Welcome him here [applause]. All night. All day. Were going to be fighting for freddie gray. All night, all day, we are going to be fighting for freddie gray. The first of all let me say that it is an honor and pleasure to be back here at red emmas, i was here some months ago to introduce to other new books that i have written and i consider it to be quite an honor that they have a invited me back again. Those who may may not be familiar, freddie gray was a young, black man who had a fatal encounter with the police in baltimore. He is in the long list of such young black people have had fatal encounters with the authority, i think of samuel reising kleven, and Staten Island new york, Michael Brown in ferguson, sandra bland in texas, hopefully what im going to be talking about this evening that is to say, these events that stand the period of the onset of the haitian revolution in 1791 until the death of Paul Robinson in 1976 will shed light, i would hope on why, in north america we have had this spectacular rise and search of Police Killings and other kinds of misdeeds that have been put upon black people in particular. First of all with regard to the haitian revolution, 1791 to 18 oh four, that rare event, a successful revolt of the enslaved, you cannot begin to understand the haitian revolution unless one sees this spectacular event in some ways as a sequel to the revolt against british rule in north america in 1776 that led to the formation of the slaveholding republic still known as the United States of america. That is just as i argued in in my book, the counterrevolution 1776, contrary to this Broadway Musical that use the hiphop forms such as hamilton, and contrary to what is routinely taught in schools from the atlantic to the pacific, the foundation of the United States of america, 1776 to place in no small measure because it was a revolt against incipient in london. That is to say somerset case in june 1772 seem to be suggesting that slave property which even then in north america was worth in the millions might be headed for the dustbin of history as i explain in some detail in the book, the counterrevolution of 1776. Just as those in the state now known as the zimbabwe now known as rhodesia or southern rhodesia, were voted against british rule in 1965 because they five because they thought that london was moving toward decolonization and one person, one vote, leading, leading to african majority rules and went except that they tried to continue their white racist minority regime by setting up this news state of rhodesia. They set at the time that theyre walking in the footsteps of 1776. That is to that is to say that 1776 was an attempt to escape the logic of abolition of slavery in 1965 in Southern Africa was an attempt to escape the logic of decolonization and one person, one vote in african majority rules. Therefore, you cannot begin to understand the tribulations and trials experienced by people of african descent in north america unless you understand that by several orders of magnitude they fought against the formation of the United States of america. They cited with london and its attempt to crush the slaveholders rebellion just like the africans did not accept the establishment of the new state of rhodesia in 1965. When you fight a war and lose, you can expect to be penalized and pulverized for evermore and less, and until you are able to turn the tables against your oppressors, one of the ways that we were able to turn the tables against her oppressors was through the haitian revolution, 179118 oh four. That follows quickly upon the footsteps of the formation of the u. S. Constitution and the first convening of congress. In some ways it was a rebuke and a reputation of this new slaveholding republic which is why i start the book with u. S. President George Washington expressing reservation about the haitian revolution and what was come to be known as the haitian revolution. In any case, what happens is the africans in the island at known as hispaniola were able to succeed against the french military, one of the most powerful examples of valor and fortitude known to history to this point and establish this independent, black republican 18 oh four. As you may have surmised there was a grave consternation in the slaveholding republic about the success and the victory of the haitian revolutionaries. You may recall that if you look at many of the major slave that rock north america in the period leading up to the u. S. Civil war, circa 1800, denmark revolt circa 182122 in South Carolina, they all had the fingerprints of haiti all over them, particularly gables revolts in virginia in 1800 with takes place at the same time as the haitian revolution is unfolding and also it recalled the denmark in South Carolina was a seafarer and purportedly part of his aim and ambition was to not only revolts against slavery and escape with numerous, formally enslaved but perhaps to sail on to freedom and the island then ruled by africans that is to say haiti, now what is interesting about many of these revolts is that they are not unlike other revolts that are taking place within the hemisphere in which there either inspiration by the haitian revolutionaries are direct instigation by the history revolutionaries. In fact the the argument that i make in this book is that the haitian revolution ignited a general crisis of the entire slave system that can only be resolved without systems collapse. Were. Were trying to understand why slavery collapsed in north america you should that only look within the four corners of north america but you should look to haiti. As i said in the previous book you should also look to the inspiration or instigation of british abolitionist in