

Black History Year
PushBlack
Learning your history makes you - and your people - stronger. As Black people, we know we’re left out of the history books. That the media images are skewed. That we need access to experts, information and ideas so we can advance our people. 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 we’re always working toward one goal: uniting for the best interest of Black people worldwide. BHY is produced by PushBlack, the nation’s largest non-profit Black media company - hit us up at BlackHistoryYear.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 6, 2025 • 3min
She Created A Black Superhero To Inspire Black Children For Decades To Come
Like the sun, our people radiate with power! So when her son doubted his Blackness, this superhero mother stepped in – and created something legendary!_____________2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work.The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 3, 2025 • 3min
Why We Tell Black Children Not To Say The Word ‘Lie’
This tiny three-letter word was forbidden in so many of our families. Saying “lie” was like swearing. But there’s a reason we were raised to never say it._____________2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work.The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 2, 2025 • 4min
Their Secret Plot To Target Black Children Still Harms Us Today
A white truck pulled into her Boston housing project — but it wasn’t selling ice cream. Instead, it was a tobacco company giving menthol cigarette samples to children! And Black communities are still suffering deadly consequences of their secret, targeted marketing._____________2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work.The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 1, 2025 • 3min
Is “Whooping” Children Just A Part Of Black Culture?
The discussion dives into the controversial belief that physical discipline is an essential part of Black culture. It examines how this practice has deep roots in a history shaped by oppression and white supremacy. The hosts challenge the notion that whooping children is a loving act, instead advocating for healing and breaking cycles of generational trauma. The episode encourages listeners to rethink traditional approaches to child discipline in favor of more nurturing methods.

Dec 31, 2024 • 49min
Black Horror and the Monstrous Fear of Self with Dr. Kinitra D. Brooks (May 2022)
They say urban legends aren’t real and are only cautionary tales to keep unruly children at bay, but there are elements underlying these stories that are far more terrifying than any monster or ghoul. The biggest horror? We, as Black people, have learned to fear ourselves.In 2022, Jay sat down with Dr. Kinitra Brooks to guide this conversation. Beyond being a horror scholar, she is a horror fan. She’s authored two books: Searching for Sycorax: Black Women’s Hauntings of Contemporary Horror and Sycorax’s Daughters, and is working on her next work about Conjure Women. She is also the Audrey and John Leslie Endowed Chair in Literary Studies in the Department of English at Michigan State University.__________________________Black History Year (BHY) is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school and explore pathways to liberation with people leading the way. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work.Hosting BHY is Jay (2020-2023) and Darren Wallace (2024). Our producers are Cydney Smith and Len Webb. BHY’s executive producers are Julian Walker and Lilly Workneh. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 30, 2024 • 3min
The Little-Known Black History Of The Easter Holiday
When you think of the Easter holiday, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Is it Black history? It should be. Here’s why the holiday is one of the Blackest celebrations of the year._____________2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work.The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 27, 2024 • 3min
This Popular Holiday Drink Is Rooted In Black History
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about eggnog? Here’s why you might want to start considering the drink a symbol of unity for Black people everywhere._____________2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work.The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 26, 2024 • 3min
How Formerly Enslaved Bermudians Created This Holiday After Emancipation
When slavery ended in Bermuda, Black folks had a plan for the following year. Now that they were paid employees, it was time to regain their power from white supremacy, and they did it in the most genius way._____________2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work.The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 25, 2024 • 3min
The History Behind The Black Holiday Tradition Of Gifting Fruit Bags
Ever gotten a stocking or bag with an apple, an orange, some walnuts, a candy cane, or some variation of this during Christmas? There’s more to this Black holiday tradition than just a nice holiday snack – here’s how it all started._____________2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work.The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 24, 2024 • 1h 34min
“Poetry Is Not a Luxury”: How Words Shape Freedom with Yolanda Wisher
Host Darren Wallace, with our producer Len riding shotgun, sits down with poet, educator, and former Philadelphia Poet Laureate Yolanda Wisher to talk poetry. Together, they dive into the historical and cultural significance of griots and spoken word, revisit the impact of “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” and reflect on Kendrick Lamar’s Pulitzer Prize win. Yolanda also shares how her work—through projects like Love Jawns: A Mixtape and Stellar Masses—inspires and mobilizes communities. Poetry is all around us. This episode is here to help us understand and reconnect with its healing and transformative power.To learn more about our guest, visit www.yolandawisher.com—Black History Year (BHY) is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school and explore pathways to liberation with people who are leading the way. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. Hosting BHY is Darren Wallace. The BHY production team includes Brooke Brown, Amber Davis, Mina Davis, Kevin McFall, Gabby Roberts, and Leslie Taylor-Grover. Our producers are Cydney Smith, Darren Wallace, and Len Webb, who also edits the show. BHY’s executive producers are Julian Walker and Lilly Workneh. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices