Austin C. McCoy

Austin McCoy is a scholar of African American history, labor and social movements. Follow him on Bluesky.

Op-Ed

Economy & Labor

As Billionaires Consolidate Power, We Need to Recommit to MLK’s Radical Vision

MLK was assassinated on the cusp of a strike wave in a time of counterrevolution. We need his “revolution in values.”

By: Austin C. McCoy ,; Truthout

January 20, 2025

Op-Ed

Politics & Elections

Biden Uses State of the Union to Double Down on Failed Idea of Police Reforms

The sorts of liberal reforms promoted by Biden won’t prevent police from killing anyone.

By: Austin C. McCoy ,; Truthout

February 8, 2023

Op-Ed

Prisons & Policing

We Must Refuse “Normal Life” After Police Violence Like Killing of Tyre Nichols

We do not have to throw ourselves back into capitalist normalcy after acts of state violence are inflicted on us.

By: Austin C. McCoy ,; Truthout

January 30, 2023

Op-Ed

Prisons & Policing

Record Police Killings in 2022 Show Need to Continue Organizing for Abolition

Building power and transformation is about encouraging the grassroots while confronting a resilient carceral state.

By: Austin C. McCoy ,; Truthout

January 15, 2023

Op-Ed

Politics & Elections

The Right Did Worse Than Expected, But That Shouldn’t Satisfy Progressives

Organizing efforts paid off in the midterms, but the left’s work isn’t over yet.

By: Austin C. McCoy ,; Truthout

November 9, 2022

Op-Ed

Politics & Elections

Democracy Can’t Be Reduced to Voting in 2022 — We Must Build the Future We Want

Defending narrowly defined representational democracy is not enough. We need participatory, grassroots democracy.

By: Austin C. McCoy ,; Truthout

September 12, 2022

Op-Ed

Racial Justice

Juneteenth Reminds Us “In Between” Moments Are as Important as Uprisings

Much of the most vital organizing work is done in between the protests, uprisings and rebellions.

By: Austin C. McCoy ,; Truthout

June 19, 2022

Op-Ed

Racial Justice

Racist Attack in Buffalo Was Crafted to Terrorize Us. Here’s How We Fight Back.

We must counter racist attacks with a diversity of tactics from community protection to deradicalizing white Americans.

By: Austin C. McCoy ,; Truthout

May 16, 2022

Op-Ed

Prisons & Policing

When Biden Says “Fund the Police,” It Should Spur Our Efforts to Defund Them

Both parties are trying to exploit the movement to defund police to argue for raising law enforcement budgets.

By: Austin C. McCoy ,; Truthout

March 19, 2022

Op-Ed

Racial Justice

The Time Is Now for the “Radical Revolution of Values” That MLK Called For

Only mass action -- combined with the slow work of grassroots power-building -- can break through our current crises.

By: Austin C. McCoy ,; Truthout

January 17, 2022

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Austin C. McCoy

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