Tennessee was a crucial battleground in the early civil rights movement, influencing the late John Lewis' fight against Jim Crow before he helped lead the march in Selma.

Why it matters: Decades later, Tennessee is again at the center of a civil rights fight. Organizers and lawmakers warn that Tennessee is becoming a "testing ground for voter suppression" and that policies there could spread across the country.

Driving the news: Three Black women — state Sen. Charlane Oliver, Stand Up Nashville's Odessa Kelly and The Equity Alliance's Tequila Johnson — are helping lead the fight in Tennessee. They spoke with Axios before the 60th anniversary of the Selma march, a catalyst for the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

This year, there is a looming fear of a rollback on voting and civil rights. Civil rights leaders say the march should act as a renewed call to action.

Flashback: Before becoming a civil rights icon, Lewis trained in Nashville, where early sit-ins shaped his philosophy of nonviolent resistance.

• That foundation carried him through Selma and, ultimately, to Atlanta, where he spent decades fighting for voting rights in Congress.

"Tennessee is where John Lewis cut his teeth," Oliver said. "And now we're watching it become a testing ground for voter suppression."

The big picture: Oliver says that since the Supreme Court's 2013 Shelby County v. Holder ruling weakened the Voting Rights Act, Tennessee has seen a surge in restrictive voting laws.

• Laws like Tennessee's strict voter ID requirements, bans on college student IDs for voting, and polling place reductions in growing Black communities reflect a broader strategy to limit ballot access.
• The state ranks among the lowest in voter turnout and has some of the strictest disenfranchisement laws for formerly incarcerated individuals.
• Tennessee is the only state that requires child support payments before restoring voting rights. Oliver says she considers that a modern-day poll tax.

What they're saying: Johnson sees history repeating. She says these modern measures reflect Black voters' obstacles when trying to vote — counting bubbles in soap, guessing how many jellybeans are in a jar, or reciting the Constitution from memory.

State of play: The Trump administration's work to unravel successful diversity efforts adds gasoline to the fire, Johnson says.

• "This moment feels both familiar and unfamiliar," Oliver said. "The threats we face today are even more dire because of who is in the White House."
• "When John Lewis marched in Selma, they could at least pressure the administration to act. Now, we have leaders trying to take us back — not just pre-Civil Rights Movement, but to an era where Jim Crow was law."

Kelly shares that frustration.

• "I'm enraged," she said. "My parents were born in the '40s during Jim Crow, and to see the civil rights bill being torn apart bit by bit, it's heartbreaking. We have to rethink how we build and protect the community."
• "The policies that alarm people nationally? They were tested in Tennessee first," Kelly said. "We're seeing voter suppression laws, attacks on public education and corporate influence shaping policy in ways that harm marginalized communities."

Zoom out: The Supreme Court's weakening of voter protections makes it tougher to challenge suppression laws.

• "These laws aren't just happening in a vacuum," National Urban League president Marc Morial said. "Since Shelby, we've seen a flood of voter suppression bills designed to make it harder for people to vote."

Zoom in: Morial says the John Lewis Voting Rights Act is "essential to restoring the protections we lost and ensuring every American has the right to vote without obstruction."

The bottom line: Civil rights leaders say a new fight is beginning.

• "We are not backing down," Morial said. "We will challenge these policies in the courts, at the ballot box, and in the streets."
• "We can't wait until laws pass to fight back. We must anticipate these attacks and organize now," Johnson said.

Oliver agrees: "John Lewis showed us the way. Now it's on us to keep marching."

Advocates are gathering in Selma, Alabama, this weekend to mark the 60th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday" amid fears of a rollback on voting and civil rights.

Why it matters: The commemoration comes just days after President Trump gutted nearly all federal affirmative action programs while ordering agencies to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

• Meanwhile, the once-routine reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act — a law initially inspired by the brutal beatings of protesters at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma 60 years ago — remains stalled in Congress with little hope of passage under GOP control.
• A Trump executive order "ending radical indoctrination" in K-12 schools and new state laws limiting classroom discussions on race also make it unclear if teachers, even in Alabama, can even discuss events in Selma that led to one of the most dramatic moments of the Civil Rights Movement.

Zoom in: "The Annual Pilgrimage to Selma," a yearly reenactment of the 1965 crossing of Edmund Pettus Bridge for voting rights, is expected to draw tens of thousands of people Sunday.

• The event is sponsored by the nonprofit Bridge Crossing Jubilee, which will also host workshops, lectures and performances. Another group, Salute Selma, will host events on Black women and HBCUs.

Context: On March 7, 1965, future Congressman John Lewis and 600 other civil rights demonstrators crossed the bridge from Selma for a planned march to Montgomery to protest voting discrimination against Black Americans.

• State troopers violently attacked the unarmed demonstrators with batons and tear gas — images that shocked the nation and prompted President Lyndon Johnson to give an emergency address to Congress.
• The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. followed up with a three-day march from Selma to Montgomery under the protection of the Alabama National Guard, which was under federal control.
• Five months later, Johnson got Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act.

