Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire

The Great Debate in Harlem
Bill Quigley
24 Jun 2009
🖨️ Print Article

another debate

Last December 14, with Barack Obama's inauguration more than a month away, CEMOTAP and the Friends of Dr. Mtulu Shakur presented a debate at Harlem's Salem United Methodist Church, centered on the question: "Was the election of Barack Obama good for Black People? Yes or No?" The church was packed and the exchanges were heated, although the 8-minute limit on presentations proved woefully insufficient, and created as many problems as it was designed prevent.

On Sunday, June 28, the question will be posed: "After six months, is President Obama good for Black people?" We have been assured that the "roundtable discussion" will provide a more effective and fair format for debate. We at BAR believe our side made the better case ("NO") back in December, and are confident we will do so again, on June 28. See you there!

Do you need and appreciate Black Agenda Report articles? Please click on the DONATE icon, and help us out, if you can.


More Stories


  • Dr. Gerald Horne
    Juneteenth Book Signing & Lecture with Prof. Gerald Horne
    17 Jun 2026
    Prof. Gerald Horne’s book signing and lecture in Brooklyn, New York on June 19.
  • Gregory P. Downs
    The Hidden History of Juneteenth
    17 Jun 2026
    Most people think Juneteenth was simply when enslaved Texans learned they were free, but that is a myth. They knew the war ended but the fight for freedom did not end with one proclamation; it took…
  • Jessica Washington
    D.C. Mayor Candidates Are Fixating on Teen Hangouts — and Turning the Cops on Them
    17 Jun 2026
    D.C. mayoral candidate Kenyan McDuffie supports curfews targeting youth. His opponent Janeese Lewis George disagrees but Washington's colonial status and its lack of home rule make any debate…
  • Centre for Counter Hegemonic Studies
    Luis Britto GarcĂ­a: I resist, therefore I am
    17 Jun 2026
    A Venezuelan writer asks hard questions about the state of the Venezuelan state.
  • BAR Radio Logo
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio June 12, 2026
    12 Jun 2026
    In this week’s segment, we discuss the Delaney Hall immigration jail in New Jersey. Detainees have been on hunger strike in protest of inhumane conditions, and protests and arrests have taken place…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us