3 chapters across the catalog
The ADOS (American Descendants of Slavery) movement is presented as an effort to redefine identity based on lineage rather than a vague racial color. The hosts discuss various terms like "Foundational Black Americans" and "Native Blacks," noting that they all represent a desire to move away from preselected labels. They argue that the term ADOS serves as a "useful code" that immediately establishes a shared historical relationship.
The discussion focuses on the trend of casting non-ADOS (American Descendants of Slavery) actors in roles depicting the American black experience. The hosts argue that using British or non-native black actors may be a way for Hollywood to avoid triggering real trauma in performers or to update "victimization firmware" for audiences. They express concern that native black actors are being systematically replaced in major productions.
The New York Times article highlights tensions regarding the casting of a British actress to play Harriet Tubman, a move criticized by many Native Black Americans. This serves as a flashpoint for the distinction between "Native Blacks" (those with ancestral links to U.S. slavery) and black immigrants from Africa or the Caribbean. A distinction is made between ADOS as a political group versus ADOS as a specific lineage, with the term "Native Black American" (NBA) or "Foundational Black American" (FBA) used to clarify these identities.
