Expanding Our Origin Story
February 6th @ 10:00am
Clint Smith of The Atlantic, is the author of the award-winning book, How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America. He traveled to 9 historic sites to understand how slavery is remembered and taught in America today.
And: Gayle Jessup White’s memoir chronicles her journey to uncover her family’s slave roots at Jefferson’s home Monticello.
The HBCU Renaissance
February 13th @ 10:00am
HBCUs are experiencing a renaissance, sparked by the Black Lives Matter movement and the fight for racial justice.
Plus: HBCU bands like the Trojan Explosion play with power and energy. That unique HBCU sound and style is the pinnacle of Black musical excellence.
And: Jemayne King is both a proud sneakerhead and an English professor at Virginia State University. He’s teaching the first ever college English course on sneaker culture at HBCU's.
The Homecoming
February 20th @ 10:00am
America’s first federally registered Black neighborhood is getting some love. Jackson Ward in Richmond Virginia, was once known as the Harlem of the South. Now two sisters are working to restore it, starting with the home of the first Black homeowner there, Abraham Skipwith.
Also: Richmond may soon become the top destination for Americans to learn about Black American history.
Riding Jane Crow
February 27th @ 10:00am
Black women are critical to the history of the American railroad. Miriam Thaggert illuminates the experiences of women and trains in her book, Riding Jane Crow: African American Women on the American Railroad.
Plus: A new book by Michael Hall reveals how black writers of the Jim Crow era found ways to circumvent hostilities and travel restrictions.
The Health Gap
February 27th @ 10:30am
Racism’s direct impact on health is well-documented. What we know less about is how to fix it.
And: Cancer is caused by a combination of factors, including genetics, lifestyle, and environmental causes. Researchers are trying to understand the particular factors that cause African Americans to get colon cancer at much higher rates than white Americans.