June 1, 2021 - PBS NewsHour full episode

A century after a storm of racial killing engulfed Tulsa, Oklahoma, President Joe Biden's visit to the city's Greenwood district reflects how the nation is reassessing race relations — past, present and future. White House correspondent Yamiche Alcindor reports on Biden's historic visit and initiatives to tackle the racial wealth gap.

Tulsa's history is casting a larger light on the long-term effects of institutional racism, lost opportunities and the toll it all takes on the wealth of Black Americans. The wealth gap is believed to have widened during the pandemic and stretches among all levels of education. William Darity, a professor of economics and African American studies at Duke University, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

Community colleges have long been seen as an opportunity for students of all backgrounds to earn a degree. But those same students, especially the students of color, have been some of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. And many have had to drop out. But schools are hoping to bring students back with new initiatives. Hari Sreenivasan reports for our new series, Rethinking College.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Costa Rica, meeting with leaders from Central America as COVID-19 worsens across Latin America and the Caribbean. Peru on Tuesday revised its official death toll, almost tripling it — to 180,000 — making it the worst death rate per capita in the world. Vaccine distribution and equity are likely to come up during Blinken's visit. Producer Ali Rogin reports.

Tennis champion Naomi Osaka's decision to withdraw from the French Open after being fined for skipping press conferences has led to new conversations about athletes, mental health and the media. At 23 years old, Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam winner, ranked second among women in tennis, and the highest paid female athlete in the world. Amna Nawaz explores some of the issues her case has raised.

Earlier this year, President Joe Biden set a goal to have 70 percent of Americans get at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine by July 4. To get there, states and cities are getting creative in their vaccine distribution. Gabriel Kramer from Ideastream, the PBS station in Cleveland, reports on how the state's small local businesses — like barbershops — are becoming vaccination sites.

The last year has been one of grief and sorrow for so many around the world. A new book by acclaimed author Chimamanda Adichie explores her recent personal loss after the death of her beloved father, and the multi-faceted grief she "was not prepared for." Jeffrey Brown talked to her from her family home in Lagos, Nigeria for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.