What will it take to make the United States a more fully-functioning democracy, and how can we, as citizens, bring about that change? By host and producer John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika. Interviews…
How well do the news media serve us as citizens, and what role does the notion of “objective,” or “neutral,” journalism play in the failings of American democracy? Story reported by Lewis Raven Wallace, with…
In most American schools, children hear about democracy, but don’t get to practice it. What would a more engaged brand of civics education look like? Story reported by Ben James, with host John Biewen and…
“America” and “empire.” Do those words go together? If so, what kind of imperialism does the U.S. practice, and how has American empire changed over time? By host and producer John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai…
The conservative, neoliberal counterrevolution in the face of expanding democracy in America: It started long before Donald Trump. Even before Ronald Reagan and his like-minded counterpart across the Atlantic, Margaret Thatcher. By host and producer…
In the summer of 1964, about a thousand young Americans, black and white, came together in Mississippi to place themselves in the path of white supremacist power and violence. They issued a bold pro-democracy challenge…
In this special episode, host John Biewen and series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika discuss the coronavirus pandemic and how the crisis, and the nation’s response to it, echo themes we’re exploring in our Season 4 series…
The Great Depression presented a crisis not only for the U.S. economy, but for American democracy. President Franklin Roosevelt wanted to save the nation’s system of government, and its economic system, while reforming both. What…
S4 E5: Feminism in Black and White
- March 4, 2020
- Tagged as: S4E5, Season 4
People fighting for more democracy in the United States often have to struggle against sexism and racism. In fact, those two struggles are often inseparable—certainly from the perspective of black women and some other women…
After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a…
Twitter Feed
Wow. The removal of the Stonewall Jackson statue from Monument Avenue in Richmond is underway. It's symbolism. But it also about power -- who has the power to memorialize a particular understanding of our history; who has the power to determine what values we publicly celebrate. https://twitter.com/michaelpRTD/status/1278387844516663296
Maybe 500 or so folks have found their way down here.
GOP Sen Daines of Montana (w/population that’s 89% white, .6% black) opposes statehood for the District of Columbia (46% white, 46% black), saying “the real people” of America are against it
The 13th Amendment outlawed slavery—with one big caveat: “except as a punishment for a crime.” For a century and half, that’s been used to re-enslave American citizens (disproportionately black men). So I’m introducing a Constitutional amendment to end this abomination.
Given recent developments, I'm sharing this guide to understanding Abolitionist vs. Celebrity-led ‘Bipartisan’ Criminal Justice Reform that I've been working on for my forthcoming book. It's very much a work in progress. Let me know if you find it helpful.
https://tinyurl.com/ybwk98jt
Journalists of color who are looking for a job - Colorado Public Radio has a couple openings right now and will have more down the line. My DMs are open if you're curious!