Your weekend long reads 🗞

This year's celebration of Black History Month comes at an incredibly challenging time. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

The Short List   Saturday, February 13 Good morning, friends of The Short List! We hope the weekend finds you and your loved ones in a safe, warm place. This year's celebration of Black History Month comes at an incredibly challenging time. The year 2020 brought the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit Blacks Americans harder than any other group. If that was not enough, police-involved killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd exposed chronic injustices in our law enforcement. Then 2021 began with an attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob enraged by the election of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black person and first woman to hold that office. As you enjoy this weekend's long reads, consider this: In 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. asked a question in the title of his last book, "Where Do We Go From Here? Chaos or Community?" We face the very same question today. "There's no going back to a "normal" that never worked that well for Black people anyway," writes USA TODAY's Nichelle Smith. "The only way forward is through." • The complex history of Alexander Twilight, the first African American to earn a bachelor's degree • She was the first Black person freed by Lincoln, but her grave was paved over • 'Antiracist' author Ibram Kendi thinks big: Why not equality right now? Feeling inspired? There are lots more good reads below. Poetry is having its moment. This is Lokela's. USA TODAY's Lokela Blanc presents ˈblak and (h)wīt', an original poem about the pain, struggle and empowerment she's found from within. 'It's time for the next narrative of Black America':... Black national anthem would become America's hymn... How America's racial reckoning impacts sports: 28... Deborah Berry: Blessed to hear living Black history Jim Clyburn: We must reclaim MLK's vision of America Your Black History Month TV watch guide Daniel Kaluuya: Black stories are 'more vital than... What to know about Black History Month, and how to... 100 ways you can take action against racism Start your day with the 5 Things podcast: Five news stories. Less than five minutes. Free to subscribe.   FOLLOW US Problem viewing email? View in browser Unsubscribe • Manage Newsletters • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights • Privacy Notice • Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy • Feedback © 2021 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22102