado for the first time in 30 years.
The Buffaloes’ two-way superstar won college football’s most prestigious individual player of the year award Saturday night, outpointing Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty to become CU’s second Heisman winner. Hunter received 552 first-place votes and 2,231 points to Jeanty’s 309 and 2,017. By point total it was the closest Heisman vote since 2009, as Hunter and Jeanty hoarded all the top two votes and left the other candidates in the dust. Read more
Related: Travis Hunter chooses Adidas in endorsement deal. By Marcus Shorter / Andscape
Political / Social
Trump Has Little Room for Error. By Jamelle Bouie / NYT
The annals of American political history are littered with the remains of once-great presidential mandates.
There is no evidence that Donald Trump is immune to this dynamic. Just the opposite: His first term was a case study in the perils of presidential ambition. Not only were his most expansive plans met with swift opposition, but also it is fair to say that he failed, flailed and faltered through the first two years of his administration, culminating in a disastrous midterm defeat. Read more
Related: Donald Trump Is the Authentic American Berserk. By Jeet Heer / The Nation
What Trump Really Means When He Threatens To Deport Americans. By Roque Planas / HuffPost
There’s no legal way to expel Americans from their home country. Trump wants the public to think otherwise. Shown is Tom Homan. Trump’s Border Czar
In a Sunday interview with NBC News, President-elect Donald Trump repeated what is becoming one of the incoming administration’s most provocative talking points: When parents of U.S. citizens face deportation, his administration will deport the whole family together. “I don’t want to be breaking up families,” Trump said when asked how mass deportation would impact America’s roughly 4 million mixed-status families. “The only way you don’t break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back.” Read more
In Ohio, an immigrant community prepares for Trump’s crackdown. By Joanna Slater / Wash Post
The small city of Painesville saw dozens of children separated from their parents during Trump’s first term. Some fear what’s coming will be worse.
What Was the Biggest Factor in Kamala Harris’s Defeat? By Isabella M. Weber and Elie Mystal
As progressives continue to debate the reasons for Harris’s loss—it was the economy! it was the bigotry!—Isabella Weber and Elie Mystal duke out their opposing positions.
Exit polls consistently showed that the economy was among the biggest concerns for voters. In one exit poll, for example, 46 percent of respondents said they were worse off than they were in 2020; only 20 percent said the same four years ago about 2020 versus 2016. I think Black voters faced the same economic pressures white voters faced, only worse, and despite that, Black voters resoundingly rejected Trump. A majority of white voters did not. That’s because the real appeal of Trump’s campaign was not economic but social. Read more
Aggrieved white men are a threat to democracy — history tells us we can’t ignore them. By Bernd Reiter / Salon
The American South, apartheid South Africa and Germany in the 1930s: One demographic caused destruction and chaos. A detachment of German soldiers on their way to install parking signs in preparation for the 8th Congress of the Nazi Party at Nuremberg, 3rd September 1936.
In the 2024 presidential election, some 60 percent of white men voted for Donald Trump, making this group his strongest block. Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro garnered about the same amount of support from white men, in 2018. In Argentina, 64 percent of Argentinian men voted for Javier Milei. Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party in Hungary is mostly supported by men, even if precise data is hard to come by. Other far-right parties in European countries, including German AfD, the Austrian FPÖ, the Italian Fdl and the French National Rally (formerly the National Front), are all made possible by aggrieved and latently angry white men. Read more
Related: The Republican power grab in North Carolina, explained. By Ellen Ioanes / Vox
Biden Appoints 40 Black Women as Federal Judges, Breaking Record. By Christina Carrega / Capital B
The president appointed a total of 63 Black judges to lifetime positions on federal benches across the country. ncluded among the 40 Black women appointed to the federal bench by President Joe Biden during his term in office are judges Candace Jackson-Akiwumi (clockwise from top left), Nancy G. Abudu, Eunice C. Lee, and DeAndrea Gist Benjamin.
President-elect Donald Trump appointed two. Barack Obama appointed 26. But none have appointed more than President Joe Biden. In the final days of his presidency, Biden has made good on a campaign promise to diversify the federal judiciary, by appointing a record-breaking 40 Black women as judges. All together, Biden has appointed 63 Black judges. Read more
‘A huge regression’: Walmart’s DEI rollback incites new racial equity push. By Michael Sainato / The Guardian
Largest private employer in US pledged to tackle inequities after George Floyd murder but has now dropped initiatives.
