Your donation to MLK50 will help our team of journalists  continue their work. From left: Carrington J. Tatum, Jacob Steimer and Hannah Grabenstein on assignment.


“The people must know before they can act, and there is no educator to compare with the press.”  

Those words from journalist and anti-lynching crusader Ida B. Wells-Barnett inform and inspire how the MLK50 team does journalism. That commitment to serve as a community educator shows up in our coverage of COVID vaccine equity issues, a community’s fight against a pipeline and the power of workers.

Because of your support, our reporters have been able to develop their beats: environmental justice, housing and development, labor and work, and health equity. In a state where elected officials continue to prioritize the interests of big business, it’s important that we center the residents who are trying to make ends meet while also confronting the impact of the pandemic on vulnerable communities.

In the coming months, you can expect our journalists to delve deeper into the above topics, and look for thoughtful criminal justice coverage, especially of the upcoming election of Shelby County’s next district attorney. 

Once again, MLK50 is participating in NewsMatch, a national matching-gift campaign that drives donations to nonprofit newsrooms such as ours.


Our goal is to raise $50,000, which we’ll use to continue to make good trouble as we approach our fifth year. Donations you make between now and Dec. 31 will be doubled. Find out more about this campaign and make a contribution today by clicking here.

Any amount you give helps us build a movement to make Memphis more transparent and equitable for everyone.

In solidarity, 

Wendi C. Thomas, editor and publisher
Andrea Faye Hart, development and operations strategist