We explore the inconsistent history of the political slogan "America First." We are joined by environmental sociologist and Black Alliance for Peace Comrade, Kim Miller. We delve into the earliest documentation of America First including its use by the nativist "Know Nothing" party in 1855, tracing its evolution through various eras of American policy. Then we examine how the Monroe Doctrine coincides with sentiments. The discussion also covers its contemporary applications, such as in Secretary of State Marco Rubio's "Americas First Foreign Policy," particularly concerning Venezuela. By defining key concepts like nationalism, non-interventionism, and anti-imperialism, we seek to understand the various meanings—or lack thereof—that have been attached to "America First" throughout American history.

Kimberly Dawn Miller is an environmental sociologist who holds a PhD in Global Studies with a concentration in Sociology from Florida International University. Her dissertation, Ecotourism Development in the Nature Isle: Navigating the Politics of Eco-Cultural Sovereignty in Dominica, examines the intersections of ecotourism, post-disaster reconstruction, Indigenous cultural revival, and sustainable land-use politics in the Eastern Caribbean.

https://www.patreon.com/c/blackmyths

This episode challenges the myth that white supremacy inherently means white unity. We'll explore the various groups that existed before the white power movement unified, their differing politics, and why they haven't always been united. We'll examine how their ideology and aims shifted, what conditions led to these changes, and who they perceived as their enemies. We deal with the ideological differences and how flattening them creates confusion.

https://www.patreon.com/blackmyths

We dive into a critical examination of the 3rd Ku Klux Klan. This episode challenges the notion that the Klan was simply a product of its time to be understood as a bad group of individuals representing white supremacy, as opposed to a strain of white supremacy that many people opposed.

We return with Rasul Mowatt to review the history of the KKK's decline in the 1940s and 50s to its resurgence through multiple chapters during the Civil Rights Movement. Discover the tactics, motivations, and ultimate failures of the Klan in preventing the formal end of Jim Crow. We'll also delve into the Greensboro massacre and its precursors, examining the characters involved and the tragic events of November 3rd, 1979, and the accountability (or lack thereof) that followed. Finally, we explore how even within white supremacist circles, there was pushback against their extreme methods, ultimately paving the way for a new, darker white power movement.

Some Sources:

Klansman's Manual (1925) https://history.hanover.edu/courses/excerpts/336KKKmanual.html

Hooded Americanism

https://www.dukeupress.edu/hooded-americanism

Klansville, U.S.A.: The Rise and Fall of the Civil Rights-Era Ku Klux Klan

https://www.amazon.com/Klansville-U-S-Civil-Rights-Era/dp/0199752028

Patreon

https://www.patreon.com/c/blackmythsth

We return for part 2 of our series as we delve into the common misconception that the Ku Klux Klan was primarily a movement of poor white individuals. It explores the historical context of urbanization, industrialization, and the aftermath of war in the early 1900s, examining how these factors contributed to the grievances of middle-class white Protestant men and impacted labor dynamics. The episode will also discuss the founding of the second Klan in 1915, the significant influence of D.W. Griffith's film "Birth of a Nation," and how the Klan evolved from a small organization into a national movement. Listeners will learn about the Klan's prominent areas, their political aims, and why their focus extended beyond Black people to emphasize white Protestantism. A specific segment will explore the Indiana chapter, its unique characteristics, and its unexpected popularity in cities with small numbers of its perceived enemies. Finally, the podcast will analyze the rapid decline of the second Klan by 1930 and how its successes and failures laid the groundwork for future iterations of the organization.

Some Sources

The Rise of the Ku Klux Klan: Right-Wing Movements and National Politics The Ku Klux Klan in the Heartland

An extended episode can be found on our Patreon

00:10:23 - Whiteness 00:17:55 - Political Economy of the Klan 00:55:28 - Birth of a Nation 01:31:35 - KKK Organizing 01:48:44 - KKK Political Aims 01:58:53 - KKK Decline 02:18:40 - Last Thoughts

In this episode, we are joined by friend of the show and scholar, Rasul Mowatt, to challenge the myth that the Ku Klux Klan began in Indiana, exploring the 1st wave of the Ku Klux Klan, known then as the "KuKlux." We analyse the post-Civil War context that led to the rise of white supremacist groups, vigilantism, and the Klan's origins, spread, and eventual decline. We also delve into the role of other white supremacist groups in picking up the Klan's mantle, such as the Red Shirts. This is a part of a series covering each historical wave of the Klan. Join us as we uncover the true history of the Klan and its enduring impact.

Rasul A. Mowatt is a son of Chicago and a subject of empire, while dwelling within notions of statelessness, settler colonial mentality, and anti-capitalism. Rasul also functions in the State as a Department Head in the College of Natural Resources, as an Interim Department Head in the Division of Academic and Student Affairs, and as an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at North Carolina State University. He is the author of the book The Geographies of Threat and the Production of Violence: The City and State Between Us.

