This Sunday in #nerdland: the history of the police and race talk.
The NYPD has come under fire recently for controversial incidents such as the killing of Eric Garner and Akai Gurley and policing tactics like “stop-and-frisk.” Some residents of color feel as if the “Boys in Blue” are a source of terror rather than a source of protection. But did you know that the municipal police force was first established in the mid-1800s — in part as a response to riots against immigrants and free blacks?
Host Melissa Harris-Perry and guests will break down the history of the police and discuss why the NYPD is in a class of its own. Guests include:
- Khalil Gibran Muhammad, director of the Schomburg Center For Research in Black Culture
- Amy Goodman, host and executive producer of Democracy Now!
- Jamie Kilstein, co-author of “#NEWSFAIL” and co-host of Citizen Radio
- Blair Kelley, associate professor of History at North Carolina State University
We’ll also bring you updates from the funeral of Officer Wenjian Liu throughout the program. Allentown, PA mayor Ed Pawlowski and Marquez Claxton, director of the Black Law Enforcement Alliance, will join the discussion in the second hour.
Hip-hop artist Macklemore recently asked:
“How do I get involved on a level where I’m not co-opting the movement or I’m not making it about me, but also realizing the platform that I have, the reach that I have. And doing it in an authentic, genuine way.”
We’ll try to answer that important question as our panelists examine the role of white people in a social justice movement. Are they allies or are they mutual beneficiaries of a more perfect union? We’ll also take a look at singer Nicki Minaj’s comments about what drives some artists into silence. Toure, co-host of MSNBC’s The Cycle, will join us.
All that, plus NBC News correspondent Harry Smith brings us a preview of his documentary on the cannibus boom in Colorado.
Be sure to read what we’ve linked above, and watch Melissa Harris-Perry Saturday at 10am ET on msnbc. Join the conversation—share your thoughts about these issues on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #nerdland. Your tweets and comments might even appear on the show!
Victoria Asbury