21st Century

From the CBS 60 Minutes piece on the HistoryMakers:

“By 2012, [the HistoryMakers founder Julieanna Richardson] had discovered so much, the archive [documenting Black achievement] had grown so vast, the collection so significant, the Library of Congress agreed to become its permanent repository. Alongside the only other project of its magnitude – the WPA Slave Narratives, recorded during the Great Depression.”

Black Lives Matter movement begins with the use of #BlackLivesMatter on social media by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi, after Trayvon Martin’s murderer is acquitted. The movement gained national attention during demonstrations after Michael Brown and Eric Garner are murdered.

In April 2017, Neil Gorsuch was confirmed to the Supreme Court following a contentious process that involved the Senate Republicans eliminating the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees. Gorsuch, known for his strict textualist approach, has played a pivotal role in rulings that have curtailed voting rights, weakened labor unions, and prioritized religious exemptions over civil rights protections. His opinions have often undermined progress on equal rights, raising concerns about the erosion of hard-fought advancements in civil and human rights.

In October 2018, Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court following a polarizing confirmation process. His appointment cemented a conservative majority on the Court, with rulings that have weakened reproductive rights, upheld gerrymandered voting maps, and limited federal oversight in combating discrimination. Kavanaugh’s decisions reflect a backlash against decades of progress in civil rights, threatening to drag the country backward in the fight for justice and equality.

George Floyd is murdered by Minneapolis Police in the street, sparking a global protest movement against racism and police brutality.

Nikole Hannah-Jones wins award for “a sweeping, provocative and personal essay for the ground-breaking 1619 Project, which seeks to place the enslavement of Africans at the center of America’s story, prompting public conversation about the nation’s founding and evolution.”

On November 7, 2020, Kamala Harris was elected as the 49th Vice President of the United States, making history as the first woman, as well as the first Black and South Asian American, to hold the office.

Prior to her vice presidency, Harris served as the District Attorney of San Francisco, Attorney General of California, and U.S. Senator from California.

Her election marked a significant milestone in American history, breaking multiple barriers and setting a precedent for future generations.

In October 2020, Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed to the Supreme Court just days before the presidential election, replacing the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Barrett’s rulings have frequently prioritized conservative ideologies over protections for marginalized communities, including limiting access to abortion, undermining affirmative action, and supporting restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights. Her appointment marked a significant shift in the Court’s trajectory, sparking fears of a rollback on civil and human rights and signaling a backlash against recent progress in social justice.

These appointments underscore a deliberate shift toward a conservative judiciary, raising alarms about the long-term consequences for equality and justice in America.

Florida instituted restrictions on how schools and businesses can teach race-related concepts. The law, called the Stop Woke Act, limits instruction on critical race theory. Since its signing, K-12 public educators in the state have been prohibited from instructing students on the concepts of privilege or oppression based on their race, sex, or national origin. It’s the latest part of Republican Gov. Ron Desantis’ extensive efforts to reshape public education and curriculum in the state of Florida.

Ketanji Onyika Brown Jackson, nominated by President Joe Biden, is appointed to the Supreme Court.

According to CBS News: “During the 2021-2022 school year, more than 1,600 books were banned from school libraries. The bans affected 138 school districts in 32 states, according to a report from PEN America, an organization dedicated to protecting free expression in literature.”

According to PEN America, “the large majority of book bans underway today are not spontaneous, organic expressions of citizen concern. Rather, they reflect the work of a growing number of advocacy organizations that have made demanding censorship of certain books and ideas in schools part of their mission.”