Fam! Don't miss tonight's interview I did in December 2019 with Richard Smallwood regarding his autobiography, "Total Praise." It's a fascinating conversation as we pay homage to the gospel maestro, who passed away last week at the age of 77.

Five years ago today, the Thug-In-Chief Donald Trump, led an insurrection against the United States. He was impeached by Dems in the House, but Senate Republicans - led by Mitch McConnell - had NO GUTS and chose not to convict.

On Dec. 16, 2019, I taped an interview with Richard Smallwood about his autobiography, “Total Praise.” It was supposed to run on Feb. 14, 2020, but the file was mislabeled and it never ran. I found it today.

Thanks!!

Chillin’. Reading ‘White Fear’ by @rolandsmartin.bsky.social

After buying it for $18.8 billion, Walgreens' new private equity owner has eliminated paid holidays for all hourly workers on Christmas and New Year's. Last year, Walgreens had a CEO-to-Worker pay gap of 410 to 1. Corporate greed that would make even Scrooge blush.

Bari Weiss is even more hamhanded than I imagined her to be. Gift link:

Why would you need to put a pause on a story that has been meticulously fact-checked and lawyered? Sounds like the kind of story you’d want to run right away!

On Sunday afternoon? After the promo was cut? And the first stop to try and place this line was Dylan Byers?

Bishop William Barber and faith leaders hold redistricting protest in North Carolina www.witn.com/2025/12/21/b...

What an awful way to lose. Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed threw a loaf of bread to the end zone for an INT. That could have tied the game up. Aggies lose 10-3. Season over at 11-2.

I wrote about how the Trump administration won’t let Black people use MATH to prove racism exists. Apparently, only white self-reporting their own racism now counts as evidence of racism.

It’s ultimately sad because the collapse of his faith in meritocracy for himself could have led to meaningful connections and collaborations with those who’ve known it’s a lie for much longer. He could look for connections and a different future for us all. But prefered to sulk in his own illusions.

But it never reaches out to that wider history or social context. And so it can never take its own concerns seriously. There is no future proposal. Just odd, decontextualized and weirdly presented stories and data to affirm his right to be sad. And to fuel the resentment being anti-DEI measures

That obvious question has to be avoided. So data is quite selectively presented and no wider context is given. We’re just dropped into people’s lives and stories as if they were starting fresh in an ideal world as pure individuals. The whole piece at best shows there was never meritocracy for anyone

But he never asks why. And he never even comes close to offering a suggestion of what ought to have happened. What should Harvard had done in 2014 when 63% of the tenured and 43% of the tenure-track positions were filled by white men?

So what is presented as this massive loss for white men is actually a university using growth to try to balance out previous injustices. That sounds…reasonable? And that’s the other interesting thing: he cites data that shows even a decade ago, white men were disproportionately favored / represented

And, why focus on humanities, a little over 11% of all the tenure-track positions? Total tenure track went from 43% white men to 32%, which is still slightly above 2020 census of 30%. And what about tenured professors? They went from 63% white men to 55% in 2024, still more than half.

The division actually grew significantly, from 28 to 47 positions. In 2023, they added 5 Hispanic tenure track colleagues, bringing the division total to…5. And in 2024, they also went from 0 Black tenure track professors to 5. There are also 0 Black tenured professors in the division.

Look at this claim from the intro: “White men fell from 39 percent of tenure-track positions in the humanities at Harvard in 2014 to 18 percent in 2023.” Things look very different if you go by numbers: they went from 11 tenure-track positions filled by white men in 2014 to 10 in 2024. A loss of 1.

I read that whole “it sucks to be a millennial white man thanks to DEI” piece and have some thoughts. Overall: how sad to put that much work into making a case to be resentful, and a bad case at that. (Thread)

Wonderful story: A 'toaster with a lens': The story behind the first handheld digital camera www.bbc.com/future/artic... via @BBC_Future

Trump and Carr attack KCBS: How an AM radio station in California weathered the Trump administration’s assault on media apnews.com/article/trum...

Breaking: The U.S. labor market lost 41,000 jobs over October and November, and the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.6% — the highest since 2021.

“.. The US economy is in a hiring recession. Almost no jobs have been added since April. “Wage gains are slowing. “710,000 more people are unemployed now versus November 2024.” @byheatherlong.bsky.social

CNN has suddenly discovered Tennessee's Patriot Front compound that was a subject of an extensive NewsChannel 5 investigation back in March. Here is my report: 1/ www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...

One of the biggest moments of my career: USCIS canceled my client’s naturalization oath ceremony. We filed a lawsuit, went to trial, and the judge swore him in right there in the courtroom!

