War was the primary instrument used to establish the U.S. settler state and expand U.S. hegemonic global power after the end of the Second World War. War has become so normalized that the U.S. state's two-century-long horrific war of conquest against the Indigenous peoples of the landmass that eventually became known as the United States, as well as the war with North Korea that technically has not ended, have been erased from the U.S. public's awareness.

The two-decade war on Afghanistan, therefore, is the second longest continuous war. That fact increasingly is being lost because of the corporate press's lack of coverage, resulting in vast swaths of the U.S. public being completely unaware of the peace process initiated in 2020 and the Biden-Harris administration's subsequent moves to undermine or completely gut that process.

That is why the Black Alliance for Peace is once again attempting to bring attention to this issue. We are organizing an International Day of Action on Afghanistan on April 8 to demand the Biden-Harris administration adhere to the agreement and withdraw U.S. troops from the country by the May 1 deadline. Find out how to get involved.

Haiti: The people of Haiti asked the international community to join them in opposition to the U.S.-and European Union-imposed dictatorship in that country by holding actions over the weekend of March 27-29. BAP responded with actions in Chicago and Washington, D.C., and BAP members participated in an action in New York City.

BAP turned four! April 4 marked this alliance's fourth birthday. The day was celebrated April 3 with an annual membership meeting. Watch BAP Coordinating Committee member Jaribu Hill's comments. Since our 2017 launch, BAP has emerged as an important structure in the anti-war and anti-imperialist movement in the United States. With hundreds of individual members and 28 member organizations across the United States, as well as over 300 members in the U.S. Out of Africa Network (USOAN) and more than 100 members in the Solidarity Network made up of non-member allies who share BAP's mission, this alliance is positioned to engage the Biden-Harris administration and its supporters on key planks of their reactionary agenda.



PRESS AND MEDIA

The March 23 episode of “Voices With Vision” on WPFW (89.3 FM in Washington, D.C.), began with a commentary from BAP Coordinating Committee member and Black Agenda Report senior editor Margaret Kimberley, discussing how Biden’s plan to address poverty in the United States doesn’t come close to eradicating it. Then Netfa Freeman, who represents BAP member organization Pan-African Community Action (PACA) on BAP’s Coordinating Committee, and co-host Craig Hall, caught up with BAP member Aleta Touré about the panel she moderated on March 25 with four former women political prisoners who have stood up for their lives and their communities. They also spoke with socialist activist, writer, political analyst and Black Agenda Report contributing editor Danny Haiphong about the connections between the wave of anti-Asian violence in the United States and the U.S. government propaganda machine justifying a cold war with China. Included on “Voices With Vision” are the songs “I Find It Hard To Say (Rebel)” by Lauryn Hill, and “Inner City Blues” by Gil Scott-Heron.

On the March 30 episode of “Voices with Vision,” Margaret analyzed the role the Biden-Harris administration and the establishment media play in anti-Asian bigotry. Then voices and music about the struggle in Haiti transitioned into a segment that lifted up political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal and former political prisoner Dhoruba Bin Wahad breaking down the role of police unions in keeping political prisoners imprisoned. The second half of the show shared a Black Agenda Radio interview with Netfa about PACA’s response to critics of Community Control over Police. Also featured in this episode are Eugenia Charles, host and executive producer of WPFW's “Konbit Lakay;” Fondasyon Mapou with the song “Yo Pa Moun” by Wadner Peyizan; Haitian-born political theorist, author and PACA organizer Max Rameau; as well as the songs “Free Mumia” by KRS-One and “Mumia 911” by Unbound Allstars.

Max joined Radio Sputnik’s "The Critical Hour” at the 28:30-minute mark to discuss the crisis in Haiti. A growing number of people are questioning the Biden-Harris administration's support for Haiti's autocratic strongman, Jovenel Moïse. Max also provided updates on the Haiti solidarity protests that have taken place around the United States. WPFW’s “Konbit Lakay,” hosted by Haitian-born Eugenia Charles promoted BAP’s Haiti solidarity action at the U.S. State Department.

BAP members across the United States demanded the United States, United Nations and the Organization of American States stop interfering in Haiti's politics and economy during the International Weekend of Action, held March 27-29, 2021. This effort was called by groups on the ground in Haiti. This video contains excerpts from events in Chicago, New York City and Washington, D.C. Check out photos from the NYC rally on Twitter as well as from the DC rally on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. You can see pictures from the Chicago rally on Facebook, Instagram and on the Twitter pages of BAP-Chicago members Dr. Charisse Burden-Stelly and Nicholas Richard-Thompson. You also can watch the playback of Black Power Media's livestream on YouTube.

BAP member Erica Caines and Onyesonwu Chatoyer of BAP member organization All-African People’s Revolutionary Party-New Mexico were interviewed on BAP member Too Black's “The Black Myths Podcast,” which you can listen to here and here. They discussed how capitalist propaganda distorts our connections to the African diaspora, practical ways to make those connections and the significance of joining an organization. Hood Communist's Twitter account is currently suspended for a yet-to-be-explained reason. We view this as part of the broader effort to censor African/Black anti-imperialists. To support the re-activation of their Twitter account, please tweet at @Twitter with the hashtag #FreeHoodCommunist.

