This Sunday in #nerdland: 2016 Politics, a non-sequestered jury, and student activism.
Wake up to our morning politics play-by-play! How much do we really know about Ted Cruz, the Texas senator, who once read the “Green Eggs and Ham” on the senate floor? We’ll take a look at his position on the right as he surges in the polls. With the Republican presidential nominees spotlight on a former reality TV star/real estate mogul, neurosurgeon, and former tech CEO, what is the future of the 2016 Republican Party? We’ll hear from our political roundtable.
On Monday, the trial for the first of six officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray will commence. The jury involved in the trial will not be sequestered despite the risk of developing bias from access to opinions shared in the media. Although the identities of jury members will be anonymous, it’s important to take into account the effect outside commentary will have on the jury involved in the case.
Then we’ll take a look at how activism has surged on college campuses across the country as students stand in solidarity to combat racial tension. As students make demands towards their administrations, do these demands align with the socio-political goal? Does removing a prominent historical figure from a campus even the racial score on campus?
Plus a one-on-one with author, Toni Tipton-Martin, about her latest book which is a historical collective of 200 years of African-American cookbooks.
Joining our Sunday morning conversation will be:
- Toni Tipton-Martin, Author, "The Jemima Code", Journalist
- Khalil Gibran Muhammad, Director of the Schomburg Center For Research in Black Culture
- Joshua Guild, Associate Professor of History and African American Studies, Princeton
- Julian Vasquez Heilig, Professor, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, California State Sacramento, California NAACP Education Chair
- Susan Del Percio, Republican Strategist
- Raul Reyes, Attorney, Contributor, NBC News.com
- Zephyr Teachout, Fordham Law Professor
- John Rowley, Democratic Strategist, Media Consultant, President, Fletcher Rowley Media
- Dorian Warren, Fellow, the Roosevelt Institute, MSNBC Contributor
- William H. "Billy" Murphy, Jr., Criminal Defense attorney
- Payton Head, President, Missouri Students Association
To prep for our discussions, feel free to check out:
- Ted Cruz’s moment arrives in Iowa
- John Bel Edwards, Democrat, Defeats David Vitter in Louisiana Governor’s Race
- Who will be the 12 men and women to serve on the first trial in Freddie Gray case?
- President Obama Praises University of Missouri Protesters: 'I Want an Activist Citizenry'
- Student Activism Is Serious Business
- At Princeton, Woodrow Wilson, a Heralded Alum, Is Recast as an Intolerant One
Be sure to read what we’ve linked above, and watch Melissa Harris-Perry Sunday at 10am ET on MSNBC. Join the conversation—share your thoughts about these issues on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #nerdland.