Black Monday Briefing – September 1, 2025
Lisa Cook Ouster Fight Raises New Fed Fears (Aug. 30): The campaign to oust Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook – the Fed’s only Black woman policymaker – is hitting new fronts beyond the courtroom. Quiet reports show Wall Street yields spiking as Trump’s attacks on Cook stoke fears about Fed independence . Analysts warn if Cook is forced out, mortgage credit for Black homebuyers could tighten further as markets lose confidence . Cook refuses to resign, and civil rights leaders call the ouster push a “witch hunt” aimed at sidelining Black expertise in economic policy. The unprecedented saga now has Fed-watchers bracing for market fallout if Trump succeeds in benching Cook mid-term.
HBCU St. Augustine’s Hit by New IRS Liens as Debt Mounts (Aug. 31): The 157-year-old St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh entered fall semester on the brink . The IRS slapped the HBCU with two fresh tax liens totaling over $600,000 for unpaid payroll taxes , adding to millions in debt. Only 200 students enrolled this year, dorms needed emergency repairs, and accreditors threatened removal over finances. Alumni blasted state officials for letting a storied Black institution inch toward collapse – and vowed to intervene before St. Aug’s becomes the next HBCU lost to neglect.
Judge Tosses Convictions of 3 Cops in Tyre Nichols Killing (Aug. 28): In a rare move, a federal judge ordered new trials for three ex-Memphis police officers convicted in the 2023 beating death of Tyre Nichols . The judge found the original trial was tainted by bias after the presiding judge made offhand comments suggesting the officers were in a gang . Nichols’ family was stunned – they now face reliving the trauma in court all over again. Activists slammed the reversal as a technicality that delays justice for Nichols, a 29-year-old Black father whose fatal traffic stop beating sparked nationwide protests.
Texas Quietly Enacts Gerrymander Grabbing 5 House Seats (Aug. 29): Texas Gov. Greg Abbott quietly signed a new congressional map that flips up to five Democratic districts to Republican . Civil rights groups call it a racial gerrymander that dilutes Black and Latino votes. Democrats sued immediately, but Republicans predict courts will rubber-stamp the “One Big Beautiful Map.” If it stands, Black Texans face another decade of skewed representation – with Austin and Houston communities carved up to bolster GOP power.
National Guard Rehearsed “Show of Force” in L.A. Immigrant Crackdown (Aug. 13): New testimony reveals the National Guard drilled maneuvers to intimidate immigrant communities during Trump’s June deployment to Los Angeles . A Guard general testified in federal court that troops repeatedly rehearsed storming a city park alongside Border Patrol – a mission dubbed “Operation Excalibur” – to send a message to undocumented residents . All 4,700 troops remained in armored vehicles during the 20-minute show of force, which cleared out the park with horses and helicopters. California’s attorney general argues the operation violated Posse Comitatus by using the military for domestic law enforcement. The little-scrutinized trial is exposing how Title 32 deployments blurred military and police roles in communities of color.
Black-Owned Grocery Ends Food Desert in Sacramento (Aug. 28): A new Grocery Outlet franchise opened in Sacramento’s Arden-Arcade neighborhood, and it’s the first in the area owned by an African American couple . Keith and Phyllis Johnson worked for a year to launch the store, which now brings fresh produce and 30 jobs to a community that lost its last supermarket years ago . The quietly celebrated opening didn’t make national news, but local residents say it’s a lifeline for elderly and low-income Black neighbors who’ve been paying more at corner stores. The Johnsons are offering year-long discounts to build loyalty – and hope their success will inspire more Black entrepreneurs to “cure” food deserts across California.
Eviction Spike Linked to Preterm Births in Black Moms (Aug. 30): A new public health study is sounding the alarm on evictions as a driver of the Black infant mortality gap . Researchers found Black mothers in Detroit neighborhoods with high eviction rates face a 68% higher risk of delivering premature babies . Shockingly, even witnessing a neighbor’s eviction raises a pregnant woman’s stress to dangerous levels . The study – one of the first to quantify community-wide fallout from evictions – suggests housing instability is fueling generational health inequities. Advocates say the findings, largely overlooked in mainstream coverage, bolster the case for eviction diversion programs and rent relief targeted at Black communities.
