January 15, 1969. It's been less than a year since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Friends, family, and followers are gathered at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where Dr. King preached. They are there to remember him on his birthday, honor his legacy, and present a goal: an official celebration of his birthday every year, a holiday to co ... Show More
Today
Parting the Desert Between Two Seas
April 25, 1859. About 150 people have gathered on the shores of Lake Manzala in Egypt. And one of them, a mustachioed, retired French diplomat, steps forward. He raises his pickaxe and strikes a ceremonial blow. The audacious goal is to cut through the desert to connect the Medit ... Show More
36m 10s
Apr 20
One Eco-Arson After Another: The Earth Liberation Front
April 20th, 2004. A quiet suburban development outside Seattle. Brand-new homes. Fresh lawns not yet grown in. Then, in the middle of the night—sirens. Flames ripping through two houses. Investigators quickly find the cause: homemade incendiary devices. And a message, left behind ... Show More
34m 2s
Apr 13
Jefferson’s Trade War Shuts Down America
April 18, 1806. In his study, President Thomas Jefferson signs a law that doesn’t look like an act of war. It bans imports. Leather. Silk. Glass. Playing cards. A strange list. A quiet move. But Jefferson is trying to confront one of the most powerful empires in the world, withou ... Show More
28m 30s
Oct 2024
509. America in '68: The Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (Part 2)
The peaceful figurehead of the Civil Rights movement in the early 1960s, Dr Martin Luther King had inspired hundreds of thousands to demand equal rights for African Americans. But by 1968, the once uniting leader seemed to be losing popularity, both amongst activists and in the p ... Show More
1h 2m
Jan 2024
The Double Life of a Civil Rights Icon
<p>Some of the most enduring photos of the civil rights movement were taken by Ernest Withers. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Withers earned the trust of Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders. But as it turns out, he was secretly taking photos for the federal gov ... Show More
50m 9s
Jan 2019
The Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
James Earl Ray, a 40-year-old escaped convict, pleaded guilty to the Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. He was sentenced to 99 years in prison without trial. But years later, Ray claimed he didn’t act alone. He was a mere pawn at the center of a dark and twisty conspiracy t ... Show More
45m 58s
Apr 2023
Harry Belafonte Has Died, But The Struggles He Championed Live On
By Amy Goodman & Denis Moynihan
On a freezing cold day, February 15th, 2003, Harry Belafonte, the legendary singer, actor and activist strode onto a stage outside the United Nations in New York City. Rallies against the imminent U.S. invasion of Iraq were taking place around the ... Show More
6m 37s
Feb 2025
[BONUS]: Ernest Green From The Little Rock Nine | A Black History Month Reflection on Courage
<p>In 1954, the Brown v. Board of Education U.S. Supreme Court decision outlawed segregation in public education. Ernest Green was the first African American to graduate from Little Rock Central High School (May, 1958). In celebration of Black History Month, revisit Ryan's 2023 c ... Show More
54m 5s
Feb 2024
Malcolm X Is Assassinated (1965)
<p>It’s February 22nd. This day (February 21st, in fact) in 1965, Malcolm X is assassinated as he’s giving a speech at a Harlem ballroom.</p>
<p>Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss why X felt as if his killing was almost an inevitability, why the details of that day remain murky — an ... Show More
19m 22s
Apr 2025
[BEST OF] Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary
<p class="date"><em><strong>ORIGINALLY RELEASED Aug 1, 2019</strong></em></p> <p>Chuka Ejeckam joins Breht to discuss the one and only Malcolm X. In this episode, we honor the life, legacy, and radical clarity of Malcolm X, one of the most fearless and honorable figures in the st ... Show More
2h 39m