Do Better Mr. President
On September 1, 2022, President Biden delivered a speech in defense of democracy from Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His remarks denounced “MAGA Republicans,” distinguishing this sect from “mainstream Republicans.” MAGA, Make America Great Again, is a scarcely veiled call to reinforce White supremacist tenets and social practices. And yet it was not until the…
And Still We Rise
I celebrate Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation to become the first Black woman United States Supreme Court Justice. I can’t wait to say: “Justice Jackson” in a few months! Her ascendance to this position is well-earned and I look forward to how her vision of justice will shape the court. In the midst of commemorating this…
Celebration Continues! Black Americans Made Us Who We Are
African Americans have been the sin qua non democratizing force in American history. There is no America we take for granted today, one where we assert that all “men (and women) are created equal,” without Black Americans insisting upon it, full stop. Black people’s intellectual, political, and creative energy expanded our Constitution’s capacity to realize…
Great Resources for Black History Month
This list from the Gathering will no doubt include works that have not yet made it to your bookshelf. Here you’ll discover film, non-fiction and fiction (even sci-fi) gems to enjoy far beyond February! When Affirmative Action was White, by Ira Katznelson – “For Black History Month, I’m recommending a classic: No other book on…
A Mess of Pottage: the side effects of communal temptation
Everyone knows the Bible’s ultimate story of sibling rivalry: Jacob and Esau were twins. Esau, first out of the birth canal, was the one that secured the birthright. Esau was a man’s man, spending his days outdoors hunting for game, while Jacob preferred staying close to home. One day, when Esau arrived home famished, Jacob…
Let’s Get Our Facts Straight
Black History Month is a nearly century-long intervention in the American historical record and myths about how this country evolved. The forerunner to this February’s Black History Month celebration is Negro History Week, which was first celebrated in 1926 under the leadership of Historian Carter G. Woodson. Dr. Woodson sought to use the second week…
Miscellaneous Briefs
January 2022 (#2) Amanda Gorman revisits her history-making Inauguration Day poem with a gorgeous piece on state of mind and the place of terror. “I look at fear not as cowardice but as a call forward, a summons to fight for what we hold dear.” Don’t miss this from our national treasure. Robert P. Jones…
What is MLK to the (White) Christian?
Here we are in yet another year commemorating the birth (and life) of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We all know who Dr. King is, at least the broad strokes: a leader of the Civil Rights movement, reverend and orator who advocated for social change through peaceful protest. When you think about Dr. King, do…
The Fierce Urgency of Now
Statement on Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, 2022 On this Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, we return to places of hallowed ground—from the 16th Street Baptist Church, to the Edmund Pettus Bridge, to the Lorraine Motel—to honor those whose lives are the foundation of our contemporary liberation struggle. We remember King, and all…
Miscellaneous Briefs – January 2022
A group of pastors, writers, scholars and spiritual leaders you might know, offer suggested “reSOULutions” for 2022. (So worth skimming until you see one or two that resonate with your own soul…) Compiled by Tish Harrison Warren. A truly helpful visual and interactive guide to the concept of GDP and the state of the global…
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The Gathering 