Voice: James Peterson

The Fires Still Burn
Forty years after the City bombed a house, killed 11 MOVE members and destroyed a neighborhood, Philadelphia still has not reckoned with what it says about us
By James Peterson
Essential Viewing for All Black Philadelphians
Sinners, Ryan Coogler’s latest film in theaters now, is a tribute to Black people, their music, and their American experience
By James Peterson
Literacy is Never Neutral
What Percival Everett’s National Book Award-winning James tells us about the crisis of literacy in Philadelphia.
By James Peterson
(Black) Zombies in Philly!
A local filmmaker explores what would happen if the enslaved people buried in Washington Square were to wake up and … eat White people. (Relax, it’s a metaphor.)
By James Peterson
Black History in the Headwinds of Hate
How do we celebrate Black History Month when our government is seeking to erase everything it stands for?
By James Peterson
How to be the MLK of American Democracy
No matter where we stand in the racial, economic or social ladder, a commitment to excellence, human dignity,and an unwavering pursuit of justice are how we live up to the ideals of the Civil Rights icon celebrated Monday
By James Peterson
This Kwanzaa, Define Thyself
The seven principles of the seven-day celebration, which starts today, are good guides for how to live all year round. A Citizen contributor and WURD host reflects on the ideal that means the most to him
By James Peterson
The Black Rap Avatars of Trumpism
The long history of Hip Hop’s infatuation with Trump, explained
By James Peterson
Black Men and Kamala Harris
Why we must encourage Black men to vote, no matter how they cast their ballots
By James Peterson
“Love each other and raise our children.”
Reflecting on the power of James Baldwin’s timeless lessons in time for what would have been his 100th birthday.
By James Peterson