“We dealt with the whole subject matter from slavery to Jim Crow to mass incarceration which is what we’re dealing with right now,” he explained. “We wanted to make something that was strong, unapologetic, but that was also hopeful.” (Billboard.com)

What significant historical and political events does Common reference?

Common references the Jim Crow which links to segregation. In example black and white would sit on different carriages, they weren’t allowed to sit together and go to the separate schools. Jim Crow was also a way of the whites regaining power after slavery being abolished.

There was connotations to slavery including how slavery still exists in the sense of prisons and how there hasn’t been any change in racial profiling as they can be sent to prison for the smallest things.

What modern social and cultural movements will impact the reading of this text?​​

“for America to rise you need black lives”

Black lives matter