A Word … with Jason Johnson: Recent Episodes

Slate Podcasts

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.

A small-town government’s failures pushed volunteer Patrick Braxton to run for mayor. He won the right to lead in Newbern, Alabama. But a white minority has literally locked him out of office. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Aallyah Wright, the Capital B journalist who helped elevate Braxton’s ordeal to national news. They discuss the wider issue of ways Black political power is thwarted by old school racism, and the need for a more wide ranging response.

Guest: Aallyah Wright, Capital B News reporter

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

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This week’s indictment of former President Donald Trump in Georgia is widely considered to be the most ambitious prosecution he faces. With 41 counts, and 18 named co-conspirators, it covers alleged crimes in Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 loss in the state. But the case also highlights his attacks on individual Black women, and legitimacy of Black votes in general. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by attorney and voting rights advocate Nse Ufot. She’s the founder of the New South Super PAC, and a long-time activist in Georgia. She says that—no matter what happens in this particular case—voting rights for people of color and other marginalized groups are under constant threat across Georgia, and preserving democratic principles there will require vigilance, strategy, and determination.

Guest: Nse Ufot, voting rights activist and founder of the New South Super PAC

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel.

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According to the United Nations, more civilians died in Haiti than died in Ukraine during the first few months of 2023. Institutions have collapsed; violent gangs control the capital, and kidnappers are terrorizing citizens. What’s left of the Haitian government has pleaded for international help, but historically, foreign interventions in Haiti have harmed, exploited, and even killed many Haitians. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Patrick Gaspard, chief of the Center for American Progress think tank, who argues the U.S. has a moral obligation to intervene. Gaspard is also the former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, and a Haitian-American.

Guest: Patrick Gaspard, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

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More people are watching women’s sports than ever before, and the U.S. has high hopes for the Women’s World Cup. Still, there’s a lag in media coverage and resources for women athletes, particularly women of color. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Subria Whitaker, the chief of the non-profit organization Grow the Game. They discuss why the growth of women’s sports still isn’t matched by media coverage and economic resources, and how that impacts audiences and athletes of color.

Guest: Subria Whitaker, founder and executive director of the non-profit, Grow the Game

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel

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For some, the election of Barack Obama signified hope. For others, it intensified hate. But what role did mainstream political rhetoric play in fueling subsequent violent racially charged incidents? On today’s episode of A Word, guest host Ahyiana Angel is joined by Wesley Lowery, journalist and author of American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress. Lowery details how he used first-hand reporting and historical analysis to explore the role of race in politics and the new wave of racial division in our society.

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oklahoma’s legendary “Black Wall Street” was destroyed in the Tulsa Massacre of 1921. Hundreds of victims were murdered and dumped in mass graves, and dozens of homes and businesses were burned to the ground. More than a century later, three survivors remain, fighting for justice. But their lawsuit seeking reparations was recently dealt a blow in court. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons to talk about the case, the history and the next steps.

Guest: Attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons, founder of the Justice 4 Greenwood organization

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

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Barbie is more than a toy. She’s an icon, and now the focus of a blockbuster film. For generations, Barbie has helped define all-American beauty, often leaving girls who weren’t blonde, thin, and white feeling invisible. But that began to change in the 1980’s with the introduction of Black Barbies. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Lagueria Davis, the producer of Black Barbie: A Documentary. The film tells the stories of the African American women who helped bring Black Barbie to life, and the surprising impact that had on the marketplace, and the emotional lives of Black girls.

Guest: Filmmaker Lagueria Davis, producer of Black Barbie: A Documentary

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel

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It can take years for a water crisis in a predominantly Black city or town to make national news. But contaminated water often harms communities for generations. Beyond the ongoing health threats, dirty water can stifle business and economic development, driving down educational achievement, property values and investment. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by journalist Adam Mahoney who has reported extensively on how undrinkable water in hurting Black communities across the rural south.

Guest: Reporter Adam Mahoney of Capital B News

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel

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As this year’s LGBTQ Pride Month ends, transgender Americans find themselves under political attack. At the same time, a number of transgender creatives are thriving, building bright careers and awareness of their community. Actress and activist Angelica Ross is one of those artists. She joins journalist Aisha Mills, who is filling in as host, on today’s episode of A Word. Ross talks about her own journey from struggling teen, to military service, to groundbreaking performer and entrepreuer.

Guest: Actress Angelica Ross

Host: Journalist Aisha Mills, in for Jason Johnson

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

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During this LGBTQ Pride month, many members of the community are reflecting on a year of unprecedented political and legal attacks. One of the biggest battlefields has been in public schools and libraries, where books featuring LGBTQ stories have been the targets of censors. On today’s episode of A Word, guest host journalist Aisha Mills is joined by George M. Johnson, author of one of the most banned books, All Boys Aren’t Blue. They talk about the intersection of race and gender identity, and how Johnson has fought back against critics who call the book dangerous and inappropriate for children.

Guest: George M. Johnson, author of All Boys Aren’t Blue

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

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Police killings of Black men have their own grim, but established, rituals in American society. But what happens to those who survive police violence? On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Leon Ford, who survived being shot multiple times by Pittsburgh police more than a decade ago. In his new memoir An Unspeakable Hope, Ford candidly describes his legal, physical, and mental health challenges, and why he eventually dedicated himself to working with police, including reaching out to the man who shot him. He also discusses The Hear Foundation—his non-profit group that builds partnerships between the community and police—and his complicated views of politics, gun violence, and activism.

Guest: Activist Leon Ford, co-founder of The Hear Foundation, and author of An Unspeakable Hope: Brutality, Forgiveness, and Building a Better Future for My Son

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Weeks into the Hollywood writers strike, and there’s no sign of a settlement. WGA members say that studio chiefs are using artificial intelligence, streaming, and other methods to undervalue their work. And a wealth of already produced content, along with the misconception that writers are well paid, could minimize sympathy from fans. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Eric Haywood. He’s a board member of the Writers Guild of America, and a creative whose work has been seen on Law & Order, Empire, and Power. Haywood explains what’s at stake for striking writers,

Guest: Screenwriter Eric Haywood, Writers Guild of America negotiator

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel

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This Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every family has secrets. As a girl, Leta McCollough Seletzky learned that her father, Marrell McCollough– was on the scene of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. But it would be years before she learned that he was there as a spy for the Memphis police, who wanted information on King’s local allies. On today’s episode of A Word, she speaks with Jason Johnson about her father’s story, captured in her new book, The Kneeling Man: My Father's Life as a Black Spy Who Witnessed the Assassination of Martin Luther King.

