Shelley Stewart
Shelley’s Plumbline
In construction, a plumbline is a weight suspended from a string used as a tool to find the true reference line. A plumbline will always find the vertical axis pointing to the center of gravity, ensuring everything is right, justified, and centered. Pulling from a library of more than 3,000 shows from his storied career in broadcasting, Shelley's Plumbline leads us in a search for the truth, opening the channels of communication and understanding on tough social topics that are as relevant today as they were 40 years ago. Join us as we explore the past, compare it to today, and craft a be...
Be sure to visit the podcast's website and support the creator: www.shelleysplumbline.com
Author
Shelley Stewart
Category
Podcast website
Latest episode
Oct 30, 2026
Where to listen?
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Episodes
Shelley's Back 05.03.2026 39:15
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...
Erasing History 25.02.2026 33:14
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...
Woodson's Challenge: Should Funding Dollars Make Decisions? 18.02.2026 32:46
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 .
Carter G. Woodson and the Challenges of Black Leadership 12.02.2026 32:16
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...
Have You Earned the Right to Celebrate BHM? 06.02.2026 37:37
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...
Dr. Ricky Jones' MLK Speech: Holding a Mirror of Truth to America's Face 28.01.2026 41:41
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Some Truths About Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks (Rebroadcast) 14.01.2026 38:21
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...
A Review of Our Favorite Plumblines of 2025 24.12.2025 42:56
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...
Racism Today (Rebroadcast) 18.12.2025 34:36
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...
Whatever Happened to Rosa Parks? 10.12.2025 33:00
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...
Some Truths About Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks 03.12.2025 38:21
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...
Shelley's Role in The Children's March 26.11.2025 35:51
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...
Shelley's Encounters with the KKK 20.11.2025 39:15
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Shelley recounts his conflicts with the Ku Klux Klan in Birmingham in the 1950s, intensified by his refusal to adhere to segregated customs in local stores. Shelley reveals that many Klan members were police officers and local business owners. His activism escalated on his WEDR radio show, where he publicly discussed the segregated city, education, and incidents o...
Shelley's Early Days in Radio 12.11.2025 34:16
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Shelley "The Playboy" Enters the Radio Hall of Fame 05.11.2025 35:28
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If We Knew Better, Part 2 29.10.2025 32:28
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If We Knew Better, Part 1 22.10.2025 39:35
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Miseducation Continues 15.10.2025 36:48
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Racism Today 09.10.2025 34:36
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Hosea Revisited 01.10.2025 37:01
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Shelley's 91st Birthday 24.09.2025 36:20
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What Has Happened to Black Media? 17.09.2025 34:03
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Is Our Progress Going Backwards? 10.09.2025 34:55
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Education Lifts All Ships 03.09.2025 34:00
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Is DEI Dead? Is Education Undervalued? 27.08.2025 35:07
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