Lester Craven
@goodtrouble64.bsky.social
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 🇹🇿
Descendants of the last enslaved Africans brought to America are still living in a community in Mobile, Alabama. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/banning-sl...
Banning Slave Importation Increased Demand for Slaves
Fifty years after Congress banned the legal importation of slaves, the trafficking of enslaved Africans continued illegally.
lestercraven.substack.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Descendants of the last enslaved Africans brought to America are still living in a community in Mobile, Alabama. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/banning-sl...
Past government economic policies were justified in part by the expertise of Milton Friedman, but he provided no evidence to support his expertise regarding racial discrimination in the marketplace. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/influentia...
Influential Economist Helped Create, Justify Institutional Racism
Despite his failure to provide any supporting evidence, Milton Friedman’s opinions bolstered economic ideas that perpetuated institutional racism.
lestercraven.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Past government economic policies were justified in part by the expertise of Milton Friedman, but he provided no evidence to support his expertise regarding racial discrimination in the marketplace. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/influentia...
The colonists knew they had to suppress the truth of how Black slaves successfully fought for their liberty in Haiti to keep slaves in the US from believing that they could do the same. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/haitis-ind...
Haiti’s Independence Inspired American Slave Revolts
The story of slaves in Haiti fighting successfully for their freedom and independence inspired slaves in America to do the same.
lestercraven.substack.com
December 4, 2025 at 7:09 AM
The colonists knew they had to suppress the truth of how Black slaves successfully fought for their liberty in Haiti to keep slaves in the US from believing that they could do the same. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/haitis-ind...
“If you teach that ni**er how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master.” – Frederick Douglass quoting his slavemaster (1845) #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/educated-s...
Educated Slave Leads Large Colonial America Rebellion
The South Carolina government blamed a 1739 slave revolt on Spain for issuing a proclamation saying that slaves could be free if they came to Florida.
lestercraven.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 7:15 AM
“If you teach that ni**er how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master.” – Frederick Douglass quoting his slavemaster (1845) #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/educated-s...
"In playing with these toys, White children reenacted the roles of slave masters who forced African Americans to perform for Whites' enjoyment." - Kristina DuRocher, "Raising Racists: The Socialization of White Children in the Jim Crow South" #BlackSky substack.com/home/post/p-...
Racist Toys Normalized White Supremacy for Children
Generations of American children were given toys to reenact and reinforce the society they observed.
substack.com
November 28, 2025 at 7:00 AM
"In playing with these toys, White children reenacted the roles of slave masters who forced African Americans to perform for Whites' enjoyment." - Kristina DuRocher, "Raising Racists: The Socialization of White Children in the Jim Crow South" #BlackSky substack.com/home/post/p-...
Houston police used peaceful protests of a hazardous waste site in a Black neighborhood as a pretext to raid an HBCU in 1967. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/police-sho...
Police Shoot Up HBCU After Peaceful Protest
Houston police raided Texas Southern University in 1967 following a peaceful protest at a hazardous waste site across town.
lestercraven.substack.com
November 27, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Houston police used peaceful protests of a hazardous waste site in a Black neighborhood as a pretext to raid an HBCU in 1967. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/police-sho...
When people say Blacks make up a disproportionate portion of the prison population, it's largely because the system convicts Blacks unfairly. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/louisiana-...
Louisiana Convicted Blacks With Nonunanimous Jury Decisions
Since 1880, the Louisiana constitution instituted nonunanimous jury convictions to increase the Black prison population.
lestercraven.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:10 AM
When people say Blacks make up a disproportionate portion of the prison population, it's largely because the system convicts Blacks unfairly. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/louisiana-...
The South African government was increasingly using violence to put down Black citizens’ cries for freedom when Reagan became US president and, in a reversal of US policy, began supporting White supremacy in South Africa. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/archbishop...
Archbishop Tutu Calls Reagan’s Apartheid Policies “Immoral”
President Reagan’s anti-Black domestic policies were reflected in his anti-Black foreign policies.
lestercraven.substack.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:39 AM
The South African government was increasingly using violence to put down Black citizens’ cries for freedom when Reagan became US president and, in a reversal of US policy, began supporting White supremacy in South Africa. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/archbishop...
