Gulf States Newsroom

Denial, detention and deportation threats: The uphill battle for Cameroonian asylum seekers in Louisiana and Mississippi

A Gulf States Newsroom investigation digs into the Deep South’s thorny regional immigration system and the obstacles and steep odds at every turn.

Traveling exhibit goes ‘deeper’ into Emmett Till’s story, civil rights history of host cities

The interactive exhibit “Emmett and Mamie Till Mobley: Let the World See” is in the middle of the first of two stops in the Gulf South region.

After years in a museum exhibit, Alabama is giving Native Americans their cultural items back

Alabama’s state archive has over 100 sets of ancestral remains and thousands of objects from Native American graves. Now, the institution is giving them back.

The Gulf South is dealing with a ‘tripledemic’ of Covid, flu and RSV as the holidays near

Health officials say now is not the time to let your guard down on protecting yourself, and others, as the three contagious viruses spread across the region.

Conflict between Mississippi’s largest hospital, insurer a breaking point for some residents

The ongoing contract dispute between UMMC and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi has no end in sight, forcing some to consider leaving the state for good.

In New Orleans, a symbolic bike ride helps fight recidivism. Here’s how it impacted the riders.

The annual NOLA to Angola bike ride returned this month to help the nonprofit The First 72+ fight recidivism. Participants share what the ride means to them.

Staying Pink: Jackson Women’s Health Organization is closed, but 1 group continues the fight

A small team of activists is still gathering outside of the Pink House — though the clinic has closed — to continue the fight for abortion access.

3 key reasons why ESPN chose Jackson State’s rivalry with Southern for College GameDay

An ESPN producer called JSU’s rise one of college football's biggest stories. Here are three key elements that make Saturday’s rivalry game worth highlighting.

Fed up with Jackson’s water system, this Mississippi suburb wants to create its own

Experts say merging water systems can help with the high cost of maintenance. But Byam, Mississippi — fed up with Jackson’s water crisis — wants to go it alone.

Why now is the right time for Alabama to honor Hugo Black’s complicated legacy

Alabama native and Supreme Court justice Hugo Black became a civil rights champion after a brief time in the KKK. A new monument honors his complicated legacy.

Birmingham’s status as a minor league sports hub gets a major boost from the New Orleans Pelicans

Friday night isn’t just any old preseason game for the New Orleans Pelicans. It’s also a pivotal moment for Birmingham in its quest to be a sports town.

Despite pushback, the organizers of Cullman’s first pride event are pushing forward

The announcement of Saturday’s event drew threats and calls for counter-protests. In response, LGBTQ+ communities across the state have offered their support.

6 ways the conversation around a guaranteed income in the US has changed

A guaranteed income conference held in Atlanta shows how the movement has progressed since 2017, with more than 50 pilots currently handing out cash.

Mississippi’s latest move in its anti-abortion agenda? A tax break for corporate donations

Tax documents show energy company foundations financed the anti-abortion movement in the Gulf South for years. Now, they could get a tax break for that support.

Gulf States rank at the bottom for climate-adapted housing. Organizers want to change that.

As natural disasters and extreme weather become more frequent in the Gulf South, a new report hopes to be a road map to providing more climate-adapted housing.

How Dr. Emily Fortney is using her clinical psychology work to help pregnant people

Suicide is a leading cause of death in women, and mood and anxiety disorders make perinatal risks more complicated. Dr. Fortney’s work is focused on this issue.

Jackson’s water crisis put new attention on its longstanding lead contamination issue

Jackson’s water issues echo infrastructure struggles across the Gulf South, resulting in nearly 1,800 lawsuits over the past year and attention from the EPA.

Jackson residents claim city’s water woes stem from decades of neglect in new lawsuit

The lawsuit claims that Jackson’s water quality was poor long before the recent pump failure at O.B. Curtis — caused by decades of neglect and mismanagement.

Ahead of its Alabama debut, John Archibald gives an inside look at ‘Pink Clouds’

AL.com columnist John Archibald brings his columns to the stage with the debut of his first play, "Pink Clouds." It premieres Saturday at Red Mountain Theatre.

Southern Decadence returns to New Orleans, marked by parades and monkeypox awareness

Health officials gave out monkeypox vaccines and encouraged everyone — not just the LGBTQ community — to take the virus more seriously at the annual festival.

In Jackson, Miss., volunteers work hard to bring water to residents who need help

Local nonprofits have been delivering water directly to some residents, but the groups are still working on scaling up to dealing with a problem that stretches across the city.

In Jackson, Miss., football goes on despite the water crisis

Football is a way of life in Jackson, Mississippi. So are boil water notices. The latest water crisis has not stopped fans from filling the stands to support a local college team.

Deion Sanders has ushered in a new era of HBCU football. Will the SWAC capitalize on it?

As a new college football season kicks off, a brighter spotlight will be put on HBCUs in the Gulf South, thanks to the influence of “Coach Prime.”

The story of ‘the Colony’: How a small, Black community thrived, survived in Cullman County

The Colony, Cullman County’s only Black community, has a rich history of resilience and self-made success. Its current residents are working to continue it.

Confrontations between Alabama miners, strikebreakers a part of a rough labor history

Federal labor officials fined the United Mine Workers of America union $13.3 million for, among other things, property damage at the picket lines.

A Louisiana woman sought a legal abortion and was denied. Now, she wants lawmakers to step in

The woman, who was denied an abortion after her baby was diagnosed with a lethal anomaly, is asking her state lawmakers to make the change in a special session.

A new mural, shop at Birmingham’s airport pays tribute to U.S. Civil Rights Trail

City and state leaders hope the mural gives visitors to Birmingham’s airport a memorable introduction to the city’s history within the civil rights movement.

Dollar store workers are organizing for a better workplace. Just don’t call it a union.

Fired up by a labor movement that’s seen big union victories recently, dollar store workers are organizing in their own way to improve work conditions.

Expert says inadequate staffing is driving deaths in prisons across the Gulf South

An expert explains how issues from staffing to healthcare to climate change have contributed to a recent rise in deaths in prisons across the Gulf South.

These 3 Black moms receive a ‘guaranteed income.’ Here’s what they’re doing with it.

As payments roll in, guaranteed income recipients in Southern states reflect on what it means for their lives.

How 3 Gulf South country stores are adapting to high inflation: ‘It’s hurt everybody’

General store owners in the Gulf South are — once again — looking for new ways to get by as high inflation becomes the latest threat to their businesses.

After launching in Atlanta, rural Georgia is the next stop for this guaranteed income pilot

In Her Hands, a guaranteed income initiative for women, is launching soon in Cuthbert, Georgia and its surrounding counties. Here’s how it’s coming together.