Independent since 2002 Issue No. 1102 Week of November 7, 2026 Get the free email dispatch →

Category: View from the Battlefield

View from the Battlefield

Discovering New Insights Into the Transatlantic Slave Trade

By Jamala Rogers Editorial Board

He provides the reader with captivating aerial perspectives and close-up encounters which frame the complex relationships that both fueled and obstructed the infamous slave trade.

How I became the 443rd captive on the Zorg When I came across the title The Zorg several months ago, the ship’s name did not ring…

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View from the Battlefield

Putting an End to Voting Rights Laws (It’s time to stop all the Act-ing)

By Jamala Rogers Editorial Board

In the current racist political climate and with MAGA at the helm, Black folks seem to be one legislative stroke away from being full-fledged citizens.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is hemorrhaging. First, the knife to its gut with the Shelby County v. Holder ruling in 2013. Then came the…

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View from the Battlefield

Play It Safe, Lose, Then Repeat – The Democratic Party elites need a course correction

By Jamala Rogers Editorial Board

The Democratic elites have ignored criticism of their racial and gender preferences, and now it’s coming to a head.

The elites who run the Democratic Party have been slow learners. For years, the Party has relied on targeting swing states and running centrist, mainly white…

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View from the Battlefield

Trump’s War and Its Brown Casualties

By Jamala Rogers Editorial Board

We can expect more deadly conflicts with ICE as the midterm elections get closer.

The news of the latest casualties from trump’s war came while he was chillin’ at the FIFA World Cup final. He promised retaliation. Since trump’s attack…

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View from the Battlefield

The Nation Never Looked Blacker

By Jamala Rogers Editorial Board

The impact of chattel slavery is ugly and real, but it was never our destiny.

I talked with family and friends across the county and concluded that the 4th of July hit differently this year. Even if they were not aware…

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View from the Battlefield

The United States at 250 Years

By Jamala Rogers Editorial Board

Our ancestors gifted us with the concept of Sankofa, which translates to "go back and get it." This means that we must examine the past to inform, build, and guide our future.

Coming out of jubilant Juneteenth celebrations, most Black people in the U.S. are feeling far less celebratory towards the 4th of July in 2026. We have…

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View from the Battlefield

Assata Shakur, King, Cuba and U.S. Imperialism

By Jamala Rogers Editorial Board

Repression, racism, and war are features of imperialism that have consistently raised their ugly heads under the trump administration.

The historic events and themes gently came together in poetic power. The memorial service for Assata Shakur was held recently at Riverside Church. The space was…

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View from the Battlefield

Tired of People Playing Fast and Loose With Our Dead

By Jamala Rogers Editorial Board

Today, we find ourselves without voter protections and potentially just a legislative action or court ruling away from no right to vote.

A recent excerpt of Dr. Eddie Glaude’s response to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on voting rights went viral. Glaude is a frequent guest on “MS…

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View from the Battlefield

An Early Morning Meeting from Mar-a-Lago

By Jamala Rogers Editorial Board

You Americans always say, it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Operation Epic Fury was launched to display the U.S. military might in the Middle East. What was promised as a quick attack on Iran has dragged…

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View from the Battlefield

Slavery by Any Name Will Always Be Inhumane and Evil

By Jamala Rogers Editorial Board

We can't remember if we don't know. If we don't know about the atrocities of slavery, we can't fight for reparations.

I heard about the United Nations General Assembly’s resolution on slavery about the same time I finished reading The Zorg: A Tale of Greed and Murder…

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