london. What is interesting as well is that the u. S. Slaveholding republic did not accept it benignly this haitian revolution. You may recall in the 1820s you had a Massive Movement of the socalled greek Negro Population including the free negro preparation from baltimore, from north america to haiti. They were moving to haiti not only to escape the persecution that they routinely encountered in north america, they also were intending to bolster and fortify haiti this independent black republican it played a key role in terms of keeping the independent republic of flow. Use also know that once escaping to haiti, they did not forsake them forget their brothers and sisters here in north america, there were abolition societies on the island of haiti which were very much involved in helping to stir up anti slavery sentiments in the United States of america itself. That leads to the second half of the story which is that the United States, circa 1844 helps to instigate these splitting of the revolutionary island of haiti, it recalled that the small island in the caribbean is now occupied by two states, haiti and the Dominican Republic in. It was in 1844 that the u. S. Secretary of state, john calhoun from slaveholding holding South Carolina help to engineer one of the First Successful actions of u. S. Foreign policy in helping to fund a succession of split of the island leading to the formation of the Dominican Republic, this led to incessant and persistent conflict between these two new states, that is to say haiti on one side of the island and the Dominican Republic on the other side, in fact, in one of the rare instances of the history of colonialism, the Dominican Republic, as the United States civil war was about to be ignited, circa 1860 invites the former colonial powers back to the island to recolonize the Dominican Republic. That is to say, most nation struggle against colonialism but because of the socalled plaques scare and the fear of haitian rule and haitian domination, those on the eastern side of the island invited madrid to come back and take over. But this rather pernicious event was quickly overtaken by the onset of the u. S. Civil war and the United States would had not recognized stating finally found out who its real friends and enemies were because spanish cuba, cuba was controlled by spain and it was leaning towards a diplomatic support of the Confederate States of america. As we all know, the british abolitionist were barely able to prevent london from lending diplomatic support to the socalled Confederate States of america. It was haiti that stood foursquare in favor of the United States government and fought this death match against the slaveholding Confederate States of america. By by the way, april 15, 2016 marks the onset of emancipation of the enslaved and neighboring washington d. C. Which is being marked as we speak. In any case, no no good deed goes unpunished. As a result of haiti helping to support the United States of america during its hour of need, during this u. S. Civil war that led to the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of u. S. Nationals because of the trader revolts against abolitions in the United States of america. You might ask yourself parenthetically, how and why it is that a failed regime, the Confederate States of america was revolted against the United States government and led to the slaughter of thousands, probably has more monuments in the United States of america than the folks who were victorious. It is very, very strange and unusual with those who lead revolts are squash undefeated and wind up somehow having more monuments than the people who helped to squash the. I think you cannot begin to understand this conundrum unless you understand that those revolted against washington in 1861 thought that they were walking the footsteps of those who voted against london in 1776. That is to say revolting in order to continue that insidious institution known as slavery. In any case, after the u. S. Civil war ends the United States government, as it looks around its neighborhood notices that canada is under british rule, cuba is under spanish rule, most most of the caribbeans in jamaica, barbados, trinidad trinidad and to beg or under british rule. Have these two independent states, that is to say haiti, revolutionary haiti and the dominican government which has been able to oust the spanish after theyve been invited back by the Dominican Republic. So the idea in washington under Ulysses S Grant was tonights the island or at least the Dominican Republic and ultimately haiti itself, then deport the newly freed enslaved population in mass to the island that particular scheme was a barely defeated in the u. S. Congress, otherwise a person like myself might not be sitting here speaking english, i might might be sitting in the island of his manual speaking creole, french or spanish. That is where this particular book ends but sadly enough that its not where the travails of the island and. Im sure you will recall that approximately 100 years ago there was a u. S. Military occupation of both haiti and the Dominican Republic. We know that the u. S. Occupation of haiti did not end until the administration of Franklin Delano roosevelt, circa 1934. We also know that in the Dominican Republic there was ample support for the dictator, raffaella who ruled for decades until he met his maker and assassination attempt that may have had u. S. But whats interesting is is the color phobia that persists and exists in the dr. That is to say you might recall in the 1930s the dominican government massacre, as number of patients. This is not necessarily a pecular of sammy sosa. Its more of a reflection of culture, a culture not unlike like