The Rev. Mark A. Thompson has spent most of his life as a political, civil rights & human rights activist and organizer. He not only has been a part of every major social justice movement & event over the past 40 years, he has also been a radio broadcaster for three decades, and he has spent over 10 years as a television commentator, as well.
Rev. Mark hosts Make It Plain (MIP), a political, human rights and breaking news podcast. Rev. Mark’s lifelong social justice activism intersects with his years of experience broadcasting the news and issues of the day. Newsmakers, politicos, policy-makers, entertainers and athletes alike make MIP a frequent sojourn.In 2021, MIP was named among Best Civil Rights Podcasts, Best Human Rights Podcasts, Best Podcasts About Social Justice and Best Broadcast Television Podcasts.
Rev. Mark was honored at the 104th Annual NAACP Convention in Orlando in July 2013 “for 25 years of crusading journalism and outstanding leadership in furthering the work of civil and human rights.
Rev. Mark, is a Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers 2023 Inductee.
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CenterOnBudget.org's Chief Economist Chad Stone shares his take on the monthly jobs report. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
In West Virginia, Rockwool, a factory that produces insulation, is polluting the air and water, causing cancer and asthma, and stands atop an historic African American burial ground with its billowing 21story smoke stacks within blocks of four schools and two daycares. Rockwool, also, still has four factories operating in Russia in contravention of the current sanctions. And Joe Manchin knows all about Rockwool, yet is silent. Longtime activists Stewart Acuff, Ruth Hatcher, scientist Dr. Catheri...
This week's Poor People's Campaign Moral March on West Virginia continues the day Ketanji Brown Jackson is confirmed to the Supreme Court by the US Senate. The Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, the Rev. Robin Tanner, Jean Evansmore, Shailley Gupta Barnes, Danyelle Holmes and Lauren Zehyoue react. Pam Garrison reminds us what the West Virginia struggle is all about. And Shailley Gupta Barnes explains the Poor People’s Pandemic Report findings. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy &am...
Those were the compelling words used by the Rev. Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Chief of Staff, to describe Dr. King's speech, "Beyond Vietnam: A Time To Break Silence," April 4, 1967 at the Riverside Church in New York--one year to the day before Dr. King's crucifixion. Red Letter Christians organized clergy, including Rev. Mark, and activists to read "Beyond Vietnam" at Riverside 55 years later, in a moving tribute to MLK to commemorate his martyrdom, and in consi...
White House Senior Policy Advisor for COVID Equity, Dr. Cameron Webb, provides an update on just how much we can rest assured that we are out of the woods from the disease, and whether we will need another booster. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
DailyKos.com’s Founder, Markos Moulitsas, applies his military experience to evaluate Russia’s doomed prosecution of its war against Ukraine. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Lala Wu, Executive Director of SisterDistrict.com, on how Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is an inspiration to a generation unrepresented in places of power, and working to elect diverse, progressive state legislators will change that. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Ali Breland of Mother Jones on Sen. Josh Hawley’s obsession. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Elie Mystal of The Nation and author of the new NYT Bestseller, “Allow Me To Retort: A Black Man’s Guide to the Constitution,” on GOP Senators’ racist and sexist attacks against Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, and the underlying reason for their accusation that Judge Jackson has been lenient when sentencing pedophiles. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands...
The Rev. Dr. E. Faye Williams, President of the National Congress of Black Women (NCBW) discusses the confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson and demonstrates the impact her nomination to the Supreme Court has had upon little Black girls with a video the NCBW produced highlighting youth holding their own confirmation hearing for the Judge Jackson. This conversation originally aired as a live social media conversation on March 22, 2022. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Br...
It's #ThursdayKos with Markos Moulitsas, Founder of DailyKos and Civiqs and host of podcast "The Brief." Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) describes Day 2 of the SCOTUS Confirmation Hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, and the attacks by Republicans, including their effort to change the connotation of the nominee’s initials, “KBJ,” to be synonymous with “CRT,” as in Critical Race Theory. This episode originally aired live on social media on March 22, 2022. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com Ad...
William Spriggs, AFL-CIO Chief Economist, Howard University Professor, and former Assistant Secretary of Labor, disputes the phenomenon labeled the “Great Resignation,” and calls it more of a Great Job Mismatch as employees are leaving employers who raised minimum wages only because state laws forced them, and are seeking jobs where they are more valued by employers. He discusses the roots of inflation, high gas prices and the fight to unionize workers at corporations that are anti-union—like St...
Chad Stone, Chief Economist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, returns for a quick review of the February jobs report and the state of our economy. We’re still climbing back from the job losses at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the numbers do show we’re in a better place. But as per usual, women and people of color are struggling to recover the most. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain...
This is a “Best of MIP” episode from the archives. One of the most common reasons a person does not leave a domestic violence situation is because they don’t have the cash to do it. At FreeFrom, an organization dedicated to knocking down the barriers that prevent domestic violence survivors from holding economic and community power, Tannia Ventura and the team work to get direct cash payments to survivors so they regain their power. Tannia is the Director of Service Provider Engagement and Educa...