HBCU Debt Relief Festival Announced in Atlanta (Aug. 6): In a bid to tackle the Black student debt crisis, billionaire Robert Smith is backing a first-of-its-kind festival to fund HBCU loan forgiveness . The “HBCU Aware Fest,” set for spring 2026 in Atlanta, aims to raise $100 million for student debt relief at Black colleges . The week-long event will feature major concerts, workshops, and career fairs on the campuses of Spelman, Morehouse, and Clark Atlanta. While big media barely noticed the announcement, HBCU leaders call it a game-changer – noting Black grads carry on average $38,000 in student loans, which drags down Black homeownership and entrepreneurship. The festival’s goal is not just cutting debt, organizers say, but sparking a national movement to close the racial wealth gap.
Kansas City Police Payouts Soar Past $6M in 2025 (Aug. 3): Kansas City quietly blew through its police lawsuit budget in record time this year . By mid-2025, the city had paid over $6 million to settle misconduct cases – more than double last year’s total . Wrongful death and excessive force lawsuits by Black residents are driving the spike, including a $1.5M payout to the family of Cameron Lamb, an unarmed Black man killed by police. Community groups note the state-controlled KC police board has approved nearly $21 million in settlements since 2021 , even as accountability remains elusive. The ballooning legal tab – barely reported outside Missouri – has reformers asking why taxpayers keep footing the bill for police brutality.
Lawsuit: State Takeover of St. Louis Police “Punishes a Black City” (Aug. 29): Civil rights advocates are suing Missouri to block a new law that strips local control from St. Louis’ police department . The state’s Republican legislature passed the takeover over unanimous opposition from the city’s Black-led government. Plaintiffs say it’s an unconstitutional “special law” targeting a majority-Black city – and warn that state appointees will roll back hard-won reforms. St. Louis now joins Kansas City in losing democratic oversight of its police. The lawsuit, flying under the national radar, argues that the move resurrects Jim Crow-era governance and silences Black voices on public safety. Missouri officials have until next week to justify the takeover in court.
Katrina 20 Years Later: Black New Orleanians Still Displaced (Aug. 29): Somber memorials marked two decades since Hurricane Katrina’s landfall, but many survivors say the recovery remains unfinished . New Orleans’ population is still 20% below pre-storm levels, with tens of thousands of Black residents never able to return home . A federal rebuilding program notoriously favored white and wealthy areas , while many Black neighborhoods languished with gutted housing and closed hospitals. Community organizers note that public housing demolished after Katrina was replaced with far fewer affordable units, scattering Black families to distant suburbs. The largely overlooked truth, they say, is that Katrina was not just a natural disaster – it was a policy disaster that accelerated Black depopulation and wealth loss in the city that once had America’s highest Black homeownership rate.
Funding Lapse Imperils Historic Black Cowboy Parade (Sept. 1): Organizers of Oakland’s 50-year-old Black Cowboy Parade say this year’s event may be cancelled for lack of funds . The annual parade – a proud celebration of Black cowboys’ overlooked role in American history – is scrambling to cover basics like staging, permits and insurance . Costs have jumped post-pandemic, even as city grants dried up. The volunteer-led Black Cowboy Association has launched a GoFundMe, but with the October parade date weeks away, they’ve raised only a fraction of what’s needed . Local members say losing the parade would erase a cultural institution that educates youth and builds cross-racial unity. They’re pleading for community support to “keep our heritage riding,” even if corporate sponsors and major media have largely ignored the crisis.
LGBTQ+ – Trump Admin Demands “No Trans Talk” in Sex Ed or Else (Aug. 27): The Trump administration quietly issued an ultimatum to dozens of states: scrub any mention of gender identity or transgender people from federally funded sex education programs . A new HHS letter tells states that even a passing reference to LGBTQ youth in curricula puts their grants at risk . The little-noticed edict targets a teen pregnancy prevention program that serves vulnerable groups including foster youth – and it comes with a blunt warning that “accountability is coming” from Washington . Advocates for inclusive education say the policy will hurt all students by denying reality and stigmatizing LGBTQ kids. With millions in funding on the line, some states are already capitulating and censoring health classes to avoid Trump’s wrath.
Missing Black Woman – Jovan Koger, 41, Dover, DE (Aug. 31): Delaware police issued a Gold Alert for Jovan Koger, a 41-year-old Black woman last seen Sunday night in Dover . Koger disappeared around 8:30 PM in the Farmview neighborhood and hasn’t contacted family since – behavior loved ones say is highly unusual. She is 5’7” and 160 lbs, and was wearing a gray Nike hoodie, blue jeans, and black-and-white sneakers . Police report she may be driving a white Honda Pilot with Oklahoma plates KKB 554 . There’s serious concern for Koger’s safety. Anyone with information is urged to call the Dover Police Department at 302-736-7111 .
