Poetry. Art. Advocacy. Abolition.
MAX PARTHAS &
TRIBAL RAINE
For more than three decades, Max Parthas and Tribal Raine have used poetry and creative expression to challenge audiences, open conversations, examine history, and advocate for human dignity and freedom.
Their work brings art and abolition together — taking poetry beyond the stage and into communities, classrooms, legislative spaces, national conversations, human-rights gatherings, film, and advocacy.
Welcome to the home for their latest projects, music, videos, interviews, events, live broadcasts, and creative work through the Paul Cuffee Abolitionist Center.
MAX & TRIBAL
Max Parthas and Tribal Raine are husband-and-wife artists and abolitionists whose work has carried poetry into spaces where it is seldom heard.
Over more than three decades, their poetry, public speaking, educational work, and advocacy have reached community stages, universities, legislative chambers, congressional hearings, national human-rights gatherings, the United Nations, and film.
Their work is rooted in the belief that art can do more than entertain.
It can ask difficult questions.
It can preserve memory.
It can challenge accepted narratives.
It can educate.
And it can help create conversations that move people toward a deeper understanding of justice and freedom.
Through the Paul Cuffee Abolitionist Center, Max and Tribal continue using spoken word and creative expression as a bridge between art, education, history, and abolitionist advocacy.
Decades of Art. One Mission. One Album.
THE ABOLITIONERS
Decades of Art. One Mission. One Album.
During Black August, the Paul Cuffee Abolitionist Center presents The Abolitioners — a 24-track collection from Max Parthas and Tribal Raine.
Blending spoken word, hip-hop, blues, and jazz, the album explores slavery, racism, identity, censorship, historical memory, mass incarceration, resilience, family, and the continuing pursuit of human rights.
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The Abolitioners is the duo's first commercially released album since 2009.
But the creative work never stopped.
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Through poetry, education, public advocacy, film, organizing, and the Paul Cuffee Abolitionist Center, Max and Tribal have continued using creative expression to encourage deeper conversations about history, justice, freedom, and human dignity.
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About the Album
The Abolitioners brings together decades of artistic expression and abolitionist advocacy in one collection.
Across 24 tracks, Max Parthas and Tribal Raine use spoken word and music to explore difficult and often uncomfortable subjects.
The purpose is not to tell listeners what they must think. It is to create space for people to think more deeply, to ask harder questions, to reconsider what they have been taught, to examine how history continues to shape the present and to recognize the humanity shared across those conversations.
Music can entertain. Poetry can liberate.
Art can help move history forward.
Hear Me Now
Hear Me Now uses powerful imagery to examine the intersection of faith, money, influence, and prosperity preaching. Through a provocative visual journey, Max Parthas invites viewers to question how power and belief can be shaped by wealth, spectacle, and persuasion.
Blame the Presidents
Blame the Presidents uses satire, political imagery, and a fast-moving visual montage to examine the power, influence, and legacy of U.S. presidents. Blending humor with social commentary, Max Parthas challenges viewers to look beyond individual leaders and consider the deeper political systems, decisions, and patterns that continue to shape American life.
The Respect of Being a Poet
The Respect of Being a Poet brings Max Parthas and Tribal Raine together in a powerful celebration of spoken word, performance, and the responsibility of the poet. Blending live and personal imagery, the video reflects on poetry as a voice for truth, identity, expression, and social consciousness.
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MEET THE ARTIST
MAX PARTHAS
Max Parthas has spent decades using poetry, research, education, and public advocacy to examine slavery, history, incarceration, race, politics, human rights, and the systems that shape our understanding of freedom.
His work moves between creative expression and social analysis, using poetry to invite audiences into subjects that are often difficult, complex, or overlooked.
Through Maximum Impact Poetry and the Paul Cuffee Abolitionist Center, Max continues to use his voice as a vehicle for education, dialogue, civic engagement, and abolitionist thought.
MEET THE ARTIST
TRIBAL RAINE
Tribal Raine brings together poetry, history, advocacy, family, resilience, and human dignity in work shaped by both creative expression and a commitment to abolition.
Her connection to the Paul Cuffee Abolitionist Center is also deeply personal.
Tribal Raine is a direct descendant of Paul Cuffee, the Black and Wampanoag Quaker sea captain, merchant, entrepreneur, educator, and abolitionist for whom the Center is named.
Through her poetry and advocacy, that history remains connected to a living commitment to education, justice, freedom, and abolition.
PRESS & MEDIA
Decades of Art. One Mission. One Album.
The Paul Cuffee Abolitionist Center announced the pre-release of The Abolitioners during Black August.
The 24-track collection blends spoken word, hip-hop, blues, and jazz while exploring slavery, racism, identity, censorship, historical memory, mass incarceration, resilience, family, and human rights.
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The pre-release began August 7, 2026, with the worldwide release following on August 21, 2026.
The worldwide release also coincides with the ninth anniversary of the Millions for Prisoners Human Rights March.
For Max Parthas and Tribal Raine, the album represents another chapter in a much longer journey of combining poetry, education, advocacy, and abolitionist work.
Media Contact
abolitionistcenter@gmail.com
1 803 497 2023
Abolitionist Center 1163 Furman Dr. Sumter, SC 29154
Hours
Mon-Fri 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Sunday 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
THE LEGACY BEHIND OUR NAME
LATEST UPDATES & PROJECTS
This page is also the home for current projects, announcements, media appearances, new releases, and other work involving Max Parthas and Tribal Raine.
See What's Next
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CURRENT FEATURE
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EVENTS
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WATCH LIVE
There is no live broadcast scheduled at this time. Check back for upcoming conversations, interviews, performances, and PCAC programs.
Stay Connected
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abolitionistcenter@gmail.com
1 803 497 2023
Abolitionist Center 1163 Furman Dr. Sumter, SC 29154
© 2020 Paul Cuffee Abolitionist Center
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