MATT BROWN

Race and politics reporter

Brown is a reporter covering national politics, race and democracy issues.

Black voters feel excitement, hope and a lot of worry as Harris takes center stage in campaign

Black voters are expressing a mix of hope and worry over Joe Biden’s exit from the presidential race and the prospect of Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the Democratic nominee.

Black lawmakers are standing by Biden at a crucial moment. But some express concern

The Congressional Black Caucus has become a bedrock of support for President Joe Biden as he faces calls from congressional Democrats to stand down as the party’s presidential nominee in November.

Harris focuses on her personal story, not Biden questions, as she speaks to Black and Asian voters

Vice President Kamala Harris held events on successive days this week highlighting her racial identity and personal background.

Trump’s debate references to ‘Black jobs’ and ‘Hispanic jobs’ stir Democratic anger

Donald Trump’s warning during his debate with Joe Biden that immigrants are taking “Black jobs” and “Hispanic jobs” prompted outrage from Democrats and Black leaders who found the language vague and racially discriminatory.

A majority of Black Americans believe US institutions are conspiring against them, a Pew poll finds

Most Black Americans say that they’ve experienced racial discrimination regularly or from time to time and that such experiences inform how they view major U.S. institutions like policing, the political system and the media.

Black leaders call out Trump’s criminal justice contradictions as he rails against guilty verdict

Donald Trump lambasted the guilty verdict of his hush money trial this week from the same Manhattan courthouse that was the site of one of the most notorious examples of injustice in recent New York history that he had a part in.

Biden tells Morehouse graduates that scenes in Gaza from the Israel-Hamas war break his heart, too

President Joe Biden has offered his most direct recognition of the anguish American college students are feeling over the Israel-Hamas war.

Biden’s upcoming graduation speech roils Morehouse College, a center of Black politics and culture

President Joe Biden will have his most direct engagement with college students since the start of the Israel-Hamas war when he speaks at Morehouse College’s commencement.

Harris congratulates HBCU graduates in video message for graduation season

Vice President Kamala Harris has recorded a video commencement message that is being played for graduates at historically Black colleges and universities across the country this spring.

Trump promised big plans to flip Black and Latino voters. Many Republicans are waiting to see them

Donald Trump has promised big plans for recruiting voters in Black, Latino and Asian communities. But five months before the first general election votes are cast, the former president’s campaign has little apparent organization to show for those ambitions.

Chicago’s response to migrant influx stirs longstanding frustrations among Black residents

Chicago is one of several big American cities grappling with a surge of migrants. With help from state and federal funds, the city has spent more than $300 million to provide housing, health care and more to over 38,000 mostly South American migrants.

How a Black conservative activist arranged Donald Trump’s stop at an Atlanta Chick-fil-A

Donald Trump’s visit to a Chick-fil-A restaurant location in Atlanta near the campuses of prominent historically black colleges and universities electrified conservative media at a moment when Republicans hope to make inroads with Democrats’ most committed voting bloc.

Fake images made to show Trump with Black supporters highlight concerns around AI and elections

Black Americans’ significant economic and civil rights progress threatened, report says

Black Americans have endured considerable injustices and barriers to prosperity and equality throughout U.S. history.

At conservative gala, Trump remarks show challenges in GOP Black voter outreach

A gala thrown by the Black Conservative Federation over the weekend drew condemnation from Democrats after its guest of honor, Donald Trump, addressed the largely Black audience with remarks that played to racial stereotypes about the criminalization of African Americans.

Trump says his criminal indictments boosted his appeal to Black voters

Former President Donald Trump claims his multiple criminal indictments have boosted his support among Black Americans because they see him as a victim of discrimination.

Fani Willis’ testimony evokes long-standing frustrations for Black women leaders

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ testimony about her relationship with a special prosecutor in Georgia’s election interference case against former President Donald Trump was a familiar scene for many Black women.

Democrats and Republicans hold Black History Month celebrations with an eye on November’s election

Black History Month was celebrated in the nation’s capital with dueling events on Tuesday highlighting the divide between Democrats’ and Republicans’ approaches to courting Black voters in the 2024 presidential election.

Conspiracy theories swirl around Taylor Swift. These Republican voters say they don’t care

Some conservatives on cable news or on social media have speculated that Taylor Swift is part of an elaborate plot to help Democrats win the November election.

Nikki Haley has called out prejudice but rejected talk of systemic racism throughout her career

Nikki Haley’s messages on race are sometimes contradictory. Throughout her career, the Republican presidential candidate has generally called out acts of individual prejudice and the people responsible.

Republicans see an opportunity with Black voters, prompting mobilization in Biden campaign

Black voters support the reelection of President Joe Biden at a surprisingly low level, according to recent AP polling.

White House’s first chief diversity and inclusion officer is leaving Biden’s administration

The White House says its chief diversity and inclusion officer is leaving the Biden administration after three years in the position.

The Civil War keeps coming up for Republican candidates. It reflects tensions inside the GOP

With the first primaries of the 2024 election just around the corner, Republican candidates are stuck on the past as the divided party confronts race issues of the present and a desire among its base for a sanitized version of America’s history of slavery.

US adults across racial groups agree the economy is a top priority, AP-NORC and AAPI Data polls show

Black, white, Hispanic and Asian adults in the U.S. largely agree that the government should focus on the economy and foreign policy issues in 2024.

US Asians and Pacific Islanders view democracy with concern, AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll shows

About 7 in 10 Asian American and Pacific Islanders in the United States believe the country is headed in the wrong direction and only about 1 in 10 believe democracy is working extremely or very well.

Pressley, Welch introduce legislation to guarantee right to vote for people with felonies on record

Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont have introduced legislation that would guarantee the right to vote in federal elections for all citizens convicted of a felony.

5 takeaways from AP’s Black attorneys general interviews about race, justice and politics

In wide-ranging interviews with The Associated Press, six sitting Black attorneys general discussed the challenges and opportunities of serving as the top law enforcement officer in their respective states.

America’s Black attorneys general discuss race, politics and the justice system

The American legal system has never faced greater challenges or demands for reform from people of all races and across the political spectrum.

FCC adopts rules to eliminate ‘digital discrimination’ for communities with poor internet access

The Federal Communications Commission is implementing new rules banning internet providers from discrimination in how they provide service to communities based on income level, race and other protected classes.