This is the first official episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution.
This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss the Preamble, alongside Nikole Hannah-Jones.
Nikole is an investigative reporter for the New York Times Magazine and the Knight Chair in Race and Journalism at Howard University. She is most known for creating the 1619 Project, which posits that every aspect of America was shaped in some way by slavery and its legacy. She wrote about the Preamble in her opening essay for the 1619 Project, and brings an important perspective to the nation’s founding document.
Also, Elizabeth explains that while the United States generally does not allow a standing army to be used against civilians, Trump has been exploiting an exception to keep troops in Los Angeles to protect ICE agents — with terrifying implications.
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Listening to the cinstitution episode. You are discussing whether the black slaves are included.
I find it interesting that nobody discusses that even those who believed slavery should be eliminated did not believe that they should become part of the US. Ben Franklin was initially of the mind that all blacks should be freed, placed on ships and returned to the African continent. Just dropped off on a shore.
When it became clear that the numbers were too high for this achievement, he suggested the freed slaves be transported beyond the Appalachian mountains and be free to start their own country. It amazed me when I read of these early takes; I too find them naive and distasteful. Yet they do not get discussed. Why?