Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a trailblazer in American politics, passed away on Thursday at the age of 90, leaving an open seat in the United States Senate for California. Gov. Gavin Newsom has reaffirmed a pledge to appoint a Black woman to fill the vacancy, and hopes to make the decision soon. Feinstein was the first woman to serve as a U.S. Senator from California, and was a powerful advocate for women's rights, civil rights, and gun control.
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The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of allowing Alabama to redraw its congressional maps with greater representation for Black voters. This could potentially send another Democrat to Congress, and is a victory for Black voters in Alabama who have long been underrepresented. The ruling orders Alabama to redraw its maps with an additional Black majority district or “something quite close to it”, and Secretary of State John Merrill has submitted three proposals to do so.
Jann Wenner, co-founder of Rolling Stone magazine and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, has been removed from the Hall of Fame's Board of Directors following comments he made that were seen as disparaging towards Black and female musicians. The Hall of Fame released a statement saying they are committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all music fans and will not tolerate any form of discrimination or bigotry. They have yet to announce who will replace Wenner on the Board of Directors.
On Thursday, the Mary Todd Montgomery Police Department announced that a fourth person has been arrested in connection with a racially charged brawl that occurred on Saturday evening at a riverside dock. The 21-year-old woman has been charged with misdemeanor assault, joining three other individuals who have also been charged. The police department is continuing to investigate the incident and is asking anyone with information to come forward.
Tou Thao, a former Minneapolis police officer, was sentenced to 57 months in prison on Monday for his role in the death of George Floyd. The incident sparked protests around the world and led to a national conversation about police brutality and racism. Judge Peter Cahill approved a Minneapolis police reform deal in the wake of Floyd's death, which includes a ban on neck restraints and chokeholds.
The family of Henrietta Lacks has reached a settlement with Thermo Fisher Scientific after suing the company in 2021 for reaping billions of dollars from a racist medical system. HeLa cells, taken from Lacks in 1951, have been used in a variety of medical breakthroughs, including the development of the polio vaccine and Covid-19 vaccines. The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed, but it serves as a reminder of the importance of consent and recognition of individuals' contributions to medical science.
President Joe Biden has honored Emmett Till and his mother with a national monument spanning two states, consisting of three protected sites in Illinois and Mississippi. The monument is a powerful reminder of the legacy of Till and his mother, and a call to action for Americans to learn the country's full history, which Biden addressed in his remarks.
On July 12, the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards nominations were announced, with HBO's "Succession" leading the pack with 27 nominations. Yvette Nicole Brown and Frank Scherma hosted the announcement, which comes at a tense time for Hollywood due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike. The Emmy Awards ceremony will take place on September 19, 2021, and viewers will have to wait to see which shows will take home the awards.