Basic Black

June 26, 2015 This week on Basic Black, we turn to the horrific murders in Charleston, SC and examine the impact on social justice movements and conversations around race in the wake of the Charleston massacre. The conversation continues as the city mourns those who lost their lives to senseless violence and virulent racism: Depayne Middleton Doctor, Cynthia Hurd, Susie Jackson, Ethel Lance, Rev. Clementa Pinckney, Tywanza Sanders, Rev. Dr. Daniel Simmons, Sr., Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, and Myra Thompson. After the broadcast, we dissect the meaning of the Rachel Dolezal episode… Panelists: - Callie Crossley, Host, Under The Radar with Callie Crossley, 89.7 WGBH - Peniel Joseph, Professor of History, Tufts University - Carole Bell, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, Northeastern University - Keith Maddox, Associate Professor of Psychology, Tufts University - Rev. Emmett G. Price, III Associate Professor of Music, Northeastern University Photo: Terri Barr, of Columbia, S.C., stands silently against a fence while visiting a sidewalk memorial in memory of the shooting victims in front of Emanuel AME Church Monday, June 22, 2015, in Charleston, S.C. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

May 29, 2015 This week on Basic Black - a vision for a new Boston. We take a look at Mayor Walsh’s Boston 2030, the first citywide plan in 50 years — it’s targeted to coincide with Boston’s 400th birthday. Panelists: - Callie Crossley, Host, Under the Radar with Callie Crossley, 89.7 WGBH - Phillip Martin, Senior Reporter - Jerome Smith, Chief of Civic Engagement, City of Boston - Ayanna Pressley, Boston City Councilor At-Large - John Barros, Chief of Economic Development, City of Boston

May 22, 2015 Looking forward, looking back -- Twitter abuzz as President Barack Obama signs on and the Guinness Book of World Records confirms he is now THE most followed person to join. And we know the stories about Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Tamir Rice, but what about Rekia Boyd, Shelly Frey, and Darnisha Harris? Later in the show, connecting the dots from this week's events in history, to today's headlines… Panelists: - Callie Crossley, Host, Under The Radar with Callie Crossley, 89.7 WGBH - Phillip Martin, Senior Reporter, WGBH News - Kim McLarin, Associate Professor of Writing, Literature, and Publishing, Emerson College - Peniel Joseph, Professor of History, Tufts University Photo: President Obama sends his first tweet (Source: whitehouse.gov).

May 15, 2015 This week on Basic Black: When free speech slams into race and social media on the college campus: controversy erupts over racially-charged tweets sent by incoming Boston University sociology professor Saida Grundy. Also, in the midst of Deflategate, with domestic violence, child abuse, and drug abuse as part of professional football, we ask if the NFL really knows how to prioritize its penalties. Panelists: - Latoyia Edwards, Anchor, New England Cable News - Phillip Martin, Senior Reporter, WGBH News - Kim McLarin, Associate Professor of Writing, Literature, and Publishing, Emerson College - Peniel Joseph, Professor of History, Tufts University - Dwayne Thomas, Chair and Associate Professor of Sports Management, Lasell College Photo: (Left) Professor Saida Grundy, Twitter profile. (Right) Tom Brady, January 18, 2015, (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File).

May 1, 2015 From anger, to resilience, to a call for calm, this week Basic Black looks at the lessons to be learned from the eruptions in Baltimore on race, class, and rebuilding community. Panelists: - Callie Crossley, host, Under The Radar with Callie Crossley, 89.7 WGBH Radio - Phillip Atiba Goff, President, Center for Policing Equity, UCLA; Visiting Scholar, Harvard Kennedy School of Government - Kim McLarin, Associate Professor of Writing, Literature and Publishing, Emerson College - Peniel Joseph, Professor of History, Tufts University - Phillip Martin, Senior Reporter, WGBH News Photo: A man makes a heart shape with his hands during a peaceful protest near the CVS pharmacy that was set on fire on Monday in Baltimore. Credit Andrew Burton/Getty Images for NPR. Show title from A Change is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke, 1964.

