The historically black town of Turkey Creek, Miss., had been devastated over the years by waste dumping, land grabs and, more recently, Hurricane Katrina. To add insult to injury, a housing complex had been built atop one of their graveyards. None of this sounds funny, but what would make you laugh to keep from crying is how the town was able to finally get some protection — by forming an alliance with bird conservationists. You see, Avian Americans have more clout than African Americans in this Southern town. See The Daily Show video with Wyatt Cenac, below, for more details.
Sheryl Huggins Salomon is senior editor-at-large of The Root and a Brooklyn, N.Y.-based editorial consultant. Follow her on Twitter.