Black Lives Matter Founders Describe ‘Paradigm Shift’ In The Movement

Filipino Americans: Blending Cultures, Redefining Race
In his book, “The Latinos of Asia,” Anthony Christian Ocampo explores how Filipino Americans challenge traditional ideas about race and national identity.

Candice Hoyes Sings Blackness, Womanhood And History On Her New Jazz Album
When Candice Hoyes sings, she’s channeling a legacy of black women in jazz. Her debut album, On a Turquoise Cloud, celebrates the genre’s storied roots.

How The Narrator Of ‘Jane The Virgin’ Found His Voice
Anthony Mendez’s role as Jane‘s unseen narrator has garnered him critical acclaim. But before Mendez was able to turn his voice into a career, he was selling tombstones for the family business.

Mrs. Obama Saves The Cardigan: ‘The Obama Effect’ In Fashion
In fashion, most first ladies have worshiped at the altar of “The Suit.” Michelle Obama transformed American fashion by favoring dresses, moderately-priced brands, and simple basics like the cardigan.

It’s Gotten A Lot Harder To Act Like Whiteness Doesn’t Shape Our Politics
When we don’t acknowledge the role whiteness plays in how Americans vote, we’re essentially agreeing to misidentify some of the most important dynamics of this election cycle.

Obama Gets All In His Blackness At Howard
Some applauded the president’s speech at the historic black university as a break from “respectability politics” that demean African-Americans. Other saw it as more of the same.

The Code Switch Podcast Is Coming! Get A Sneak Peek!
You’ve been asking for it. We’ve been cranking on it. And now, it’s happening: the Code Switch podcast!

Churchill Downer: The Forgotten Racial History Of Kentucky’s State Song
“My Old Kentucky Home” is sung every year at the Kentucky Derby. Written in 1852 as an anti-slavery ballad, the song has a more sinister meaning upon closer examination.

A Long, Complicated Battle Over 9,000-Year-Old Bones Is Finally Over
The 1996 discovery of Kennewick Man, one of the oldest North American human skeletons ever found, erupted in an unprecedented fight between scientists and Native American beliefs.

From One Guatemalan’s Journey, A Whole Community Rises In Long Island
Riverhead, N.Y., is home to the area’s fastest growing Latino population. Many of the immigrants are from Guatemala, and can trace their journey to Long Island to a single man, decades before.

Do The Words ‘Race Riot’ Belong On A Historic Marker In Memphis?
On May 1, 1866, Memphis was home to a massacre that killed 46 African-Americans and injured many others. Now a historical marker shows an ongoing rift between white historians and black activists.

Was It Good, Bad, Or Ugly? Takes On Larry Wilmore’s Jokes At Correspondents’ Dinner
Some say the “Nightly Show” host utterly bombed his routine at Saturday’s White House Correspondents Dinner. Others say he simply had a different crowd in mind.

Join Us At 12pm EST Today For An #AirbnbWhileBlack Twitter Chat
Today, Code Switch’s Gene Demby and Hidden Brain’s Shankar Vedantam will be leading a Twitter chat to discuss what it’s like to be a person of color participating in the sharing economy.

The Mardi Gras Indian Of ‘Lemonade’
In “Lemonade,” Beyoncé’s much-discussed visual album, a girl resplendent in white plumage appears. It’s a nod to the pop star’s New Orleans roots and loaded with the region’s racial history.

Before Diving Into The Raging Flood Of New Beyoncé Thinkpieces, Read This
Beyoncé did a thing over the weekend, which means there are a million thinkpieces on the Internet today — on blackness and feminism and celebrity — for you to wade through. But start here.

‘Awoken’ By N.Y. Cop Shooting, Asian-American Activists Chart Way Forward
Peter Liang, who is Chinese-American, was sentenced to probation for the shooting death of an unarmed black man. The ex-NYPD officer’s case has sparked activism and debate among Asian-Americans.

I’m Not Sad About Prince, But Let Me Explain
I grew up in a conservative evangelical home in the Midwest. When Prince died and flashes of purple filled my social media feeds, I felt like an outsider watching a ritual I couldn’t fully join.

