MasterClass: Black History, Black Freedom, and Black Love

Seven Black thought leaders continue to illuminate Black American experiences. As they look toward the future, they offer clear-eyed discussion to challenge how you think about race and racism in America—and where we go from here.

Philosopher and theologian Cornel West explores the concept of white supremacy and 400 years of American history that reinforced it. He also covers how Black people created countervailing forces to affirm their dignity and worth.

History, law, and culture are stories. Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw emphasizes the importance of owning the narrative and telling the story of Black Americans in order to fight racial amnesia.

Veteran journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones argues that the time for reparations has finally arrived. Find out why investing in reparations is an investment in America’s future as much as it is a recompensation for the wrongs of the past.

Jelani Cobb reflects on a personal story that made him realize that people who seek to dehumanize you cannot do so without your consent. John McWhorter deconstructs the N-word—how it evolved and why he believes we shouldn’t give it power.

Nikole Hannah-Jones shares her reasoning for sending her own daughter to an all-Black, high-poverty school. She challenges all parents to embrace real equality and live their values when choosing how to educate their children.

Sherrilyn Ifill explains why Americans are ill-prepared to have a truly healing conversation about race. She challenges us to commit to creating common ground for that discussion by memorializing the painful truths of the past.

John McWhorter shares why he sees reparations as impractical. From affirmative action to sending checks to Black organizations, reparations have, he notes, existed in some form or another for generations with varying degrees of success.

Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw explains why advocates of anti-racism need to operate using an inclusive, intersectional framework—and why that approach is the only way to fight white supremacy.

Cornel West discusses why we cannot ignore or deny Black nihilism. He also highlights esteemed Harvard Law professor Derrick Bell, who believed racism was a permanent feature of the American experience but also dedicated his life to fighting it.

Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw speaks to how the American system of governance cannot be divorced from its origins in white supremacy. She also calls for a new “constitutional imaginary” to shape a better future.

Sherrilyn Ifill examines lessons learned in the 2020 presidential election and the insurgency that followed it. She considers how they are connected to historical realities in America and why Black people cannot leave power on the table.

True greatness requires service, sacrifice, and humility. Cornel West encourages young Black Americans to look beyond financial gain and publicity when seeking success.

Nikole Hannah-Jones reminds us of what history demonstrates: Black people have never been the problem; they have always been the solution for America.

In this multi-instructor lesson, John McWhorter, Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, and Sherrilyn Ifill share what they believe is the right way forward.

Angela Davis, Cornel West, and Jelani Cobb discuss how to live your commitment to liberation and justice through Black Love. Share your skills and talents, engage in honest self-critique, and remember that you are called to service.