Guest: Leta McCollough Seletzky, author of The Kneeling Man: My Father's Life as a Black Spy Who Witnessed the Assassination of Martin Luther King

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel

You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.

This Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many years, tech professionals dismissed the threat of disinformation. Christopher Bouzy was one of them, until the 2016 election changed his mind. Bouzy founded and leads the organization Bot Sentinel to fight online disinformation. On today’s episode of A Word, he talks with host Jason Johnson about how best to detect lies and false narratives in social media, and how Elon Musk’s ownership of Twitter complicates his mission. Guest: Christopher Bouzy, founder and C.E.O. of Bot SentinelPodcast production by Kristie Taiwo-MakanjuolaYou can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.Thanks Avast.com! Learn more about Avast One at Avast.comLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The eagerly awaited World Cup starts on Sunday. While the sport features star athletes from across the African diaspora, many Black people in the U.S. still consider soccer a white sport. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson speaks with Jermaine Scott. He’s an African American Studies professor at Florida Atlantic University, a life-long soccer player and fan, and an expert on Black soccer history. They discuss why so few African Americans have historically embraced the sport, what’s being done to turn that around, and whether the U.S. team has a chance of success at this year’s tournament.

Guest: Jermaine Scott, professor of African American studies at Florida Atlantic University.

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

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Wakanda Forever carries on the story that thrilled fans of the 2018 blockbuster Black Panther. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Evan Narcisse. He’s one of the comic book writers whose work –including the Marvel Black Panther Wakanda Atlas– helped flesh out Wakandan mythology in the years since the original film debuted. Narcisse talks about how the Afro-futuristic utopia inspired him, and how he and other creators hope to build its legacy.

Guest: Writer Evan Narcisse

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

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Southern California’s gang violence has made national headlines for decades. Less well known are allegations of violent gangs within the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by journalist Cerise Castle, host and executive producer of A Tradition of Violence. This new podcast probes charges that the L.A. County Sheriff's Department tolerates violent gangs within its ranks, and has done so since the 1960s.

Guest: Journalist Cerise Castle, host and executive producer of A Tradition of Violence.

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

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For every civil rights martyr like Emmett Till, there were many other Black Americans who were brutalized or killed by racist violence in the early 20th century and remain largely unknown. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Professor Margaret Burnham, author of By Hands Now Known: Jim Crow’s Legal Executioners. This new book unravels many of the lesser known stories of racist violence, the perpetrators, victims, and survivors. It’s also offering descendants of victims a platform, and an opportunity to fill in the blanks of their family history.

Guest: Professor Margaret Burnham, author of By Hands Now Known: Jim Crow’s Legal Executioners

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2020, the Black vote proved critical for Joe Biden in key states, and helped win the Senate for the Democrats. But in the years since, Republican leaders have pushed through laws aimed at discouraging and diluting the power of the Black vote. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson speaks with Cliff Albright, executive director of the Black Voters Matter Fund, about why fighting for ballot access remains essential, even in the face of violence.

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

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From Ferguson to Minneapolis, protests against racist policing have been catalyzed by videos of the brutality being spread on social media. On today’s A Word, Jason Johnson sits down with Dr. Ruha Benjamin to talk about her book, Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want, and where social sciences and technology intersect.

Guest: Ruha Benjamin

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The new Interview With the Vampire television series is giving life to a whole new generation of fans who love the human monsters created by the late Anne Rice. On today’s episode of A Word, actor Jacob Anderson talks with Jason Johnson about his role as the reimagined blood sucker, and his career as a singer and sci-fi screen star.

Guest: Jacob Anderson

Podcast production by Yanii Evans

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For decades, critical race theory was something discussed almost exclusively by scholars and academics. That was before conservatives turned it into a political football, even though most couldn’t define it properly. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by UCLA Law Professor LaToya Baldwin Clark, a leader of CRT Forward. That’s a project that tracks attacks on CRT, and works to reframe the public policy discussion around it. She and her colleagues say CRT could play a vital role in preparing American students to live cooperatively in our increasingly diverse nation.

Guest: UCLA Law Professor LaToya Baldwin Clark Podcast production by Yanii Evans You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The growing racial diversity in American public schools is often framed as a challenge. In the new documentary Defining US: Children at the Crossroads of Change, veteran educator Paul Forbes focuses on the hard work of understanding how structural racism affects schools. The film spotlights success stories among “at risk” students of color, and the dedicated teachers who are making the system work for them. On today’s episode of A Word, Paul Forbes joins Jason Johnson to talk about Defining US, and the broader fight for racial equity in education.

Guest: Paul Forbes, executive producer of Defining US: Children at the Crossroads of Change

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola. You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The student body of America’s public schools is more diverse than ever, with a solid majority of children of color. But the teacher corp doesn’t reflect that diversity. Fewer than a quarter of American teachers are non-white, and fewer than 10 percent of teachers are Black. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by former U.S. Secretary of Education John King about what’s driving Black teachers from the classroom, and the efforts to bring more young teachers in.

Guest: John King, former Secretary of Education and current president of The Education Trust

Podcast production by Yanii Evans

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Over the last two decades, suicide among Black youth has surged to crisis levels. And many schools, doctors and parents are unprepared to recognize the signs early enough to stop a tragedy. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Kevin Simon to discuss the issue. Dr. Simon is also the Chief Behavioral Health Officer for the city of Boston, and a leading voice in preventing suicides among African American children.

Guest: Dr. Kevin Simon, Chief Behavioral Health Officer for the city of Boston

Podcast production by Yanii Evans

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While political conservatives slammed it as wasteful, President Biden’s student debt plan was greeted with relief by many borrowers. But questions remain about whether it goes far enough to help most of the Black students burdened by student loans. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses the issue with Professor Fenaba Addo, co-author of A Dream Defaulted: The Student Loan Crisis Among Black Borrowers.

