July 5, 2026

Yesterday, a jarring picture came across many of our feeds. It showed a Black woman on the Metro surrounded by dozens of white men hiding their identities. Although the dress may not be the robes of the Klan, the motivations behind their actions and their dress are eerily similar.

It is no coincidence that we are seeing this at the same time that the leaders of our country are trying to erase the record of our racist past and enact policies that hurt minorities.

James Baldwin would not be shocked at these developments. In fact, he sees them as linked. Things will remain horrible for exactly as long as we refuse to address our history honestly.