Racial Justice | Penn Today

America as it actually was

“Teaching Independence: Bridging the Communications Gap,” took an in-depth look at the challenges of teaching the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution, and the nation’s founding in the current political climate.

Black patient receiving an injection in the arm by a medical professional.

Higher rates of chemical sedation among Black psychiatric patients points to inequities

Penn Medicine researchers also find that white patients are more likely to be chemically sedated in emergency departments at hospitals that treat high proportion Black patients, suggesting that hospital demographics can impact practice patterns.

An audience member writes on their program.

An interfaith commemoration of MLK

The annual event on March 23 was part of the Penn MLK Commemorative Symposium on Social Change.

Side-by-side portraits of two smiling women

35th annual Women of Color at Penn award

The Women of Color at Penn held their 35th annual award ceremony with a virtual celebration hosted by the African American Resource Center. This year’s awards honored six women who have fostered and supported community.

Philly hospitals and key insurers plan novel effort with the city to improve health equity

Raina Merchant of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about Accelerate Health Equity, a public health coalition aiming to improve racial equity in health care in Philadelphia.

Group of protesters in masks in the streets, one carries a large sign that reads BLACK LIVES MATTER.

The Black Lives Matter movement, but not COVID encouraged voters toward Biden

As swing voters registered more awareness about discrimination against Black Americans, they became more likely to vote for the party they felt would best rectify that—Democrats.

Black histories and Black futures

Professors and students reflect on 50 years of Black studies at Penn.

Group of people wearing masks at a vigil in Philadelphia.

Viewing 2021 through a lens

Photojournalist Kylie Cooper’s annotated photo essay about the liminality of 2021 captured the Capitol insurrection, the Ground Zero commemoration of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, and more.

A Zoom screen shows four women looking at the camera

Interfaith activism at the second annual University Forum on Social Equity and Community

In the second annual University Forum on Social Equity and Community, the School of Arts & Sciences’ Barbara D. Savage moderated a conversation on interfaith activism.

TV camera in front of a crowd of people.

Racial justice protests influenced local news reporting

A new Media, Inequality, and Change Center report finds that news coverage of policing did become more inclusive and less dehumanizing, but was still heavily slanted toward a police perspective.

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