Minisode: Kendrick Lamar & The 40 Acres
The conversation around Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl performance is in full swing. Every detail is being dissected, from his set list and relentless jabs at Drake to his vision for the future of hip-hop. Fans and critics alike are also trying to unpack the layers of symbolism woven into his set.
One phrase, in particular, has sparked a wave of questions: "40 acres and a mule." What's its history, and why does it still resonate today? I break it down in today's episode.
Black History Unveiled is found wherever you get your podcasts.
Sources used in the episode:
Books:
The Civil War and the Constitution, 1859–1865 by John William Burgess (1901)
The Price of Emancipation: Slave-Ownership, Compensation and British Society at the End of Slavery by Nicholas Draper (2009)
Freedom National: The Destruction of Slavery in the United States, 1861–1865 by James Oakes (2013)
Articles:
”Britain’s colonial shame: Slave-owners given huge payouts after abolition” by Sanchez Manning for The Independent (February 24, 2013)
”Uncovering Britain’s hidden links to slavery” by UCL News (February 25 , 2013)
”The treasury’s tweet shows slavery is still misunderstood” by David Olusoga for The Guardian (February 12, 2018)
”Britain’s Slave Owner Compensation Loan, reparations and tax havenry” by Naomi Fowler for Tax Justice Network (June 9, 2020)