the culture of the United States that tends to privilege White Supremacy and tends to downgrade and degrade those who happen to be dark skin. Thats a legacy of the history of slavery and i dare say that if you want to understand how i begin remarks, you want to understand recent report from the chicago authorities that pointed out how the Chicago Police department is riddled with antiblack racism with people slain by the police and not to mention misused and abuse bid the police. Even if you want to understand something that may not it be as great as the controversy about the oscars being so white, you to understand the history of slavery in the United States is legacy, but more than that, you have to take another step and understand how the United States was state was reformed in the abolition of slavery. You understand that, you may be able to understand why in 2016 we may be staring down the barrel of a president cruz or President Trump or even worst alternative than that. Paul robisno was born in new jersey and died in philadelphia in 1976, in between those two dates, he excelled as a scholar and at the law school of colombia university. He excelled as an athlete. He played in the national if you believe league but achieved worldwide renown as a culture worker, as a singer and as an actor. Its not an exaggeration to suggest that at the apex he was certainly the best known black american on planet earth but maybe the best u. S. Nationals because record was in all over the world and movies broadcast all over the world as well. Paul robinson did not find satisfying because he knew besides personal achievement languaging in the hell hole that was jim crow were his brothers and sisters particularly in dixie. Whats striking about a number of black cultural workers, particularly musicians is that he found his initial fame and fortune not here in this country but overseas. That is a repettive pattern where its recognized nor readily outside the United States than inside the United States and paul robeson case moving to london that allowed him to climb the ladder of personal success allowing him to hop nob with the great and the good in london. Allowing him to achieve what was one of his initial still ar accomplishments which was playing the role and also to excel in movies. Although, he did make his mark in hollywood, nonetheless. A turning point for Paul Robesons life comes in 1930s when his on his way to germany and confronts face to face the teeth of nazi germany. This shakes him up tremendously. A name you may recall. Patterson led the case in the scotsborough. Nine black youth accused falsie of sexual molestation. The case was turned into a clause not unlike like what happened in apartheid in south africa. It was the external pressure that was the first stage in the successful challenge to jim crow which reaches a victorious in the 1950s and 1960s with brown versus state. But in many ways the first chapter of the case was struck under the leadership of william l patterson. Happened to be a communist, a black communist. He had, in fact, had been trained to a degree in russia, in the soviet union, he spoke some russian. He knew paul robeson because patterson had been a lawyer in harlem at the same time paul robeson was in harlem. They reignited their friendship in the soviet union in the 1930s and it was pattersons along with robeson experience with germany that help pushed robenson to the left. From that point hes transformed. One of the first chapters under adolf hitler to achieve world conquest, the spanish republic is overthrown because of this ample assistance provided by fascist germna under benito melelini, keep the spanish republic afloat but to no avail. Paul robenson would have stayed in london but because of war in europe, fearing for his family, he decides to pack up and move back to his homeland. That is the say the United States of america. The United States of america then is engaged in a debate about world war ii and the role in it. You should know that in the run up to the bombing of pearl harbor, the bombing of Japanese Forces of pearl harbor, hawaii, japan had made a very sustained and and not nonunsuccessful to woo black americans. All were united to a greater or lessor degree. So when japan bombed pearl harbor was this infrastructure of protokyo support that paul robeson began to chip at, was able to convince many black americans that their destiny and faith should rest with solidarity with washington in death match in japan rather than coming to the siren song of tokyo. You should also know, i should let the cat out of the bag, the next book i publish would be prototokyo and quite and paul robeson was able to chip away and woo black americans getting them to enlist in great numbers in the u. S. Military where they played a pivotal role in fascist powers and particularly japan. No good deed goes unpunished and after the end of world war ii, you have the onset of the red scare and cold war, paul robenso considered to be traitorrist because of friendship with moscow. United states today the current line with regard to moscow is that its okay to be promoscow between june 22nd, 1941 when hitlers forces invade russia or the soviet union and september 1, 1945 when world war ii concludes. So its okay to be promoscow then. The only people who i know who tend to question that line are the late u. S. President Herbert Hubert and home boy pat in washington, d. C. If washington could ally with moscow to defeat it would not be beyond the bound of reason for robeson and his comrades. But washington would have none of it. In fact, a turning point in the storys life of paul robeson takes place in 1946 when he confront face to face the then u. S. President Harriet Trubman