Guest: UNC Professor Fenaba Addo, co-author of A Dream Defaulted: The Student Loan Crisis Among Black Borrowers

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

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Are you ready for some football! After decades of being kept out of the quarterback position, more Black quarterbacks are creating success and finding stardom in the NFL. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by ESPN’s Jason Reid, author of “Rise of the Black Quarterback: What It Means for America.” They discuss how the business and politics of race have changed for football’s most sought after players, and what challenges remain for Black quarterbacks.

Guest: Sports writer Jason Reid, author of “Rise of the Black Quarterback: What It Means for America”

Podcast production by Yanii Evans

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The U.S. has some of the worst maternal mortality rates in the industrialized world. And African Americans are three times more likely to die in childbirth than whites. The documentary Aftershock focuses on how the healthcare system is failing Black mothers at the most vulnerable time of their lives, and how their families are fighting to change that. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson speaks with the film’s co-director and co-producer Tonya Lewis Lee about the history of the crisis and the movement to solve it.

Aftershock is currently streaming on Hulu.

Guest: Tonya Lewis Lee

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever premieres in theaters this November. The franchise has provided a showcase for African Americans across the entertainment industry, including those behind the scenes. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson speaks with one of those rising creatives, conceptual artist Phillip Boutte Jr. Boutte left an acting career for film design, working on several sci-fi blockbusters. They discuss how Black Panther has helped change the dynamic for African American film professionals who had struggled to get a foothold in Hollywood.

Guest: Production designer Phillip Boutte Jr., co-founder of 9B Collective, the first Black owned conceptual artist incubator in the industry.

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola. You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NBA star Bill Russell, the first Black American to coach a major-league sports team, died this week. His playing earned him 11 championships. His activism won him respect in the Black community, but the hatred of many white fans, and surveillance from the FBI during the civil rights era. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by sports journalist Howard Bryant to discuss Russell’s legacy, on and off the court.

Guest: Veteran sports journalist Howard Bryant

Podcast production by Eric Aaron

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People are back in the office; schools are planning full classes in the fall; masks are seen less and less frequently. It’s the third COVID summer, but the latest variant of the virus is causing another surge in infection rates and hospitalizations. What do we need to do to protect ourselves now? And how can we be prepared for monkeypox, and the next pandemic? Guest: Dr. Ebony Hilton, practicing physician, and a frequent medical analyst for MSNBC. Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Georgia, award-winning hip hop artist Young Thug and rapper Gunna are awaiting trial on multiple charges, and prosecutors used some of their lyrics in their indictment. Is that fair game, or an attack on free speech? On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by ACLU attorney Stephanie Willis to talk about the broader implications of the case, and ways that artists are learning to protect themselves.

Guest: Attorney Stephanie Willis

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

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This week’s January 6th congressional hearings offered an in-depth look at the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, and other violent extremist groups that organized the insurrection. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses the issues with counter terrorism expert Malcolm Nance, who has spent years chronicling the rise of white supremacist and other American political extremist movements. His new book is “They Want to Kill Americans: The Militias, Terrorists, and Deranged Ideology of the Trump Insurgency.”

Guest: Analyst Malcolm Nance

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

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While the vast majority of African American students attend predominantly white institutions –or PWIs– for college, many Black scholars are giving historically Black colleges and universities a second look. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses the issue with Michelle Purdy, an associate professor of education at Washington University at St. Louis. She has studied the intersection of race and education, and is also the author of “Transforming the Elite: Black Students and the Desegregation of Private Schools.”

Guest: Professor Michelle Purdy

Podcast production by Eric Aaron

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Activists and abortion rights supporters are trying building a movement in the post-Roe v. Wade era. An empowered conservative court, a potential digital dragnet, and an unfocused Democratic response is making that complicated. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by legal analyst Imani Gandy, who explains why –despite the setback– she feels energized and hopeful about this moment.

Guest: Legal analyst Imani Gandy, co-host of the Boom! Lawyered podcast

Podcast production by Eric Aaron You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the Golden State Warriors wrapping up another championship, NBA players are settling in for the off-season when many will be working on physical fitness and strength. But more teams are recognizing that mental fitness –especially for a league full of young Black men– is just as important. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Corey Yeager, a life coach and psychotherapist for NBA’s Detroit Pistons. They discuss how Black athletes are dealing with the mental challenges of the pandemic, the racial reckoning, and other political issues, on top of the pressure to perform on the court.

Guest: Corey Yeager, psychotherapist, life coach and author of the forthcoming book “How Am I Doing?: 40 Conversations to Have with Yourself.”

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

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This will be a frank discussion about homophobia, and our guest will talk about his experience being called an anti-gay slur.

This LGBTQ Pride Month has been marred by a rash of anti-gay and anti-trans laws, and some groups plotting physical attacks at Pride events. For Black members of the community, racism has added even more tension to this year’s Pride. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Clay Cane, author of Live Through This: Surviving the Intersections of Sexuality, God, and Race. They discuss how anti-Black and anti-gay violence is affecting Pride this year, as well as concerns about ongoing homophobia among African Americans, and racism within the LGBTQ movement.

Guest: Clay Cane, host of SiriusXM’s The Clay Cane Show

Podcast production by Eric Aaron

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The market for cryptocurrency crashed in May, losing billions of investor dollars. That’s a special concern for African Americans, who are twice as likely as white people to invest in crypto. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by economist Darrick Hamilton to discuss the unique appeal of cryptocurrency among Black Americans, and whether the potential rewards outweigh the risks.

Guest: Darrick Hamilton, the founding director of the Institute for the Study of Race, Power and Political Economy at The New School.

Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis and Eric Aaron

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Like so much of pop culture, online culture is largely rooted in the work of Black and other marginalized people. Writer and activist Bridget Todd celebrates their stories on her podcast There Are No Girls on the Internet. On today’s episode of A Word, she joins Jason Johnson to talk about the challenge of preserving that history, and building communities for women, LGBTQ people, and Black folks in an increasingly hostile online world. Guest: Bridget Todd, host of the “There Are No Girls on the Internet” podcast. Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Americans owing more than $1.7 trillion in student loan debt, Black and other marginalized students are bearing a disproportionate share of the burden. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Braxton Brewington, the spokesperson for The Debt Collective. That organization, dedicated to ending what it considers unjust debt, closed out more than a million dollars owed by students at Bennett College. They talk about what went into making this happen, and the myths about student borrowing that are standing in the way of solutions. Guest: Braxton Brewington, spokesperson for The Debt Collective Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The recent massacre targeting the Black community in Buffalo has led to strong words from President Biden and other leaders, denouncing white supremacist violence. But for the remaining survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and their descendants, those words ring hollow. On this week’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Damario Solomon-Simmons, a civil rights lawyer who is leading an effort to win reparations for Tulsa Race Massacre survivors. He won a historic legal victory this month, but argues that the president has failed to follow through on promises to do everything he could to pursue justice for Tulsa. Guest: Damario Solomon-Simmons is a civil rights attorney, and is leading efforts to win reparations for Tulsa Race Massacre victims and their descendants. He’s the Managing Partner of SolomonSimmonsLaw. Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In light of the threat to Roe v. Wade, abortion rights advocates are asking many companies –including in the tech industry– to take a stand. But many industry leaders are silent, and could be poised to profit from data that tracks abortion providers, advocates, and patients. On this week’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Bärí Williams, an expert on diversity in tech and artificial intelligence. They talk about the political, financial, and social priorities that may be keeping tech leaders quiet about the abortion issue. Guest: Bärí Williams, an expert on diversity in tech and AI. She’s also the COO of Bandwagon Fan Club, Inc., a data and identity analytics tech company focused on sports and entertainment. Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With one million dead from COVID, many Americans are suffering through profound grief. And for Black Americans, the pandemic combined with the racial reckoning has made the mourning feel endless. On this week’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson talks with writer Marisa Renee Lee about her new book Grief Is Love: Living With Loss, and about making space for joy in the midst of grief. Guest: Marisa Renee Lee, a writer, speaker, and entrepreneur. Her new book is Grief Is Love: Living With Loss. Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Black Twitter has grown into a community where jokes, memes, and activism flourish. But with Elon Musk taking over, many users fear the most vital conversations will be silenced. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Omar Wasow, a pioneer in online culture, and the co-founder of the BlackPlanet social network. They discuss what Musk’s definition of free speech and his record on race could mean for the future of Black Twitter, and whether it’s time to leave the platform. Guest: Omar Wasow, assistant professor of politics at Pomona College Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Black Lives Matter movement has emerged as a major political force. Now, questionable spending by the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation has sparked questions about whether key movement leaders have lost their way. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Sean Campbell, an investigative journalist whose report on the foundation was published in New York Magazine. He addresses what he uncovered about the foundation’s finances, including the purchase of a $6 million dollar home in Malibu under the guidance of its former leader, Patrisse Cullors. Guest: Sean Campbell, writer, and investigative journalist. Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Although church and state are supposed to be separate, white evangelical power is a potent force in American politics. And it has historically been used to battle against racial equity. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Professor Anthea Butler, the author of White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America. They discuss the resurgence of white evangelical influence in politics, and why so much of that movement has been focused on thwarting civil rights for African Americans. Guest: Anthea Butler, chair of the Religious Studies Department at the University of Pennsylvania Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis and Sam Kim You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s tax season, a stressful time for millions of Americans. But for many Black Americans, financial issues are complicated year-round by the “Black Tax;” that’s the complex web of structural bias in finance, banking, and housing policy that can make it harder for African Americans to build wealth. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by financial advice author Lynnette Khalfani-Cox to discuss the biggest tax and financial hurdles for African Americans, and how to overcome them. Guest: Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, a personal finance expert and author of several books on financial planning and strategy. Podcast production by Sam Kim and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Rock is back on tour, days after Will Smith struck him and won his first Oscar in the same night. While the Academy strongly condemned Smith, several Black stars and writers have publicly defended him, or even applauded him for standing up for his wife. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson talks with entertainment journalist Chris Witherspoon about how race is playing out in the debate over what happened, and what should happen next. Guest: Chris Witherspoon, entertainment journalist and founder/CEO of @PopViewers. Podcast production by Sam Kim You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

White Ukrainians have been praised for defending their homeland, and embraced when they’re forced to leave. It’s a sharp contrast to what has faced Black Ukrainians, Syrians, Afghans, and others who have fled war zones. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Patrick Gaspard, who served in the Obama administration, and currently leads the Center for American Progress. He addresses how race and ethnicity play out in the Ukrainian crisis, the U.S. response, and what’s at stake. Guest: Patrick Gaspard, former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, and the president and CEO of the Center for American Progress Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This year, several Black artists have been nominated for Oscars, including Ariana DeBose, Aunjanue Ellis, Will Smith, and Denzel Washington. But there’s concern that diversity –in front of and behind the camera– hasn’t been fully embraced in Hollywood. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by April Reign, whose 2015 hashtag #OscarsSoWhite sparked a vigorous debate over inclusion in the film business. She addresses the state of her effort, and the work that still needs to be done to make entertainment better reflect the reality of Americans’ lives. Guest: April Reign, media strategist, and creator of the movement #OscarsSoWhite Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Congress passed the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act to make lynching a federal crime. It’s named for Emmett Till, a Chicago teenager who was brutally killed in Mississippi in 1955. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by historian Lopez Matthews, Jr. to discuss the harmful myths about lynching, and how its specter haunts African Americans to this day. Guest: Lopez Matthews, Jr. is an executive council member for the Association for the Study of African American Life and History Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Joe Biden’s nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court made history. But according to MSNBC legal analyst Elie Mystal, it will take a lot more than her confirmation to break the conservative hold on the nation’s judiciary. On today’s episode of A Word, he talks with Jason Johnson about the confirmation battle ahead, and about his new book Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution. Guest: Elie Mystal, MSNBC political analyst and the justice correspondent for The Nation. His new book Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution is out now. Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution

