Best Adia Victoria Podcasts (2024)

1
Why Hard History Matters: Addressing the Legacy of Jim Crow – w/ Rep. Hakeem Jeffries 1:19:43

2+ y ago1:19:43

1:19:43

Congressman Hakeem Jeffries represents New York’s 8th congressional district. Our final episode this season takes us to the U.S. House of Representatives for a conversation between Rep. Jeffries and his brother, our host, Dr. Hasan Jeffries, to discuss the lingering effects of the Jim Crow era—including voter access, prison and policing reform and …

1
Criminalizing Blackness: Prisons, Police and Jim Crow – w/ Robert T. Chase and Brandon T. Jett 1:49:05

2+ y ago1:49:05

1:49:05

After emancipation, aspects of the legal system were reshaped to maintain control of Black lives and labor. Historian Robert T. Chase outlines the evolution of convict leasing in the prison system. And Historian Brandon T. Jett explores the commercial factors behind the transition from extra-legal lynchings to police enforcement of the color line. …

1
Music Reconstructed: Lara Downes’ Classical Perspective on Jim Crow – w/ Charles L. Hughes 24:19

2+ y ago24:19

24:19

From concertos to operas, Black composers captured the changes and challenges facing African Americans during Jim Crow. Renowned classical pianist Laura Downes is bringing new appreciation to the works of artists like Florence Price and Scott Joplin. In our final installment of Music Reconstructed, Downes discusses how we can hear the complicated h…

1
Music Reconstructed: Adia Victoria and the Landscape of the Blues – w/ Charles L. Hughes 16:30

2+ y ago16:30

16:30

When we consider the trauma of white supremacy during the Jim Crow era—what writer Ralph Ellison describes as “the brutal experience”—it’s important to understand the resilience and joy that sustained Black communities. We can experience that all through the “near-comic, near-tragic lyricism” of the blues. In part 3 of this series, acclaimed musici…

1
Black Political Thought – w/ Minkah Makalani 1:05:20

2+ y ago1:05:20

1:05:20

Black political ideologies in the early 20th century evolved against a backdrop of derogatory stereotypes and racial terrorism. Starting with Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Agency, historian Minkah Makalani contextualizes an era of Black intellectualism. From common goals of racial unity to fierce debates over methods, he shows h…

1
Music Reconstructed: Dom Flemons, Black Cowboys and the American West – w/ Charles L. Hughes 18:02

2+ y ago18:02

18:02

From ranches to railroads, learn about the often unrecognized role that African Americans played in the range cattle industry, as Pullman porters and in law enforcement. In part two of this special series, Grammy Award-winner Dom Flemons takes us on a musical exploration of the American West after emancipation. “The American Songster” joins histori…

1
Medical Racism: A Legacy of Malpractice – w/ Deirdre Cooper Owens 40:24

2+ y ago40:24

40:24

This nation has a long history of exploiting Black Americans in the name of medicine. A practice which began with the Founding Fathers using individual enslaved persons for gruesome experimentation evolved into state-sanctioned injustices such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, among others. Award-winning author, historian Deirdre Cooper Owens details…

1
Music Reconstructed: Jason Moran, Jazz and the Harlem Hellfighters – w/ Charles L. Hughes 22:28

2+ y ago22:28

22:28

This is a special four-part series where historian Charles L. Hughes introduces us to musicians who are exploring the sounds, songs and stories of the Jim Crow era. In this installment, Jazz pianist Jason Moran discusses his acclaimed musical celebration of a man he calls “Big Bang of Jazz,” bandleader, arranger and composer James Reese Europe. Dur…

1
The Harlem Renaissance: Restructuring, Rebirth and Reckoning – w/ Julie Buckner Armstrong 56:24

2+ y ago56:24

56:24

During the Harlem Renaissance, more Black artists than ever before were asking key questions about the role of art in society. Oftentimes the Harlem Renaissance is misconstrued as a discrete moment in American history–not as the next iteration of a thriving Black artistic tradition that it was. Literature scholar Julie Buckner Armstrong urges educa…

