Podcasts for Black History Month

Podcasts for Black History Month

Graphic of all of the podcast logos.

We have a collection of podcasts for you that explore Black history, Black leaders, the Civil Rights movement, and much more. Learning about our past can help us to understand the present better. 

 

1619 podcast logo.

1619

This is a New York Times audio series hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones. In August of 1619, a ship carrying more than 20 enslaved Africans arrived in the English colony of Virginia. America was not yet America, but this was the moment it began. No aspect of the country that would be formed here has been untouched by the 250 years of slavery that followed. 

 

The African American Studies Podcast logo.

The African American Studies Podcast

This podcast acts as a conversation around the field of African American Studies and the Black experience in the 21st century. They focus on the political, economic, and cultural forces that shape our understanding of race within America. The podcast is recorded and co-produced by Elio Lleo and Anthony Gibbons at Princeton University.

 

Blackbelt Voices podcast logo.

Blackbelt Voices

The Blackbelt Voices podcast propagates the richness of Black Southern culture by telling the stories of Black folks down South. Through first-person narratives and in-depth conversations, hosts Adena J. White, Kara Wilkins, and Katrina Dupins share the experiences of Black Southerners living in, loving, and reconciling with the region they call home.

 

Black History Year podcast logo.

Black History Year

Black History Year connects you to the history, thinkers, and activists that are left out of the mainstream conversations. You may not agree with everything you hear, but they’re always working toward one goal: uniting for the best interest of Black people worldwide.

 

Black History Buff Podcast logo.

Black History Buff Podcast

Heard in over 100 countries the Black History Buff podcast is a fun and thrilling journey through time. Covering the full historical tapestry of the African Diaspora, you’ll hear tales covering everything from African Samurai to pistol-wielding poets. More than just a podcast, the show is a bridge that links communities throughout the African diaspora and enlightens and empowers its friends.

 

Code Switch podcast logo.

Code Switch

What's CODE SWITCH? It's the fearless conversations about race that you've been waiting for! Hosted by journalists of color, the podcast tackles the subject of race head-on. They explore how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports, and everything in between. This podcast makes ALL OF US part of the conversation — because we're all part of the story. 

 

Crossing Fence‪s‬ podcast logo.

Crossing Fence‪s‬

Oral histories of African-American men in Pittsburgh as collected by African-American boys and young men in Grades 5 to 12. Produced by SLB Radio Productions, Inc.

 

Everyday Black History podcast logo.

Everyday Black History: Afro Appreciation 

Everyday Black History highlights the contributions of Black men and women both past and present. They celebrate Afro Appreciation and highlight institutions that have helped the advancement of people in the African Diaspora, such as historically Black universities.

 

Fare of the Free Child podcast logo.

Fare of the Free Child 

Fare of the Free Child is a weekly-published podcast community centering Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color in liberatory living and learning practices. With a particular interest in unschooling and the Self-Directed Education movement, Akilah S. Richards and guests discuss the fears and the fares (costs) of raising free Black and Brown children in a world that tends to diminish, dehumanize, and disappear them.

 

Genealogy's African Roots Podcast logo.

Genealogy's African Roots Podcast

This podcast contains suggestions, research tips, strategies, books, and much more. A founding member of AfriGeneas.com, Angela Walton-Raji, has conversations with authors, website hosts, and other researchers.

 

Gravy podcast logo.

Gravy 

Gravy, from the Southern Foodways Alliance, is a journal and podcast duo of original narratives that are fresh, unexpected, and thought-provoking. Gravy shares stories of the changing American South through the foods we eat. The Southern Foodways Alliance drives a more progressive future by leading conversations that challenge existing constructs, shape perspectives, and foster meaningful discussions. 

 

Historically Black podcast logo.

Historically Black

Objects hold history. The Historically Black podcast brings objects and their stories to life through interviews, archival sound, and music. The Washington Post and APM Reports are proud to collaborate in presenting these rich personal histories, along with hosts Keegan-Michael Key, Roxane Gay, Issa Rae, and Another Round hosts, Heben Nigatu and Tracy Clayton.

 

The Humanity Archive podcast logo.

The Humanity Archive 

The Humanity Archive by Jermaine Fowler is your home for the most provocative, honest, and fascinating stories from history. With the most compelling narratives and diverse conversations. This is not the history you learned in school. 

 

In Black America podcast logo.

In Black America

In Black America is a long-running, nationally-syndicated program dedicated to all facets of the African-American experience. Host John L. Hanson profiles a diverse selection of current and historically significant figures whose stories help illuminate life in Black America. Guests include civil rights leaders, educators, artists, athletes, and writers describing their experiences, achievements, and work in chronicling and advancing the quality of African American life. Produced at KUT & KUTX Studios.

 

Intersectionality Matters podcast logo.

Intersectionality Matters!

Intersectionality Matters! is hosted by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, a civil rights advocate and attorney. The mission of The African American Policy Forum, which presents the podcast, is to utilize new ideas and innovative perspectives to transform public discourse and policy.

 

Lynching In America podcast logo.

Lynching in America

The Lynching in America podcast is produced by The Equal Justice Initiative. Its goal is to inform viewers about the details of reported and unreported American lynchings of Black people from the Civil War to World War II. The hosts also hear stories from families whose lives have been impacted by lynchings and other Black people who reflect on being accused and convicted of crimes they did not commit.

 

Momentum: A Race Forward podcast logo.