State of play: Civil rights advocates and Black elected leaders tell Axios the mood at the gathering this year likely will be a mixture of fear, dejection, defiance and renewal.

• "This moment feels both familiar and unfamiliar," Tennessee state Sen. Charlane Oliver tells Axios.
• "The threats we face today are even more dire because of who is in the White House."

NAACP President Derrick Johnson warns that fundamental rights and economic protections are being eroded — threatening hard-fought civil rights gains. He sees this moment as a pivotal test for democracy.

• "Selma was never just about the past," he said. "It's about the future — about whether we will protect what so many fought and died for."
• "The fight for voting rights was never just about ballots — it was about dignity. And today, policymakers are seeking to steal that dignity, whether by defunding essential programs or undermining our democracy."

Southern Poverty Law Center president and CEO Margaret Huang tells Axios this year's Jubilee feels like a commemoration and a call to action.

• "For the first time in years, there will be no federal participation in Jubilee. That's a signal about where civil rights and our legacy sit in this country."
• "This year, it's not just looking back. We're in it — right now."

The White House did not immediately respond to questions about whether anyone from the administration would attend the Selma gathering.

• Presidents Clinton, Obama and Biden have attended annual events in Selma.

The intrigue: On Wednesday, just days before the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, House Democrats reintroduced the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.).

• The legislation seeks to restore and modernize the Voting Rights Act of 1965 protections, addressing challenges that have arisen since the Supreme Court invalidated key provisions in its 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder.
• Sewell tells Axios that in recent years, state lawmakers have introduced over 300 restrictive bills — more than 20 of which became law — slashing polling places, cutting early voting, eliminating mail-in ballots, and tightening ID rules.

Between the lines: Since the events in Selma, the number of Black Americans elected in the U.S. has shot up from just a few in 1964 to about 9,000.

• Most Black Americans are aligned with the Democratic Party, but Black Republicans have won high-profile races in Kentucky, New Mexico and California.

As corporate DEI efforts held up as turning points during 2020's summer of unrest vanish in the face of political pressure, Black community leaders are responding with their wallets.

Why it matters: For them, this moment is about proving that Black economic power isn't dependent on corporate permission.

Driving the news: With companies rolling back DEI initiatives under conservative pressure, the NAACP urges Black consumers to support brands that remain committed.

• The civil rights group is tracking which companies honor their promises—and which don't — as calls for economic resistance grow.

The latest: Target's move away from its post-George Floyd DEI promises, which mirrors a broader trend in corporate America, has sparked backlash. That includes a planned boycott led by Jamal Bryant, pastor of the prominent megachurch New Birth Missionary Baptist in metro Atlanta.

• Bryant told Axios he's calling on the community to boycott Target during the Christian season of Lent, which begins March 5 and lasts 40 days. Bryant told Axios he chose Target for two reasons:
• He says Black people spend $12 million a day at the giant retailer, and it's headquartered in Minneapolis, where Floyd was murdered in 2020 by police officer Derek Chauvin.
• In April 2021, Target pledged to invest $2 billion into black businesses by the end of 2025.
• Bryant has a goal of 100,000 people pledging to boycott Target, and he says he's already gotten more than half of that.

The big picture: The pastor points to recent revenue loss due to McDonald's and Starbucks boycotts as examples of how the Target campaign can succeed.

• "So you're seeing a great awakening in America, and corporate communities are going to have to really show their responsibility," he said.

The big picture: Donald Tomaskovic-Devey, director of the Center for Employment Equity at the University of Massachusetts, tells Axios the unprecedented scale of the 2020 protests catalyzed corporate action.

• "Roughly half of the Fortune 500 made racial justice commitments — some symbolic, but others deeply structural, tying executive accountability and supply chains to equity goals," he said.
• "The summer of 2020 scared a lot of people. The largest mass protests in U.S. history, including white communities, made people feel threatened. This backlash — targeting DEI initiatives and corporations — is a direct response to that."

Yes, but: For Carlton Mackey and other Black entrepreneurs, it's also forcing a reckoning: If big brands won't back them, they have to double down on their community. That shift — from relying on corporate DEI programs to embracing Black economic independence — is where resistance becomes revolution.

Flashback: Mackey, the founder of the Black Men Smile movement that began in the fall of 2014, confronts stereotypes and misconceptions about Black men.

• Mackey's recent message, "Black Joy is Revolutionary," resonated so widely that Target included it in its 2023 Black History Month collection. When the Minneapolis-based chain announced its stance on DEI, Mackey told Axios that he was discussing further collaboration with Target but ultimately decided not to proceed.
• Target's retreat from diversity commitments feels like a personal blow, Mackey says, reflecting a broader trend of companies withdrawing support after previous advocacy.
• Mackey felt betrayed by Target's decision and stated that his conscious choice was to stand in solidarity with the movement.
• "It felt like we were in a relationship, and then they said, 'My dad doesn't like you, so I'm breaking up with you,'" he said, adding that continuing the partnership in light of Target's DEI rollback would compromise the integrity of his mission.

