The Quran recognizes ‘no superiority of a white person over a black person.’ That notion, radical in 7th-century Arab society of slavery and tribal divides – remains unrealized 1,400 years later. By Asma Afsaruddin — One day, in Mecca, the Prophet Muhammad dropped a bombshell on his followers: He told them that all people are created equal. “All humans are descended from Adam and Eve,” said Muhammad in his last known…
By Lilian Bobea — The massive protests that erupted across the United States – and beyond – after the police killing of George Floyd are billed as anti-racist mobilizations, and that they are. Demonstrators are denouncing police violence in minority communities and demanding that officers who abuse their power be held accountable. But I see something more in this wave of American protests, too. As a sociologist specializing in Latin America’s human rights movements and…
By Robert Hornak, The Schpiel — In recent days many people whose politics lean center-right have been trying to give “the facts” on racism in America. This completely misses the…
What’s ahead for the movement, the election, and the protesters? By David Remnick, The New Yorker — Tennille Newbold is a twenty-six-year-old medical assistant at a community health center in…
By Jim Winston — The National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) shares the anguish, frustration, and anger in our Black communities across the country. The disproportionate impact of the…
Today’s protests build on a long tradition of activism. By Keisha N. Blain. The Atlantic — In cities across the United States, black activists are denouncing state-sanctioned violence and demanding…
By Bashir Muhammad Akinyele — “The making of amends for a wrong one has done, by paying money to or otherwise helping those who have been wronged.” (American dictionary on…
By The Hon. Dr. Ralph Gonsalves Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines The government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines rejoice, in solidarity, with the people…
By David Comissiong — The peculiar race-based history of the Western Hemisphere has bequeathed to all the people and nations of our region of the “Caribbean and the Americas” the…
While not at the same scale as in other countries, some street protests against police brutality in the US have also emerged across Africa. By Yomi Kazeem, Quartz Africa — In Africa, the protests of George Floyd’s murder have gone beyond US embassies and the African Union. For its part, Africa’s literary community is lending its voice to amplify the calls for justice after Floyd’s killing in the hands of a…
By Adria Watson, CalMatters — The anger and frustration that flooded more than 20 cities in recent days will likely put pressure on the state to conduct a thorough examination of historic and continued discrimination of African Americans — even as civil unrest continues. Although racism — both institutional and cultural — is a national stain that bleeds hundreds of years deep, some suggest California should account for its share of mistreatment….
By Michael J.A. Davis — “To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time. ” – James Baldwin I had trouble getting out of bed this morning. I abashedly moved my 9 o’clock meeting with my boss to give myself time to rise. I almost did what many Black folks joke about in private, yet often need…