February 8, 2013:

The Scottsboro Boys, The Central Park Five, Shawn Drumgold…in all of these cases, the accused were found guilty, only to be exonerated years later, sometimes decades later. This week on Basic Black, a conversation on searching for truth, justice delayed, and a judicial balm for wounded communities.


Our panel this week:
- Callie Crossley, host and moderator, Boston Public Radio, WGBH
- Kim McLarin, assistant professor of writing, literature and publishing, Emerson College
- Phillip Martin, senior reporter, 89.7 WGBH Radio
- Peniel Joseph, professor of history, Tufts University

February 22, 2013:

Is the context for the murderous rampage of Christopher Dorner one that people of color recognize? Tonight on Basic Black – anatomy of a killer’s racial experience… what happens at the intersection of racism, rage and mental illness?


Our panel:
- Callie Crossley, host and moderator, Boston Public Radio, WGBH
- Phillip Martin, senior reporter, 89.7 WGBH Radio
- Peniel Joseph, professor of history, Tufts University
- Kim McLarin, assistant professor of writing, literature, and publishing, Emerson College
- Dr. Chidi Achebe, President & CEO, Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center




(Photo: War, Maria Gertsovskaya/Flickr.)

April 5, 2013:

With Mayor Menino's announcement that he would not seek a sixth term, the race for the next mayor of Boston has officially begun. Even as the slate of candidates takes shape, questions are emerging, among them: what is the opportunity for emerging leaders of color; what are the benefits to the city of Boston of new leadership, regardless of race; has the Menino administration left anything undone in communities of color that can now be addressed?


Our panel:
- Callie Crossley, host, Under The Radar, WGBH
- Phillip Martin, senior reporter, 89.7 WGBH Radio
- Kim McLarin, assistant professor of writing, literature, and publishing, Emerson College
- Kevin C. Peterson, founder/director, New Democracy Coalition
- John Barros, executive director, Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative


(Photo source: FreeFoto.com)

May 3, 2013

Tonight on Basic Black history in the headlines: a report this week concluded that for the first time ever, black voter turnout surpassed that of white voters. We'll look at the national and local implications. And in sports, NBA player Jason Collins revealed he is gay; as the first professional athlete to do so, it's history, but is it news?

The panel:
- Callie Crossley, host of Under the Radar, 89.7 WGBH Radio
- Peniel Joseph, professor of history, Tufts University
- Kim McLarin, author, Divorce Dog: Motherhood, Men and Midlife; asst. prof. of writing, Emerson College
- Phillip Martin, senior reporter, 89.7 WGBH Radio
- Michael Jeffries, assistant professor of American Studies, Wellesley College


(Photo: Jason Collins. Kwaku Alston for Sports Illustrated.)



(Photo: Jason Collins. Kwaku Alston for Sports Illustrated.)

May 10, 2013

Earlier this week, Charles Ramsey of Cleveland, Ohio rescued three women and a six year old who had been held captive by his neighbor for a decade. But it was the interview Ramsey gave to a reporter on the scene that day that made him an internet sensation. Within hours, he was trending on Twitter and the subject of numerous autotune creations.

But Ramsey's two minute interview (and the later released call he placed to 911) grew into a larger examination of race, class and the media. The stories of the abducted women have rightfully taken center stage, but questions about Ramsey's introduction to the world media remain. This week on Basic Black, what can we learn from Charles Ramsey?


Our panel:
- Callie Crossley, host of Under The Radar, 89.7 WGBH Radio
- Peniel Joseph, professor of history, Tufts University
- Phillip Martin, senior reporter, WGBH Radio
- Kim McLarin, author, Divorce Dog: Men, Motherhood, and Midlife
- Michael Jeffries, assistant professor of American Studies, Wellesley College

May 17, 2013

In the headlines this week: a discussion of the Boston mayor's race and how communities of color are poised to make their coalitions heard. Also, this is not the first time the IRS has come under fire for targeting political activity; we'll take a look at the IRS, the NAACP and the black church.


Panelists:
- Callie Crossley, host, Under the Radar, 89.7 WGBH Radio
- Kim McLarin, author, Divorce Dog: Men, Motherhood and Midlife
- Phillip Martin, senior reporter, 89.7 WGBH Radio
- Kevin Peterson, executive director, The New Democracy Coalition
- Kenneth Cooper, editor, The Trotter Review, Trotter Institute, UMass Boston

May 24, 2013

President Barack Obama's address to the graduates of Morehouse College last week drew criticism and praise, not only for what he said but also for how he said it. Was he talking down to the graduates in pressing for personal responsibility? Does he whip out the "preacher" cadence for black audiences only? As graduates of HBCU's and other institutions go out into the world, what is the most useful message they need to hear?


