Logan Jaffe

Reporter, Newsletters

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Logan Jaffe is a reporter for newsletters at ProPublica. She came to ProPublica by way of The New York Times and Chicago Public Media (WBEZ). She was the multimedia producer for WBEZ's Curious City, a journalism project fueled by audience questions about Chicago, and previously an embedded mediamaker with The New York Times' Race/Related newsletter in collaboration with the documentary showcase POV, in which she reported and produced an audience-driven project confronting the pervasiveness of racism through everyday objects. She was also a producer with The NYTimes' Daily 360 project. In Chicago, she was a recipient of Chicago Filmmakers' Digital Media Production Fund for "Battle Flag," an interactive documentary which questions the meaning of the Confederate battle flag in America.

Some Museums Scrambled to Remove Native American Items From Display. These Museums Didn’t Need to.

Under new repatriation rules, museums must gain consent from Native American tribes before displaying their cultural items. Some museums rushed to comply, but others, such as the Museum of Us and History Colorado, were prepared to meet the moment.

The American Museum of Natural History to Close Exhibits Displaying Native American Belongings

The change is in response to new federal regulations that went into effect this month following reporting by ProPublica on institutional failures to return Native American remains and sacred objects to tribes.

The Remains of Thousands of Native Americans Were Returned to Tribes This Year

Following decades of Indigenous activism and the 2023 publication of ProPublica’s “Repatriation Project,” federal officials have seen more activity leading to the return of ancestral remains to tribal nations than any other year since 1990.

Animating the “Infinite Nightmare” of Night Raids in Afghanistan

The Night Doctrine, an animated documentary, follows ProPublica reporting on squads of deadly commandos who killed hundreds of Afghan civilians. Here, the film’s animator and co-director, Mauricio Rodríguez Pons, discusses bringing the story to life.

A New Illinois Law Shifts Repatriation and Reburial Power to Tribal Nations

For the first time, tribal nations forcibly removed from Illinois will have final say in how and when the remains of their ancestors will be returned to them.

Sweeping Repatriation Reform Bill Unanimously Passes Illinois House of Representatives

If signed into law, the legislation would create a protected cemetery for the reburial of repatriated Native American ancestors and establish a committee of tribal leaders to review state projects that may disturb culturally significant sites.

Dozens of Museums and Universities Pledge to Return Native American Remains. Few Have Funded the Effort.

Reporting from nearly 50 local newsrooms, based on ProPublica’s “Repatriation Project,” has sparked a wave of apologies and commitment to returning ancestral remains. But without funding for the work tribal nations could still face empty promises.

How a Tourist Attraction Displaying the Open Graves of Native Americans Became a State-Run Museum

Generations of visitors learned about the history of Native Americans in Illinois through the eyes of amateur archaeologist Don Dickson. Though the exhibit he built closed in 1992, the Dickson Mounds Museum is still grappling with his legacy.

The Museum Built on Native American Burial Mounds

For decades, Dickson Mounds Museum in Illinois displayed the open graves of more than 200 Indigenous people. Thirty years after a federal law required museums to begin returning remains, the statewide museum system still holds thousands.

Help Us Investigate Museums’ Failure to Return Native American Human Remains and Cultural Items

Do you know about how museums and other institutions are handling the repatriation of Native American human remains and cultural items under NAGPRA? We want to hear from you.

Behind ProPublica’s Reporting on Repatriation

Our reporters answer frequently asked questions about The Repatriation Project from leaders and citizens of tribal nations.

America’s Biggest Museums Fail to Return Native American Human Remains

The remains of more than 100,000 Native Americans are held by prestigious U.S. institutions, despite a 1990 law meant to return them to tribal nations. Here’s how the ancestors were stolen — and how tribes are working to get them back.

Help Us Investigate Museums’ Failure to Return Native American Human Remains and Cultural Items

Do you know about how museums and other institutions are handling the repatriation of Native American human remains and cultural items under NAGPRA? We want to hear from you.

Testing the Air to Tell a Story: How We Investigated Air Pollution Near Florida’s Sugar Fields

A look at the community engagement and citizen data-collection that made our major investigation in the Florida Glades come to life.

“This Is War”: Inside the Secret Chat Where Far-Right Extremists Devised Their Post-Capitol Plans

Chats from a private Telegram group obtained by ProPublica show how a suspect tied to the Jan. 6 insurrection tried to organize a self-styled militia. The hidden proliferation of such groups worries experts.

“We’ve Let the Worst Happen”: Reflecting on 400,000 Dead

A much-needed check-in with health care reporter Caroline Chen as we examine the toll COVID-19 has taken on the country and what to expect from a new president.

Capitol Rioters Planned for Weeks in Plain Sight. The Police Weren’t Ready.

Insurrectionists made no effort to hide their intentions, but law enforcement protecting Congress was caught flat-footed.

What’s It Like to Be a Contact Tracer? We Spoke With 3 to Find Out.

We wanted to know what life is like for the public health workers charged with limiting the spread of the coronavirus in Illinois. “A lot of people are initially in shock,” one said about making calls.

Mobilizing the National Guard Doesn’t Mean Your State Is Under Martial Law. Usually.

The idea of “calling in the National Guard” can mean different things in practice and perception. We spoke with a public information officer for the Illinois National Guard about rumors, reality and fear.

A Closer Look at the Public Art at Chicago Police Stations

After removing its Columbus statues, Chicago will reassess its collection of hundreds of public art pieces to better “reflect our values as Chicagoans.” So I asked artists to reflect on the work they made for the city’s police stations.

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