S E1258: In Class with Carr, Ep. 258: Blackest History Month III: Playing the American 'Great Game'

As we enter the second half of Blackest History Month 2025, we reflect on themes of power, influence, culture, and resistance, particularly within the context of Black thought, history, and contemporary developments in the US and global social structures. The contrast between figures like Kendrick Lamar (highlighted during the Super Bowl) and Donald Trump illustrates how power often intersects with whiteness, capitalism, and entertainment to shape public consciousness. This is especially evident in major advertising events like the Super Bowl, where creating a cultural moment and capturing attention become paramount. Meanwhile, the increasing channeling of public resources into promoting visions of white supremacy and hypercapitalism has intensified to the point of impunity, daring the rest of us to resist it.

Martin Kilson’s observation about shifts in African American intellectual and creative circles from pursuing power to emphasizing and commoditizing culture provides a lens through which we can examine intersections of cultural meaning-making and struggle. What happens when contemporary power dynamics—particularly regarding white nationalism and the redirection of both public and private resources—reduce Black Power to mere cultural posturing? Absent the deliberate connection of Movement and Memory to strengthening Africana Governance formations, can cultural influence contribute meaningfully to organizing, resisting, and building for the long term? Or is “playing the great American game” a never-ending cycle of diminishing returns?

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