The bottom line: Mackey acknowledged that this decision would likely cost him future business with the retailer, but he was willing to take that risk to stand on principle.

• "I don't want to be in a friends-with-benefits relationship with Target, meaning that now that you broke up with me, we're not — no, we can't still be kissing," he said.

Black History Month arrives under a new threat as President Trump aims to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and establish federal guidance against heritage months.

Why it matters: Conservatives argue Black history lessons induce guilt, while critics of Trump's agenda view the president's work as an effort to erase hard truths.

Driving the news: As every president since 1976 has done, President Trump signed a proclamation recognizing Black History Month on Friday.

Yes, but: The proclamation comes after weeks of targeting DEI initiatives through decision making and rhetoric. In his first days back in office, President Trump dismantled federal DEI programs, halting efforts to bolster diversity and inclusion.

• The executive order ended programs to bolster diversity and inclusion on the federal level in schools.
• The orders also signal possible legal challenges to private sector diversity efforts, a move civil rights groups say could dismantle decades of progress.
• Marc H. Morial, president of the National Urban League, called this an "assault on the Civil Rights Movement" and led discussions on a legal response.

When asked about reports that the Defense Intelligence Agency discouraged Black History Month programming to align with Trump's views on DEI, press secretary Karoline Leavitt noted the proclamation as the president's planned recognition of Black History Month.

• It touts the achievements of Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Thomas Sowell, Justice Clarence Thomas and Tiger Woods.

The big picture: What some see as an effort to erase "wokeness" and diversity efforts (DEI), is a battle over how America accepts, acknowledges or edits its past.

The push to erase Black history isn't theoretical—it's already happening.

• The Tuskegee Airmen, once American heroes, nearly became collateral damage in a political battle. The Air Force initially tried to remove their references from its curriculum but reversed course days later.

Zoom in: Edmond W. Davis, a scholar of the Tuskegee Airmen, says their legacy should not be swept into DEI politics.

• "For the men and women of the Tuskegee Airmen, this isn't DEI—it's plain old history. Military history. American history," Davis said.
• He argues their contributions stretch beyond race: "We focus heavily on African Americans, but there were also women, Latinos—the first wave of civil rights pioneers before MLK and Rosa Parks even got up. They were fighting."

Zoom out: Some historians argue Black history is being framed as controversial, much like the fight over critical race theory. Attempts to minimize it distort historical truths, skew public understanding, and turn facts into political weapons, they argue.

Martha S. Jones, a history professor at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University, argues that although DEI restrictions, anti-wokeness, book bans, and curriculum limitations restrict access, history cannot be erased.

• "As heinous as book bans are, they're not making history disappear," she says. "The fight over history has always existed, but so has the resistance."

Jones highlights Carter G. Woodson, who created Negro History Week in 1926, decades before Ford's proclamation and its expansion to Black History Month—not due to wide acceptance, but because history was suppressed.

• Black History Month was not a government gift; it was a hard-won effort by Woodson during Jim Crow.
• "Woodson didn't wait for permission," Jones said. "He established institutions, authored books, and ensured Black history was told despite barriers."

The bottom line: Jones said it is important to remember that "no one gave us permission" to have Black history.

• "I don't want to be cheeky, but I have news for folks who imagine they can declare Black History Month done," she said. "Black folks have been told that before, and we have persisted. We will persist. We will continue to know our history, research our history, teach our history, capture our history, and celebrate our history."
• "It doesn't live in the White House. It lives in us."

Editor's note: This article and headline have been updated to provide additional details and clarity about President Trump's Black History Month proclamation.

National Urban League president Marc H. Morial on Wednesday called President Trump's executive order dismantling federal diversity and affirmative action practices "an assault on the Civil Rights Movement and everything we've achieved in the last 60 years."

Why it matters: Morial's comments came during a meeting of more than a dozen leaders — across racial, ethnic, and religious communities — gathered in D.C. to strategize a response just hours after Trump, fulfilling a campaign promise, moved against 60-year-old government guidelines designed to promote equity in hiring.

What they're saying: "We knew [Trump] was coming with it early, so we took a shot and planned the roundtable two days after the inauguration," Morial told Axios after the Demand Diversity Roundtable event at the National Press Club.

• "It was important to make our statement early, and with as many leaders in the room as possible," he said.

Zoom out: Trump's order revoked one President Lyndon Johnson signed in 1965, more than two years after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have A Dream" speech at the nearby Lincoln Memorial.

• LBJ's order gave the secretary of labor the authority to ensure equal opportunities for people of color and women in federal contractors' recruitment, hiring, training and other employment practices.

Zoom in: Organizers said they gathered community leader from across the nation to discuss how to confront disinformation campaigns targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, reaffirm their commitment to civil rights and expose divisive myths.

• "We stand with the 81% of Americans who support economic opportunity, who support diversity, equity, and inclusion. And we stand against any effort — by anyone, through any method — to reverse the gains of the last 70 years," Morial said before opening up the discussion.