Philadelphia may be the cradle of American democracy. But the city has a difficult history with race. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s new project, “A More Perfect Union,” is seeking to shed light on the city’s historic racism. It started with itself, acknowledging a history of its role in perpetuating racism in the opening story “Black City. White Paper.” On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by veteran political journalist Errin Haines. She’s leading the Inquirer’s year-long project to expose the bias at the foundation of Philadelphia’s institutions. They talk about what the city –and the country– could learn from the effort. Guest: Errin Haines, veteran political journalist and a founder of The 19th*, a news non-profit focused on gender, politics, and policy. Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pornography is more than a dirty secret. It’s a profitable one, making billions from American consumers each year. And like much of entertainment, it trafficks in damaging racial stereotypes. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Dr. Carolyn West. She’s a psychology professor at the University of Washington who produced the documentary “Let Me Tell Ya’ll Bout Black Chicks: Images of Black Women in Pornography.” They discuss the often violent racism within the porn industry, and how that impacts the way society views African American sexuality. Guest: Dr. Carolyn West, Professor of Psychology at the University of Washington Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NFL claims that Black coaches are treated fairly in the league. But former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores is suing, saying he can’t get a job because of racial bias. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Joel Anderson, co-host of Slate’s sports podcast Hang Up and Listen, to talk about the controversy, and the limits of the “Rooney Rule” in ending racism in hiring for NFL coaches. Guest: Joel Anderson, co-host of Slate’s sports podcast Hang Up and Listen, and host of Slow Burn: The LA Riots Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Searching for truthful versions of Black history can be tough, especially as honest lessons about racism are caught up in the controversy over Critical Race Theory. In his new book Who Are Your People?, political commentator Bakari Sellers delivers Black history to a generation of kids, something inspired by his own experience as a father. Bakari Sellers joined Jason Johnson on today’s episode of A Word to talk about the importance of being truthful about Black history with kids in a way that they can understand. Guest: Bakari Sellers, political commentator, attorney, and author of the book Who Are Your People? Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who Are Your People?

For decades, it has a running joke that Black characters were the first to die in horror movies. But movies like Nia DaCosta’s Candyman and Jordan Peele’s Get Out are rewriting the script, and creating horror villains and heroes who represent the real Black experience. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Tananarive Due, an award-winning author and producer who teaches Black Horror and Afrofuturism at UCLA, to discuss the past and future of Black horror. Guest: Tananarive Due, award-winning author, and producer who teaches Black Horror and Afrofuturism at UCLA

Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis

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In theory, the Fair Housing Act of 1968 outlawed all forms of real estate discrimination. In reality, Black home sellers often see their homes valued much lower than similar homes owned by whites. Andre Perry of the Brookings Instititution joins the show today to talk about the how real estate discrimination has robbed Black Americans billions of dollars in generational wealth, and what can be done to change it.

Guest: Andre Perry, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and author of Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities

Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis and Asha Saluja

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President Biden and Vice President Harris made impassioned speeches in Georgia this week, calling voting rights a top political priority. But the grassroots organizers who helped turn Georgia in 2020 want more than words, and many refused to attend the president’s event. One of those people is Nsé Ufot, the CEO of the New Georgia Project voting rights group. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson talks with Ufot about dangers to voting rights, frustrations with Biden, and the dire consequences for people of color should voting protection efforts fail. Guest: Nsé Ufot, CEO of the New Georgia Project Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we’re bringing you an episode from another show we think you’ll like. Slate's history podcast One Year introduces you to people and ideas that changed American history, one year at a time. The new season of One Year covers 1995, a year when homegrown terrorists attacked Oklahoma City, America went online, and the Macarena took over nightclubs. When a serial rapist struck Ann Arbor, Michigan, the police turned to drastic measures, based on the promise and power of DNA. For law enforcement, genetic testing seemed like a can’t-miss idea. But DNA didn’t fix anything in Ann Arbor. Instead, it ripped the community apart. One Year is produced by Josh Levin, Evan Chung, and Madeline Ducharme. Additional production help from Cheyna Roth. Mixing by Merritt Jacob. Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $1 right now. For a behind-the-scenes look into some of the articles we read when we create the show, check out our Pocket collection at http://getpocket.com/slate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should journalists work to end American racism, not just report on it? That’s what the Boston Globe’s new project, The Emancipator, is making its mission. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by its co-editor-in-chief, Amber Payne. They discuss The Emancipator’s history, and its vision for an anti-racist American future. Guest: Amber Payne, co-editor in chief of The Emancipator at the Boston Globe Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the holiday season, which means it’s time to press play on your favorite Christmas movies. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by essayist and pop culture critic Rebecca Theodore-Vachon to talk about what really makes a Black Christmas movie, and which classics they recommend. Guest: Rebecca Theodore-Vachon, essayist, pop culture critic, and host of The Spectrum Lounge podcast. Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s already a devastating situation when a loved one goes missing. And if you’re Black, you’ll likely have fewer resources and help to find your family member. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Derrica Wilson. She’s the co-founder and CEO of the Black and Missing Foundation, the group that inspired the HBO documentary Black and Missing. They talk about the disparities in the way the media and police treat missing people of color, how that impacts the chances that people are found, and what the Black and Missing Foundation is doing to change the dynamics. Guest: Derrica Wilson, Co-Founder, and CEO of the Black and Missing Foundation, Inc. Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you make a struggling public school --with outdated textbooks, a shady principal, and broken everything-- funny? Ask comedian Quinta Brunson, star and creator of the new ABC show Abbott Elementary. Brunson joins Jason Johnson on today’s episode of A Word to discuss the sitcom, her work on HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show, and her unconventional path to comedy stardom. Guest: Quinta Brunson, writer, producer, comedian, and actress. She’s the author of the memoir “She Memes Well.” Brunson’s new show Abbott Elementary on ABC is out now. Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With a growing number of Americans vaccinated, many are contemplating traveling for the holidays, despite concerns about a new COVID variant. For Black travelers, navigating an unfamiliar society’s ideas about race adds another complication. On this episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by veteran lifestyle journalist and travel expert Dayvee Sutton to talk about her experience while traveling as a Black woman during the pandemic. Guest: Dayvee Sutton, veteran lifestyle journalist and travel expert Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The holidays bring out the chef in many of us. For Vallery Lomas, stress-baking through her final year of law school laid the foundation for a career as a chef, and a victory in the Great American Baking Show. This week, she joins host Jason Johnson this week to talk about her unlikely path to celebrity chef status, and her new book Life is What You Bake It.

