Latest news with #BlackAmericans
10 hours ago
- Health
Remains of 19 Black Americans returned to New Orleans nearly 150 years later
The remains of 19 Black Americans whose skulls were taken to Leipzig, Germany, in the 1880s to perform "racial pseudoscience" experiments, were brought to New Orleans to be properly memorialized, a repatriation committee said Thursday. Dillard University, the City of New Orleans and University Medical Center will hold a New Orleans-style jazz funeral on Saturday morning for the 13 men, four women and two unidentified people, according to Dr. Monique Guillory, the president of the historically Black Louisiana university. "They were people with names," Guillory said at a press conference on Thursday. "They were people with stories and histories. Some of them had families -- mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, human beings -- not specimens, not numbers." Dr. Eva Baham, chair of Dillard University's Cultural Repatriation Committee, said during the press conference that the University of Leipzig reached out to the City of New Orleans in 2023 and offered to repatriate the remains. The Cultural Repatriation Committee formed in 2024 and looked through public records to identify exactly who the people were and establish a genealogy, according to Baham. The group has not been able to identify any descendants at this point, she noted. Baham's team located the people's death records in the archives of Charity Hospital. The medical institution served people of all races from 1736 until it was shuttered due to severe damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, according to a statement from Dillard University. University Medical Center New Orleans opened in its place in 2015 and was the major funder of the project, Baham said. Of the 19 people, 17 of them died in December 1871 and two died in January 1872, their ages ranging from 15 to 70 years old, according Baham. Many of them were not born in Louisiana but came from states like Kentucky and Tennessee. The committee discovered that 10 of the 19 people were in New Orleans for less than six years, Baham noted. "We have people who were here in New Orleans from one hour in 1871, one day, a week, two months," Baham said at the news conference. "I just want to remind you that the Civil War had ended in 1865, so we have 10 of these individuals who had arrived here after the American Civil War." The names of the 17 people that the committee was able to identify include Adam Grant, 50; Isaak Bell, 70; Hiram Smith, 23; William Pierson, 43; Henry Williams, 55; John Brown, 48; Hiram Malone, 21; William Roberts, 23; Alice Brown, 15; Prescilla Hatchet, 19; Marie Louise, 55; Mahala [no listed last name], 70; Samuel Prince, 40; John Tolman, 23; Henry Allen, 17; Moses Willis, 23; and Henry Anderson, 23. "We can't rewrite history," Charlotte Parent, vice president of business development at University Medical Center, said at the press conference. "The times were what the times were at the time, but we can always look back and figure out ways that we can embrace and make things as right as we can, and this is one of those opportunities for us to do that."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Kristi Noem's FEMA moves and 7th grader wins Scripps spelling bee: Morning Rundown
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem quietly moves bolster FEMA ahead of hurricane season. Donald Trump's tariffs on international trade partners are allowed to continue, for now. And the skulls of 19 Black Americans are returned after 150 years. Here's what to know today. With the U.S. expected to face an above-average hurricane season this year, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is quietly pushing to keep key employees in place and to approve reimbursements to states previously hit by disaster, sources familiar with the situation said. The behind-the-scenes moves are a contrast to Noem's public calls for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, to be reoriented or done away with altogether. They echoed of President Donald Trump's suggestion earlier this year to possibly "get rid of" the agency. Last week, Noem approved a request from newly installed acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson to retain 2,652 employees part of an on-call response/recovery group whose terms had been set to expire between April and December. Their departures would have left FEMA without a large number of key employees during hurricane season. Still, the departures of a large number of FEMA's senior executives, largely voluntarily, has raised concerns about its ability to respond during hurricane season. The White House suddenly approved disaster recovery reimbursement requests from 10 states last week, including some that had been stalled for months, according to FEMA disaster approval data. This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. Sources said Noem has taken an outsized role compared with previous secretaries in pushing the White House to support FEMA and reimburse states. In the past, the White House has generally approved disaster reimbursements to states, and the Homeland Security secretary has largely functioned as a rubber stamp. A DHS spokesperson denied the conflict between Noem and Trump, insisting Noem is carrying out Trump's vision for FEMA "to shift it away from a bloated, DC-centric bureaucracy." Read the full story here. Trump is set to hold a media event today with Elon Musk as the DOGE head concludes his tenure as a 'special government employee.' Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell met with Trump yesterday amid the president's pressure campaign to slash interest rates. Powell said monetary decisions would be based solely on 'non-political analysis.' The Trump administration has a new deportation strategy: arresting immigrants at courthouses. A federal judge extended a temporary order blocking the Trump administration's revocation of Harvard University's ability to enroll international students. It's not unusual for governors to run for the Senate. It's much less common for senators to eye the governor's mansion in their home state. But this election cycle could potentially see something that hasn't happened in modern history. A federal appeals court temporarily paused rulings by a panel of trade court judges that halted several of President Donald Trump's tariffs on international trading partners 'until further notice.' The ruling yesterday from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit came after the Trump administration challenged a Wednesday judgement from the U.S. Court of International Trade, which found that a decades-old law the president cited in many of his tariff-related executive orders were invalid. Among the tariffs affected were a 10% universal baseline tariff, 20% duties on Chinese goods over its alleged failures to combat fentanyl trafficking and more. Trump praised the appeals court's pause and took aim at the lower court's three-judge panel, one of whom was appointed by the president in 2019. Earlier Thursday, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., issued a ruling similar to the trade court's, finding a number of Trump's tariffs 'unlawful.' However, that decision only affected a pair of educational toy makers who filed suit. Read the full story here. Some financial analysts have taken to using an acronym to Trump's on-again, off-again tariff moves — TACO, or 'Trump always chickens out.' Here are 10 times the president has threatened, then backtracked on them. British comedian and actor Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to all charges of rape and multiple counts of sex assault at a London court. The 49-year-old showed up at the Southwark Crown Court this morning accompanied by his lawyer, Oliver Schneider-Sikorsky, who successfully defended the actor Kevin Spacey against sex assault allegations in 2023. Brand, who stood up as the charges were read out to him, pleaded not guilty on counts of rape, oral rape, indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault. Prosecutors agreed to the confirmed trial date of June 3, 2026, with pre-trial review expected to be held in May of that year. Read the full story here. 'Éclaircissement' was the winning word, but for Faizan Zaki, it spelled success. The 13-year-old seventh grader from Dallas was crowned the champion of the Scripps National Spelling Bee on the competition's 100th anniversary, just a year after coming in second place on the big stage. The winning word, in case you were wondering, means the clearing up of something obscure. Zaki's victory wasn't without a bump in the road in the final round, when three contestants were left, and all three got their words wrong. The three contestants competed again — only this time, Zaki prevailed. Read the full story here. A new Covid variant has landed in the U.S. and has the potential to drive up cases this summer. Here's what to know about NB.1.8.1. Prosecutors retrying Karen Read in the death of her police officer boyfriend in 2022 rested their case this week, with a few notable changes from her first trial. A woman identified only by the pseudonym 'Mia' gave graphic testimony in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' federal trial alleging he sexually assaulted her when she worked as his personal assistant. Comedian (and now, licensed commercial pilot) Nathan Fielder called the FAA 'dumb' for rejecting his findings on what causes many plane crashes. Dad boys for life: Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence are now in-laws after Murphy's son and Lawrence's daughter 'ran off and got married.' In 1872, the heads of 19 deceased Black Americans were severed and shipped to Germany for racially biased 'research.' It wasn't until about a week ago that the skulls were returned to New Orleans to finally be honored with a memorial service. In a powerful piece, reporter Curtis Brunn speaks to members of Dillard University, one of two historically Black universities in the city, about the significance of such an event. They shared themes of justice, remembrance and restoring honor to those who had their dignity stripped. The story both confronts a dark chapter in history and offers a slice of hope as the victims return home. As one person put it, the ceremony is a day of 'reckoning and renewal.' — Kayla Hayempour, platforms intern Posture correctors can be life-changing if they're used correctly. Here are what factors to consider when shopping for one. Plus, rice serums are a multitasking skincare ingredient, thanks to its concentrated nutrients and minerals, according to dermatologists. Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week. Thanks for reading today's Morning Rundown. Today's newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Robinson. If you're a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign up here. This article was originally published on
NBC News
a day ago
- Business
- NBC News
Kristi Noem's FEMA moves and 7th grader wins Scripps spelling bee: Morning Rundown
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem quietly moves bolster FEMA ahead of hurricane season. Donald Trump's tariffs on international trade partners are allowed to continue, for now. And the skulls of 19 Black Americans are returned after 150 years. Here's what to know today. The scramble to keep FEMA alive ahead of hurricane season With the U.S. expected to face an above-average hurricane season this year, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is quietly pushing to keep key employees in place and to approve reimbursements to states previously hit by disaster, sources familiar with the situation said. The behind-the-scenes moves are a contrast to Noem's public calls for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, to be reoriented or done away with altogether. They echoed of President Donald Trump's suggestion earlier this year to possibly "get rid of" the agency. Last week, Noem approved a request from newly installed acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson to retain 2,652 employees part of an on-call response/recovery group whose terms had been set to expire between April and December. Their departures would have left FEMA without a large number of key employees during hurricane season. Still, the departures of a large number of FEMA's senior executives, largely voluntarily, has raised concerns about its ability to respond during hurricane season. The White House suddenly approved disaster recovery reimbursement requests from 10 states last week, including some that had been stalled for months, according to FEMA disaster approval data. This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. Sources said Noem has taken an outsized role compared with previous secretaries in pushing the White House to support FEMA and reimburse states. In the past, the White House has generally approved disaster reimbursements to states, and the Homeland Security secretary has largely functioned as a rubber stamp. A DHS spokesperson denied the conflict between Noem and Trump, insisting Noem is carrying out Trump's vision for FEMA "to shift it away from a bloated, DC-centric bureaucracy." More politics news: Trump is set to hold a media event today with Elon Musk as the DOGE head concludes his tenure as a 'special government employee.' Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell met with Trump yesterday amid the president's pressure campaign to slash interest rates. Powell said monetary decisions would be based solely on 'non-political analysis.' The Trump administration has a new deportation strategy: arresting immigrants at courthouses. A federal judge extended a temporary order blocking the Trump administration's revocation of Harvard University's ability to enroll international students. It's not unusual for governors to run for the Senate. It's much less common for senators to eye the governor's mansion in their home state. But this election cycle could potentially see something that hasn't happened in modern history. Trump's tariffs allowed to continue for now A federal appeals court temporarily paused rulings by a panel of trade court judges that halted several of President Donald Trump's tariffs on international trading partners 'until further notice.' The ruling yesterday from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit came after the Trump administration challenged a Wednesday judgement from the U.S. Court of International Trade, which found that a decades-old law the president cited in many of his tariff-related executive orders were invalid. Among the tariffs affected were a 10% universal baseline tariff, 20% duties on Chinese goods over its alleged failures to combat fentanyl trafficking and more. Trump praised the appeals court's pause and took aim at the lower court's three-judge panel, one of whom was appointed by the president in 2019. Earlier Thursday, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., issued a ruling similar to the trade court's, finding a number of Trump's tariffs 'unlawful.' However, that decision only affected a pair of educational toy makers who filed suit. Read the full story here. More tariffs coverage: Some financial analysts have taken to using an acronym to Trump's on-again, off-again tariff moves — TACO, or 'Trump always chickens out.' Here are 10 times the president has threatened, then backtracked on them. Russell Brand pleads not guilty in rape and sexual assault case British comedian and actor Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to all charges of rape and multiple counts of sex assault at a London court. The 49-year-old showed up at the Southwark Crown Court this morning accompanied by his lawyer, Oliver Schneider-Sikorsky, who successfully defended the actor Kevin Spacey against sex assault allegations in 2023. Brand, who stood up as the charges were read out to him, pleaded not guilty on counts of rape, oral rape, indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault. Prosecutors agreed to the confirmed trial date of June 3, 2026, with pre-trial review expected to be held in May of that year. Read the full story here. 7th grader Faizan Zaki wins Scripps National Spelling Bee 'Éclaircissement' was the winning word, but for Faizan Zaki, it spelled success. The 13-year-old seventh grader from Dallas was crowned the champion of the Scripps National Spelling Bee on the competition's 100th anniversary, just a year after coming in second place on the big stage. The winning word, in case you were wondering, means the clearing up of something obscure. Zaki's victory wasn't without a bump in the road in the final round, when three contestants were left, and all three got their words wrong. The three contestants competed again — only this time, Zaki prevailed. Read the full story here. Read All About It A new Covid variant has landed in the U.S. and has the potential to drive up cases this summer. Here's what to know about NB.1.8.1. Prosecutors retrying Karen Read in the death of her police officer boyfriend in 2022 rested their case this week, with a few notable changes from her first trial. A woman identified only by the pseudonym 'Mia' gave graphic testimony in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' federal trial alleging he sexually assaulted her when she worked as his personal assistant. Comedian (and now, licensed commercial pilot) Nathan Fielder called the FAA 'dumb' for rejecting his findings on what causes many plane crashes. Dad boys for life: Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence are now in-laws after Murphy's son and Lawrence's daughter 'ran off and got married.' Staff Pick: Black Americans' skulls return home 150 years later In 1872, the heads of 19 deceased Black Americans were severed and shipped to Germany for racially biased 'research.' It wasn't until about a week ago that the skulls were returned to New Orleans to finally be honored with a memorial service. In a powerful piece, reporter Curtis Brunn speaks to members of Dillard University, one of two historically Black universities in the city, about the significance of such an event. They shared themes of justice, remembrance and restoring honor to those who had their dignity stripped. The story both confronts a dark chapter in history and offers a slice of hope as the victims return home. As one person put it, the ceremony is a day of 'reckoning and renewal.' — Kayla Hayempour, platforms intern NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified Posture correctors can be life-changing if they're used correctly. Here are what factors to consider when shopping for one. Plus, rice serums are a multitasking skincare ingredient, thanks to its concentrated nutrients and minerals, according to dermatologists. here.
