Featured
Black Faith and the Heresy of Christian Nationalism. By Ronald J. Sheehy, Editor / On Race in America
We have just passed the Christmas season, when Christian churches across the country celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ. Yet in a nation as divided as ours, the season invites a deeper question: what version of Christianity is being celebrated?
Is it the faith rooted in the humility of a child born among the poor, proclaimed as good news to the marginalized, and embodied in a life devoted to justice and love? Or is it a Christianity reshaped to serve power, exclusion, and national dominance? This question matters, because the answer reveals not only how we understand Jesus, but how we understand ourselves as a nation. Read more
The Week’s Top Stories
Political / Social
Trump Takes America’s ‘Imperial Presidency’ to a New Level. By Peter Baker / NYT
In his first year back in the White House, President Trump has greatly expanded executive power while embracing the trappings of royalty in ways not seen in the modern era.
In his first year back in office, Mr. Trump has unabashedly adopted the trappings of royalty just as he has asserted virtually unbridled power to transform American government and society to his liking. In both pageantry and policy, Mr. Trump has established a new, more audacious version of the imperial presidency that goes far beyond even the one associated with Richard M. Nixon, for whom the term was popularized half a century ago. Read more
Supreme Court Refuses to Allow Trump to Deploy National Guard in Chicago. Ann E. Marimow / NYT
President Trump ordered state-based troops to Portland, Ore.; Los Angeles; Washington; and Chicago over the objections of state and local officials.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to allow President Trump to deploy hundreds of National Guard troops in the Chicago area over the objection of Illinois officials, casting doubt on the viability of similar deployments in other American cities. Read more
Related: The Supreme Court’s Shadowy Plan to Subvert Democracy. By Elie Mystal / The Nation
Special elections ordered for Mississippi Supreme Court after voting rights violation. By Ap and NPR
A judge on Friday ordered special elections for the Mississippi Supreme Court after earlier finding that the electoral map used to select justices violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock in August ordered Mississippi to redraw the map, which was enacted in 1987, concluding the current configuration dilutes the power of Black voters. The Friday ruling gives the Mississippi Legislature until the end of its 2026 regular session to redraw the map. Read more
How the Trump Administration Is Quietly Resegregating the American Workforce. By Madiba K. Dennie / TPM
When President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, the national unemployment rate was at 4 percent overall, and at 5.3 percent for Black workers. On Tuesday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its November 2025 dataset, and although the total unemployment rate is at 4.6 percent, the Black unemployment rate has soared to 8.3 percent — the highest level since August 2021.
One contributing factor is Trump’s mass firings of federal employees. Black people disproportionately work in the public sector, representing nearly 19 percent of the federal workforce compared to 13 percent of the civilian workforce. And they have been disproportionately impacted by Trump’s purges: Analyses by ProPublica and The New York Times found that the administration conducted its steepest staff cuts at the agencies with the most nonwhite and women workers, like the Department of Education and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Read more
Related: White Men Urged To Report Discrimination By Trump Workplace Rights Head. By Claire Savage / HuffPost
How the GOP abuses its white Republican base. By Thom Hartmann / Alternet
Given how the Republicans who run Congress let health insurance premiums for over 24 million Americans explode by not acting last week before going on vacation, it appears former Congressman Alan Grayson was right. The GOP Healthcare Plan is simple and straightforward: “Don’t get sick.“If you do get sick, die quickly.”
And it appears Trump is handily helping us all along with that “die quickly” part, promoting both cancer-causing chemicals in our environment and food supply as well as pushing for more greenhouse gasses to kill more of us with droughts, floods, hurricanes, and wildfires via climate change. Read more
Ramaswamy Challenges Conservatives on Surging Bigotry on the Right. Pooja Salhotra / NYT
The leading Republican candidate for Ohio governor is calling out his party for rising intolerance, including against Indian American immigrants and their children, like him.
“The idea that a ‘heritage American’ is more American than another American is un-American at its core,” Mr. Ramaswamy, a wealthy entrepreneur and candidate for the presidency in 2024, told an audience at AmericaFest, a conservative conference organized by Turning Point USA, the organization founded by the slain activist Charlie Kirk. Read more
Black Men Are Committing Suicide at an Alarming Rate, But This Is How To Help. By Lawrence Ware / The Root
Black men need help dealing with our mental health whether we admit it or not. The recent suicides of prominent figures bears this out.
