Make It Plain with Mark Thompson

Jerry Mitchell is an award-winning investigative reporter and author of Race Against Time: A Reporter Reopens the Unsolved Murder Cases of the Civil Rights Era.” Jerry sits down with Mark to discuss this incredible historical examination and shares details from decades of research and time spent covering racially charged trials in the Deep South. That includes time spent time with infamous Klansman Byron De La Beckwith while he was jailed ahead of his trial for assassinating civil rights activist Medgar Evers, a time when he convinced a source to leak him the transcript of a sealed interview with convicted murderer and white supremacist Sam Bowers, and how some of the pushback to his work comes in the form of death threats from klansmen.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Mark took a trip to Capitol Hill to meet with nearly HALF of Senate Democrats, for what was a productive round-table discussion between lawmakers and African American journalists. No topic was off limits in this intimate conversation, including discussion on the Coronavirus outbreak (made worse for Americans by Trump's incompetent mishandling, according to Sen. Schumer), the disparities in our health care system, problems and proposed changes to our criminal justice system, the 2020 election, reparations, and more. Senators in attendance: Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Sherrod Brown, Sen. Ben Cardin, Sen. Bob Casey, Sen. Chris Coons, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, Sen. Dick Durbin, Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Mazie Hirono, Sen. Doug Jones, Sen. Tim Kaine, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Patty Murray, Sen. Gary Peters, Sen. Jacky Rosen, Sen. Chuck Schumer, Sen. Tina Smith, Sen. Chris Van Hollen Journalists: Mark Thompson (DCP Entertainment), Jonathan Capehart (Washington Post), Yamiche Alcindor (PBS),

The seed of Linda Sarsour's activism was planted when she was a young child and, for the first time in her seven years of life, faced with the realities of racial profiling in America. From there, it has been an evolution from a young truth-teller in the Bronx to finding herself on a national stage with the Women’s March. Listen to her tell the stories of her upbringing in New York, gain an understanding of the Palestinian military occupation and how it inspired her family’s migration to America, learn about the personal experiences that inform her activism and how she knows that justice is impossible without intersectionality.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Are you seeking a way to get involved in media, technological, economic, and criminal justice? Then this is the episode for you. Technology is embedded in our culture, and Color of Change recognizes its intersections and power in politics. Mark sits down with Arisha Hatch and Heather McGhee from Color of Change to talk about how the organization uses their online community of more than 1.5 million people to push for change in both the public and private sectors, forcing companies and politicians to disconnect from white supremacist groups and stop their suppression of activist movements.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ari Melber is usually the one asking the questions, but this time, Mark turns the mic on him. The legal analyst and host of MSNBC’s “The Beat with Ari Melber” joins Mark to discuss the Trump administration’s erosion of the constitution, the rule of law, and pressing candidates like Bloomberg on their controversial backgrounds.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

PART TWO of a two-part series featuring an incredible panel discussion, moderated by Mark Thompson, titled “The Power of the March: MLK and a Legacy of Activism.” The second half of the panel brings us the rhymes of Professor Lyrical, the history of protests and organized labor, and an analysis on the power of protests today. Featuring: Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton; Denise Rolark Barnes, Publisher of The Washington Informer and chairman of Washington Informer Charities; Dr. Eric Arnesen, GWU Professor of Modern American Labor History; Professor Lyrical, Associate Professor at the University of the District of Columbia  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

PART ONE of a two-part series featuring an incredible panel discussion, moderated by Mark Thompson, titled “The Power of the March: MLK and a Legacy of Activism” This powerful panel explores the importance and effectiveness of marching and organizing, marked with personal stories, historical revelations, and a discussion on how to tell and report on important stories from within communities of color in a way that the mainstream media does not. Featuring: Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton; Denise Rolark Barnes, Publisher of The Washington Informer and chairman of Washington Informer Charities; Dr. Eric Arnesen, GW Professor of Modern American Labor History; Professor Lyrical, Associate Professor at the University of the District of Columbia  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

How did our democracy get whittled down into two extreme parties? Lee Drutman says it’s complicated, but he’s able to break it down for us in this week’s podcast episode as he digs into the chapters and research from his book, "Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop: The Case for Multiparty Democracy in America." He thinks there’s no going back to what used to be, but that doesn’t mean we can’t plan for a different future with multiple, diverse parties. Listen to this week’s episode to gain an understanding of how the parties divided, how it helped Trump get elected, and the innovative ways we could potentially transform what Drutman calls our antiquated election system.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Veteran journalist Ed Gordon knows we are in a crucial moment in our country's history, which is why he knew the time was now to put out his hard-hitting book, "Conversations in Black: On Power, Politics, and Leadership." There is a lack of consistency in progress and he gathers a powerful team of voices to examine what has been working, what holds the progressive agenda back, and the tactics and strategy needed going forward. Mark and Ed use his conversations with his incredible lineup of thought leaders to explore how to harness the power of the black voting muscle and make it commonplace in our elections.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

