Topic: Africans

Historian Gerald Horne identifies 1655 as a pivotal year when the English ousted the Spanish from Jamaica, leading to the systematization of the African slave trade. The formation of the Royal African Company in 1672 under the British monarch allowed the merchant class to profit immensely from sugar production. This era marked the transition of the slave trade into a massive commercial enterprise that fueled the rise of London as a global power.

The discussion traces the roots of hip-hop back to the Slave Songbook and the roughly 4 million enslaved Africans in the United States by 1860. These individuals adapted African heritage into work songs and laments that evolved into Negro spirituals. This musical form is identified as the foundational wellspring for the blues, gospel, jazz, and eventually hip-hop.

Federal agents raided the Uhuru House in St. Petersburg, Florida, following a federal indictment alleging Russian interference in local U.S. elections. The indictment claims the Russian government recruited political groups to sow discord and mistrust through propaganda and misinformation campaigns. This event serves as a starting point for a broader discussion on the historical relationship between Russia and Black liberation movements.

A week before the FBI raid, a man identified as Kenny Raymond used a military-grade flamethrower to burn a Pan-African flag outside the Uhuru House. Despite the nature of the weapon and the target, Raymond was only charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief. The hosts find the timing and the lack of a hate crime charge suspicious, questioning if the event was a provocation or a "test run" for the subsequent raid.

A throwback to show 67 introduces the Black Hammer Organization and its leader, Commander Ghazi. The group is known for its aggressive "Land Back" rhetoric and its confrontational stance against Antifa and other political rivals. Ghazi's messaging focuses on the protection of "African colonized women" and a rejection of traditional U.S. political structures.

Don Lemon and Kamala Harris discuss her identity on The Breakfast Club, where she defends her "black cred" by citing her birth in Oakland. The hosts criticize her for attempting to graft herself into the ADOS lineage despite her Jamaican and Indian heritage, noting the distinction between being "Black" and "African American" in a lineage context.

Dr. Fauci mentions a genetic defect found in 1% of Caucasians that provides resistance to HIV, a trait virtually absent in African populations. The hosts engage in a satirical discussion about "lizard people" and the 1% elite. They explore "war gaming" scenarios where diseases are used for the controlled demolition of society or "crowd control."

Kimberlé Crenshaw, a co-founder of Critical Race Theory, specifically named Senator Ted Cruz as someone who understands the theory but manipulates it for political gain. Critics argue that Crenshaw's direct targeting of Republican politicians reveals her role as a political operative rather than a neutral academic. Both Crenshaw and Cruz share a background in Harvard Law, where the theory was originally developed.

Max Kellerman challenges Stephen A. Smith on "First Take" by discussing the intersection of athlete health concerns, anti-vaxxer misinformation, and the history of medical experiments on African Americans. The hosts analyze the dynamic between the two commentators, noting Kellerman's tendency to position himself as more "progressive" or "strident" on racial issues than Smith. This tension eventually leads to Smith requesting Kellerman's removal from the show due to a lack of chemistry.

Mo introduces Melville J. Herskovits, a Jewish-American anthropologist considered the "Elvis of African-American studies." Herskovits is credited with establishing the "Out of Africa" cultural continuity narrative in the 1940s. Mo questions why a white academic was allowed to define Black identity for the 20th century and how this "ownership" of the narrative persists in modern museums.

A throwback clip from 2019 features Don Lemon and April Ryan debating whether Kamala Harris is "black enough" or specifically "African American." In the older clip, Lemon emphasizes her South Asian and Jamaican heritage, whereas the hosts note he has since pivoted to a more unified "black woman" narrative. They suggest Lemon received a "call from Oprah" to align his rhetoric with the party line.

A past clip shows Don Lemon arguing with April Ryan, where he previously acknowledged a distinction between being "Black" and "African American." In that instance, Lemon noted that Kamala Harris is a woman of color but questioned if she fits the "African American" lineage. The hosts highlight the contradiction between this past stance and his current dismissal of ADOS identity as a "Russian bot" talking point.

A Mayo Clinic study reveals that African Americans exhibit significantly higher antibody responses to the rubella vaccine compared to other populations. This finding challenges the "one size fits all" approach to immunology and supports the move toward personalized or individualized medicine. The legal classification of vaccines as "biologics" is also noted, which provides manufacturers with indemnification from lawsuits.

Laree Daniel Favors argues that Kamala Harris's Jamaican and Indian heritage does not disqualify her from the Black experience, claiming "the cops can't tell the difference." Moe Factz disputes this "Pan-African" narrative, asserting that the lineage and experience of ADOS (American Descendants of Slavery) is distinct from that of Caribbean immigrants. He argues that lumping all Black people together ignores the specific claims ADOS have for reparations from the U.S. government.

During the 2016 campaign, Donald Trump famously appealed to African American voters by asking, "What the hell do you have to lose?" He criticized Democratic policies for causing poverty and unemployment in urban communities. Despite polling data, Trump "gaslit" the audience by guaranteeing he would receive 95% of the African American vote after four years.

The National African American Gun Association (NAGA) is introduced as a growing alternative to the NRA for black gun owners. NAGA focuses on education, safety, and changing the stigma of gun ownership within the black community. The organization is considering forming a PAC to advocate for individuals who are unfairly denied gun licenses despite having clean records.

The evolution of racial descriptors in America is traced from "Negro" and "Colored" to "Black" and "African American." The hosts discuss Jesse Jackson's role in popularizing the term "African American" in the late 1980s and the subsequent shift in government documentation. They advocate for the term ADOS (American Descendants of Slavery) as a more accurate descriptor of lineage rather than skin color.

A clip from The Conservative Twins argues that Black Americans should not call themselves "African-American" because they were not born in Africa. While the hosts find the delivery "cringey," they agree with the distinction between nationality and lineage. They discuss the lack of the term "European-American" and why ADOS is a more precise term for their specific historical experience.

Culinary historian Michael Twitty explores the history of Southern cuisine through his book "The Cooking Gene" and his residency at Colonial Williamsburg. Twitty argues that enslaved Africans laid the foundation for American food by cultivating small, self-sustaining garden plots. Because they were often prohibited from owning large livestock, chickens and guinea fowl became symbols of empowerment and status within the enslaved community.

Before his death, Micah Johnson reportedly wrote the letters "RB" in blood at the scene. While some theorized it stood for "robot bomb," news agencies claimed it referred to the Red, Black, and Green colors of Pan-Africanism, a connection used to link the shooter to broader black identity movements.