Referencing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as the "Magna Carta" of racial justice in America, Morial called on the nation to reaffirm its commitment to equal opportunity.

• "Diversity, equity, and inclusion are aligned with American values," he said. "They are about uniting us, not dividing us. Efforts to paint DEI as a preference program are nothing more than campaigns of smear and distortion."

Morial drew parallels between those historic efforts and the battle against disinformation and political backlash.

• "We will not allow unlawful, extra-constitutional, and ill-advised actions to undo the hard work of many generations of Americans. This is a moment to recommit to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the values that have guided us for six decades."

The big picture: Civil rights advocates believe attacks on DEI are part of a campaign to normalize bigotry and pit communities against one another.

• "Nothing that's happening right now is accidental," said Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. "From the racist attacks on DEI to anti-immigrant and anti-LGBTQ executive orders, it's all part of a broader effort to normalize dehumanization and extremism."

She pointed to a recent spike in antisemitism and how extremists have sought to exploit the pain of the Jewish community to push divisive agendas.

• "Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion is not just about values or the deep diversity within the Jewish community — it's about ensuring that every community has a fair shot," she said. "Diversity and pluralism are our greatest strengths."

Latino leaders highlighted the economic and social fallout of DEI rollbacks, while Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) leaders emphasized how these policies deepen inequalities, harm local economies, and hinder progress toward an inclusive democracy.

• "Anti-diversity is anti-business," said Brenda Victoria Castillo, president of the National Hispanic Media Coalition. "Representation in leadership and media isn't just morally right; it's essential for success in a diverse America."
• "Opponents attack DEI because it works," said Gregg Orton, national director of the National Council of Asian-Pacific Americans. "When communities of color are empowered, it threatens the status quo of power and control."

The bottom line: The message from the roundtable was clear: Defending DEI is not just about protecting civil rights but about preserving the nation's soul.

• "We won't stand idly by," said Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP. "Our coalition is stronger than the fears that divide us—and this fight is just beginning."

Go deeper: Trump administration moves to oust federal DEI employees

The daughter of the late Martin Luther King Jr. warned Monday of "sinister forces" and "some disturbing things to come" just hours before President-elect Trump retook office.

Why it matters: The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change commemorated MLK Day on Monday as Trump is expected to sign a slew of executive orders ending diversity and inclusion initiatives in the federal government and laying the groundwork for mass deportations.

• Bernice A. King, MLK's daughter, told an audience at Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church that advocates "will remain woke" against rollbacks of civil rights gains as the new administration's agenda takes hold.

The big picture: The federal holiday commemorating King's birthday and the presidential inauguration fall on the same day — a paradox that civil rights leaders say underscores the nation's deep divide.

What they're saying: "It has become a major factor for so many people because of the notable contrast in the two men who are sharing the same space in today's news cycle and on today's Gregorian calendar," King said.

• "For some, today's inauguration represents the best of times: Make America Great Again. And for others, it highlights the worst of times."
• "But regardless of how this day shows up for you, we must remember the mission and be in pursuit of it."

Zoom in: King acknowledged the anxiety among many people of color about Trump's return to the White House following a campaign filled with racist rhetoric, anti-trans policies, and mass deportation promises.

• Yet she told activists to keep fighting like her parents and previous generations of civil rights leaders.
• "Our hearts may become heavy-laden by disturbing policy decisions ... I urge us to heed my father's timeless call to remain awake through a great revolution."

The intrigue: As MLK Day unfolded in Atlanta, a coalition of civil rights and immigrant rights groups released a signed, open letter to the public warning of a "dangerous path for the future."

• "Some of the policies championed by President Trump and his surrogates during the campaign could also give new purchase to white supremacy in the United States, a fact that is especially disturbing given the coincidence of this inauguration and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day," the letter said.
• The National Immigration Law Center, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and the Southern Poverty Law Center were among the eight groups that signed the letter.

Flashback: Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968 in Memphis while supporting striking sanitation workers.

• Though he participated in several marches, boycotts and legal challenges to racial segregation, he's primarily known by the general public for his 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech envisioning a colorblind country.
• That speech also mentioned how police brutality and systemic poverty were hurting Black Americans — themes often overlooked.

Yes, but: Four years after his speech, King told NBC News: "I must confess, that dream that I had that day has, at many points, turned into a nightmare."

• He cited persistent discrimination, poverty and the Vietnam War as reasons for his dismay.

During his keynote address, Bishop William J. Barber II, president and senior lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, reminded the audience of King's struggles on the eve of his assassination.

• "He was hurting despite having declared a war on poverty. He saw America's great wealth going to wage war against brown people in Vietnam ... and the nation's cities were burning."

Friction point: Drawing from King's final book, "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?," Barber posed its central question as one to answer today.

• "We must choose community," he declared, urging unity and alliances across racial and economic lines. "We are not of those who shrink back unto destruction, but those who persevere unto the salvation of the soul."

