Groundings

Dr. Augustus Wood, scholar-activist and author who studies Black working-class history, describes class warfare in Black Atlanta. He connects gentrification to labor strategy, policing, surveillance, and displacement. He spotlights Black women organizers, Olympic-era removals, and working-class archives that reframe Atlanta’s story.

A sharp discussion of how capitalist media functions as imperial propaganda using Parenti’s framework. They unpack five mechanisms like selective reporting, dehumanizing language, and information control. The show connects these patterns to coverage of Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, Greenland, and local housing and justice struggles.

In this broadcast, co-hosts taylor, Leyla, and Dartricia discuss the ongoing Atlanta city council elections and the theft of the Crown Jewels from the Louvre Museum in France. They are joined by guest Dr. Akinyele Umoja to talk about the book he co-edited, The Memoirs of Robert and Mabel Williams: African American Freedom, Armed Resistance, and International Solidarity. They cover topics such as the Williams’ political and personal lives, and their exile in Cuba and China. The collaboration it took to bring this book the fruition and propaganda as a tool for liberation. They also talk about armed self-defense and the people involved in that movement during the Civil Rights Movement. To view a list of past programs, visit: https://wrfg.org/show/rap/

A concise history of the New Jewel Movement and Grenada's 1979 revolution and reforms. Discussion of major social gains like literacy drives, healthcare expansion, and infrastructure projects. Exploration of U.S. intervention, the Reagan era's Caribbean policy, and regional examples of imperialism. Coverage of Maurice Bishop's speeches, debates over revolutionary measures, and post-invasion consequences.

We explore the historical strategies of black radicals to resist repression, the evolution of fascism and what it means today, and the importance of mutual comradeship in sustaining movements. The discussion includes an analysis of where anti-communism and anti-Blackness intersect, the Biden administration's role in facilitating repression, the historical context of fascistic practices in the U.S., and the global implications of labeling resistance movements as 'terrorist.' The conversation also touches upon the neglected histories of colonial fascism in places like Namibia. 00:00 Crackdown on Foreign Students Supporting Terrorism01:09 Domestic Terrorism Charges and High-Profile Cases01:40 Controversial Arrests and Accusations of Terrorism02:18 US Government's Stance on Terrorism02:58 Debates on Innocence and Terrorism in Gaza04:57 US Counterterrorism Policies and Global Impact11:15 Repression of Black and Palestinian Resistance18:34 Introduction to Groundings Podcast20:20 Discussion on Black Scare and Red Scare22:58 US Capitalist Racist Society Explained32:05 True Americanism and Marginalization43:09 Legacy of Black Scare and Red Scare49:25 Intersection of Palestinian and Black Resistance50:27 The Rise of Domestic Terrorism51:57 The 1979 Turning Point52:49 The Evolution of Terrorism Discourse57:32 Anti-Communism as Governance01:03:07 Believing Our Own Analysis01:07:09 Defining Fascism and Its Implications01:19:07 Strategies of Black Radical Resistance01:23:05 Mutual Comradeship in Revolutionary Organizing01:27:49 Closing Remarks and Shoutouts

In this episode of Groundings, we talk to guest Erica about the Stono Rebellion. We commemorate the rebellion on its anniversary, explore the harsh conditions faced by our enslaved African ancestors in colonial South Carolina, and their struggle for freedom. Erica provides insights into the role of heritage interpretation, the impact of African cultural retention, and the drastic shifts in laws and slavery practices following the mass rebellion, such as the Negro Act of 1740.  The episode underscores the importance of reclaiming and teaching this history to understand ongoing struggles for African American liberation, and to understand the importance of studying and honoring African uprisings across our diaspora. --Follow: Find more from Erica [Follow Here]Support the Groundings Podcast on Patreon [Support Here]Support: Lowcountry Action Committee [Follow Here]Follow: Black & Brown Interpreters Network [Follow Here]Song: "I Remember, I Believe" by Sweet Honey In The Rock [Listen Here]Speech: Malcolm X, "We Are Africans" [Watch Here]Poem: "The Language Poem" by Obi Egbuna Jr. [Watch Here]--00:00 - Song & Introduction 03:52 - Meet Erica: Community Organizer and Heritage Interpreter05:57 - The Role of Heritage Interpreters09:34 - Historical Context of the Stono Rebellion10:09 - Catalysts and Conditions Leading to the Rebellion18:42 - Risks and Consequences of the Uprising22:48 - Cultural Retention and African Ancestry35:23 - Timeline of Events of the Stono Rebellion35:54  - The March Southward and Encounters and Resistance41:22 - Legal Repercussions: The Negro Acts of 174044:44 - Mulatto Class and Social Dynamics51:52 - Commemoration and Erasure of the Stono Rebellion01:00:14 - Closing Thoughts and Reflections

