Demonstrators will gather in Washington to demand federal voting protections

On the Aug. 28 anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, protestors will once again descend on the nation's capital as well as cities across the South to demand congressional action on civil rights. They're pressing for passage of the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which have been stalled in the Senate because of Republican obstruction and some Democrats' unwillingness to end the filibuster. (8/18/2021)

Read More >

Stalled U.S. debt relief is the latest broken promise to Black farmers

Lawsuits brought by white farmers claiming "reverse racism" halted billions of dollars in targeted aid for Black farmers and other farmers of color provided through the American Rescue Plan. The blow has deepened distrust between the Black farming community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a relationship troubled by a history of racial discrimination and botched settlements. (8/12/2021)

Read More >

Economist Rebecca Boehm on Tyson's stranglehold over Arkansas's poultry industry

A new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists finds an "alarming" level of concentration in Arkansas's chicken industry. Facing South spoke with the report's author about the implications of such high levels of concentration for farmers, workers, and consumers, and possible policy solutions. (8/20/2021)

Read More >

The racially fraught history of North Carolina's unique redistricting process

North Carolina's Republican-controlled legislature is now redrawing state House and Senate election districts. It must comply with the Voting Rights Act — and a 1968 constitutional amendment that's been at odds with the VRA. (8/20/2021)

Read More >

VOICES: A lament for white evangelicals' response to COVID-19

A professor confronts the deadly role misinformation has played in the white evangelical Christian church amid a COVID-19 resurgence in his home state of Arkansas, and he shares a still-unfinished poem written by his wife — an emergency physician — about her experience confronting the wages of bearing false witness. (8/20/2021)

Read More >

The South grows more racially diverse ahead of redistricting battles

The latest census data shows the U.S. has grown less white over the past decade, driven in part by an increase in the Latino population in Southern states including Georgia and Texas. But it's unclear if population growth in communities of color will translate to political clout in the upcoming state redistricting process.

Now accepting applications for the Julian Bond Fellowship

Are you an early-career journalist or researcher who cares about justice and
democracy in the South?

The Institute for Southern Studies, publisher of Facing South, is now accepting
applications for the Julian Bond Fellowship program.

Named in honor of the civil rights legend and founder of the Institute, the Fellowship aims to promote new voices in Southern media and support public interest journalists and researchers in the South.

Now entering its third year, the Fellowship is a nine-month, full-time position. Fellows will be provided a $5,000 monthly stipend, and additional resources for training, conferences, and research expenses. Given the coronavirus epidemic, the Institute will entertain applications from prospective fellows who seek to conduct their fellowship remotely or while based at the Institute's offices in Durham, North Carolina.

The Fellowship is aimed at early-career journalists and researchers interested in helping change the public debate about issues of justice and democracy in the South. Journalists and researchers of color are strongly encouraged to apply, as are others who believe their presence would contribute substantially to diversifying the media and research landscape in the South. Candidates must have at least two to three years of experience writing and/or producing research reports for a public audience, and a demonstrated commitment to promoting justice, equality, and democracy.

The application deadline is Monday, Sept. 20, 2021 at 5 p.m. Visit here for more information or to submit an application. Questions? Email us at [email protected]. No phone calls, please.

Southern utilities fiddle with inadequate emissions cuts as Earth burns

Warning that human activity continues to intensify global warming, the new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change also says the most dangerous effects can still be avoided if we act now. But the South's two worst climate-polluting electric utilities — Duke Energy and Southern Company — are dragging their feet with transition plans that don't do nearly enough to curb heat-trapping emissions.