CZM Book Club: Jesus Christ in Texas, by W.E.B. DuBois
Summary
Host Margaret Killjoy reads W.E.B. Du Bois’s story "Jesus Christ in Texas," which depicts a mixed-race Jesus intervening in the post-bellum South to challenge chain gangs and lynching. Killjoy analyzes the narrative as a critique of white supremacy and a reimagining of Black liberation theology. She discusses how Du Bois uses religious tropes to expose systemic racism and the hypocrisy of contemporary Christian institutions. The episode concludes with a preview of next week’s Star Trek discussion.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: One Times Square, TNA Wrestling, Vital Proteins, and OnDeck
Intro: Cool Zone Media Book Club and Black August theme
Context: W.E.B. Du Bois, history, and content warnings
Story Part 1: Jesus Christ in Texas - The Stranger Arrives
Sponsors: One Times Square, TNA, Addyi, and OnDeck
Story Part 2: The Dinner Party and the Convict's Escape
Sponsors: One Times Square, TNA, Addyi, and OnDeck
Story Part 3: The Lynching and the Crimson Cross
Analysis: Themes of liberation, tropes, and historical context
Outro: Next week's Star Trek episode and social media
Credits and Cool Zone Media promotions
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