The Justice Briefing with Dr. Jemar Tisby

What could the midterms change in Congress? What do early-voting numbers reveal? And what happens after Election Day?What happens if the election results are close? What if a candidate refuses to concede? And what happens between the time polls close and the moment elected officials actually take office?In this episode of The Justice Briefing, historian Dr. Jemar Tisby examines the November 3 elections and the processes that follow.You'll learn:How a new House majority could block legislation, conduct investigations, and exercise oversight.Why early-voting turnout is drawing attention in North Carolina, Florida, and other states.Which Southern races involving Black candidates have historic significance.How vote counting, recounts, legal challenges, and certification work.What the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party's 1964 challenge teaches us about political participation and long-term change.This episode connects the immediate stakes of the 2026 midterms to the history and institutions that shape American democracy.The best way to support his podcast is by becoming a paid subscriber to Footnotes. It's $5.83/month investment in current events at the intersection of faith, history, and justice. Subscribe today!My new book is for anyone who has wondered about or walked away from a community they once called home. Pre-order your copy of Notes from an Evangelical Reject. Episode Chapters00:00 — Why the midterms don't end on November 301:39 — What's at stake in the 2026 elections?04:57 — What a Democratic House majority could do07:01 — Congressional investigations and oversight09:34 — Impeachment powers and the limits of House control11:54 — What political participation can accomplish12:42 — Supporting independent journalism and the forthcoming book14:54 — Early-voting turnout and Kentucky's limited voting window17:01 — Party breakdowns: North Carolina, Florida, and other states21:48 — Competitive races and Black candidates in the South25:51 — Georgia, Stacey Abrams, and the importance of long-term organizing29:38 — Florida, Byron Donalds, and the meaning of political representation37:26 — What happens after Election Day?41:18 — Counting, recounts, challenges, and certification43:18 — How to evaluate claims about election integrity53:26 — Fannie Lou Hamer and the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party56:58 — What history teaches about political change

Why did Ryan Coogler set "Sinners" in Clarksdale, Mississippi, in 1932? What do the film's music, Christianity, vampires, and racial dynamics reveal about the Jim Crow South? And how much history is contained in scenes that last only a few seconds?In this special Sinners Movie Teach-In, historian Dr. Jemar Tisby joins award-winning creator Garrison Hayes to explore the overlooked history and cultural influences behind Ryan Coogler's acclaimed film.Jemar spent years teaching and living in the Mississippi Delta, not far from Clarksdale, and has devoted his career to studying race, religion, and justice in American history. Together, Jemar and Garrison examine the film's historical setting, its religious symbolism, the music of the Delta, and the economic structures that shaped Black life long after emancipation.**Spoiler warning:** This conversation discusses major plot developments and scenes throughout the film.CHAPTERS00:00 Welcome and introduction to the Sinners Movie Teach-In  05:18 First impressions of Sinners and its Clarksdale setting  10:18 Chinese immigrants and racial boundaries in the Delta  13:23 Introducing the Sinners Movie Syllabus  16:10 The Mississippi Delta: slavery, cotton, and generational poverty  22:38 Fannie Lou Hamer, education, and Black religious thought  28:34 Christianity, Hoodoo, and African spiritual traditions  33:40 The blues, Robert Johnson, and the juke joint  36:43 The vampires and competing visions of unity  41:08 Convict leasing and the prison labor system  46:37 Sharecropping, plantation money, and debt  51:47 Ryan Coogler's ownership deal and economic power  57:41 Chinese–Black solidarity and survival under Jim Crow  61:35 The Choctaw and Indigenous knowledge  65:59 Irish identity, colonialism, and the construction of whiteness  68:28 How to use the Sinners Movie SyllabusABOUT THE HOSTSDr. Jemar Tisby is a historian, author, filmmaker, and racial justice advocate whose work explores the intersection of faith, history, and justice.Garrison Hayes is an award-winning communicator and creator whose work explores history, race, culture, and contemporary issues.Free Educational Resource: The Sinners Movie SyllabusJemar Tisby and historian Keisha N. Blain created the #SinnersMovieSyllabus, a free guide to the history and culture that informed the film.The syllabus includes books, films, music, and educational materials about the Jim Crow South, Black Christianity, the blues, migration, racial violence, and Black horror.Read the syllabus HEREFor more discussions about faith, history, and justice, subscribe to Footnotes:

