Black Agenda Radio - 08.13.18

Welcome to the radio magazine that brings you news, commentary and analysis from a Black Left perspective. I’m Glen Ford, along with my co-host Nellie Bailey. Coming up: The Black economic condition has dramatically worsened in the 21st Century, with median Black household wealth on a track to disappearing entirely in the next few decades. However, the author of a new book says there’s not much that Black-owned banks can do to head of the disaster. And, the nation’s best known political prisoner has been behind bars for 35 years, but his supporters are stepping up the Campaign to Bring Mumia Home.

Donald Trump’s presidency has seen U.S. prestige in the world hit new lows. But the U.S. had long been regarded as having little respect for international law. Black Agenda Report contributor Danny Haiphong has teamed up with Roberto Sirvent to author an upcoming book, titled, “American Exceptionalism and American Innocence: The Fake News of Wall Street, White Supremacy and the U.S. War Machine.” Haiphong says Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were champions of American exceptionalism.

Danny Haiphong’s co-author, Roberto Sirvent, is the editor of the Black Agenda Book Forum. Last week, the BAR Book Forum featured Mehrsa BaRAdaran, author of “The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap.” BaRAdaran is a law professor at the University of Georgia, specializing in banking law. She says Black banks are useful and should be supported, but they are not the solution to Black economic precariousness and the drastic decline of household Black wealth

This month is known as “Black August” among many Black activists, a month to remember political prisoners and those that have died in service to the Liberation Movement. Mumia Abu Jamal has spent the last 35 years behind bars in the death of a Philadelphia policeman. Hearings resume on his contention that judicial bias led to his wrongful conviction. And, Dr. Johanna Fernandez, of the Campaign to Bring Mumia Home, says there is photographic evidence of police tampering with evidence. Dr. Fernandez was part of the group that produced the 2010 film, “Justice on Trial,” which is being screened on August 23rd at the Maysles Cinema, In Harlem. She was interviewed by Black Agenda Radio producer Kyle Fraser.