Category Archives: Uncategorized

On this day in history, June 4, 2011 — United States Census Bureau: Over 1 in 4 Black and Latino Americans Living in Poverty

Posted on June 4, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

The United States Census Bureau calculates national poverty levels by using a threshold income value set according to family size and composition. In 2010, a family of five earning a combined annual income below $26,675 qualified as “impoverished.” On June … Continue reading →

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On this day in history, June 1, 1921 — White Rioters in Tulsa Leave Hundreds Dead, Black Community Destroyed

Posted on June 1, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

In 1921, the black community of Tulsa, Oklahoma, enjoyed significant economic prosperity and political independence. Located in the city’s Greenwood District and known as “Negro Wall Street,” it was considered one of the wealthiest black communities in the nation. On … Continue reading →

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On this day in history, May 30, 1822 — Denmark Vesey’s Rebellion Against Slavery Uncovered

Posted on May 30, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

Denmark Vesey spent his childhood traveling throughout the Caribbean as an enslaved black servant of a white sea captain, then worked for the captain as a house servant in Charleston, South Carolina. Mr. Vesey eventually started a family, fathered three … Continue reading →

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On this day in history, May 30, 1943 White Sailors and Soldiers Attack Latino Youth in Los Angeles Zoot Suit Riots

Posted on May 30, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

World War II fueled a population influx into Los Angeles, California, in 1943 that coincided with an increase in petty crime. White residents blamed Latino youth, who often wore distinctive, colorful garments known as “zoot suits.” Many members of the … Continue reading →

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On this day in history, May 27, 1892 — White Mob Destroys Ida B. Wells’s Newspaper Office in Memphis, Tennessee

Posted on May 27, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

After three of her friends were lynched in March 1892, Ida B. Wells became an outspoken activist against white vigilantes’ frequent murders of black people and terrorism of black communities. A 29-year-old black schoolteacher in Memphis, Tennessee, Ms. Wells was … Continue reading →

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On this day in history, May 25, 1994 –Denny’s Restaurant Pays Historic Settlement in Racial Discrimination Suit

Posted on May 25, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

During the early 1990’s, Denny’s Restaurants (particularly franchises located in Southern California) were accused of widespread discrimination against black customers. Complaints alleged racially segregated customer seating and forcing black customers to pay for their meals before eating. With the assistance … Continue reading →

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On this day in history, May 24, 2013 –Federal Court Rules Racial Profiling in Arizona Violated Latinos’ Constitutional Rights

Posted on May 24, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

On May 24, 2013, Judge G. Murray Snow of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona ruled that the Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), led by Sheriff Joe Arpaio, violated the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to … Continue reading →

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On this day in history, May 21, 1961 –National Guard Disperses White Crowd Threatening Freedom Riders in Montgomery, Alabama

Posted on May 21, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

The Freedom Riders were an interracial group of civil rights activists who began riding interstate buses in 1961 to test Supreme Court decisions that prohibited discrimination in interstate passenger travel. Their efforts were unpopular with whites who supported continued segregation. … Continue reading →

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On this day in history, May 21, 1961 — National Guard Disperses White Crowd Threatening Freedom Riders in Montgomery, Alabama

Posted on May 21, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

The Freedom Riders were an interracial group of civil rights activists who began riding interstate buses in 1961 to test Supreme Court decisions that prohibited discrimination in interstate passenger travel. Their efforts were unpopular with whites who supported continued segregation. … Continue reading →

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On this day in history, May 18, 1980 — Protests Continue After Four Police Officers Are Acquitted of Beating Arthur McDuffie

Posted on May 18, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

On December 17, 1979, Arthur McDuffie, a 33-year-old African American insurance sales representative, was riding a motorcycle when he was signaled to pull over by Metro-Dade Police Department (MDPD) officers in Miami, Florida. Mr. McDuffie did not comply, beginning an … Continue reading →

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