For this weekend’s reading list we have the story behind the “Black Power” salute at the 1968 Olympics, a review of the history of America’s obsession with guns, a look at poverty in the 50 years after the publication of Michael Harrington’s The Other America, an investigation of how the religious right is spreading homophobia in African nations, and a report on the impact of GOP obstructionism on the federal court system.

Fists of Freedom: An Olympic Story Not Taught In School – the story behind Tommie Smith and John Carlos’ human rights salute at the 1968 Olympics, in which those two American athletes, along with Australian Peter Norman, risked ostracism and rejection by standing up for human rights and racial equality.

Battleground America – an in-depth review of the history of gun laws, gun ownership, and the rise of the NRA in the United States, which is the country with the highest rate of civilian gun ownership in the world (Yemen is second).

Poverty in America 50 Years After Michael Harrington’s The Other America – a look back at Michael Harrington’s seminal book on poverty in America, which was published 50 years ago, and an evaluation of how issues surrounding poverty have and have not changed since then.

Colonizing African Values - a report on how the U.S. Religious Right is promoting the spread of homophobia and anti-LGBT legislation in numerous African nations, and a discussion of how we can fight back and promote human rights instead.

The State of the Judiciary – a report on how unprecedented GOP obstructionism of President Obama’s judicial appointees has left us with a judicial system that is understaffed, and has delayed or even prevented the appointment of eminently qualified jurists.