As a congressional intern with a passion for U.S. history and virtually unrestricted access to the entirety of the U.S. Capitol Building, I took every chance I could get to leave my office and explore. Unfortunate circumstances, both COVID-19 and the January 6th riot, left the great halls of Congress closed off to the public and largely empty. Whereas just a few years ago I … Continue reading From Cotton to Congress: The Remarkable Rise and Careers of the First Black Congressmen

The institution of slavery will forever plague American history. The slave economy was a core feature of the growth of the financial system, culture, and politics of the country for almost two and a half centuries until it ultimately became a catalyst for civil war. Though the institution was dismantled, it molded into something hardly less gruesome: the criminalization of black life. Present in America’s … Continue reading John Brown: A Biography

Why? Why does America refuse to learn from its history? Why have the purveyors of peace and freedom allowed–no, ensured–that a second class citizenry exists amidst the empty prosperity and freedom enjoyed by those former Europeans? Why has Black outcry gone ignored? Why have Black minds been neglected? When? When will America realize that its destiny is inextricably intertwined with Black destiny? That its fortunes … Continue reading How Long Must We Be Here? A Lament