Karen Grigsby Bates
Karen Grigsby Bates is the Senior Correspondent for Code Switch, a podcast that reports on race and ethnicity. A veteran NPR reporter, Bates covered race for the network for several years before becoming a founding member of the Code Switch team. She is especially interested in stories about the hidden history of race in America—and in the intersection of race and culture. She oversees much of Code Switch's coverage of books by and about people of color, as well as issues of race in the publishing industry. Bates is the co-author of a best-selling etiquette book (Basic Black: Home Training for Modern Times) and two mystery novels; she is also a contributor to several anthologies of essays. She lives in Los Angeles and reports from NPR West.
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Black Gun Owners Have Conflicting Feelings After Dallas Shooting Of 5 Police OfficersAfrican Americans have always kept guns for self defense. The recent shootings in Dallas, and the killings of young black men by police, are once again raising questions about who should own guns.
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Brown was one of the last surviving "Red Tail" pilots of the famed Tuskegee Airmen. These African-American pilots served in World War II, laying the foundation for integrating the U.S. armed forces. -
Roscoe Brown, one of the legendary black aviators known as the Tuskegee Airmen, died this weekend at the age of 94. NPR's Code Switch offers a tribute to Brown and explores the Airmen's place in history.
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Juneteenth, the day when many African-Americans mark the end of slavery, is also associated with traditional foods from the black community. One woman wants to revive a traditional treat: tea cakes. -
Ebony and Jet were once recognized worldwide as chroniclers of the black American experience — especially black achievement. Johnson Publishing is selling the magazines to black venture capitalists.
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Muhammad Ali Kissed Me OnceIt wasn't what you think, but it was certainly a story. I was lucky enough to meet him a few times over several decades, but the first time was the most memorable. -
He was a great athlete and humanitarian. He was also a symbol of defiance for black men around the world. -
In fashion, most first ladies have worshiped at the altar of "The Suit." Michelle Obama transformed American fashion by favoring dresses, moderately-priced brands, and simple basics like the cardigan. -
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio's been getting dragged for joking about "CPT." Once more, with gusto: When it comes to terms like this, context matters. Who's saying it, where and to whom? -
Don Cheadle personifies jazz genius Miles Davis in his new film Miles Ahead. Badass black men rarely show up as leads in mainstream movies.
