Colleges Cut DEI Ties. Supreme Court Blocks Trump Tariffs. Roy Cooper Senate Bid

Over 45 universities are cutting ties with organizations focused on supporting people of color, including The PhD Project, which recruits minority PhD candidates. This is framed as a deliberate effort by the Trump administration and MAGA to 'defund Black America' by restricting access to higher education, research grants, and contracts. The PhD Project has seen its university partnerships drop from over 200 to under 100, resulting in significant financial losses and a projected decline in minority PhD candidates.

Alfonso Alexander, President of The PhD Project, states that their university partnerships decreased from over 200 to under 100 due to these changes, causing a 'significant financial hit.' Roland Martin cites Texas A&M and the University of Texas as examples of institutions making changes under pressure from state governors.

The Supreme Court delivered a 6-3 decision, ruling that most of Donald Trump's tariffs were unconstitutional, asserting that Congress holds the sole authority over such economic measures. This decision is seen as a major defeat for Trump's economic policy, which was described as 'schizophrenic' and detrimental to the economy. The ruling is expected to positively impact companies and American farmers, who suffered bankruptcies and financial hardship due to the tariffs.

Roland Martin announces the 6-3 Supreme Court decision. John Boyd, President of the National Black Farmers Association, confirms that farmers were 'screwed' by Trump's tariffs, leading to bankruptcies and suicides, and expresses relief at the ruling.

House Speaker Mike Johnson declined a request from Democrats to allow Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. to lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda following his passing. This decision is attributed to a return to 'old rules' that reserve such honors for former presidents, but is widely interpreted by the panel as a partisan act and a 'slap in the face to Black America,' disrespecting Jackson's significant contributions to civil rights and national politics.

Roland Martin broke the news, citing a source on Capitol Hill. Panelist Wuni Sean states it's 'another exemplification of the fact that the Republican party is not the Republican party that we've known it to be historically' and 'a slap in the face to Jesse Jackson' and 'black America.'

Texas has the largest number of eligible Black voters in the country, approximately 4.5 million, yet turnout rates are significantly lower than their potential (48-52%). This underutilization of voting power allows Republicans to maintain control of statewide offices despite people of color comprising 60% of the state's population. Maximizing Black voter turnout to a 70% threshold is presented as crucial for enacting dramatic political change.

Roland Martin states, 'Texas has more eligible black voters than any state in the country. Around 4.5 million. The problem is when you look at turnout, we're not maximizing our numbers.' Deputy Executive Director of Texas Council of Alpha Chapters, Ena Bakeri, confirms, 'if we can get our voting up to 70%, you can see dramatic change in the state of Texas.'

Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. was a pivotal figure in economic justice, building upon Operation Breadbasket in Chicago to launch successful economic boycotts, such as the 1981 Coca-Cola boycott. This boycott led to significant gains for African Americans, including bottling distributorships and increased job opportunities. His work demonstrated the power of collective economic withdrawal and leveraging consumer strength to achieve tangible results, a strategy that remains relevant for Black empowerment.

Michael Moep recounts the 1981 Coca-Cola economic boycott, stating it was 'one of the most successful economic boycotts African-Americans have had since the Montgomery bus boycott,' leading to 'bottling distributorships for African-Americans, more jobs for them.' Reverend Jackson himself discusses his 'Wall Street Project' and leveraging consumer strength against companies.