What's next: Barber closed with a call to action, saying, "This is no time to be at ease. We must go forward together — Black, white, brown, Asian, Native, young, old, north, south, east, and west. Justice is not a juxtaposition to us; it is our religion."

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change will mark MLK Day on Monday with "moral reflection and prophetic response" amid uncertainty as President-elect Trump retakes office.

Why it matters: This year, the King holiday and the presidential inauguration fall on the same day — a paradox that civil rights leaders say underscores the nation's deep divide.

• Many see a contrast between a man who preached peace and an incoming president whose rhetoric has deepened racial divides, raising fears that Trump could roll back civil rights gains.

The big picture: Trump's second term follows a campaign filled with racist rhetoric, anti-trans policies, and mass deportation promises—raising concerns about the long-term impact on civil rights and equality.

• King Center officials and the King family aim to use MLK Day to remind Americans of their responsibility for human rights and poverty action.

Zoom in: Bishop William J. Barber, II, President & Sr. Lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, will offer a keynote sermon on Monday at the 40th Annual King Holiday Observance Commemorative Service.

• The service is at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta and will be live-streamed on The King Center's website.

Barber tells Axios he will reflect on how this overlap is a critical moment for people of faith and moral conviction to unite and address the deep injustices in our nation.

• "I think that we have to see this past election, not so much as an election that Trump won, but an election that the progressives and others lost."
• "If there was a serious outreach to poor and low-wage people, we wouldn't be in the situation we're in now."

State of play: Trump has vowed to roll back programs to promote diversity and inclusion in the federal government.

• Some advocates are pushing him to overturn a key executive order from 60 years ago by President Lyndon Johnson, which addresses discrimination among federal contractors.

The intrigue: All eyes are on Trump's message and its implications for the future.

Zoom out: On the night of the election, Trump said, "We are going to help our country heal," leaving behind "divisions." Marc H. Morial, president of the National Urban League, said he will be watching to see if that was "just rhetoric or he meant it."

• "The ball is in the president's court," he said. "I will be watching and preparing for whatever it is. He has to make that determination."

Regardless, Derrick Johnson, CEO of the NAACP, remains resolute as the nation enters this new chapter, telling Axios: "Our mission stays the same. We fight to ensure democracy works for all and that every citizen is afforded equal protection."

Context: The children of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King urge Americans to reflect on his legacy and the nation's state as the King holiday coincides with the presidential inauguration.

• Bernice A. King, the youngest child, urged Americans to "pay attention" to Trump's inauguration words and honor her father's birthday.
• "l certainly understand the desire to tune out rhetoric, ideology, and policies with which we passionately disagree and which contradict the spirit of the Beloved Community," she wrote on Instagram.

Martin Luther King III told Axios the holiday is "a moment to renew and ask ourselves whether we've achieved the dream my parents envisioned."

• "The truth is, we have not," he said. "Martin and Coretta King were not just dreamers — they were doers. It's time for us to step up."

His wife, Arndrea Waters King, added: "The inauguration and holiday, falling so close together, give us time for inner reflection. It's an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to the vision we want to see for America."

The Justice Department in a report released Friday concluded "no avenue for prosecution exists" for the crimes carried out during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the deadliest series of murders in U.S. history.

The big picture: The findings come roughly three months after the DOJ launched its first-ever federal probe into the coordinated attack that left an estimated 300 Black residents dead and decimated the thriving Greenwood community, also known as "Black Wall Street."

• The event is widely regarded as the worst race massacre in U.S. history.
• The DOJ noted in its report — which corroborates survivor testimonies and existing research — that its conclusion was "despite the gravity of the department's findings." It was also the federal government's first comprehensive acknowledgment of the massacre.
• The report confirms that the massacre was not just mob violence but a coordinated military-style attack that involved systematic arson, looting, and killings carried out by white residents, some of whom were deputized by the Tulsa police.

What they're saying: Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division called the massacre "a civil rights crime unique in its magnitude, barbarity, racist hostility and its utter annihilation of a thriving Black community."

• "Until this day, the Justice Department has not spoken publicly about this race massacre or officially accounted for the horrific events that transpired in Tulsa," she said.
• "This report breaks that silence by rigorous examination and a full accounting of one of the darkest episodes of our nation's past."

Zoom out: The DOJ report says prosecution is no longer feasible because the youngest potential defendants would now be over 115 years old and relevant statutes of limitations "expired decades ago," leaving no legal avenue for federal charges.

The DOJ report found:

• Coordinated Attack: The DOJ found that — depending on how you define participation — up to 10,000 white residents of Tulsa devastated Greenwood.
• Government Complicity: Local law enforcement disarmed Black residents, detained survivors in camps, and participated in arson and murder. Tulsa hindered recovery by imposing restrictive fire codes, rejecting aid, and resisting rebuilding efforts.
• Legal Failures: The DOJ acknowledged that civil rights laws could have allowed hate crime prosecutions, but in 1921, no such protections existed and federal laws were unenforced, leaving survivors and descendants without justice.

