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Black Cotton: Live Free or Die
A few weeks ago, Kip Carr called me "the Harriet Tubman of this century." And when he said it, I didn't know what to do with it. I didn't know if I was worthy of that title. I didn't know if I could live up to it.
But then he said something else. He said:
"The way that some of these Black people fetch and step to Mr. Charlie, Harriet would've shot them in the back of the head."
And I realized: He's not just giving me a compliment. He's giving me a calling.
In this episode, I teach you about the Harriet Tubman they didn't teach you about in school. Not the gentle, kind woman who led people to freedom with a smile and a prayer. But Harriet Tubman the revolutionary. Harriet Tubman the disruptor. Harriet Tubman the woman with a gun who was willing to kill to protect the freedom struggle.
I take you through the lineage of Black revolutionaries who refused to betray the freedom struggle—even when it cost them everything:
Harriet Tubman (1822-1913): The woman who went back to the South 13 times, carried a gun, and told the people she was leading: "You'll be free or die. Dead folks tell no tales. You go on or die." She was willing to shoot people who wanted to turn back—because their betrayal would cost lives.
Malcolm X (1925-1965): The man who discovered the Nation of Islam's corruption and was faced with a choice: stay silent or speak the truth. He chose the truth. He said: "I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it's for or against." And on February 21, 1965, the Nation of Islam killed him for it.
Fred Hampton (1948-1969): The 21-year-old chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party who was building a multiracial, working-class revolution. The FBI tried to co-opt him. He refused. He said: "You can kill a revolutionary, but you can't kill the revolution." And on December 4, 1969, the FBI assassinated him in his sleep.
Assata Shakur (1947-present): The revolutionary who was convicted of a crime she didn't commit and sentenced to life in prison. She was faced with a choice: accept captivity or escape and live in exile. She chose freedom. She escaped in 1979 and has lived in Cuba for over 40 years. She said: "It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains."
The pattern is clear: Black people who refuse to betray the freedom struggle are killed, exiled, or erased. But they leave us a blueprint.
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By Hilerie LindA few weeks ago, Kip Carr called me "the Harriet Tubman of this century." And when he said it, I didn't know what to do with it. I didn't know if I was worthy of that title. I didn't know if I could live up to it.
But then he said something else. He said:
"The way that some of these Black people fetch and step to Mr. Charlie, Harriet would've shot them in the back of the head."
And I realized: He's not just giving me a compliment. He's giving me a calling.
In this episode, I teach you about the Harriet Tubman they didn't teach you about in school. Not the gentle, kind woman who led people to freedom with a smile and a prayer. But Harriet Tubman the revolutionary. Harriet Tubman the disruptor. Harriet Tubman the woman with a gun who was willing to kill to protect the freedom struggle.
I take you through the lineage of Black revolutionaries who refused to betray the freedom struggle—even when it cost them everything:
Harriet Tubman (1822-1913): The woman who went back to the South 13 times, carried a gun, and told the people she was leading: "You'll be free or die. Dead folks tell no tales. You go on or die." She was willing to shoot people who wanted to turn back—because their betrayal would cost lives.
Malcolm X (1925-1965): The man who discovered the Nation of Islam's corruption and was faced with a choice: stay silent or speak the truth. He chose the truth. He said: "I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it's for or against." And on February 21, 1965, the Nation of Islam killed him for it.
Fred Hampton (1948-1969): The 21-year-old chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party who was building a multiracial, working-class revolution. The FBI tried to co-opt him. He refused. He said: "You can kill a revolutionary, but you can't kill the revolution." And on December 4, 1969, the FBI assassinated him in his sleep.
Assata Shakur (1947-present): The revolutionary who was convicted of a crime she didn't commit and sentenced to life in prison. She was faced with a choice: accept captivity or escape and live in exile. She chose freedom. She escaped in 1979 and has lived in Cuba for over 40 years. She said: "It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains."
The pattern is clear: Black people who refuse to betray the freedom struggle are killed, exiled, or erased. But they leave us a blueprint.