and denounces for his pursueing linters who. Committing mayham against black people and soldiers in uniform. Harriet trumans face was turning purple, but that was a turning point for Paul Robesons life because from that point you began to see an increase persecution of paul robeson, his passport was taken which took away the life blood of his career because he may have been more popular abroad than he was in the United States of america. His income plummeted from the six figures to the four figures, a concert that he held in peekschool new york in the summer of 1949 was assaulted by murderist mob upon mutilating, this was a benefit concert by William Patterson which by that time was in north america leading the civil rights congress, a socalled communist front that was in the forefront of pursuing the linchers, paul robeson was barely able to escape with body intact. You may recall that in 1950, 1951 paul robeson and patterson filed a petition. Petition to company maneuver was translated in numerous languages, sold copies abroad putting pressure to do something about this bleeding wound known as jim crowe, recall that at this particularly moment the cold car had erupted and washington was seeking to point the finger accusation at miss cow for human rights violations, but when robeson and patterson filed petition charged the United States with grievance violation, washington was unmasked as something of a hypocrite, this puts enormous pressure on the United States to do something about jim crowe and its not surprising that if you look at the brief, particularly brief filed by the u. S. State department in the brown versus board of education decision, which reverse it is ferguson decision of the 1890s, jim crowe was legal and constitutional, brown versus board of education, decades later reverses that particular charge. You cannot begin to understand why brown versus board of education took place without understanding the international situation, without understanding the role of the left which has International Alliances because i dare say that if you look at the history of colonialism and the United States is exhibit a in terms of colonial regimes, whats striking about the colonial regimes those in north america and south africa, if you look at the devolution of regimes of oppression being jim crowe and slavery in the United States are apartheid, you cannot begin to understand them without understanding the external pressure. For example, you cannot understand the democratic elections in south africa in april 1984, but understand the role of cuban troops who defeat it had apartheid military in the battlefield of southern angola and floating was the idea that if the apartheid authorities did not negotiate reasonably with their opponents, then the cuban troops might not be satisfied with just kicking their butts out of southern angola and forcibly eject these racists from power. That helped to induce sweet reason into the negotiating team into the apartheid authority. Once again, back to north america you cannot begin to understand how jim crowe, the system was able to be forced from its hold on north america without Understanding International situations, the reliance and alliances alliances with the leftwing forces, et cetera, paul robeson was the exemplar of that kind of movement and paid a very heavy price. The United States yielded to the global pressure, returned Paul Robesons passport. He immediately left and returned to london. Paul robeson always said that if you want to understand attraction of socialism, rather than look to moscow, you should look to london, that is to say he was very close to leftwing sources in london, even though he reportedly told the investigating authorities in the United States that he was not a member of the u. S. Communist party, i speculate that he may have been a member of the British Communist Party because he was very close to the british communist while he was living in london in 1920s and 1930s, he resumes to london, he also begins to travel all throughout europe, he is in some ways like a famish man who is confronted with the banquet that is to say he overdoes it in terms of his travel and his attention to adoring audiences, et cetera, his held has been deteriorating for various reasons, not least the kind of pressure that he was under while under virtual house arrest in the United States of america and so, after his wife passes away in 1965 and his spouse had not only been one of his closest comrades but also in many ways his Business Manager and his confidant, he moves to working Class Community in philadelphia, although, its fair to say that the rising forces, antijim crowe forces in the United States, they knew what side of the bread the bread was buttered on because they paid that is particularly the case for the troops in the civil rights movement. The then leader foreman, but also you should know that widow of Martin Luther king, associates paid to paul robeson, finally in january 1976 the man who was born in new jersey in 1996 passed away but his passing i dont think the cause of socialism which i hope and believe something something in cause of antiracism, cause of liberation of africa, the cause of progressive humanity because one of the keynotes of Paul Robesons life was his almost study of foreign languages. He reportedly could read dozens of languages, he sung in dozen of languages and he spoke, of course, german, russian, french, spanish, english and studied African Languages as well. This was part of a political project because humanity was one, humanity as one were all marching towards the same goal, socialism, albeit at different speeds and he felt in terms of community effectively with global audiences that he