ICE is what happens when Americans refuse to learn from Black history.

In this episode, I respond to the killing of Renee Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and mother of three, shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.

I draw on the Black history, specifically the example of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense.

Finally, I turn to Venezuela.

I connect domestic repression to international aggression and argue that the same ideology animating ICE and CBP also fuels an imperial “crusader mentality” is visible in rhetoric about the Western Hemisphere and Venezuela and the theological justifications of power.

In this episode:

* The human stakes: who Renee Good was—and how quickly propaganda rewrites a life

* The hypocrisy of “Christian persecution” narratives under a regime that kills a “devoted Christian” at home

* Why Black communities have long warned that policing protects power, not people

* The Black Panthers, the Mulford Bill, and what armed Black self-defense revealed about American “law and order”

* ICE as a “personal army”: law enforcement powers without meaningful restraint

* Why learning only from Europe’s fascism archives narrows our survival toolkit

* Venezuela, Project 2025’s worldview, and the imperial logic of the “Western Hemisphere”

* Closing with The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance

Mentioned / recommended

* Jemar Tisby’s Substack: Footnotes (subscribe free or paid)

* The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance

* The Justice Journey: cornerstone course (registration opening soon)

* Data + reporting sources: Brennan Center for Justice and The Marshall Project

Who are the Black historians, activists, thinkers, and historical figures you return to when things get dark, and who should others follow? Let us know in the comments.

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On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect, but it did not “free the slaves.”

In truth, the Emancipation Proclamation was extremely limited, provisional, and conditional.

That does not mean it was not important, meaningful, or didn't matter.

Historical accuracy is important, and by the end of this episode you will be able to name precisely what the Emancipation Proclamation did and didn’t do as well as its connection to the Black Christian community.

In this episode, I take you through the history of the:

• Compensated Emancipation Act (1862)
• Emancipation Proclamation (1863)
• 13th Amendment (1865)
• Watch Night Service

The White House is in all-out propaganda mode with its America 250 campaign. This Footnotes Substack won’t let them co-opt the truth. You can help. Become a paid subscriber today. JemarTisby.Substack.com

Cultural Artifacts is our version of a Top Ten list for the year.

My former podcast co-host G. Tyler Burns and I are back for part two.

This time we’ve got a few albums, some books, and a variety of movies and television shows you’ll want to check out right away!

As always, the rules remain the same: these artifacts don’t have to be new.

They just have to be consumed this year. The things that steadied us. Challenged us. Made us feel more human in a year that demanded a lot.

Listen to PART 1.

Follow TJB on YouTube.

You get an alert for every new episode when you subscribe to my Substack.