Joy James: The Architects of Abolitionism

The Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice's Carceral State Reading Group presents, "The Architects of Abolitionism: George Jackson, Angela Davis, and the Deradicalization of Prison Struggles," a lecture and conversation with Joy James.
Joy James is the F.C. Oakley 3rd C. Professor at Williams College where she teaches in political science, humanities, africana studies, women and gender studies and American studies.
James's anthologies critiquing incarceration and policing include: The New Abolitionists, Imprisoned Intellectuals, The Angela Y. Davis Reader, States of Confinement, and Warfare in the American Homeland-all works that engage critical writings from the perspectives of social justice activists, human rights advocates, and revolutionary political prisoners. Co-editor of the 2016 Abolition Collective Elections Blog, James's most recent book is Seeking the Beloved Community. Author of "The Womb of Western Theory," she has completed draft monographs on "The Eclipse of the Revolutionary Era and Abolitionist Architects Angela Y. Davis and George Jackson" and "Fulcrum: The Captive Maternal Leverages Democracy."
Introductory Remarks by Sophie Kupetz and Kristen Maye and Q & A facilitated by Arya Serenity and Kristen Maye.
Monday, April 8, 2019
Brown University

[@GabriellaCarter]

The nuance between Davis's plea of innocence and George's defense against being enslaved by the state was so necessary to include. Thank you for pointing out these subtle differences which aren't talked about often. It was great to learn about history from such a gifted storyteller as Joy. Thank you

[@riverruns477]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZjCe3l6h9V_l9E

[@yooki198]

27:00 "There's a strong possibility that since we never agreed to evaluate an ideological structure for our struggles for abolitionism, that anybody and anything at any time can claim to be an abolitionist." Sighhhh

[@Loud2013]

"There's nothing about the academy that has revolutionary desire." Wow

[@MrTimeless101]

if you understand that the academy IS the establishment then you understand why they wouldn't be revolutionary.

[@riverruns477]

Whew! What a tangled web we find ourselves in. Erudition at its finest! #1867*MOREHOUSE College

[@Autochthonous_Anarchist]

@@riverruns477 we have the option to accept/deny. Status quo and/or quid pro quo?

[@Gestureye7x]

this is so EXCEPTIONAL : required viewing! absolutely mind blowing just to hear her proper these fundamental systems at work - i can tell she has organizing in her process which is not only necessary but enables this type of dialectical materialism! the amount of chills i got in this are far too many to describe ✨✨ ✨

[@olushakur]

I recommend all those trying to get active in organizing by reading Jalil Muntaqim’s We Are Our Own Liberators for a “blueprint”. It is a book detailing strategy and theory on how we can start create a national front for liberation and autonomy from the state. Let’s not try to re-invent the wheel but develop the theories our elders have offered us, especially the practices that are shown to work. We have to start putting theory into practice.

[@Jamluji]

Are you somewhere in Africa or based in America. Curious if you have any projects going on right now

[@eyesofnihility]

everyone needs to see this

[@omalone1169]

avocado for what reason like really is that the best you can do

[@yooki198]

15:35 ...the celebrity or the icon of the Black Panther is someone who never joined the Black Panther Party, which would be Angela Davis. And because she was never in the party, she doesn't know the logistics of day to day struggle or how the Panthers crafted themselves and defended themselves.

[@yooki198]

1:00:33 "And I'm like 'What's the ideology?"'And they say 'intersectionality' and I am like, 'No, that's additive.' Intersectionality is additive. Gender, race, class, sexuality; I've never heard anybody add ideology. Are you liberal or are you a radical?" This clarified a lot that was burning me up inside when I watched Ruthie Wilson GIlmore in this kzbin.info/www/bejne/iH6YfWR4a818kLM

[@LLACVC]

Thank you for these timestamp links. I came here looking exactly for this part.

[@williambeaudoin3591]

I agree with @trees. Thanks for turning this video into a study group with the timestamps it's very effective

[@williambeaudoin3591]

shortly after that quote "The material conditions are going to be changed by people who actually have blueprints." "Well their blueprints didn't work." "Well they don't work if the FBI comes in and kills you at 4 in the morning."

[@elledeq]

@PvPTechnique is RWG making a similar argument, or rather not? In other words, do you recommend the video you linked?

