Black History

A Regiment Formed in a Divided Nation The story of the 369th Infantry Regiment begins in a United States deeply divided by race. These soldiers, many from Harlem, volunteered to fight in World War I with the hope of serving their country and proving their worth. Yet from the beginning, they faced resistance not from […]

The Tension Between Blame and Ownership There is a familiar tension in political conversations about Black participation in American democracy. On one side is the instinct to blame institutions—political parties, systems, and structures that have often failed to deliver on promises. On the other side is a harder question about responsibility within the community itself.

A Mind Shaped by Curiosity, Not Credentials William Chester Ruth was born in 1882 in Gap, Pennsylvania, with little formal education but an exceptional mechanical mind. He did not come through universities or elite institutions. Instead, he learned through observation, experimentation, and hands-on work. Where others saw everyday objects, he saw systems that could be

The Setting: A Strategic Place Before a City Existed Long before it became a major American city, the area now known as Chicago was a meeting point shaped by geography. The mouth of the Chicago River, where it meets Lake Michigan, was a natural hub for trade and travel. Indigenous peoples had used this area

Growing Up with Partial Truths Many people grow up thinking they understand racism because they were taught that it is wrong. They often learn about clear examples like slavery and segregation as mistakes from the past. This teaching can lead them to believe that racism is obvious and already solved. For a child, that message

The Origins and Purpose of COINTELPRO In the mid-20th century, the federal government launched a program known as COINTELPRO, short for Counter Intelligence Program. Its stated goal was to monitor and disrupt groups considered subversive or threatening to national security. In practice, many of its operations focused heavily on Black political organizations, civil rights leaders,

The Idea of “Original Sin” and What It Means When people call racism the “original sin” of America, they are not just using a religious phrase. They are pointing to something that has been built into the foundation of this country. From the beginning, the country’s systems of law, labor, and governance were shaped in

The Distortion of African Origins For generations, the story of African people has been introduced in a way that begins with deficiency instead of depth. The image often presented reduces Africa to “little grass skirts,” primitive living, and a lack of civilization, erasing the depth of its history and cultures. It falsely suggests that African

The Foundation: A Nation Built on Economic Interests When people say America was founded on freedom, that is only part of the story. From its earliest days, the country was also structured around economic interests, trade, and the accumulation of wealth. The systems that were put in place—land ownership, labor exploitation, and commerce—were designed to

The Pattern Behind What Gets Funded There is a long-standing pattern in Hollywood that shapes which stories are told and how they are told. It is not always written down as a rule, but it shows up consistently in decisions about funding, casting, and narrative focus. Stories centered on Black history, resistance, and liberation often