October 5, 2015 -
How does Big Money affect the promise of political equality? An event co-sponsored by the Institute for Southern Studies on Oct. 15 in Durham, N.C. will explore how today's campaign finance system operates as a barrier to equal and meaningful participation in democracy.
October 5, 2015 -
Days after announcing a settlement with the utility over its widespread coal ash pollution, N.C. officials were monitoring two of its high-hazard dams holding back millions of tons of the toxic power plant waste after reports of rain-related issues. State officials say the problems — seepage on one dam and a sinkhole near another — are not polluting the environment or endangering the public.
October 2, 2015 -
A campaign is underway to pressure Congress to pass a law restoring a key civil rights law gutted by the Supreme Court two years ago. Citizens recently marched thousands of miles to press their case with elected officials in Washington, with one march leader giving the last days of his life to the cause.
September 25, 2015 -
This week marks the first visit to the U.S. by Pope Francis, who interprets the Bible as a handbook for social justice and calls the faithful to do likewise. In the latest installment of Southern Voices, we look at how religion has influenced Southern social justice leaders and their organizations.
September 25, 2015 -
September marks National Voter Registration Month, created to draw attention to the importance of voter registration. The registration process is currently hindered by outdated technology, particularly in the South, but modernization efforts are making headway.
September 25, 2015 -
The recent case of Ahmed Mohamed, a Sudanese-American student in Irving, Texas who was detained for bringing a homemade clock to school, has shed light on tension between the Dallas suburb's racially diverse population and its nearly entirely white local leadership — a dynamic that has persisted despite efforts to ensure local leadership reflects the broader community.
September 24, 2015 -
People from across North Carolina whose lives have been affected by coal ash pollution have joined forces to launch the Alliance of Carolinians Together Against Coal Ash. The coalition plans to press Duke Energy and state leaders for safer long-term solutions for coal ash storage.