[@yooki198]

27:40 "By severing abolitionism from a working class black base that sought autonomy from the state and by shifting the leadership to elites, to government, to nonprofits, to academics..."

[@nykballaz]

this is gospel

[@cuddlesandkafka]

Violence in opposition to oppression is not paranoia, but pragmatism. Its portrayal as the former rather than the latter aids the neutering of the liberation struggle into a product for recuperative consumption. Professor James is deep and insightful in this observation.

[@CarolineDavisMusic]

required viewing. impossible tasks are those worthy of you. i'll be re-watching and re-watching and listening yet again.

[@MaidMedicine]

I’m frustrated that KZbin doesnt have a ten second rewind button. She’s dropped deep gems that need to be heard again and again

[@Cocoy3e]

Ohh they definitely have an option for one, check your settings .

[@cuddlesandkafka]

I'm watching on a mobile device and double tapping the left side of the screen works for me. I had to rewind at least four or five times for precisely the reason you give. James's mind is a surgical knife and it's brain work to follow along.

[@karton00000]

Or you can tap the left arrow on your keyboard. you may have to focus on the video by clicking somewhere in the frame

[@zipporahl6896]

Professor James really ATE.

[@zitaackah7098]

54:00 was extremely profound. She expands on the same thought I think at 1:20:00. But the idea that doing anything that the academy praises is probably ineffective because the academy is part of the larger structure and it profits off keeping the structure together. Being effective is the quickest way to get push back and once you’re there you might actually be on the verge of revolution. If i understood correctly.

[@queenbiscotti]

Isnt this a beautiful and dangerous ideal?

[@omi_cha]

"So what is next for the captive maternal? You're not gonna leave your community behind, you're not gonna stop helping, nurturing, and healing. But every time we stabilise, they build upon that stability and enforce another theft. Maroonage. How do we tunnel out? This includes LITERALLY figuring out how to get people out of prison so that they come with us. Do you see the beauty in that? It's an impossible task, but it's one that's completely worthy of you."

[@williambeaudoin3591]

(I'm gonna try what Camille is teaching us all to do lol) 46:12 "George was a revolutionary which just means you break them out. That's not what we do now. It's like we petition for pardon and release and we bring in books and education and we help people get degrees. We don't condemn the state's capacity to act like a god and destroy people's lives, we mitigate the damage. That's a different gameplan. So on one level you have George in your brain, right, and on the other hand you have the pragmatic of we need to get through this and *be useful*." discussion of this particular problem keeps going until 48:08

[@omi_cha]

57:23 "But the people I meet who are the first don't seem to be particularly happy in the spaces they occupy. They feel to be pressed on all sides. As much compassion as I have for them, I try not to forget about class. Because then I can't think about poor people...They [the firsts/middle class/elites of a colonised caste] are persecuted because that is just the nature of these institutions, and that is real suffering, but so are people living in public housing with lead paint and mold and rats and dealing with the NYPD...That, for me, is a level of reality that has to co-exist with people who have more material privilege and who are suffering too. But, because our spaces tend to isolated, the suffering among the privileged tends to dominate these other stories, or these other stories become trauma discourse or trauma porn."

[@yooki198]

1:09:12 "Even if we have our analysis, if the depth of our analysis is like skiing on top and not deep sea diving then what we produce in the world is superficial. And that sounds harsh, but so is dying in prison."

[@prudencenanou18]

such towering intellect. thank you for uploading this gem.

[@ashalves_]

One of the best speeches I’ve heard in long time! So much to digest and unpack here.

[@Trumpianet]

1:01:09 "The material conditions aren't just going to be changed by precarity. They're gonna to be changed by people who actually have blueprints."

[@yooki198]

1:44:11 "We keep our communities from going crazy and that labor is captured by the state."

[@yooki198]

1:08:25 "For me, Jackson was Davis's captive maternal" (The captive maternal is one who is tied to the state’s violence through the non-transferable agency they have to care for another.)

[@nicatnight70]

Her concerns about White supremacist militias send chills. We have yet to find a way to confront it, our failure to do so will be our undoing.

[@yakwtfgoidgafwabgtsam]

every second of this is absolute gold. thank you!

[@Adamr1337]

so great! is there a transcript somewhere?

