Racial injustice should not be compared, as lived experiences between Asian, Black, and Brown communities may not be the same.  There may be wealth and cultural disparities, and moves to exclude one group as less important than the other only bring further division.  

CGTN America looks at how some groups seek to cross those bridges and illustrates how different minority groups have stood up for each other over the years. 

More on our Race in America series.

 

 

DNA breakthrough helps identify Tulsa Race Massacre victims

“A major scientific breakthrough.” That’s how officials in Tulsa, Oklahoma described the discovery of a set of genetic profiles that may help identify victims of the city’s infamous race massacre.

A number of graves have been dug up in Tulsa in an attempt to get some accountability for what happened over a bloody, two-day period more than a century ago.

CGTN’s Hendrik Sybrandy reports from Denver.

 

UN chief calls for actions to combat racism and racial discrimination

The world is commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on Tuesday.

Racial prejudice remains a serious human rights problem around the world. The UN Secretary General says racism and the legacies of enslavement and colonialism continue to ruin lives.

 

Changes in the U.S. census

The U.S. is considering changing the race and ethnicity tick boxes on its census forms. In addition to adding a race box for Hispanics and Latinos, there will also be a box for people of Middle Eastern and North African descent. In the previous census’ this community was recognized as white. CGTN’s Jody Jacobs has more.

 

Does NYC’s Police Department have a new surveillance system that targets African American?

A recent decision by the New York City Police Department to film Black concert goers has angered the city’s African American community. They accuse the NYPD of unwarranted surveillance and using the footage to facially recognize Black people. CGTN’s Jody Jacobs reports from NYC.

Yelp combats Asian hate reviews

An African American studies course sparks debate in Florida

An advanced and optional course on African American studies for high school students in the U.S. is generating great controversy. CGTN America’s Nitza Perez reports. 

 

Historic Black churches are getting help with preservation

Churches have long been cornerstones within Black communities in the United States, not only as a place of worship, but as a refuge from inequality.

Yet Black churches are closing at an alarming rate. Many struggle with insufficient funding and deferred maintenance.

To help preserve these vital spaces, the National Trust’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund is providing millions for restoration projects.

Toni Waterman visited one of the first grant recipients.

Court delays release of more video from beating of Tyre Nichols

A court has ordered a delay in the release of more video from the beating of Tye Nichols in Memphis. It won’t be made public until the state and defendants have reviewed it.

 

Tulsa pastor educates the community of the city’s racist past

Tulsa Oklahoma is marking the 100th anniversary of a brutal race massacre. In 1921, a white mob stormed the Greenwood District, a prosperous African-American neighborhood also known as “Black Wall Street”. Up to 300 people were killed. More than 1,200 homes and businesses were destroyed. Now a Pastor in the heart of Greenwood is leading a fight for reparations — a way to acknowledge the past, while looking to the future. CGTN’s Jim Spellman reports.

 

The history of ‘Black Wall Street’

A hundred years ago in Tulsa Oklahoma an angry white mob attacked a prosperous African American neighborhood officially known as Greenwood, but often called Black Wall Street.

More than 1,200 homes and businesses were destroyed. Up to 300 people were killed.

But until recently this troubling chapter of Americans history was rarely discussed. It has come to be known as the Tulsa Race Massacre.

CGTN’s Jim Spellman reports.

 

“Black Wall Street”: Tragedy and resurrection following a devastating race massacre

In 1921 an angry white mob descended on the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma. They destroyed nearly every building in Greenwood and historians estimate as many as 300 people may have died.

The event has come to be known as the Tulsa Race Massacre.

Before the attack Greenwood was known as “Black Wall Street”—it was one of the few places in the heavily segregated United States where African Americans were prospering.

CGTN’s Jim Spellman reports.

 

Asian and Black activists join together to fight racism

Asian and Black activists have come together in recent months in the fight against racism. That’s despite years of differences and tensions between the two groups. CGTN’s Dan Williams takes us to Chicago, where one organization is looking to actively bridge the gap between the communities.

 

Minneapolis looks to future of policing after Chauvin verdict

Last month, Derek Chauvin was found guilty of second-and third-degree murder for the death of George Floyd, as well as second-degree manslaughter.

