Celebrations in Southern music and changes in Southern law
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The first thing on my mind this morning was the Atlanta spa shootings that killed eight people, six of them Asian women. You can read the latest news on that tragedy here and how for some Southern residents the shootings 'hit home' and amplified their grief.
Deeper in the South, a big change could be coming for the Louisiana judicial system. The Supreme Court found Louisiana's non-unanimous jury rules are unconstitutional. Yes, the state law has since changed, but a larger question remains. Will this law be applied retroactively and could this decision reopen cases for more than 1,500 prisoners?
As I gear up for the weekend, I plan to listen to a lot of music and I humbly recommend the Fisk Jubilee Singers, who recently won a GRAMMY. Also, Harry Connick Jr. has a new album that is all about faith. It will be released on March 19.
I think right about now, we could all use a sweet melody and maybe a little faith too.
Thanks for reading.
Ashley Hopkinson (Editor, The American South)
P.S. Here is a vaccine distribution tracker state-by-state and top spots for socially-distant getaways.
What's the South talking about?
- Atlanta shooting: 'Killings inextricably tied to race,' experts say
- More than 12,000 people are without power after storm hit Alabama
- South Carolina has one of the worst wage gaps for women
Supreme Court to decide whether right to unanimous jury in Louisiana could be retroactive
More than 1,500 prisoners remain behind bars in Louisiana after being convicted by non-unanimous juries, a relic of the Jim Crow era that in April 2019 was deemed unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision.
Before that decision, which overturned a 1972 ruling, only Louisiana and Oregon allowed convictions by juries that weren’t in full agreement. Currently, the law change only applies to cases starting April 2019.
But an ongoing Supreme Court case by one Louisiana prisoner could require the state to offer new trials to those previously convicted by split juries.
Fisk Jubilee Singers win first GRAMMY
Congratulations to the Fisk Jubilee Singers, who recently earned their first GRAMMY in their 150-year history. You can learn more about the Singers and their legacy in this narrative story about an American musical institution. Also, more on the GRAMMY win.
Harry Connick Jr. embraces faith on new album
While in Connecticut, Harry Connick Jr. recorded “Alone with My Faith,” a profoundly personal album focused on religious faith. Working in his home studio, he played every instrument and sang all the harmonies. Read our Q&A with Harry Connick Jr.