Black History Buff: Uncovering Untold Stories

Uncover one of the most important untold stories in African American history: how a 15-year-old Black teenager in New York challenged America's first prison-for-profit system and exposed the origins of mass incarceration. William Freeman's story reveals shocking truths about Black history that have been buried for nearly 200 years. In 1840s Auburn, New York, this young African American man...

In this episode of  Black History Buff: Definitions , we explore the meaning of  Critical Race Theory , a term that has sparked intense public debate but is often misunderstood or misrepresented. Originally developed by legal scholars in the United States during the 1970s and 80s, Critical Race Theory is a framework for understanding how racism is not just a matter of individual prejudice, but som...

In this episode of Black History Buff: Definitions , we explore the Black Panther Party , one of the most iconic and misunderstood organisations in modern Black history. Founded in 1966 in Oakland, California, the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense emerged during the civil rights era as a response to police brutality, racial injustice, and systemic inequality. But the movement was about more tha...

Before Auschwitz, there was Namibia. In this powerful episode, we define the Herero and Nama genocide the first genocide of the 20th century, carried out by German colonial forces in Southwest Africa. Tens of thousands were killed, displaced, and imprisoned in concentration camps. Germany has since acknowledged it, but the silence around this atrocity remains loud. This is a story of violence, res...

The same federal law that destroyed boxing legend Jack Johnson in 1913 just convicted Sean 'P Diddy' Combs in 2025, and the connection reveals a disturbing pattern of prosecutorial targeting that spans over a century. In this explosive episode, King Kurus exposes how the Mann Act, originally passed in 1910 to stop a 'white slavery' trafficking network that never existed, became the...

In this episode of  Black History Buff: Definitions , we explore the meaning of a term that spans continents, cultures, and centuries: the African Diaspora. Often mentioned in conversations about identity, heritage, and global Black culture, the African Diaspora refers to the communities of people of African descent living outside the African continent. But it is more than geography. It is a story...

In this episode of  Black History Buff: Definitions , we explore the meaning behind  Juneteenth , a historic date that marks a delayed freedom and an enduring legacy. Recognised as one of the most significant observances in African American history, Juneteenth commemorates the moment in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned of their freedom, more than two years after the E...

What if every drumbeat was a message in plain sight? In this episode of Black History Buff: Definitions, we break down bonkó enchemiyá—the coded drum language of Cuba's Abakuá brotherhoods. But this isn’t just history; it’s a key to understanding how Black communities across time and continents have used music as resistance, refuge, and revolution. From the streets of Havana to the basslines o...

In this episode, we delve into the life of Fela Kuti, the revolutionary musician who transformed the landscape of music and politics in Nigeria. The story begins in 1969 when Fela, a Nigerian jazz musician, meets a Black Panther in Los Angeles. This pivotal moment set the stage for his evolution into Africa's most dangerous artist, a title he earned by weaponizing rhythm and challenging milita...

The largest gut microbiome study ever conducted in Africa has revealed a disturbing truth about what urbanisation is doing to Black bodies worldwide. Published in Nature journal, this groundbreaking research followed 1,801 women across Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa and the findings should concern every member of the Black diaspora. In this episode, King Kurus breaks down how the mov...

When British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK risked becoming an "island of strangers" without tougher immigration controls, the backlash was immediate. Critics immediately drew parallels to Enoch Powell's notorious 1968 "Rivers of Blood" speech. Now Starmer claims he "deeply regrets" the phrase and had no idea about the historical connection. But King Kurus isn&...

In this episode of  Black History Buff: Definitions , we explore the word  Griot , a term deeply rooted in West African history and culture. You’ve likely heard the word in conversations about storytelling, oral tradition, or African heritage, but what does it actually mean? And why does it matter? This short, accessible episode defines the role of the Griot, explains its historical context, and i...

Why did Spanish colonial authorities in 1836 fear a drumbeat more than a rebellion in Havana? In this episode, King Kurus uncovers the hidden origins of Cuban music's most distinctive rhythm. a sound that carries secrets from West Africa's leopard societies straight to your modern playlist. From the docks of colonial Cuba to today's dance floors, discover the brotherhood that Spanish o...