Suicide is now the third leading cause of death for Black men aged 15 to 34. Between 2018 and 2023, suicide rates for Black men increased by 25.2% — the highest growth of any racial group. And Black men die by suicide at a rate more than four times that of Black women. One Black man dying by suicide is too many. But it being one of the leading causes of death for men in our community? We are looking at a full on mental health crisis. Read more
Education
Racial Harassment of Students Ignored by Trump’s Department of Education. B
Since Trump returned to office, the Education Department’s civil rights office has not resolved a single racial harassment investigation. It sends a message that “people impacted by racial discrimination … don’t matter,” one attorney said.
The OCR regularly resolves dozens of racial harassment cases a year and did so even during Trump’s first administration. In the last days of the Biden administration, OCR workers pushed to close out several racial harassment agreements, including one that was signed by the district the day after Trump was inaugurated. With Trump in office, the agency has shifted to resolving cases involving allegations of discrimination against white students. Read more
Black Students Face Racism In Texas Schools With No Support. By Joe Jurado / Newsone
The Education Department has closed several civil rights offices, leaving many Black students with no recourse when dealing with systemic racism.
Probes Into Racism Faced By Black Students At Texas Schools Stall Under Trump. It’s no secret that one of the main focuses of President Donald Trump’s second term has been dismantling the Department of Education and removing protections for Black and brown students under the guise of reverse discrimination. As a result of stalled investigations, Black students at several Texas schools have endured heightened racism with little to no consequences. Read more
The Confederacy Goes on Trial, Along With Schools Named Jackson and Lee. Clyde McGrady / NYT
In an unusual trial, the N.A.A.C.P. has sought to show a school board’s “racist intent” by proving that the names of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson can’t be separated from white supremacy.
On a crisp, cold morning in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia this month, a federal judge listened as lawyers argued over racism, the Confederacy and who deserves to be honored through historical memory. The trial, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, was ostensibly about whether a school board violated the rights of Black students when it reinstated the names of two schools that once honored the Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson after they’d been replaced in 2020. Read more
World
Venezuela Is on the Verge of a Major Humanitarian Tragedy. By James North / TNR
While the media sleeps, the beginning salvos of Trump’s regime change war is already pushing the nation into crisis.
A distinguished Venezuelan economist is warning that the Trump administration’s decision to impose an oil export embargo via a military blockade could cause “the first famine in the modern history of the Western Hemisphere.” Francisco Rodríguez, who teaches at the University of Denver and is an analyst at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, is also calculating that a U.S. invasion of his home country could produce as many as 2000 American casualties, “with Venezuelan military and civilian casualties in the tens of thousands.” Whatever Trump’s new regime change war is, one thing it will not be is a cakewalk. Read more
’60 Minutes’ segment on Trump immigration policy accidentally airs online. By Safiyah Riddle / PBS
A news segment about the Trump administration’s immigration policy that was abruptly pulled from ” 60 Minutes ” was mistakenly aired on a TV app after the last minute decision not to air it touched off a public debate about journalistic independence.
The segment featured interviews with migrants who were sent to a notorious El Salvador prison called the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, under President Donald Trump’s aggressive crackdown on immigration. Read more
Related: Watch the 60 Minutes segment blocked by CBS News chief. By Common Dreams / Alternet
In Gaza, another winter of despair. By Ishaan Tharoor / Wash Post
The grim conditions in Gaza exacerbate an already bleak status quo.
A sliver of “good” news came out of the Gaza Strip at the end of the past week. There are no longer any areas of the devastated Palestinian territory experiencing conditions of famine, according to the global authority on hunger. That follows a surge of humanitarian and commercial food deliveries after Israel and militant group Hamas reached a ceasefire in October. But the report from the panel of international experts known as the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) still warned that three-quarters of Gaza’s population, or 1.6 million people, are experiencing acute food insecurity and malnutrition. Read more
What I Saw at a Maternity Ward in Kenya After the U.S. Cut Off Food and Foreign Aid. B
Photographs tell a story of two mothers determined to help their babies gain enough weight to leave the hospital — only to face little to no food again.