[@joedias7946]

Living in England and heavily influenced by the black struggle in the US. Thanks for The discussion. A lot of stuff I did not know,

[@Autochthonous_Anarchist]

1:12:39 “…the utility of violence. It’s utilitarian why else have it unless it worked, right?”

[@mikeljones1049]

This was going around on my IG feed so here I am soaking up this wisdom.

[@zipporahl6896]

Just sittin there drinking kombucha ruining my whole worldview, Sister Joy.

[@omi_cha]

just wow. incredible insights stemming from the stories of kathleen cleaver, george jackson, and angela davis, in particular about the middle class and the academy being a part of the deradicalisation of abolition and revolutionary struggle.

[@thunderwalk]

thank you to whoever captioned this!!

[@omalone1169]

It's an impossible task but it's one completely worthy of you.

[@clenclen]

1:45:18 it's an impossible task but it's one completely worthy of you

[@yooki198]

I will say here that I'd love to see Joy James engage Mariame Kaba and also even Rachel Herzing because her saying that she isn't seeing a sufficient critique of what we are facing. I feel like, yeah I have heard people come through with very solid critiques. Maybe she spends too much time in the academy?

[@yooki198]

See here kzbin.info/www/bejne/qoKvmqSEaMtjd68 a DOPE panel on abolition and beyond

[@nirad3822]

@@yooki198 thank you for highlighting parts of this talk and presentation

[@yooki198]

No argument there anymore.

[@hersupreme3348]

So happy I watched this!

[@yooki198]

1:02:41 "I talk to my 10 year old this way...you lie to children for a reason. You don't lie to adults." SNAP

[@yooki198]

Unless you truly believe the lie ....or unless telling the truth endangers the reality you have created for yourself. She mentioned the black elite as that lid on black resistance..

[@clenclen]

"Now that's right"

[@bryaneddy2647]

18:00, 27:40, 38:00, 1:00:10 Personal Note

[@yooki198]

8:40 shaaaaade. i am here for it!

[@duchessofessex2550]

Amazing!!

[@omalone1169]

42 and

[@Loud2013]

1:30:00 solidarity

[@anthonyholloway173]

I needed this. Thanks.

[@secondexodus9105]

The earliest is François Maximilien Misson (1650-1722), “whose ideas influenced Buffon’s Natural History” (Gilman 1994, p. 368). Misson’s travel guide to Italy is quoted in the English translation of 1714: In 1931 the Biblical Scholar was able to translate the texts of the ancient Roman historian Josephus. The text describes the appearance of Jesus as witnessed by the ancient Roman historian Josephus. He wrote: “At that time also there appeared a certain man of magic power … if it be meet to call him a man, [whose name is JESUS], whom [certain] Greeks call a son of [a] God, but his disciples [call] the true prophet who is supposed to have raised dead persons and to have cured all diseases. Both his nature and his form were human, for he was a man of simple appearance, mature age, black-skinned (melagchrous), short growth, three cubits tall, hunchbacked, prognathous (lit. ‘with a long face [macroprosopos]), a long nose, eyebrows meeting above the nose, that the spectators could take fright, with scanty [curly] hair, but having a line in the middle of the head after the fashion of the Nazaraeans, with an undeveloped beard.” (*Halōsis, ii.174).”[4] Tacitus, wrote about Jews in his book, Histories, saying, “Many assure us they were a race of Ethiopian origin.”

[@natural2]

It’s the fact that her kombucha is at room temperature for me 🥴 otherwise I learned a lot!

[@dimitri246]

✊🏾

[@omalone1169]

Dimitri Hepburn you clearly gained nothing from this

[@omalone1169]

01:02:00 they want to study but don't want to do much else 01:05:00 The structure itself blocks clarity. 1996 critique in resisting state violence and she did Angela's graduate course . If you write us out you sanitize history 52 ... 1:08:00 George Jackson was before No skill in articulating an analysis we ski on top rather than doing deep sea diving. 01:22:00 is this a critique of angels Davis or comparison with Kathleen Cleaver. 01:25:00 no one is thinning about eliminating the state as it is not permissible though 01:27:00 blue lives matters. Police are guardians of the state federal and local . If you confront them then the union dictates you will die in prison . 01:30 they agree with the predatory structure as it's profitable. People who petition the state for redress are useless. 1:38:00 who ? Charlene ? And this repudiation of the elite . 1903 American Home missionary society who pay for a black elite . He later critiqued as workers and trade unionists came to his assistance and support . Be useful to community by risking . Mind must function seeing the physical engagement with the world . The captive eternal who's generative powers have been stolen by the state .

