Myth: Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism (w/ Dr. Charisse Burden-Stelly)
The Black Myths Podcast
In this episode, in part 2 of this series, we discuss the recent spikes in anti-communism. Recently, the State Department released the "Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism," targeting all progressive elements in the US. They tie all these elements to Cuba as a broader effort to target so-called "domestic terrorism." Dr. Charisse Burden-Stelly is back to discuss this document and the broader framework of domestic terrorism. She relates it back to historical iterations of red scares and explains the specific character of it today. Myth: Communism Made Me Do It Myth: Communism Made...
info_outline
Myth: Good Socialist, Bad Communist (w/ Dr. Charisse Burden-Stelly)
The Black Myths Podcast
In this episode, we explore the false dichotomy between the “Good Socialist” and the “Bad Communist.” This is the idea that one can separate oneself from anti-communism by dissing communism. However, with the State Department's release of Cuba: The Capital of the 21st Century, targeting anything progressive as “domestic terrorism, it becomes clearer that everyone marginally left is a target. Historically, Black people, whether left-wing or not, are vulnerable to these types of red scares, and thus should be prepared. To help us discuss these dilemmas, we bring on a friend of the...
info_outline
Myth: Anti-Obama Race Traitor (w/ Dr. Jared Ball and Dr. Todd Steven Burroughs)
The Black Myths Podcast
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jared Ball and Dr. Todd Steven Burroughs to break down the myth of the "Anti-Obama Race Traitor." They dig into how that label was often weaponized to silence policy-based critiques of Barack Obama, forcing people to choose between unquestioning support or being ostracized. The conversation centers on how Obama’s public identity was a carefully constructed media strategy. The guests talk about how he learned to code-switch and use symbolic language to appeal to both Black voters and white power structures, all while avoiding any real challenge to the...
info_outline
Myth: AI Data Centers Uplift Black Communities (w/ Black Alliance for Peace)
The Black Myths Podcast
In this episode, we dissect the myths surrounding the proliferation of data centers in Black communities. We explore the realities behind industry promises—ranging from job creation and infrastructure support to tax base contributions—and examine the potential long-term impacts on water, energy, and community autonomy. Join us as we ground the conversation in what AI and data centers actually are, and discuss how Black communities can organize to address these critical issues.We are joined by guests Austin Cole, Nicholas Richard-Thompson, and India Williams from the Black Alliance for...
info_outline
Myth: "It Just Sports" and the World Cup (w/ Erica Caines)
The Black Myths Podcast
In this episode of "Its Just Sports," we, dismantle the persistent myth that athletics exist in an apolitical vacuum. Joined by guest Black Alliance For Peace National Co-Coordinator, Erica Caines, we dive into why the "just sports" narrative often washes the crimes of US imperialism. We explore the work of the BAP and their "People-Centered Human Rights" framework—rights secured through social struggle rather than top-down mandates. We contrast this grassroots approach with FIFA's own human rights protocols, which fronts for corporate interests. BAP argues that by allowing the U.S. to...
info_outline
Myth: All Marxisms are Created Equal (w/ Gabriel Rockhill)
The Black Myths Podcast
On this episode of the Black Myths Podcast, we tackle the "Myth: All Marxisms are Created Equal" with guest Gabriel Rockhill. Rockhill, a philosopher, cultural critic, and activist, breaks down the origins and implications of "Western Marxism". We discuss the influence of imperial entities like the CIA and the deep collaboration of the Frankfurt School founders with the State. The conversation explores the tendency within Western Marxism to oppose "actually existing socialism," and how this stance influences Black and critical theories around race. Finally, we address how to navigate the...
info_outline
Myth: Black Voting Rights = Voting Power (w/ Petros Bein)
The Black Myths Podcast
In this episode, the myth that Black voting rights = voting power is analyzed through the lens of internal neo-colonialism following the recent devastating blow to the Voting Rights Act in Louisiana v. Callais. We are joined by Petros Bein, author of "Internal Colonialism and the Reproduction of Capital", to explore the historical evolution from colonialism (Slavery, Jim Crow) to neo-colonialism. The discussion focuses on the critical distinction between the right to vote and actual power, using examples like the War on Drugs and the Crime Bill to show how Black elected officials have...
info_outline
Myth: Black People Died to Vote (Revisited)
The Black Myths Podcast
In this episode, we revisit a Black Myths classic: Black People Died to Vote. Due to the recent supreme court decision on (LOUISIANA v. CALLAIS ET AL.) that effectively ends majority Black districts across the south, voting rights is back in the public discourse. Although well-intentioned by most, the often-heard retort that "Black People Died to Vote" distorts the history of struggle around the vote. It reduces Black death to the vote itself, not the broader struggle for liberation. In this episode, we explore the history surrounding the vote throughout Black history with a...
info_outline
Black Myths Takeover: Nonviolence and Grassroots Thinking (w/ J. Ezra McCoy )
The Black Myths Podcast
Executive Editor of Grassroots Thinking, J. Ezra McCoy joins Black Myths Pod to Interview Too Black regarding his latest pieces on "Nonviolence is Violence Too". They discuss the process for writing the pieces, the limitations of nonviolence as a concept, how historically violence is a companion to nonviolence, and some of the background editing that went into the piece. pt. 1 https://www.grassrootsthinking.com/nonviolence-is-violence-too-somebodys-gotta-die/ pt. 2 https://www.grassrootsthinking.com/nonviolence-is-violence-too-part-2-were-all-in-the-gunk/
info_outline
BMP Debrief: Iran, Islam, and Imperialism w/ Momodou Taal
The Black Myths Podcast
In this episode, we are joined by guest Momodou Taal, a PhD candidate in the Africana Studies department at Cornell University, host of The Malcolm Effect podcast, and a co-founder member of VoxUmmah. We dive into a critical discussion on the intersections of Iran, global power, and religion. We open with reflections from our previous episode, including an assessment based on Dr. Bikrum Gill’s analysis of "Imperialism as the primary contradiction". We focus on Islam, exploring its material role in the current war against Iran, and analyzing why the left often finds it challenging to...
info_outlineFriend if the show Rasul Mowatt returns to discuss his new book "The City of Hip-Hop: New York City, The Bronx, and a Peace Meeting" and how the birth of Hip Hop needs to be reexamined. We explore the material conditions that produced Hip Hop (housing, public policy, city planning, etc) and how they don't correspond with the mainstream history Hip Hop's origins.
Book
https://www.amazon.com/City-Hip-Hop-Rob-Swift/dp/1032835516
Patreon
https://www.amazon.com/City-Hip-Hop-Rob-Swift/dp/1032835516