Episode 127: Barbara Bush, Starbucks, and the U.S. Census

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki debate the life and legacy of Barbara Bush, Starbucks’ race problem, and the U.S. Census.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• Former First Lady Barbara Bush has died at 92. Natalia referenced historian Barbara Perry’s Washington Post article about how she transformed the Office of the First Lady.
• Starbucks has come under fire for an employee who called the police on two black men at one of its Philadelphia stores. Natalia cited sociologist Elijah Anderson’s Vox article on the association of black people with inner cities; Niki referenced Jamelle Bouie’s Slate article on how “white spaces” are constructed and policed as well as Emily Bazelon’s 2014 Slate article “Why I Don’t Call the Police.”
• President Donald Trump’s decision to include a question about citizenship status on the U.S. Census for the first time since 1950 has inspired strong opposition. Natalia referred to Ari Berman’s Mother Jones article on the pervasive problem of undercounting minorities.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil commented on Dan Piepenbring’s New Yorker article “Chick-Fil-A’s Creepy Infiltration of New York City.”
• Natalia shared Carson Bear’s article “Are Mobile Homes a Forgotten Historic Resource?” on org.
• Niki discussed Kathleen Belew’s new book Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America.