PARIS: IT'S BEEN A REALLY SPECIAL BLACK HISTORY MONTH BECAUSE THIS ONE MARKED 100 YEARS SINCE CARTER G. WOODSON STARTED IT PRECURSE OTHER, NEGRO HISTORY WEEK.

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED SINCE THEN?

IN THE 1920'S AND 1930'S, WE LEARNED TURN TO BLACK ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS THEN ON TO THE 1940'S WHERE WE LEARNED THAT IF YOU WANT TO DESEGREGATE THE U.S.

MILITARY, START WITH BLACK FIGHTER PILOTS.

NEXT UP, THE 1950'S AND 1960'S WHICH TAUGHT US THAT IF YOU WANT TO INTEGRATE BUSES IN SCHOOLS, START WITH BLACK WOMEN.

FAST FORWARD TO THE 19 FESTIVITIES ARE WHERE WE LEARNED THAT EVEN ASSASSINATIONS CANNOT STOP BLACK POWER.

AND THE 1980'S.

AND THE 1990'S WHEN TAUGHT US THAT A MILLION BLACK MEN CAN STAND ON THE NATION'S CAPITAL EVEN WHEN BEING UNJUSTLY ASSAULTED BY POLICE.

AND THE 2,000'S WHEN WE LEARNED THAT A BLACK MAN COULD BE ELECTED PRESIDENT, TWICE.

AND NOW IN THE 20 20'S, WE'VE HAD TO REMIND FOLKS ONE TOO MANY TIMES.

IT'S EASY TO THINK THAT IN 2026 BLACK HISTORY IS THREATENED BUT AS LONG AS WE'RE HERE, OUR HISTORY WILL BE TOO.

EVERY TIME THAT AMERICA CATCHES A CASE OF AMNESIA WE'RE IN IT'S CONSCIOUSNESS OF LIVING PROOF NOT NECESSARILY AS TO HOW THIS COUNTRY HAS TREATED US BUT OF HOW WE'VE LIVED IT NEVERTHELESS.

WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT MORE HISTORY TO MAKE.

EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST A DISTRACTION.

WE KNOW THE PROBLEM.

NOW LET'S GET TO THE ROOT OF IT.

I'M PARIS ALSTON AND THIS IS "NEWS ROOTED."

>> I THINK BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS A VERY IMPORTANT MONTH.

IT CELEBRATES BLACK PEOPLE AND NOT JUST BLACK PEOPLE ALONE, I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO CELEBRATE.

>> WE CAME SO FAR.

MY ANCESTORS FOUGHT FOR THIS COUNTRY, BUILT IT AND I AM JUST A REWARD OF IT.

>> THIS MONTH HAS BEEN KIND OF -- ESPECIALLY WITH THE JOB I WORK BECAUSE I WORK IN SECURITY AND WE'RE VERY DIVERSE BUT IT IS A LOT OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS SO WE'RE PRETTY MUCH VERY CLOSE AND WE TRY TO STICK TOGETHER.

WE ALSO TRY TO SHARE INSPIRING STORIES FOR EACH OTHER.

I FEEL LIKE FOR THE 100TH YEAR WE'VE BEEN DOING OK BUT WE COULD DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

>> 100 YEARS OF BLACK HISTORY, LEGACY COMES UP FOR ME.

A NUMBER OF YEARS OF RECOGNITION OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND BLACK INDIVIDUALS HAVE PROVIDED TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND 100 YEARS, WE HAVE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO.

100 YEARS HASN'T ACCOMPLISHED EVERYTHING BUT SAYS A LOT ABOUT WHERE WE'VE COME AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.

>> I THINK IT'S FANTASTIC.

I'M FOR THAT ALTHOUGH I IN MY HEART IN MYSELF I BELIEVE WE ARE ALL ONE.

THERE ARE NO COLOR BARRIERS WITH ME, MYSELF, AND I. WE, LIKE THE SONG SAYS, WE ARE ONE, WE ARE ONE.

PARIS: RIGHT NOW ON "ROOTED" DOES BLACK HISTORY MONTH STILL HIT THE SAME 100 YEARS LATER.

WE DISCUSS WITH CARPENTER JACKSON, A COMEDIAN AND A PROFESSOR.

PERIPHERY CARTER, IN 1926 CARTER GM ROAD HOUSE SET OUT TO MAKE BLACK HISTORY FOUNDATIONAL WHEN HE STARTED BLACK HISTORY WEEK.

