Did Your Family Member Die in Prison or Jail? What Happened Next?

A team of reporters at The Marshall Project, a nonprofit newsroom that uses journalism to help make the U.S. criminal legal system more fair, transparent and humane, is looking into what people go through when a relative or close friend dies in custody — or shortly after returning home. Your insights help inform The Marshall Project’s reporting on what families go through when someone dies in custody.

The Marshall Project establishes facts, exposes failures and examines solutions for a criminal justice system in crisis. If you believe in what they do, consider becoming a member today by making a monthly donation here.

What do climate protests actually achieve? More than you think. Two-thirds of attendees at the Hands Off rally in Washington, D.C. — which drew an estimated 100,000 people, according to organizers – named climate change as one of their top motivations for participating. But are they effective? This article highlights how protests can persuade people, and maybe even change how they vote. Read More >

The U.S. and China are sparring over tariffs. On Wednesday, President Trump paused "reciprocal" tariffs on most countries for 90 days but imposed 145% tariffs on China. In response, China increased tariffs to 125%. The increased tariffs could lead to higher prices for American consumers, particularly on products like consumer electronics, clothing, toys, and some food items that are predominantly imported from China. Despite the pause on other countries' tariffs, the stock market initially surged but remains volatile, and analysts are warning of continued uncertainty. Read More >

• Read how these tariffs will affect the workplace in Take Five, our weekly newsletter for the workplace.

Costco is the new Target. Target's foot traffic continues to slide as boycotts over its DEI pullback appear to be sticking. Target drew almost 5 million fewer store visits in a four-week stretch ending in February compared to the year before. Meanwhile, Costco is reaping the benefits. Costco enjoyed 7.7 million more visits in the same stretch. Read More >

Trump is jeopardizing funding for AC – and summer is approaching. Last year, Congress appropriated $4.1 billion to address the impact of rising temperatures on vulnerable communities, and HHS disbursed 90 percent of the funds. But the program is now in jeopardy. Read More >

Supreme Court orders U.S. to “facilitate” return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from El Salvador. The Court has ordered the Trump administration to “facilitate” the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States, after the Maryland resident was denied due process rights and deported to the notorious CECOT prison in El Salvador. Read More >

A Michigan lawyer representing pro-Palestinian protester was detained at Detroit airport. A lawyer who represents a pro-Palestinian student protester in Michigan was detained Sunday at the Detroit Metro Airport on his way back from a family vacation. Dearborn attorney Amir Makled was separated from his wife and children and asked to surrender his cellphone by Border Patrol agents, and was eventually released after 90 minutes of questioning and refusing to provide sensitive client information to the agents. Read More >

Jewish Americans feel echoes of history in transgender passport restrictions. The Trump administration had begun blocking new passports for trans Americans. LGBTQ+ Jewish people see passports — now outing them for being trans — as part of a familiar playbook from the Holocaust. Read More >

Parents are receiving mixed messages about measles from RFK Jr. Medical experts say that while the health secretary is showing more direct support for the measles vaccine following the death of a second unvaccinated child, he’s also sharing information about debunked remedies. Read More >

Southern Utilities quietly dismantled its DEI programs, and Black households are paying the price. Southern and six other major utility companies serving the South have rolled back their diversity commitments by removing workforce diversity goals, erasing HBCU partnerships, and abandoning community investments from their financial disclosures and websites. This can have devastating consequences for millions of Black customers, who spend more of their monthly income on utility bills than any other group. Read More >

Modelo owner Constellation says Trump immigration crackdown hitting Hispanic customers. Constellation Brands, the owner of Modelo Especial beer, is experiencing declining beer sales from Hispanic populations in key U.S. states amid Trump's immigration crackdown. The attack has increased pressure on Hispanic consumers who are already struggling with higher prices for food and essentials. Read More >

Trump’s immigration enforcement against employers has been gradual. That may soon change. Federal immigration authorities are gradually boosting their enforcement activities, and worksite visits and arrests at smaller worksites are already happening. Operations against bigger employers, coupled with the threat of penalties, are likely fast approaching. Read More >

Growing old with HIV is now possible. Trump’s CDC cuts threaten that progress. The National Institutes of Health has reportedly canceled hundreds of active grants funding research on HIV and AIDS. Advocates say this and the  agency's mass firings will be particularly devastating for older LGBTQ+ people living with HIV. Read More >

Trump renews attacks on sanctuary cities with funding threats. President Donald Trump said that he plans to withhold all federal funding to sanctuary cities, a move that would pressure finances on Democratic cities. New York City, for example, expects to receive $9.7 billion in federal aid in the current fiscal year; roughly 8.3% of the city’s total budget. Most of that money goes to education, resources for those unhoused, and other social services. Read More >

The Trump administration is actively removing or diminishing Black history content from federal agencies and websites. They rewrote Harriet Tubman’s role in the Underground Railroad, removed Black military figures' profiles from Defense Department websites, and wrote an executive order targeting the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Historians and preservationists are concerned that this erasure weakens America's understanding of its full history and connects these actions to broader conservative efforts to restrict teaching of Black history in states like Florida.

That makes our work at 28 Days of Black History more important than ever, which is why we’re now running the series weekly until next Black History Month.

Subscribe to get one undertold story of Black history in your inbox each Wednesday evening. Last week, we honored the legacy of Marian Anderson, whose public performance at the Lincoln Memorial helped to highlight discrimination against Black performers.

This Wednesday, we’re highlighting one of the stories that’s been erased by the Trump administration. Subscribe to read along!

49% of our subscribers opened last week’s email. We’re looking for sponsors and nonprofit organizations that center Black communities that we can feature in the weeks ahead. Interested? Contact us to learn more.

Why steak, not veganism, Is the new status symbol. Plant-based diets have become political flashpoints, mocked as elitist and “woke.” As the carnivore movement gains momentum, food choices today are as much about values and masculinity as they are about nutrition. Read More >

Black beauticians have always done more than style hair — they’ve built power. Inside their salons, they’ve reshaped what community work looks like, creating spaces for political organizing, economic independence and healing. Read More >

The path from eviction to unhoused is shorter than you think. In this first-person account, writer and journalist Jocelyn Figueroa details how evictions often lead to the loss of housing, safety, and security. Read More >

April Book Club Pick

This month, we’re reading Pet by Akwaeke Emezi!

“In a world that believes it has rid itself of all monsters, Jam discovers that some truths can’t stay buried. With a mix of fantasy and deep insight, Pet challenges us to look beyond what we’re told and consider what justice really means.”

Read along with us by subscribing to the Banned Books Book Club newsletter, following us on Instagram, and joining the live discussion on Wednesday, April 30 at 7pm EST.* Adjusted to give time for more reading!