The Left has problems. As @rolandsmartin.bsky.social said, "The Left has a huge umbrella that tries to fit everyone." So we attack each other for not being perfect until there's no one left. Then the Right comes in formation for the easy win bc the self righteous wing of the Left can't play ball.

‘It’s not a coincidence’: journalists of color on being laid off amid Trump’s anti-DEI push www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

I HATE the HoustonTexans offensive coordinator. Jordan is KILLING the Cardinals defense. Had the ball on the 2-yard line, and this idiot goes into the wildcat formation and tries a reverse. They blow it up for an 8-yard loss. Demeco should walk over and CUSS HIM OUT!

Bovino, the man overseeing mass deportations, publicly declared that we must all have our papers on us, at all times, or we could be stopped, harassed, kidnapped, and detained, as they did with the man in this case, who is a US citizen.

Gotta appreciate the work Roland does keeping us informed.... straight, no chaser. I always take a moment to educate myself on what's happening with ROMO Unfiltered 😜👍🏾 @rolandsmartin.bsky.social youtu.be/2dpdIfR3wj8?...

#RolandMartinUnfiltered and the Black Star Network is live from the mass meeting in Montgomery celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott www.youtube.com/live/kopNFwr... #BlackOwnedMediaMatters

We are live NOW from the original Holt Street Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala. for the 70th anniversary of the Bus Boycott. This is where the mass meeting took place that launched the 382-day boycott. Tune in at www.youtube.com/live/WaMW6MH... or the Black Star Network app. #BlackOwnedMediaMatters

@rolandsmartin.bsky.social 🌹🌹🌹did a great interview with @electiontruthalliance.org's Nathan Taylor gives a sobering analysis of Nevada's "voting irregularities" & "Putin's Tails". www.youtube.com/watch?v=rafL...

Tune into #RolandMartinUnfiltered NOW! Kim Lewis, founder of Curl Mix is on to discuss their financial plight. If they don’t 20K orders soon, they will go out of business by Dec. 31. Watch www.youtube.com/live/ZpFigBG... or the Black Star Network app. #BlackOwnedMediaMatters

We are live on #RolandMartinUnfiltered! I’m rocking my Houston Rockets zip up today. Watch us at www.youtube.com/live/uOCyqfX... or the Black Star Network app. #BlackOwnedMediaMatters

How is your Thursday coming along?

Page One in Iowa.

Now on #RolandMartinUnfiltered is the Black woman in Indiana who was pregnant and turned away at the hospital and her husband delivered it on the side of the road www.youtube.com/live/Yjo1Wfm...

That punt coverage of the Houston Texans was PURE TRASH. THREE players over pursue. They easily had the Jaguars punted hemmed up and they just all ran right. He ran the other way. Now down 17-0. We punted due to Mills taking a delay of game, almost throw INT, then takes a sack.

These Houston Texans are PATHETIC in 2025. No CJ Stroud. Backup David Mills throws an INT on the 1st drive. The Jaguars kick a 55-yard FG but we get a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty. 1st down. Defense holds them to a FG. Now we fumble on the kickoff. WTF is going on with this team?

ICE grabs father by the neck—send him into violent seizure while his arms lock up around his toddler. "He's having seizure and they're trying to rip the baby out of his hands!" Agents then handcuff him—before putting in ambulance with his child. Mother is detained by agents as target of arrest.

Tonight on #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Shut The F#%k Up, Megyn Kelly! Black women’s hair issues are real youtu.be/YM9VGhFDDY8?... #BringTheFunk #BlackOwnedMediaMatters

Fam! #RolandMartinUnfiltered is live! House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Virginia Speaker of the House Don Scott joins us. Watch now at www.youtube.com/live/DmLB628... or the Black Star Network app. #BlackOwnedMediaMatters

We are LIVE in 30 minutes for our 2025 Election special!!! Watch at Youtube.com/RolandSMartin #BlackOwnedMediaMatters

Thanks to @rolandsmartin.bsky.social for talking to us this morning… Make sure you get out and #VOTE!!! bit.ly/47zqCQg

Are you looking for the best election coverage that speaks to US? Skip ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC, CNN and Fox News. Bring your eyeballs home to #RolandMartinUnfiltered on the Black Star Network. We have more than 30 guests and experts lined up. We are live at 8 pm EST. Watch at Youtube.com/RolandSMartin.

Black people already knew every form of media would do this when in reality, white people are the largest recipients of SNAP! Fucking disgusting

watch this #Afrotech25 conversation with Stacey Abrams now www.youtube.com/live/RXLHvcI.... Or go to the Black Star Network app. #BlackOwnedMediaMatters