Panelists:
- Latoyia Edwards, anchor, New England Cable News
- Kim McLarin, author, Divorce Dog: Men, Motherhood and Midlife
- Phillip Martin, senior reporter, 89.7 WGBH Radio
- Peniel Joseph, professor of history, Tufts University


(Photo: Official White House photo by Pete Souza)

May 31, 2013

A recent audit by the state revealed that Massachusetts paid welfare benefits to 1,160 dead recipients. In spite of the fact that, in terms of dollars, this is a very tiny fraction compared to the size of the program, and the majority of welfare and food stamp assistance are white, we'll discuss why the stereotype of the "welfare queen" persists. At the other end of the financial spectrum, we'll look at wealth: a recent report by Nielsen concluded that black spending power will reach $1 trillion dollars by 2015…but black wealth is declining. What are the factors contributing to the disparity?

Panel:
- Callie Crossley, host, Under The Radar, 89.7 WGBH Radio
- Kim McLarin, author, Divorce Dog: Men, Motherhood, and Midlife
- Peniel Joseph, professor of history, Tufts University
- Phillip Martin, senior reporter, 89.7 WGBH Radio

June 7, 2013

The folks who make Cheerios thought their commercial highlighted the heart health benefits of their product. All anyone sees is the interracial family consuming the cereal; the virulent racist reaction moves YouTube to shut down the comments section...

Michelle Obama confronts a heckler who interrupted her remarks at a private fundraiser…Twitter erupts on all sides of the issue...

And a challenge to the appointment of a white person to lead the board of Roxbury Community College sparks a debate….?

Panel:?
- Callie Crossley, host, Under The Radar, 89.7 WGBH Radio?
- Kim McLarin, author, Divorce Dog: Men, Motherhood, and Midlife?
- Peniel Joseph, professor of history, Tufts University?
- Phillip Martin, senior reporter, 89.7 WGBH Radio

May 8, 2015 This week Basic Black opens with a follow-up look at the events in Baltimore with a conversation about black leadership and variations on the “blue wall of silence.” Later in the show: as tensions in Baltimore increased, it was the White House Correspondents Dinner which included a few jokes on the state of race relations, that took center stage in many media outlets; and just after the state of emergency in Baltimore was lifted, the comedy duo Key and Peele premiered a sketch called “Negrotown”… we ask, when is the right time for satire?


Panelists:
- Latoyia Edwards, Anchor, New England Cable News
- Phillip Martin, Senior Reporter, WGBH News
- Kim McLarin, Associate Professor of Writing, Literature, and Publishing, Emerson College
- Peniel Joseph, Professor of History, Tufts University
- Emmett G. Price III, Associate Professor of Music, Northeastern University and author of The Black Church and Hip Hop Culture


Photo: (Left) Scene from “Negrotown” Key & Peele, Comedy Central. (Right) Protesters demonstrate as a curfew imposed in the aftermath of rioting following Monday's funeral for Freddie Gray goes into effect Friday, May 1, 2015, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

The production of Hamlet by the Denver Center for the Performing Arts Theatre Company is fairly traditional. There are...

Prof. Luigi Zingales discusses the economic and market impact of Italian political uncertainty

While conducting research at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, a music theory professor discovered manuscripts of music that haven't been heard since World War II.

Peter Tork, who studied at Carleton College in Northfield and later rose to teen-idol fame in 1966 playing the lovably clueless bass guitarist in the made-for-television rock band The Monkees, has died. He was 77.

The Arkansas-born blues singer looks back on her career and discusses "Travelin' Woman," her first album in more than 20 years.

80 years ago Kate Smith recorded what would become her signature song "God Bless America." The original version was written in 1918 by Irving Berlin. He re-worked the lyrics a bit and when Smith sang it on her nationally-syndicated radio show, it became an immediate hit.

Plus, Art Hounds recommend an ice-skating performance inspired by black social dances and an Earth Day singalong with Dan Chouinard.

Mark Cannataro created an adorably chilling mashup that places Super Mario Bros. into the halls of The Overlook Hotel from 'The Shining'.

Denzel Washington is retiring after his next few projects, he said in a recent interview.

Robert Williams and Jerami Grant each scored 19 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 122-108 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night. Naz Reid led Minnesota with 28 points in the loss while star guard Anthony Edwards pitched in 26 points.

Wrestler Gable Steveson, who won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, is coming out of retirement. Steveson will compete for the University of Minnesota for a fifth and final season. 

Paul Tosto applauded, supported, defended, and created a fair amount of the material that found its way onto these pages, and he did so without getting or needing attention. At least until today.

NewsCut was born from an idea that started with a hurricane. We knew he'd be great -- as long as no one called him a blogger.