ARE WE CLOSER TO THAT GOAL OR DRIFTING AWAY FROM IT?

>> OH, MAN.

IN THIS CURRENT MOMENT, I UNFORTUNATELY WOULD HAVE TO SAY DRIFTING AWAY.

ON SOME HAND I FEEL LIKE CARTER COULD NEVER IMAGINE THAT A CENTURY LATER WE WOULD STILL BE CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

THAT THE WEEK WOULD HAVE EVOLVED TO A MONTH AND THAT WE'D STILL BE CELEBRATING AND BRINGING JOY 365.

I DON'T THINK BLACK HISTORY IS EASY TO CELEBRATE RIGHT NOW.

ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY PEOPLE ARE ROLLING BACK THEIR SIGNAGE, THEIR MEMORIALS, THEIR INVITATIONS TO BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPEAKERS.

THERE IS A REAL TIPPEDNESS ABOUT HOW PEOPLE CELEBRATE AND HOW VOCALLER IN ABOUT IT AND I THINK IT'S A DIRECT CORRELATION TO OUR POLITICAL MOMENT.

PARIS: HMM, AND SHANE, AT THE SAME TIME THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION IN THE ZEITGEIST ABOUT THE LIMITS OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

IT'S NOT QUITE A YEAR.

THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT CARTER G. WOODSON WOULD ALSO HOPE THAT HAD HAPPEN.

IT WAS A YEAR LONG CELEBRATION AND YES, WE HIGHLIGHT IT BEYOND A SPECIFIC TIME OF YEAR.

HAVE WE EVOLVED BEYOND HAVING A MONTH DESIGNATED TO THIS?

>> DEFINITELY.

AND THE THAT COMES FROM ME REALLY TALKING TO SOME OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION AND SEEING HOW SOME ARE DISCONNECTED FROM THE OLDER TALKING POINTS OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

EVEN THOUGH THOSE THINGS STILL MATTER.

WE ALL KNOW BLACK HISTORY IS LIFE HISTORY, IT'S WORLD HISTORY FOR TO US TO EXPAND IN OUR MIND AND REALIZE IT'S MORE THAN JUST A MONTH I THINK IS IMPORTANT MOVING FORWARD.

PARIS: AND JASON, WHAT ARE THOSE OLD TALKING POINTS AND WHY DO WE HEAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THEM?

>> I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE TALK ABOUT M.L.K.

A LOT.

A LOT OF BLACK HISTORY PEOPLE TALK ABOUT STAYS IN THIS 30-YEAR PERIOD.

LIKE THE 70'S, 70'S, A LITTLE BIT OF 80'S.

WE'VE NOW HEARD IT TO DEATH BUT IT'S NOT IN A PROGRESSIVE WAY.

IT'S LIKE, HEY, REMEMBER WHEN THIS HAPPENED?

IT'S A LOT LIKE RECOGNIZE WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND I THINK A LOT MORE MODERN THINGS HAVE HAPPENED THAT ARE STILL HISTORY THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT THAT'S MORE VIABLE AND INTERESTING AT THIS POINT.

NOT SAYING THE OTHERS DON'T MATTER BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE TO TALK ABOUT.

>> THERE'S A LOT MORE TO TALK ABOUT THAN BLACK INVENTORS AND ATHLETES.

IT'S ALL GOOD AND FUN BUT I DO THINK WE CAN HAVE NEW NUANCED, MORE SERIOUS AND IN DEPTH CONVERSATIONS.

PARIS: DOES HISTORY HAVE A WAY OF GETTING STUCK IN TIME PERIODS?

WHY IS THAT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK IT'S THE WAY WE TELL STORIES.

WE MAKE IT ABOUT JUST ONE OR TWO PEOPLE.

WE PICK ONE GREAT BLACK MAN AND ONE GREAT BLACK MOMENT.

FOR THE 19TH CENTURY, DOUGLASS AND TUBMAN.

THE 20TH CENTURY, M.L.K.

AND ROSA PARKS.

THE 21ST CENTURY.

BARACK OBAMA.

YOU PICK OUT ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN AND THAT'S SORT OF ALL HISTORY BECOMES.

IT'S TOO REDUCTIVE IS WHAT IT IS.

>> ALSO TIED TO WHO'S TELLING THE STORY.

WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THE NARRATIVE.

