Los Angeles Times

Commentary: The video of Tyre Nichols’ murder is unbearable. But it shows why we need stories of both Black pain — and joy

Jalyn Hall, left, as Emmet Till and Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till-Mobley in "Till."

The murder of Tyre Nichols and the individual and collective reckoning we have all encountered — whether or not to witness the brutal images of his final moments — sent me back to an issue that I’ve been wrestling with for two decades.

In the fall of 2001, I started writing the seeds of a book project with the intention of examining the multigenerational reverberations of my great-grandfather’s lynching. I started writing this story before the #BlackJoy movement,

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times7 min read
She Told TikTok She Was Lonely In LA. What Happened Next Changed Her Life
LOS ANGELES — In the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles, home to nearly 4 million people, making friends is no easy feat. Especially if you're an adult. Research shows that people over 21 are more likely to face extra hurdles in forming friendships.
Los Angeles Times6 min readPoverty & Homelessness
Should Property Owners Get A Tax Rebate Because Of The Homeless Crisis? Arizona Voters Will Decide
PHOENIX — From their modest apartment buildings alongside a block-long strip of gravel and scrub grass, the residents can see the tents and tarps and empty Mountain Dew bottles, hear the late-night fights and occasional gunshots, and smell the string
Los Angeles Times4 min read
LZ Granderson: Here's One Way To Bring College Costs Back In Line With Reality
It took me by surprise when my son initially floated the idea of not going to college. His mother and I attended undergrad together. He was an infant on campus when I was in grad school. She went on to earn a PhD. "What do you mean by 'not go to coll

Related Books & Audiobooks