A Word … with Jason Johnson

While the vast majority of African American students attend predominantly white institutions –or PWIs– for college, many Black scholars are giving historically Black colleges and universities a second look. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses the issue with Michelle Purdy, an associate professor of education at Washington University at St. Louis. She has studied the intersection...

Activists and abortion rights supporters are trying building a movement in the post-Roe v. Wade era. An empowered conservative court, a potential digital dragnet, and an unfocused Democratic response is making that complicated. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by legal analyst Imani Gandy, who explains why –despite the setback– she feels energized and hopeful about this moment...

With the Golden State Warriors wrapping up another championship, NBA players are settling in for the off-season when many will be working on physical fitness and strength. But more teams are recognizing that mental fitness –especially for a league full of young Black men– is just as important. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Corey Yeager, a life coach and psychotherapist f...

* This will be a frank discussion about homophobia, and our guest will talk about his experience being called an anti-gay slur.* This LGBTQ Pride Month has been marred by a rash of anti-gay and anti-trans laws, and some groups plotting physical attacks at Pride events. For Black members of the community, racism has added even more tension to this year’s Pride. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason J...

The market for cryptocurrency crashed in May, losing billions of investor dollars. That’s a special concern for African Americans, who are twice as likely as white people to invest in crypto. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by economist Darrick Hamilton to discuss the unique appeal of cryptocurrency among Black Americans, and whether the potential rewards outweigh the risks....

Like so much of pop culture, online culture is largely rooted in the work of Black and other marginalized people. Writer and activist Bridget Todd celebrates their stories on her podcast There Are No Girls on the Internet . On today’s episode of A Word, she joins Jason Johnson to talk about the challenge of preserving that history, and building communities for women, LGBTQ people, and Black folks...

With Americans owing more than $1.7 trillion in student loan debt, Black and other marginalized students are bearing a disproportionate share of the burden. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Braxton Brewington, the spokesperson for The Debt Collective. That organization, dedicated to ending what it considers unjust debt, closed out more than a million dollars owed by student...

The recent massacre targeting the Black community in Buffalo has led to strong words from President Biden and other leaders, denouncing white supremacist violence. But for the remaining survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and their descendants, those words ring hollow. On this week’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Damario Solomon-Simmons, a civil rights lawyer who is leading a...

In light of the threat to Roe v. Wade, abortion rights advocates are asking many companies –including in the tech industry– to take a stand. But many industry leaders are silent, and could be poised to profit from data that tracks abortion providers, advocates, and patients. On this week’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Bärí Williams, an expert on diversity in tech and artificial in...

With one million dead from COVID, many Americans are suffering through profound grief. And for Black Americans, the pandemic combined with the racial reckoning has made the mourning feel endless. On this week’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson talks with writer Marisa Renee Lee about her new book Grief Is Love: Living With Loss , and about making space for joy in the midst of grief.  Guest: Marisa...

Black Twitter has grown into a community where jokes, memes, and activism flourish. But with Elon Musk taking over, many users fear the most vital conversations will be silenced. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Omar Wasow, a pioneer in online culture, and the co-founder of the BlackPlanet social network. They discuss what Musk’s definition of free speech and his record on...

The Black Lives Matter movement has emerged as a major political force. Now, questionable spending by the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation has sparked questions about whether key movement leaders have lost their way. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Sean Campbell, an investigative journalist whose report on the foundation was published in New York Magazine. He a...

Although church and state are supposed to be separate, white evangelical power is a potent force in American politics. And it has historically been used to battle against racial equity. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Professor Anthea Butler, the author of White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America . They discuss the resurgence of white evangelical influ...

It’s tax season, a stressful time for millions of Americans. But for many Black Americans, financial issues are complicated year-round by the “Black Tax;” that’s the complex web of structural bias in finance, banking, and housing policy that can make it harder for African Americans to build wealth. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by financial advice author Lynnette Khalfani-C...

Chris Rock is back on tour, days after Will Smith struck him and won his first Oscar in the same night. While the Academy strongly condemned Smith, several Black stars and writers have publicly defended him, or even applauded him for standing up for his wife. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson talks with entertainment journalist Chris Witherspoon about how race is playing out in the debat...

White Ukrainians have been praised for defending their homeland, and embraced when they’re forced to leave. It’s a sharp contrast to what has faced Black Ukrainians, Syrians, Afghans, and others who have fled war zones. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Patrick Gaspard, who served in the Obama administration, and currently leads the Center for American Progress. He addresses...

This year, several Black artists have been nominated for Oscars, including Ariana DeBose, Aunjanue Ellis, Will Smith, and Denzel Washington. But there’s concern that diversity –in front of and behind the camera– hasn’t been fully embraced in Hollywood. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by April Reign, whose 2015 hashtag #OscarsSoWhite sparked a vigorous debate over inclusion in...

This week, Congress passed the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act to make lynching a federal crime. It’s named for Emmett Till, a Chicago teenager who was brutally killed in Mississippi in 1955. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by historian Lopez Matthews, Jr. to discuss the harmful myths about lynching, and how its specter haunts African Americans to this day. Guest: Lopez Matthew...

President Joe Biden’s nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court made history. But according to MSNBC legal analyst Elie Mystal, it will take a lot more than her confirmation to break the conservative hold on the nation’s judiciary. On today’s episode of A Word, he talks with Jason Johnson about the confirmation battle ahead, and about his new book Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s G...

Philadelphia may be the cradle of American democracy. But the city has a difficult history with race. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s new project, “A More Perfect Union,” is seeking to shed light on the city’s historic racism. It started with itself, acknowledging a history of its role in perpetuating racism in the opening story “Black City. White Paper.” On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is...

Pornography is more than a dirty secret. It’s a profitable one, making billions from American consumers each year. And like much of entertainment, it trafficks in damaging racial stereotypes. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Dr. Carolyn West. She’s a psychology professor at the University of Washington who produced the documentary “Let Me Tell Ya’ll Bout Black Chicks: Image...

The NFL claims that Black coaches are treated fairly in the league. But former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores is suing, saying he can’t get a job because of racial bias. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Joel Anderson, co-host of Slate’s sports podcast Hang Up and Listen, to talk about the controversy, and the limits of the “Rooney Rule” in ending racism in hiring for NFL...

Searching for truthful versions of Black history can be tough, especially as honest lessons about racism are caught up in the controversy over Critical Race Theory. In his new book Who Are Your People? , political commentator Bakari Sellers delivers Black history to a generation of kids, something inspired by his own experience as a father. Bakari Sellers joined Jason Johnson on today’s episode of...

For decades, it has a running joke that Black characters were the first to die in horror movies. But movies like Nia DaCosta’s Candyman and Jordan Peele’s Get Out are rewriting the script, and creating horror villains and heroes who represent the real Black experience. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Tananarive Due, an award-winning author and producer who teaches Black Ho...

In theory, the Fair Housing Act of 1968 outlawed all forms of real estate discrimination. In reality, Black home sellers often see their homes valued much lower than similar homes owned by whites. Andre Perry of the Brookings Instititution joins the show today to talk about the how real estate discrimination has robbed Black Americans billions of dollars in generational wealth, and what can be don...