That outcome prompted the U.S. Justice Department to launch an investigation into the practices of the Minneapolis Police Department.

That spotlight on policing in the city is largely welcomed by civil rights groups.

CGTN’s Dan Williams reports.

 

Local newspaper recounts strained racial relations in Minneapolis

Minneapolis has become a focal point for civil rights protests over the last year following the murder of George Floyd by police officer Derek Chauvin.

Floyd’s death prompted the world’s media to shine a spotlight on the city’s policing practices.

But as CGTN’s Dan Williams reports, one newspaper has been reporting similar stories for years.

 

George Floyd Justice in Policing Act awaits passage

May 25 marks the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death.

Although the now former police officer, Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murder, new legislation aimed at stopping similar deaths at the hands of police has yet to be passed by the U.S. Senate.

And as CGTN’s Dan Williams reports, civil rights groups are concerned the final draft will be watered down.

 

Memorial rally held to mark one year since death of George Floyd

Tuesday will mark one year since George Floyd ​died on a street corner in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Since then, there has been a murder conviction for Derek Chauvin, the White police officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes.

And there has also been new legislation in several U.S. states banning or severely limiting the use of​police chokeholds.

But many in Minneapolis, and across the country, are calling for much greater change.

 

Future of Black-owned businesses in the U.S.

It’s been a year since the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement prompted a surge in support for Black-owned businesses in the U.S.

It became a vital boost for companies owned and run by African Americans, that have been disproportionately affected by the economic downturn sparked by the pandemic.But there are concerns that support has already begun to disappear.

CGTN’s Sarah Walton reports from New York.

Native American tribes see successful rates of COVID-19 vaccinations

Native American tribes across the U.S. are celebrating a vaccination success story in the battle against COVID-19.

Despite being among the hardest hit, about 70% of the country’s 574 tribes have been fully vaccinated. Tribal leaders say that’s in large part thanks to tribal sovereignty and cultural values prioritizing the elderly.

It’s come as a surprise to many public health officials who had worried the Native American community would be vaccine resistant.

But deep-rooted and long-term inequalities still dominate the day-to-day reality for Native Americans. CGTN’s Jagruti Dave reports.

Racial wealth gap remains a growing problem across the US

The racial wealth gap in the U.S. and the chronic underinvestment in black businesses was the focus of a conference earlier Tuesday in Tulsa.

It took place just a short distance from the Greenwood area that was thriving economically right before the race massacre.

CGTN’s Hendrik Sybrandy reports.

Black Americans and Asian Americans stand together against racism

They are two very different groups of people confronting two parallel fights in the U.S. — One is the Black Lives Matter movement to end police brutality, the other is a campaign to end Asian hate. But each side is backing the other’s battle in a historic show of solidarity.

CGTN’s Liling Tan reports.

Tulsa searches for bodies of 1921 massacre victims

All eyes are on Tulsa, Oklahoma, as the city commemorates the 100-year anniversary of the race massacre there.

Hundreds of Black Tulsans are believed to have been killed after a white mob attacked them and burned down their part of town.

A century later, the city is getting closer to finding the remains of those who were killed.

CGTN’s Hendrik Sybrandy reports.

Tulsa Race Massacre remembered 100 years after the terror

100 years ago, the arrest of a Black man for allegedly assaulting a White woman sparked perhaps the worst episode of racial violence in U.S. history.

Hundreds of Blacks were killed in the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, an event that was suppressed by the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, for many years. The event is being remembered there now.

CGTN’s Hendrik Sybrandy reports.

Video Gallery: The 1921 attack on Black Wall Street in the U.S.

See the destructive aftermath of the 1921 massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma. An angry white mob burned the Greenwood district (known as Black Wall Street) down, killing over 300 people. U.S. President Biden will travel to Oklahoma Tuesday to mark the 100th anniversary of the massacre.

“Mayor” of Greenwood works to remember the neighborhood’s history

A century ago in Tulsa, Oklahoma an angry white mob attacked a prosperous African American neighborhood officially known as Greenwood, but often called Black Wall Street.