should be able to speak to all audience that he encountered. I would say that in conclusion, particularly post 1776, you have to understand in the first place the realities that the United States of america was established as a slaveholding republic even though i can understand why lawyers as rhetorical device will often speak warmly of the founders and their noble documents, the declaration of independence and how they were so flexible that they were able to expand to all of us who were initially excluded. But the reality of the matter is that the founders did not have people like myself in mind when this country was established just like they did not have cattle or furniture in mind when this socalled republic was established. We were considered on the same level as cattle and furniture but we have been able to fight a glorious struggle to overcome those antipoints of view but once again, we were able to fight that glorious struggle, not least because we had support in the International Community and for those in the black lives matter movement, for those in the antipolice terror movements, until and unless you ingest that basic lesson, that is to say that International Solidarity is a prerequisite in order to achieve some success and victories in the United States of america, youll be left sprawling in the dust because i think one of the lessons that the trump and cruz campaigns are telling us is that there is this stunning array, this stunning crossclass coalition between the euroamerican that in many ways that particular coalition of 2016 replicates the kind of coalition that help to subdue a continent, dispossess the native americans and when i hear that phrase, make America Great again, it makes me recall just to go back to this book that in the island of french caribbean that at one point slavery was abolished, but then it came back. And i think that if we are not careful perhaps slavery will not come back but perhaps something even worse will return. Thank you very much for your attention. [applause] any questions or comments come up to the mic. Any questions or comments. I simply like to thank you for your mountian of work and your continued commitment to the facts and to truth and its just an honor, sir. Keep writing. [applause] hi. My question for you is that given that you argue in your book confronting that the haitian revolution which was a violent interaction precipitated the abolition of slavery in the United States, what is your opinion on violence as protests and vehicle for change, excuse me in todays political climate, for example, the riots that resulted after the murder of freddie gray or prison uprisings response to mass incarceration, thank you. I guess everybody heard the question. Well, i find myself in strange agreement with u. S. Secretary of state john kerry who during his visit to hiroshima, the site of first use of and hopefully last atomic weapon, the last resort that should be arrived at and he did not exclude war all together. He just said it should be the last resort arrived at. And i would Say Something similar with regard to that very probing question that was just posed, that is to say that i dont think that given the correlation of forces in north america with many of our folks not being armed, only armed with strong lungs to yell and protest and given the militarized nature of the police and the militarized nature of these police guards, who by the way in places like california and new york have very strong union who make political contributions to politicians and therefore are helped to entrench their power further. Given the military force i dont think that violence should be our first option with regard to pushing them back, however, if you push people into a corner and if you brutalize them as it has happened in this city of baltimore and if you have these examples like freddie gray where a persons enters to the custody of the police alive and leave dead, its perfect being understandable why there are forces in this city who refuse to accept that in a supine fashion, and i think thats reasonable because they are trying to understand the lessons of history as well and they recognize that if unless you give a forceful robust to that kind of violence, then you are guarantied to have a slew of freddie grays Going Forward which i find wholly and totally unacceptable. I would like to really thank you for your insight on mr. Robeson. I have a question. During the time that gray area from 1941 to 1945, youics up and downed on a gray area in which we did not focus on the communistic situation, can you expand more on that . Sure. Well, as you know, the war in europe begins in late august 39 with hitler sweeping through europe. At that particular time there was a kind of as to how and whether the United States should enter that particular conflict because the lesson of world war i was quite fresh, world war i, 1914 to 1918 and it was truly a world war and one of the reasons that britain was able to prevail they were able to enscript thousands of thousands of africans to fight on their behalf, not to mention indians and south allegations and the United States enters the war belatedly after selling to both sides, and then there was the propaganda put forward by the racist u. S. President Woodrow Wilson, a debate as to name should be removed from various entities at the ivy league, Woodrow Wilson helping the drive numerous black families into poverty, during world war i, he put forward this idea that this was going to be a war to make safe for democracy, that puppies and cries cream would emerge and people would only make a blood sacrifice during this war. Many or some on the left fell for this nonsense. Even black american leaders fell for this