April 24, 2015 Renowned scholar Henry Louis Gates is under fire for giving in to a demand to change content for his Finding Your Roots program. Actor Ben Affleck asked Gates to leave out information about his slave holding ancestors. We'll explore what happens when an historical fact is an uncomfortable truth. Later, Michael Eric Dyson’s 10,000 word, detailed, blistering, take-down of Cornel West, his one-time friend and mentor. Is this a personal spat, or a long overdue reset of the role of public intellectuals in the age of BlackLivesMatter? And finally join us online to take a look at the road to the confirmation of Loretta Lynch, to become the first African American woman US Attorney General. Panelists: - Callie Crossley, Host, Under The Radar With Callie Crossley, 89.7 WGBH Radio - Kim McLarin, Associate Professor of Writing, Literature, and Publishing, Emerson College - Phillip Martin, Senior Reporter, WGBH News - Michael Jeffries, Associate Professor, American Studies, Wellesley College - Carole Bell, Assistant Professor, College of Communication, Northeastern University Photo: Henry Louis Gates Jr., executive producer of "The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross with Henry Louis Gates Jr.," addresses reporters during the PBS Summer 2013 TCA press tour at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

April 17, 2015 It was more than just a handshake at the Summit of the Americas last week as President Barack Obama greeted Cuba’s President Raul Castro. It has been widely described as the beginnings of a thaw in US-Latin American relations. It’s been welcomed in some quarters as a mark of progress in American foreign policy while condemned by others as a capitulation to a long-standing communist enemy. This week, Basic Black looks at the changes in US-Latin American relations and what impact this could have on Latinos living in the United States, immigration reform and economic development for Latin America. Panelists: - Latoyia Edwards, anchor, NECN - Peniel Joseph, Professor of History, Tufts University - Devyn Spence Benson, Assistant Professor of History & African American Studies, Louisiana State University, current Fellow at The Hutchins Center, Harvard University - Marcela Garcia, Contributor to the Editorial and Opinion Pages, The Boston Globe - Julio Varela, Digital Media Director, Futuro Media Group Photo: US President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro shake hands at the Summit of the Americas in Panama City, Panama, Saturday, April 11, 2015. AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

April 10, 2015 It wouldn't be a stretch to say that Dudley Square is experiencing something of a renaissance. The dedication of the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building and the re-opening of Tropical Foods grocery store are the latest examples of what is hoped to be the beginnings of an economic turnaround for Roxbury and Mattapan. We’ll talk about Mayor Walsh’s plans with two chiefs in his administration: John Barros and Daniel Koh. Later in the show, in South Carolina and closer to home, a shift in official police responses to the deaths of African American men at the hands of law enforcement. Panelists: - Callie Crossley, Host, Under The Radar with Callie Crossley, 89.7 WGBH - Daniel Koh, Chief of Staff, Mayor’s Office, City of Boston - John Barros, Chief of Economic Development, Mayor’s Office, City of Boston - Yawu Miller, Senior Editor, The Bay State Banner

April 3, 2015 It comes down to one dollar versus a few cents. A report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston reveals that for every one dollar in a Boston white household, black and brown households have only pennies. While this stark reality may not be new to some, the report details the widening wealth gap, and predicts dire consequences for future generations. Later in the show, intense response still pouring in to a controversial column in Deadline Hollywood questioning whether there's too much diversity on network television. We also get an introduction to Shaun Blugh, Boston's first-ever Chief Diversity Officer. Panelists: - Callie Crossley, host, Under the Radar with Callie Crossley, 89.7 WGBH - Phillip Martin, senior reporter, WGBH News - Kim McLarin, Associate Professor of Writing, Literature, and Publishing, Emerson College - Trinh Nguyen, Director, Office of Jobs and Community Services - L. Duane Jackson, Managing Member, Alinea Capital Partners

March 27, 2015 As Women’s History Month comes to a close we ask, what should be on the agenda for women’s issues as the presidential political campaign ramps up? Later in the show, we look at why the tide has turned on the Boston’s bid for the 2024 Olympics. And later, is there anything to be learned from Starbucks’ much criticized “Race Together” campaign? Panelists: - Callie Crossley, Host, Under The Radar with Callie Crossley, 89.7 WGBH - Kim McLarin, Associate Professor of Writing, Literature and Publishing, Emerson College - Shirley Leung, business columnist for The Boston Globe - Yi-Chin Chen, Interim Executive Director, Hyde Square Task Force - Vanessa Calderón-Rosado, CEO, IBA – Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción

February 27, 2015 February 27, 2015 This year’s Oscar© ceremony has been described as one of the most political in recent memory, as winners acceptance speeches included history lessons and calls to action on women’s issues and immigration. We’ll take a closer look at comments on equal pay for women, feminism, and the civil rights movement coming out of the Oscars© winners circle. Later in the show, as Black History Month comes to a close, we pause to remember the artistry of writer James Baldwin, whose provocative essays on race and identity in America still resonate. Panel: ?- Latoyia Edwards, anchor, NECN ?- Phillip Martin, senior reporter, WGBH News ?- Kim McLarin, Associate Professor of Writing, Literature and Publishing, Emerson College ?- Peniel Joseph, Professor of History, Tufts University? - Rev. Irene Monroe, Syndicated columnist for The Huffington Post and Bay Windows? (Image source: CNN, Patricia Arquette, Common, and John Legend, @Academy Awards, February 22, 2015)

February 20, 2015 The African American experience is taught in many forms from songs to films to performance, but one of the latest forms to grow in popularity is the graphic novel. We’ll talk with author Joel Christian Gill about his newest work, Strange Fruit: Uncelebrated Narratives From Black History. Later in the show, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the death of Malcolm X, we look at the last years of his life and the meaning of his movement for contemporary times. Panelists: - Latoyia Edwards, Anchor, NECN - Phillip Martin, Senior Reporter, WGBH News - Kim McLarin, Assistant Professor of Writing, Literature, and Publishing, Emerson College - Joel Christian Gill, author, Strange Fruit: Uncelebrated Narratives From Black History - Laura Jimenez, Lecturer, School Of Education, Boston University - Emmett Price, III, Associate Professor of Music, Northeastern University Image: From Bass Reeves, Tales Of The Talented Tenth, Vol 1., by Joel Christian Gill, 2014.

February 13, 2015 Back to back storms in as little as two weeks dropped record amounts of snow on New England. The capacity of the MBTA’s equipment was put to the test, but the system buckled under the weight of the weather. In the face of widespread train delays and mounting criticism, MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott responded with a fiery press conference that’s not likely to be forgotten anytime soon. The day after her press conference, Scott submitted her letter of resignation. We’ll take a look at her tenure and immediate task at hand to get the trains back to normal. Later in the show, as the Bay State Banner celebrates 50 years of reporting the news of New England’s communities of color, we discuss the continuing evolution of journalists of color. Panelists: - Latoyia Edwards, Anchor, NECN - Phillip Martin, Senior Reporter, WGBH News - Kim McLarin, Assistant Professor of Writing, Literature and Publishing, Emerson College - Yawu Miller, Senior Editor, The Bay State Banner - Akilah Johnson, Reporter, The Boston Globe

February 6, 2015 This week on Basic Black’s roundtable: • With the rise of television shows like Black-ish and Empire and the newly-released movie Black and White, we ask if Hollywood is on the way to realistic portrayals of families of color. • A measles outbreak earlier this week at Disneyland in California re-ignited the debate over vaccinations - with oftentimes limited access to healthcare are children of color at particular risk? Panelists: - Latoyia Edwards, Anchor, NECN - Phillip Martin, Senior Reporter, WGBH News - Kim McLarin, assistant professor of writing, literature and publishing, Emerson College - Donna Patterson, Assistant Professor fo Africana Studies, Wellesley College

January 30, 2015 The pictures and stories of Bostonians whose stories have been sidelined are now highlighted in a book more than 20 years in the making. Now in 107 portraits coupled with narrative profiles, the contributions of some notable Bostonians of color are preserved for all time. The book is Portraits of Purpose: A Tribute to Leadership and we’re joined by photographer Don West and writer, Kenneth Cooper. Panelists: - Callie Crossley, host, Under the Radar with Callie Crossley, WGBH News - Phillip Martin, senior reporter, WGBH News - Don West, photographer and photojournalist, Portraits of Purpose: A Tribute to Leadership - Kenneth J. Cooper, journalist and writer, Portraits of Purpose: A Tribute to Leadership

