The Emancipator

Directions Website

The Emancipator A digital magazine dedicated to examining and confronting racism and the inequities it creates. Co-founded by Dr. Ibram X.

The Emancipator reimagines the nation’s first abolitionist newspapers — for a new day. Kendi and Bina Venkataraman, The Emancipator is a digital commentary platform dedicated to achieving racial justice in America and beyond. The platform features original perspectives from leading scholars, journalists, and community members, who engage in exploring solutions to racial inequality and its intersections.

Black unemployment is rising. Redistricting battles could disempower lawmakers and voters of color. Stepped-up ICE depor...
10/08/2026

Black unemployment is rising. Redistricting battles could disempower lawmakers and voters of color. Stepped-up ICE deportations in communities and potential federal presence near polling stations could have a chilling impact on turnout.

The 2026 midterms are a gauge of how far the needle has shifted on the balance of political rights and power.

Here are the issues The Emancipator is watching.

10/07/2026

Amazon must pay more than $7 million in Prime Membership fees to 69,000 DC residents in two majority-Black zip codes, 20019 and 20020: the historic Anacostia neighborhood. Washington D.C. sued Amazon in 2024 for charging residents in these areas Prime subscriptions but not giving Prime same-day delivery services. So why would Amazon skip these neighborhoods? The retailer claims it was not discrimination and cited driver safety. However, Anacostia has historically borne the brunt of racist development practices that limit access to resources.

The NAACP is asking the federal courts to force the Department of Justice to make its plans to deploy "election monitors...
10/06/2026

The NAACP is asking the federal courts to force the Department of Justice to make its plans to deploy "election monitors" for the 2026 midterm elections public. The civil rights organization filed for "emergency judicial intervention" in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche told Fox News on Sunday that “1,000 or more” election monitors will be sent to every state.⁠
⁠
The NAACP and other voting rights advocacy groups are sounding the alarm. ⁠
⁠
“To be clear, there is no federal statute that gives the U.S. Department of Justice the right to send their so-called "election monitors" to polling sites across the country, and this administration has made clear its intent to disrupt and interfere with the way elections are run in our country," NAACP General Counsel Kristen Clarke said in a statement. “Americans deserve to know whether the Justice Department is abusing its law enforcement powers to the detriment of voters and the election officials tasked with running our elections.”⁠
⁠
Critics worry that the possibility of federal election monitors or immigration officials at polls and neighborhoods near those sites could have a chilling effect. Advocates say the move is a form of voter intimidation and causes confusion. Federal law prohibits armed agents at polling locations.⁠
⁠
Written by Chandelis Duster.

The Emancipator’s October must-reads include novels by Nafissa Thompson-Spires, T. Geronimo Johnson and Franny Choi, unt...
10/01/2026

The Emancipator’s October must-reads include novels by Nafissa Thompson-Spires, T. Geronimo Johnson and Franny Choi, untold true stories exploring the Confederate Deep South by Stacey Patton, Connor Williams, Celeste Headlee, and more. Read more at the link in bio.

09/30/2026

Today marks Orange Shirt Day, an annual tribute to honor the thousands of Native American, Alaskan, Hawaiian, and First Nation children who, for generations, were forcibly taken from their families and sent to boarding schools in the U.S. and Canada.

Thousands of Native Hawaiians could lose Medicaid eligibility and access to affordable, lifesaving care once the Trump a...
09/30/2026

Thousands of Native Hawaiians could lose Medicaid eligibility and access to affordable, lifesaving care once the Trump administration’s new Medicaid qualifications take effect on January 1 — all because the federal government, for over a century, has refused to federally recognize them as a group. Read more by clicking the link in our bio.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday temporarily paved the way for the Trump administration to resume deporting immigrants ...
09/30/2026

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday temporarily paved the way for the Trump administration to resume deporting immigrants to countries where they have no ties.

The high court issued an emergency ruling pausing a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit on Wednesday that blocked deportations to countries not listed on removal orders. In an emergency application to the Supreme Court on Thursday, the Trump administration argued that blocking the removals caused “harm” and that the Department of Homeland Security already had to cancel removal flights to other countries, with more to be canceled if the block remains. Click the link in our bio to read more.

Reported by Chandelis Duster

09/29/2026

For several weeks now, Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair has continued to use his eye black to call attention to the victims of Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine and genocide in Gaza, despite getting fined $11, 941 after week one of the NFL season.

09/28/2026

The Trump administration is pledging more than $170 million in new funding to historically Black colleges and universities, even as it continues a sweeping campaign undercutting diversity, equity and inclusion programs – some of the very initiatives that helped expand higher education access for students of color.

A decade after it opened – and a century after those who fought for freedom called for its creation – the National Museu...
09/25/2026

A decade after it opened – and a century after those who fought for freedom called for its creation – the National Museum of African American History and Culture remains a testament to ensuring Black lives, histories, and stories are part of the American narrative. Click through to learn more about a museum with an origin story that was more than 100 years in the making. Written Kate Amistoso and Lima Abdullah

Address

Boston, MA

Website

,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Emancipator posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category