Mychal Denzel Smith

@mychalsmith

Mychal Denzel Smith is the New York Times-bestselling author of Invisible Man, Got the Whole World Watching and a 2017 NAACP Image Award nominee.

Historical Amnesia About Slavery Is a Tool of White Supremacy

Historical Amnesia About Slavery Is a Tool of White Supremacy Historical Amnesia About Slavery Is a Tool of White Supremacy

Where we have (mostly) condemned slavery, we as a country have refused to condemn its defenders.

Aug 15, 2017 / Mychal Denzel Smith

Bratton Resignation

It Doesn’t Matter Who Replaces Bill Bratton as NYPD Commissioner It Doesn’t Matter Who Replaces Bill Bratton as NYPD Commissioner

He has defined modern policing, and his influence isn’t going anywhere.

Aug 3, 2016 / Mychal Denzel Smith

If Black Men Want to Heal Racism’s Wounds, We Can’t Pretend to Be Strong All the Time

If Black Men Want to Heal Racism’s Wounds, We Can’t Pretend to Be Strong All the Time If Black Men Want to Heal Racism’s Wounds, We Can’t Pretend to Be Strong All the Time

We’re proud that we’ve survived. But we should be honest about the costs.

Jun 23, 2016 / Feature / Mychal Denzel Smith

Bill Clinton

Note to Bill Clinton: There Is No Inherent Criminality Note to Bill Clinton: There Is No Inherent Criminality

At the heart of Bill Clinton’s comments about the 1994 crime bill is the belief in a natural and permanent class of criminals.

Apr 14, 2016 / Mychal Denzel Smith

There Is No Truly Anti-Racist Presidential Candidate

There Is No Truly Anti-Racist Presidential Candidate There Is No Truly Anti-Racist Presidential Candidate

But once there are real consequences for not having an anti-racist platform, things will be different.

Mar 25, 2016 / Mychal Denzel Smith

Trump’s Racism Didn’t Scare Me. Now It Does.

Trump’s Racism Didn’t Scare Me. Now It Does. Trump’s Racism Didn’t Scare Me. Now It Does.

His primary victories have proved that explicit appeals to racism are politically viable again.

Feb 29, 2016 / Mychal Denzel Smith

A Concrete Plan to Make Black Lives Matter

A Concrete Plan to Make Black Lives Matter A Concrete Plan to Make Black Lives Matter

This is a plan for pressuring whoever is in office, whether they are sympathetic to the causes of racial and economic justice or not.

Feb 13, 2016 / Mychal Denzel Smith

Why I’m Ready for More Slavery Films

Why I’m Ready for More Slavery Films Why I’m Ready for More Slavery Films

As politicians and pundits dismiss slavery as ancient history, we need more movies forcing us to confront its reality.

Jan 29, 2016 / Mychal Denzel Smith

The Seductive Danger of Symbolic Politics

The Seductive Danger of Symbolic Politics The Seductive Danger of Symbolic Politics

Symbols, as powerful as they can be, are largely a distraction.

Jan 21, 2016 / Mychal Denzel Smith

Why Video Evidence Wasn’t Enough to Get Justice for Tamir Rice

Why Video Evidence Wasn’t Enough to Get Justice for Tamir Rice Why Video Evidence Wasn’t Enough to Get Justice for Tamir Rice

The video didn’t matter to the prosecutor because killing black people is not a crime.

Dec 29, 2015 / Mychal Denzel Smith

x