Guest: Vallery Lomas, cookbook author, recipe developer, and creator at @foodieinnewyork on Instagram

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis

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Zeba Blay popularized the hashtag #carefreeblackgirls, a celebration of positive online representation of Black women and girls. In her book Carefree Black Girls, she reckons with why––even in a pop culture led by people of color––so many critics are white men. Blay joins the show this week to discuss The Harder They Fall, Passing, Dave Chappelle, and where today’s artists are, and aren’t, hitting the mark on race. Guest: Zeba Blay, culture and film critic and author of the book Carefree Black Girls Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Decades before Moonlight, Black Panther, or anything from Spike Lee, Black film artists worked through and around the studio system to bring their visions to the big screen. Now the Black Film Archive has brought together classics from 1915 to 1979. Its creator Maya Cade joins Jason Johnson on A Word to talk about the importance of African Americans connecting with movies from the past. Guest: Maya Cade, creator of Black Film Archive and audience development specialist for the Criterion Collection Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been almost 30 years since the Los Angeles riots rocked the nation. Even now, many Americans remember where they were when they heard that four L.A.P.D. officers were acquitted for beating Rodney King. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Joel Anderson, host of Slate’s Slow Burn Season 6: The L.A. Riots. They talk about the roots of the 1992 crisis, and whether it’s better understood as a riot or an uprising. Guest: Joel Anderson, Slate writer and host of Slow Burn: The L.A. Riots Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

School is supposed to be a safe environment for students to thrive. But too many school policies put non-white and disabled students on the path to prison. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson speaks with professor and author Lori Martin, about fighting the school-to-prison pipeline, and how parents can protect their children from falling into the criminal justice system. Guest: Lori Martin, sociology professor at Louisiana State University and author of Big Box Schools: Race, Education, and the Danger of the Wal-Martization of Public Schools in America Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big Box Schools: Race, Education, and the Danger of the Wal-Martization of Public Schools in America (Race and Education in the Twenty-First Century)

Whether the issue is Covid policy or police violence, Black athletes can’t run, jump, or score their way out of the racial power dynamics of major sports. On today’s episode of A Word, veteran sportswriter and author Howard Bryant joins Jason Johnson to talk about the intersection of sports and race. They discuss the controversy over basketball star Kyrie Irving’s vaccine resistance, former NFL coach Jon Gruden’s offensive emails, and Colin Kaepernick’s endless campaign to return to the football field. Guest: Howard Bryant, veteran sportswriter, commentator, and author of several books including The Heritage: Black Athletes, a Divided America, and the Politics of Patriotism Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Heritage: Black Athletes, a Divided America, and the Politics of Patriotism

California’s Governor Newsom recently signed legislation to return Bruce’s Beach, beachfront property that had been seized from a Black family after a campaign of racist violence and intimidation. But it’s only one of thousands of cases where African American families lost property to everything from extra legal land seizures, to systematic lending discrimination. Professor Thomas Mitchell, a law professor at Texas A&M University and MacArthur Genius Grant winner, joins the show this week to talk about protecting and reclaiming African-American land.

Podcast production by Samira Tazari, Jasmine Ellis, and Asha Saluja

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Slate. And for a limited time only, we’re offering our annual Slate Plus membership at $25 off. As a member, you’ll get no ads on any of our podcasts, unlimited reading on the Slate site, and member-exclusive episodes and segments.

Sign up for Slate Plus at slate.com/awordplus to keep us going for another 25 years. This special offer goes through Oct. 31st, so sign up now at slate.com/awordplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court is back in session and its public support is in free fall. But the unpopular court seems poised to radically alter the lives of millions of Americans. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by political analyst Elie Mystal to discuss what’s on the docket, and why so many Americans are braced for the Court to shred their rights. Guest: Elie Mystal, MSNBC political analyst and the justice correspondent for The Nation Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2020 Census revealed that a growing number of Latino Americans are acknowledging their Black heritage. But that choice has never been simple. Professor Tanya Hernández of Fordham University School of Law joins Jason Johnson to talk about the bias Afro-Latinos have faced across the Americas, from their governments and even their own families. They also explore how Afro-Latinos pressing for greater representation in entertainment, media, and politics. You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Guest: Professor Tanya Hernández, Fordham University School of Law Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel, Jasmine Ellis, and Asha Saluja Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recorded as part of the Texas Tribune Festival, this week’s episode is a conversation with brothers US Representative Joaquin Castro and 2020 presidential candidate Julián Castro. The brothers join Jason to discuss how the Biden administration is measuring up on the issues that were important to their own campaigns, the potential ripple effects of Texas’ new extreme abortion legislation, and the importance of Latino representation in the media.

Guests: Joaquin Castro, US Representative for Texas’ 20th District, and Julián Castro, former Secretary of HUD and 2020 presidential candidate

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel, Jasmine Ellis, and Asha Saluja.

You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your barista, your golf buddy, your ex-college roommate...just because you are friendly with a Black person doesn’t mean you’re friends. And even if you are, you can still be a racist. Scholar Khalil Gibran Muhammad explores the “Black buddy” myth of racial healing this through his podcast “Some of My Best Friends Are…”, which he co-hosts with his white best friend, Ben Austen. On today’s episode of A Word, Muhammad joins Jason Johnson to talk about interracial friendships, and evolving views about how they reflect racial progress in America. Guest: Khalil Gibran Muhammad is a historian, author, and the co-host of “Some of My Best Friends Are…,” a new podcast on the Pushkin network. Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Black Republican Larry Elder is leading the race to replace California Governor Gavin Newsom. For decades, the GOP was the default choice of millions of Black voters. But that changed during the civil rights era, as that party emerged as the home of segregationists, white supremacists, and their sympathizers. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Michael Steele, Maryland’s former lieutenant governor, and ex-chair of the RNC to talk about Black Republican leadership and the future of Black conservatives. Guest: Michael Steele, former chair of the RNC, and a political analyst for MSNBC Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Haiti was already reeling from a presidential assassination when a massive earthquake struck in August. And organizations that have “helped” Haiti in the past have exploited its people, filled their own pockets, and left the country off worse than before. On A Word, Jason Johnson talks about the Haitian crisis with Professor Marlene Daut, a professor of African-American and African Studies at the University of Virginia. She’s also the author of Tropics of Haiti: Race and the Literary History of the Haitian Revolution in the Atlantic World. Guest: Marlene Daut, professor of African-American and African Studies at the University of Virginia Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tropics of Haiti: Race and the Literary History of the Haitian Revolution in the Atlantic World, 1789-1865 (Liverpool Studies in International Slavery LUP)