[@omalone1169]

@@warboats Angela Davis is cancelled ?

[@daveslater9141]

Great video and discussion I'm a direct descendant of Colston, I'm not proud of this in any way whatsoever, I'd be a great, great and so on grandson, I wont hide the fact, I'm not ashamed as I can't exactly change my heritage, I'm nothing like him whatsoever, in fact I'm the polar opposite, I'm scared of people like him, I'm also scared of mob rule as well, mob rule seemed to dominate most of the western world during that time during the pandemic, I'm glad the statue was removed, but I can think of better ways, the people gathered there that day were on the side of justice, that is good, but there were many theee that get a thrill out of the darker side of mob rule, baying for violence and trouble, I wish wholeheartedly those types would go away, I can understand how much the statues offended people, I despise slavery, it still exists, it was also around a long time before Colston, it was a terrible time of the British empire, and there are so much more injustices in the name of empire, but Britain can not be singled out as the only culprit, no race or nation is guilt free of such horrific practices, there are still very wealthy Africans who got rich from the transatlantic slave trade, but I freely admit more Europeans, racism is not purely a white thing, it's born out of tribalism and we all stem from that, the blame game has valid foundations of course it does, but as a white man I'm fed up of people assuming because of my skin colour that I'm a 'white privileged racist', I'm far from privileged, my family at the turn of the 20th century, 1920 refused 100% any gains from Colstons estate when we were approached by legal representatives, we also dropped the name Colston (Colston/Iles) to just Iles. I hope I've not offended anyone writing this, I'm not the most articulate man, I try my best but my words can sometimes be misunderstood, hence me finishing this by trying to explain, peace unto you all.

[@Cyberphunkisms]

WOW

[@Cyberphunkisms]

joy james boooooooooom

[@CantBurnTheSun]

1:03:00 "you lie to children for a reason, you don't lie to adults"

[@mpoemp4703]

21:01 !!! BOOMB

[@pongiethorn]

39:30

[@secondexodus9105]

“[G’d] blessed Noah and his sons-as it says: ‘And G’d blessed them’ with their gifts, and he apportioned the entire earth to them as an inheritance. He blessed SHEM And His Sons [making them] BLACK AND COMELY, and He gave them the inhabitable earth. He blessed HAM AND HIS SONS [making them] BLACK AS THE RAVEN, and He gave them the coasts of the sea. He blessed JAPHETH and his sons [making] ALL OF THEM WHITE AND BEAUTIFUL, and He gave them the deserts and fields. These are the portions He gave them as an inheritance.” Source : Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer 24

[@Autochthonous_Anarchist]

Calling the first line of defense for the CORPORATION/STATE, POLICE, emboldens their agenda. A more descriptive presentment that’s more accurate starts to dismantle the existing demoralized inhumane confinement of Humanity.

[@michaelperez1455]

WHEN WILL PEOPLE LEARN THEY ARE THE GOVERNMENT NOT THE POLITICIANS VOTED INTO A POLITICAL PARTY EMPLOYED BY THE PEOPLE

[@truettadevil]

Uncomfortable listening to the young lady who gave the introduction not refer to Joy James as DR. James.

[@byronevans1]

@@user-pi4su6je8p Exactly.

[@BIGMIKESKNUTTS]

Cope

[@yooki198]

LOL

[@secondexodus9105]

"...it would have been somewhat singular if the Roman Catholic missionaries at LOANGO had not detected this circumstance instead of regarding them as a pure AFRICAN FAMILY OF JEWS... ...It is important to remark, however, that Those Families In Africa CANNOT Be Fairly Estimated By Such Specimens of the Nation As Have Been Brought To AMERICA ; for the subjects of the slave trade have almost invariably been gathered either from certain degraded clans that are interspersed among the more powerful tribes..." "The Nautical Magazine and Naval Chronicle for 1870" by Various, page 529 (2013) Cambridge University Press

[@carenlook7902]

Why does the white girl have to speak so long, even when they claim to want to do right. Uhg. Great presentation. The funky academic brought me here

[@BIGMIKESKNUTTS]

