The Disappearing of Sister Koko with Prof. D. Boose - Freedom Ain't Free

12/21/22 • 33 min

What becomes of a life of Black freedom activism? In this final episode of the series, Sister Koko recounts the resolution of the firearm charges against her, details ongoing FBI surveillance, and explains her trajectory from SNCC and the Black Panther Party to Pan African and anti-Apartheid activism. Along the way, she supports the Wilmington 10, builds a friendship with Miriam Makeba, becomes a United Nations delegate, and even meets a young Tupac Shakur. But as Sister Koko thinks back on her incredible life, she ponders the roads not traveled, too. Living in near obscurity now, Sister Koko grapples with assessing her life in the struggle.

This episode includes brief profanity and offensive historical language. Listener discretion is advised. Any views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of HumanitiesDC or the project’s funders.

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The Disappearing of Sister Koko with Prof. D. Boose - Black Rebellion

As the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., sparked rebellions across the US, Sister Koko describes her experience of the uprising in DC and how King’s death personally affected her.

She explains the underlying entrenched and long-standing systems of racial oppression, especially poverty, that fueled the outpouring of violence and destruction in April of 1968. She takes us through the streets of DC overrun with troops and the fractured infrastructure that attempted to quell the rebellion. Throughout it all, Sister Koko persisted in her community organizing and her work with Stokely Carmichael in SNCC. But the federal government saw her activism as a threat, a radical for the FBI to keeps tabs on, which led to a suspicious infiltrator and a raid on Sister Koko’s apartment that uncovered a closet of firearms.

Next Episode

Lanier: The Corner Store

Katie Davis takes us on a walk she has taken hundreds of times. Down Lanier Place to a corner store in Adams Morgan. It’s been called Wayne’s, Mattie’s and the Kim’s and each era has different stories. Katie Davis collects history on the street she grew up on in Washington D.C.-- the street she still lives on. It's a familiar walk, and yet one that constantly brings new revelations and lessons.

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Porchtales is produced by HumanitiesDC in partnership with history, culture and arts experts and doers in the District. If you would like to share your DC story, find out more about what we do, or help support our programs, visit us at HumanitiesDC.org, email us at [email protected], or follow us on social media @HumanitiesDC. This season is made possible due to funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of HumanitiesDC or the project’s funders.

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