Backlash Against Black: Fighting Erasure and Reclaiming the Narrative

In this powerful episode of Blacktivities, Shannon welcomes special guest Rick Willis — a proud HBCU alum, veteran, journalist, and outspoken advocate for Black empowerment — to unpack the growing backlash against Black culture, history, and unity.

From banned books and rewritten curriculums to erasure in media and targeted attacks on Black progress, this conversation exposes the patterns of fear, propaganda, and historical amnesia that continue to impact our communities. Through storytelling, facts, and unapologetic truth-telling, Shannon and Rick examine the difference between playing the victim and naming injustice, the danger of the “white victimhood” narrative, and what Black folks can do to resist erasure, restore pride, and go on offense.

Topics Covered:

• The historical and modern-day backlash against Black progress
• Big Facts: documented attacks on Black political power and education
• Why white fear is fueling efforts to silence Black truth
• The myth of meritocracy and the reality of stolen opportunity
• The emotional and strategic dilemma of protecting Black spaces
• DEI, CRT, and the “incompetence” narrative
• What solidarity between Black men and women should look like
• The call to action: love each other louder, lead with truth, and educate our own

Guest Info:

Follow Rick Willis on Facebook and Instagram:

• Facebook: Rick Willis
• Instagram: @rodinman5

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About the Hosts

Blacktivities is a Black Panache original production – a podcast network with a lineup of black-hosted shows sharing black stories and tackling black issues. For more information on shows like our newest production, Fat Lies Matter, visit blackpanache.com.

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• White Supremacy, Terrorism, and the Failure of Reconstruction in the United States
• https://www.levin-center.org/congress-investigates-kkk-violence-during-reconstruction/
• Nearly 2,000 Black Americans Were Lynched During Reconstruction
• Documenting Reconstruction Violence – Equal Justice Initiative Reports

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