Truth Tellers

In this episode, the Drs trace the legacy of Black education from secret learning spaces during enslavement to the bold vision of Freedmen's schools during Reconstruction. They explore how paragons of education like Hampton Institute and Fisk University emerged as beacon of self-determination -- and how today's literacy crisis echoes in modern day gaps.

Word of the Week [3:30]: Freedmen's School - If you've never heard of it, don't be ashamed. Just remember, it hasn't always been legal for everyone to be educated.

Phase 1 [12:16]: Karen Attiah: An award-winning journalist and professor -- the last African American at The Washington Post Opinions section, was fired abruptly via email. Lack of free journalism and race is a case study in forced alternatives and creative defiance.

Phase 2 [30:37]: Lapses in Literacy: Several U.S. literacy stats should shake us all -- and we wonder why misinformation moves so quickly. Considerations around literacy, socioeconomic status, and access to information -- which leads to the right to read, write, and resist.

Mentioned in the Show

Resistance Study Series – Karen Attiah

Karen Attiah's firing draws concern over Black female representation in journalism – AP News

The Washington Post Fired Me — But My Voice Will Not Be Silenced – Sub Stack

2024-2025 U.S. Literacy Statistics – National Literacy Institute

The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books – The Atlantic