Illinois Governor Defies Trump’s Chicago Troop Push (Aug. 31): Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is vowing to block President Trump’s plan to flood Chicago with federal forces as part of a pre-election “crime crackdown” . “There is not an emergency that justifies troops on our streets,” Pritzker told CBS, warning that Trump’s deployment threatens residents’ rights . Chicago’s mayor and police superintendent weren’t consulted on the intervention, which aims to carry out mass immigration raids and gun sweeps. While Chicago’s violence is often national news, Pritzker’s fierce resistance – and his call for other state leaders to “stand up” to Trump – has gotten little play. Behind the scenes, Illinois is exploring legal action and refusal strategies to keep the National Guard and deputized agents out of city neighborhoods.
Trump to Impose National Voter ID by Executive Order (Aug. 31): In an unprecedented move, President Trump announced he will unilaterally mandate photo ID for every U.S. voter via executive order . Election law experts say the order – posted on Trump’s social media late Sunday – flagrantly exceeds presidential powers . The U.S. Constitution gives Congress and states control over elections, and courts would almost certainly block the decree. But Trump’s bold declaration is already sowing confusion ahead of 2026. Voting rights groups note that up to 11% of eligible Americans lack a government ID – disproportionately Black, elderly, or low-income voters who could be turned away. They accuse Trump of trying to revive Jim Crow under the guise of “election integrity.” Legal challenges are lining up, but the order’s chilling effect on turnout may be done if voters believe new barriers are a done deal.
Trump Seeks to Ban Most Mail Voting Before Midterms (Aug. 31): Fresh off false claims about mail ballots, Trump is pushing to outlaw virtually all voting by mail before the 2026 elections . In online posts and closed-door meetings, the president has called for restricting absentee ballots to only the military and the gravely ill . Such a sweeping ban would be unprecedented – tens of millions of Americans voted by mail in recent cycles, including a disproportionate share of Black, young, and disabled voters. Election officials warn that yanking mail options would cause chaos and disenfranchise those who can’t easily reach polling sites. Trump’s allies in some state legislatures are already drafting bills to curtail no-excuse absentee voting. Voting advocates, largely ignored by cable news, are scrambling to inform voters that mail voting remains legal unless and until these maneuvers succeed in court.
Trump DOJ Targets Democratic Fundraising Platform (Aug. 30): The Justice Department has opened a novel investigation into ActBlue, the grassroots fundraising site used by Democratic candidates for years . The probe – ordered by Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi – is examining ActBlue’s accounting and donor data in what critics call a political fishing expedition . Never before has a president directed DOJ to investigate the opposition’s small-donor network. Campaign finance watchdogs say the move didn’t make headlines only because it came amid multiple Trump controversies. But they warn it sets a chilling precedent, effectively weaponizing law enforcement against civil participation. Some Democratic groups are quietly advising donors to give through alternate channels until ActBlue’s “audit” ends, fearing donor intimidation or data seizures under the guise of an investigation.
California Readies Counter-Gerrymander to Retake House Seats (Aug. 21): In response to GOP map machinations, California lawmakers approved a plan to aggressively redraw the state’s congressional districts . The legislature’s Democratic supermajority is fast-tracking a November 2025 special election for voters to enact a new map that could flip up to five seats back to Democrats . Governor Gavin Newsom backed the move after Trump urged red states to rig maps for more GOP seats. California usually lets an independent commission handle redistricting, but state leaders say these are not normal times. The “Election Rigging Response Act,” as one lawmaker dubbed it, got scant national press compared to Texas’ overt gerrymander. If California succeeds, other blue states may follow suit – heralding a partisan map war with control of Congress in the balance.
U.S. Halts Visas for Nearly All Palestinian Passport Holders (Aug. 31): The State Department has quietly stopped approving travel visas for Palestinians, effectively barring most Palestinian visitors from entering the U.S. . A leaked memo shows the freeze goes far beyond Trump’s earlier restrictions on residents of Gaza. Now, even Palestinians from the West Bank and diaspora countries are seeing their U.S. visa applications languish or rejected without explanation. Immigration attorneys say the policy, enacted with no formal announcement, blatantly discriminates based on national origin. Families of Palestinian Americans are being stranded abroad, and students admitted to U.S. universities can’t obtain visas to begin classes. The crackdown has drawn almost no media attention even as it escalates Trump’s broader travel bans. Diplomats warn it undermines U.S. credibility as an arbiter in the Middle East – one advocate quipped, “So much for winning hearts and minds when we won’t even let Palestinians visit Disneyland.”