For over fifty years, the FBI aggressively used surveillance and disinformation in response to the threat of Black Americans becoming equal to White Americans. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/fbi-spent-...
FBI Spent Decades Sabotaging the Civil Rights Movement
Under COINTELPRO, the FBI conducted secret operations to undermine the effort to obtain equal rights for Black Americans.
lestercraven.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:26 AM
For over fifty years, the FBI aggressively used surveillance and disinformation in response to the threat of Black Americans becoming equal to White Americans. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/fbi-spent-...
For over 150 years, the federal government has systematically prevented Black American farmers from owning farmland. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/federal-go...
Federal Government Prevented Blacks From Owning Farmland
Ever since the federal government’s land redistribution plan was rescinded in 1865, the government has worked against Black people owning farmland.
lestercraven.substack.com
November 13, 2025 at 7:48 AM
For over 150 years, the federal government has systematically prevented Black American farmers from owning farmland. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/federal-go...
“Lynching is a clear example of one’s inhumanity toward another. It’s a uniquely American act of terrorism that is motivated by hatred, and, before today, was never punished by our legal system,” Rep. Bobby Rush, March 29, 2022. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/congress-t...
Congress Took 122 Years to Pass Anti-Lynching Law
Over 200 anti-lynching bills were introduced in Congress before finally passing one into law.
lestercraven.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:26 AM
“Lynching is a clear example of one’s inhumanity toward another. It’s a uniquely American act of terrorism that is motivated by hatred, and, before today, was never punished by our legal system,” Rep. Bobby Rush, March 29, 2022. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/congress-t...
A memorial honoring defenders of White supremacy still stands today in Colfax, Louisiana, but it took 150 years to honor the Black victims of their violence. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/white-mob-...
White Mob Riots After Blacks Win Election
A mob of White men massacred Louisiana’s Black militia in the aftermath of the 1872 election.
lestercraven.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:33 AM
A memorial honoring defenders of White supremacy still stands today in Colfax, Louisiana, but it took 150 years to honor the Black victims of their violence. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/white-mob-...
DC and USVI have been denied statehood for over a century because their populations were majority Black. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/black-vote...
Black Voters in U.S. Territories Remain Unrepresented
The prospect of the addition of a large number of Black voters was a disincentive for Congress to allow certain territories to become states.
lestercraven.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 8:07 AM
DC and USVI have been denied statehood for over a century because their populations were majority Black. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/black-vote...
The Constitution guarantees rights but apparently not the ability to access those rights. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/poll-taxes...
Poll Taxes Used to Silence Black Voters
The 15th Amendment gave Blacks the right to vote, then they were made to pay a tax to exercise that right.
lestercraven.substack.com
November 4, 2025 at 12:16 PM
The Constitution guarantees rights but apparently not the ability to access those rights. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/poll-taxes...
In 1890, future Mississippi governor and senator James Vardaman said, “In Mississippi we have in our constitution legislated against the racial peculiarities of the Negro…When that device fails, we will resort to something else.” #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/preventing...
Preventing Blacks From Voting Was Legal Until 1965
The 15th Amendment gave the formerly enslaved the right to vote, but it did not guarantee that this right could be exercised.
lestercraven.substack.com
October 27, 2025 at 7:10 AM
In 1890, future Mississippi governor and senator James Vardaman said, “In Mississippi we have in our constitution legislated against the racial peculiarities of the Negro…When that device fails, we will resort to something else.” #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/preventing...
As of 2025, Mississippi and Louisiana are the states with the highest percentage of Black residents, yet neither state has any elected officials in statewide office who are Black. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/blacks-rem...
Blacks Remain Underrepresented in Mississippi and Louisiana
After Reconstruction, White efforts to deny Black political representation in the South were so thorough that their effects are still seen today.
lestercraven.substack.com
October 23, 2025 at 9:46 AM
As of 2025, Mississippi and Louisiana are the states with the highest percentage of Black residents, yet neither state has any elected officials in statewide office who are Black. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/blacks-rem...
