Making Contact

COINTELPRO, the secret FBI project to infiltrate and disrupt domestic organizations thought to be 'subversive,' targeted many African-American, Native-American, and other movements for self-determination by people of color in the US. Between 1956 and 1971, the FBI conducted more than 2,000 COINTELPRO (Counter Intelligence Program) operations. Over the next two weeks, we’ll be broadcasting the documentary film “COINTELPRO 101.” Today we hear the first half of the film, produced by the Freedom Archives.

African-Americans have endured more than 246 years of slavery, 100 years of racism and segregation. The trauma from that experience continues to impact African-Americans and society today. Dr. Joy DeGruy presents a discussion on post traumatic slave syndrome.

Racism in the American media goes back even further than the founding of the US. Now, media consolidation and shrinking news budgets are threatening to make things even worse. On this edition, a discussion on Race and the American Media, from the 2011 National Conference on Media Reform, featuring Democracy Now’s Juan Gonzalez, Rinku Sen from the Applied Research Center, and the first woman of color to anchor a major network news show, Carole Simpson. Special thanks to Free Press.

Almost 4,500 American soldiers and more than 100,000 Iraqis have died since the start of the “Shock and Awe” campaign. Eight years later, we assess the consequences of the war in Iraq through an audio documentary, “The Cost of War: A Reflection on Eight Years in Iraq,” produced by KALW News.

Solidarity has long been used as an organizing tool, but it is shifting radically amidst a new political landscape and new technologies. Left Forum’s ‘Towards a Politics of Solidarity’ conference explores this in depth and discusses its impact today.

2011 marks the year for redistricting – the once-in-a-decade process to draw boundaries that determine your elected officials from local school boards to state and congressional representatives. On this edition, we examine the U.S. redistricting system and some of its pitfalls.

2011 marks the year for redistricting – the once-in-a-decade process to draw boundaries that determine your elected officials from local school boards to state and congressional representatives. On this edition, we examine the U.S. redistricting system and some of its pitfalls.

A look at pregnancy, and motherhood, inside US jails and prisons. What does the huge number of incarcerated women in prison foretell for the next generation of America’s kids?

A look at pregnancy, and motherhood, inside US jails and prisons. What does the huge number of incarcerated women in prison foretell for the next generation of America’s kids?

An exclusive interview with economist Richard Wolff, who explains how failed ‘trickle down economics’ theories are being recycled under a different name. Can the working and middle classes withstand the newest round of cuts to vital services, and how can the trend be reversed?