Debbie Elliott

Arkansas officials said it had the potential to become a "catastrophic event," adding, "The bridge was closed to vehicular traffic and the river was closed to barge traffic as a safety precaution."

April 27, 2011 was one of the worst tornado outbreaks in U.S. history. More than 300 people died across the Deep South. Some have rebuilt but the recovery shows racial and economic disparities.

Former prosecutors and judges say Toforest Johnson's murder conviction was based on shaky evidence. The case is getting a new look as district attorneys review the integrity of past prosecutions.

Black entrepreneurs have long faced challenges be it getting financial capital, or discrimination in contracting. Now, the pandemic has hit them the hardest and many are trying to find ways to thrive.

A lingering mistrust of the medical system among many Black people is rooted in the infamous 20th century U.S. study of syphilis that left Black men in Tuskegee, Ala., to suffer from the disease.

An uneven vaccine rollout across Southern states is causing frustration. Health departments are overwhelmed with people seeking shots as phone lines and websites are unable to keep up with the demand.

State officials say they were blindsided this week by the legal action alleging brutal and unconstitutional conditions in the state's prisons.

More than half of workers surveyed said they were reluctant to enforce COVID-19 safety measures with customers from whom they would receive tips, according to the One Fair Wage study.

A trip through the Mobile-Tensaw Delta offers a little bit of everything, from iris fields and gators, to Civil War history and the wreck of the last known ship to bring enslaved Africans to America.

Ahead of the Jan. 5 election, voters across the state are being bombarded by messages from activists and politicians alike to cast their vote to help determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.

Georgia's runoff elections will determine which political party controls the U.S. Senate. New voters can participate if they register by Dec. 7, so activists are now trying to turn out the vote.

Georgia has two interesting and important Senate races under way.

President Trump and challenger Joe Biden visited Florida many times throughout the campaign, vying for one of the biggest prizes of the race. But it was Trump's base that turned out in bigger numbers.

The wealthy businesswoman replaced Georgia Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson who resigned last year. Now she's running in a crowded special election to serve out the remaining two years of his term.

The centerpiece of Copeland's latest album is a song born from the wreckage of the Clotilda — the last known slave ship to smuggle African captives to the United States.

President Trump is headed to Florida where he remains popular — one poll shows him up more than 28 percentage points in the state's northwest region. But Democrats are hoping to sway some voters.

Florida is expected to be a key state in the presidential election. African American women in the state's panhandle aim to make sure all voices are heard in the traditionally conservative territory.

One Pensacola, Fla., family backed Trump in 2016, acknowledging it was a gamble. NPR checks in to see what they think of his presidency and how they might vote in 2020.

Floridians affected by Hurricane Sally are frustrated that they're getting no federal help. Meanwhile, Alabama received more than $11 million in individual aid to storm victims.

Hurricane Sally left plenty of damage when it hit Alabama on Wednesday. Now, as floodwaters begin to recede, people are trying to pick through the debris and clean up what the storm left behind.