Black & Indigenous Stories: Erased

What do you believe deeply enough to say out loud? Published in 1904, W.E.B. Du Bois’s Credo is a declaration of belief—in humanity, freedom, education, dignity, justice, and the possibilities of a world still becoming. With each statement, Du Bois names what he believes and what he hopes can be. His words speak to the realities of Black life in America and refuse to allow those realities to defin...

In this final part of the speech, Frederick Douglass ends his historic 1852 speech by turning from indictment to possibility. After exposing the deep contradictions between America's ideals and its treatment of enslaved people, he offers something powerful: hope. Hope rooted the belief that truth has the power to transform hearts, movements, and nations. Mr. Douglass reminds us that history is nev...

This episode contains one of the most unflinching sections of Frederick Douglass's 1852 address. Here, Mr. Douglass turns his attention to the internal slave trade, exposing the buying and selling of human beings as the nation's greatest moral failure. He refuses to soften the reality of families torn apart, lives treated as property, and a system of violence not hidden from public view, but prote...

In this second part of Frederick Douglass's historic 1852 address, admiration leaves the room and uncomfortable truths show up. Mr. Douglass challenges his audience—and us—to consider who's included in America's promise of liberty and who's deliberately left out. With incredible restraint and unwavering conviction, Mr. Douglass asks a question that reaches beyond his time: Can a nation truly celeb...

In July 1852, just one day after Americans celebrated Independence Day, Frederick Douglass stood before an audience in Rochester, New York, and delivered one of the most powerful speeches in American history. In Part 1 of this special series, Mr. Douglass begins with gratitude, acknowledging the courage of the nation's founders and the promise of liberty that inspired the American Revolution. Bene...

Reading this essay was earie. It was written in 1920, and yet, I could feel the parallels to the discussions we're having and the events we're experiencing today in 2026. This reading is from 'Dark Water: Voices from Within the Veil' by W.E.B. Du Bois and it digs into the themes of racial identity and colonialism. It explores the impact of "whiteness", the failure of white religion, labor exploita...

“The Ingrate,” by Paul Laurence Dunbar uses satire to challenge the myth of the “kind” or “benevolent” enslaver a narrative often used to soften the brutal reality of enslavement. On the surface, the story seems to show a generous "master" offering help, while the recipient is labeled an ingrate. Under the surface, Dunbar shows how the actions are self-serving, rooted in control and power and not...

Zora Neale Hurston's 'How It Feels to be Colored Me' written in 1928 explores her feelings and pride about being colored while also experiencing negative reactions. She talks about how she's only colored against the backdrop of whiteness. This essay highlights her personal experiences and feelings about race, identity, and belonging. She reflects on her journey from a small colored town to a large...

"Sweat" by Zora Neale Hurston is a 1926 short story about Delia, a hardworking washerwoman enduring a 15-year abusive marriage to her lazy, adulterous husband, Sykes. Delia keeps up their household with her "sweat," while Sykes hates her work and wastes her money, having been beating her from the beginning of their marriage. Sykes tries to force Delia out of her home, which she paid for, to live w...

Welcome to Black & Indigenous Stories: Erased —a podcast where silenced stories are spoken out loud and proud for all to hear. In each episode, we read works by Black and Indigenous writers, explore the lives behind the words, and uncover ignored, distorted, or whitewashed histories. Stories of truth, resistance, imagination, and survival—reclaimed, remembered, and heard. Not footnotes, histor...