Atticus Finch: A Hero Who Lost The Battle
On the 50th anniversary of the publication of To Kill A Mockingbird, Weekend Edition essayist Diane Roberts pays tribute to a character who is one of her heroes.
‘Mockingbird’ Eases Hard Times In Lee’s Hometown
Though Harper Lee has always said her book To Kill a Mockingbird and its setting are fictional, that won't stop thousands from visiting her hometown of Monroeville, Ala., for the novel's 50th anniversary. It's welcome attention for a town struggling through the recession.
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Justice Department To Investigate BART Shooting
On Thursday, former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the slaying of 22-year-old Oscar Grant on an Oakland train platform last year. A Justice Department spokesman announced Friday that the civil rights division will review the case.
Fighting For The Right To Marry, A Family Tradition
Almost 50 years ago, as an interracial couple, commentator Susan Green's parents had to fight for their right to marry. Now, in the wake of Thursday's DOMA decision, Green is facing a similar battle with her partner of 10 years.
Chaos Erupts In Oakland As Ex-Cop Is Cleared Of Murder Charge
Former Oakland transit police officer Johannes Mehserle was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the 2009 shooting death of Oscar Grant on a subway platform. Outrage over the jury's decision to find Mehserle not guilty of a more serious second-degree murder charge sparked rioting in Oakland by angry residents who decry the verdict as unjust. The case was also steeped in racial sensitivities -- Mehserle is white; Grant was black and unarmed. Host Michel Martin speaks to Demian Bulwa, who reports on law enforcement for the San Francisco Chronicle, for more on the verdict and the community reaction.
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‘Shop Talk’: Was LeBron James’ Primetime TV Frenzy Too Much?
In this installment of our weekly Barbershop segment, host Michel Martin talks with freelance writer Jimi Izrael, civil rights attorney Arsalan Iftikhar, syndicated columnist Ruben Navarrette, media critic Eric Deggans and sports writer Keven Blackistone. They discuss NBA superstar LeBron James' primetime TV announcement Thursday of his plans to ditch the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat, who was shut out of the recently announced Emmy nominations and the White House lawsuit against Arizona's measure aimed at curbing illegal immigration.
Transit Officer’s Verdict Sparks Violent Protests
A former transit officer from northern California has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of an unarmed man. Johannes Mehserle said he meant to use his taser, but accidentally pulled his gun instead and shot 22-year-old Oscar Grant. The 2009 shooting continues to spark racial tension in Oakland where the shooting happened on a BART train platform. The ex-officer is white, Grant was black.
Oakland Waits For Verdict In BART Shooting Trial
Jury deliberations are underway in the trial of a former Bay Area Rapid Transit officer, who's accused of fatally shooting an unarmed man on a train platform in Oakland, Calif. The case of the white officer and the black victim has sparked racial tensions, which is why the trial was moved to Los Angeles.
Joya Sherrill, Singer With Duke Ellington, Dies at 85
Ms. Sherrill was also one of the first African-American performers to host a children’s television show. The Root: The Return Of ‘Sundown’ Towns?
A tough law against illegal immigrants in Nebraska could revive the whites-only-at-night towns of our Jim Crow past. Afi-Odelia Scruggs of The Root explains how race is going to play a role, and that's why anyone who resembles a so-called illegal is right to worry.
50 Years On, ‘Mockingbird’ Still Sings America’s Song
When it was published in 1960, Harper Lee's modest novel helped Americans think differently about race. Now, 50 years later, To Kill a Mockingbird still resonates in a much-changed America. NPR's Lynn Neary examines the lasting impact of Scout Finch and her father, Atticus -- a lawyer who defends a black man unjustly accused of rape.
Memories of a ‘Black Y’ Provoke Smiles and Tears
Many older African-Americans in Evanston, Ill., still feel a sense of loss, 41 years after a Y.M.C.A. branch for blacks closed its doors. Fourth of July 1776, 1964, 2010
In the matter of race, we still take steps back and forward in bewildering alternation. ACLU Warns Arizona Visitors Of Potential Profiling
The civil liberties group issued travel alerts, saying the state's new immigration law, which takes effect July 29, could lead to warrantless arrests. The law requires officers, while enforcing other laws, to question a person's immigration status if they have a reasonable suspicion to believe the person is in the country illegally.
The Root: Trashing Thurgood Marshall
Just because Elena Kagan is white didn't stop Republicans from injecting race into her Supreme Court confirmation hearings. Sherrilyn A. Ifill of The Root looks at the negative reactions to their Marshall bashing.