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The movement to teach a truer history of Black Americans in the South


Welcome back to The American South!

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This week, I've been thinking about "the big picture." Yes, we had an election with record voter turnout but what exactly did this monumental time mean for the South? Georgia, of course, made headlines. But will we see sustained changes in the rules that govern how many Southerners vote? 

Since the death of George Floyd about 100 Confederate monuments have toppled. But what does that mean for how we educate future generations about the Confederacy? We explore how archivists, museum curators and tour guides are shifting the way they educate visitors on American history. You can view the full series here. If you're interested in a panel discussion on the topic, you can find more details here.

Also, a sister-act with two judicial siblings, a New Orleans high school becomes the first to test out cash stipends for seniors (no strings attached) and a story that will open up your imagination and make you smile

A high school is giving seniors $50 a week 

One school in New Orleans is working to find out if cash incentives can help seniors.

  • STUDENT SPOTLIGHT : "People think teenagers are going to be irresponsible with their money and just blow it," Vernell Cheneau said. "If they see people like me who are using the money to create systems that make more money...I feel like we can break the perception that people will spend this money on the worst things."

More Southern stories

  • A family affair: Two sisters take the bench in Montgomery County. Montgomery Municipal Court Judge Samarria Dunson and newly-elected Circuit Court Judge Lloria James have tackled most things in life together as sisters. After they each graduated from the University of Alabama Law School and passed the Alabama Bar exam, they returned to Montgomery with one goal in mind.

We promise, this will warm your heart 

Siblings Macaire and Camden have been stuck at home for months. Since they can't go on vacation, they decided to bring the vacation to themselves. The two discovered all they needed to get away was some creativity, chalk, and each other. These driveway masterpieces will inspire you!

Thank you for reading!

Have a thought? I would love to hear from you at: theamericansouth@gannett.com

Ashley Hopkinson 

Editor, The American South