American South : Racial justice, gardening and Southern breakfast
Welcome back to The American South.
I'm sure I'm not alone in reflecting that we are several months into a pandemic and we have fires raging, storms brewing and less than 50 days to a presidential election. I've also been thinking about small pockets of calm and the way gardening and a home-cooked meal factor into that.
You can scroll to the middle of the newsletter for two great stories on gardening and an Atlanta chef's take on Southern breakfast.
- In the Get to know us section, I revisit our coverage of the South's reckoning with Confederate monuments. Plus, a news update.
- In the Tell me something good— an act of kindness, sure to make you smile.
Get to know us
- AMERICAN SOUTH : Why symbols of the nation's racist past are coming down now, and why this movement might only be getting started.
A total of 93 Confederate symbols have been removed, renamed or relocated from public spaces since the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. This is according to data released Sept. 15 from The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). The details are highlighted in the "Whose Heritage? Public Symbols of the Confederacy" report, which tracks symbols of the Confederacy in public spaces across the country.
Duel disasters : Our hearts go out to communities on the other side of the country, as fires rage and smoke continues to fill the sky. In the South, just on the heels of Hurricane Laura, several parts of the region took a hit from Hurricane Sally. You can read more coverage here.
- Echoing what many feel about 2020 hurricane season, the head of New Orleans emergency preparedness said : "It has been a long year with COVID. We have had several storms. I know that there is an element of fatigue out there, but we could be preparing for this again."
SAY HER NAME : Louisville settled a wrongful death lawsuit with Breonna Taylor's family for $12 million. But the call for justice echoes.
A chicken biscuit for breakfast, yes please.
What food do you have to have to start your day every morning? Chef Suzanne Vizethann of Buttermilk Kitchen in Atlanta, wants you to fall in love with breakfast again. In this story, Vizethann shares her love of breakfast and commitment to serving it up— even if that means to-go box style.
Are you gardening more lately?
In a recent story, Anika Reed, highlights how Black Americans are redefining their relationship to land with gardening and farming. Brionna Jimerson, who has a 5-by-8-foot raised bed of fruits and vegetables in New York, is featured in the piece, alongside Soul Fire Farm and Derrick and Paige Jackson of Grass Grazed, a 73-acre farm in Durham, North Carolina. Jimerson, who began planting at the height of the pandemic, said " there is something inherently powerful about being able to produce and cultivate something with your own two hands."
Pulling up treasures
While we’re on the topic of gardening, catch up on this story by Maria Clark. Amid the pandemic, a South Carolina based nonprofit is inspiring a new crop of young gardeners. Since March, they have shipped over 2,100 seed packets to more than 270 families across 23 states, including the Carolinas, Tennessee, Georgia and Louisiana. Aeden May, 8, has watched his garden thrive. He recently harvested a bundle of carrots he planted from seed. "It was like pulling up treasures," his mother Angela May said.
What's the South talking about?
Don't miss our top reads. Every Thursday we share stories from our coverage area, which includes: Georgia, Alabama, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana. Click here!
We promise, this will warm your heart.
Frontline worker, Lyn Thomas, has a goal to spread unconditional kindness. Through an online game, she surprises strangers with money from her paycheck. You can watch the video here.
Have a thought? Reach out. I'm here to listen : theamericansouth@gannett.com
Ashley Hopkinson
Editor, The American South.