Some sources

White Terror: The Ku Klux Klan Conspiracy and Southern Reconstruction

https://lsupress.org/9780807178744/white-terror/

Hooded Americanism: The History of the Ku Klux Klan

https://www.dukeupress.edu/hooded-americanism

patreon.com/blackmyths

In this episode, we are joined by friend of the show and scholar, Rasul Mowatt, to challenge the myth that the Ku Klux Klan began in Indiana, exploring the 1st wave of the Ku Klux Klan, known then as the "KuKlux." We analyse the post-Civil War context that led to the rise of white supremacist groups, vigilantism, and the Klan's origins, spread, and eventual decline. We also delve into the role of other white supremacist groups in picking up the Klan's mantle, such as the Red Shirts. This is a part of a series covering each historical wave of the Klan. Join us as we uncover the true history of the Klan and its enduring impact.

Rasul A. Mowatt is a son of Chicago and a subject of empire, while dwelling within notions of statelessness, settler colonial mentality, and anti-capitalism. Rasul also functions in the State as a Department Head in the College of Natural Resources, as an Interim Department Head in the Division of Academic and Student Affairs, and as an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at North Carolina State University. He is the author of the book The Geographies of Threat and the Production of Violence: The City and State Between Us.

Some sources

White Terror: The Ku Klux Klan Conspiracy and Southern Reconstruction

https://lsupress.org/9780807178744/white-terror/

Hooded Americanism: The History of the Ku Klux Klan

https://www.dukeupress.edu/hooded-americanism

patreon.com/blackmyths

00:04:22 - Monologue

00:08:15 - Opening Thoughts

00:35:45 - War & Vigilantism

01:08:13 - Kuklux Origins

01:42:26 - Red Shirts & Them

01:57:51 - Compromise Inevitable

02:01:59 - The Clansman & Psychology

In this episode, the entire crew is back and we're diving into myth: Black Capitalism = Sovereignty,' which challenges the idea that Black capitalism is the path to true sovereignty. Our discussion pulls from a recent piece written by co-host Too Black, titled "Kids' corner economics: What tariffs teach us about Black capitalism."

We explore key economic concepts like trade, tariffs, protectionism, and free trade, using real-world examples to show how these forces impact Black businesses within a globalized economy shaped by white supremacy. We focus on the two primary myths of Black capitalist ethos: the 'circulating Black dollar' and 'Black buying power,' arguing that these concepts often misrepresent the economic realities and limitations faced by Black people. Ultimately, this episode prompts us to consider what real sovereignty looks like and how to pursue it beyond the confines of capitalist structures

Kids' corner economics: What tariffs teach us about Black capitalism

patreon.com/blackmyths

Intro - 00:00:00

Monologue - 00:18:13

Trade and Tariffs explained - 00:20:39

Brief history of modern trade and tariffs - 00:46:12

Circulating Black Dollar and Trade - 01:10:22

Black Buying Power and Trade - 01:46:09

Closing Thoughts - 02:00:18

n this episode we dispel the idea that Trump's federalization of DC police is an abberation from what has already been happening in DC. Rather, it should be understood as an escalation of an ongoing bipartisan project committed to dissolving the thin line between police and military. To help us discuss this myth, we invite guests Oliver Robinson and Erica Caines. Oliver Robinson is an organizer in Pan-African Community Action (PACA), a DC-based group of African people organizing for locally based power. Erica Caines is a writer and organizer in Baltimore and the DMV. Caines is the national coordinator of The Black Alliance For Peace, editor at Hood Communist, and founder of #LiberationThroughReading, providing African children with books that represent them. End the Colonial Occupation of Washington D.C.: The People Demand Self-Determination and Self-Governance https://blackallianceforpeace.com/bapstatements/end-the-colonial-occupation-of-washington-dc Trump Terror, Complicit Local Leadership, and the Assault Against Southeast D.C. https://blackagendareport.com/trump-terror-complicit-local-leadership-and-assault-against-southeast-dc

We return for part 2 of our myth, "this ain't our fight." This time, we have a different guest named Joan Agoh. She is one of the coordinators of BAP So-CAL and works full-time in immigrant justice. She's involved with mutual aid groups in Los Angeles and is one of the coordinators at the Radical Hood Library. We discuss the erasure of Black people in the immigration fight, organizing against ICE, Birthright Citizenship, and the "Big Beautiful Bill." https://www.patreon.com/blackmyths

In this episode, we examine the myth "This Ain't Our Fight" concerning the issue of immigration. Recently, protests broke out in Los Angeles, California, following highly aggressive ICE Raids. As protests were occurring, there was a trending response by some Black people that "this ain't our fight" implying that families being separated is not relevant to American-born Black folks. We talk with Southern California-based organizer Kim Moore to discuss the fallacies of this claim. Kim has been a community organizer for 20 years in San Diego County and is a member of the Black Alliance for Peace So-Cal City Wide Alliance. https://www.instagram.com/socalbap?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=emN1dXAwNjN3Nmdr patreon.com/blackmyths 00:00:00 Intro 00:07:39 This Ain't Our Fight 00:24:28 Immigration As a "Black Issue" 00:46:37 Imperialism and Complicity 01:03:02 Outro