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Black History Year

History Podcasts

Learning your history makes you - and your people - stronger. As Black people, we know we’re left out of the history books. That the media images are skewed. That we need access to experts, information and ideas so we can advance our people. Black History Year connects you to the history, thinkers, and activists that are left out of the mainstream conversations. You may not agree with everything you hear, but we’re always working toward one goal: uniting for the best interest of Black people worldwide. BHY is produced by PushBlack, the nation’s largest non-profit Black media company - hit us up at BlackHistoryYear.com.

Location:

United States

Description:

Learning your history makes you - and your people - stronger. As Black people, we know we’re left out of the history books. That the media images are skewed. That we need access to experts, information and ideas so we can advance our people. Black History Year connects you to the history, thinkers, and activists that are left out of the mainstream conversations. You may not agree with everything you hear, but we’re always working toward one goal: uniting for the best interest of Black people worldwide. BHY is produced by PushBlack, the nation’s largest non-profit Black media company - hit us up at BlackHistoryYear.com.

Language:

English


Episodes
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MLK Owned Weapons Despite Preaching Nonviolence

4/21/2025
In public, Martin Luther King Jr. was staunchly against firearms as a means of liberation. Privately, he owned weapons and hired armed security to protect himself and his family. Why the change? _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:03:18

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3 Essential Ways Black Travelers Protected Ourselves During The Jim Crow Era

4/20/2025
Shoebox lunches, overalls, and a handy Green Book kept our people safe during turbulent times to travel while Black. Here’s how they did it and what we can learn from their genius. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:03:36

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African-Born Men Once Ruled What Was Considered The Mightiest Empire On Earth

4/19/2025
The sacred halls of history are filled with the incredible tales of the prowess and might of African rulers. Four of those ruled over the Roman empire at the height of its power, and we should know their names. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:03:33

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The Systematic Miseducation of America with Dr. Noliwe Rooks

4/15/2025
This week, we’re pulling back the curtain on public education in America—and asking if it was ever really meant for us in the first place. Dr. Noliwe Rooks, Brown University professor, author of "Cutting School" and founder of the term "segronomics," joins us to break down how Black communities have always fought for learning—even when the system fought back harder. From the broken promises of Brown v. Board to why Donald Trump's Department of Education might not be worth saving, this conversation challenges everything you thought you knew about education, liberation, and the law. To learn more, be sure to check out Dr. Noliwe's newest book, "Integrated: How American Schools Failed Black Children." — This podcast is brought to you by PushBlack, the nation’s largest non-profit Black media company. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com. Most folks do 5 or 10 bucks a month, but truly, anything helps. Thanks for supporting the work. With production support from Leslie Taylor-Grover and Brooke Brown, Black History Year is produced by Cydney Smith, Darren Wallace, and Len Webb, who also edits the show. Lilly Workneh is our Executive Producer and Black History Year's host is Darren Wallace. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:58:50

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How Chaka Khan Went From a Young Organizer to an International Superstar

4/14/2025
In the late 60s, you could have seen a young Chaka Khan handing out Black Panther newsletters. She was a teenager when her stepmother got her into the Black radical group -- and it changed her, and her eventual superstar music career, forever. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:02:40

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These Iconic Cookbooks Hold Some Of The Best Black Recipes Ever

4/13/2025
It’s no secret that our people can throw down in the kitchen. These three Black cookbooks span the diaspora with tantalizing recipes worth rolling up your sleeves to make. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:03:19

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The City Burst Into Flames When They Crossed Her Like This

4/12/2025
Marie-Joseph Angelique wasn't anything to play with, so when her captors denied her release, she got literally fired up. The city went up in flames as she fled to a better life, but true hell still awaited her. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:03:03

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Why Black Imagination Is A Blueprint of Liberation with adrienne maree brown

4/8/2025
In this episode of Black History Year, host Darren sits down with adrienne maree brown to discuss how Black imagination has always shaped history—from Harriet Tubman’s vision of The Promised Land to Octavia Butler’s Earthseed philosophy. They’re breaking down the powerful ways Black folks have used imagination—not just to escape oppression, but to turn freedom dreams into homes, communities, and whole new worlds. How have generations of Black people turned their dreams of freedom into reality? What lessons from history push us to dream bigger about the future? And how do we make sure imagination isn’t just a dream—but something real? -- To find more of adrienne's incredible work, visit https://adriennemareebrown.net/ — This podcast is brought to you by PushBlack, the nation’s largest non-profit Black media company. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com. Most folks do 5 or 10 bucks a month, but truly, anything helps. Thanks for supporting the work. With production support from Leslie Taylor-Grover and Brooke Brown, Black History Year is produced by Cydney Smith, Darren Wallace, and Len Webb, who also edits the show. Lilly Workneh is our Executive Producer and Black History Year's host is Darren Wallace. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:57:16

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How Black Mourning and Communal Grief Keep Us Alive with Dr. Leslie T. Grover

