The Panama Canal has been dubbed the greatest engineering feat in human history. It's also (perhaps less favorably) been called the greatest liberty mankind has ever taken with Mother Nature. But due to climate change, the Canal is drying up and fewer than half of the ships that used to pass through are now able to do so. So how did we get here? Today on the show, we're talking to Cristina Henriquez, the author of a new novel that explores the making of the Canal. It took 50,000 people from 90 different countries to carve the land in two — and the consequences of that extraordinary, nature-defying act are still echoing through our present.
A new study finds that in news stories about scientific research, U.S. media were less likely to mention a scientist if they had an East Asian or African name, as compared to one with an Anglo name.
A study showed states made more mistakes when executing Black prisoners by lethal injection than they did with prisoners of other races. Execution workers and race experts said they're not surprised.
Known best for her story quilts depicting African American experiences and feminine life, she also created paintings, sculpture and children's books. She was 93.
O.J. Simpson was more than a football star. More than a pop culture icon or a defendant acquitted of murder.
He became a symbol of America's complicated relationship to race, celebrity, and justice. His family announced that he died of cancer Wednesday at age 76.
The murder trial of O.J. Simpson became not only about one man and two victims, but the entire country. Coming up, we assess the legacy of a case, and a verdict, that put race in America on the stand.
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Economists sent 83,000 fake job applications to a slew of major U.S. companies, and found that the typical firm favored white applicants over Black ones by around 9%.
What's a portrait of Frederick Douglass doing hanging in an Irish-themed pub in Washington, D.C.? To get to the answer, Parker and Gene dive deep into the long history of solidarity and exchange between Black civil rights leaders and Irish republican activists, starting with Frederick Douglass' visit to Ireland in 1845.
Nakala Murry spoke exclusively to NPR about a petition that references the May 2023 shooting of Aderrien Murry. She said the move "caught her off guard."
It's that time of year again: time to file your taxes. And this week on the pod, we're revisiting our conversation with Dorothy A. Brown, a tax expert and author of The Whiteness Of Wealth: How The Tax System Impoverishes Black Americans And How To Fix It. She talks through the racial landmines in our tax code and how your race plays a big role in whether you get audited, how much you might owe the IRS, which tax breaks you can get, and even which benefits you can claim.
This week, we're revisiting an exploration of hair braiding gone wrong. Online, women looking to get box braids have gone viral with their complaints about confusing pricing structures, minimal care, and poor customer service. Brittany Luse chats with public historian and YouTuber Jouelzy to get an overview of the tension. Then, Jessica Poitras, legislative counsel for the Institute of Justice, joins the show to talk about the legal roadblocks many hair braiders face in setting up their businesses. And later, Brittany is joined by stylist Tyré Rimple to discuss the hidden costs behind braiding. This segment first aired last summer.
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A fan of both The Beatles and Beyoncé, 82-year-old Melba Pattillo Beals says the song is more special to her than ever. She is one of the Black students who helped desegregate U.S. public schools.
Since before the political newcomer was inaugurated, there has been speculation that Maryland Gov. Wes Moore wants to run for higher office. The bridge collapse could be his first major test.
