In Kent Lecture, award-winning author traces attacks on democracy to legacy of slavery, racism
For Ta-Nehisi Coates, writing is a way of telling the truth boldly without coddling the reader, but not without offering hope.
That means acknowledging the brutal legacy of slavery and Black oppression, both throughout American history and today. It means telling a story about this country that is real and raw that not only illuminates the Black experience, but informs an understanding of how racism has driven ongoing attacks on the electoral process.
These attacks, Coates said, have deep roots: “For the majority of American history, this country has argued to itself that Black people are not fit to be equal citizens.” Thus, the rise of Black people in electoral politics including the election of the first Black president has corresponded to a growing disbelief in the legitimacy of the American state.
Your Friday Briefing
June 3, 2021, 3:16 p.m. ET
We’re covering the tough road ahead for Israel’s new coalition and Covid vaccine donations ramping up for countries that have been left out.
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Supporters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv protested against the coalition on Wednesday. Credit.Jack Guez/Agence France-Presse Getty Images
Netanyahu vows to fight deal to oust him
After his rivals reached an agreement on forming a new government in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled that he would not go down without a struggle. He called the proposed new diverse coalition that would oust him a “dangerous, left-wing government.”
Coates took over Marvel Comics’ Black Panther in the pivotal year of 2016, early enough to influence the Wakanda of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Polygon talks to the writer about King T’Challa, Marvel Comics, Captain America, and even his potential upcoming Superman movie.
Cover art from
The Lights of Prague (courtesy Titan Books)
There are few things more interesting to me than the many stories we tell ourselves our history, our propaganda, and our folklore. The historical fantasy genre, the intersection of the above layers, is rich with explorations of those stories.
The Lights of Prague, my debut novel, is set in an 1868 Prague where the quiet cobblestone streets are hiding dark, hungry creatures. It was an exciting challenge to weave my research of the time period an unsettled one for Prague, which was newly under Austro-Hungarian rule with my research into Czech folklore.