Here's what it's like to fly with Bob Collins in a plane he built.

Collins vowed to not write a goodbye post. We're not sure if's staying true to that, so here comes old friend Tom Weber "to sing a little on behalf of a friend who’s made immeasurable contributions to MPR and Minnesota."

Being a member of the MPR News staff for a little over a year, and located outside of the St. Paul office, I’ve only had the privilege to observe the NewsCut magic as many readers have, with interactions through emails and reading Bob Collins’ words. But the one time I got to meet Bob in…

It’s an unmistakable sound. One that elicits memories, sights and scents of events long ago. It recalls the joy of youth, the possibility of a spring evening. But it can also incite insomnia and the blind rage that accompanies it.

Black and Latino voters moved toward Republican Donald Trump in this year's presidential election, and some of the biggest shifts were among men under age 45, and that helped expand his margin over Democrat Kamala Harris. 

The new Louisiana requirement that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public classroom by Jan. 1 was temporarily blocked Tuesday. The judge said the law is "unconstitutional on its face."

State environmental regulators and a group of northeastern Minnesota residents have filed separate lawsuits to block a proposed $45 million resort development near Ely and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

Over 200,000 people canceled their subscriptions in the first few days following news that The Washington Post would not endorse any presidential candidate.

A Washington D.C. based company announced it will build a $5 billion sustainable fuels production facility in Moorhead. The plant is expected to create 650 jobs and be operational by 2030.

Xcel Energy wants to build the roughly 170-mile power line from Garvin in Lyon County to Becker in central Minnesota. It would connect solar and wind energy from southwest Minnesota to the electrical grid.

A Christian falsely charged with blasphemy in three cases was released on bail this week after prosecutors failed to produce evidence against him, his attorney said.

Muslim vigilante groups are working with federal authorities to lure young people into sharing blasphemous content on social media in order to put them behind bars, according to an investigation by Pakistan’s National Commission for Human Rights

Muslims in Sudan’s River Nile state drove 34 displaced Christians from their homes, sources said.

Known to millions as the drummer of the Grammy Award-winning band Hootie & the Blowfish, Jim “Soni” Sonefeld once appeared to have it all — a successful career, a loving family and a public image that masked his private struggles. Beneath the surface, however, he grappled with inner demons.

Late night comedy talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was reduced to tears Wednesday as he scolded the voters who elected President-elect Donald Trump to a second term.

The documentarian who recently went viral when Tucker Carlson told him he was "physically mauled" by a demon last year pushed back against those who would dismiss the former Fox News host's claims about spiritual warfare.

On Dec. 6th, Netflix invites audiences on a compelling journey back to ancient Judea to witness the story of the Nativity through the eyes of Mary of Nazareth, mother of Jesus Christ, in the film “Mary.” 

The recent defeat of Northern Pass was a major setback for the import of large-scale hydropower into the region. Meanwhile, efforts to build more solar and wind power are still underway… and some towns and cities have set their own renewable goals. We'll look at the reliability of these technologies… and talk about their role in the future of our region’s power grid.

Our new climate change reporting initiative, By Degrees , begins in an unprecedented time – one where people are making seismic shifts in their lifestyles and attitudes in response to COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement. Many of our listeners have wondered: why haven’t people reacted the same way to the climate emergency, and could that be about to change?

The Georgia Supreme Court has upheld the life sentence of a pastor who led a double life and murdered his fiancée on their wedding day.

Barely a year after the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2021, and shortly before they would jet off to Angola in southern Africa with their five children to do missionary work, Beau Shroyer and his wife Jackie Shroyer who was recently charged in connection with his Oct. 25 murder, shared their troubled paths to Jesus and what made them so willing to dive into the mission field no matter the cost.

With statues coming down around the country in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, NHPR’s Sean Hurley recently heard about one town in New Hampshire that is considering putting one up.

A majority of practicing Christians, including pastors, admit to viewing pornography and a large share say they are comfortable with the habit, a new study has found.

Bonar Tanudjaja, Southeast Asia and East Asia regional director of Generosity Path, shares the core principles of biblical generosity and how the Journey of Generosity has transformed individuals, churches and communities across Asia through sharing stories of people who are radically generous.

The group GAFCON has demanded that Archbishop Justin Welby publicly repent for comments that contradict the “doctrine of Christ.”

The Rev. Bernard Randall, an ordained Church of England chaplain, has taken legal action against Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby for blocking a disciplinary case against the Bishop of Derby who labeled him a safeguarding risk due to his traditional Christian views on gender identity..

The Republican Party has secured a majority of the seats in the United States House of Representatives, having already secured the White House and the U.S. Senate.