Momentum: A Race Forward

Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast features movement voices, stories, and strategies for racial justice. Co-hosts Chevon and Hiba give their unique takes on race and pop culture, and uplift narratives of hope, struggle, and joy, as we continue to build the momentum needed to advance racial justice in our policies, institutions, and culture. Build on your racial justice lens and get inspired to drive action by learning from organizational leaders and community activists. 

 

The Nod podcast logo.

The Nod  

The Nod tells the stories of Black life that don’t get told anywhere else. The show ranges from an explanation of purple drink’s association with Black culture to the story of an interracial drag troupe that traveled the nation in the 1940s. They celebrate the genius, the innovation, and the resilience that is so particular to being Black — in America, and around the world.  

 

Noire Histoir podcast logo.

Noire Histoir

Black history and literature from a Noire perspective. Noire Histoir features Black history facts, literature, and motivational stories from across the Black diaspora. Join Natasha McEachron, as she celebrates Black pride, excellence, and power all year.

 

Pod Save the People podcast logo.

Pod Save The People

On Pod Save the People, DeRay Mckesson explores news, culture, social justice, and politics with Sam Sinyangwe, Kaya Henderson, and De’Ara Balenger. They offer a unique take on the news, with a special focus on overlooked stories and topics that often impact people of color. There’s a weekly one-on-one interview with DeRay and special guests, from singer/songwriter John Legend to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. The experts, influencers, and diverse local and national leaders who come on the show go deep on social, political, and cultural issues. 

 

Primary Sources, Black History‬ podcast logo.

Primary Sources, Black History‬

American history preserved through the use of primary sources. Shared by the legends themselves, their descendants, loved ones, genealogists, and scholars. Presented by The Gist of Freedom.

 

Radical Imagination podcast logo.

Radical Imagination

On Radical Imagination, they don't just talk about big issues like inequality, racism, housing insecurity, and more. They meet the people creating bold, inspiring solutions. Hosted by Angela Glover Blackwell, Founder-in-Residence at PolicyLink, Radical Imagination focuses on radical solutions to our society’s most pressing problems. It features conversations with thinkers and changemakers from multiple fields working to deliver equity wins at scale.

 

Revisionist History podcast logo.

Revisionist History

Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell's journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood. Every episode re-examines something from the past—an event, a person, an idea, even a song—and asks whether we got it right the first time. Because sometimes the past deserves a second chance. 

 

Scene on Radio podcast logo.

Scene on Radio

Scene on Radio is a podcast that tells stories exploring human experience and American society. Produced and hosted by John Biewen, Scene on Radio comes from the Center for Documentary Studies (CDS) at Duke University and is distributed by PRX. Season 1 featured a mix of stand-alone and multiple-episode stories. In Season 2, the Peabody-nominated Seeing White, Biewen and collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika explored the history and meaning of whiteness. In Season 3, Biewen and co-host Celeste Headlee delved into sexism, patriarchy, and misogyny. In Season 4, John Biewen and Chenjerai Kumanyika explore democracy in America—past and present—in twelve biweekly episodes. 

 

School Colors podcast logo.

School Colors

School Colors is a documentary podcast from Brooklyn Deep about how race, class, and power shape American cities and schools. They follow generations of parents and educators fighting for their children in a rapidly changing Black neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. School Colors is made possible by support from the NYU Metropolitan Center for Equity and the Transformation of Schools, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

 

Still Processing podcast logo.

Still Processing

Step inside the confession booth of Wesley Morris and Jenna Wortham, two culture writers for The New York Times. They devour TV, movies, art, music, and the internet to find the things that move them — to tears, awe, and anger. Still Processing is where they try to understand the pleasures and pathologies of America in 2020.

 

Still Processing podcast logo.

The Stoop

The Stoop podcast digs into stories that are not always shared out in the open. Hosts Leila Day and Hana Baba start conversations and provide professionally-reported stories about what it means to be Black and how we talk about Blackness. Come hang out on The Stoop as we dialog about the diaspora.

 

Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast logo.

Stuff You Missed in History Class

Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by iHeartRadio. Find episodes of the show that discuss race, racism, and anti-Black violence in the US, as well as new podcast recommendations here

 

Teaching Hard History podcast logo.

Teaching Hard History 

What we don’t know about American history hurts us all. Teaching Hard History begins with the long and brutal legacy of chattel slavery and reaches through the victories of and violent responses to the civil rights movement to the present day. From Teaching Tolerance and host Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Teaching Hard History brings us the lessons we should have learned in school through the voices of leading scholars and educators. It’s good advice for teachers and good information for everybody.

 

Us & Them podcast logo.

Us & Them 

"Us & Them" is a new podcast exploring all sides of the cultural issues that too often divide us. Peabody Award-winner Trey Kay brings us stories that may make you rethink your opinions on religion, sexuality, and other important issues. "Us & Them" is a joint project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting and Trey Kay Productions, with support from the West Virginia Humanities Council.

 

Wiki History podcast logo.

Wiki History‪!‬

This is a lecture series about African American history by Robin Lofton. Each "wiki" lecture is approximately 5 minutes long and teaches lessons from the past that can be used to improve our lives and the future. The lectures are fun, interesting, and inspirational!

 

Witness Black History podcast logo.

Witness Black History Podcast 

Interviews with people who were there at key moments in Black and civil rights history from BBC News.

 

While Black podcast logo.

While Black   

While Black is a podcast on Black excellence with two seriously opinionated hosts bringing you the real and the sometimes raw on anything happening while Black.