#NNPA BlackPress

How January 6 Became Playtime in London and Beyond

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The re-creation includes a 14-foot-wide model of the Capitol and a costumed Uncle Sam gamemaster, who prowls the floor as a ringmaster of civic mayhem.

Published

8 months ago

July 15, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

Flavor Flav once declared, “9-1-1 is a joke.” He was calling out the deadly indifference to Black lives embedded in institutions sworn to protect. But as grotesque as systemic neglect is, perhaps nothing in recent memory has so vividly illustrated American democracy’s fragility—and its capacity for collective delusion—as the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Now, nearly five years later, that real-life nightmare has metastasized into a sprawling cultural industry of documentaries, books, board games, performance art, and even a participatory stage show where you can choose to “hang” the vice president.

From Four Hours at the Capitol on HBO to American Insurrection on PBS Frontline, media have exhaustively dissected every angle of that day: the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, the false prophets of “Stop the Steal,” the elected officials who turned complicity into a career strategy. Cassidy Hutchinson’s memoir, enough, peeled back the layers of cowardice and calculation within Trump’s White House. A speculative graphic novel, 1/6, imagines what might have happened if the attackers had succeeded in overturning the government. But perhaps the most provocative—and unsettling—manifestation of this new genre is playing out in London’s West End. Inside the Stone Nest theater, Fight for America! Dare audiences to reenact the insurrection themselves.

In this genre-defying hybrid of tabletop wargame and interactive performance, attendees are sorted into “Team Blue,” defending the Capitol, or “Team Red,” storming it. Each side is handed a script of grievances and given dice, action cards, and thousands of meticulously painted miniatures—some waving “Overturn Biden” banners, others decked in riot shields. The re-creation includes a 14-foot-wide model of the Capitol and a costumed Uncle Sam gamemaster, who prowls the floor as a ringmaster of civic mayhem. The show was conceived by American theater producers Christopher McElroen and Neal Wilkinson, who initially planned to debut it in the United States. But after Trump’s re-election in 2024, they relocated the premiere to London, hoping that some 3,000 miles of ocean would create enough distance for reflection.

The show culminates in a decision point: the audience must vote whether to execute Vice President Mike Pence. According to organizers, out of 24 London performances, 18 audiences voted to “hang” him. One participant, unnerved by the crowd’s enthusiasm, managed to talk them out of it in the final minutes, an uncomfortable reminder that even in play, the mob can hunger for violence. While the creators insist the experience is designed to “spark self-reflection” on polarization and mob mentality, it is hard to ignore the absurdity of paying for the privilege of pretending to kill elected officials. In her review, London critic Mary Beer compared the experience to Marina Abramović’s Rhythm 0, in which audiences were allowed to inflict real harm on the artist. Except here, the harm—rhetorical and symbolic—echoes an actual event that killed police officers and traumatized an entire nation.

Elsewhere, the commodification of January 6 has taken other shapes. A parody board game, Storm the Capitol, lets players choose to be “patriots” or law enforcement. An interactive wargame and art installation called Fight for America! Invites participants to maneuver figurines around a to-scale model of the Capitol as they reenact the breach. In London, the theater production includes real video footage of the attack—an eerie coda that pulls players back from their simulated conquest into the reality that this was no abstraction. In a sign of just how thoroughly this day has been transformed into content, an 18-year-old’s decision to report his father to the FBI became the basis for a stage play called Fatherland. And the flood of works shows no sign of slowing. A Washington, D.C., run of Fight for America! is slated for January 2026 to mark the fifth anniversary of the attack, landing at a moment when Trump has returned to power and granted clemency to all but 14 convicted January 6 defendants.

This explosion of entertainment products, from tabletop spectacles to streaming exposés, raises an unsettling question: How should a society process an attempted coup that almost ended the American experiment? Are we memorializing a civic tragedy—or trivializing it?

For many, the answer lies in whether these projects foster genuine reflection or simply feed the cultural appetite for spectacle. As McElroen told The Washington Post, “If you don’t participate in democracy, it doesn’t work.” But if democracy can be reduced to a game—complete with dice rolls, scoring systems, and Instagrammable photo ops—then the lesson may be more sinister: when the violence is over, the market will find a way to package it. “The insurrection wasn’t a joke,” Carrie Frazier, a D.C. resident who said she recently returned from London but didn’t see the show. “But in 2025, it is entertainment.”

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

Up Next

Estate Executors Call Paris Jackson’s Challenge ‘Naïve’

Don't Miss

WATCH 2024 Election Discrepancies Raised

Stacy M. Brown

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

Poll Shows Support for Policies That Help Families Afford Child Care

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

Published

1 week ago

March 2, 2026

Oakland Post

By First Five Years Fund

New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

The national survey was conducted by UpOne Insight on behalf of the First Five Years Fund from January 13–18, 2026.

Key findings include:

• Parents need help: 80% of voters say the ability of working parents to find and afford child care is either in a state of crisis or a major problem.

• This is an affordability issue: 82% believe federal child care funding will help lower costs for working families — including 69% of Republicans, 84% of Independents, and 94% of Democrats.

• And there continues to be strong support (62%) for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), a federal program that makes it possible for hundreds of thousands of families to afford safe, quality care for their children while parents work or go to school, including a majority of Republicans, 63% of Independents and 72% of Democrats.

• Support for funding child care programs remains strong: 75% believe child care funding should be increased or kept at current levels — including 75% of Republicans, 85% of Independents, and 97% of Democrats.

• 74% say funding for child care is an important and good use of tax dollars, including a majority of Republicans, three-quarters of Independents, and nine in ten Democrats.

FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling said, “Voters across the country are sending a clear message: federal child care and early learning programs work. These investments help parents stay in the workforce, strengthen families, and support healthy child development. They have also long had strong bipartisan support in Congress. At a time when affordability is top of mind for families, continued federal funding is essential to ensure child care remains accessible and within reach.”

First Five Years Fund works to protect, prioritize, and build bipartisan support for quality child care and early learning programs at the federal level. Reliable, affordable, and high-quality early learning and child care can be transformative, not only enhancing a child’s prospects for a brighter future but also bolstering working parents and fostering economic stability nationwide.

We work with Congress and the Administration to identify federal solutions that work for families with young children, as well as states and communities. We work with policymakers to identify ways to increase access to affordable, high-quality child care and early learning programs for children. And we collaborate with advocacy groups to help align best practices with the best possible policies. http://www.ffyf.org

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Trump’s MAGA Allies are Creating Executive Order Plan to Steal the 2026 Midterms

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 27, 2026

Oakland Post

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Correspondent

A group of MAGA pro-Trump activists, who say they are working in coordination with the White House, are circulating a 17-page draft executive order that would claim without evidence that China interfered with the 2020 presidential election. Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential to President Joe Biden by over 7 million votes. Since Trump lost to Biden in 2020, he has repeatedly claimed that the election was “stolen” without evidence. The report of a group of “Trump allies” preparing an executive order to give Trump power over elections was first reported by The Washington Post.

The lies around the right-wing campaign that pushed falsehoods that the 2020 election was stolen was trafficked through right-wing media, particularly Fox News. Fox News was then sued for defamation for the claims by Dominion Voting Systems. Fox lost the case and had to settle for the largest defamation amount on record of $787.5 million in April 2023.

The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

The story in The Washington Post arrives as Trump increasingly signals that he may take actions that would alter the result of the 2026 midterms. The Republicans are widely expected to lose as their approval ratings plummet as a result of a failing economy under Trump. Over 50 members of Congress have announced they will retire this year and not return in 2027.

The Trump Department of Justice, which now has a large image of Trump on the side of it, “sued five new states Thursday [Feb. 26, 2026] demanding access to their unredacted voter rolls — escalating a campaign that has been rejected by multiple federal courts and faces resistance from Republican-led states as well,” according to Democracy Docket, a group that works to protect voting rights.

Trump claimed back in late 2020, the last year of his first term, that he had the authority to issue an executive order related to mail-in voting for the 2020 elections — which he would then lose. But the Constitution states that control of elections lies with the states. As the GOP works to place hurdles in front of voting, Democrats worked to make voting easier.

In March 2021, President Biden signed an executive order calling on federal agencies to expand voting access as part of the Biden Administration’s effort “to promote and defend the right to vote for all Americans who are legally entitled to participate in elections.”

Trump’s focus is clearly on altering the November 2026 midterm elections. Trump’s polling numbers and the elections and special elections that have taken place around the U.S. over the last year clearly indicate that Republicans are about to be hit by a blue wave of Democratic victories.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent investigative journalist and the founder of Black Virginia News. She is a political analyst who appears on #RolandMartinUnfiltered and hosts the show LAUREN LIVE on YouTube @LaurenVictoriaBurke. She can be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

PRESS ROOM: NBA Hall of Fame Nominee Terry Cummings Joins 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to Launch Victory & Values Initiative

NNPA NEWSWIRE — NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 27, 2026

admin

Cummings becomes an honorary member, joining other role model sports stars

NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings has officially become an honorary member of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County, marking a powerful new chapter for the 100 Black Men and youth development across the region.

Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th. The moment signified more than membership — it marked the launch of the organization’s transformative new platform, the Victory & Values Initiative.

The Victory & Values Initiative is a groundbreaking youth development program designed to empower elementary and middle school students through a dynamic blend of sports, mentorship, and STEM exposure. The initiative focuses on building health, discipline, character, leadership, and access to opportunity — creating pathways for long-term academic and personal success.

“This is about more than sports,” said Cummings during the ceremony. “It’s about using the platform of athletics to teach life lessons, create access, and build the next generation of leaders.”

The induction ceremony also featured notable guests including NASCAR’s newest Star Driver, Lavar Scott and NASCAR Director of Athletic Performance, Phil Horton, who joined Cummings for a powerful Victory & Values Town Hall discussion. The Town Hall was moderated by renowned Sports Emcee John Hollins and focused on leadership, resilience, discipline, and the importance of mentorship in shaping young lives.

A “Day at NASCAR” for 75+ Youth

Cummings wasted no time getting to work. On his first full day as an honorary member, he joined his new brothers of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to host a “Day at NASCAR,” escorting more than 75 youth to a once-in-a-lifetime experience at EchoPark Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway).

The youth participants received behind-the-scenes access including: an exclusive tour of Pit Row, access to the Garage Area and exploration of the interactive Fan Zone.

The experience culminated with a surprise meet-and-greet and Q&A session with NASCAR Superstar Bubba Wallace, who shared insights on perseverance, preparation, and breaking barriers in professional sports.

The day served as a living example of the ‘Victory & Values’ Initiative in action — exposing youth to new industries, expanding their vision for the future, and connecting them directly with high- level mentors and role models.

Building Leaders Through Access and Mentorship

The 100 Black Men of DeKalb County – a chapter of the largest, national mentoring organization in the county – continues to expand its footprint with programs focused on academic excellence, economic empowerment, leadership development, and health & wellness.

The launch of ‘Victory & Values’ represents a strategic expansion of the organization’s impact

intentionally integrating athletics and STEM to engage youth at an early age while reinforcing core principles such as integrity, accountability, teamwork, and perseverance.

“Our mission has always been to mentor the next generation,” said Vaughn Irons, President-Elect of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County. “With Terry Cummings joining the brotherhood, along with partners in NASCAR and professional sports, we are creating unprecedented access and exposure for our youth. Victory & Values is about turning inspiration into structured opportunity.”

By connecting elementary and middle school students to professional athletes, executives, STEM professionals, and community leaders, the initiative aims to:

Increase youth exposure to careers in sports business, engineering, and performance science
Strengthen mentorship pipelines
Promote physical wellness and mental resilience
Build character-driven leadership at an early age

Open Invitation to Youth and Families

All youth are invited to participate in the Victory & Values Initiative, along with the other countless, impactful programs offered by the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County.

Parents and guardians seeking mentorship, leadership development, academic enrichment, and transformative exposure opportunities for their children are encouraged to connect with the organization.

As NBA Legend Terry Cummings’ induction demonstrates, Victory & Values is more than a program — it is a movement designed to build champions in life, not just in sports.

For more information about the Victory & Values Initiative or to enroll a student, contact: 100 Black Men of DeKalb County at Phone at 404.241.1338, info@100bmod.org or Tee Foxx at 404.791.6525,