Perspective taking – the ability to understand and consider someone else’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences – occurs when we actively listen to another person’s point of view, and is key to cultivating empathy, meaningful relationships, and self-awareness. #BlackSky substack.com/home/post/p-...
A White Perspective of Bill Russell
Each of us has just one vantage point of our shared reality.
substack.com
October 22, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Perspective taking – the ability to understand and consider someone else’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences – occurs when we actively listen to another person’s point of view, and is key to cultivating empathy, meaningful relationships, and self-awareness. #BlackSky substack.com/home/post/p-...
Divide and conquer is an extraordinarily effective tool of oppression because the counterstrategy of unity isn’t achievable when people prefer individual rights. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/the-invent...
The Invention of Legalized Racism
When White servants and Black slaves joined forces against oppression, the government changed the law to give poor Whites power over Blacks.
lestercraven.substack.com
October 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Divide and conquer is an extraordinarily effective tool of oppression because the counterstrategy of unity isn’t achievable when people prefer individual rights. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/the-invent...
Equality isn’t achieved by the actions of a few celebrated figures, but rather by the collective efforts of the less celebrated and the unknown. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/before-ros...
Before Rosa Parks There Was Claudette Colvin
The courage of a 15-year-old paved the way for others to come after her.
lestercraven.substack.com
October 16, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Equality isn’t achieved by the actions of a few celebrated figures, but rather by the collective efforts of the less celebrated and the unknown. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/before-ros...
For 90 years, Black men working as Red Caps provided the first impression of St Paul, Minn. to travelers arriving by train. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/trains-bro...
Trains Brought Jobs to Former Slaves
The golden age of train travel created service sector jobs for the formerly enslaved.
lestercraven.substack.com
October 13, 2025 at 12:12 PM
For 90 years, Black men working as Red Caps provided the first impression of St Paul, Minn. to travelers arriving by train. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/trains-bro...
Americans hold inaccurate beliefs about welfare usage believing that programs disproportionately benefit minorities despite the actual demographic realities. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/public-sup...
Public Support for Welfare Depends on Who Benefits
Social programs that benefitted White Americans in the 1930s faced intense opposition in the 1960s when Black Americans became eligible.
lestercraven.substack.com
October 9, 2025 at 7:10 AM
Americans hold inaccurate beliefs about welfare usage believing that programs disproportionately benefit minorities despite the actual demographic realities. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/public-sup...
A California city demonstrated how to address an injustice committed by its government in 1924 when it seized the land of a Black couple because of their race. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/city-seize...
City Seized Property Because Owners Were Black
In a city where fewer than one percent of residents were Black, the all-White government seized the only beachfront property owned by a Black person.
lestercraven.substack.com
October 6, 2025 at 7:15 AM
A California city demonstrated how to address an injustice committed by its government in 1924 when it seized the land of a Black couple because of their race. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/city-seize...
Because institutions provided remedies to address disadvantages created because of race, my life started better than my father’s. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/black-amer...
Black Americans Are Disadvantaged Just for Being Black
From birth, Black Americans experience reduced opportunities in every aspect of life simply because of their skin color.
lestercraven.substack.com
October 2, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Because institutions provided remedies to address disadvantages created because of race, my life started better than my father’s. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/black-amer...
Generations of American students have learned from textbooks that taught that slaveowners were benevolent, Negros were inferior, and slavery wasn’t that bad. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/us-history...
US History Textbooks Erase Truth of Slavery
Until 1860, no US history textbook ever even mentioned the existence of an antislavery movement.
lestercraven.substack.com
September 29, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Generations of American students have learned from textbooks that taught that slaveowners were benevolent, Negros were inferior, and slavery wasn’t that bad. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/us-history...
Theodore Roosevelt’s relationships with Black people became socially and politically problematic after he became president. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/presidents...
President’s Dinner With Negro Provokes White Backlash
President Theodore Roosevelt’s dinner with Booker T. Washington elicited ferocious criticism from Whites.
lestercraven.substack.com
September 25, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Theodore Roosevelt’s relationships with Black people became socially and politically problematic after he became president. #BlackSky lestercraven.substack.com/p/presidents...