1
Changing the Game: Sports in the Jim Crow Era – w/ Derrick E. White and Louis Moore 1:05:11

2+ y ago1:05:11

1:05:11

In the United States, Black athletes have had to contend with two sets of rules: those of the game and those of a racist society. While they dealt with 20th century realities of breaking the color line and the politics of respectability, Black fans, educational institutions, and the Black press were building sporting congregations with their own we…

1
The New Deal, Jim Crow and the Black Cabinet – w/ Jill Watts 52:43

2+ y ago52:43

52:43

Opportunities created by the New Deal were often denied to African Americans. And that legacy of exclusion to jobs, loans and services can be seen today in federal programs and policies as well as systemic inequities in housing, education, health and the accumulation of wealth. Historian Jill Watts examines the complicated history of the New Deal, …

1
Black Soldiers: Global Conflict During Jim Crow – w/ Adriane Lentz-Smith 54:00

2+ y ago54:00

54:00

U.S. involvement in world wars and the domestic Black freedom struggle shaped one another. By emphasizing the diverse stories of servicemen and women, historian Adriane Lentz-Smith situates Black soldiers as agents of American empire who were simultaneously building their own institutions at home. While white elected officials worked to systemicall…

1
Building Black Institutions: Autonomy, Labor and HBCUs – w/ Jelani M. Favors and Tera W. Hunter 1:21:31

3y ago1:21:31

1:21:31

Historian Tera Hunter describes Black institution-building post-slavery and throughout the Jim Crow era, illustrating how Black workers reorganized labor to their advantage, despite virulent white resistance. During the same period, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) produced future leaders while cultivating resistance to white su…

1
Premeditation and Resilience: Tulsa, Red Summer and the Great Migration – w/ David Krugler 45:18

3y ago45:18

45:18

Naming the 1921 Tulsa massacre a “race riot” is inaccurate. Historian David Krugler urges listeners to call this and other violent attacks what they were: premeditated attempts at ethnic cleansing. Decades before, African Americans moved North in record numbers during the Great Migration. Krugler delves into connections between diaspora and violenc…

1
Big Freedia: I Pray (And I Push) 25:42

3y ago25:42

25:42

In the final episode of this season, Adia is joined by “Queen of Bounce” Big Freedia. From Beyoncé to Kesha, Freedia’s collaborations proudly reflect her upbringing in New Orleans, and the spirit of the church that resides in her. Adia and Freedia talk about what it means to be insistent on pursuing liberation, the relationship between good food an…

1
Lynching: White Supremacy, Terrorism and Black Resilience – w/ Kidada Williams and Kellie Carter Jackson 1:21:01

3y ago1:21:01

1:21:01

Black American experiences during Jim Crow were deeply affected by the ever-present threat of lynching and other forms of racist violence. Historian Kidada Williams amplifies perspectives from Black families, telling stories of lynching victims obscured by white newspapers. She and Kellie Carter Jackson urge educators to confront the role of this v…

1
Julien Baker: My Faith (Is The Fabric) 17:37

3y ago17:37

17:37

The music of the South is always drawing upon the church, either relishing in it, or rebelling from it. When Memphis-born artist Julien Baker started reckoning with her faith, “the entire paradigm of my life evaporated.” Since then, Julien has channeled this reckoning into her music, lacing her lyrics with radical honesty and self-reflection. In th…

1
Correcting History: Confederate Monuments, Rituals and the Lost Cause – w/ Karen Cox 1:05:48

3y ago1:05:48

1:05:48

The Lost Cause narrative would have us believe that Confederate monuments have always been celebrated, but people have protested them since they started going up. Historian Karen Cox unpacks how the United Daughters of the Confederacy used propaganda to dominate generations of teachings about the Civil War through textbooks, legislation, and popula…

1
Regina N. Bradley: Pleasure (For Pleasure’s Sake) 24:12

3y ago24:12

24:12

From Bessie Smith to Megan Thee Stallion, Southern Black women have built on a long legacy of giving their bodies a voice through the blues. On this week’s Call & Response, hip-hop scholar Dr. Regina N. Bradley makes it clear that Southern Black culture is not frozen in time, but instead embracing and challenging the issues connecting younger gener…