Times have changed. Last month Walmart became the latest corporation to cave to a rightwing campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, announcing it would stop using the term DEI altogether, drop DEI trainings, no longer consider race and gender as a means to improve diversity when making offers to suppliers and would not renew a racial equity center committed to addressing “the root causes of gaps in outcomes experienced by Black and African American people”. Read more
Related: DEI backlash reaches Nasdaq as court strikes down diversity rules. By Alexis Keenan / Yahoo Finance
We interviewed 30 Black public school teachers in Philadelphia to understand why so many are leaving the profession. By Lynnette Mawhinney and Leana Cabral / The Conversation
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the teaching profession faced what has been referred to as the Great Teacher Resignation. A national survey found that 64% of teachers were less satisfied with teaching after the pandemic compared with prior to the pandemic, and 74% would not recommend teaching as a career.
In Philadelphia, a great resignation of Black teachers started well before the pandemic and continues today. The decrease in numbers of Black teachers in the district continues despite research that demonstrates Black teachers’ positive impact on Black students’ experiences in school and academic outcomes, as well as their positive impact on all students. Read more
Why Black women are being told to speak up during and after childbirth. By Elizabeth Cohen / Wash Post
“That’s one thing she made sure she drilled in my head: Speak up. Something feels weird — speak up. It hurts — speak up,” Freeman recalled. “They won’t listen to us, so you speak up.”
While it’s clear that advocacy alone won’t solve the Black maternal mortality crisis, many doulas, midwifes, nurses and obstetricians are explicitly preparing Black women to speak up loudly for themselves in the delivery room. “No one is coming to save us. [We need] to save ourselves is kind of my motto,” said Rachel Hardeman, founding director of the Center for Antiracism Research for Health Equity at the University of Minnesota. Read more
Decades of USDA Racism Leave Black Farmers Fighting for Equality. by
This week, hundreds of Black farmers and government officials gather to ensure their voices aren’t forgotten.
“Many Black farmers refer to USDA as being the last plantation, and the reason for that is, is that it really doesn’t change much from one administration to another, and in all cases, it’s not very good for Black folk,” said Wright, a Virginia-based farmer and retiree who served with the USDA for more than three decades. “There have been some [administrations] better than others.” Read more
World News
South Korea’s parliament votes to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law order. AP and NPR
South Korea’s parliament voted Saturday to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol as authorities investigate allegations of rebellion over his controversial Dec. 3 martial law decree that has caused huge political turmoil in the country.
The National Assembly passed the motion 204-85 in a floor vote. Yoon’s presidential powers and duties will be suspended after the copies of a document on the impeachment are delivered to him and to the Constitutional Court. The court has up to 180 days to determine whether to dismiss Yoon as president or restore his powers. If he’s thrown out of office, a national election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days. Read more
Mass Crowds Gather for First Friday Prayers Since Assad Ouster. By Stéphane Dujarric / Democracy Now
In Syria, tens of thousands of people have gathered at the Great Mosque of Damascus and other cities for the first Friday prayers since longtime authoritarian President Bashar al-Assad was toppled by opposition fighters.
The World Food Programme is appealing to donors to help it scale up relief operations for some 2.8 million displaced and food-insecure people across Syria. That includes more than 1.1 million people uprooted by fighting since late November. Read more
Haiti’s shaky transition needs saving, say political leaders. They want CARICOM to intervene. By Jacqueline Charles / Miami Herald
Haitian political leaders are accusing the political party of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and its allies of trying to hijack the country’s shaky transition process —and they want the Caribbean Community to step in.
In a three-page letter requesting the intervention of the 15-member regional Caribbean Community bloc known as CARICOM, the political leaders say that the Transitional Presidential Council, tasked with restoring security and political stability in crisis–wracked Haiti, has been taking “unilateral decisions” that violate the spirit of an April political agreement that established the transition. Read more
The African Union has a poor record of protecting democracy. 2024 was no different. By Adem K Abebe / The Conversation
The African Union replaced the Organisation of African Unity in 2002.
This heralded a policy shift from non-interference in the affairs of member states to non-indifference. This implied the union would not turn a blind eye to how governments treat their citizens, and principles of democratic constitutionalism. Since then, consolidation of democratic institutions and culture has been central to the identity and mandate of the union. However, the union has fallen short on protecting democracy. (Promotion means creating the conditions for the respect of principles of democracy. Protection relates to redressing violations when they occur.) Read more
Convicted for making racial slurs, she faces 8 years in Brazilian prison. By Terrence McCoy and Marina Dias / Wash Post
Few countries are as aggressive as Brazil in prosecuting racist speech. The number of cases was up fivefold between 2020 and 2023, reaching 4,871 prosecutions.