When people recognize Maya Wiley from her legal commentary on MSNBC and NBC, she gets stopped on the street by those asking how worried they should be as a citizen in the midst of the impeachment chaos. She answers this question with Mark as they dive deep into analyzing the intricacies of the process, its origin and the Constitution, and point to some stark (and troubling) differences between how Republicans are acting now as opposed to the Nixon/Watergate scandal. Her expert legal analysis proves helpful in understanding Trump’s privileges, how the Supreme Court comes into play, and what may be coming next, as we see a power volley between House Democrats and Senate Republicans play out in the media spotlight.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The majority of women who are incarcerated have been victims of violence and/or abuse, and Donna Hylton is working to change that. Hylton is best known for her social justice activism, serving as one of the key drivers in the Less Is More NY Bill, the passage of the Domestic Violence Survivors’ Justice Act, and participating in the successful Close Rikers campaign. Now, she’s fighting for the 90-percent of incarcerated women and girls who experience violence and sexual assault. She joins Mark to discuss her recently established non-profit, A Little Piece of Light (the same name as her memoir), which is looking to provide comprehensive support for women, girls, transgender, and non-conforming individuals whose lives have been impacted by trauma and incarceration.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

2019 has seen more mass shootings than days on the calendar, and Igor Volsky is doing something about it. In this episode, Mark sits down with the Executive Director of Guns Down American to look back on the year, which, despite its horrific violence, has also included some significant "wins" for Volsky and the organization--most notably pushing Wal-Mart to step back from promoting gun sales and get involved with lobbying Congress on gun reform. Volsky also talks about the first-ever gun safety scorecard for national retailers--is your favorite store getting a passing grade?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

"He was nefarious. He was horrible." That's how Dave Marcus describes his cousin Roy Cohn, who was a mentor to Donald Trump up until his death. Cohn taught Trump and Giuliani how to be criminals, showing them plays from his own playbook, which he used to aid members of the mafia, among others, as a "fixer." Cohn taught Trump and Giuliani the tactic they employ most frequently today: deny, attack, obfuscate. Marcus gives a unique insight on what his family considered their most "phony" member and how his most corrupt methods are on display in Trump's White House. Dave Marcus is the recipient of a Pulitzer Price for International Reporting, and penned at op-ed for Politico which you can read here: https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/09/24/roy-cohn-trump-cousin-228167  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

You might not know it, but you probably know someone who is food insecure. It affects 42.2 million Americans, which means they are often forced to skip meals, eat less food at meals, buy cheap non-nutritious food, or feed their children but not themselves. The team at WhyHunger believes nutritious food is a human right, and Senior Director of Programs Alison Cohen joins to educate us on food insecurity and the shocking statistics, draws the connection to poverty, and shares how we can work to end hunger. Host: Mark Thompson Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: Subscribe to the Make It Plain LIVE Daily Call-in Show Mon-Fri 7-9a ET at makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Brenda Wineapple, author of “Impeachers - The Trial of Andrew Johnson and the Dream of a Just Nation,” sets the record straight that was virally flawed by Prof. Jonathan Turley during this week’s House Judiciary Committee Impeachment Hearing. Host: Mark Thompson Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: Subscribe to the Make It Plain LIVE Daily Call-in Show Mon-Fri 7-9a ET at makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Military intelligence veteran Malcolm Nance on his new book, "The Plot To Betray America." Host: Mark Thompson Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: Subscribe to the Make It Plain LIVE Daily Call-in Show Mon-Fri 7-9a ET at makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Karen talks with Mark about the influence gospel music in the States has had upon her, and the Royal who actually invited the Choir to sing at the Royal Wedding. Host: Mark Thompson Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: Subscribe to the Make It Plain LIVE Daily Call-in Show Mon-Fri 7-9a ET at makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Cancers as in personal setbacks and demons...She also talks about her new podcast, "Buckle Up with Bershan." Host: Mark Thompson Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Andrew Marshello Editor: Ryan Woodhall Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: Subscribe to the Make It Plain LIVE Daily Call-in Show Mon-Fri 7-9a ET at makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Dirty Rubles author Greg Olear discusses the evolution of Trump's relationship with Russia and Russia's intersection with Turkey.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Benjamin Crump, civil rights attorney and author of Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People, discusses continuing the work of Paul Robeson and W.E.B. DuBois and presenting a genocide petition to the United Nations.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy