Best Brooklyn J Flow Podcasts (2024)

1
Conjure, Christianity, and HooDoo 22:02

5d ago22:02

22:02

A look into how magic and religion coexist in Black history with Professor Yvonne Chireau, author of Black Magic: Religion and the African American Conjuring Tradition. Music Credit PeaceLoveSoul by Jeris (c) copyright 2012 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/VJ_Memes/35859 Ft: KungFu (KungFuFr…

1
To The Post Office 24:19

1M ago24:19

24:19

Generally, I like to talk about labor sometime around May Day. This year, we're talking about a place that has employed a lot of Black people over the last 150 years or so but has not always shown us a lot of love: the post office. For decades, Black people were not even legally allowed to work at the post office, then Black people had to fight in …

1
Racism, Ableism, and Slavery 41:31

2M ago41:31

41:31

Turns out, negative views towards disability in American culture and society have a history linked to racism and slavery. So, we're going to talk about that history because ableism is not the default, it is a construct that can be challenged. I have this conversation with Professor Jenifer Barclay, author of The Mark of Slavery: Disability, Race, a…

1
Why Did Black Girls and Young Women Dominate School Desegregation Efforts? 41:28

3M ago41:28

41:28

Most of the students who challenged white schools to take Black students and then volunteered to be the first to desegregate those white schools were girls and young women. Dr. Rachel Devlin, author of A Girl Stands at the Door, seeks to explain why school desegregation was championed by girls and young women and to tell their stories. Music Credit…

1
The Black Artistry Behind Sanford & Son and Good Times 44:03

4M ago44:03

44:03

This episode, we're talking about one of my favorite TV shows of all time: Sanford & Son! We'll also get into Good Times and a little into The Jeffersons. All 3 of these shows are 1970s Black sitcoms under Tandem Productions. These shows were a window into the reality of Black life like nothing before them. Yet, what often gets overlooked in discus…

1
Black Colorado History on (Museum) Display 23:37

6M ago23:37

23:37

We are once again doing something a little different on We the (Black) People. Boulder, Colorado just opened a Black history exhibit called Proclaiming Colorado's Black History and I have the lead curator - Colorado native and soul food scholar Adrian Miller - and the oral history liaison - Minister Glenda Strong Robinson, an NAACP and church histo…

1
3rd Anniversary!? The Clip Show 7:54

7M ago7:54

7:54

Just a quick little clip show because We the (Black) People has been out a whole 3 years and that's wild.By Brooklyn J-Flow

1
How the Internet Changed the Fight Against Racism 35:12

8M ago35:12

35:12

This episode traces the changes in racism, antiracism, and racial awareness over the last 90 years that allow We the (Black) People to exist. Today, racism is illegal and talking about race is taboo, yet the internet makes racism and the fight against it much more visible. Professor Rob Eschmann, author of When the Hood Comes Off: Racism and Resist…

1
Unwrapping the History Between McDonald's and Black America 30:19

9M ago30:19

30:19

While fast food is now associated with poorer, Black communities and all kinds of health disparities in Black people, McDonald's wasn't originally interested in expanding franchises into Black neighborhoods. Professor Marcia Chatelain, author of Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America, talks about how fast food became Black. It is a story tha…

1
Seeking the African Revolution: Black Expats in Ghana 42:51

11M ago42:51

42:51

We've talked about how important Haiti and Liberia were as symbols for Black Americans whether or not they ever went to either of the two Black countries. This episode is about those who went to Ghana - some by choice and some on the run. Ghanaian independence was a huge moment of Pan-African hope for a free Africa, and many Black Americans were fa…

1
A Beginner's Guide to Family [Oral] History 26:19

12M ago26:19

26:19

I'm doing Black oral history work now, y'all. I got into a program that is training oral historians to collect community stories and it's super exciting. I want to share some of this exciting journey with you. So, I talked with my instructor Alissa Rae Funderburk (an oral historian at the Margaret Walker Center of Jackson State University) about ho…

1
A Teaspoon of Black Culinary History 10:57

1y ago10:57

10:57

It's a pretty short one this time around. Black Americans didn't write a lot of recipes and cookbooks in the 19th and 20th centuries, but what they did write tells a lot about Black identity. Professor Rafia Zafar gets into some of the interesting things she discovered while writing Recipes for Respect: African American Meals and Meaning. Music Cre…

1
May Day with the Marginalized: Black Women in St. Louis (1930s-1960s) 40:23

1y ago40:23

40:23

We're spending this May Day episode with Black women in St. Louis from the 1930s to the 1960s. Their fight for economic justice was about more than hours or wages, it was about dignity and quality of life overall. And they were marginalized in the workplace and in their communities. Maybe, they have something to teach us today. Professor Keona Ervi…

