In the final episode on the birth of hip-hop, we look at the songs and events from the 80's that continue to impact hip-hop today. We also explore how early award shows refused to acknowledge hip-hop music and the protest that followed.    Guests:  Big Tigger Darryl McDaniels Ed Lover Grand Wizzard Theodore Rahiem Rich Nice  The Last Poets Credits:  Jill Webb, Producer Dempsey Pillot, Producer Anddy Egan-Thorpe, Audio Engineer Femi Redwood, Host and Executive Producer ..read more

Beyond Black History Month is returning on January 24th.  ..read more

This year, there has been a 56% increase in petitions asking for union representation across the nation.  You've seen the news. Employees at companies such as Amazon and Starbucks are making headlines because they demand better working conditions. If successful, Black employees stand to benefit the most. Research shows that Black union members have better health insurance, higher pay, and a heftier retirement fund compared to Black workers who aren't a part of a union. In this episode of Beyond Black History Month, listen as we revisit the role that Black workers have played in the histor ..read more

There are currently no federal holidays named after - or even dedicated to women. But one local activist aims to change that. Jeannine Cook is the shopkeeper at both Harriet and Ida’s bookshops, located in Pennsylvania and New Jersey respectively. If the names of those stores don’t make it inherently obvious, she looks up to the female faces of the civil rights movement. So much so, that she's begun her own movement to get one of her own idols a federal holiday.  On this latest episode of Beyond Black History Month, listen as we sit down with Jeannine to discuss the origins of her idea, a ..read more

The Supreme Court has officially overturned Roe v. Wade. What does that mean for Black women and marginalized communities? On this episode of Beyond Black History Month, we’re joined by Beulah Osueke, the deputy director at New Voice for Reproductive Justice, who breaks down how reproductive rights and racial justice are connected. We also hear from Dr. Jennifer Lincoln, a Portland-based OB-GYN, who unpacks what this ruling means for the country ..read more

The comic book and fantasy space may seem very different from hip-hop culture, but according to Run DMC’s Daryl McDaniels, the two are very similar. In this episode, we speak with both Daryl and Hilton George, the founder of Blerdcon. While Daryl explores the similarities between the two mediums, Hilton walks us through the challenges surrounding inclusivity in the comics culture.  Guests:  Darryl DMC McDaniels Hilton George Credits:  Dempsey Pillot, field and studio producer Jill Webb, producer Anddy Egan-Thorpe, audio engineer Femi Redwood, host and executive producer ..read more

How do you celebrate emancipation without the people you love? In this episode, host Femi Redwood continues her Juneteenth special. She explores the ways in which families worked to find each other after emancipation. One of the ways they did this was by taking out wanted ads. These ads were forgotten by history until being recently discovered. We speak to Dr. Judith Giesberg, the director of The Last Seen Project. She helped bring these ads to light. We also speak to Reverend Mark Kelly Tyler from Mother Bethel AME church in Philadelphia who has a special connection to the ads. And we meet&nb ..read more

On this episode of Beyond Black History Month, we’re turning our attention towards the whiskey industry. Of the 2,000 distilleries in America only 1% are owned by Black entrepreneurs. Listen as host Femi Redwood explores why Black business owners are still struggling to get their feet in the door despite the drink owing its success to a single enslaved Black man. Guests include Che Ramos, Nicole Young, Heidi Dillon and Kamuti Kiteme  Producers: Jill Webb and Dempsey Pillot Audio Engineer: Anddy Egan-Thorpe Host and Managing Producer of Podcasts: Femi Redwood  If you have a story idea ..read more

Juneteenth is the celebration of the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans. In this episode of Beyond Black History Month, host Femi Redwood meets with some of the  descendants of the last to be freed African-Americans and learns how one man's love for his family and community helped continue the annual celebration and build a self-sufficient Black town.  ..read more

Trauma from natural disasters impacts Black communities in ways many of us never thought about it. In addition to causing PTSD, a recent study found that hurricanes are linked to a 33% increase of deaths long after the storm has passed. This comes  as climate change disproportionately impacts Black communities. In this episode, we speak to residents in Ironton, Louisiana, one of the country's oldest Black communities, to learn how they've been impacted after living through hurricane after hurricane. We also speak to experts to learn about how these storms impact the body.  Guests inc ..read more