Nelson Mandela celebrated his 94th birthday earlier this week, a big news event here in the United States given that he is one of the few African leaders we here are familiar with. It is hard to argue that the period of apartheid in South Africa, and the U.S. coverage of the heroes who ended it put Africa on the front pages in a way we haven't seen in the decades since. Yes, we see poor, starving African children on UNICEF ads, hear about money sent to combat AIDS, and we hear about monsters like Charles Taylor. But to say that we're missing the forest for the trees when it comes to the African diaspora is an understatement. And that applies to those of us of African descent perhaps most specifically.
Today, Melissa will start the conversation (or, at least, amplify the one that's already happening) about the diaspora which will, hopefully, serve as a corrective. She'll have an assist from South Sudanese supermodel and activist Alek Wek, whose work in her (new) home country is geared currently towards generating support for agriculture, health, and education projects.
We'll also, as the Olympics approach, tackle issues surrounding the politics in our sports with John Carlos, who along with U.S. teammate Tommie Smith, created one of the most iconic images of the civil rights era by raising his black-gloved fist in the air on the medal stand during the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. We'll also bring you the very latest on today's breaking news from the child sex abuse scandal that has sullied the reputation of Penn State as a football program and university.
Lastly, we'll take you into the fire with some African American chefs, and talk about the diversity of the folks preparing not just traditional African American cuisine, but all flavors hitting your palette. Our guests will include:
- Jonathan Alter, Bloomberg View columnist, and author of "The Promise."
- Chef Tiffany Derry, executive chef of Private Social in Dallas, TX.
- Donna DeVarona, Olympic gold medalist in swimming, and journalist who has covered 17 Olympics.
- Charlotte Druckman, contributor to the Off Duty section of the Wall Street Journal Weekend, and author of the forthcoming "Skirt Steak."
- Jemele Hill, ESPN.com columnist.
- Chef Syrena Johnson, recipient of the 2011-2012 Chefs Move! scholarship.
- Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and former member of the House Subcommittee on Africa.
- Mark Quarterman, research director, Enough Project.
- Michael Ralph, assistant professor, Social & Cultural Analysis, New York University.
- Dave Zirin, sports editor for The Nation magazine.
We hope that you interact with us during the show here in the comments of this post, on Facebook, and on Twitter, using the hashtag #nerdland -- and encourage others to do the same. We look forward to having you join us at 10am ET on msnbc!
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The Palestinians killed at the 1972 Olympics in Munich were the kidnappers.
The kidnapping of the Israeli team was premeditated. This terrorist group of Palestinians has explosives and sophisticated weapons.
On the other hand, the Israelis were athletes who were there to compete on the field.
Please clarify your report. This was not just a political statement by the terrorist group. This was remediated murder.
MHP noted that the Carlos. Tommie Smith protest came after the '64, '65 Civil Rights legislation, because there was a sense that there was more to do. True. It might be added, however, that the protest also came in the wake of the assasinations of MLK and Bobby Kennedy in the late spring of '68--just a few months before the Mexico City Olympics. Relevant historical context, I think.
Anyway, I vividly remember how inspiring it was to see Carlos's and Smith's protest, watching the Olympics as a 15 year old in Athens, Ohio.
Love your show, and enjoy the break for the Olympics.
I'm a snowbird from MN living near BR, LA for a decade, with my partner (native to NOLA.)
You give voice to a great city
Heather Small LONDON Olympics, (this song was also used on Queer as Folk, aswell as Ms. Small's own video)
Melissa: Great show today (7-22-12) as always. Please cite source or just post the Jesse Jackson quote you used on being BLACK vs being AFRICAN AMERICAN. I could use this as a warm up in my African American History class. www.aahistoryk12.com
I'm sorry for posting this here but im not sure where else to do this. Q. Has anyone considered that the CO. shooter might have a brain tumor. The change in this guy seems sudden. I enjoy both u and chris on the weekends. Great rational, probing conversations.
Jim Thorpe 1912 Gold Medal Olympian [of Color]
RE: MHP Review of Sports Legends of Color & their potential to Impact civil status & social consciousness
I always tune in & enjoy your program. And though I appreciate the difficulty of being all knowing & all inclusive on all topics, all the time... I do wish Jim Thorpe had been included in your overview of groundbreaking Olympians of color. Thorpe grew-up entirely in the Native American culture and, while often noted as being of "mixed ancestry", he lived in a time when the "one drop rule" was heartily applied to Native Americans. Athletes were largely segregated into "Indian Teams", etc. Most significantly, with regard to your topic, Thorpe was "Indian" by the popular consensus of his day. He succeeded under circumstances of significant adversity & oppression, and was an inspirational figure for generations of Native Americans and aspiring athletes alike.
