Tell-It Report: Georgia Supreme Court sides with Gullah Geechee residents fighting to keep their land
Sapelo Island is one of the last Gullah Geechee communities in the South.
In Gullah Geechee communities, a “tell-it” was a designated lookout, community warning system and the most trusted source for news and information. The Tell-It Report is ContrabandCamp’s weekly roundup of the Black stories that deserve more attention — from politics to entertainment.
Georgia’s Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the descendants of enslaved people should be able to hold a referendum to fight for their land.
An attorney for former LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy, who died by self-inflicted gunshot wound after being charged with negligent homicide and felony hit-and-run, revealed a video showing that Lacy was far behind the collision and couldn’t have caused the fatal crash.
A Florida mother wants an apology after a white teacher sang a racist birthday song to her 6-year-old, calling him a monkey.
Read the full stories below:
Georgia Supreme Court rules in favor of Gullah Geechee communities in zoning case
The Gullah Geechee residents of Georgia’s Sapelo Island said they feel “vindicated” after the state’s highest court ruled in favor of their right to fight for their land.
The state’s Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of the descendants of formerly enslaved people retaining their land after a lengthy legal battle with McIntosh County officials, the Associated Press reports.
Black homeowners in one of the South’s last Gullah Geechee communities were at risk of facing unaffordable tax increases and losing their homes after McIntosh County officials passed a zoning ordinance that would’ve doubled the size of homes allowed in Hogg Hummock two years ago. In 2024, residents submitted a petition with more than 2,300 signatures seeking a referendum vote, voicing concerns over tax spikes and displacement.
Though hundreds had already cast their votes early, county commissioners sued to block the referendum and won favor with a lower court a week prior to that election.
On Tuesday, the state’s Supreme Court ruled that the decision was wrong.
“Nothing in the text of the Zoning Provision in any way restricts a county electorate’s authority to seek repeal of a zoning ordinance,” Supreme Court Justice John Ellington wrote in the opinion.
Hogg Hummock homeowner Jazz Watts helped organize the referendum. “The election should not have been stopped. It was stopping the voice of the people,” she told the AP.
The zoning ordinance is currently on hold. A rescheduled date for the new vote has yet to be announced.
Watts told WTOC that the legal system got it right this time.
“This is an opportunity for them to change direction,” she said. “You know, instead of trying to rezone and then to redevelop, you know, a community in Sapelo, that brings so much to not only McIntosh County, to the state of Georgia, and into the world.”
Attorney for former LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy says video, other evidence prove star athlete didn’t cause accident
An attorney for former LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy revealed a video that suggests the star athlete was far behind the collision after it happened.
The former Louisiana State University wide receiver was accused of causing a fatal car collision that killed an elderly man last December. On Friday, attorney Matt Ory released security camera footage that showed that Lacy was 72.6 yards away from the site of the crash. Video shows Lacy’s vehicle approaching and driving around the accident.
“That is not how this story was painted. Never,” Ory told HTV10 on Friday.
Ory also provided the local outlet with bodycam footage that shows a witness’s interview with a state trooper conflicting with the report that implicates Lacy.
Lacy was charged with negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run and reckless operation of a vehicle. Louisiana State Police claimed that their investigation pointed to Lacy’s reckless driving, setting off a chain of events that caused the crash.
On April 12, days before a grand jury was set to hear his case, Lacy died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Now the Louisiana Democratic Party is calling on Attorney General Liz Murrill to launch an independent investigation into the “wrongful accusations” against Lacy, according to 4WWL. In a statement, they called the allegations “deeply troubling” and said that they “represent yet another painful example of how false reporting and reckless actions by certain members of law enforcement can destroy lives and damage public trust.”
The statement continued, “Mr. Lacy, like any citizen, deserves to be treated with dignity and fairness under the law — not subjected to baseless allegations that tarnish reputations before the facts are known,” the statement said. The party also said it “condemns, in the strongest possible terms, any effort by law enforcement officers to misuse their authority or misrepresent the truth.”
They’re also working with the Lacy’s family on “The Lacy Law,” which would aim to address wrongful accusations and hold police accountable.
Lacy’s father, Kenny Lacy, accused the investigators of corruption on Facebook.
“That officer knew he was recording on body cam, he knew he was being recorded,” he shared. “The Police Force is kinda like the military in some ways. There’s a chain of command. Somebody told him to go do what he did and he was dumb enough to do it because that’s how much hate he had in his heart for my son. What I wanna know is, how far up the chain did they know about this? I’m almost positive dude didn’t act alone. The truth will definitely come out.”
On Monday, Murrill issued a statement on the investigation. According to 4WWL, she said, “I have been in touch with Louisiana State Police about independently reviewing all the witness statements and evidence in this case.”
Mother demands an apology after teacher sings racist birthday song to 6-year-old
A Florida mother is demanding that her son’s elementary school take accountability after a teacher sang an “offensive” and racist birthday song to her 6-year-old son on Sept. 29.
In a viral TikTok video, a teacher asks Legend Whitaker if he would like a “fun” song after his classmates sang the traditional birthday song. The Floral Avenue Elementary teacher sings, “Happy Birthday to you. You live in the zoo, you look like a monkey, and you smell like one too,” as Legend is surrounded by mostly white classmates.
Desarae Prather, his mother, shared the video. She told 10 Tampa Bay News that there’s nothing funny about the song. She pointed to the racist history of Black people being described as monkeys and animalistic.
“My skin is boiling,” Prather told the news outlet. “I don’t even like racism, and to know where we come from, and our ancestors and for us to be labeled like that, because when they call us, ‘Monkey,’ they’re saying we’re ugly; we act like monkeys. Those are remarks I don’t like it at all.”
Prather wrote a letter to the school board demanding an apology, disciplinary action for the teacher and counseling for her son. Though her son has been moved to another class, Prather told The Ledger the teacher, who is white, humiliated her son in front of his peers, and now he is too upset to return to school. She said Legend will be transferring to another school.
“No child should have to go to school and feel like they can’t confide in an authority figure without them calling them racial slurs, and that goes for any kid, not just my child,” she said.
A representative from Polk County Public Schools said the incident is under investigation. The district issued a statement via Facebook.
“PCPS has been made aware of a video of a teacher singing to an elementary school student and his classmates,” the statement read. “This is now being reviewed by district staff and our HR department. We understand and share the concerns about the teacher’s actions and judgment. As a public school system we serve students and families of all cultures and backgrounds; we expect our employees to always keep that in mind as they interact with others.”
ICYMI
Ike Turner Jr., son of Ike and Tina Turner, has died at 67.
Congressional Black Caucus attendees called for new leadership, saying that many current legislators are out of touch.
Viral librarian Mychal Threets will host a reboot of “Reading Rainbow.”
The Root is now under Black ownership after being acquired by former Obama adviser Allison Ashley.
Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to 50 months in prison.
Napheesa Collier canceled her meeting with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert after Collier’s scathing exit interview left the league shaking.
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Hallelujah!
Justice Served!