Robert P. Jones is the author of the book, THE HIDDEN ROOTS of WHITE SUPREMACY and the PATH to a SHARED AMERICAN FUTURE, published by Simon and Schuster.

His earlier award winning books include WHITE TOO LONG: THE LEGACY OF WHITE SUPREMACY IN AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY; THE END OF WHITE CHRISTIAN AMERICA; and PROGRESSIVE AND RELIGIOUS: HOW CHRISTIAN, JEWISH, MUSLIM AND BUDDHIST LEADERS ARE MOVING BEYOND THE CULTURE WARS AND TRANSFORMING AMERICAN PUBLIC LIFE.

In this latest book, he reminds us that the enslavement of Africans was not America’s original sin, but rather the continuation of a pattern of genocide and dispossession that began with the first European contact with the Indigenous peoples of this land. His reframing of America’s origins explores how the founders of the US could build a democratic society on the foundations of mass racial violence, and why this paradox survives today in the form of White Christian Nationalism. Through three stories from our history and current re-examination and reckonings by those living today, he has illuminated the possibility of a new American future in which we finally fulfill the promise of true democracy.

We spoke with him on September 20, 2023 via Skype.

Articles or videos pertinent to this interview:

Nearing Her 109th Birthday, and Still Waiting for Her Day in Court https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/07/us/tulsa-race-massacre-lawsuit-oklahoma-supreme-court.html

“Apocalypticism”: Polling expert reveals the root of “panic among conservative White Christians” https://www.salon.com/2023/11/06/apocalypticism-polling-expert-reveals-the-root-of-panic-among-conservative-christians/

The Embodiment of White Christian Nationalism in a Tailored Suit https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/01/opinion/mike-johnson-christian-nationalism-speaker.html

Man in MAGA Hat Charged at Protest Against Reinstallation of Statue Honoring Spanish Conquistador in Española, New Mexico https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/30/man-maga-hat-new-mexico-shooting-charged

Judge dismisses charges against activists accused of disrupting Enbridge Line 3 https://www.startribune.com/judge-dismisses-charges-against-activists-accused-of-disrupting-enbridge-line-3/600305634/

This Supreme Court’s dangerous vision of ‘history and tradition’ https://religionnews.com/2022/07/04/this-supreme-courts-dangerous-vision-of-history-and-tradition/

The Unmaking of the White Christian Worldview https://time.com/6102117/white-christian-americans-sins/

White American Christianity Needs to Be Honest About Its History of White Supremacy https://time.com/5929478/christianity-white-supremacy/

The call is coming from inside the house: White Christian churches as incubators of anti-democratic sentiment https://baptistnews.com/article/the-call-is-coming-from-inside-the-house-white-christian-churches-as-incubators-of-anti-democratic-sentiment/

Colorado mountain honoring governor who led Indigenous massacre renamed https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/16/colorado-mountain-renamed-blue-sky-indigenous-massacre

Joe Biden Is Going To Have To Talk About Leonard Peltier https://www.huffpost.com/entry/leonard-peltier-joe-biden-clemency-indigenous-rights_n_64e7737ae4b07a9e3f5bc6dc

Tribes Strike Historic Deal for Return of Children Buried at Residential School https://truthout.org/articles/tribes-strike-historic-deal-for-return-of-children-buried-at-residential-school/?utm_source=Truthout&utm_campaign=a596a5632b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_3_20_2023_13_41_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bbb541a1db-a596a5632b-651106009&mc_cid=a596a5632b

Artifacts from the Tulsa Race Massacre https://getpocket.com/explore/item/artifacts-from-the-tulsa-race-massacre?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us

The Cure at Troy by Seamus Heaney https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiOaoOYNXpY

Look At Us (Peltier and AIM Song) – John Trudell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5szsygmZmY

John Trudell ” Religious vs Spiritual” Perception of Reality https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbjzujo1Qx8