Friends. From New York, this is Democracy Now.

Today we're bringing on Paul EvanAlston, Vladimir.

Three American citizens and one American green cardholder.

All four have been in prison unjustly in Russia.

Russian authorities arrested them, convicted them in show trials, and sends them

the long prison terms with absolutely no legitimate reason whatsoever.

And now, their brutal ordeal is over.

A historic prisoner swap, we'll look at the negotiations that led to the freeing of Americans,

Russian human rights activists, and others jailed in Russia will speak with

Katrina Vandenhoobel. Russia expert and publisher of the nation magazine. But first

fallout continues from Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's racist

comments about his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, at the annual convention of the National

Association of Black Journalists.

I didn't know she was black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn

black and now she wants to be known as black. So I don't know, is she Indian or is she black?

We'll get response from Mark Lamont Hill,

a member of the National Association of Black Journalists

and host of Up front on Al Jazeera.

What Donald Trump was mad about was that he was about to be asked a question other than,

why are you so awesome?

As Mark Lamont Hill joins us from Philadelphia,

we'll also speak with him about news Kamla Harris Maypick,

...