In an investigation we published last week, we wrote about how food rations were slashed throughout the camp of more than 308,000 people. We learned first-hand how the Trump administration’s decision to withhold funding for the World Food Program’s operations in Kenya led children to starve and forced thousands of families to make impossible decisions. One of the groups hit hardest by the cuts was pregnant women. Read more
Ghana’s president urged to rally African leaders behind push for slavery reparations. By
The delegation, made up of experts from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, and the United States, presented Mahama with priority actions under the African Union’s (AU) reparations agenda, it said in a statement on Friday. Read more
Ethics / Morality / Religion
“A path toward others”: Pope Leo calls for peace and welcoming immigrants with compassion. By CK Smith / Salon
Pope Leo used his Christmas Day address at the Vatican, traditionally titled “Urbi et Orbi’’ (“To the City and to the World”), to call on people and governments to show compassion toward migrants, refugees, the poor and those suffering in war zones, framing the message as a direct reflection of Jesus’ teachings
The Holy Father specifically highlighted the suffering of civilians in Gaza, calling for an immediate end to violence and renewed efforts toward peace. He also cited ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Syria, Yemen and parts of Africa, warning that war continues to devastate innocent lives while global leaders fail to prioritize dialogue and humanitarian aid. Read more
JD Vance, playing unifier, declares the US ‘a Christian nation.’ By Mark Silk / RNS
It is noteworthy that Vance, in his listing of demographic dualities who are all one in MAGA, did not include a religious pairing. It’s hard to believe that the omission was not on purpose.
The line in his speech that drew the greatest applause was, “The only thing that has truly served as an anchor of the United States of America is that we have been, and by the grace of God, we always will be, a Christian nation.” What followed by way of justifying his “Christian nation” claim — anticipating the media to twist it — was a tissue of half-truths, misrepresentations and outright falsehoods. Read more
What We Get Wrong About Christian Nationalism. Molly Worthen / NYT
American politics has begun to remind Gray Sutanto of home — not in a good way. He grew up in Jakarta, Indonesia, and some American Christians’ comments on politics “sound a lot like Islamic nationalism to me,” Dr. Sutanto, who teaches theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Washington, told me.
“The only times I’ve had to defend democracy are in America, not Indonesia.” But, he added, secular journalists usually get this story wrong. “They confuse any desire to influence society by way of Christian values with ‘Christian nationalism,’ ” he said. “If that’s your definition, then everyone who is a Christian is a Christian nationalist.” Read more
Historical / Cultural
Conservatives Want the Antebellum Constitution Back. By Adam Serwer / The Atlantic
The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments are in trouble.
Across the country, federal agents are flagrantly and casually disregarding Americans’ due-process rights. And they have been remarkably forthright about how they choose their victims. As Gregory Bovino, a top Border Patrol commander, told a white reporter: Agents were arresting people based on “the particular characteristics of an individual—how they look. How do they look compared to, say, you?” Read more
Freedom for Christmas: the extraordinary journey of an enslaved woman to Britain. By Genevieve Johnson / The Conversation
A newly unveiled statue in North Shields is casting fresh light on the extraordinary life of Mary Ann Macham – a woman whose courage carried her from the brutality of slavery in the US state of Virginia to freedom on the banks of the River Tyne on Christmas Day, 1831.
With the help of a friend in Virginia who was enslaved to the harbour master, Macham (who was enslaved on a plantation) hid beneath a tree and in the forest for six weeks while men on horses and bloodhounds searched for her. She was then smuggled to the harbour, where the second mate of a ship stowed her away with the cargo. Read more
Andrew Johnson’s 1868 Christmas pardon shows how forgiveness and politics collide. By CK Smith / Salon
On Christmas Day in 1868, President Andrew Johnson issued a sweeping amnesty to former Confederate officials and soldiers, ending legal consequences for those who rebelled against the United States. While the event is more than 150 years old, it continues to resonate in modern discussions over presidential pardon power and accountability for political violence.
In addition to effectively ending Reconstruction, Johnson’s proclamation restored civil and political rights to nearly all former Confederates, a move that quickly allowed many to return to political office. Today, lawmakers and legal scholars reference this historical example when debating the limits of presidential clemency, particularly in cases involving political insurrection or efforts to overturn democratic processes. The comparison has been invoked in recent years as President Donald Trump and his allies faced questions over potential pardons for individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Read more
Kennedy Center’s Christmas Eve jazz canceled after Trump renaming. By Sarah Fortinsky / The Hill
The Kennedy Center’s annual Christmas Eve jazz concert was canceled Wednesday after its longtime host declined to perform in protest of the recent changes to the performing arts center’s name.
