Good morning. It's Monday, July 20, and we're covering the death of a civil rights legend. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

First time reading? Sign up here.

NEED TO KNOW

Rep. John Lewis Dies

Civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D, GA-5) passed away over the weekend, succumbing to pancreatic cancer which was diagnosed in December. A contemporary of Martin Luther King Jr., 21-year-old Lewis was one of the original 13 Freedom Riders who set out from Washington, DC, to New Orleans in 1961, challenging segregation in public transportation (he was the first to be assaulted on the trip). Lewis was also the youngest and last remaining member of the Big Six civil rights leaders who organized the 1963 March on Washington.

A key figure in the fight against Jim Crow laws, Lewis rose to national prominence in 1965 when he helped lead a nonviolent voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Known as Bloody Sunday, the group was attacked by state troopers as they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Images of the violence—Lewis had his skull fractured—sparked public uproar and catalyzed momentum for the Voting Rights Act. 

During his 16 terms in Congress, Lewis focused less on major legislation, instead using his platform to advocate for disadvantaged populations beyond his district. Among a long list of accolades, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011. See his life in photos here. 

In related news, Rev. CT Vivian, a key adviser to King, died at the age of 95. 

Ginsburg's Cancer Returns

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg revealed she has been receiving chemotherapy for liver cancer that was discovered during a biopsy in February. It is her fourth bout with cancer; she was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1999, pancreatic cancer in 2009, and lung cancer in 2018. Ginsburg—who also lost her mother and husband to cancer—plans to remain on the court and has said she will work as long as she is fully able.

The news makes potentially appointing a replacement for the 87-year-old justice an expected top issue in the November election. Like all federal judges, Supreme Court justices are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, both of which are controlled by Republicans. A similar scenario played out in 2016 following the death of Samuel Alito, but with Democratic President Barack Obama. 

See a list of all Supreme Court Justices in US history, and who appointed them, here.

52 Days of Protests

Police in Portland, Oregon, declared a riot Saturday evening after a police association office was set on fire by protestors. Demonstrations in the city, sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd, have now entered their 52nd consecutive day.

The protests have become increasingly tense with the arrival of federal officers two weeks ago. Supporters have accused Portland police and federal officers of intentionally escalating violence, while police allege a small group of anarchists have provoked the use of tear gas and munitions that affect entire crowds. The federal forces are not military but are reportedly drawn from the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, including Customs and Border Protection, the US Marshals, and others.

Oregon filed suit against the federal government yesterday over allegations that officers are failing to identify themselves during arrests—including detaining civilians in unmarked vans. Homeland Security officials denied the reports. 

Separately, thousands are expected to join a national workers strike protesting racial injustice in cities across the US today.

Enjoy reading? Share 1440 with your three closest friends.

PIQUE YOUR CURIOSITY

If you're anything like we are, you've used the past few months to really catch up on your television. But also, if you're like we are, after two consecutive weeks of mindless reality TV, you've developed a taste for something a bit different. Something that will stimulate the mind.

And that's why we use CuriosityStream. It's the premium documentary and nonfiction streaming service, offering thousands of titles in its library. Science? Got it. Nature? Got it. History? Got it. Tech? Got it. Well, you get it. CuriosityStream's selection is world-class, so you can unwind and learn a thing or two at the same time.

CuriosityStream is available on virtually every streaming TV, phone, tablet, and computer. Check it out today, and get an incredible offer of $14.99 for an entire year, with code 1440. That's right, you can watch endless documentaries for an entire year, for just $1.25/month. Sign up for CuriosityStream today.

Please support our sponsors!

IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Canadian government blocks Toronto Blue Jays from playing home games in Toronto; Major League Baseball season is set to start July 23 (More)

> Japanese actor Haruma Miura, best known for “Attack on Titan,” dies at 30 (More) | Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya, 2018 Winter Olympics figure skater, dies from supposed window fall at age 20 (More)

> Rapper Juice WRLD tops Billboard 200 with biggest posthumous debut album since 1997; rapper died of an overdose in December at age 21 (More)

Science & Technology

> Martian probe launched by the United Arab Emirates aboard a Japanese rocket, the first interplanetary mission led by an Arab country (More)

> Researchers from OpenAI, an open-source artificial intelligence platform, show its GPT-2 model can generate lifelike images from scratch (More) | GPT-3, released as a beta version in June, makes waves for predicting follow-on thoughts during writing (More)

> Study suggests some dog species may use the Earth's magnetic field to navigate on nonmigratory journeys (More)

Business & Markets

Brought to you by The Ascent

> Personal assistant charged with second-degree murder in gruesome death of tech entrepreneur Fahim Saleh in New York City; Saleh was founder and CEO of Gokada, a motor-bike hailing app in Nigeria (More)

> Quicken Loans, which recently filed for IPO, expects second-quarter profits to surge; estimates revenues five times higher than same period last year, as mortgage rates fall to lowest levels in more than 50 years (More)

> Disney joins growing list of brands to suspend advertising on Facebook; the company was Facebook’s biggest US advertiser in the first half of 2020 (More)

Transfer your balance, now. This card offers a market-topping 0% APR for 18 months on balance transfers, along with one of the highest unlimited cash back rates for every purchase. All with no annual fee (More) #Ad

Politics & World Affairs

> New York City enters Phase 4 of reopening; state reports under 1% of coronavirus tests returned as positive (More) | Global death tally passes 600,000 (More) | US reports total of 3.77 million cases as of this morning, with 140,534 deaths; see how your state is doing on testing here (More) | President Trump discusses response in testy interview with Fox News' Chris Wallace (More, w/video)

> Manhunt underway for gunman who shot and killed son, injured husband, of federal judge at their New Jersey home; shooter reportedly posed as a delivery driver (More)

> Saudi King Salman admitted to the hospital for inflammation of the gall bladder; the 84-year-old ruler has largely shifted duties to his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (More)

THOUSANDS OF TITLES

What do Fibonacci sequences in nature, Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture, and the fascinating world of LEGO have in common?

You guessed it: they're all topics from some of CuriosityStream's thousands of documentaries and nonfiction films. And with code 1440, you can watch them all (and so many more) for just $14.99 per year. Check it out today.

Please support our sponsors!

ETCETERA

Former President Barack Obama on John Lewis. 

Queen Elizabeth II knights a 100-year-old veteran who raised millions for the National Health Service.

Visualizing hours worked per worker since 1950. 

From our partners: Tired of being locked into expensive cellular contracts? This company offers flexible, crazy affordable plans tailored for each family member—all managed from one account, starting from $5/month. #Ad

A LeBron James rookie card sells for $1.8M.

... and ranking America's best sports cities for 2020.

Runaway dog treks 50 miles back to her old home.

Kanye is still running for president, and he wants to give all new parents a million dollars.

Fat chipmunks are driving people nuts.

Clickbait: To reduce stress, Iceland is broadcasting the world's screams.

Historybook: Mount Everest explorer Sir Edmund Hillary born (1919); Neil Armstrong becomes first person to walk on the moon (1969); RIP Bruce Lee (1973); Viking 1 is first spacecraft to successfully land on Mars (1976); HBD Gisele Bündchen (1980).

"Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble."

- John Lewis

Enjoy reading? Forward this email to a friend.

Why 1440? The printing press was invented in the year 1440, spreading knowledge to the masses and changing the course of history. Guess what else? There are 1,440 minutes in a day and every one is precious. That’s why we scour hundreds of sources every day to provide a concise, comprehensive, and objective view of what's happening in the world. Reader feedback is a gift—shoot us a note at [email protected].

Interested in advertising to smart readers like you? Apply here!