My Two Cents

By Edward Odom July 4, 2026 Table of Contents Introduction The Pre-Colonial Baseline: Status Over Skin The Invisible Architecture of 1787 The Physical Barriers: Resurrecting the 1920s The Narrative War: Reprogramming the Collective Imagination The Supreme Court’s “Colorblind” Gaslighting The Trajectory of the Soil Glossary of Key Terms Bibliography Introduction Today is the 250th…

I am often stunned at the negative comments I get from the white readers of the Facebook posts I use to promote my articles for mytwocents.press. Most, I suspect, never actually click the link to read the piece, but the few introductory words are always enough to trigger a vitriol-filled commentary. I often wonder why my articles—which are mostly Black history themed—bother them so much. I can…

Table of Contents Introduction From Watch Night to the Isolated Coast The Dual Harm of Modern Censorship The Ultimate Goal: A Divided Working Class Glossary of Terms Bibliography & Further Reading Introduction Today marks exactly five years since Juneteenth was officially recognized as a federal holiday. It is a milestone that naturally invites us to look back at the historical timeline.…

Table of Contents The Illusion of “Moving On” The Anatomy of Agitation: When Facts Feel Like an Affront The Monolith Trap and the Demand for a Corporate Manager The Institutionalization of the Blind Spot: The War on Memory The Co-Optation of Culture: Confusing Heritage with Hollywood The Anatomy of Silence: Arming the Engaged Supporter Conclusion: The Horizon of Facts Glossary of Key…

Table of Contents Introduction: The Lemonade Matrix The Naomi Osaka Dinner & The Cultural Blind Spot The Forging of a Heritage: How Race Became Culture The Radical Necessity of Illumination Deconstructing the Anger: The Myth of the “Main Character” The Path Forward: Facts Over Comfort Glossary of Terms Selected Bibliography 1. Introduction: The Lemonade Matrix I am frequently asked by…

First Memorial Day Marker Front Table of Contents The Sanitized Search Engine Narrative The True Origin: May 1, 1865 Why Was This Story Forgotten? The Same Formula: Lady Liberty’s Hidden Chains A Shared Legacy of Dilution Conclusion: Reclaiming the Foundation Glossary of Key Terms Historical Bibliography The Sanitized Search Engine Narrative What is Memorial Day? When you type that…

Table of Contents Introduction: The Myth of Ignorance The Modern Frontline: A Direct Reaction to 2020 The Historical Landscape of Reversal The Anatomy of Recovery The Strategic Playbook for the Present A Call to Action: The Power of Selective Patronage Glossary of Key Terms Bibliography 1. Introduction: The Myth of Ignorance There has always been a convenient claim of ignorance, a…

Table of Contents Introduction: The Historical Blueprint The Architecture of Exclusion: The $16 Trillion Drain The Modern Purge: A Coordinated Regression Dismantling the Narratives and the Current Evidence of Exclusion The Consequences of Removing Gaurdrails The “Buy-In” Trap and the Elite Escape Glossary of Terms Bibliography Introduction: The Historical Blueprint My daughter graduated…

Table of Contents SectionFocusI. The Modern ErasureThe impact of Louisiana v. Callais and the shift to the “Intent-Based” legal standard.II. The Shield: What the VRA GuaranteedThe history of the 15th Amendment’s “Parchment Barrier” and the teeth provided by Sections 2 and 5.III. The Engine of CitizenshipA historical perspective on voting as the foundational right that protects all others.IV. The…

Table of Contents The Siege of Brooklyn The Foundation of the Dream The Power of the Deed: A Historical Perspective From Massacres to Modernity The Legal Front: Civil Rights and Housing The Anatomy of a Modern Heist The Erasure of Generational Wealth The Systemic Shield Protecting the Future Glossary of Terms Bibliography 1. The Siege of Brooklyn The scene on Jefferson Avenue in…

Table of Contents Introduction: The Fault in the System The Systemic Failure of 1944 The Architecture of a Loophole The 13th Amendment and the “Except” Clause 81 Days: The Velocity of Injustice Isolation, Confession, and the Ten-Minute Verdict The Silent Suspect: When Justice is a Shield The Burke Family and the Protected Elite The Physical Impossibility Engineering and the Laws of…

Table of Contents I. The Sociology of a Late-Night Debate II. The Catalyst: Why Mention She Was Black? III. The Data of Inequality: Beyond the Sentiment IV. The Fortress of Blackness V. The Intergenerational Bridge: Internal vs. External VI. Full Circle The Sociology of a Late-Night Debate My youngest son recently graduated Cum Laude with a degree in sociology. I like to think that I had…

Table of Contents Introduction: The Engineer’s “Why” The Mechanics of the Challenge How We Got Here: The Path to the High Court The Strategy of Palatable Attacks The Ghost of Dred Scott The “Gotchas”: A New Reality for All Citizens The Weaponization of Allegiance Conclusion: A Stress Test for the Second Founding Glossary of Terms Bibliography Introduction: The Engineer’s “Why” In my…

Table of Contents The Human Right to Consideration The Film That Forced Us to Look The Breach: The Reality of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. The Legal Aftermath: A System Protecting Itself Daniel’s Law A Pattern of Dehumanization Why Care Must Replace Control The Video Evidence: A Mirror We Cannot Ignore Call to Action Glossary of Terms Bibliography & Further Reading The Human Right to…

Table of Contents Introduction: The Missing Pantheon …………………………………….. 1 The Living Death: Leprosy Through the Ages …………………………. 2 The Seattle Prodigy and the Chemical Riddle …………………………. 3 The Proof in the Numbers: 30 Years of Global Dominance ………. 4 The “Parole” of 1918……………………………………………………………………….. 5 The Great Theft and the 90-Year Silence ………………………………. 6 My Two Cents: A Legacy Restored…

The world recently gathered in Chicago to bid a final farewell to the Reverend Jesse Lewis Jackson Sr., a man whose life was a testament to the power of resilience and the audacity of hope. From the grand “People’s Celebration” at the House of Hope to an intimate private service at the Rainbow PUSH headquarters, the services were not merely a mourning of a loss but a profound tribute to a…