1
Reconstruction 101: Progress and Backlash – w/ Kate Masur 1:51:33

3y ago1:51:33

1:51:33

Just months after the Civil War ended, former Confederates had regained political footholds in Washington, D.C. In her overview of Reconstruction, Kate Masur notes how—in the face of evolving, post-slavery white supremacy—Black people claimed their citizenship and began building institutions of their own. Ahmad Ward then takes us to 1860s Mitchelvi…

1
Tressie McMillan Cottom: Can’t Have The Beat (Without The Burden) 22:17

3y ago22:17

22:17

Tressie McMillan Cottom says the blues go beyond the beat and key. It’s a feeling born and inherited from the experience of Southern Black women. As Call & Response dives deeper into the blues, the sociologist and 2020 MacArthur fellow says she can hear the historical echoes of pain and urgency throughout Southern music -- and wants listeners to un…

1
Tré Burt: My Culture (My Identity) 25:49

3y ago25:49

25:49

What happens when one artist’s work is read through the lens of another? Tré Burt’s rambling bluesman sound means his music is constantly compared to that of Bob Dylan, but as a Black man living in 2021, his writing draws from very different perspectives. In this interview, Tré and Adia distinguish what it means to write from experience versus obse…

1
Amythyst Kiah: Finding Roots (Redefining Yourself) 22:13

3y ago22:13

22:13

Born in Chattanooga, and based in Johnson City, Tennessee, Amythyst Kiah’s sound is a blend of old-time music and fingerpicking blues with a punk-indie sensibility. Like many of us who came up in the South, Amythyst had to find and define her voice, even as she was told she couldn’t be into Green Day or into skateboarding and also play the guitar. …

1
Jason Isbell: To Love (Is To Criticize) 32:11

3y ago32:11

32:11

Just hours after a Confederate monument was removed in Richmond, VA, Jason Isbell made his take very clear: “Nostalgia requires a lack of examination.” Amid the backdrop of a region reckoning with its past, this week’s Call & Response features Adia Victoria speaking with Jason, the Grammy award-winning songwriter from Green Hill, Alabama. Jason ref…

1
The History of Whiteness and How We Teach About Race – w/ Edward E. Baptist and Aisha White 1:20:37

3y ago1:20:37

1:20:37

Historian Ed Baptist provides context on the creation and enforcement of a U.S. racial binary that endures today, as well as Black resistance as a force for political change. And Aisha White urges educators to ask themselves, “What did you learn about race when you were younger?” before they engage with children. She argues that self-reflection and…

1
Lucy Dacus: Writing Memories (Trusting Perspectives) 37:00

3y ago37:00

37:00

Welcome back to Call & Response. To open season two of our show, Adia is joined by fellow Southerner and singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus, whose latest album, “Home Video” is drawn largely from her childhood journals. In their conversation, Adia and Lucy talk about growing up in the church, learning to trust your own voice, and questioning what it mean…

1
Creating Brave Spaces: Reckoning With Race in the Classroom – w/ Matthew R. Kay 1:08:31

3y ago1:08:31

1:08:31

People from all corners of public life are telling teachers to stop discussions about race and racism in the classroom, but keeping the truth of the world from students simply doesn’t work. English teacher Matthew Kay urges educators to create brave spaces instead. He provides examples of classroom strategies for engaging with students at the inter…

1
Jim Crow: Yesterday and Today 52:16

3y ago52:16

52:16

This season, we’re examining the century between the Civil War and the modern civil rights movement to understand how systemic racism and slavery persisted and evolved after emancipation—and how Black Americans still developed strong institutions during this time. Co-hosts Hasan Kwame Jeffries and Bethany Jay discuss how students need to grasp this…

1
Emily Saliers 30:18

3y ago30:18

30:18

Did you know? -Emily Saliers and her musical partner in the Indigo Girls, Amy Ray, met in middle school in the cafeteria where Emily and her band were playing? She is also a huge fan of hip hop and the band Heart. Currently she's working on two musicals, something she had never done before. Find out more about these projects and a lot of the music …