How do you tell a compelling story about racism, injustice, or social change without making your audience feel like they're listening to a sermon? What separates a story that moves people from one that overwhelms them with its message? And how do you build a creative career telling these stories when there isn't an obvious path forward?In this episode of The Justice Briefing, historian, author, and filmmaker Dr. Jemar Tisby sits down with award-winning writer and director Nick Brooks, director of the new narrative short film What Will We Tell Them.Brooks is the author of Promise Boys, Up in Smoke, and the Ethan Fairmont trilogy. His creative career has taken him from teaching and writing children's books to filmmaking, music, and video game writing.Their conversation explores the craft of storytelling, the relationship between social justice and art, the importance of representation, and the persistence required to create opportunities.In This Episode, You'll LearnWhy justice-centered stories can become preachy. How to build a story around characters. Brooks's three ingredients for a strong story. Why trusting your audience matters. How lived experience shapes creative work. How to pursue opportunities before you feel fully qualified. How to move from inspiration to a finished film. What went into making What Will We Tell Them. About Nick BrooksNick Brooks is an award-winning author, director, and musician whose work spans young adult and middle-grade fiction, film, and music. His writing explores the lives of young people navigating institutions, expectations, and systems of inequality.Learn more about Nick: thenickbrooks.comWhat Will We Tell ThemLearn more about the film "What Will We Tell Them" by subscribing for updates at: jemartisby.substack.comChapters00:00 — Welcome and *What Will We Tell Them* screening announcement  01:45 — Meet Nick Brooks: author, filmmaker, and creative artist  04:47 — Telling stories about justice without preaching  08:30 — Hook, heart, and theme: how Brooks develops stories  11:19 — The influence of hip-hop, books, and Black storytelling  14:47 — How to nurture social awareness in young people  18:20 — Howard University, mentorship, and discovering education  24:09 — Writing children's books and finding a creative purpose  29:15 — Creating opportunities and getting a literary agent  33:56 — Taking risks, handling rejection, and writing for GTA VI  38:15 — How children's books opened doors to a new career  41:11 — *Fruitvale Station*, Ryan Coogler, and becoming a filmmaker  45:30 — Learning filmmaking by getting onto film sets  48:13 — Mistakes to avoid when telling stories about injustice  50:44 — The story behind *What Will We Tell Them*  54:21 — Filmmaking challenges, preparation, and adapting on set  57:29 — Private screening details and ways to support the filmStay ConnectedSubscribe to "Footnotes" for historically grounded analysis, commentary about faith and justice, and updates on new films and educational projects: jemartisby.substack.comInstagram: @JemarTisby 

