A groundbreaking election result and a military cemetery incident have thrust two contrasting stories into the spotlight, each raising important questions about leadership and accountability.
From a landmark Senate win in Mississippi to honoring a 112-year-old witness to one of the darkest chapters in Black American history, Thursday, November 12, 2026, brought a powerful mix of news that speaks directly to our communities. Sybil Wilkes breaks down the stories that matter most — covering historic political progress, a Veterans Day moment that demanded respect, rising costs at the holiday dinner table, and a tribute to the Black men and women who fought for a country that wasn’t always fighting for them. These are the headlines you need to know.
Democrat Scott Colom defeated Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith on Wednesday night. He becomes Mississippi’s first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction, an era that sent Hiram Revels and Blanche K. Bruce to Washington. He is also the first Democrat the state has elected to the Senate since 1982. The result matters in a state with one of the largest Black populations in the nation. For many voters, it shows how turnout and community organizing can change who represents them.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and several senior advisers were reprimanded by an Army Sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Following the Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, some members of the group laughed and talked near the Tomb. The Sentinel stopped his patrol and demanded silence and respect. The Tomb is guarded around the clock and honors fallen service members whose remains were never identified. The Sentinel’s action reinforced a standard of reverence that applies to every visitor, regardless of rank.
Families planning holiday meals should expect to pay more for turkey this year. Wholesale prices are up 12%, and feed costs have climbed 10% to 12%. Family farms say they are struggling to absorb those increases. One New Jersey farm raised its price by 30 cents a pound. The owner called it an especially difficult decision because of the farm’s longtime relationships with its customers. Shoppers may want to compare prices early and plan their budgets before the holiday rush.
Mrs. Lessie Benningfield Randle, the last known living witness to the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, celebrated her 112th birthday last week. Family, friends, and community leaders gathered in Tulsa to honor the woman many affectionately call “Mother Randle.” She was just six years old when a white mob destroyed the prosperous Greenwood District, the thriving Black business community known as “Black Wall Street.” More than a century later, she remains a living link to that history and a reminder of why it must never be forgotten.
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