Host Musa and new co-host Dartricia Rollins discuss our backgrounds and motivations for the podcast, our excitement for the upcoming season, and highlight some key episodes and guests we've got coming up. Dartricia introduces herself as an oral historian, archivist, and organizer, and Musa talks about the educational mission and origins of Groundings. Also... how Musa hates podcasts. We tease upcoming episodes on topics like class warfare in Black Atlanta, harm reduction organizing, and historical African uprisings. The audio you hear at the end is Safiya Bukhari speaking in 1998 at the Jericho98 March On Washington [full speech here]. Provide feedback and suggestions at: musaspringer@pm.meSupport the pod: Patreon.com/HalfAtlanta

In commemoration of Fanon's centennial, the interview covers his biography, many writings, including his books A Dying Colonialism, Wretched of the Earth, Black Skin, White Masks, and more. As well as Fanon’s participation in the Algerian revolutionary struggle and his theories of violence and decolonization. The broadcast also features the news of Fanon's daughter, Mirelle Fanon, being banned from the Caribbean Philosophical Association conference due to her Palestine advocacy on her fathers birthday. The news segment also includes a discussion of immigration agents demanding tenant information from landlords, stirring questions and confusion and the Georgia Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans suing to stop a new exhibit that wants to tell a broader story about Stone Mountain.Find all past episodes of RAP or listen live Mondays at 7pm EST at: https://wrfg.org/rap/Clip:Kwame Ture on Frantz Fanon and Pan-Africanism Music:Manzel Tala by Edmond MondésirFrantz Fanon 1952 by Jacques Coursil 

In this episode of Revolutionary African Perspectives — RAP — the co-hosts discuss the US and Israel’s most recent acts of imperial violence against Iran. They provide a historical timeline of how we got here before interviewing geopolitical analyst and journalist, Ajamu Baraka to provide additional context and analysis on why this is happening in the Middle East how it compares to previous interventions, as well as the over-stretching of empire with war in Ukraine and the desired pivot to China. Ajamu talks about why this is relevant to Black people specifically and what we can expect in the future.  The Middle East is On Fire Because Israeli and U.S. Imperialism Lit the Match — The Black Alliance for Peace [Statement]

This episode includes reflections on the historic tactics to counter the Confederate Memorial Day Rally at Stone Mountain. It also features co-host Musa's recent targeting and detainment by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in early April. RAP interviewed special guest, Atlanta rapper Khamansha Raphael and played exclusive unreleased tracks from his forthcoming album. The show concluded with a lifting up of Political Prisoner, Imam Jamil Al-Amin, who is suffering from poor health in prison for fighting for the liberation of all-oppressed peoples.______This audio is from a live recording on Monday, April 21, 2025 from 7pm to 8pm on WRFG Atlanta 89.3 FM.Co-hosts: Dartricia, Steven, and MusaCo-producer: Leyla and TaylorThis episode includes reflections on the historic tactics to counter the Confederate Memorial Day Rally at Stone Mountain. It also features co-host Musa's recent targeting and detainment by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in early April after international travel. RAP interviewed special guest, Atlanta rapper Khamansha Raphael and played exclusive unreleased tracks from his forthcoming album. The show concluded with a lifting up of Political Prisoner, Imam Jamil Al-Amin who is suffering from poor health in prison for fighting for the liberation of all-oppressed peoples.For more information, including an archive index of past RAP programs, please visit https://wrfg.org/rap/