Too African to Be Muslim
Recently, someone working on an upcoming TV show asked me a few questions about enslaved…
Browsing: Commentary
Reclaiming and Reimagining Africa as the Motherland in Hip Hop
The African continent, its legacy, challenges, and history have long served as a focal point…
African Religions in U.S. Courts
In the Western Hemisphere, nearly every country that has a substantial population of people of…
Africa in the American Imagination
One of the charms of Africa for Americans has long been its purported blankness. The…
Process Explores the History of America and Africa
This week Process begins a series on the history of America and Africa. Inspired by…
Still Bringing the State Back In Private Prisons and Mass Incarceration
Mass incarceration has been a project of state building. Accordingly, when I teach my students…
The Notion of Tax Reform in Historical Perspective
With the recent release of the Trump administration’s tax plan, the notion of “tax reform”…
The Craft Beer Explosion: Why Here? Why Now?
We are in a golden age of beer. For example, in the small upstate New…
Why Maxey Flats Matters—or, How to Find New Environmental Icons
In 1962, with powers vested by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), Kentucky licensed a…
The Racial Wealth Gap and the Problem of Historical Narration
From articles in the liberal press to histories of the “Frontiers of Wealth” during “America’s…