With today’s Supreme Court oral arguments, we should be clear that the racist idea baked into our Constitution that Black Americans never were and should not be considered as full American citizens—the very fallacy that the 14th Amendment was designed to rectify—is now being weaponized to devalue the citizenship of Americans of all walks of life. This is proof positive that racism and democracy are incompatible, and the only way to truly realize our democratic ideals is to acknowledge, confront and rectify racism head-on. Instead, in this moment when we are sliding into authoritarianism, our elite political and media infrastructure is doing the exact opposite. Civil Rights and the fight for democracy cannot be severed.

To protect a multiracial democracy, we must confront the anti-Black racism that has long shaped citizenship in the U.S. We stand with all who call this country home. Racism and democracy are incompatible.

Backtalker: An American Memoir publishes six weeks from TODAY! Thank you so much to Bryan Stevenson for his kind words and support of this deeply personal project.

You can order your copy here: www.simonandschuster.com/books/Backta...

As we enter the final week of Women’s History Month, here at AAPF we’re uplifting the #StatusOfBlackWomen. ✨

Stay tuned for daily facts highlighting the experiences of Black women across different fields—from tech to journalism and beyond.

Statement on DOJ attempt to drop remaining charges in Breonna Taylor case “It is appalling that the Trump administration is seeking to drop all remaining federal charges against the police officers responsible for Breonna Taylor’s death. Breonna should be alive today, and she and her family deserve unequivocal recognition that her killing was egregious, unjust and a violation of civil rights. Though the most serious charges in this case already have been dismissed, the government’s desire to make permissible state lies about the circumstances of Breonna’s killing is the latest attempt to erase the power of her life and the galvanizing impact she had on the movement for Black lives. May her memory continue to be a revolution.”

Breonna should be alive today, and she and her family deserve unequivocal recognition that her killing was egregious, unjust and a violation of civil rights.

Stop Anti-Voter Bills Now The SAVE Act, the SAVE America Act, and MEGA Act could keep millions of eligible U.S. citizens from being able to vote. Urge Congress to reject these bills.

The Senate is debating whether to advance an extreme voter suppression bill, the SAVE America Act, that would make it harder for millions of Americans to register to vote.

It’s up to us to stop it. Tell your Senators now to vote NO.

Fortunately some of us are….

Backtalker One of the most influential public intellectuals in the world and the architect of the two biggest ideas to reshape the American conversation about...

COMING SOON: Backtalker: An American Memoir.

On sale May 5.

Pre-order available now! : www.simonandschuster.com/books/Backta...

Black women were disproportionately impacted by DOGE cuts. A year later, they're rebuilding careers for themselves and each other Black women make up 12% of the federal workforce and experienced the largest federal employment losses between 2024 and 2025.

"Black women were disproportionately impacted by DOGE cuts. A year later, they're rebuilding careers for themselves and each other."

No child should be kicked off their team and deemed an outcast by their government just because of who they are. Like Kara Young said — freedom isn’t just possible, it’s necessary.

Learn more about our work defending trans student athletes at aclu.org/morethanagame-bpj

this is some bullshit. the Court is giving sovereign immunity to postal workers who allegedly engaged in intentional racial discrimination

Thomas's rationale is that you can't sue the government over lost mail, but there's a difference between mail that's lost and mail that's withheld bc of racism!

As we face this perilous moment in our democracy and the fight for equal rights, may Rev. Jackson's memory be a guiding light for us, connecting us to our past and revealing to us the necessary conditions for the multiracial democracy he and our movement forebears imagined.

The Story of Hazel Scott, the first African American to host a variety show broadcasted into American living rooms in 1950, is one about power and influence.

And maybe that’s why McCarthy didn’t just blacklist her, he erased her.

Free Press' Cristina Escobar reflects on her legacy with @aapf.org:

“The SAVE Act will require voters to show proof of citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections…”

“Only half of Americans hold a valid passport…Birth certificates are also problematic for many married women [whose] name may be different than the name on her birth certificate.”

This is tonight! Join @aapf.org and @freepress.bsky.social for a "The Story of Us" virtual broadcast and live talkback.

we would love to see you tomorrow night!

The African American Policy Forum works to dismantle structural inequality.

At Sundance, AAPF hosted "The Story of Us: The New McCarthyism: Why Authoritarians Fear Storytellers," moderated by Kimberlé Crenshaw, co-founder and executive director.

Learn more about @aapf.org s work: www.aapf.org

Sundance isn’t just about the wattage of attendees.

The festival brings together the united, pluralist society that racists are so scared of — making it a prime space for organizing.

Free Press’ Cristina Escobar reflects on her experience, and @aapf.org's star-studded event on storytelling.

A 🧵:

MAGA and its enablers have moved overt anti-Black racism back into the mainstream while civil society has time and again managed only a muted response to egregiously racist attacks. As one side uses abject racism to openly galvanize its supporters, and another shies away from confronting it directly, this dangerous asymmetry is pushing us further into crisis and away from democracy.

On today's AI slop from the president: The world is watching us. Our children are watching us. And anything short of outright condemnation, outrage and reflection on the systemic failures that brought us here—the consistent apologies or obscuring of racism in our national discourse—is unacceptable.

🎯🎯🎯

Arresting Black journalists is also vice signaling. Their base is racist and hates journalists and they want to get them excited again. The mainstream media industry has never protected Black journalists or journalists of color the way it should.

A photo of seven people on stage: Justin Emeka, Jaqueline Stewart, Ava DuVernay, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Viet Thahn Nguyen, Kara Young, Jon Michael Hill

Kimberlé Crenshaw listening to Ava DuVernay, holding a microphone and addressing a crowd at our Story of Us event at Sundance.

Posing in front of the step-and-repeat for a fitcheck for freedom.

The standing-room-only crowd at Sundance last night for AAPF's "Story of Us: Why Authoritarians Fear Storytellers." Seated and standing audience members in the house, under faux trees and lighting.

"Fear is contagious, but so is courage." Last night at @sundance.org for the #StoryOfUS, Ava DuVernay reminded us why artistic freedom is an expression of democratic freedom. Thanks to her, Jacqueline Stewart, @vietthanhnguyen.bsky.social, Kara Young & Jon Hill and more for their brilliance.

May Claudette Colvin's memory continue to be an inspiration to us all.

a must read ⬇️

keep thinking of a vocally anti-woke reporter who insisted that the term "environmental racism" was nonsense

the racism is the point

If I had to say what segments of American life have taken the most serious blows, I think science, civil service, black women (and nondiscrimination law more broadly) and trans people might be my top four.

We're bringing together a star-studded Broadway cast on Monday night to perform a reading of our #SayHerName play, honoring and fundraising to sustain our critical #SayHerName work. If you're in NYC, we would love to see you at The Atlantic Theater for an incredible night of art and remembrance.

Racism and democracy are incompatible—the conservatives on the Supreme Court know this and the result of that knowledge has been a sustained, wholesale dismantling of voting rights. There is no fight more important than the fight for voting rights, and we must shine a light on the strategy at play.

Books are being banned. Histories erased. Authoritarianism is on the rise. AAPF's mission and work is more needed than ever. This #GivingTuesday, we hope you will join us in the fight for racial justice and equal opportunity by supporting our research, initiatives and programming: aapf.kindful.com

Books are being banned. Histories erased. Authoritarianism rising. AAPF is pushing back and keeping racial justice at the center of the fight for democracy. Your #GivingTuesday support helps us keep the freedom to learn alive.

Donate Here: www.aapf.org/donate