Between the lines: While the report recognizes its historical significance and documents the trauma and loss suffered by Greenwood's residents, Rev. William Barber of the Repairers of the Breach expressed frustration at the limitations imposed by expired laws.

• "Isn't it a tragedy that we have a statute of limitations on the murdering of an entire community?"
• "If the Justice Department says the statute of limitations is a law, then there ought to be a campaign for new legislation that says, when the government has participated in political murder, this country will not allow a statute of limitation to prevent justice."

The bottom line: Barber stressed the need to reframe such events in historical narratives, because we "can't let these stories be told incorrectly."

• "We must not use the language of 'riot.' Whether it was Springfield, Illinois; Wilmington, North Carolina; or Tulsa—they weren't riots. They were murders, bombings, and insurrections."
• "The Justice Department's findings must be built upon, and this moment must stir action, even if the results take time. Sometimes what you do in one moment has an impact in another."

More from Axios:

• 1st Tulsa Race Massacre victim identified in mass grave honored with memorial
• Uncovering the Tulsa Race Massacre after 100 years
• 100 years after Tulsa Race Massacre, last living survivors urge U.S. to not forget

President Biden is being pressured to grant a posthumous pardon for Marcus Garvey — a Black nationalist who was influential to Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela and later generations of Black Panther Party activists.

Why it matters: The Jamaican-born Garvey was convicted of mail fraud on June 21, 1923, in a case that supporters have long said was politically motivated and aimed at discrediting his growing popularity among Black Americans amid lynchings and racial violence.

The big picture: The pardon request comes as lawmakers push for more clemency actions before Biden leaves office and after the president's unpopular decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden.

• Last month, President Biden commuted the sentences of 1,500 Americans in home confinement during the pandemic and pardoned 39 others, setting a record for clemency in one day, according to the White House.

Catch up quick: Part of the Congressional Black Caucus, led by Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), sent a letter in late December urging President Biden to exonerate Garvey.

• Garvey's 91-year-old son, Dr. Julius Garvey, has also publicly urged Biden to grant the pardon, which he and others have sought since 1987.
• They say a pardon would correct a century-old injustice.
• "His name needs to be cleared. The purpose of the pardon is really to exonerate, " Dr. Garvey, a retired cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon, told Axios.

Flashback: The elder Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in 1914, which championed Black pride, economic independence and Pan-Africanism.

• He advocated for Black-owned businesses and a "Back-to-Africa" movement envisioning a unified Africa led by Black people.
• Seen as a hero in Jamaica, many of Garvey's ideas about economic empowerment and global unity remain relevant today.
• Some Black critics, including W. E. B. Du Bois, denounced his Black separatist views and his relationship with the Ku Klux Klan, who shared Garvey's goal of racial separatism.

Garvey was convicted of mail fraud for promoting stock sales for his Black Star Line shipping company with allegedly misleading materials, including an image of a ship the company had not yet acquired.

• Garvey's prosecution was closely tied to the efforts of J. Edgar Hoover, who later became the first director of the FBI. Hoover's actions are seen as a systematic effort to undermine Black leaders.
• Garvey served two years in prison before President Coolidge commuted his sentence in 1927, but he was deported to Jamaica, and his conviction was never overturned. He died in London in 1940 at the age of 52.

What they're saying: "Biden pardoned his son, which is something that he claimed he wasn't going to do because his son was found guilty and pled guilty to tax evasion charges," Dr. Garvey said.

• "So it's a no-brainer—why couldn't he pardon Marcus Garvey? Or why wouldn't he pardon Marcus Garvey?"
• "We don't know that there's any specific reason why he shouldn't, except the general attitude, which is systematic.

The Biden administration did not respond to requests for comment to Axios.

Between the lines: "This isn't just about Marcus Garvey—it's about correcting history," Justin Hansford, a professor at Howard University's School of Law and executive director of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center, told Axios.

• Hansford, who first learned about Garvey while reading "The Autobiography of Malcolm X," said he was surprised to discover that Malcolm X's parents were Garveyites.
• Hansford has dedicated years to studying Garvey's case, authored a book about him, and has relentlessly advocated for his exoneration through legal means. He was deeply affected by Garvey's legacy.
• "He was painted as a fraudster and a con artist by those who sought to silence him," the professor said.
• "History is the lens through which we see the world," Hansford explained. "If we don't correct these wrongs, we teach our children that the fight for freedom is something to be punished—not celebrated."

The bottom line: Dr. Garvey emphasized that the fight to clear his father's name will continue regardless of who is in the White House.

• "We haven't asked (President) Trump before, but it was raised by Roger Stone, one of Trump's supporters, some years ago," Garvey said. "We'll see how it goes, but it's important for me that my father's name is cleared. We'll continue our efforts—whoever is president."

James Lindsay, the founder and CEO of Rap Snacks, has carved out a unique niche in the consumer goods industry by merging his passion for snacking and hip-hop culture.

