3 chapters across the catalog
Jack Johnson, the first African-American heavyweight champion, was targeted by federal authorities using the Mann Act in 1912. The law, intended to stop human trafficking, was weaponized against Johnson due to his public relationships with white women. Although John McCain pushed for a pardon during the Obama administration, it was ultimately Donald Trump who pardoned Johnson in 2018.
An interview from the "Soft White Underbelly" YouTube channel features a woman named Diamond who began working the streets at age 11. She describes her journey through the foster care system and the trauma of early childhood abuse. The hosts use her story to illustrate the "feeder system" from foster homes to the "blade" (prostitution), contrasting her reality with the glamorous image of sex work in pop music.
Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby announces that the city will no longer prosecute low-level offenses like drug possession, prostitution, and public urination. The hosts note that this policy shift coincides with Mosby's own legal troubles regarding back taxes. They argue that moving police services to "community partners" is a move toward privatizing law enforcement.
