A Word … with Jason Johnson
America doesn’t need another conversation about race. At least, not the kind we’ve been having ... the ones that are sparked by a crisis and move quickly from shock, to empty promises, to forgetting. No. What America needs are REAL conversations about race … ones that shine a light on the facts, the history, and the reality of how race plays out in our politics and society. That’s what Slate offers each week on A Word With Jason Johnson. A veteran political commentator, Johnson will bring his incisive wit to thoughtful discussions with leaders, journalists and other change-makers who will tell the truth about America’s challenges around race, and ideas on the way forward.
76
Trouble the Waters
Beyond Flint and Jackson, many Black communities suffer from dirty water.
19 min
77
The Rise of Miss Ross
Actress Angelica Ross fought racism, colorism, and transphobia on her way to stardom.
32 min
78
Black and Proud
25 min
79
More Than A Hashtag
Police shooting survivor Leon Ford hated cops. Now he works with them.
37 min
80
Hollywood Shuffle
Striking Black screenwriters fear an unhappy ending without a new deal.
25 min
81
My Father, the Spy
Martin Luther King Jr., a Black police mole, and the lie that brought them together.
23 min
82
Reckoning on Campus
How the “Hard Histories” project exploded an abolitionist myth.
32 min
83
The Ballot, the Bullet, and the Truth
MLK’s condemnation of Malcolm X never happened. Why that matters now.
34 min
84
Dungeons, Dragons, and Diversity
How “blerds” and other geeks of color are diversifying hobby games.
32 min
85
Becoming “The Black Mozart”
Actor Kelvin Harrison Jr., star of “Chevalier,” on bringing forgotten virtuoso Joseph Bologne to film.
18 min
86
Autism Beyond Awareness
Systemic racism and lack of resources can complicate autism treatment for Black people
30 min
87
Home is Where the Hurt Is
Many Black Americans believe spanking kids is rooted in African culture. It’s not.
24 min
88
The Color of Money
How financial planning can help Black taxpayers close the racial wealth gap.
21 min
89
The Battle for Eatonville
Classic novel Their Eyes Were Watching God immortalized Eatonville, Florida. Will the town survive?
24 min
90
Build Black Better
Black Women Build harnesses community spirit to restore Baltimore.
20 min
91
When a Race War Threat Was Real
Martin Luther King Jr.’s murder broke Black America’s spirit. It never fully healed.
28 min
92
No More “Black Picket Fence”
Black, unmarried, childfree adults are a growing middle-class force
23 min
93
Screaming in Color
Has diversity slayed Hollywood’s racial horror rule?
29 min
94
De La Soul is Alive
The “Me Myself and I” trio’s music –now streaming– exemplified the best of rap’s collective spirit.
28 min
95
Ranching, Racism, and Rumors
Black ranchers in Colorado claim racist neighbors and cops are targeting them.
19 min
96
Lights, Camera, Diversity in Action
A path for Black scribes to rewrite the Hollywood script.
28 min
97
Surviving “Driving While Black”
The original “Green Book” was a literal life-saver for Black travelers.
26 min
98
A Killing in Cop City
Manuel Teran lost his life fighting Atlanta’s “Cop City.” What happens now?
24 min
99
The Fire This Time?
Does Tyre Nichols’ death prove “the reckoning” failed?
29 min
100
Haiti: Fear of a Black Republic
Historically, has American “help” pushed Haiti to the brink of failure?
26 min