Author: Reggie Jackson

In the past several years in this country we have witnessed an alarming rise in hateful words turn into violent actions. This is not a novel occurrence as some speculate. America has been here before. Americans seem to have less of a reaction to hate speech towards Black people, as we are seeing in this current election cycle. Just because the hateful words are in the form of a dog whistle does not mean we cannot see them for what they are. Black people long ago deciphered the code and are cognizant of how we are marginalized and attacked...

“The FBI has received credible information of a broad threat to synagogues in NJ. We ask at this time that you take all security precautions to protect your community and facility.” – FBI Bulletin On a day when the FBI issues a warning of a credible threat to synagogues across New Jersey, the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets suspend Kyrie Irving for promoting antisemitism and refusing on multiple occasions to apologize. This in the aftermath of rapper Kanye West being willing to tear down much of his fortune because he too, chose to intentionally make antisemitic remarks and then admitted to...

Sometimes in life you hear a story that seems hard to believe. A number of years ago a woman named Rikki walked up to me after a presentation I had done and asked if she could share her husband Derek’s story. I said of course you can. She told me that her husband had been in prison since the 1990s. He was charged and convicted in relation to a grocery store robbery. Witnesses described the three assailants as dark skinned Black men. They made the workers in the store open the safe, they took the money and left. No...

The Next Act Theatre production of playwright James Ijames’ play “Kill Move Paradise” as an emotional rollercoaster. The four characters Isa (Marques Causey), Grif (braheem Farmer), Daz (Dimonte Henning), and Tiny (Joseph Brown Jr.), find themselves one by one, descending into a mysterious place after being torn away from their seemingly normal lives. Slowly but surely, they discover that they are simply the latest four names added to a never-ending list of Blacks killed by police and vigilantes. Inspired by the killing of 12-year-old Tamir Rice by Cleveland police in 2012, the play shows the anguish of the afterlife...

“If you were to pay me is there anyway the media can find out where it came from and how much?” – Brett Favre text message to Nancy New on August 3, 2017 “No, we never have had that information publicized. I understand you being uneasy about that though…” – Nancy New text message reply “Oh thanks.” – Brett Favre reply In recent weeks very little media attention has been paid to the welfare fraud scandal in my home state of Mississippi involving Green Bay Packer legend, QB Brett Favre. The multi-million dollar scam would seem to have all...

I once had a dream that I was attacked while giving a presentation about the history of racism while I was in a rural community in northern Wisconsin. I think it came from a fear family members had about my safety doing the work I do. It is one of those dreams that I only remembered pieces of but not many details. Those thoughts of being in danger have become more active lately after the murderous rampage in Buffalo back in May when 10 innocent people shopping or working lost their lives simply because they were Black. Thoughts of...