4/2/2025
This week, we're getting into the inherited, collective, and often unspoken legacy of Black grief. Joined by Dr. Leslie T. Grover, an award-winning author, activist, and scholar dedicated to historical storytelling as a tool for justice and healing, we look at everything from Maya Angelou's refusal to celebrate her birthday after MLK's assassination to age-old funerary traditions passed down through generations to understand that grief has always been bigger than sorrow for Black folks--it's how we honor, celebrate, and love our ancestors, each other, and ourselves. -- To find more of Leslie's incredible work, visit https://www.leslietgrover.com/ — This podcast is brought to you by PushBlack, the nation’s largest non-profit Black media company. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com. Most folks do 5 or 10 bucks a month, but truly, anything helps. Thanks for supporting the work. With production support from Leslie Taylor-Grover and Brooke Brown, Black History Year is produced by Cydney Smith, Darren Wallace, and Len Webb, who also edits the show. Lilly Workneh is our Executive Producer and Black History Year's host is Darren Wallace. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:55:20

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An Erotic Icon. She Used Fame To Reclaim Her Sexuality

3/31/2025
In a time where Black women were shamed for owning their sexuality, she showcased hers front and center. Her legacy reminds us just how powerful we can become when we take control of our narrative. Now that’s sexy. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:03:37

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The Great Migration Was Actually One Of Our Largest Movements Towards Freedom

3/30/2025
They bought one way tickets and said goodbye to everything they knew. Many were terrified to leave, but they knew staying behind wasn’t an option either. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:03:11

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Our Hair Holds Power. What Does It Mean If We Cut It?

3/29/2025
We’re so happy to see people of all ages rocking their crown. Hair holds immense spiritual power. But what if we cut it? _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:02:59

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How Black Horror Helps Us Face American History with Professor John Jennings

3/25/2025
This week, we’re diving into the real revolution happening in Black horror, from its roots in resistance folklore to today’s groundbreaking films. Joined by Hugo Award-winning and NYTimes best-selling writer and graphic novelist John Jennings, we’ll explore how scary stories expose systemic fears, why horror can be unexpectedly therapeutic, and how classic films like Night of the Living Dead, Get Out, and Beloved flip the script on the real monsters. Whether you love horror or avoid it completely, this conversation will change how you see the genre—and maybe even help you reframe your own fears. To check out John Jennings' incredible work, visit https://www.johnjenningsstudio.com/. — Explore what it means to adapt and evolve together. Check out Say More with Tulaine Montgomery wherever you find podcasts — This podcast is brought to you by PushBlack, the nation’s largest non-profit Black media company. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com. Most folks do 5 or 10 bucks a month, but truly, anything helps. Thanks for supporting the work. With production support from Leslie Taylor-Grover and Brooke Brown, Black History Year is produced by Cydney Smith, Darren Wallace, and Len Webb, who also edits the show. Lilly Workneh is our Executive Producer and Black History Year's host is Darren Wallace. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:59:31

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What’s Almost As Famous As Aretha Franklin-Her Purse

3/24/2025
What’s almost as famous as Aretha Franklin? Her designer purses. Everywhere she went, her bag went with her. Leather, quilted, or sequined, big or small, she had them all. But her bags weren’t just in demand. They were THE demand. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith and Len Webb. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Lilly Workneh serves as executive producer. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:03:13

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What Surveillance Teaches Us About Justice in the U.S. with Journalist Zain Murdoch

3/13/2025
We’re always being watched. And it’s often with suspicion when you’re Black. In this episode of Black History Year, host Darren and poet & abolitionist journalist Zain Murdock expose how centuries-old tactics—like lantern laws and branding—live in today’s AI policing and data mining. Through personal stories and expert insights, they reveal how so-called “safety” masks control—and what fighting Big Brother looks like. To learn more about Zain’s work, find her at zainmurdock.com. — Explore what it means to adapt and evolve together. Check out Say More with Tulaine Montgomery wherever you find podcasts — This podcast is brought to you by PushBlack, the nation’s largest non-profit Black media company. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com. Most folks do 5 or 10 bucks a month, but truly, anything helps. Thanks for supporting the work. With production support from Brooke Brown, Black History Year is produced by Cydney Smith, Leslie Taylor-Grover, Darren Wallace, and Len Webb, who also edits the show. Lilly Workneh is our Executive Producer and Black History Year’s host is Darren Wallace. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:50:10

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This Toy Was So Racist It Was Illegal To Have One

3/12/2025
It may have been just a simple child’s toy on the outside, but an inside look at its history reveals exactly why other countries have outlawed it. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith and Len Webb. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Lilly Workneh serves as executive producer. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:03:18

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Her Artistry Was So Powerful, Police Arrested Her

3/11/2025
Faith Ringgold was known for interpreting political movements and their struggles through art, from narrative quilts to paintings. But in 1970, the police thought she’d gone too far - and arrested her for making this powerful and possibly illegal statement. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith and Len Webb. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Lilly Workneh serves as executive producer. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:03:37

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Top Three Lies About ‘40 Acres And A Mule’

3/10/2025
40 Acres and a Mule is the U.S.'s most famous attempt at reparations. Thousands of freed people actually received their 40 acres, but the government snatched it back quicker than they could say heehaw. What happened? _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:03:18

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The Dark, Secret Black History Of Colleges And Universities

3/9/2025
College graduation is a huge milestone. When we walk across that stage to get our degree, we walk for ourselves and our ancestors who weren’t allowed in as students. But that doesn't mean they weren’t there. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:03:40

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The Secret Black Network Created During The Montgomery Bus Boycott

3/8/2025
You’ve heard of Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on a bus and the boycott that followed. But what’s left out of the history books is the thriving network our people created when riding public transportation wasn’t an option. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duration:00:03:11