The neighborhood was destroyed. Up to 300 people were killed.

But until recently the massacre was rarely discussed.

A man they call “The Mayor of Greenwood” set out to change that.

CGTN’s Jim Spellman has our story.

A deeper look at areas damaged in Minneapolis riots after a year

In the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, a Black man murdered by a police officer in 2020, protests turned into riots.

Businesses were looted and destroyed.

CGTN’s Dan Williams, who was there a year ago, now returns to see how businesses are rebuilding.

Exhibitions to mark one year George Floyd anniversary

The trauma of George Floyd’s death a year ago manifested itself in many ways in Minneapolis.

Thousands took to the streets to protest the murder of an unarmed Black man by a White police officer. As the demonstrations turned violent, hundreds of shops and businesses were boarded up.

But as CGTN’s Dan Williams now reports, that in turn led to another creative outlet of protest.

Juneteenth: U.S. approves new holiday for emancipated slaves

June 19, 1865 marks a crucial day in U.S. history. It was the day that the enslaved people in Galveston, Texas learned that they were freed, two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the enslaved in the South in 1863.

The following year, the now freed people started celebrating the day, which would be known as Juneteenth. For centuries, the day was observed by the Black community with concerts, parades, educational events, and readings of the Emancipation Proclamation.

On Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden officially signed the bill that made Juneteenth a recognized federal holiday, the first new holiday since the 1980s. It takes effect immediately.

The day was a monumental occasion in Washington, D.C., and many are hoping that the news will continue to spark conversations around African American history and race relations.

Imani Cheers Associate Professor of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University discusses the history of the holiday, what it means for the Black community, and where the country goes from here, following the racial reckonings of 2020.

Episcopal seminary pays financial reparations to Black community

Should descendants of enslaved African Americans receive direct financial reparations?

A small Episcopal seminary in Virginia says yes.

They are taking a hard look at their own history and making cash payments to the ancestors of Black Americans that helped build their campus.

Illinois community becomes first to pay reparations

A bill to create a commission that would study the impacts of slavery and other atrocities has again been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

But whatever happens at the federal level, there are already other initiatives that are being implemented locally.

What is Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome?

What is Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome? Police brutality toward Black people and racism in America, have been ingrained in our history.

Not just in our textbooks but lived experiences.. And experts say those feelings can be passed down through generations.

How redlining shaped Black America

Redlining was a housing policy sanctioned for some 40 years in the U.S. –  through the late 1960s – that kept Blacks and other minorities from owning homes and building wealth.

Though eventually outlawed as discriminatory, the impacts of that policy remain to this day.

What is ‘transportation racism’? 

As part of our Race in America series, CGTN’s Jim Spellman asks what it means for communities of color not to have access to good, reliable mass transportation.

The epidemic of Hate: Anti-Asian hate crimes on the rise in the US

“For too many, 2020 wasn’t just about a deadly virus. It was about an epidemic of hate.”

That’s according to California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta, who was commenting on a report by the state’s Department of Justice, which registered over 1300 hate crimes in California last year — the highest in more than a decade. Attacks against Asians saw a significant rise with a 107% increase.

CGTN’s Ediz Tiyansan reports.

Activists, community members fight anti-Asian hate crime

U.S. President Joe Biden recently signed into law the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. It is aimed at addressing the rise in anti-Asian attacks.

Although widely welcomed, Asian American communities are calling for further steps and action to address the issue.

CGTN’s Dan Williams now reports.

 

COVID 19 California museum welcomes back visitors with Chinese American artist

Businesses, stores and non-profit organizations around the world have suffered greatly during the COVID-19 pandemic, including museums. In San Francisco, the Asian Art Museum recently re-opened with a Chinese American artist bringing in an uplifting experience. CGTN’s Mark Niu reports.

The economic power of Asian Americans

Over the last two decades, Asian Americans have been the fastest-growing consumer segment in the U.S., with $1.2 trillion in buying power annually.

But the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the economy, and the anti-Asian xenophobia that came with it, has hit this group especially hard.

CGTN’s New York correspondent Liling Tan looks at the crucial role Asian Americans have played in America’s growth, and what a post-pandemic economy will look like when they start spending again.

