Shelley’s Plumbline

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of "Shelley's Plumline," hosts Mark Jamroz and Dr. Ricky Jones explore the foundational contradictions of American history, using Frederick Douglass’s critique of Independence Day as a starting point.  We analyze the systematic erasure of figures like Crispus Attucks from public memory and discuss how lingering ideologies from the Civil War era conti...

Send us Fan Mail Today, we continue in the theme of fathers as we rebroadcast a show we released on near his birthday, September 27, 2023. It features a recording of a speech Shelley made on Father's Day when he was 63 years old at Friendship Baptist Church . This Church plays a special role in Shelley's life. As a boy of five, he saw his mother murdered just a few blocks away. In spite...

Send us Fan Mail You don't have to be a dad to be a father. Mentor a child. Set a good example. Teach our youth the right direction. Happy Father's Day. Support the show Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , and  LinkedIn .

Send us Fan Mail Shelley's Plumbline is on a short summer break. In the meantime, Shelley asked that we rebroadcast some of our most popular episodes on the importance of education.  Support the show Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , and  LinkedIn .

Send us Fan Mail In this week's podcast, Dr. Ricky Jones calls out modern efforts to roll back Civil Rights gains. The discussion highlights the systematic underfunding of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the use of anti-affirmative action and anti-DEI movements to restrict Black student access and support at predominantly white institutions.  We discuss how the real v...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Shelley's Plumbline explores the question of what we, as Black men and a people, have done wrong in the ongoing struggle for equality?  Stewart frames this introspection with painful memories of childhood segregation and being told he was "wrong" simply because of his color. Dr. Jones refines the query into two parts: "What is wrong with blackne...

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Send us Fan Mail This week on Shelley's Plumbline, we look into the true meaning of war, questioning the moral center of American conflicts, and suggesting that the biggest challenge today is simply survival in America.  The discussion exposes America's "masterful lie" of liberty and justice for all, highlighting the historical and ongoing racial injustice faced by Black vetera...

Send us Fan Mail In this week's podcast, we continue our interview featuring Candis Bonner, a top writer for the major magazine Black Radio Exclusive . We focus on the history and evolution of the Black radio industry. Bonner explains that Black radio was not homogeneous across the US, and her publication was often ahead of the curve in predicting music trends because it was dedicated to the...

Send us Fan Mail This week's podcast features guest Candis Bonner, who shares a conversation about lifelong friendship and the evolution of Black media. Friendship Loss and Reunion We discuss the pain of losing friends and the rarity of true friendship. Shelley recounts the emotional reunion with his lifelong friend, Jimmy, after 10 years of separation following his homelessness at age 7. Bla...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode of Shelley's Plumbline explores the opposition to Human Rights progress, including the anti-DEI movement and the inaction of the Black bourgeoisie, prompting a call for a desperate resurgence of the movement for freedom.  Shelley and Ricky emphasize the crucial role of education, advocating for widespread reading and critical thinking as a necessary e...

Send us Fan Mail This week Shelley's Plumbline covers a debate on the Black Church's role in community unity and institutional strength, questioning if its historical influence on the community and youth still remains strong today.  Shelley shares his concern about whether Black institutions like the church that once helped navigate racial struggles have weakened in that role.  The discu...

Send us Fan Mail The week's discussion centers on the pursuit of power, with Ricky and Shelley questioning the sustainability of the integration model and discussing the need for new political approaches, including "voluntary separation."  We pay tribute to Reverend Jesse Jackson, remembering his dedication to "Education, hope, and the continuous fight for equality and power. ...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we dive into the pivotal moments that shaped our world—from the blackouts and segregation of the 1940s and post-war era, to the political earthquakes of Maynard Jackson’s and Coleman Young’s mayoral elections in Atlanta and Detroit. We compare the struggles for equality faced by figures like Reverend Jesse Jackson with the modern-day battles for DEI, ultimately as...

Send us Fan Mail This episode concludes a four-part series on Dr. Carter G. Woodson and centers on the loss of the Black Old Guard, specifically honoring Reverend Jesse Jackson. A key point of discussion was the denial of Reverend Jackson lying in honor at the state capital, which the hosts connected to a broader historical erasure and ongoing attacks on education and historical acknowledgment.  T...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode continues our Black History Month series on Dr. Carter G. Woodson,  whose rejection of the NAACP begs the question: Does the influence of funding to Black movements trigger the need for a "leadership audit" within Black organizations?  Support the show Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , and  LinkedIn .

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode continues the focus on the life and ideology of Dr. Carter G. Woodson as part of a four-part Black History Month series. We open by marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of Negro History Week and re-ask Woodson’s provocative question from the 1940s: "Do we deserve to celebrate right now?" Woodson opined that celebration was unwarranted if...

Send us Fan Mail In this special Black History Month episode of Shelley's Plumbline, executive producer Mark Jamroz and host Dr. Ricky Jones—son of the Radio Hall of Famer Shelley Stewart—share a conversation on Carter G. Woodson and the origins of Black History Month.  The core of the conversation focuses on the legacy of Carter G. Woodson and the founding of Negro History Week , with Jones...

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Send us Fan Mail We join the nation in mourning the loss of civil rights pioneer Claudette Colvin , who passed away on January 13, 2026, at the age of 86. In her honor, we are rebroadcasting this interview with her sister, Gloria Laster, originally broadcast on December 2, 2025. The discussion centers on the overlooked role of Colvin, the 15-year-old arrested nine months before Rosa Parks for the...

Send us Fan Mail Join Shelley's Plumbline for this powerful year-end recap, reflecting on the most impactful conversations of 2025, a year marked by the addition of co-host Dr. Ricky Jones.  Jones’s arrival brought a new voice of depth and truth that resonated profoundly with listeners. The year’s second most downloaded episode, "Finding My Father," featured the emotional and deeply...

Send us Fan Mail Hello, Plumbliners! Shelley, Mark and Ricky are going to take a break going into the holiday season . So today, we (re)present the most downloaded Plumbline episode of 2025, titled "Racism Today." In this episode, Shelley, Mark and Ricky Jones launch into a powerful discussion on the enduring struggle against racism, arguing that while overt segregation is gone, it has t...

Send us Fan Mail Today, Shelley and Ricky focus their discussion on the ongoing disregard for both Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks after the bus boycott, noting Parks' financial struggles and the general minimization of women's contributions by male movement leaders.  Shelley and Ricky share a broader contemporary critique, lamenting the societal decline in critical thinking and sacrific...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Shelley's Plumline, explores the 70th anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott with special guest Gloria Laster, the older sister of Claudette Colvin. The discussion centers on the overlooked role of Colvin, the 15-year-old arrested nine months before Rosa Parks for the same act of defiance.  Laster recounts how Colvin was a plaintiff in the successful Browde...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Shelley and Ricky discuss the key role that Shelley played in the Children's March. The scene is Birmingham, Alabama, April and May of 1963. Martin Luther King Jr.’s advisors had deliberately chosen the city to confront the notoriously violent Police Commissioner, Bull Connor. Shelley recounts advising King to leave the pulpit and engage directly with the peo...