The federal government has asked a judge to halt the United States' first reparations program in Evanston, Illinois. The program, launched in 2021, offers Black residents $25,000 for past discrimination and the lingering effects of slavery. The U.S. Department of Justice called the program “racially discriminatory,” saying it violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The program allots more than $20 million over 10 years to eligible residents for home repairs and property expenses. Reparations have been a contentious issue, with differing views on how to address historical injustices.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is helping one of Elon Musk's companies fight a civil rights lawsuit that alleges it is illegally r…

Police in Chicago say a person is in custody in an investigation of a large cross set on fire in a well-known park. The burning cross was discovered June 9 in Grant Park. That's the same park where Barack Obama delivered his acceptance speech when he was elected the nation’s first Black president in 2008. A 21-year-old college student told WMAQ-TV that he was protesting President Donald Trump and not making a racist statement. It's not clear if that same man is the person under arrest. Cross burnings in the U.S. have historically been seen as symbols of hate against Black people.

Vice President JD Vance is promoting his new book, but that wasn’t the main focus when he went on ABC’s “The View” to plug his memoir on faith. Instead, Vance faced tough questions on Jeffrey Epstein, the economy and immigration. His appearance on the show Tuesday marked a rare foray for a Trump administration official into what they consider hostile media, with the long-running morning show generally dominated by its liberal hosts. Vance joked about the challenging environment at the start of the hour, saying, “This is a show of MAGA Republicans, right?” He defended President Donald Trump’s comments on affordability and inflation by rephrasing his remarks on them, leading Joy Behar to ask him, “Are you his interpreter, or are you his vice president?”

Chicago police are urging residents to come forward with any information about a cross burning in a public park. The burning of a cross is a historic symbol of hate and intimidation against Black Americans. However, the intent behind the fire Tuesday afternoon in Grant Park was still unclear. Police released a community alert Wednesday that included an image of a person walking away from the area Tuesday. Video taken by a driver that circulated widely online showed the wooden cross engulfed in bright orange flames as it leaned against a tree in the park. Chicago firefighters put out the blaze.

Progressive city council member Nithya Raman has advanced to a November runoff against Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, setting up an unexpected matchup between two Democrats and former political allies to run the struggling city of nearly 4 million. The outcome means Spencer Pratt, a Republican and former reality television personality from “The Hills,” is out of the running. Raman made a last-minute entry into the race, after she had endorsed Bass for reelection. The race also has historical markers. Bass is the first Black woman to hold the post, and Raman could be the first South Asian woman in the job.

New York (AP) — It's been nearly 30 years since Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens wrote the music and lyrics for the musical “Ragtime,” an Amer…

A Colorado court reversed homicide convictions against two paramedics on Thursday in the ketamine overdose death of Elijah McClain after the Black man was pinned down by police. The court ordered new trials for Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec. McClain had been forcibly restrained by police, who responded to a suspicious person complaint and stopped the massage therapist as he walked home from a convenience store in 2019. Cooper and Cichuniec were found guilty of criminally negligent homicide. Cichuniec also was convicted of felony assault, and the appeals court affirmed that conviction.

Former President Barack Obama’s influence in his presidential museum runs deep, from the Chicago location to the textured stone adorning its dramatic tower, art installations and a striped reading chairs that resemble ones in his own home. The Obama Presidential Center opens to the general public on Juneteenth after a celebratory dedication in Chicago with dignitaries. But tens of thousands of people, including students and journalists, have already been offered a sneak peek as crews finish final art installations and landscaping. The roughly $850 million project covers the political and personal realms of the nation’s first Black president.