Shifting And Shaping

Clive Thompson Jr. speaks on his experience as a DACA recipient at Columbia University who, for 843 days during his undergraduate career, supported his parents in sanctuary in a Philadelphia church. This episode features Representative Steve Israel (D-NY), Cornell University's former Dean of Students and Presidential Advisor on Diversity and Inclusion, Vijay Pendakur, and Program Officer at The Robinhood Foundation and Immigration Lawyer, Raj Borsellino. Please consider donating to Clive's Tuition Fund GoFundMe linked below: https://gofund.me/6f160565

“A trip to the Mississippi Delta should be in your future plans. I promise you, once you set foot there, all will be revealed.” Oral historian and historic preservationist T. DeWayne Moore of Morgan City, Mississippi joins "Shifting And Shaping" to discuss The Mount Zion Memorial Fund's work in memorializing the unmarked graves of Rock N Roll Hall of Fame inductees Robert Johnson and Charley Patton. Eric Clapton has called Robert Johnson "the most important blues singer that ever lived." Further discussing the myths and fallacies present in blues narratives, blues culture in the Mississippi Delta, and an unlikely encounter with Creedance Clearwater Revival at Robert Johnson's grave site. This is the second episode in the podcast's blues trilogy. 

"What happened to my family's music?" Annise Bradley, oral historian and proponent of the Young Family Fife And Drum Tradition, joins “Shifting and Shaping” to discuss her family’s legendary impact on the blues and what the future holds for the genre. While the Young family appeared on “Mister Roger’s Neighborhood” and scored Hollywood films of the 20th century, African-American fife and drum music can be traced back to early American military music. In a time when drumming was strictly forbidden, the fife and drum was an acceptable outlet for slaves. The military music eventually gave birth to jazz and blues. These bands performed ballads, reels, and old-time music on instruments like the cane fife, snare, and a bass drum. This is the third and final episode in the podcast's blues trilogy.

"The very first song that was sung by a human being was a blues song. That was when Adam was kicked out of the Garden of Eden and he said, 'Oh Lord, I feel so bad. I've been kicked out of the Garden of Eden.'" Steve Salter of The Killer Blues Headstone Project sits down with "Shifting And Shaping" to discuss his search for unmarked grave sites of famous blues musicians across the country. Featuring the memorialization story of Delia Green, who was identified as the likely inspiration for several American folk and pop hits, usually known by the song titles "Delia" or "Delia's Gone" or "Little Delia". This is the first episode in the podcasts' blues trilogy. 

The story of November 3rd, 2020 told by Natalie Breitkopf and her fellow poll workers of Cornell's own Alice Cook House. Featuring Reverend Steven Felker of Christ Chapel, an evangelical congregation in Ithaca, NY. 

Cornell University’s Amadou Fofana on growing up, pursuing higher education, and working as a DACA recipient, featuring Cornell University's former Dean of Students and Presidential Advisor on Diversity and Inclusion, Vijay Pendakur.