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,...

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 st...

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 ex...

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....

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 v...

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.grassro...

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 ana...

In this episode, we are visited by anti-imperialist scholar and professor Dr. Bikrum Gill. We delve into the critical historical and political arguments for why separating the Iranian "people" from the Islamic Republic of Iran at this moment is a dangerous ideological move that reproduces the logic of imperialism.   We explore how the 1979 Islamic Revolution overthrew a brutal, Western-backed clie...

This podcast delves into the violent contradictions at the heart of mass movements, challenging the idea of "spotless innocence." We explore how tactics of nonviolence function as a form of sacrificial violence, drawing in the State—both as a protector and a predator—and how insurgent violence acts as a "positive radical flank," forcing political concessions. From the Civil Rights Movement's relia...

This episode challenges the term "nonviolence," proposing that movements for social and political change often succeed by relying on the opponent's violence. We introduce the concept of sacrificial violence: the intentional absorption of an opponent's brutality to gain strategic concessions, a topic explored in the article "Nonviolence is Violence, Too: Somebody's Gotta " written by BMP host Too B...

In this episode, we talk with the Millennials Are Killing Capitalism podcast about their series on organized white supremacist groups, a series that has centered in particular around the KKK. We also talk about the academic use of the term "white supremacy" in recent years, which has been taken up in many left-wing movement spaces. We discuss the utility of this analytical framework alongside the...

We explore the inconsistent history of the political slogan "America First." We are joined by environmental sociologist and Black Alliance for Peace Comrade, Kim Miller. We delve into the earliest documentation of America First including its use by the nativist "Know Nothing" party in 1855, tracing its evolution through various eras of American policy. Then we examine how the Monroe Doctrine coinc...

This episode challenges the myth that white supremacy inherently means white unity. We'll explore the various groups that existed before the white power movement unified, their differing politics, and why they haven't always been united. We'll examine how their ideology and aims shifted, what conditions led to these changes, and who they perceived as their enemies. We deal with the ideological dif...

We dive into a critical examination of the 3rd Ku Klux Klan. This episode challenges the notion that the Klan was simply a product of its time to be understood as a bad group of individuals representing white supremacy, as opposed to a strain of white supremacy that many people opposed. We return with Rasul Mowatt to review the history of the KKK's decline in the 1940s and 50s to its resurgence th...

We return for part 2 of our series as we delve into the common misconception that the Ku Klux Klan was primarily a movement of poor white individuals. It explores the historical context of urbanization, industrialization, and the aftermath of war in the early 1900s, examining how these factors contributed to the grievances of middle-class white Protestant men and impacted labor dynamics. The episo...

In this episode, we are joined by friend of the show and scholar, Rasul Mowatt, to challenge the myth that the Ku Klux Klan began in Indiana, exploring the 1st wave of the Ku Klux Klan, known then as the "KuKlux." We analyse the post-Civil War context that led to the rise of white supremacist groups, vigilantism, and the Klan's origins, spread, and eventual decline. We also delve into the role of...

In this episode, we are joined by friend of the show and scholar, Rasul Mowatt, to challenge the myth that the Ku Klux Klan began in Indiana, exploring the 1st wave of the Ku Klux Klan, known then as the "KuKlux." We analyse the post-Civil War context that led to the rise of white supremacist groups, vigilantism, and the Klan's origins, spread, and eventual decline. We also delve into the role of...

In this episode, the entire crew is back and we're diving into myth: Black Capitalism = Sovereignty,' which challenges the idea that Black capitalism is the path to true sovereignty. Our discussion pulls from a recent piece written by co-host Too Black, titled "Kids' corner economics: What tariffs teach us about Black capitalism."  We explore key economic concepts like trade, tariffs, protectionis...

n this episode we dispel the idea that Trump's federalization of DC police is an abberation from what has already been happening in DC. Rather, it should be understood as an escalation of an ongoing bipartisan project committed to dissolving the thin line between police and military. To help us discuss this myth, we invite guests Oliver Robinson and Erica Caines.    Oliver Robinson is an organizer...

We return for part 2 of our myth, "this ain't our fight." This time, we have a different guest named Joan Agoh. She is one of the coordinators of BAP So-CAL and works full-time in immigrant justice. She's involved with mutual aid groups in Los Angeles and is one of the coordinators at the Radical Hood Library.    We discuss the erasure of Black people in the immigration fight, organizing against I...

In this episode, we examine the myth "This Ain't Our Fight" concerning the issue of immigration. Recently, protests broke out in Los Angeles, California, following highly aggressive ICE Raids. As protests were occurring, there was a trending response by some Black people that "this ain't our fight" implying that families being separated is not relevant to American-born Black folks.    We talk with...

In this episode, Too Black and Ryan debrief about the National Black Radical Organizing Conference. They were both deeply involved in the planning and logistical process of bringing the conference to Indianapolis. We aim to provide an assessment of the conference, highlighting the complexities involved in planning an event of such scale. Building is important, but how we do it matters. Thus, we al...

We return for part two under a slightly different title: DEI has Radical Roots. In this episode, we trace the origins of DEI back to early integrationist efforts by US government up to affirmative action efforts and the subsequent Supreme Court decision that established the legal precedent for modern DEI to emerge. We continue with the trio Too Black, Rasul and Ryan.   Bootleg Rehab: Still Launder...

In this episode, we explore the distortions surrounding DEI, particularly the myth that it has any radical elements in its function. Recent boycotts against Target's anti-DEI policies, false claims by the Trump administration, and media misinformation lay the groundwork for the discussion. We base this episode around a piece written by our host Too Black, and friend of the show Rasul Mowatt, entit...

Grounding Our Purpose https://www.blackagendareport.com/grounding-our-purpose-second-national-black-radical-organizing-conference  INDIANAPOLIS, IN – April 7, 2025 – The Second National Black Radical Organizing Conference (NBROC) will convene approximately 500 Black/African/New Afrikan organizers from Friday, May 30th to Sunday, June 1st, 2025, at Butler University in Indianapolis, IN. This crucia...