Think Out Loud

After the ratification of the 14th Amendment in 1868, many Black men enlisted in the military as a way to earn both income and respect in U.S. society. Despite facing many barriers within the military, Black soldiers fought in many wars and conflicts, both at home and abroad. A new documentary from Vancouver-based filmmaker Dru Holley explores the complicated legacy of Black soldiers, particularly...

The longest legislative walkout by Oregon Senate Republicans in state history had meant the death of any number of bills. Now that legislative leaders have reached a framework for a possible deal to bring lawmakers back to the capitol, some may have new life. But the fate of one caregiving proposal was unclear even before the partisan boycott: a bill to allow parent caregivers of severely disabled...

Although voters overwhelmingly passed a constitutional measure last year to prevent boycotts from grinding legislative work to a halt, that didn’t stop Republicans from staging a walkout in early May, which stretched into the longest one in state history. Without enough Republicans to form a quorum, Democrats haven’t been able to pass any bills since May 3. GOP leaders had said they would return a...