Everybody Has A Prince Story (Or Should). Here Are Ours
These stories are good for sharing any day, but they must be shared today, in honor of The Purple One’s passing.

Racial Awakening, Pride And Fear: One Latino Perspective On “The Obama Effect”
Growing up as the son of Mexican immigrants, Pablo Ramirez never really thought about race. For him, the Obama years meant finding pride and a new awareness of his own racial identity in college.

Reflecting On The Death Of Freddie Gray, One Year Later
A year ago, 25-year-old Freddie Gray died of injuries he sustained while in police custody. His family, neighborhood and the whole of Baltimore are still grappling with his loss.

How Social Media Smeared A Missing Student As A Terrorism Suspect
The documentary Help Us Find Sunil Tripathi explores what happened after a tweet misidentified a Brown University student as one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects.

A Point-By-Point Response To BuzzFeed’s Questions For Black People
A video titled “27 Questions Black People Have for Other Black People” misses a whole lotta history when it comes to black people in America.

Comic W. Kamau Bell On Standing Tall And Finding Humor In America’s Racism
The comedian attends a Ku Klux Klan rally and a cross burning on his new series, United Shades of America. He describes the series as a travel show that takes him to places where he’s afraid to go.

When It Comes To Terms Like ‘Colored People’s Time,’ Context Matters
Bill de Blasio’s been getting dragged for joking about “CPT.” Once more, with gusto: When it comes to terms like this, context matters. Who’s saying it, where and to whom?

On Policing In Baltimore, Activist DeRay Mckesson Gets Retweets. Can He Get Votes?
The Black Lives Matter activist is the city’s highest-profile mayoral candidate but low in polls. Voters, who say policing is a top concern, are looking to candidates with more experience.

Talking Housing Segregation And Chicago With WBEZ’s Natalie Y. Moore
A longtime Chicago reporter, and a native of the black South Side, digs into the ways segregation continues the shape the politics of her hometown, as well as her own life.

Some Blacks Did Support Bill Clinton’s Crime Bill. Here’s Why
Bill Clinton was right in saying that some African-Americans supported the 1994 crime bill. It was part of the response to the crack epidemic that devastated many black communities in the 1980s.

Child Migrants’ Harrowing Journey Brought To Life On Stage
Shelter is a play based on interviews with Central American kids about the violence that drove them to migrate north, and the experience of living in limbo in the U.S. It opens this weekend.

Central American Kids Recall Brutal Journey To U.S. In ‘Shelter’
Shelter is a play based on interviews with Central American kids about their harrowing experiences migrating north. NPR’s Code Switch team talks with the youth who inspired the play, the playwright and the actors about the production.

Roundup: Reactions To Bill Clinton’s Exchange With Black Lives Matter Protesters
Many found Bill Clinton’s reaction to protesters on Thursday awkward and offensive. But will it have a lasting effect on Hillary’s presidential campaign? Here’s what critics are saying.

A Reluctant King: Ta-Nehisi Coates Takes On Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’
NPR’s Audie Cornish talks to writer Ta-Nehisi Coates about his new series of Black Panther comics that explore the character of an African prince turned superhero.

‘Going Green’ Is Really ‘Going Native’: Western Apache Chef Nephi Craig
Chef Nephi Craig of the Apaches in the Kitchen blog reflects on what the “mainstream” culinary world has to learn about Native foodways.

Don Cheadle’s Miles Davis: The Latest “Badass” Black Man On Screen
Don Cheadle personifies jazz genius Miles Davis in his new film “Miles Ahead.” Badass black men rarely show up as leads in mainstream movies.

In California, A ‘Welcome Home’ For The Japanese-American Queer Community
Japanese-Americans in California have been working hard to strengthen ties between the API queer community and its friends, families and allies. This new conference series is a start.

Sex And ‘An African City’: A Steamy Ghanaian Show You Don’t Want To Miss
Five African women who came of age abroad make their way back to Accra, Ghana, as adult professionals looking for love — and end up grappling with where they fit into this place they call “home.”