1
The Realest Rap History 32:05

1y ago32:05

32:05

This episode, we're going to discuss who and what makes hip-hop authentic with Professor Jeffrey Ogbar, author of Hip-hop Revolution. It's not an easy answer as hip-hop has evolved a lot in its short lifetime and has fans with strong, clashing opinions. Music Credit PeaceLoveSoul by Jeris (c) copyright 2012 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribu…

1
Freedom Outside Religion: Black Religious Skepticism 50:50

1+ y ago50:50

50:50

We talk about religion and Christianity a lot in studying Black history. It's almost assumed that God and religion are at the center of all Black stories. Not only have Black people held a variety of religious beliefs in America, many leaders questioned or even rejected God and religion altogether. This episode is some of their stories. Tune in as …

1
The Controversial Afterlives of Crispus Attucks 38:03

1+ y ago38:03

38:03

For a man that historians know very little about, Crispus Attucks gets a lot of attention. In this episode, instead of just rehashing the life of Crispus Attucks, we're going to follow his memory. Some remember him as a hero, others as a troublemaker, and some ignore him altogether, and these conflicting narratives of Attuck's place in American his…

1
The Abundance of the Black Cooperative Movement 40:14

1+ y ago40:14

40:14

Throughout the 20th century, Black people across the country took on the experiment of pooling their resources together to provide for each other. These experiments were called cooperatives. They remain, often, understudied and discussed because they were not one, long, sustained movement. Yet, when you focus on how much each one was able to accomp…

1
Spirituals, Minstrels, and the Legacy of Early Black Entertainers 37:58

1+ y ago37:58

37:58

Before the era of the episode, Black Vaudeville Performers Wore Blackface?, Black entertainers were often found on stage singing spirituals or in minstrel shows. In both cases, white people paid to see 'authentic' depictions of Black life, which, for them, had to trace back to slavery. This episode's guest is Professor Sandra Jean Graham, author of…

1
2nd Anniversary: A Giveaway 6:58

1+ y ago6:58

6:58

Celebrating two years of We the (Black) People, I bought a set of custom stickers that I want to share with y'all. Email me at wetheblackpeoplepod@gmail.com with 3 things you've learned from this show by 11/30 for a chance to win one. Music Credit PeaceLoveSoul by Jeris (c) copyright 2012 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.…

1
Why Would Black Soldiers Fight After the Civil War (Through WWI)? 38:53

1+ y ago38:53

38:53

When Black men enlisted in the army after the Civil War, it wasn't just to fight for their country. They fought for something personal and for something bigger than themselves. Professor Le’Trice D. Donaldson, author of Duty beyond the Battlefield: African American Soldiers Fight for Racial Uplift, Citizenship, and Manhood, 1870–1920, helps me tell…

1
Examining Monkeypox through Black Activism in the AIDs Crisis 39:02

2y ago39:02

39:02

Since Monkeypox became another disease to worry about, people have been comparing it to HIV/AIDs when looking at how America is treating the outbreak. There seem to be valid similarities, so let's take a look at the AIDs crisis in Black America. As Black people got AIDs at a higher rate than other groups, they organized and advocated for themselves…

1
Centering Black Women in the Reproduction/Abortion Discussion 41:10

2y ago41:10

41:10

Before Dobbs v. Jackson or Roe v. Wade, the government legislated control over Black women's reproduction in America. That started way back in 1662 in Virginia. Tracing this long history with me is Professor Jennifer L. Morgan, author of Laboring Women: Reproduction and Gender in New World Slavery. Centering Black women in today's debates and laws …

1
Desegregating American Amusement 39:11

2y ago39:11

39:11

Up until very recently, recreation in America at places like pools, roller rinks, and amusement parks was segregated. It took decades of work for Black Americans to gain the basic right to inhabit public spaces in their cities. That is the subject of Race, Riots, and Roller Coasters: The Struggle Over Segregated Recreation in America by Professor V…

1
Family Separation During Slavery: A Genealogical Dilemma 48:19

2y ago48:19

48:19

Not every slave experienced family separation, but the prospect of it affected every enslaved person. Children could be separated from their parents and husbands could be separated from their wives. Help Me to Find My People :The African American Search for Family Lost in Slavery by Heather Andrea Williams explores how people dealt with this realit…

1
Let's Talk Black Anthems, Part II 49:34

2y ago49:34

49:34

I promised you a part 2 and here it is! This episode continues the discussion of Anthem: Social Movements and the Sound of Solidarity in the African Diaspora with Professor Shana Redmond. The anthems this time around are: 01:25 - “We Shall Overcome” Before it was an anthem of the Civil Rights Movement, Black women used the song to fuel the Charlest…