UPI
2 days ago
- Health
- UPI
Pizza, soup, chicken among biggest sources of sodium for Americans
But beyond the common love for pizza, soup and chicken, the ways different groups of Americans consume too much sodium vary widely, researchers found. Photo by Brett Jordan/ Pexels These days Americans can agree on few things, but unfortunately, pizza, soup and chicken aren't among them, a new study says. Those three foods are some of the main sources of sodium for Americans of all racial and ethnic groups, contributing to high blood pressure and heart disease in the United States, researchers reported Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association. But beyond the common love for pizza, soup and chicken, the ways different groups of Americans consume too much sodium vary widely, researchers found. For example, Asian American adults are more likely to add salt in their cooking, but less likely to sprinkle it at the table, results show. Meanwhile, Black Americans are more likely to try to reduce their salt intake, often on the advice of their doctor, researchers say. The average American consumes about 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day, far above the American Heart Association's recommended 2,300 mg. for healthy people and 1,500 mg. for those with high blood pressure, researchers said in background notes. "The World Health Organization calls sodium reduction one of the most cost-effective strategies for addressing chronic conditions such as heart disease," said lead researcher Jessica Cheng, a postdoctoral research fellow in epidemiology at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. "High sodium intake can even affect non-heart-related diseases like kidney disease," she added in a news release. For the study, researchers analyzed data gathered by a federal survey on health and nutrition from 2017 to 2020, to see what racial and ethnic differences there might be when it comes to sodium intake. Results showed that pizza, soup and chicken were among the top 10 sources of sodium for every racial and ethnic group in America. After that, the top sources of sodium tended to vary widely: Four culturally unique foods accounted for more than 14% of daily sodium for Asian Americans -- soy sauce, fish, stir-fry sauces and fried rice/chow mein dishes. Mixed dishes represented unique top sources of sodium for Mexican Americans, including enchiladas, tamales, gorditas, chimichangas, quesadillas, fajitas and chiles relleños. Chicken patties, nuggets and tenders are among the top sodium sources for Black Americans. However, there's some potentially good news. Prior studies might have overestimated how much sodium Asian Americans get by assuming that the rice they eat is salted, researchers said. "Culturally, not all Asians salt plain rice," Cheng said. "If they don't add salt to rice when cooking, then their sodium intake is among the lowest across all racial and ethnic groups." Regardless of a person's background, cutting back on salt will boost their health, she said. "Based on these findings, I suggest varying your diet and adding more potassium-rich foods such as vegetables, which can also help reduce blood pressure," Cheng said. "You don't have to avoid pizza completely; eat it less often or try making it at home with low-sodium cheese, dough and tomato sauce you make from scratch." The knowledge gathered in the new study "is critical for health professionals counseling patients on how they can reduce sodium in their lives and within their families," American Heart Association spokesman Dr. Stephen Juraschek said in a news release. "Interventions targeting sodium reduction should account for differences among groups and tailor to patients' unique needs," added Juraschek, who was not involved in the study. More information The American Heart Association has tips on shaking the salt habit. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Why Are Black Neighborhoods Underwater? Science Points to the Wealthy.