January 23, 2015 Boston won the opportunity to represent the United States in a bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics, erupting a host of opinions, with very few opinions coming down the middle, but all of them mentioning the cost. What will be the impact good or bad, for Boston's neighborhoods? Later in the show, we review Boston Mayor Marty Walsh¹s first State of the City address. What do his plans mean for the future of race relations, economic development, and public safety? Panelists: - Latoyia Edwards, anchor, NECN - Kim McLarin, Assistant Professor of Writing, Literature and Publishing, Emerson College - Phillip Martin, Senior Reporter, WGBH News - Shirley Leung, Business Columnist, The Boston Globe - Marcela Garcia, Regular Contributor, Editorial & OpEd Pages, The Boston Globe

January 16, 2015 Demonstrators shutdown 1-93 near Boston this week crippling traffic for hours, putting the black lives matter and I can't breathe protests back on the front page. The latest actions occurred days after the opening of the critically acclaimed movie Selma.Selma's social justice campaign is on the big screen just as current protests push the conversation about race and civil rights beyond the teachable moment to a more forceful, uncomfortable demand for change. We look at the artistry and history portrayed in Selma against a backdrop of contemporary social justice movements. Panelists: - Callie Crossley, host, Under the Radar with Callie Crossley, WGBH News - Kim McLarin, Assistant Professor of Writing, Literature, and Publishing, Emerson College - Brandon Terry, Prize Fellow in Economics, History, and Politics at Harvard University - Sarah Jackson, Assistant Professor in Communication Studies, Northeastern University - Brenna Greer, Assistant Professor of Social Sciences and History, Wellesley College (Italics: from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech at the March on Washington 1963. Photo credit: Atsushi Nishijimi)

January 9, 2015 This week Charlie Baker was sworn in as the 72nd governor of Massachusetts, with promises of bipartisanship and a renewed economic growth agenda for the Commonwealth’s urban communities. Later in the show we remember Senator Edward Brooke who died last week at the age of 95. Panelists: - Callie Crossley, Host, Under The Radar with Callie Crossley, WGBH News - Phillip Martin, Senior Reporter, WGBH News - Darnell Williams, President and CEO, Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts - Judge Joyce London Alexander Ford, formerly US District Court, Massachusetts - Robert Fortes, Founder and President, The Fortes Group Massachusetts Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, center, acknowledges applause after taking the oath of office, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015, in the House Chamber of the Statehouse, in Boston. Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

December 19, 2014 As we head into the festivities of the holiday season, we talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of soul food. We’re joined by Frederick Douglass Opie, author of Hog and Hominy: Soul Food from Africa to America. Later in the show, as the #BlackLivesMatter protests continue, we pause to consider what’s next for the movement and what happens after the die-ins, the shut-downs, and the walk-outs. Panelists: - Callie Crossley, host, Under the Radar with Callie Crossley, WGBH News - Peniel Joseph, Professor of History, Tufts University - Kim McLarin, Assistant Professor of Writing, Literature, and Publishing, Emerson College - Frederick Douglass Opie, Professor of History and Foodways, Babson College

December 5, 2014 December 1st marked the 59th anniversary of Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white passenger, setting in motion the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the emerging modern civil rights movement. We observe this anniversary amidst a wave of protests: online, on the streets, and in the marketplace… actions in response to the deaths of several African American men and boys at the hands of law enforcement. This week on Basic Black, we consider the changing face and force of future social justice movements.?? Panelists:? - Callie Crossley, Host, Under the Radar with Callie Crossley, WGBH News ?- Kim McLarin, Assistant Professor of Writing, Emerson College ?- Phillip Martin, Senior Reporter, WGBH News ?- Peniel Joseph, Professor of History, Tufts University? - Pamela Lightsey, Associate Dean for Community Life and Lifelong Learning, Boston University School of Theology? Photo: Students and community members hold their hands up on campus at Boston University in Boston, Monday, Dec. 1, 2014 to show solidarity with protesters in Ferguson, Mo. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)