1
Afro-Indigenous Detroit History 37:57

2y ago37:57

37:57

This episode, we're talking about my hometown, Detroit. It's a gentrifying majority-Black city. Professor Kyle Mays - author of City of Dispossessions - sees this current stage of Black Detroiters being dispossessed as part of Detroit's long history of dispossessing both Indigenous and Black people. Most Native Americans live in cities. Many moved …

1
Chicano Farmers and Civil Rights in Coalition 44:25

2y ago44:25

44:25

Solidarity isn't naturally occurring, but it can be amazing. Like that time Coretta Scott King visited Cesar Chavez in prison. Or when The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee taught nonviolent resistance to Chicano farmworkers in California. Or even when Cesar Chavez went door to door to support Black Panther Party leader Bobby Seale's mayora…

1
Let's Talk Black Anthems, Part I 50:07

2y ago50:07

50:07

This episode we take a deep dive into 3 Black Anthems of the 20th century with Professor Shana Redmond, author of Anthem: Social Movements and the Sound of Solidarity in the African Diaspora. 04:32 - The Universal Negro Improvement Association and "Ethiopia (Thou Land of Our Fathers)." How Marcus Garvey and the UNIA instilled Black nationalism. 15:…

1
Modern Black Feminist Organizing 44:49

2y ago44:49

44:49

You didn't think the story of Black feminism ended at the Voting Rights Act, did you? Turns out there were several influential Black feminist organizations in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. No one ever told me about the Third World Women's Alliance, the National Black Feminist Organization, the National Alliance of Black Feminists, The Combahee River Colle…

1
Sisters in the Struggle: Black Catholic Nuns for Black Liberation 42:21

2+ y ago42:21

42:21

Looking at Catholic history and Black history becomes wildly different when you consider and acknowledge Black nuns. Not only have there been Black nuns since the early days of slavery, these women have been agitating and advocating all the while. It is a history that hasn't gotten the benefit of a full survey until now, with the book Subversive Ha…

1
Reconstruction & God's Post-Emancipation Plan for Black People 44:41

2+ y ago44:41

44:41

When slavery ended, it was a massive deal for Black people. It was a fulfillment of decades of hopes, prayers, and prophecies and (to many) a clear sign of God intervening in human history for Black people. Following something as amazing as emancipation, Black people constantly wondered about the next step in God's plan for them. Professor Matthew …

1
Notes from the Underground Railroad 32:43

2+ y ago32:43

32:43

The Underground Railroad has been shrouded in mystery and myth since the days it was active. In this episode, Professor Richard Blackett (author of Making Freedom: The Underground Railroad and the Politics of Slavery) and I talk about some of the realities of the Underground Railroad. Along the way are fascinating escape stories and Underground Rai…

1
The Haitian Revolution: Black America Rooting for Everybody Black 48:44

2+ y ago48:44

48:44

When a slave revolt in Haitian became a revolution that abolished slavery and created the first sovereign Black nation in the Americas, it was kind of a big deal. And, being a Black American history podcast, this episode is about how Haitian independence influenced and affected America, particularly Black people. Since the Haitian Revolution does n…

1
Anniversary Clip Show! 17:15

2+ y ago17:15

17:15

Consistently on We the (Black) People, I ask my guests to bring at least one individual's story to the conversation as these stories about people really bring history to life for me. It has resulted in really excellent stories about people I never knew about. Here are the top six I brought together in this episode. 00:35 - Harry Green from Black Fa…

1
Back to the Classroom: Black Founders and the Continuing Fight for Black History Education 35:00

2+ y ago35:00

35:00

It was a year ago when, on this show, I discussed defending history education against the many attacks leveled in 2020 with my high school history teacher. Yet now, in 2021, Black history education seems to be in even more danger. So, back to the classroom to talk with Professor LaGarrett King, a professor of Social Studies Education at the Univers…

1
Surviving the Civil War: The Fight for Freedom Behind Union Lines 45:10

2+ y ago45:10

45:10

We have to go back to the Civil War! Last time, nearly a year ago for Ep 1, we looked at how slaves freed themselves by refusing to serve the Confederacy and running to Union lines. When hundreds of thousands did this, the federal government had no choice but to emancipate. What we didn't talk about is what happened to fleeing slaves within Union a…

1
Neighbors, Citizens, Critics, Political Organizers: Notes from the Pre-Civil War Struggle for Citizenship 37:08

2+ y ago37:08

37:08

Before the 14th amendment, there was no official definition of citizenship in America. We've really been making that up along the way, state by state. And from the beginning, Black people have enacted and put into print their vision of citizenship. In this episode, Professor Derrick Spires and I discuss his book The Practice of Citizenship: Black P…

