Author Archives: Joseph Williams

A veteran journalist, political analyst, and essayist, Joseph Williams has been published in a wide range of publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Politico, The Boston Globe, The Atlantic, and US News & World Report. A California native, Williams is a graduate of the University Of Richmond and a former Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. He lives and works in metro Washington, D.C.

joseph.williams@wordinblack.com

For the second time, a major pharmaceutical company has settled with the estate of Henrietta Lacks, a Black woman whose cells were harvested without her permission as she underwent treatment for cervical cancer in the 1950s. The undisclosed settlement is a measure of justice for the family of Lacks, a poor woman whose cells could reproduce on their own outside of her body. The tissue helped revolutionize medicine and were the foundation for billions the medical industry reaped in profits over the decades.

Another Win for Lacks Heirs in Fight Over Her Cells

by Joseph Williams March 12, 2026March 12, 2026

Since she was a child, Diamond Quigley has been fascinated with funeral homes. Now, as a licensed mortician and part-time funeral director, she assisted with homegoing services for gospel titan Richard Smallwood. Quigley also has written a workbook that helps people outline what they'd like in a homegoing ceremony, easing the strain on grieving families.

Diamond Quigley Helps Families Plan Funerals —Ahead of Time

by Joseph Williams March 11, 2026March 11, 2026

When it comes to extreme weather events, heat, hurricanes, and flooding have dominated the climate justice discussion. But snow, freezing rain, and Arctic cold carry potentially deadly hazards, particularly in vulnerable communities and in the South. The dangers range from hypothermia in poorly insulated homes to falls on slippery sidewalks and roads.

Climate Justice

When Cold Weather Becomes a Climate Justice Crisis

by Joseph Williams January 29, 2026January 30, 2026

Changing the Story Data Tells About Black Health

by Joseph Williams January 22, 2026January 23, 2026

Since President Donald Trump was sworn in a year ago, overall Black unemployment has reached recession levels, Black youth unemployment is more than three times the national average, and a disproportionate number of Black workers in federal jobs were shown the door. Those are the conclusions of a new Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies report, “State of the Dream 2026: From Regression to Signs of a Black Recession.”

A Year in, Trump’s Agenda Has Deepened Black Economic Pain

by Joseph Williams January 21, 2026January 21, 2026

Despite Sean Combs' decades-long status as a public figure and the subject of salacious rumors, the 50 Cent-produced documentary, "Sean Combs: The Reckoning," has captivated Black America, spurring conversations about what we thought we knew about the rapper known as "Diddy." But some Black culture critics say the documentary missed an opportunity to explore misogyny, sexism, and sexual abuse in hip-hop culture.

News

Is Black America Reckoning With End of Hip-Hop’s ‘Diddy Era’?

by Joseph Williams December 11, 2025December 12, 2025

Having survived HIV/AIDS for more than 30 years, Earvin "Majic"Johnson worries that younger generations no longer believe the virus is serious enough to protedt themselves and others — even though HIV-AIDS disproportionately affects the Black community.

Magic Sounds the Alarm: The HIV Crisis Isn’t Over for Black Folks

by Joseph Williams September 5, 2025September 8, 2025