What do you do when the church, workplace, organization, or community you once called home no longer reflects your values?How do you know when it's time to stop fighting for a seat at someone else's table?And if you decide to leave, how do you figure out what comes next?Maybe you've spent years trying to make an institution better, only to discover that there's a limit to how much change its leaders will tolerate.Maybe your presence is welcomed, but your perspective isn't.Or maybe you have a vision for something different, but you're not sure you have the resources, experience, or courage to build it.This episode of The Justice Briefing will help you think through your next move.Dr. Jemar Tisby shares lessons from his journey out of white evangelical institutions and into building Tisby Media, an independent organization dedicated to truth-telling at the intersection of faith, history, and justice.Drawing on his personal experiences with racial exclusion, institutional resistance, and entrepreneurship, Jemar offers three practical principles for turning dissatisfaction into constructive action.You'll discover how to move beyond simply knowing what you want to leave behind and start identifying what you want to create.And you'll learn why building your own table might not be what you actually need.In this episode, you'll learn:How to recognize when an institution has made space for you without giving you meaningful powerWhy righteous anger can be a powerful starting point for creating positive changeHow to identify the deeper motivation that will sustain you when building something new gets difficultThe three factors that can help you discover a mission uniquely suited to your gifts and convictionsThe surprising difference between building your own table and building your own chairYou'll also hear about Jemar's forthcoming book, Notes from an Evangelical Reject, and get updates on projects from Tisby Media, including the upcoming short film What Will We Tell Them?If you're tired of shrinking yourself to fit someone else's vision—or you have a dream of creating something better but don't know where to begin—this episode will help you see the possibilities in front of you and take your next step with greater clarity.Mentioned in this episodeNotes from an Evangelical Reject — Jemar's forthcoming book, available for preorder. Publication date: January 19, 2027.How to Resist White Christian Nationalism — A self-paced course featuring practical action steps.Jesus Was a Migrant — Watch the trailer and learn about community screenings at https://jesuswasamigrant.com.What Will We Tell Them? — A new narrative short film from Tisby Studios. Book Launch Team — Join Jemar's launch team for exclusive resources, updates, and opportunities to help spread the word about Notes from an Evangelical Reject. Join HERE.Footnotes — Subscribe for historical insights and analysis at the intersection of race, religion, and politics. JemarTisby.Substack.com Episode chapters00:00 – How to Build Your Own Table02:27 – Why So Many People Are Questioning Their Institutions07:48 – Jemar's Journey Through White Evangelicalism12:58 – When You're Given a Seat but Not a Voice17:19 – Principle 1: Identify Your Internal Driver19:59 – How Righteous Anger Can Fuel Constructive Change21:24 – The Vision That Pulls You Forward22:28 – Principle 2: Create a Clear Mission24:09 – Discovering Your Gifts and Learning to Trust Yourself27:33 – Finding Joy and Passion in Your Work29:29 – Identifying the Need Only You Can Address31:09 – Principle 3: Decide What You're Actually Building31:43 – The Difference Between Building a Table and Building a Chair36:21 – How Jemar Built Tisby Media40:03 – The Justice Briefing, Teaching, and the Justice Institute42:40 – Tisby Studios and the Power of Film44:10 – What Will We Tell Them? and the Legacy We're Creating46:16 – Notes from an Evangelical Reject and the Book Launch Team54:02 – Upcoming Projects and New Developments58:04 – Why We Need New and Truer InstitutionsFollow Jemar TisbyYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JTisbyAbout The Justice BriefingThe Justice Briefing is your weekly guide to current events at the intersection of faith, history, and justice.#TheJusticeBriefing #JemarTisby #EvangelicalReject

In a rare guest interview, Dr. Jemar Tisby sits down with Dr. Matthew D. Taylor, author of the new book Defying Tyrants: Following Jesus in a World of Christian Antichrists.They discuss Christian supremacy, Christendom, and imperialism. Going deeper, they explore how Jesus displayed and taught about power, and why the tyrants who claim his name avoid those teachings with surgical precision.They also talk about the cost of this work. Dr. Taylor lost his job for writing this book.You'll come away with a theological case for defying tyrants and a picture of what that looks like in the church, in politics, and in everyday life.Get Defying Tyrants wherever you get your books.Topics AddressedPete Hegseth's speech and the new Office of Religious AffairsConstantine's conversion and the merging of church and empireChristian supremacy as the ideology beneath Christian nationalismWhy "antichrists" in 1 and 2 John refers to Christians who harm others in Jesus' nameThe parable of the wheat and the taresThe cost of speaking out against authoritarianismSupport conversations like this one by becoming a paid subscriber at JemarTisby.Substack.com.Resources ReferencedMatthew D. Taylor, Defying Tyrants: Following Jesus in a World of Christian Antichrists (Broadleaf, 2026)Matthew D. Taylor, The Violent Take It by Force: The Christian Movement That Is Threatening Our Democracy (2024)Matthew D. Taylor's Reckonings (Substack)Scripture: Mark 10:42-45; 1 John 2:18-19; Matthew 13:24-30