Make Us

During WWII, the government created the National War Labor Board to regulate labor and control inflation. Instead, says Bryant Etheridge, the Southern regional board raised wages for the lowest earners. And: The Black Panther Party famously advocated for Black revolutionaries to arm themselves for self-defence. Edward Onaci explores the long history of Black revolutionary movements for self-defense.

Later in the show: For a brief moment in time after Reconstruction, a biracial coalition called The Readjuster Party took power in Virginia. Sheren Sanders tells the story of how Black republicans, white working class Virginians, former Confederates, and Democrats, all came together to readjust Virginia’s debt and give those funds back to the people. Plus: For some, Barack Obama’s presidency is evidence that the Civil Rights movement succeeded. How did Black voters see him at the time? Athena King explores how Black movement leaders supported Obama and where they challenged him.