Because she’s better than the black ones. Do better. 🤭

[@secondexodus9105]

“The study of customs and rites and the analysis of the semantics of these African tribes have led many of their observers to propose some hypotheses and even to draw some conclusions. Doctor Allen H. Godbey reached the following conclusion: ‘These factors have a very specific significance if we consider the presence of JUDAISM AMONG THE AMERICAN NEGROES. Hundreds of thousands of slaves were transported to America from West Africa during the trade which started some 400 YEARS AGO. What traces of Judaism still remained among the Negroes of West Africa at that period? To the extent that THEY WERE PERSECUTED THEY WERE MORE LIKELY THAN OTHER NEGROES to be seized during wars and SOLD AS SLAVES. IT IS VIRTUALLY CERTAIN THAT MANY Part JEWISH NEGROES WERE AMONG THOSE SENT AS SLAVES TO AMERICA. How many of them would have been able to conserve some Jewish customs is another question.' This conclusion put forward by Godbey, which argues for the existence of a more or less recurrent JUDAISM IN WEST AFRICA in the same places as those from which the Negroes were taken, is shared by others, such as Maurice Delafosse. But most significantly it has been ADOPTED BY A CLASS OF EDUCATED BLACK AMERICANS as a key argument to demonstrate that the JEWISH RELIGION IS THE TRADITIONAL RELIGION OF AFRICANS BROUGHT IN SLAVERY TO THE AMERICAN CONTINENT Source: Blacks Jews : The Religious Challenge or Politics Versus Religion (Cambridge University) 1987 - Page 235-236

[@TheJonesdv33]

Yes, there is a third way, but first you must realize that this is a punishment. We are the poorest people on earth for a reason. How do you go against a state that cover's all four corners of earth? You can't! Where would you go? You know, the state could change. God would surely smile. Nah, that's not happening. This is what we must do. Keep his commandments, because this is why we are being punished.

[@jcdenton631]

Lol

[@hamasmillitant1]

heh despite being single parent im not that maternal, i just left, i have almost no friends these days but i am free retired at 26, over a decade ago now ;) government pays me to stay out of workforce/not start a riot/gives me a mental disability pension ;P awesome talk though ty

[@aliforeman1819]

Umm...every other word i say ugh umm...computer ugh...nah foh ppl who say ugh and umm every other word are liars and UGH annoying umm AF...😩

[@cuddlesandkafka]

You gotta engage the content of what she says and not only the manner. There are no shortcuts here.

[@blown503]

Dont forget that thousands of slaves worked just like the job you go to every day. The very on tribe that these "poor people" came from was sold to other people. There was black slave owners as well. Some of these slaves worked enough to actually go out into the world itself and become free from labor and had to actually go to work. The United States bought land in Africa and created a colony and it is known as Liberia today. The United states paid for freed slaves to return home if they wanted too. If you are still in the United States crying about slavery it is your familys fault or choice you are still here today. Something was better about being here than returning to Africa.

[@riverruns477]

Interesting!

[@krisjones4051]

This speech was garbage and sophistry. And I’m black lol. Nixon never said that quote which this entire speech hinges on.

[@canaanmattson5273]

That was John Ehrlichman's quote who was Nixon's advisor... she mentions that.

[@krisjones4051]

@@canaanmattson5273 There was never evidence that either Ehrlichman or Nixon held those opinions though.

[@canaanmattson5273]

​@@krisjones4051 "One of Richard Nixon’s top advisers and a key figure in the Watergate scandal said the war on drugs was created as a political tool to fight blacks and hippies, according to a 22-year-old interview recently published in Harper’s Magazine. “The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people,” former Nixon domestic policy chief John Ehrlichman told Harper’s writer Dan Baum for the April cover story published Tuesday." This is public knowledge

[@canaanmattson5273]

@@krisjones4051 The direct quote she uses can also be found in the same interview

[@krisjones4051]

@@canaanmattson5273 Ehrlichman was convicted of perjury and Dan Baum allegedly sat on that white for TWO decades. That’s utter horse crap to believe a 3rd-hand source 20 years later with no corroboration from Ehrlichman because he’s long *dead.* It’s not “public knowledge,” it’s a myth.

[@bensantos3882]

Waste of space, time and resources on no nonsense people that should be doing other more productive things.