Judge Blocks Mass Deportation of Unaccompanied Kids (Aug. 31): A federal judge issued an emergency order stopping the Trump administration from deporting nearly 700 unaccompanied migrant children back to Guatemala . The late-night ruling came after advocates exposed a secret DHS plan to fast-track removals of minors as young as six. Lawyers called the plan illegal and “morally bankrupt,” noting many of the children fled violence or have family asylum claims in progress. The judge’s injunction means the kids cannot be put on flights pending a full hearing. While the plight of unaccompanied minors briefly grabbed headlines under the prior administration, this latest episode – children almost deported en masse over a holiday weekend – barely registered in national news. Immigrant rights groups are now working round-the-clock to locate sponsors for the children and ensure the Biden-era protections for minors aren’t quietly dismantled.
Black Historians Rally Against “Whitewash” of U.S. History (Aug. 21): The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) is leading a pushback against what it calls federal “attacks on historical truth.” The group sounded alarms after Trump-appointed trustees demanded changes at the Smithsonian’s new Black history exhibits – including downplaying slavery and segregation. In an open letter, ASALH warned that political interference is threatening the integrity of Black history preservation. They pointed to recent moves like the firing of Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and proposed budgets slashing funds for minority research. While culture wars over school curriculum get coverage, this coordinated assault on museums and archives is happening largely out of public view. Black scholars are now organizing teach-ins and fundraising drives to safeguard endangered collections. “Our history is under revision by those in power,” one ASALH member wrote, “but we will not stand by as 400 years of Black truth is erased or rewritten.”
Boston Launches Guaranteed Income for Homeless Youth (Aug. 11): Boston became the latest city to pilot a guaranteed income, starting a program to pay homeless young adults $1,200 a month for two years . The initiative, funded by federal relief dollars and private donors, targets 18-to-24-year-olds who’ve recently aged out of foster care or shelters. City officials received little fanfare when the first payments went out this month to 50 participants. But advocates say the steady support is already helping recipients secure apartments, enroll in community college, and avoid dangerous survival behaviors. The program also provides financial coaching and savings matches. Boston’s quiet experiment joins over a dozen other U.S. cities testing guaranteed income, many aimed at Black and brown communities hit hard by housing instability. Early results will inform a push on Beacon Hill to make the stipend permanent – a prospect that, while underreported, could be a model for tackling youth homelessness nationwide.
NYC Jails to Offer Overdose Antidote After Spate of Inmate Deaths (Aug. 30): The New York City Council approved a package of bills to combat surging opioid fatalities behind bars. Under the new measures, city jails must provide incarcerated people with free naloxone kits and medication-assisted treatment for addiction – a move long resisted by corrections officials. Overdoses recently became the leading cause of death on Rikers Island, disproportionately killing Black and Latino detainees. The reforms, passed quietly ahead of Labor Day, also expand Good Samaritan protections for inmates who seek help during an overdose. Advocates hailed the legislation as life-saving and overdue, noting that a dozen Rikers inmates died from preventable ODs last year. The Council’s action, which drew little outside notice, directly challenges the Trump administration’s “tough on crime” jail policies that shunned harm reduction. Now all eyes are on whether the Department of Correction swiftly implements the changes or drags its feet while more lives hang in the balance.
NC Lawmakers Unite to Block Anti-DEI Education Laws (Aug. 27): North Carolina’s Legislative Black Caucus is flexing its muscle to stop a suite of anti-diversity bills from becoming law . The Caucus, which includes members of the state House and Senate, vowed to sustain Governor Josh Stein’s vetoes of measures that would ban DEI programs at universities and restrict teaching on race. In a late-night strategy session, Black legislators secured commitments from a few moderate Democrats to uphold the vetoes, denying Republicans the supermajority needed for an override. The behind-the-scenes effort got scant media attention in the shadow of bigger national stories. But if it holds, it will quietly protect minority faculty hiring initiatives and ethnic studies offerings at UNC system schools. One Caucus member noted that these controversial bills were inspired by Trump’s federal “anti-woke” orders, calling the local veto fight “the frontline of resistance.” The showdown vote is expected next week, with students and alumni mobilizing to support the Caucus and keep North Carolina from following the path of Florida or Texas on censoring diversity.
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