WHOEVER IS PAYING FOR THE LIGHT AND THE GAS BILL, THEY'RE GOING TO TELL YOU HOW HIGH TO PUT IT.

>> IT'S FUNNY YOU SAY THAT.

IT'S FUNNY YOU SAY THAT BECAUSE I ALWAYS THINK THAT AS BLACK PEOPLE WE NEED TO HAVE MORE QUALIFIED PEOPLE TALKING FOR US, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

I THINK WE LEAN TOO MUCH INTO HIP-HOP CULTURE AND ALL THAT.

WE NEED TO JUST CALL PEOPLE KIND OF GOOFY WHEN THEY'RE BEING GOOFIVE.

I DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM DISREGARD CARDI B. I DON'T CARE WHAT CARDI B. THINKS ABOUT BLACK HISTORY.

SOMETIMES I DON'T CARE FROM SO-CALLED WOKE, I STILL DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT IN THAT VEIN.

I WANT TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.

JUST BECAUSE YOU RAP DOESN'T MEAN YOUR QUALIFIED TO TALK ABOUT STUFF.

PARIS: WHAT SHOULD THE QUALIFICATIONS BE?

>> JUST KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

WHEN YOU HEAR CORNELL WEST, YOU'RE LIKE, THIS GUY IS ON HIS STUFF.

BUT I FEEL LIKE WE GIVE ENTERTAINERS TOO MUCH POWER OVER OUR CULTURE.

I'M AN ENTERTAINER SAYING THAT.

WE LET PEOPLE WHO ARE GOOFY SPEAK FOR US AND AS BLACK PEOPLE, YOU KNOW IN OUR CULTURE, OH, THIS IS GOOFY BUT PEOPLE SEE IT AND THINK THESE ARE OUR SPOKESPERSON AND THEY'RE REALLY NOT.

>> AS AN HISTORIAN, I CAN SAY.

I KNOW A TREASURE-TROVE OF HISTORIANS WHO COULD USE THE WORK, USE THE ABILITY TO PLATFORMER THAT RESEARCHFUL TONS OF PEOPLE THAT BE WRITING BOOKS THAT ARE NOT BEING READ.

IF WE DON'T MAKE USE OF OUR BLACK SCHOLARS AND BLACK INTELLECTUALS, THIS IS THEIR LANE.

THIS IS THEIR MOMENT.

PARIS: PROFESSOR, I THINK IN THE AGE WE'RE IN OF SOCIAL MEDIA WHERE PEOPLE'S ATTENTION SPANS ARE SHORTER AND PEOPLE ARE TUNED WAY MORE INTO A SOUND BITE OR A QUICKTAKE THAN WANTING TO READ A BOOK OR WATCH A DOCUMENTARY, IT THEY BE EVEN HARD TO PLATFORM THOSE PEOPLE.

>> I DO PODCASTS, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

I AM TRYING TO REACH PEOPLE AS MUCH AS I CAN.

THERE ARE A LOT OF SCHOLARS THAT DO TIKTOKS.

FOR A LOT OF SCHOLARS THAT ARE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO COME TO THEIR PLATFORMS AS WELL AND ACTUALLY DOING MEANINGFUL, VERIFIABLE WORK.

I DO THINK WE NEED TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE ABOUT FINDING THEM BUT WE NEED TO SUPPORT THEM.

DOING A PODCAST ASK NOT EASY AND NOT CHEAP.

PARIS: WHO ARE SOME FOLKS YOU WOULD SHOUT OUT TO PAY THE ANTICIPATION TO AT THIS MOMENT?

>> OK, MYSELF.

[LAUGHTER] WE'RE DOING A WHOLE PODCAST ON AMERICA 250: 50 WEEKS THAT SHAPED AMERICA.

IT'S CALLED THIS DAY AND EVERYONE WEEK WE GIVE YOU A DIFFERENT POTOMAC IN HISTORY.

WE JUST COVERED ALEX HAILEY, "ROOTS.

WEAR GOING TO DO ABE LAMB LITTLE'S SECOND INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

I LOVE LOOKING AT OUR ANCESTORS WERE MESSY.

A FUNNY WAY OF GETTING INTO THE BLACK HISTORY.

PARIS: WHAT A FUNNY TITLE.

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT -- IN PREPARATION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW FOLKS LIKE M.L.K., WE LIFT UP THESE FIGURES AND THEY'RE SANITIZED AND WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THE FULL SPECTRUM OF WHO THESE PEOPLE WERE.

