In "Where Do We Go From Here?" (1967), Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. described racism as a philosophy rooted in contempt for life, necessitating a profound societal restructuring to combat it. This work explores the transformative visions of racial justice in the U.S., highlighting a hidden history that has shaped concepts of freedom and interdependence beyond the mainstream political narrative. It weaves together the stories of social movements, intellectuals, artists, and cultural formations that have prioritized racial justice and the abolition of white supremacy as essential to universal liberation. Daniel Martinez HoSang examines various historical moments that have propelled this vision of emancipation, from the abolition democracy of the nineteenth century to contemporary environmental justice movements. These efforts reflect a collective desire to oppose the violence of militarism, labor exploitation, and elite governance. Rather than merely seeking equal rights within flawed systems, these movements foster new visions that celebrate human difference, vulnerability, and interdependence as vital aspects of our shared experience.