The big picture: A native of Philadelphia and an alumnus of Cheyney University, Lindsay's entrepreneurial path reflects roughly 30 years of dedication, creativity and guidance.

• Starting with a $40,000 loan from friends and family, Lindsay has built a debt-free multimillion-dollar company fueled by the fastest-growing convenience store potato chip brand in the U.S.

Driving the news: In 2025, Rap Snacks will celebrate its 30th anniversary, continuing its legacy as a cultural staple in the era following hip-hop's monumental 50th anniversary.

What they're saying: "Hip-hop was on the rise then (1995), and I saw an opportunity to merge snacking with music," Lindsay told Axios.

• "I wrote down the idea for Rap Snacks one night and called a manufacturer the next day. Despite knowing little about the snack industry, I developed the product, sold 800 cases in two months, and the rest is history."

Catch up quickly: While working as a sales rep for Johnson Products Company, Lindsay developed a love for consumer goods and learned about product distribution under George E. Johnson, the founder of Johnson Products, a mentor who significantly influenced his entrepreneurial journey.

• "I didn't even know I was being mentored back then, but working with Mr. Johnson, I learned so much about business and persistence."
• Then, Lindsay noticed that snack products in local corner stores didn't represent Black culture or resonate with urban youth.
• "Mentors taught me about product distribution, packaging, and marketing—skills I didn't have when I started."

Zoom out: Rap Snacks has featured major artists like Cardi B and the Migos, but the original packaging had a generic mascot, "MC Potato," until Lindsay pitched Universal Music Group, offering to feature their artists on his bags.

• "They loved the concept and even paid us to advertise their artists," he said. "Over time, we expanded partnerships to include artists. These collaborations made Rap Snacks a cultural phenomenon."
• In 2010, he worked with Meek Mill to connect his brand with corporate America. They secured partnerships with companies, such as Puma, Monster Energy Drink, and Ciroc.
• "That experience showed me the power of leveraging hip-hop culture to create value in the corporate world."

Zoom in: In 2017, Rap Snacks expanded into other food categories, including noodles, cereals, rice, candy, and even honey buns.

What's next: Lindsay owns several brands, including Mr. G Snacks and a better-for-you line called "Do the Right Thing," which offers vegetable-based snacks. He's also launching a new brand to compete with Takis.

• "My goal is to have a presence in every store aisle," he said.

Lindsay says his climb to success proves that cultural representation and business savvy can reshape industries—and he hopes to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs to dream just as boldly.

• "We're setting an example for other brands to embrace diversity without fear that it won't sell," Lindsay said. "Our products not only resonate culturally but also deliver superior taste, ensuring repeat customers."

Asked what advice Lindsay would give aspiring entrepreneurs, he said, "love what you do," treat people with respect and don't rush.

• "If you're only in it for the money, sustaining the energy needed to overcome challenges is hard," he said.

At just 19, Judea "JuJu" Watkins appears to carry the world's weight, yet the USC phenom — who shattered records in her first season — seems to hold it all easily.

Why it matters:  Watkins is a rising star in women's college basketball — a new six-episode documentary series dives deep into her life and journey.

The big picture: Watkins balances her fearless alter ego on the court with her playful and humble side as a teenager who enjoys playing Connect Four and relies on her mom to perfect her pregame bun during her senior year at Sierra Canyon.

Zoom out: "On the Rise" starts with her decision on where to play college ball and dips into the family structure that gives her the scaffolding she needs to support superstardom.

• Hailing from Watts, Watkins, 19, in her first season, became the all-time leading scorer among Division I freshmen and propelled USC to its first Elite Eight appearance in 30 years.
• Described by ESPN as "the next big thing in college hoops" and the Los Angeles Times as "your favorite basketball player's favorite basketball player."

Zoom in: The series premiered Nov. 23 on NBC and Peacock, with new episodes available on Peacock and NBC Sports FAST Channel throughout the season.

• The documentary, produced by 4.4Forty Media, Uninterrupted and State Farm, collaborates with sports storytelling heavyweights.
• LeBron James, Maverick Carter and Rich Paul are executive producers alongside Watkins, the show's star and executive producer. This approach empowers athletes to own their narratives.

What they're saying: Danny Barton, 4.4.Forty Media executive producer and Klutch Sports VP of sports content, says this has been "a passion project for me and the team since JuJu was a senior in high school."

• "From the start, we wanted to capture her story authentically — from choosing her college to navigating life with her family's support and the community around her," he said of Watkins who has been in the national spotlight since seventh grade.

The documentary offers viewers an in-depth perspective as the 6-foot-2 guard was recruited two years ago by Dawn Staley, the legendary coach who has led the University of South Carolina Gamecocks to three national championships, and Lindsay Gottlieb, the women's head coach for the USC Trojans, a historic franchise with a tremendous opportunity.

• The appeal is real as Watkins and her family spend quality time with Staley and the team. The cameras capture a moment when Watkins stares at a statue of standout A'ja Wilson in front of Colonial Life Arena.
• During her visit, Gottlieb, the Trojans coach, treats Watkins like royalty, providing her with a throne on the court for photos. However, Watkins — the Naismith Girls High School Player of the Year — desires to share this experience with her team.