As natural disasters like wildfires and floods ravage the country, a growing chorus of Americans is calling for action now to fight climate change. And Black environmentalists who’ve seen their communities suffer from environmental abuse and neglect for generations are pushing the issue to the top of the civil rights agenda. On today’s episode of A Word, Professor Robert Bullard, known as the “father of environmental justice,” speaks about the cost of environmental racism, and how a new generation is leading the fight to stop it. Guest: Robert Bullard, co-chair of the National Black Environmental Justice Network, and the Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy at Texas Southern University Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the start of the pandemic, parents across the country became first-time homeschool teachers. Now, as millions of kids head back to classrooms, many Black parents are keeping their children at home to learn. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson speaks with Khadijah Ali-Coleman, the co-founder of the Black Family Homeschool Educators and Scholars group. She explains why more and more Black families are homeschooling their kids, and the benefits and challenges these families face. Guest: Khadijah Ali-Coleman, co-founder of the Black Family Homeschool Educators and Scholars group. Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Delta variant continues to spread, African American doctors worry that the pandemic will claim thousands more Black lives. Veteran physician Dr. Reed Tuckson, cofounder of the Black Coalition Against COVID, speaks on today’s episode of A Word about increasing access to vaccines in Black communities, and debunking misinformation surrounding the virus and vaccines. Guest: Dr. Reed Tuckson, public health expert, and the cofounder of the Black Coalition Against Covid Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Millions of Americans have faced eviction during the economic crunch sparked by the COVID crisis. After a high pressure campaign by progressives including former HUD Secretary Julian Castro, the Biden administration extended the eviction moratorium this week. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson talks with Castro about the eviction crisis, and why progressives are demanding stronger presidential action on issues like housing and voting rights. Guest: Julian Castro is a former San Antonio Mayor, US Housing Secretary and presidential candidate. He’s also the host of the Our America podcast. Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis and Ahyiana Angel You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gun violence kills thousands of Americans every year, and that pain is especially sharp in the nation’s Black communities. And during the last year of the Trump Administration, Black gun purchases surged. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Kenn Blanchard, a minister and gun rights activist who has branded himself as a “Black Man with a Gun.” Blanchard shares how he reconciles his gun advocacy with his faith, and how he thinks Black gun owners can make themselves safer from police violence. Guest: Kenn Blanchard, gun rights advocate, and host of the Black Man with a Gun podcast Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Minister and scientist Chris Jones has launched a long-shot campaign to be governor in Arkansas. But does the Democratic candidate have what it takes to change the political landscape in his home state? On today’s episode of A Word, Chris Jones talks with host Jason Johnson about his unlikely path to politics, and his hopes for the race. Guest: Chris Jones, Democratic candidate for governor in Arkansas, religious leader, and physicist Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many Cuban Americans have long called for new leadership in that nation, including Afro-Cubans who --from social media to the streets-- are challenging the historic American narrative about Cuba’s government. For Afro-Cuban professor, Amalia Dache, the fight is personal. She’s the author of the book Rise Up! Activism as Education. On today’s episode of A Word, Professor Dache joins host Jason Johnson to talk about the uprising, and the myths and realities of racial equity in Cuba. Guest: Amalia Dache, professor of higher education at the University of Pennsylvania Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump’s combination of bigotry, lies, and meanness led to a victory that stunned political pundits in 2016. Atlantic writer Adam Serwer would go on to coin the phrase that summed up Trump’s appeal: the cruelty is the point. Serwer has collected his essays chronicling the Trump era in the new book, The Cruelty is the Point: The Past, Present, and Future of Trump’s America, and joins host Jason Johnson to discuss it on this week’s episode of A Word. Guest: Adam Serwer, staff writer for The Atlantic and author of The Cruelty is the Point: The Past, Present, and Future of Trump’s America. Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even as conservative critics call for her to be ousted from the Olympic squad, track and field athlete Gwen Berry won’t back down after protesting the American flag and national anthem during the Olympic trials. Amira Rose Davis joins the show to contextualize Berry in a long history of Black and female athlete activists. She also explains the personal risks these athletes take in peacefully protesting, even as institutions began paying lip service to the Black Lives Matter cause.

Guest: Dr. Amira Rose Davis, Assistant Professor of History and African American Studies at Penn State University and co-host of the feminist sports podcast, Burn it All Down

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis

You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Police violence and protests were the sounds of summer 2020, and Black musicians from across the spectrum lent their voices to the moment. In honor of Black Music Appreciation Month, entertainment and music reporter Jewel Wicker talks with Jason Johnson about the tradition of popular music mixing with protests --from The Staple Singers, to Beyoncé, to DaBaby-- and which songs will have staying power.

Guest: Jewel Wicker, entertainment and music journalist

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis

You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stacey Abrams dealt with a narrow --and tainted-- loss in the Georgia governor’s race by helping to turn her red state blue in 2020. On today’s episode of A Word, she tells host Jason Johnson about her campaign plans, her voting rights fight, and her worries about economic boycotts as a political tactic. Guest: Stacey Abrams, politician, author, and the founder of the voting rights group, Fair Fight Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kendi joins the show this week to explain critical race theory, and why it has become such a political lightning rod. He also talks about how the backlash against critical race theory is threatening academic freedom, and specifically how it kept Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones from tenure at the University of North Carolina.

Dr. Kendi is the host of a new podcast, Be Antiracist with Ibram X. Kendi. You can listen here: https://www.pushkin.fm/show/be-antiracist-ibram-kendi/

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis

You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Alan Grier is a comedian’s comedian, from his iconic stint on ‘In Living Color,’ to his many sitcoms roles, including his latest on the Netflix show, ‘Dad Stop Embarrassing Me.’ He’s also a dramatic actor, with roles in Broadway classics and Ava Duvernay’s ‘Queen Sugar.’ On today’s episode of A Word, David Alan Grier joins Jason Johnson to talk about his career, staying booked and busy during the pandemic, and his many collaborations with Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx. Guest: David Alan Grier, award-winning comedian and actor Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, marking her second anniversary in office, would only grant one-on-one interviews to journalists of color. Lightfoot said she was highlighting a lack of media diversity. Critics call it racist. Could this policy change the status quo, or just be a distraction? Jason Johnson is joined by Errin Haines, editor-at-large of The 19th*, a non-profit news outlet focused on women. They discuss why too many urban newsrooms remain overwhelmingly white, and whether Lightfoot’s move was a step toward equality, or a political stunt.