 

NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force commander discusses his work and combating anti-Asian hate crimes

Inspector Tommy Ng is the new Commander of the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force, in charge of fighting the spike in violent crimes against Asians.

CGTN’s Liling Tan spoke with Inspector Ng to talk about his own heritage, what it’s like being an Asian in the NYPD, how the rise in Asian attacks defines his job and the challenges involved, and what it means to him as the man tasked with protecting his entire community.

18-year-old Korean American speaks out after hate crime assault

Jenna Dupuy, an 18-year-old Korean American, was a victim of a hate crime, after being assaulted at a skate park near her home in Tustin, California, around 30 miles south of Los Angeles.

She spoke with CGTN about the assault, her recovery, and what she’s doing to combat anti-Asian hate crimes and violence in her community.

What’s the history of Chinese immigration to the U.S.?

The history of Chinese people in America is a story of struggle against racism and persecution, but the lesser-told narrative is how this population became an integral part of America as we know it today.

For AAPI Heritage Month, we head to the Museum of Chinese in America to see how Chinese immigrants helped lay the very foundations that built the country, and the indelible footprint they’ve left behind.

CGTN’s Liling Tan reports.

Asian American Pacific Islanders’ contributions to U.S. society

Asian American Pacific Islanders account for less than 10 percent of the U.S. population but are playing a prominent role in U.S. society.

To mark AAPI Heritage Month, we take a look at the pivotal part this community has played in shaping modern America.

NYC self-defense classes grow due to Anti-Asian violence

What do you do when you’re faced with an attacker, or if you’re witnessing someone else being attacked?

For many Asian American and Pacific Islanders, the odds of this happening is much higher now amid a surge in anti-Asian attacks across the U.S.

In New York City, safety concerns have fueled rising demand for courses in self-defense and bystander intervention.

CGTN’s Liling Tan reports.

The many faces of America’s AAPI community

As Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month draws to a close, we celebrate the many faces of AAPI that make America…America.

Attendance in self-defense classes grow, as hate crimes against Asians rise

With anti-Asian attacks on the rise in the United States, and especially in New York City, there has been an upsurge in demand for self-defense courses. In covering the story, our reporter Liling Tan learned some handy moves from the Chinese Hawaiian Kenpo Academy on how to fight back.

 

The most recognizable faces associated with the Civil Rights Movement in the United States are Black men like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

The many women who organized and marched alongside these men are not as well-known.

In fact, throughout history, African American women have been a vital part of movements for change but they’ve only started to get their due.

U.S. Black History Month: Overcoming systemic racism in politics

Kamala Harris made history last month when she was sworn in as U.S. Vice President. 

She’s the first woman, the first Black person, and the first South Asian American to hold the office. 

Black candidates have overcome centuries of systemic racism to gain a voice in U.S. Politics. Learn more.

The impact of African Americans on the medical field 

The role of Blacks in medicine stretches back centuries. The slave who saved countless lives during a smallpox epidemic. The first doctor to perform heart surgery. A blood transfusion pioneer.

 

Several U.S. states face accusations of trying to minimize Black votes

Several southern U.S. states have been accused of racial gerrymandering drawing jurisdictional voting maps designed to minimize Black votes. And the resulting court battles are having a direct impact on this year’s elections.

CGTN’s Nitza Soledad Perez reports.

 

Advocates push for justice reform amid racial disparities in the U.S.

In the fight for racial equality in the U.S. justice system, advocates say more work is needed to help balance the scales. According to some estimates, Black people are seven times more likely to be wrongly convicted of murder in America than white people. And this demographic remains disproportionately represented among the nation’s prison population.

William Denselow reports.

 

COVID and Native Americans

CGTN traveled to the Cheyenne River Sioux Native American reservation in South Dakota where tribal authorities are battling the coronavirus.

Native Americans have been hit hard by COVID-19. They’ve been twice as likely to die of the virus compared to white Americans. The virus has triggered a cultural crisis, targeting some of the last speakers of the Native American languages – the elders.

But the reservation is fighting back to save their languages and keep people safe. They’re also vaccinating people at a quicker pace than the rest of the United States.

Find all the stories here.