1
Baseball, Civil Rights and the Anderson Monarchs Barnstorming Tour (special) - w/ Steve Bandura and Derrick White 1:52:29

3y ago1:52:29

1:52:29

In 2015, Coach Steve Bandura loaded the Anderson Monarchs, a little league baseball team from Philadelphia, onto a 1947 Flxible Clipper Bus for a barnstorming tour back in time. Bandura and the players recount lessons learned while visiting historic civil rights sites, meeting veteran activists and playing baseball along the way. And historian Derr…

1
Adam Weiner 27:13

3y ago27:13

27:13

Did you know? - Adam learned piano by ear, rather than learning to read music. - The first concert Adam saw was Alvin & The Chipmunks. - To date, Adam has covered over 700 songs on his "Tough Cookies" series of live broadcasts. If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode of WFPKs The First Cut!…

1
The War & Treaty 38:40

3y ago38:40

38:40

Did you know? - The first concerts Michael and Tanya saw were Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, respectively. - Michael considers Johnny Cash and Ray Charles to be his biggest musical influences, and says they "embody everything in what it means to be an American." - Michael is a war veteran who suffers from PTSD, and the band's single "Five Mor…

1
Adia Victoria 21:46

3y ago21:46

21:46

Did you know? - Adia's first concert was The Strokes, where singer Julian Casablancas licked her face while crowdsurfing. - Adia is a huge Fiona Apple fan, and "fangirled out" when she had the opportunity to tour with her bassist Sebastian Steinberg. - Adia's first musical obsession was Kurt Cobain, who died when she was only seven-years-old. If yo…

1
Live at Newport: It's Just Me And My Breath. 14:51

3y ago14:51

14:51

“What could be possible in the future when it comes to our artists? What is possible when it comes to us looking at each other? What can be possible when we shun a scarcity mindset? When we say this table is big enough for all of us? No, fuck that. Let's build a new table where everyone has a full plate, because we understand that when we create, w…

1
Live At Newport Folk Festival: Allison Russell 43:40

3y ago43:40

43:40

On Saturday at Newport, Allison Russell convened a super group of BIPOC performers to take the stage lead by the legendary Chaka Khan. The very next morning, we recorded this conversation. “It's not going to take anything away from you to let us in,” says Allison. “I wanted everyone to be able to see and hear and feel this majesty, this diversity, …

1
Live At Newport Folk Festival: Margo Price 23:00

3y ago23:00

23:00

“Sometimes the best thing to do is to listen and to not speak. Listening is where you're going to grow.” In this second episode of our mid-season special taped live at Newport Folk Festival, Adia catches up with her longtime friend, collaborator, and country music star Margo Price. Adia and Margo discuss how Margo has come to embody a radical hones…

1
Live At Newport Folk Festival: Jay Sweet 29:01

3y ago29:01

29:01

“Americana and roots music has become too complacent. What we need now is to shake ourselves from feeling comfortable and start looking at the world around us.” We’re back for a mid-season special series recorded live at Newport Folk Festival, and in this episode, Adia sits down with Newport’s Director, Jay Sweet to dig into the Black roots of folk…

1
Aloe Blacc 20:45

3y ago20:45

20:45

Did you know? - The first record Aloe fell in love with as a child was "Double Dutch Bus" by Frankie Smith, which he and his sister would listen to on a Fisher Price record player. - Aloe's first group, the hip hop duo Emanon, took its name from a Dizzy Gillespie song. - Aloe got his first record deal as a vocalist by singing Sam Cooke's "A Change …

1
Caroline Rose 27:43

3y ago27:43

27:43

Did you know? - Caroline has been a huge Chris Isaak fan since she was very young. - As a kid, Caroline's parents wouldn't let her listen to any albums with a Parental Advisory label after she was caught singing along to "It Wasn't Me" by Shaggy. - Caroline played flute and trombone in her high school marching band. If you answered NO to any of the…