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis

You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whoopi Goldberg’s early views, Barack Obama’s youthful indiscretions, Diahann Carroll’s big break. Those stories and thousands more have been preserved by The HistoryMakers, a video archive of notable African Americans. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson speaks with the founder and president of The HistoryMakers, Julieanna Richardson, about the project’s mission, and the urgency of preserving Black history during Covid crisis. Guest: Julieanna Richardson, founder and president of The HistoryMakers Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robin DiAngelo’s White Fragility climbed back on the best-seller charts after George Floyd’s murder. On today’s episode of A Word, she talks with Jason Johnson about what white allyship looks like after Derek Chauvin’s conviction, and the challenges of building an anti-racist society. The two originally spoke at the Crosscut Festival, an online conference that took a hard look at the people, policy and events that shape our lives. Guest: Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Emmy-nominated actor William Jackson Harper. Fans might know him as indecisive professor Chidi from The Good Place. But he’s back on screens this spring in Barry Jenkins’ The Underground Railroad. The series is based on the Pulitzer prize-winning novel from Colson Whitehead. Harper talks about the upcoming Amazon Prime series, playing Chidi on The Good Place, and his role as a rom-com star in We Broke Up. Guest: William Jackson Harper, Emmy-nominated actor. Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s game time, and Black women creatives are leveling up in the online video gaming business. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by online gamer Briana Williams, better known as Storymodebae. She’s a content creator, gamer, and Twitch ambassador. They discuss her path to winning in the white and male-dominated business of online gaming, and how she and Black women gamers are building their own community. Guest: Briana Williams, content creator, gamer, and Twitch ambassador Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Click here for more info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Advocates of police reform, including President Biden, say Derek Chauvin’s conviction is a crucial step in ending racist police practices. But abolitionists say it’s too little, too late. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson speaks with Professor James D. Ward, the author of Policing and Race in America: Economic, Political and Social Dynamics. Ward explains why he thinks abolishing police can’t work politically, but jailing or even executing killer cops could bring real change. Guest: Professor James D. Ward is the author of Policing and Race in America: Economic, Political and Social Dynamics, and the interim director of the Master of Public Policy program and Visiting Professor at Cal Poly. Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Click here for more info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Minnesota police killed another unarmed Black man, less than a year after George Floyd’s death. On Sunday, twenty-year-old Daunte Wright was fatally shot by then-officer Kim Potter during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Johnathon McClellan, president of the civil rights advocacy group Minnesota Justice Coalition. They talk about Wright's death, the Derek Chauvin trial, and the ongoing battle for police reform in Minnesota. Guest: Johnathon McClellan, president of the Minnesota Justice Coalition Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Click here for more info. Editor’s Note: The guest misstated that Daunte Wright has a daughter. He has a son. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Black farmers scored a major victory in the Covid relief package, winning billions of dollars in aid. The farmers call it fairness. Some Republicans call it reparations. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by John Boyd Jr. to talk about what this relief means for Black farmers across the country. Boyd is the founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, and says the time is now for the Biden administration to make up for decades of government discrimination. Guest: John Boyd Jr., founder, and president of the National Black Farmers Association Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Click here for more info. Editor's Note: This episode misstated former US Rep. John Conyers' role in Congress. He was a member of the US House of Representatives, not a Senator. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After historic Black turnout flipped Georgia, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed a new law that could hit Black and other voters of color hard. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by LaTosha Brown. She is the co-founder of Black Voters Matter, one of the groups that helped Democrats win Georgia at the Senate and presidential level. They discuss how activists are fighting back against this new controversial law. Guest: LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Click here for more info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is the latest example of Black characters taking on the mantle of comic book superheroes. On this week’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by professor and award-winning comic book artist John Jennings. Jennings is also the curator of the ABRAMS Megascope line of graphic novels. They discuss the importance of Black characters winning more power in comic books, and why Black superheroes still have to deal with microaggressions and overt racism. Guest: John Jennings, a professor of Media and Culture Studies at the University of California Riverside and an award-winning comic book artist. He is also the curator of the ABRAMS Megascope line of graphic novels. Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Click here for more info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of A Word, host Jason Johnson discusses how the recent water crisis that struck Jackson, Mississippi has become an everyday consequence of inequality in many rural Black communities. His guest is MacArthur “Genius” Catherine Coleman Flowers. She is the author of “Waste: One Woman’s Fight Against America’s Dirty Secret.” They talk about environmental justice and how access to safe drinking water is an issue throughout the nation. Guest: Catherine Coleman Flowers, author of “Waste: One Woman’s Fight Against America’s Dirty Secret,” and a winner of a 2020 MacArthur Genius Grant. She’s currently helping to lead a project to survey problems with the nation’s water system. Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Click here for more info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of A Word, host Jason Johnson discusses the death of Breonna Taylor, one year later, with Kentucky State Representative Attica Scott. She’s the author of Breonna’s Law, which would ban no-knock warrants, like the one used by the police who killed Taylor. Guest: Representative Attica Scott, a state lawmaker for Kentucky’s 41st District and author of Breonna’s law. Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Click here for more info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses cancel culture with Professor Loretta Ross. Professor Ross teaches a course titled White Supremacy, Human Rights and Calling In the Calling Out Culture as a visiting associate professor at Smith College. They talk about the role cancel culture plays in society and politics, and if there’s a better way to hold powerful people accountable. Guest: Loretta Ross, associate visiting professor at Smith College. Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Click here for more info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by national security analyst Malcolm Nance to discuss how the Capitol insurrection illuminated ties between violent white nationalists and US law enforcement. They address why white supremacists groups find some willing recruits in the military service and the police, and what officials are doing to stop it. Guest: Malcolm Nance, national security and counterterrorism analyst for MSNBC and the author of The Plot to Betray America: How Team Trump Embraced Our Enemies, Compromised Our Security, and How We Can Fix It. Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Click here for more info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Slate Podcasts, A Word with Jason Johnson shines a light on the facts, the history, and the reality of how race plays out in our politics and society.

Every Friday, veteran political commentator Jason Johnson will bring his sharp analysis to discussions with policy-makers, journalists, entertainers, and other experts about America’s challenges around race, and ideas on the way forward.

Episodes available starting Friday, February 26th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices