# Political Prisoners and the Black Classic Press w/ Paul Coates

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast-1085016/political-prisoners-and-the-black-classic-press-w-paul-coates
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast-1085016/political-prisoners-and-the-black-classic-press-w-paul-coates.md
Podcast: [The Real News Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast-1085016)
Published: 2026-05-04T20:00:48+00:00
Episode link: https://therealnews.com/do-books-have-a-future-a-conversation-with-radical-publisher-paul-coates
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/71601210/dly_paulcoates_blackclassicpress_updated.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-real-news-podcast-1085016/episodes/political-prisoners-and-the-black-classic-press-w-paul-coates
Duration seconds: 4401

## Resource

From the dawn of the digital age to the current era of “artificial intelligence,” the future of literacy, reading, and book publishing is facing an existential threat. But Paul Coates—legendary activist, publisher, former Baltimore Black Panther Party member, and founder of Black Classic Press—has some critical wisdom to share in these perilous times about the revolutionary necessity of books. At a live event organized by Tubman House and Eddie’s Front Porch and recorded at the TRNN studio in Baltimore, MD, on March 6, 2026, community organizer and creator of Healing Justices Erica Woodland sits down with Coates for a wide-ranging discussion about propaganda, publishing, Black literary production, and the past and present of revolutionary politics. Guests: W. Paul Coates is the founder of Black Classic Press and BCP Digital Printing. Black Classic Press, established in 1978, specializes in republishing obscure and significant works by and about people of African descent. A former member of the Black Panther Party, Coates led the effort to establish the Black Panther Archives at Howard University. Credits: Producer / Editor: Cameron Granadino Videographer: Phil Glaser Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support . Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer. Follow us on: Bluesky: @therealnews.com Facebook: The Real News Network Twitter: @TheRealNews YouTube: @therealnews Instagram: @therealnewsnetwork Become a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!

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