As I write this on Juneteenth, the celebration of the end of slavery on June 19, 1865, we are putting together the last edits for our show this weekend. And I’m thinking about how much history and culture we are missing in America, ignoring or pretending it does not exist, because of systemic racism.
This week on TTBOOK, we’re delving into some of these stories, specifically looking at racism in the criminal justice system, from police departments to prisons. We talk with people who shed light on the problems and offer solutions and ways to better our understanding.
Voices on "Breaking the Chains" include civil rights lawyers Michelle Alexander and Connie Rice, historian Khalil Gabrin Muhammad, "Just Mercy" author Bryan Stevenson and prison abolitionist Ruth Wilson Gilmore.
You’ll also hear novelist Colson Whitehead and Malcolm Gladwell recommending Franklin Zimring’s book "When Police Kill."
And if you want to learn more about Juneteenth, the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture put together this story "The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth," with archival photos and records. It’s known as the "Second Independence Day," but it’s still not a national holiday. Yet.