BAP member (Salifu Sesay) Mack and Onyesonwu were featured on BAP Coordinating Committee member and radical scholar Dr. Charisse Burden-Stelly's “The Last Dope Intellectual” to discuss Hood Communist's Twitter suspension. The Hood Communist editorial team also responded.

BAP members Jacqueline and Abdusshahid Luqman of “Luqman Nation” joined Black Agenda Report’s “Left Lens,” hosted by Margaret and Danny, to discuss the newly formed Black Power Media and analyze the misinformation obscuring the crises facing U.S. imperialism in the Biden-Harris era.

Netfa joined Radio Sputnik’s “The Critical Hour” to discuss the Global South and Brazilian politician Lula De Silva having been cleared of the illegal plot that was used to remove him from contention for the nation's presidency during the last election process. Netfa’s interview starts 87 minutes into the show. Netfa returned to the “The Critical Hour,” along with BAP National Organizer Ajamu Baraka, to discuss President Joe Biden tasking Vice President Kamala Harris with working on immigration by injecting money into the countries from which many refugees are fleeing. They also discussed de Silva appearing poised to defeat U.S.-backed right-wing strongman Jair Bolsonaro. Their interview started 59 minutes into the show.

Margaret participated in a Canadian Foreign Policy Institute webinar “Why Canada Should Leave NATO.” Margaret also was one of the featured speakers in a Free Assange webinar “The Legacy of Julian Assange” discussing Obama’s attack on whistleblowers, corporate media propaganda and Martin Luther King’s break with Lyndon Johnson over imperialism.

Netfa joined Radio Sputnik’s "Political Misfits" to talk about how the West continues to loot Africa. Netfa’s interview starts 45 minutes into the show.

In a review essay recently published in Black Agenda Report titled, “On Anarchism and the Black Revolution,” BAP member Dr. Peter James Hudson examined the historical roots of the demonization of anarchism, both by capitalist governments and communist movements alike, and its adoption and deployment in the 1970s by Black radicals. Then BAP member Jeremy Miller wrote an editorial published in the San Francisco Bay View titled, “Tellin’ stories about the FBI.” Jeremy discussed in the piece that recent attention placed on the FBI focuses on the past, while largely ignoring the agency’s current undertakings.

Margaret was on the “Free Black America” podcast discussing President Barack Obama, the African/Black community's support for Obama and the Black Left.

BAP member (Salifu Sesay) Mack laid out on the "Resistance" podcast in an episode titled, “Geechee World Order,” about the low country of South Carolina and the Gullah Geechee's fight to preserve their land and determine their destiny.



EVENTS


April 6: "The Human Cost of Sanctions on Venezuela and Canada's Role" webinar. Register here.

April 8: BAP's International Day of Action on Afghanistan. Find out how to get involved.

April 9: Join the Paul Robeson House & Museum and the Claudia Jones School for Political Education to celebrate Paul Robeson's 123rd birthday. Register here.

April 10: No Cold War is hosting a webinar, "For a Peaceful Pacific: Opposing NATO's Military Aggression." Register here.

April 10-11: The Black Is Back Coalition is hosting an electoral school, "The Ballot or the Bullet: National Black Political Agenda Electoral Campaign School." Register here.

April 15: Submit art that best illustrates one of BAP's Principles of Unity (Right to Self-Defense, Self-Determination, Anti-Imperialism, Working-Class Foundation, Intersectionality, Anti-Patriarchy, Decolonization, Prisoner Support, Black Unity, Southern Roots). Get more details on our principles. Deadline: April 15. Email submissions to outreach@blackallianceforpeace.com. Winners will be announced April 22 during our next webinar, "The Role of Culture in Resistance and Revolution."

April 22: BAP's webinar, "The Role of Culture in Resistance and Revolution." Register today.



TAKE ACTION

  • Sign BAP petitions calling for an end to the 1033 program and peace in Afghanistan.

  • Dedan Waciuri, who represents Black Workers for Justice on BAP’s Coordinating Committee, is being charged for inciting a riot and damaging government property. Sign this petition to demand charges be dropped.

  • Our brother, former political prisoner Jalil Muntaqim, faces the possibility of re-incarceration for filling out a voter registration form. Sign this petition to demand charges be dropped.

  • The Black Latina Girls and Women Fund was created by BAP member organization AfroResistance, a Black Latina women-led organization in the service of Black Latinx women in the Americas. This fund offers financial support by giving money directly to Black Latin womxn, girls and femmes who are experiencing severe financial need across the region, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether in Brazil, Colombia, United States or Panama, Black Latina girls, women, and femmes are organizing in their local communities in the fight against several forms of state violence. You can donate here and people are encouraged to use the hashtag #BlackLatinaGWFund.

  • Sign up to join BAP’s U.S. Out of Africa Network to receive the bi-weekly AFRICOM Watch Bulletin in your inbox.

  • Make sure you keep up with us throughout the week by subscribing to our YouTube channel, liking us on Facebook, and following us on Instagram and Twitter.


No Compromise, No Retreat!

Struggle to win,
Ajamu, Charisse, Dedan, Erica, Jaribu, Margaret, Netfa, Nnamdi, Paul, Rafiki

P.S. Freedom isn’t free. Consider giving today.

Banner photo: U.S. Air Force planes bomb Afghanistan in 2009. (Michael B. Keller/U.S. Air Force)