In January, a relentless wave of wildfires tore through Los Angeles, reducing a historic Black community to ash and claiming 29 lives. Later that month, a rare winter storm brought heavy snow to the Southeast and the Gulf Coast. Eleven people perished. Then, in March, more than 100 tornadoes ripped through the South in two days, leaving 42 dead across eight states. Weeks later, rain and extensive flooding soaked the region, resulting in hundreds of water rescues and 25 deaths. All of these disasters — from wildfires to floods and tornadoes — have connections to global warming. In America, researchers say, they all are connected to how much money is in your bank account, too. A study published in the journal Nature Climate Change this month found that emissions from the wealthiest Americans have led to increased heat waves and flooding, particularly in communities of color. Scientists say that the findings underscore an often overlooked aspect of the climate crisis — that those least responsible for global warming often face the most severe impacts of environmental change. Or, put another way: Black communities in the United States are bearing the brunt of a climate crisis that they did little to cause. And, researchers say, the toll of climate change also disproportionately costs Black Americans their lives. Since 1999, Black people have died from natural disasters and extreme weather, at a rate nearly twice as high as white people. In the South, it is even more pronounced, with Black people dying at a rate in some states that is more than three times higher than for white people. 'This is not an academic discussion — it's about the real impacts of the climate crisis today,' said Carl-Friedrich Schleussner, a researcher with the policy group Climate Analytics and a co-author of the Nature Climate Change study. Schleussner and his fellow researchers found that emissions from the wealthiest Americans have directly caused these increased heat waves, winter storms, and flooding. In all, the world's richest 10% are responsible for nearly two-thirds of global warming since 1990. Yet it is neighborhoods like those in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and St. Louis — where Black families emit far less climate change-causing carbon — who are left to pick up the pieces after each calamity. The disasters are deadly — even for those that survive them. They've left thousands of Black families in the aftermath without housing and jobs. And with every passing day, researchers say, a disproportionate number of Black families are grappling with punishing heat, flooding, and pollution — threats that are growing more severe each year. 'Climate action that doesn't address the outsize responsibilities of the wealthiest members of society risks missing one of the most powerful levers we have to reduce future harm,' Schleussner said. Lessening those harms can be difficult for already under-resourced Black communities, said Gabrielle Cole, a St. Louis resident who lost her home to tornadoes earlier this month. 'We are just unprepared,' said Cole. 'We are unprepared as a community, and climate change and weather events like this are mainly impacting predominantly Black areas, predominantly underserved communities.' Scientists say that the devastation caused by global warming is becoming increasingly common. Last year, the U.S. experienced 27 separate weather and climate disasters with damages of at least $1 billion each, making it the second-highest year on record, just behind 2023, which saw 28 such events. In all, this decade has seen about 23 disasters per year with damages at $1 billion or more. In comparison, even when accounting for inflation, the increase is dramatic. The 1980s averaged 3.3 per year, the 1990s averaged 5.7, the 2000s averaged 6.7, and the 2010s averaged 13.1. The pattern is clear: As the climate crisis accelerates, it magnifies long-standing racial and economic inequities, making survival and recovery even harder for those with the fewest resources, Cole said. Black neighborhoods are disproportionately exposed to extreme weather, receive less disaster recovery aid, and face steeper barriers to recovery. After experiencing roof damage during a 2024 storm, Cole's insurance company told her they'd stop insuring her home in June 2025. Then she lost her home altogether to a tornado. Nearly 30 people died during the storm system. 'It comes at us from all directions,' she said, first with the storms and then the fallout. 'There's a lot of people strategizing on how to acquire Black land after these events, and to take these homes from us in a vulnerable state.' Below, you can click through a story map that outlines the real life impacts of climate change on Black communities. The world's wealthiest 10% of people — defined as those who earn at least $47,000 per year — contributed seven times more to the rise in monthly heat extremes around the world than the global average. While millions of Black Americans fall into the world's top 10%, the median income for Black Americans is $43,000, roughly $15,000 less than white Americans. That means more than half of Black adults are making less than $47,000 per year. Several studies show that Black households emit less carbon per capita than white households, and white households are the largest emitters of greenhouse gas in the country. 'This is something that we've known for a long time through our experience,' said Lemir Teron, an associate professor in Howard University's Department of Earth, Environment, and Equity. 'Black Americans, at least amongst Americans, contribute much less to climate change, but we feel it the most.' Teron, who was not part of the study's research team, said that the findings show that true responsibility 'lies across all sectors, especially those with the largest environmental impact,' he added. That means a 'stronger critique of the industries driving climate change — like the transportation and building sectors — and of wealthy individuals.' The post Why Are Black Neighborhoods Underwater? Science Points to the Wealthy. appeared first on Capital B News.