Ultimately, the appeal of being at home — and maybe to create history — won out. The Trojans have started the season with high interest and expectations, including being ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press Top 25.

• Last week, Watkins dropped 24 points in a 74-61 loss, their first of the season.
• The team has bounced back and will face Oregon, their next ranked opponent, on Dec. 7.

Barton notes that this story "isn't just about basketball; it's about JuJu's roots in Watts, her dedication, and her humility, which we felt had to be documented in a way that shows her whole experience."

What's next: Barton says we are "in an amazing moment for women's sports," and they are in talks to continue the story.

• "JuJu's journey is just beginning, and there's a lot more to tell as she progresses in her career."
• "Women athletes, especially Black women, have powerful stories that deserve platforms like this."

Go deeper: JuJu Watkins is college basketball's next ambassador

President-elect Trump has picked Cabinet members who vowed to remove "woke" influences from the federal government. They aim to fight against everything from DEI mandates and transgender rights to school curriculum choices.

Why it matters: "Woke" exploded into the American vernacular after the murder of George Floyd, and has been used to describe an awareness of other cultures and social inequities. But it's also been weaponized by conservatives, who have redefined the term as a threat to traditional values and cultural/racial norms in the U.S.

• Beyond Washington, the redefinition also has fueled the far-reaching fight against racial diversity policies in academia and corporate America.

State of play: Conservatives now slap "woke" on countless views they find offensive. Attacks on transgender rights helped some conservatives win elections, and now President-elect Trump is declaring war on "woke" — from Pentagon hiring to college admission policies to health issues.

• Progressives worry this anti-woke momentum threatens gains made over the six decades since the Civil Rights Movement.

But now, even some Democrats are using the term in post-election critiques of their party's left wing.

• "When the woke police come at you," Rahm Emanuel, President Biden's ambassador to Japan, told New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, "you don't even get your Miranda rights read to you."

How woke and wokeism began

Martha S. Jones, a history professor at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University, said that woke has its roots in African American vernacular English.

• Its earliest known usage dates to the mid-20th century and concerns social and racial justice tied to movements driven by inequities. References to "stay woke" can be traced back to activist Marcus Garvey.
• Over the past decade, "woke" gained prominence during the Black Lives Matter era, with Colin Kaepernick's anthem protests and the global demonstrations after Floyd's murder cementing its tie to racial justice.
• It typically has referred to an individual becoming more aware of social injustices, including bias, discrimination and double standards.
• "It was a term 'for us, by us,' long before the world cared about our language or explanations," Jones says.

The intrigue: The term gained momentum after the summer of unrest in 2020 and appeared on social media, in music, movies, and protests.

• To be "woke AF" meant to be keenly aware of systemic racism that has largely been overlooked or ignored in U.S. society.
• Scholars have compared it to a simplified expression of critical race theory — which holds that racism is baked into the formation of the nation and ingrained in our legal, financial and education systems.

The backlash

The 2020 protests saw multiracial, multiethnic coalitions topple statues of figures connected to slavery, Native American removal, or segregation.

• Some demonstrators yelled, "Abolish the police," while others pressed for transgender rights.
• Public school teachers introduced lessons about systemic racism to students while they were home on Zoom classes during the pandemic.
• After the Black Lives Matter movement, several brands reevaluated and changed names or logos associated with racial stereotypes.
• Corporate America briefly united to address workplace racial disparities, pledging to increase hiring and promotion of Black and underrepresented employees.

The other side: Conservative parents grew angry about the protests and the anti-racist movement within the education system and fought back by crowding school board meetings.

• They demanded an end to teaching critical race theory in schools — where it's rarely taught outside of graduate and law school — and called for bans on certain books about racism and LGBTQ topics.
• Moms for Liberty, labeled an extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, got several red states to pass bills reducing discussions of race, gender and sexuality in the classroom or school material.
• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis even named his state's law the "Stop WOKE Act." Teachers and educators across the country reported receiving death threats amid debates over what to teach, and how.

Zoom out: Last summer's Supreme Court decision limited affirmative action, causing many companies and universities to reexamine their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategies.

• The Supreme Court's decision to curtail affirmative action raised questions about other corporate diversity initiatives aiming to bolster representation.
• Democrats are arguing among themselves whether the focus on equity has focused too much on transgender rights while scaring off moderate voters — claims that critics say are transphobic.
• Now, Trump is vowing to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education at a time when the nation's public schools are as diverse as they've ever been but are returning to racial segregation levels of the 1960s.

The bottom line: Jones says the weaponization of "woke" and other political dog whistles, like "states' rights" and "law and order" have allowed leaders to speak about race indirectly, rallying a supportive base.

• "Language is power," she says. "When terms like 'woke' are hijacked and weaponized, they're used to delegitimize the very movements and communities that gave them life."