1
Fantastic Negrito 22:24

3y ago22:24

22:24

Did you know? - Xavier ran away from home when he was 12 and never saw his family again. - Before finding success as Fantastic Negrito, Xavier quit music for five years and sold all of his gear to become a marijuana farmer. - Playing for his child is what inspired Xavier to finally pick up the guitar again. If you answered NO to any of these questi…

1
Matt Berninger 31:25

3y ago31:25

31:25

Did you know? - Matt was a designer in New York City for 10 years before The National blew up. - Matt was inspired to become a songwriter by listening to Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly" - Matt says that he wept when he saw one of his earliest musical icons, Leonard Cohen, performing in Spain. If you answered NO to any of these questions, then y…

1
S.G. Goodman 23:49

3y ago23:49

23:49

Did you know? - S.G. took guitar lessons from Herb Chapman, father of five-time Grammy winner Steven Curtis Chapman. - The first tape S.G. bought was a Spice Girls album. - Before breaking through as a "three chords and the truth" singer/songwriter, S.G. considered being both a Christian musician and a pop artist. If you answered NO to any of these…

1
Daniel Lanois 28:26

3y ago28:26

28:26

Did you know? - The first record Daniel bought was Wipe Out by The Surfari's. - Daniel's life was changed when he saw Sly & The Family Stone performing down the hill from his mom's house. - Daniel's currently thinking about making an instrumental piano. If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode o…

1
Jade Bird 14:12

3+ y ago14:12

14:12

Did you know? - The first songs Jade Bird learned to play on guitar were from an Oasis chord book. - Jade exclusively wrote sad songs until discovering country music, which she considers her "route into happy or uplifting music." - Jade Bird idolized Johnny Cash, which she says was "bizarre" for a girl from South Wales. If you answered NO to any of…

1
Devon Gilfillian 26:41

3+ y ago26:41

26:41

Which of the following was a band Devon Gilfillian was in? A. Black Sheep B. Black Cat Crossing C. Yet To Be Seen D. All of the Above You'd better believe it's all of the above, and that just goes to show how much you have to learn from this episode of WFPK's First Cut!

1
Brandi Carlile: Multiple Selves (One Story) 32:47

3+ y ago32:47

32:47

In the last episode of this season of Call & Response, Adia sits down with GRAMMY award winning singer and song-writer Brandi Carlile. Carlile has collaborated with Elton John, dueted with Dolly Parton and churned out powerful songs about queer love and motherhood. In this conversation, Adia and Brandi talk through how great personal challenges can…

1
Joan Osborne 24:15

3+ y ago24:15

24:15

Did you know? - The first record Joan fell in love with was "The Sound of Music" soundtrack. - Joan took a songwriting workshop under the legendary songwriter Doc Pomus. - Joan developed her first musical obsession as a seven-year-old when she caught "This is Tom Jones" on late night television. If you answered NO to any of these questions, then yo…

1
Caroline Randall Williams: Blues Work (is the Work) 27:49

3+ y ago27:49

27:49

The blues can’t be defined by a set of chord progressions. It’s a philosophy, it is catharsis, it is taking something painful, and turning it into art. In this episode, Adia sits down with blues scholar and poet Caroline Randall Williams. Together they redefine the blues, and talk about what American culture can learn from its music. For the playli…

1
Eric Burton 15:19

3+ y ago15:19

15:19

Did you know? - In addition to his beautiful singing voice, Eric Burton also plays guitar, keys, and violin. - Eric comes from a musical family, and his uncle Steve Harrison is also a recording musician who taught him how to write songs. - When Eric falls in love with a song, he'll listen to it over and over and over again, sometimes without even l…

1
Brittany Howard: Seeing the South (Seeing Yourself) 30:01

3+ y ago30:01

30:01

“How does the South inform my music? How do I describe the sound that your bare feet make when they pat the cool, packed red dust under them?” In her music and her writing, Brittany Howard has tapped something elusive: the feeling of the south. It’s contradictions, it’s pain, and its beauty. In this episode, Adia sits down with rock legend and long…

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