—Rosa Inocencio Smith

Snapshot

Who We’re Talking To

Malcolm Jenkins, a captain of the Philadelphia Eagles, describes how he’s organized fellow football players to promote social-justice causes.

Issa Rae, the creator of the comedy TV series Insecure, shares what it’s like to be part of a renaissance in black TV and film.

Julie Lythcott-Haims, the author of the book How to Raise an Adult, discusses the dangers of “helicopter parenting” in an animated video.

Evening Read

Vann R. Newkirk II on Outkast’s 1998 song “Rosa Parks”:

As classic a song as it is, “Rosa Parks” is also known for sparking a 1999 lawsuit from the eponymous civil-rights legend, whose lawyers claimed that the song demeaned Parks, bore little connection to her actual legacy, and was full of needless vulgarity. The case sprawled across federal courts and spawned multiple controversies until it fizzled out, eventually ending in a quiet settlement. More than that, it outlined the key tension that has played out in black culture over the past five decades. Here were two revolutions: one the titanic timeline of the civil-rights movement, the other the rowdy, raunchy, rap rebellion of hip-hop. The case symbolized how many people in both the media and black intellectual traditions pitted the two movements against each other for dominion over black culture. How could they be reconciled?

Keep reading as Vann finds an answer in hip-hop’s origins, which were shaped by the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

What Do You Know … About Global Affairs?

Western governments are blaming Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for a suspected chemical-weapons attack that took place in the rebel-held city of Douma on Saturday. Russia, a key ally of the Syrian regime, is also accused of playing a role in the ongoing violence: Krishnadev Calamur describes how, since the start of the Syrian civil war, Moscow has been enabling Assad on the ground, through diplomacy, and in the media. Russia has actively attempted to prevent any meaningful investigation into the attack in Douma by spreading disinformation, a sign that the Kremlin is willing to manipulate reality to promote its political agenda.

Can you remember the other key facts from this week’s global coverage? Test your knowledge below:

1. The ____________ Agreement, which formally ended the long conflict known as the Troubles in Northern Ireland, turned 20 years old on Tuesday.

Scroll down for the answer, or find it here.

2. A small Syrian religious community, the ____________, plays a key role in maintaining President Bashar al-Assad’s power.

Scroll down for the answer, or find it here.

3. There are ____________ million registered Buddhists in India.