Identical twin sisters Jo and Joy Banner are Louisiana natives with deep family roots dating back to slavery. They grew up in an area along the Mississippi River known as “Cancer Alley.” It was once spotted with plantations, but now it’s home to nearly 200 petrochemical plants. Through their organization, the Descendants Project, the sisters are buying old plantations and turning them into museums and cultural sites. It’s part of a two-fold mission – to preserve their heritage and protect residents in a community with higher cancer rates. Correspondent Alexis Clark meets the sisters and learns more about their project.
MARCH 29, 2025
March 30, 2025MARCH 29, 2025
March 30, 2025This week Matter of Fact travels to Ashburn, Virginia to see how residents are reacting to...
MARCH 1, 2025
March 2, 2025MARCH 1, 2025
March 2, 2025This week Matter of Fact travels to Louisiana to see how twin sisters are working to prote...
Cycling Champion Nelson Vails on Breaking Barriers in the Sport
September 29, 2024Cycling Champion Nelson Vails on Breaking Barriers in the Sport
September 29, 2024Nelson Vails was the first Black person to medal in cycling at the Olympics. He stands out...
SEPTEMBER 28, 2024
September 29, 2024SEPTEMBER 28, 2024
September 29, 2024This week Matter of Fact travels to Arizona where voters are expressing their concerns abo...
SEPTEMBER 7, 2024
September 8, 2024SEPTEMBER 7, 2024
September 8, 2024This week Matter of Fact travels to Pennsylvania to learn how people over 50 are handling ...
MAY 25, 2024
May 26, 2024MAY 25, 2024
May 26, 2024This week Matter of Fact learns how Minnesota’s NBA and WNBA teams are still working to un...
Honoring Woodworking Legacy of Black Craftspeople
April 9, 2023Honoring Woodworking Legacy of Black Craftspeople
April 9, 2023On display in a Smithsonian museum is a bed that’s carved with not only a great design, bu...
Ford Foundation President on Funding fight for Equality
April 30, 2023Ford Foundation President on Funding fight for Equality
April 30, 2023The Ford Foundation is one of America's largest charities, giving hundreds of millions of ...