In case your oversight was due to Thorpe's achievements being unknown to you, a few facts to whet the appetite of a self proclaimed sports-nerd, in hopes you will look up more (there Is So Much More than this):
~ Won 2 Olympic Gold medals in 1912 [decathlon & pentathlon], wearing misfitted shoes of two different sizes, taken from the trash after his own shoes were stolen at the event.
~ Stripped of his medals in 1913 when new rules were implemented for amateur status and the Olympic committee oddly decided to apply the rule change to Thorpe retroactively.
~ Medals restored by Olympic Committee in 1983, long after his death & numerous appeals.
~ Considered by many to be one of the most versatile athletes in modern sports, going on after the Olympic to have a stand-out career in both Baseball & Football (later discovered to have played professional Basketball as well).
~ ABC poll of sports fans designated him the "Greatest Athlete of the 20th Century" in a slate of 15, including Michael Jordan, Jack Nicklaus, Muhammad Ali, Jesse Owens & Babe Ruth. ESPN ranked him third in the century, after Jordan & Owens.
~ The list of accomplishments as a star player, & of the many retrospective awards, goes on...
He also preceded the Olympics with a winning Football "college career" (All American 1911 & 1912). But as with many athletes today, his college experience probably did not leave him very well educated. When his truly radiant athletic career ended, he found himself pretty unemployable outside sports (in 1920-1930's depression America). Unfortunately his later life wound down to a fairly ignominious conclusion, including alcoholism & financial disrepair. Still for sports-nerds, his is a fascinating biography worthy of note regardless of his color. And perhaps it remains of particular note for those disenfranchised kids who today still live in circumstances not unlike those of his day.
Native American's were not "granted" Citizenship until 1925. Even after this, unrelenting organized pressure to convert, assimilate & abandon their cultural continued unabated. Fuller Civil Rights were not legislated until their own bill was adopted in 1968. My grandfather was also a "Half-Breed" of Thorpe's generation and was inspired by him. Though, in many ways, Grandfather was perhaps a luckier man than Thorpe. While also marginalized, some might say he had an all around more satisfying private & professional life than Thorpe, or of many "Half-Brreds" of his day. Still, I grieve the the losses imposed on these winners, and the limits placed on the lives that they were entitled to have lived more fully & more richly. In light of this, I wish we might remember & honor what they achieved, against the odds & in the context of their times.
If I mistook the thrust or mission of the piece broadcast Sunday 7/22, then I apologize for these misplaced comments. Thank you for your always refreshing programming & your often challenging insights,
M. Tolman
PS~ It would be greatly appreciated if MHP, and MSNBC in general, would make it easier for those who reject Facebook, & who abhor Twittering, to still communicate & comment on programming by email. Or are we left only to Snail-Mail?
I am looking for more info on a "Footnote" item from Sat 07/21.
Why isn't there a tag "Footnote"? Or maybe I just don't know how to find it.
MHP gives us lots of info to look into - but when watching live, it is difficult to get it all & I can't find it on this site. Blog creators - MHP is a teacher - she gives us info - pls give us more content so we can read more or follow up... Thanks
I am particularly interested in the poor woman, in jail as an illegal who had her daughter taken away from her - so sad & IMO criminal... anybody?
I agree with R.J. Dore's comment that the "Palestinians killed at the 1972 Olympics in Munich were the kidnappers. The kidnapping of the Israeli team was premeditated. This terrorist group of Palestinians has explosives and sophisticated weapons. On the other hand, the Israelis were athletes who were there to compete on the field."
As a professor, Melissa Harris-Perry is presumably interested in conveying knowledge. As a TV news personality, she often effectively highlights injustice. From everything her loyal viewers know about MHP, one would think she would want to clarify this on her next show and make sure all her viewers know that the Israeli athletes were innocent sportspeople and that the Palestinian terrorists were bent on murder, kidnapping, and interuption of the peaceful spirit of the games. I would think that MHP wouldn't want this unfortunate misleading information to go without clarification and correction!