LET'S GET OUT OF THAT SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHERE WE'RE ONLY FOCUSING ON CERTAIN PARTS OF THEM THAT FEEL COMFORTABLE.

>> I ALSO FEEL LIKE, NOT ONLY FOR PEOPLE TO BE CAUTIOUSLY QUALIFIED WHO TALK ABOUT BLACK HISTORY BUT PEOPLE NEED TO BE CULTURALLY QUALIFIED.

PARIS: TALK MORE ABOUT THAT, SHANE.

>> I AGREE 100%.

100%.

PARIS: YOU MENTIONED WHO IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH FOR THIS AMERICA?

ESPECIALLY HERE IN BOSTON, BLACK MEANS A LOT OF D. THINGS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF CARIBBEAN AND AFRICAN IMMIGRANTS AND PLACES FROM ELSEWHERE.

WHO IS THIS FOR AND WHO CAN ACCESS THAT BLACK HISTORY?

>> RIGHT NOW I FEEL LIKE BLACK HISTORY, THE WAY IT'S SOLD FOR US TODAY WERE, I FEEL LIKE THE HIGH AND MIGHTY, EDUCATED, OLD GENERATION, I READ A THOUSAND BOOKS.

THAT'S FINE BUT BLACK PEOPLE ARE NOT A NONELITE, NOT JUST ONE TYPE OF PEOPLE.

THEY COME FROM A VARIETY OF D. BACKGROUND.

I CAME FROM ROCHESTER AND I WAS LUCKY TO GO TO A SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD GOING UP BUT WHEN I CAME HOME I WAS IN THE THICK OF IT IN THE CULTURE, AROUND THE STREET AND PEOPLE.

WHAT THE PEOPLE I FEEL LIKE ARE GOING THROUGH ON A GRASSROOTS LEVEL IS D. THAN WHAT THEY PRESENT TO US IN TERMS OF LIKE THIS IS YOUR LEADER AND FOLLOW THEM.

LEADERSHIP IS A VERY HUM EDGE EXPERIENCE, YOU HAVE TO KIND OF GET ON ONE KNEE AND MEET PEOPLE EYE TO EYE AND READS I CAN'T SPEAK TO YOU IF I CAN'T GET MY FEET DIRTY AND SEE WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM AS WELL.

THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE.

I DON'T KNOW TOO MANY LEADERS AND A HALF DONE THAT SO FAR.

>> I FEEL LIKE -- NOT TO CUT YOU OFF -- I FEEL LIKE IN BLACK CULTURE SOMETIMES WE JUST WORSHIP THE EXTREMES OF EVERYTHING SOMETIMES.

LIKE IF SOMEBODY IS NOT "POP ALREADY" THEY HAVE A LOT OF MONEY THAT THEY'RE NOT WORTH LISTENING TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.

EVEN WITH OUR ECONOMICS.

I'M AN ENTREPRENEUR.

IF YOU JUST HAD A REGULAR JOB YOU WOULD BE DOING WAY MORE THAN TRYING TO RUN SIX BUSINESSES THAT ARE FAILING RIGHT NOW.

I FEEL LIKE WE GO TOO MUCH TO THE EXTREME WITH EVERYTHING.

YOU HAVE TO BE IN THE TOP 1% OF EVERYTHING TO BE RESPECTED IN ANYTHING.

EVERYBODY WANT TO BE "AN ENTREPRENEUR," BE A MILLIONAIRE.

IF MOST BLACK PEOPLE JUST GOT A JOB THAT MADE THEM $80,000 A YEAR, WE'D BE IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION THAN EVERYBODY TRYING TO BE A MILLIONAIRE.

PARIS: THAT'S WEIRD.

WE'RE IN AMERICA AND EVERYONE TO THE POINT OF THINKING ABOUT BLACK IMMIGRANTS WHO COME AND THEY'RE ENMESHED INTO THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN AMERICA, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND ARGUABLY MORE INDIVIDUALISTIC AT TIMES.

>> VERY.

PARIS: CAN THAT MAKE IT HARD FOR PEOPLE TO SAY THE BLACK HISTORY THAT IS HIGHLIGHTED DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS FOR ME?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF SOLIDARITY AND A LOT OF CONSENSUS AROUND CELEBRATING EVERYONE BLACK.

I'M ROOTING FOR EVERYONE BLACK.