Ethics / Morality / Religion
Faith leaders express dismay amid report Trump will allow immigration raids at churches. By Jack Jenkins and Yonat Shimron / RNS
Faith leaders are reacting with concern to a report that President-elect Donald Trump plans to rescind a long-standing policy that discourages immigration officials from conducting raids at churches, schools and hospitals.
According to a report from NBC News on Wednesday (Dec. 11), the incoming Trump administration plans to do away with a policy outlined in an internal 2011 U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement memo by then-ICE director John Morton. The policy discourages government agents from making arrests at or near “sensitive locations,” such as houses of worship. Read more
Historic 16th Street Baptist Church awarded $2.5 million to expand and preserve its legacy. By Ayron Lewallen / WVTM13
A Birmingham staple is getting help to preserve its legacy and expand its reach. It’s all made possible by a nonprofit organization. The 16th Street Baptist Church is one of more than 30 organizations across the country awarded a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. The church is getting $2.5 million for the project.
“Remembering what happened in this city affected America,” Mayor Randall Woodfin said. “That form of domestic terrorism on a Sunday morning and took the lives of four little girls and injured a fifth little girls — we can never forget. I think one of the best ways we can honor that is by making sure this historic landmark has the resources it needs.” Read more
The Bonhoeffer movie and the tropes that birth the White hero. By Reggie Williams / Christian Century
It is admirable that Bonhoeffer endeavors to highlight Black life. But one must be careful that the Black life of one’s representation is not playing in the dark of caricatured Black people.
Several years ago, I wrote a book about the impact of the academic year Dietrich Bonhoeffer spent in Harlem in 1930–31. He was a foreign exchange student, albeit a very unusual one: he had completed a PhD by age 21 and a habilitation (a second dissertation) by 24, which qualified him for a faculty position in the German academy before he arrived at Union Seminary at age 24 for one last year of study. Read more
Historical / Cultural
Enslaved People’s Graves Discovered at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage. Annie Correal / NYT
The burial ground at the former American president’s home in Nashville is the latest to be discovered at a presidential site.
The South is a land of lost graves. The burial grounds of enslaved farm workers dot the banks of the Mississippi, where sprawling plantations once were. They also lay hidden for centuries on the grounds of America’s presidential homes, including Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. Now, a burial ground for enslaved people has been discovered at Andrew Jackson’s home in Nashville, known as the Hermitage, the Andrew Jackson Foundation announced this week. Read more
15 Rare Historical Facts About Native Americans That Deserve Attention. By Martha A. Lavallie / Viral Chatter
When we think about Native American history, many people might only know a few facts taught in school and found in books. However, there’s so much more to discover!
There are 574 federally recognized tribes in the U.S., with 229 of them located in Alaska. These tribes have a rich history filled with fascinating stories and contributions that often go unnoticed. Read more
5 African-American veterans who fought for Civil Rights after returning home from World War II. By Todd Neikirk / Newsbreak
Racism was prevalent during World War II.
Nevertheless, many African Americans served their country with honor throughout the conflict. After returning home, many became even more determined to advance the fight for Civil Rights. Here are the stories of five African American veterans who returned from war and took on a new struggle for their civil rights. Read more
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Black Americans Weigh Life Abroad After the 2024 Election. By Malcolm Venable / BET
Frustrated by systemic racism and a political climate steeped in chaos, more Black Americans are seeking refuge overseas. Expats share how life abroad offers peace, community, and a better quality of life—despite its challenges.
Josephine Baker, James Baldwin, Nina Simone, Tina Turner—for generations, prominent Black American artists and thinkers have shared how leaving the U.S. to escape domestic racism allowed them to thrive and find peace. This isn’t a new conversation, but it has taken on renewed urgency since the re-election of that guy. Read more
Why Quincy Jones should be prominently featured in US music education − his absence reflects how racial segregation still shapes American classrooms. By Philip Ewell / The Conversation
Quincy Jones, who died on Nov. 3, 2024, at the age of 91, was one of the most influential musicians in U.S. history.
You might think such a notable figure would factor prominently in American music classrooms. Yet my research shows that Jones, who was Black, is rarely mentioned in mainstream U.S. music curricula. As a Black music professor, I believe his absence reflects the fact that music education in the U.S. is still segregated along racial lines, just like the country was for much of its history. Read more
Chris Rock’s Elon Musk Joke Makes ‘SNL’ Crowd Groan During Opening Monologue. By
The comedian reminded the audience that Donald Trump is “not playing” while he talked about the billionaire working with the president-elect.