1
Whose Getting Used? Black America and Soviet Antiracism 42:24

3y ago42:24

42:24

From 1928-1937, the Soviet Union allied with Black America in an antiracist campaign against America. To tell the story of the Soviet Union and Black America teaming up against racism, I talked with Professor Meredith Roman, author of Opposing Jim Crow: African Americans and the Soviet Indictment of U.S. Racism, 1928-1937. While some Soviets sought…

1
Black Vaudeville Performers Wore Blackface? 29:58

3y ago29:58

29:58

Back in the Before Times, I saw footage of Black vaudeville star Bert Williams performing in blackface at The Museum of Modern Art (more info on that here). Seeing a Black Man in blackface, I had a lot of questions. I found answers and context in Staging Race: Black Performers in Turn of the Century America by Professor Karen Sotiropoulos. In this …

1
Gone Road Tripping 0:27

3y ago0:27

0:27

No new content right now as I properly enjoy road trip season. Send me ideas for show topics to do when I get back! wetheblackpeoplepod@gmail.comBy Brooklyn J-Flow

1
To Colonize Liberia or To Stay & Fight? 38:45

3y ago38:45

38:45

Though Black Americans have considered leaving America for a chance at full citizenship somewhere else since America's beginning, many fiercely opposed the American Colonization Society. To them, the ACS (organized in 1817 to send free Black people to Liberia) was White Americans solidifying their belief that Black freedom and citizenship had no pl…

1
Cruising the Unknown: How Cars Rocked Black America 35:52

3y ago35:52

35:52

It is well known that cars changed America. But what about Black America? With America's long history of controlling Black mobility, cars meant many new freedoms for Black people. Yet, as they hit the roads through new places, new dangers lurked in the unknown. Both the dangers and the opportunities are the topic of this episode. My guest is Dr. Gr…

1
Numbers Running in Harlem's Underground Economy 31:07

3y ago31:07

31:07

This episode stems from my love of the movie The Wiz. Watching it over and over as a kid I did not realize that Miss One, the Good Witch of the North, is a numbers runner. And, I definitely did not know that numbers running is a real part of gambling and Black history. As a Black woman running numbers in a fictionalized version of Harlem, Miss One …

1
Black Fathers vs. Slavery 38:27

3y ago38:27

38:27

Happy Father's Day! For the dads out there, this episode we're looking at the often-ignored legacy of Black fathers who fought oppressive systems during and after slavery to be dutifully honorable parents in the eyes of their families. My guest is Professor Libra Hilde, author of Slavery, Fatherhood, and Paternal Duty in African American Communitie…

1
Slavery, Reconstruction, and Reparations, But in Indian Territory 26:18

3y ago26:18

26:18

It turns out that the history of slavery and Reconstruction played out differently in Oklahoma because Oklahoma was not American, but Indian Territory. One of the biggest differences was that former Black slaves (Indian Freedpeople) received land reparations. Yet, that land redistribution was part of a larger American project to take over Indian Te…

1
In 1903, A Black Woman Started A Bank 39:20

3y ago39:20

39:20

This episode centers around two wild facts I just learned. First, between 1888 and 1930 Black Americans opened and operated over 100 banks. Second, one of those (St. Luke Bank) was headed and run by Black women. Luckily, Professor Shennette Garrett-Scott's book Banking on Freedom is all about St. Luke's bank and the 50 year legacy of Black-owned ba…

1
May Day & The Undeniable Power of Interracial Unions 45:24

3y ago45:24

45:24

Though largely unacknowledged in America in favor of Labor Day in September, May 1st is internationally recognized as International Worker's Day, the anniversary of the struggle for an 8-hour workday in Chicago in 1886. Looking back on that brings up a lot of interesting issues such as labor's historically tense relationship with police and the Bla…

1
Housing Reparations and the Policies that Necessitated Them 48:46

3y ago48:46

48:46

On March 22nd, Evanston, Illinois passed the Restorative Housing Program as reparations for its discriminatory housing policies. This bill is both a hit and a miss in restoratively addressing the history of housing discrimination. This episode, I turn to that history with Professor Paige Glotzer, author of How the Suburbs Were Segregated: Developer…

1
Workers, Not Servants: Black Domestic Worker Organizing and Resistance 36:24

3y ago36:24

36:24

Not only were Black domestic workers organized laborers, but their fight for better working conditions reveals lessons about the Civil Rights Movement, the Feminist Movement, and organizing in today's gig economy. To tell this history and teach these lessons, I talk to Professor Premilla Nadasen, author of Household Workers Unite! This isn't The He…

1
The Black Feminist Movement 44:13

3+ y ago44:13

44:13

Happy Women's History Month! When the history of feminism in America is told, it is usually remembered as a White womens' struggle beginning at the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention and ending with the 19th amendment in 1920. What this history misses is the separate struggle Black women faced at the intersection of race and sex. That history is the subj…

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Brooklyn J Flow Podcasts

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