nonsense. This was fresh in the minds when world war ii was erupting and particularly december 7th, 1941 when japan bombs pearl harbor which pushes United States to tokyo. If you look at world war ii, youll find that United States was yanked into an alliance to confront germany and if you look at the caurrty lists in terms of who made the largest sacrifice during world war ii, well, in terms of the allies, United States, britain, france, et cetera, its by far the soviet union. I mean, in many ways it was the soviet that broke the back of fascism. In the United States, of course, had this dilemma because they fed this diet of anticommunism and in earlier book that i wrote, class struggling in hollywood and also in biography in communist writer lawson, i talked at length about how u. S. President Franklin Roosevelt was encouraging hollywood to make prosoviet, even prostalin movie. A mission to moscow is exhibit a in that regard which prevents stalin as leader much beloved by its people and stalin at the time and its interesting is that after the war, of course, many of these film makers were hauled before congressional committees and grilled about their prosoviet productions during world war ii and congress did not want to hear that in many ways they had been encouraged and enticed to do by roosevelt himself, it would be as sill vester Sylvester Stallone, you remember Osama Bin Laden character kind of a hero because the United States was in the same trench fighting moscow in 1980s in afghanistan, rather Strange Alliance that has given rise that we face on a regular basis throughout the world, it would if as if Sylvester Stallone was called before congress in 2016 and grilled about making a movie, Osama Bin Ladenlike character. That was the line, i was just following the line. Why are you grilling me now. Go back and read the newspapers about what they thought of afghanistan. Washingtonmoscow alliance was something accepted as bright circle. It was no ordained that washington would prevail. So thats a part of the context of my remarks with regard to robeson and antifascism and the changing line with regard to moscow, et cetera. Hi, thank you so much for your talk. I had a quick question. So what we are seeing with both books confronting, a black internationalism articulation of black radical and shift in world historical movements such as establishment slavery, where can we locate these movements of black internationalism of the black radical tradition and International Solidarity in. Against the words of imperialism in southwest asia and radicalism in africa . Well, there is a Peace Movement as you know. One of key issues of campaign finance. Code pink had in washington, d. C. A few weeks ago focusing on saudi arabia, which in many ways is a country that should be focused on when youre trying to unravel the proliferation, perfusion of war not only because of direct intervention in yemen across the red sea, intervengs which washington is assisting, but also if you look at religious throughout africa, i think that youll find the hand of the house of saw including in nigeria, africas most powerful economy where boca has been recking havoc. Who knows what faith has awaisted those teaj girls. Although we have credible report that is some of them have been turned into suicide bombers and some have we all know this is too much for president obama in recent interview with atlantic magazine issues criticism of his socalled saudi ally which helps explain why hes head to go saudi arabia shortly. Saudi arabia plays a role in the Global Political economy, not only as the major swing producer of oil and you may be able to point the finger at saudi arabia when you try to unravel how and why it is that the barrel of oil was about over 100 and now hoovering at the 30dollar which may be good for you who buy gasoline at the pump but has been devastating for countries including venezuela, iran, nigeria and russia. And i think that what im saying with regard to casting a critical eye upon u. S. Imperialism, alliances that the United States is now snare in including with the regime of saudi arabia, im not the only person who has this critical outlook. Although, if i was forced to be honest and i will try to do so, i do think that our movement, our Peace Movement, our solidarity movement, our antiimperialism Movement Needs renewal. It needs newer forces, it needs deeper study, it needs more militant protests because im sure that youre paying attention to some of these hot spots across the globe, the fact that this tension in the South China Sea between United States and chinese forces. The fact that pentagon chief ash carter was just in new delhi at the same time kerry was in japan, you know that u. S. Basis in philippines are being revived and president obama is head today vietnam rather shortly and you may recall that despite those are communist regimes, end oat, they fought a bitter war in vietnam war, and by the way if youre trying to understand the rise of china in recent decades to the point where now its judged be many to have an economy than that larger of the United States, the fixation and obsession with moscow that not only led alliance with religious zeloust but alliance with china which in return for china war against vietnam was able to attract investment from the United States which now the United States is trying to corral and i dare say that either this corraling will not work, unattended consequence of creating a new sort of im speaking of the alliance between india and japan which stretches back to the founding of buddiism. Sentiments in india as well, leader of anticlol onial forces in india probably second to naru and gandhi, of course, fought shoulder to shoulder with Japanese