“Saturday Night Live” host Chris Rock emphasized that Donald Trump is “not playing” about his mass deportation plans while the comedian noted that the president-elect is working with the “richest African American in the world”: Elon Musk. Read more and watch the monologue here
Sports
Caitlin Clark recognizes white privilege. WNBA star owes no apologies. By Nancy Armour / USA Today
It’s been a bad couple of days for the racists and bigots who thought Caitlin Clark was one of them.
First Clark said she recognizes there is an element of white privilege to her stardom, that the Black women who laid the foundation for this current explosion in interest in women’s sports were never afforded a spotlight as bright and intense as the one that shines on her. Then, when conservative crank Megyn Kelly criticized her for saying that, Clark doubled down. “I feel like I’ve earned every single thing that’s happened to me over the course of my career. But also, I grew up a fan of this league from a very young age,” Clark said Wednesday when asked about Kelly’s comments. Read more
Serena Williams Is Competing on a New Court: Investment. Shivani Vora / NYT
“I’ve learned to trust my instincts in any business venture or brand I’m championing,” the retired tennis star said in an interview at the DealBook Summit.
Ms. Williams, 43, is the founder of Serena Ventures, a venture capital fund that invests in early stage companies, primarily ones founded by women and minorities. Established in 2017, when Ms. Williams was at the peak of her career, the firm raised $111 million for its inaugural fund and has invested in more than 60 brands. Read more
San Francisco 49ers parting with linebacker who refused to play Thursday. By AP and The Guardian
San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said linebacker De’Vondre Campbell won’t be part of the 49ers moving forward after he refused to enter a game after losing his starting job.
Shanahan said the team is still working through the options of how to deal with Campbell, who walked to the locker room in the middle of a 12-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night when he refused to enter the game. “His actions from the game are not something you can do to your team or teammates and still expect to be a part of our team,” Shanahan said Friday. “We’re working through the semantics right now, but we’ll handle the situation appropriately.” Read more
NBA Scout Believes Los Angeles Lakers’ Poorly-Built Roster Was The Main Problem And Not Darvin Ham. By Shabiha Akter / TPS
The Los Angeles Lakers’ hopes for a return to the NBA Finals abruptly stopped last season when the Denver Nuggets eliminated them in the first round of the playoffs. Following that disappointment, the franchise made a bold move, parting ways with head coach Darvin Ham in the aftermath. Despite a promising start, the Lakers’ struggles have continued into the current season.
Many saw Ham’s departure as a necessary change, but now, some are reconsidering whether the coaching staff was truly the root of the Lakers’ woes. One Western Conference scout, speaking with ESPN, suggested that the problems may not have been with Ham after all. Read more
Related: Lakers coach JJ Redick says he doesn’t know when LeBron James will return. Fox Sports
NBA Is Struggling as Calls Mount Against Adam Silver’s $76 Billion Deal That Faced Legal Trouble. By Vishwanadha Vamsi Vasisht / Essentially Sports
A new media deal, looking at the future? But what if the future looks bleak? Although the NBA signed an 11-year, $76 billion TV rights deal with Disney, NBC, and Amazon this summer, they’ve faced a major dip in its viewership over the last decade. Ratings have plummeted significantly, with a steep 48% decline over the past 12 years, and this season alone, ESPN’s numbers are down 28%, according to Front Office Sports.
The downward trend has carried over into the Emirates NBA Cup too. Viewership for the tournament’s group play averaged 1.33 million viewers on ESPN and TNT, marking a steep 10% decrease from the previous year’s inaugural season. The two networks split the 14 nationally televised games, with TNT pulling in an average of 1.5 million viewers across its eight games, while ESPN averaged 1.16 million viewers for its six games. It’s a tough spot for the league, especially after such a massive broadcasting deal. Read more
NASCAR Warned of Catastrophic Loss After Offending Michael Jordan & Co in Lawsuit. By Sagarika Chatterjee / Essentially Sports
Michael Jordan has now accused NASCAR of victim-blaming in an antitrust lawsuit against the racing organization.
The co-owner of 23XI Racing, Jordan, is once again seeking a temporary injunction against NASCAR to allow them to compete as chartered teams in the 2025 season. In this case, 23XI and Front Row Motorsports requested a preliminary injunction to be recognized as chartered teams while they pursued an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. Read more
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