Chuck Redd, who’s hosted the holiday “Jazz Jams” since 2006, said he made the decision after seeing President Trump’s name added to the building, which was named after former President Kennedy and serves as a living tribute to the assassinated president. Read more
Related: Nicki Minaj Just Proved Why So Many Black Celebrities Are Out of Touch. By
‘Say It Louder’: Dave Chappelle Torches the Charlie Kirk–MLK Jr. Comparison — Then Drops One Line That Stops People Cold.
Dave Chappelle has never needed a megaphone to stir conversation — his timing alone does the job. In his new Netflix stand-up special, the comedian leans into that reputation, delivering a set that blends sharp observation with deliberate provocation.
The laughs come easily, but the discussion that follows has centered on one particular moment: Chappelle’s rejection of critics who claim Charlie Kirk deserves the same honor as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a contrast he treats less as debate and more as cultural misunderstanding. Read more
Stop Calling Me ‘Blackie!’ How Colorism Nicknames Still Wreak Havoc on Beautiful Black Women. By Asheea Smith / The Root
From derogatory nicknames to backhanded compliments, colorism continues to shape how Black women are seen, treated, and valued every day. Let’s unpack.
Colorism in the Black community isn’t new, but it’s still raw, personal, and too often used as a weapon. That good ole’ saying comes to mind — “it be your own people” — because many of us carry real scars, not just memories, when it comes to this conversation. After a dark-skinned Black woman’s vulnerable storytime resonated with millions — where she expressed shock that a Black man found her attractive despite being “bald-headed and bad built” — it’s time we dig into the gritty reality of colorism towards Black women, and how its unfolded in our lives. Read more
Sports
A’ja Wilson, ‘Sinners,’ Shedeur Sanders and more. Here’s our favorite sports and pop culture moments from 2025. By Sheila Matthews, Justin Tinsley and David Dennis Jr. / Andscape
Somehow, 2025 has felt like the slowest drag ever and a year that disappeared in the blink of an eye. It’s been a year, and feel free to take that however best applies to your life. That said, in the worlds of sports and pop culture, it’s been a time we won’t soon forget.
That’s why we’re here: to recap the year and what made us laugh, cry, think and debate. As a teaser, get used to seeing, reading, and hearing a lot from the three of us in 2026, cuz we’ve got something in store. Trust us. This isn’t even the appetizer. So stay tuned. Here are our 2025 faves. Read more
Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart’s foundation is fighting cancer, empowering inner-city youth. By Marc J. Spears / Andscape
Twelve-year NBA veteran takes life-changing moments from childhood and applies them to helping others
Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart’s passion for defense stems from what he has defended against during the dark days of his youth. Today, the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year is defending the league’s best guards while using his foundation to help cancer victims and aid troubled inner-city youth. Read more
Lions fan speaks out after altercation with Steelers star. By Ryan Gaydos / Fox Sports
A Detroit Lions fan was on the receiving end of some wrath from Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf on Sunday.
Metcalf was seen grabbing at the fan’s shirt and taking a swing. The CBS broadcast caught the interaction between the Steelers player and the man, who was wearing a black and blue shirt and a blue wig. It was unclear in the moment what led to the incident. The man told the Detroit Free Press that he called Metcalf by his full name – DeKaylin Zecharius Metcalf – and it sparked fury. Metcalf wasn’t penalized in the game as the CBS cameras only caught the moment by happenstance. The NFL told the Detroit Free Press it couldn’t intervene in regard to an ejection because the incident didn’t happen on the field.
Site Information
On Race in America is published every Saturday. Some articles may be AI-assisted. Articles appearing in On Race in America are archived on our home page. A collection of Books, Podcasts, and Video Favorites can also be found there.
On each page you can register your email to receive notifications of new editions of On Race in America.
Click here for earlier Editions
The site is fully searchable by name or topic—see the Search option at the top of the page. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find custom share buttons that let you email the edition or post it directly to your Facebook, LinkedIn, or X (formerly Twitter) accounts.