Forces against the allies. So the United States gets snared but not thinking on the downstream consequences and People Like Us wind up paying the price and i think that one of the many reasons why we wind up paying the price is because not enough of us are energized, not enough are sufficiently informed and theres this comforting notion which im well aware of since i teach teenagers for a living that whats on taping obtaining today would be tomorrow. But sadly and tragicically it doesnt allow for unpleasing result. Things will change but let us hope to be able to muster to ensure that the dooms day scenarios will never have the opportunity to unfold. Anybody else have any questions or comments . Here is one. Explosion of haitians from the Dominican Republic and also role after earthquake and role internal affairs. Well, as you probably know the latter point is getting considerable attention. Not least because of the president ial run of secretary Hillary Clinton who had a pivotal role in the, quote, restoration, unquote of haiti. Her spouse, former u. S. President bill clinton was the voice roy in haiti. There had been many reports about what happened to all the money that was contributed by many u. S. Nationals and nationals all over the world to haitian relief and the kind of housing that was going to be built for haitians, many of whom are still in Hillary Clinton is receiving grilling and i would assume that in the runup to the primary in maryland where i assume she will be campaigning that many of you will be raising probing questions to secretary of state Hillary Clinton about her role and the role of her spouse with regard to the ongoing de station of haiti. Now, with regard to the human rights catastrophe, thats unfolding on the border between haiti and the Dominican Republic, in many ways this is of a piece that is to say erupted on the border between haiti and dr, dr rafael trujillo, theres idea in the dr sadly enough that even if youre born there, even if youre born there in generations of your family were born there, not unlike, say a person who you can you can assume that i have family roots in north america, well, whats happening in the dr is that these people are judged not to be dr nationals, particularly if they do not have adequate paper documentation. But even if perhaps they do have adequate paperwork documentation, its like people in the United States nowadays who are being asked for identification when they go to vote or theyre asked for a birth certificate when they go to vote when you know you dont necessarily have a birth certy certificate. Many of them are living in terrible conditions along the border. This has been accompanied according to press reports by terror against these people who are thought to be haitian, and by the way, what helps to account for one being sought to be haitian often times having a sufficient going back to slavery, slavery identified with being african, et cetera, now, fortunately there have been many protests against this outrage, not only protests at the dr litigation in washington, d. C. And the dr consulate in new york city but also people like writer duno diaz, has been protesting along, of course, with writers of haitian origin as well. So im reasonably competent that sufficient pressure will be placed upon the dr government in order to ensure that this human rights outrage is ended sooner rather than later. Two more questions if you have them. Thanks for the talk. Really, preal excellent. I wonder if you can situate your book on haiti in the context of, there seems to be a kind of reemergence, and haitian revolution over the last ten years or so, 15 years, so im wondering if you can situate your book, do you see it as intervening and also visavis the classic by clr james . Well, the last point first. The question is referring to the james who approximately 70 years ago wrote a book and obviously my book is seen as something of an omaj to classic text. Although i should mention that obviously the passage of years allows hopefully for more documentation to emerge and hopefully more insight to emerge. For example, if you look at james book he takes as more jaundice view than i do of london. He takes a more positive view of washington, the United States than i do in my book. I think that he takes a traditional line of United States as revolutionary country, engaging solidarity with espanola and obviously being a british subject, born in Trinidad And Tobago that obviously he has a bone to pick with london and being born here in north america with my jaundice view of the fruits of 1776, im taking a jaundice view of this particular country of the United States of america. In any case with regard to your earlier point, im speaking at a forum in a few days by a newely formed Haitian Studies Institute at the City University of new york which im quite optimistic about what itll be able to do. I think it too the formation of this institute reflects the interest in haiti that youre making reference to because i think once again those of us whose ancestors suffered slavery recognize that had that institution might have continue today persist and so we owe gratitude to haiti which many are trying to repay. After doing research in haiti, the archive in haiti like many buildings in haiti it was devastated by the earthquake, at the same time they have been able to achieve foreign aid and was rebuilding this archive. Its a tremendous archive, one of the flaws, i think, much of the right on haiti focuses on the revolution but much of the research is done in france understandably because its the colonial power and the documents are easier to gain access and some people find it more pleasant to be in paris than port of prince. But i