We mark the June 19th holiday with special programming that commemorates Black authors, lifts Black narratives, examines historical injustices, and echoes stories of freedom and perseverance.
Selected Shorts: Changing the Narrative
Sunday, June 22 at 6pm
This special program, hosted by author, educator and activist DeRay Mckesson, celebrates Black authors and politicians who have rethought and rewritten the narratives we tell ourselves about our shared history and who we are as a nation.
Shirley Chisholm was America’s first Black congressional representative, and shares her not easy route to power in the essay “Unbought and Unbossed,” read by Crystal Dickinson. Literary giant James Baldwin writes to a beloved nephew about the line between acceptance and integration in “My Dungeon Shook,” read by Christopher Jackson. Sonia Sanchez reflects on Malcolm X’s profound effect on the residents of Harlem in “Homegirls on St. Nicholas Avenue,” read by Marsha Stephanie Blake. And, in a final story by Percival Everett, a narrator delivers an unexpected embrace to the most potent of symbols below the Mason-Dixon in “The Appropriation of Cultures,” read by Wren T. Brown.
Unlocking the Gates: How the North led Housing Discrimination in America
Sunday, June 22 at 7pm
We investigate how a secret nighttime business deal unlocked the gates of a community called Maplewood for dozens of Black families seeking better housing, schools, and safer neighborhoods. This special highlights the stories of families collaborating and overcoming discrimination in real estate and banking. They include executives, entrepreneurs, musicians, at least one NFL star and a former US Presidential hopeful. Many have inherited wealth from property investments and have been able to establish financial security for their families.
The Poetry Café: Juneteenth
Sunday, June 22 at 8pm
Tune in to our open-mic over the airwaves for a collection of live performances about overcoming, freedom, and perseverance. We’ll be talking to singer and songwriter Tanya Ross about her music, the power of art, and coming back strong after a life-changing stroke.
