Gulf States Newsroom
MLK Day is Monday. In Alabama and Mississippi, it’s also Robert E. Lee Day.
Here’s a quick history lesson on why the unlikely joint celebration of a civil rights icon and a Confederate general is still happening.
Deadline approaches for USDA loan discrimination funds for underserved farmers
Gulf South farmers are racing to meet the deadline for DFAP. Some say the aid is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done.
Nick Saban’s retirement is a blow to Alabama football’s fans — and a boon to its haters
Sports fans in Birmingham were more than happy to weigh in on the Alabama football icon’s storied career.
Mercedes-Benz autoworkers in Alabama want to join the UAW. Here’s what the past could teach them
Amid a new push in a region that’s historically unwelcoming to unionization, author Stephen Silvia details what the UAW could learn from its past efforts.
New Orleans residents are uneasy about the NOPD’s planned drone program, documents show
The Gulf States Newsroom obtained more than 350 pages of public comments concerning the NOPD’s planned drone program. Here’s what they said.
Inflation is slowing, unless you’re ‘makin’ groceries’ for New Orleans gumbo. Here’s why
With a variety of ingredients from across the region, making a pot of gumbo can illustrate a lot of the ways inflation impacts the average grocery shopper.
The 2023 moments that will stick with us: Reflections from the Gulf States Newsroom
Our regional reporters reflect on delightful, discarded moments they had in the field as they covered stories across Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.
This New Orleans restaurant made it through the pandemic. Can it survive water billing issues?
Plume Algiers is a mom-and-pop Indian restaurant that overcame every obstacle to open in New Orleans. Now, water billing issues could put them out of business.
Despite strong economic signs, food pantry lines are still growing in the Gulf South
The U.S. economy had a strong year, but more people found themselves in line at their local food pantry due to inflation and a weakened social safety net.
Place, Erased: A virtual listening session with the Gulf States Newsroom; watch replay
Watch a replay of the Gulf States Newsroom's listening session for its recent series about towns transformed by major environmental shifts.
Jackson State’s Sonic Boom of the South is ready to prove it’s ESPN’s ‘Band of the Year’
The Sonic Boom hopes the inaugural competition to crown the best bands in the nation will expose a wider audience to the rich culture of HBCU schools.
How making Jackson’s famed Farish Street more green could also help cool it off
On the heels of Mississippi’s record-breaking summer, the historic neighborhood hopes that adding more trees and green space can solve its heat island problem.
Alabama’s prison population sees troubling growth in latest DOJ report
For the first time in nearly a decade, U.S. prison populations are trending up. Alabama's numbers are a part of troubling gains across the Gulf South.
She owed $7K due to a water leak. Her utility saw the signs but didn’t tell her
Birmingham Water Works flagged Claire Ahalt’s account for unusually high water use, but she did not find out until asking a utility worker weeks later.
A pro jiu-jitsu league is bringing grapplers from across the globe to a small city in Alabama
For acclaimed grappler Brandon Mccaghren, Decatur, Alabama, was the perfect place to grow the Professional Grappling Federation from idea to reality.
LGBTQ doctors are leaving the Gulf South due to discrimination: ‘We weren’t welcome anymore’
The loss of specialized doctors due to the influx of anti-LGBTQ laws is the latest blow to a region already dealing with a shortage of health care providers.
Place, Erased: A look at Gulf South communities transformed by forces beyond their control
Reporters Danny McArthur and Drew Hawkins traveled across the Gulf South to tell the stories of three towns erased by major environmental shifts.
Place, Erased: Is this Mississippi community really a ghost town? It depends on who you ask
Some say this coastal Mississippi town doesn’t exist anymore, wiped off the map due to repeated storms. But to its residents, it’s still alive and well.
Place, Erased: The fight for the remains of a Louisiana town
Toxic pollution forced a small, Black community in Louisiana to relocate. Now, chemical companies say they own its final remnant — the town’s cemetery.
Remembering Margaret Walker 50 years later, as her groundbreaking poetry festival returns to Jackson
A conversation with author Maryemma Graham on her biography of Walker, famed novelist and professor who created the Phillis Wheatley Festival in 1973.
Place, Erased: How a drowned Alabama town still holds lessons 60 years later
Some southern towns have been erased by environmental disasters — whether natural or man-made. One Alabama town offers lessons on the hidden cost of progress.
At the Magic City Classic, what you wear is just as important as who you cheer for
For many, the annual game between HBCU rivals Alabama A&M and Alabama State is about more than football. It’s a chance to connect and celebrate Black culture.
The Gulf South looks to ‘charge up’ its economy with electric vehicles
While some believe electric vehicles could lead to a southern manufacturing renaissance, workers and experts caution that it must be done carefully.
At Huntingdon College, Alabama’s 1st NCAA women’s wrestling team is ready to roll
Players, coaches and school officials hope Huntingdon's women's wrestling program can serve as a blueprint to continue the sport's growth in the South.
The Gulf South’s record heat brought another pain for residents — higher power bills
This summer’s high temperatures also brought higher utility bills. The spike caused some, like Christopher Bogan, to make tough choices with their budget.
Book bans are on the rise in the Gulf South. Here’s what’s being challenged in Alabama
Efforts to ban books believed to be inappropriate for children and teens have seen a sharp uptick recently, but some libraries and bookstores are fighting back.
Alabama finally has a new congressional map after a lengthy legal fight
After a high-profile legal fight, a panel of three federal judges on Thursday picked a map that will be used when Alabamians cast their 2024 vote.
How Gulf South outdoor workers dealt with the hottest August on record
With no federal or state guidelines regarding extreme heat, outdoor workers and employers in the Gulf South are coming up with their own methods for protection.
6 months later, Mississippi communities hit by March tornado fear they’ve been abandoned
As national attention wanes and volunteers head to other disasters, residents of Rolling Fork and nearby Silver City have been left to recover on their own.
Q&A: Author of ‘Rocket Men’ details how Black quarterbacks helped move the NFL forward
John Eisenberg talks with the Gulf States Newsroom about the Black quarterbacks who helped change the NFL, as well as the players who never got the chance.
Q&A: Why New Orleans’ unhoused people face increased danger from relentless heat
Delaney Nolan discusses her report for The Guardian that revealed a spike in heat-related illness calls among New Orleans’ unhoused people this summer.
Birmingham residents reflect on 60th anniversary of church bombing
We spoke with several residents on Friday, asking for their reflections on the 60th anniversary of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing.