WHEN YOU WATCH THE OLYMPICS AND I DON'T KNOW WHO'S NECESSARILY RUNNING IN NIGERIA BUT I'M ROOTING FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE BLACK.

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THAT MOMENT OR SHARED IDENTITY THAT DRAWS PEOPLE TOGETHER.

I TEACH A COURSE AND WE SPEND FOUR WEEKS ON AFRICA, FOUR WEEKS ON THE CARIBBEAN AND FOUR WEEKS ON THE UNITED STATES.

YES, THERE'S A MULTITUDE OF EXPERIENCES AND TEXT TO READ BUT THERE'S SO MUCH SHARED IDENTITY AND COMMONALITY THAT I DON'T THINK WE GIVE EACH OTHER ENOUGH CREDIT FOR TO REALLY EXPLORE, THESE ARE THE THINGS WE ALL DO AS BLACK PEOPLE AND THAT WE FIND JOY AND LAMP IN.

>> ONE THING AS YOU SAY ABOUT THAT.

MY WIFE IS FROM ATEAGUEA AND I WENT THERE LAST WINTER AND MY WIFE, IT'S KIND OF WEIRD.

SHE SAID BEFORE SHE CAME TO AMERICA SHE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW ABOUT RACISM.

IN AN TEAGUE AWAY, THE GOVERNMENT IS BLACK, THE BUS IS BLACK, THE DUDE TO BRINGS THE FOOD IS BLACK.

WE EXPERIENCE A DIFFERENT KIND OF BLACKNESS I GUESS YOU CAN CALL IT FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD.

AND EVERYONE LIKE -- WE STAYED IN AN AIRBNB AND LIKE THE LADY WHO RENTED IT OUT TO US WAS CLEARLY A WHITE LADY BUT SHE DIDN'T SAY SHE WAS WHITE.

SHE SAID GUYIAN EASE.

THAT'S A DIFFERENT WAY TO THINK.

AND WE'RE CONDITIONED IN A DIFFERENT WAY SAYING BLACK, WHITE, SPANISH.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

>> WHAT REALLY IS BLACK?

WE USE IN WORD TO DESCRIBING A MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD BUT THAT ISN'T REALLY FACTUAL SOMETIMES.

IS BLACK A CULTURAL EXPERIENCE?

IS IT LITERALLY JUST A SKIN COLOR?

YOU MENTIONED THAT, IT BROUGHT ME BACK TO THAT STATEMENT RIGHT THERE.

>> RIGHT.

>> OR IS IT A SHARED SENSE OF VALUES OR SENSE OF BELONGING OR A SHARED SENSE OF SUFFERING AND OPPRESSION?

ALL OF THOSE THINGS GO HAND IN HAND IN TRYING TO DEFINE WHAT IT IS.

OFTENTIMES WE MAY NOT DEFINE WHAT IT IS AND WE KNOW WHAT IT ISN'T.

WE'RE QUICK TO SAY NO.

THIS AIN'T IT.

>> I APPRECIATE THAT THIS MONTH IS THE 100 OF THE ANNIVERSARY OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

I REALLY HOPE THAT FOLKS USE THIS AND CELEBRATE THIS BY TALKLING ABOUT BLACK HISTORY EVERY HILL?

MONTH OF THE YEAR BECAUSE WE WERE PART OF THE FABRIC OF AMERICA, WE'RE PART OF THE D.N.A.

OF AMERICA AND IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S WOVEN INTO ALL AMERICAN HISTORY AT ALL TIMES.

PARIS: HOW DOES OUR PAST INFORM OUR PRESENT?

I SAT DOWN REQUEST AUTHOR RALPH REMINGTON WHOSE NEW BOOK RECALLS HOW AMERICA'S EVERYDAY SIN BLEEDS INTO EVERYTHING.

WE START ABOUT IMMIGRATION AND POLICE BRUTALITY.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT ICE IS DOING, NOT JUST IN MINNEAPOLIS BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, IS THIS CONTINUATION OF POLICE BRUTALITY AND POLICE STATE THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THIS COUNTRY NOW AND WHAT MAKES FIGHTING IT DIFFERENT THAN PERFORMING A CITY'S POLICE DEPARTMENT?

>> BECAUSE I THINK THAT TRUMP WITH THIS, HE'S REALLY TRYING TO KICK OFF A CIVIL WAR AND YOU CAN'T REALLY KICK OFF A CIVIL WAR WERE METROPOLITAN POLICE.

THOSE ARE SKIRMISHES THAT HAPPEN AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT WE GET GUNNED DOWN JUST IN THE WAY THAT RENEE GOOD AND PRETTI WERE IN THE STREET OF MINNEAPOLIS AND WHEN YOU START YANKING PEOPLE OFF OF THE STREET AND OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND GUNNING PEOPLE DOWN IN THE STREETS IN BLUE CITIES AND YOU'RE TARGETING BLUE STATE AND BLUE STILLS IN THOSE STATE THEN YOU'RE CLEARLY SENDING A SIGNAL THAT I'M TRYING TO START THIS CIVIL WAR.

THE IRONIC THING ABOUT IT IS THAT WE KNOW THAT ALL BLUE STATES AREN'T ENTIRELY BLUE AND ALL RED STATE AREN'T ENTIRELY RED.

THERE ARE BLUE AND RED THROUGHOUT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THE CONFEDERACY.

THIS IS NOT WHAT WE WERE ANY LONGER BUT APAPER HE'S TRYING TO REALIGN OUR THINKING ALONG THE LINES OF THE CONFEDERATE MOMENT THAT WE LIVED IN DURING THE CIVIL WAR AND THAT'S WHERE IT IS.

I THINK IT'S AN EFFORT TO START A HOT CIVIL WAR AND REALLY IN SERVICE OF A DISTRACTION AWAY FROM HIS OTHER PROBLEMMINGS WITH EPSTEIN.

PARIS: DO YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE BUYING INTO THAT CIVIL WAR MENTALITY?

>> YEAH, I THINK SO.

IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE RIGHT-WING BLOGS AND SOME OF THE POSTERS ONLINE, THEY'VE BEEN YEARNING FAR CIVIL WAR FOR LIKE YEARS.

NOT EVEN KNOWING WHAT THAT MEANS.

THAT MEANS YOU CAN'T GET GROCERIES OUT OF YOUR GROCERY STORE.

YOU KNOW THAT MONEY YOU THINK YOU HAVE IN THE BANK?

GUESS WHAT, YOU CAN'T GET TO THAT MONEY ANYMORE.

IT'S LIKE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS MEANS TO HAVE A CIVIL WAR.

I THINK THEY THINK IT MEANS I HAVE ACCESS TO THINGS AND WE GO OUT AND THE STREET AND SKIRMISH LIKE YOU'RE PLAYING FOOTBALL OR SOMETHING.

WHEN YOU'VE A WAR, EVERYTHING STOPS.

THE INFRASTRUCTURE STOP IT DOESN'T WORK IN THE WAY WE'VE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO.

YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WAYS AROUND THE SYSTEM, WAYS OF SURVIVAL.

NOT JUST MENTAL BUT SPIRITUAL AND MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL SO I THINK PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE WHAT CIVIL WAR REALLY MEANS AND THEN WHAT DO YOU WANT?

YOU FIGHT A WAR BECAUSE WANT SOMETHING.

I KNOW WHAT WE COULD GAIN OUT OF A CIVIL WAR.

GET REPARATIONS, BETTER HOUSING, BETTER MEDICAL CARE.

I KNOW WHAT BLACK AND BROWN FOLKS COULD GET OUT OF A CIVIL WAR BUT WHAT EXACTLY DOES WHITE AMERICA GAIN OUT OF CIVIL WAR?

[LAUGHTER] PARIS: AND ALSO WOULD IT EVEN BE OUR WARP TO FIGHT IF IT CAME FROM THAT?

THIS IS ALL CONSPIRACY.

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

FOR ME, I'M CHOOSING THE PATH OF BALDWIN AND I'M GOING TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY AND MOVE TO PANAMA.

I FIGURE THAT I CAN COMMENT ON IT BETTER FROM AFAR THAN WHEN I'M UP IN IT WHERE MY MIND IS TOTALLY IMMERSED IN THE HOURLY NEWS CYCLE AND I NEED A LITTLE BIT OF PEACE TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE THESE THINGS OUT BUT YEAH, TO YOUR POINT, I THINK BLACKS AND BROWN FOLKS HAVE THE OPTION TO LEAVE AND THAT WE DON'T REALLY EXERCISE OR REALIZE THERE IS AN OPTION.

PARIS: DO YOU THINK WE ALL HAVE THE MEANS TO?

>> I THINK THERE ARE ALWAYS MEANS.

NOT ALL OF US, OF COURSE, BUT I THINK THERE ARE ALWAYS MEANS.

WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER IN A COMMUNITY-BASED FASHION AND WE CAN BE -- WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO COMMUNALLY GET FOLKS OUT IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE FIGURED OUT HOW TO ESCAPE FROM THE SOUTH TO THE NORTH, YOU KNOW?

[LAUGHTER] WE CAN CERTAINLY FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET OUT OF THE COUNTRY.

PARIS: [LAUGHTER] YES INDEED.

SO IT'S EXCITING TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE MOVING TO PANAMA, RALPH BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE GOING FROM AT A TIME WHEN CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA ARE DEALING WITH THE RIPPLE EFFECTS OF THE U.S.

INVASION INTO VENEZUELA.

>> RIGHT.

PARIS: THE TAKING OF PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO.

WHAT ARE BLACK PEOPLE SUPPOSED TO MAKE OF THAT IN THIS MOMENT?

AND IT'S NOT JUST VENEZUELA.

THERE ARE SO MANY PLACES IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW THAT ARE DEALING WITH TENSIONS AND EVEN AS WE MAY BE TRYING TO SEEK SAFETY, WE ALSO HAVE TO RECKON WITH INJUSTICES THAT ARE HAPPENING.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO -- I THINK FOR MYSELF AND -- BECAUSE I ALMOST HESITATE TO SAY WHAT WE ALL SHOULD DO BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES BUT I THINK PHILOSOPHICALLY WHAT WE SHOULD DO OR HOW WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THIS IS THAT WE ARE ALL IN THE AMERICAS, RIGHT?

PARIS: JUST ASK BAD BUTTY, RIGHT?

>> EXACTLY, EXACTLY.

WE'RE IN THE AMERICAS AND WE HAVE THE SAME BLOODLINES RUNNING THROUGH US, YOU KNOW, THAT LATIN AMERICA HAS, CENTRAL AMERICA, SOUTH AMERICA, BLACK AMERICANS, WE HAVE THE SAME BLOODLINES.

WE WERE NOT AFRICAN.

WE WERE WAR COMBINATION OF EUROPEAN, AMP CAN, INDIGENOUS COUNTRIES AND THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE LANGUAGE OF OUR SOL NICERS.

WE HAVE TO ALL SEE OURSELVES AS AMERICANS.

WE ARE AMERICANS, WHETHER CENTRAL AMERICANS, SOUTH AMERICA OR THE UTAH OF AMERICA, THAT'S WHO WE ARE AND ARE SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE LINKED SO WE HAVE TO SEE OUR COMMONALITY IN THAT OUR BLOODLINES ARE THE SAME BLOODLINES IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND SOUTH AMERICA.

IF WE'RE BLACK AND REGARDED AS BLACK IN THIS CULTURE AND WE ARE AND THAT'S WHAT WE ACCEPT AND WE PROUDLY ACCEPT IT UNAPOLOGETICALLY BUT THEN ALL OF US ARE BLACK BECAUSE MOST OF US HAVE AFRICAN-AMERICAN BLOOD INSIDE OF US AND HERE JUST BECAUSE OF THE ONE DROLL RULE -- LIKE ME MYSELF, I'M LIKE 46% EUROPEAN AND I'VE NO WHITE PARENT.

THAT SPEAKS THAT MY BODY IS A CRIME SCENE, RIGHT?

SO ALL OF US AND MANY OF US IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA AND NORTH AMERICA THAT OUR BODIES ARE CRIME SCENES BUT THROUGH THAT CRIMINAL ACTION WE BECOME WHOLE AND WE HAVE TO FIND SOLIDARITY WITH EACH OTHER AND NOT SEPARATION.

>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WE'RE STILL UNDERREPRESENTED IN TERMS OF THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY SO BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS PART OF THAT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, THAT EXPERIENCE, THAT GROWTH THAT HELPS US GROW AS A COUNTRY.

SO WE HAVE TO START ACKNOWLEDGING NOT ONLY IN FEBRUARY BUT ALL YEAR AROUND THE IMPACT THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY HAS HAD IN AMERICA.

IT WOULD NOT BE WHAT IT IS WITHOUT WHAT WE'VE PROVIDED.

>> WE HAVE TO CONTINUE THE TRUG HAVELE.

ALTHOUGH WE'VE COME A LONG WAY WE'VE NOT COME FAR ENOUGH.

WE NEED TO KEEP OUR EYES OPEN AND HEADS DOWN.