think that we are to do justice to haiti we are going to have to rebuild and reinstruct this haitian what are chive and one of the points that im going to make in the kinds of research that ive been doing in recent years going to various countries, like if you go to singapur, as part of foreign aid, various governments like the United States government will micro kill micro Film Documents and turn them over to singapur. Go around the world and sweep up documents relative the haitian revolution. For example, in my book i talk about the role of russia in the haitian revolutionary process, actually post revolutionary process and i dare say if you go to russia youll probably be able to sweep up documents. The thing about haiti, its an independent country so it has diplomats all over the world. Thats one of the way it was able to lobby on our behalf because haiti saw itself as a spokesperson for dispossessed africans all over the world and in the 19th century, the first half we were exhibit 9 a in terms of dispossessed africans. And i think we need to gain access to all of those documents so we can reconstruct a true history of haiti and i think theres ools another consequence that can help to bring haiti more attention and hopefully help to bring haiti more allies in the International Community. Hi, i just want to continue your thoughts around haiti. My brother said to me a couple of years ago, he said that haiti was never forgiven globally for successfully liberating itself and setting stage for what happened around the world with africans, and i want to know it always stuck with me and given your wealth of knowledge, do you think its plausible . Well, look at the cover of this book with reverse it is usual narrative of whats happening in the first viewed decades of the 19th century. That is to say you have africans who were involved in executing their opressors, its interesting that you mention the idea of haiti not being forgiven economically and finally relative to caribbean countries it remains one of the poorest countries in the world and you may recall after president ial election a few years ago a well known evangelist was saying the haiti was being punished for various reasons. Its interesting, i was talking to a friend from detroit recently who was saying the same things of detroit because it had one of the strongest Leftwing Movement in the 1940s, first few areas of the 1950s, particularly in fort local 600, strong Liberation Movement and still does to a certain degree and the idea he put forward is that detroit has never been forgiven for being so audatios how a black Liberation Movement and its something to both of these statements, recall that in terms of reperations that under gunpoint haiti was held to pay to former colonial occupiers in paris. In fact, you would not be remiss if you suspected that part of the trickled into america that recall that during period before the u. S. Civil war, that new orleans may have had the most millionaires per capita than any other u. S. City. Recall as well that many of the former enslavers had escaped to not only savannah and wilmington, North Carolina and virginia but also to new orleans. The United States to a certain extent has been a beneficiary of the sweet and toil of the poor folks in haiti. I have already made reference to haitis attempt to fighting being a next by the United States of america making reference ive made reference by the occupation of u. S. Authorities, and, of course, after the cuban revolution in 1959 the United States endured another bout and as a result was very concerned about the rides of radicalism in haiti which helps to shed light on u. S. Backing for these anticommunist regimes that arose in haiti including the dubai regimes poat post 1959 and you can see as part of this continuing penalizing of haiti which kick out slave masters, but on the other hand, recall that haiti became independent in 1804, the United States recognized haiti in 1862 during the height of the u. S. Civil war, 58 years. Speaking of cuban, cuban revolution was 1959, barack obama made to reach fruition in 2014, thats 55 years. So in some ways we are having progress in the United States with regard to recognizing revolutionary regimes, that is so say it took 59 long years to recognize the process, only 55 recognize Cuban Revolutionary process. Obviously we are making steady progress, backward never all night, all day, we are going to fight for freddie gray. Thank you very much. [cheers and applause] i think it was excellent. Very, very on point. We are open until 11 00 today and will close at 10 30 youre welcome to holler at me if you want to a buy a book and im sure gerald will be signing them, thanks. [inaudible conversations] here is a look at the books being published this week. Unbroken but unbound Texas Governor greg abbott, author of the emperor, looks at the history of the gene in his latest book. History of partisanship in politicians and galeterians. History of paper and its changing world in digital age. In the book drive, lawrence looks at the birth of life of innovators, engineers who created modern look these titles in bookstores this coming week and watch for the authors in the near future on book tv. Cspan, created by americas take Cable Television companies and brought to by a Public Service by your cable or satellite provider. Next up on afterwards, i ran ran fellow don watkins discusses income inequality with diana roth of the manhattan institute. Host don, i have enjoyed reading your terrific book. On unequal is unfair, americas on got a and commit inequality. It is so thoughtprovoking provoking to say that inequality is not a problem. Could you you start off by telling us why inequality is not a problem