“We Remember The Attempts To Be Free” Joy James on Black August and the Captive Maternal

In this interview we talk to Dr. Joy James. Joy James is the author of Shadowboxing: Representations of Black Feminist Politics, Transcending the Talented Tenth: Black Leaders and American Intellectuals, and Resisting State Violence: Radicalism, Gender and Race in US Culture. Her edited books include: Warfare in the American Homeland, The New Abolitionists: (Neo) Slave Narratives and Contemporary Prison Writings, Imprisoned Intellectuals, States of Confinement, The Black Feminist Reader (co-edited with TD Sharpley-Whiting), and the Angela Y. Davis Reader. Dr. James also serves as a Professor of Humanities at Williams College. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the murder of George Jackson and the subsequent Attica Rebellion. In our discussion with Dr. James we talk about both of those events, as well as about key Black August figures Jonathan Jackson and George Jackson. We also discuss James’ piece Airbrushing Revolution for the Sake of Abolition and ask her questions about Davis’s trial, and contradictions from within mass international campaigns like the campaign to free Davis.  Along the way we work-in questions on many of the topics of her writing on political prisoners, state violence, rebellion, and the Captive Maternal. We close by asking Dr. James to talk about the inspiration she finds in the speeches of Amilcar Cabral. If you like what we do and want to support our ability to have more conversations like this, please consider becoming a patron of the show. You can do that for just $1 a month. We bring you these conversations totally supported by our listeners with no corporate, state or grant funding. References: Imprisoned Intellectuals (pdf) "New Bones" Abolitionism, Communism and Captive Maternals Airbrushing Revolution for the Sake of Abolition George Jackson Dragon Philosopher and Revolutionary Abolitionist The Plurality of Abolitionism - Groundings (hosted by Devyn Springer & Felicia Denaud) BPP's Letter To The Hip Hop Community and we also had a conversation with BLA/BPP veteran Jamal Joseph about this letter Warfare In The American Homeland Black Panther Party Veteran Mutual Aid Fund