This is a “Best of MIP” episode from the archives. What’s the likelihood of an American experiencing poverty? Turns out, it’s the majority. That’s what Mark Rank covers in his new book (co-authored by Lawrence Eppard and Heather Bullock) out now, “Poorly Understood: What Americans Get Wrong About Poverty.” There’s a common misconception that poverty is an issue of “them” when it’s really about “us” -- not an individual failing, but a structural one. What does that play out in our society and eco...
This is a “Best of MIP” episode from the archives. Closing out our coverage of the 56th Bridge Crossing Jubilee in Selma, Mark speaks with Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., who details the significance of Selma to both himself and the country-at-large. He is then joined by Ilyasah Shabaaz, daughter of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz, as well as author, community organizer, and activist. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitpla...
This is a “Best of MIP” episode from the archives. Rev. Dr. Willian J. Barber II of the Poor People’s Campaign joined the discussion in Selma last weekend to draw the startling connection between poverty and voting rights. In this episode, Rev. Barber reminds us of the racist Southern Strategy from the 1960s and how it played out with not just Trump’s win, but continues to appear in the GOP’s ongoing efforts to suppress the vote of poor people and people of color. Executive Producer: Adell Colem...
This is a “Best of MIP” episode from the archives. Continuing the discussion and commemoration of the historic Bloody Sunday, last year, Mark spoke with Martin Luther King III while in Selma about his father’s legacy playing out in 2020. He shares his thoughts on his father’s teachings applied today and how he might feel about all that has unfolded recently in the fight for racial justice. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional c...
Three Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) veterans—Willie Mukasa Ricks, Bob Smith and the Rev. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.—remember Bloody Sunday, the March from Selma to Montgomery, the origin of Black Power and MLK’s evolution to embrace Black Power. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privac...
One of the youngest to march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, and one of the oldest living survivors of Bloody Sunday tell their stories. Joann Bland was 11 years old when she marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, and she is now building footsoldierspark.org. Dr. George Sallies, 92, had no voting rights in 1965, even though he was a Korean War veteran. The force of the billy club’s blow is permanently visible upon his forehead. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distr...
The Foot Soldiers Breakfast at the annual Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee is really a reunion of those who marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge March 7, 1965. Evelyn Manns, Al Lingo, Jerry Harrison and Charles Mauldin tell their stories. And David Daley of FairVote.org ponders whether there is anything left of the Voting Rights Act the Foot Soldiers bled to have passed in 1965. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: mak...
Fifty-seven years to the day of Bloody Sunday, March 7, 1965, marchers gather to recreate the historic March from Selma to Montgomery. The Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis of the Poor People's Campaign, Attorney Barbara Arnwine of the Transformative Justice Coalition, Marcus Arbery, father of Ahmaud Arbery and others express their reasons for marching. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com Advertising Inquiries: h...
The Faith and Politics Institute's annual pilgrimage to Selma is without Congressman John Lewis for the first time. Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL) and Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) remember him. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
As we head into Selma Jubilee Weekend, it seems like no better time to discuss the state of our voting rights. Despite all that is happening on the world stage right now, voter suppression is still moving ahead here in the United States, and Republicans are seeing to it. Michael Waldman is President of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, a nonpartisan law and policy institute that focuses on improving the systems of democracy and justice, as well as the author of the recently up...
Mélisande Short-Colomb, Lynn Nehemiah and Jeremy Alexander are all descendants of the children of Harry Mathias Mahoney who was the cook and housekeeper at the Jesuit House at St. Inigoes Plantation, in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. Harry saved the Jesuit’s coffers during a raid by the British in the War of 1812. In 1838, the Jesuits sold all his children to raise money for the construction of Georgetown University. The three guests are descendants of those children and they share their journey i...
Malcolm Nance is a former US Intelligence Official, Navy Senior Chief, an expert in terrorism and extremist ideology, and a 4x bestselling author. He joins today after just returning from Ukraine, where they continue to fight against a Russian invasion. Malcolm is here to report that Ukrainians are putting up a fight that nearly no one expected–especially not Russia. Malcolm details what the Russians got wrong in their assumptions before invading Ukraine, and what is now ultimately resulting in ...
It’s Women’s History Month and MIP can think of no other way to celebrate than with someone who is working to make her own historic moves, as she runs for a seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. That win would make her both the first Latina and first trans woman to hold the position. Nationally, she would become the first trans Latina to hold a state representative position. Today she shares with Mark her incredible journey; once a victim of repeated police brutality, she now works ...
It has been an incredible month of lessons taught by the inimitable Anthony T. Browder. Anthony is an author, publisher, cultural historian, artist, and educational consultant. He is the founder and director of IKG Cultural Resources, as well as the director of the ASA Restoration Project, and has devoted 43 years researching ancient Egyptian history, science, philosophy and culture. He closes out his residency with a lesson on the history of women in power, highlighting the differences between ...
On this final Friday of Black History Month, Anthony T. Browder continues the conversation of religion from yesterday’s episode, where he showed the similarities between the stories of Jesus Christ and ancient Egyptian god Heru. Today he explains why those similarities were hidden from public view. He also lays out the 42 Declarations of Innocence, which is a set of guidelines on how to strive to be a good human. Anthony is an author, publisher, cultural historian, artist, and educational consul...