In this episode of Black History Buff: Definitions , we break down the term Maroon Communities, a powerful example of resistance, self-determination, and cultural survival in the face of enslavement and colonialism. Maroon communities were formed by formerly enslaved Africans who escaped captivity and built free, independent settlements across the Caribbean, the Americas, and parts of Africa. Thes...

In this episode of  Black History Buff: Definitions , we explore the  Great Migration one of the largest internal movements of people in United States history. Between 1916 and 1970, over six million African Americans left the rural South in search of better opportunities in cities across the North, Midwest, and West. They were fleeing racial violence, segregation, and poverty, and seeking work, e...

In May 2025, the Pentagon ordered military libraries to remove books addressing diversity, gender, and anti-racism. What followed was more than a quiet content review — it was a warning shot. In this episode, King Kurus explores the chilling parallels between this modern-day censorship and historical efforts to erase marginalised voices. We unpack the emotional and political cost of disappearing s...

During the Civil War, a group of remarkable Black women infiltrated enemy lines, gathered critical intelligence, and shaped the course of history — all while being overlooked and underestimated. In this episode, we dive into the stories of three unsung heroines: Mary Elizabeth Bowser, the spy with a photographic memory who infiltrated Jefferson Davis’ home; Mary Louveste, the seamstress who risked...

In April 2025, Burkina Faso's government announced it had stopped a major coup attempt. But behind the headlines lies a deeper question—who is Captain Ibrahim Traoré really fighting for? In this extended episode, King Kurus dives into the details of the alleged plot, the mounting accusations, and the sharp divide in public opinion. Is Traoré a revolutionary refusing to bow to foreign powers? O...

Marcus Garvey didn’t just talk about freedom—he built the blueprint for Black liberation. In this episode of The Black History Buff Podcast, we explore the remarkable journey of the Jamaican-born visionary who became the face of Pan-African pride and self-reliance. Learn how Garvey founded the  Universal Negro Improvement Association , launched the  Black Star Line , and inspired a global movement...

What counts as “real knowledge”? Who decides which histories are taught—and which ones are left out? In this episode of  Black History Buff: Definitions , we share the term  Epistemic Erasure —a powerful concept that explains how knowledge, cultures, and histories are systematically erased or dismissed, especially those belonging to Black, Indigenous, and other marginalised communities. Epistemic...

In this episode of  Black History Buff: Definitions , we explore one of the most iconic and culturally rich elements of African American life— Soul Food . This short and engaging episode touches on the  origins, cultural significance, and emotional weight  behind the term, showing how food can be more than sustenance—it can be memory, identity, and resistance. You’ll hear how Soul Food connects ge...

In this episode of  Black History Buff: Definitions , we take a closer look at the  Harlem Renaissance a cultural, artistic, and intellectual movement that transformed Black identity in the early 20th century. Centred in Harlem, New York, but with echoes across the globe, the Harlem Renaissance gave rise to legendary figures like  Langston Hughes ,  Zora Neale Hurston ,  Duke Ellington , and  Jose...

Hey family! Welcome to Black History Buff: Definitions —a new mini-series where we break down keywords, terms, and phrases from Black and African history in quick, bite-sized episodes. In this first episode, we’re looking at Pan-Africanism —the idea that African people, no matter where they are in the world, share a common history and future. This concept has influenced movements, leaders, and nat...

📖  Black women who used the pen as a weapon—why don’t we know their names? In this powerful episode of  The Black History Buff Podcast , King Kurus takes us on a journey through the lives of  Phillis Wheatley, Maria W. Stewart, and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper —three trailblazing Black women who defied the odds and demanded their voices be heard. 🔥  Phillis Wheatley  – The enslaved poet who  cha...

Step into the  Black History Buff Podcast  as we uncover the untold stories of Black women at the heart of the  Black Power Movement . In this powerful episode, we shine a light on pivotal figures like  Kathleen Cleaver ,  Angela Davis , and  Assata Shakur , whose unwavering commitment to  Black activism ,  community organising , and the  African diaspora helped shape modern social justice. Join K...