In this episode, Shelley reflects on an interview from 1991 that covers the topic of racial identity. Which is the correct terminology? Black? African-American, People of Color? The interview also discusses class differences among Blacks. Be advised that this episode contains frank discussions about race and uses the n-word. Listener discretion is advised. Season Two: Episode 06 Life After Life In Prison Today’s episode features a 1993 interview with Julius Davis, a man who had just spent 19 years in prison. At 21 years of age, he had been handed two life sentences for his involvement in two separate murders. Julius discusses how prior to his crimes, he was involved as a positive influence in his community and how two bad decisions led him to prison. While in prison, however, Julius did not fall victim to negative influences. He created a circle of constructive people who kept their spirits in a positive place and made the best of the prison experience. Listen and hear how he continued his positive influence on the community after his release. Click An Icon Below To Listen To Shelley's Plumbline Podcast Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , and LinkedIn . InsideOut In 2007, Dr. Shelley Stewart produced InsideOut, a powerful 26-minute film that presents a clear message to young people, inspiring students to see graduation as the doorway to the rest of their lives. In the film, inmates from two maximum-security prisons deliver their compelling stories directly to students ... from the InsideOut.InsideOut is a powerful 26-minute film that presents a clear message to young people, inspiring students to see graduation as the doorway to the rest of their lives. In the film, inmates from two maximum-security prisons deliver their compelling stories directly to students ... from the InsideOut. To date, InsideOut has touched the lives of more than 15 million parents, teachers, students and communities throughout the United States and Canada. Shelley Stewart_InsideOut Clip Play Video InsideOut Watch Now Share Whole Channel This Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Share Channel Info Close Order A Copy Of InsideOut Today! Shop Now Prisoners Have A Message To Our Youth Play Video All Videos Articles Read More Read More Read More Read More Read More Read More Upload

Advertise With Us Join Us On The Academy of Common Sense! Learn more about sponsorships, website advertising, and podcast advertising. Shelley's Plumbine is a weekly podcast that publishes new content every Wednesday. Our team, collectively, has over one hundred years of advertising experience and will work with you to design an advertisement plan and branded messaging to reach your targeted audience/potential consumers. With more and more people using the Internet for shopping and information exchange, it might be time to shift your business' advertising efforts to digital. Click here to contact us regarding sponsorships and/or advertising. Why digital advertising matters? Simply put, web page advertisements offer worldwide distribution, so your advertisements reach the widest possible market. No other medium brings your ads to such a wide and diverse customer base. Most importantly, you have the ability to communicate directly with customers/consumers as they engage on the website and with social media posts, eliminating the clicks of an internet search to connect with you. Why podcast advertising matters? When it comes to podcasting, the listener has already performed a positive, conscious, and engaged action just by listening and is very likely to react to what the host shares with them because they've built trust with him/her. Generally, a maximum of four advertisements in any given podcast hour limits commercial clutter. Podcast Facts: Approximately 46 million people listen to podcasts. 82.4% of podcast lis teners spend more than seven hours weekly listening to podcasts. (Discover Pods) 50 billion episodes were downloaded or streamed from Apple in 2018 alone. (Fast Company) 47% of PodcastOne listeners “strongly agree” that they pay more attention to podcast advertising than advertising on broadcast radio. Podcast listeners ARE consistent: On average, podcast consumers listen to 6 podcasts each week, and listen to an average total of 9.5 hours weekly.

Season 3: SEASON 3: EPISODE 1 Rare Speech of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. SEASON 3: EPISODE 2 Yvonne Turner: On of Human Rights True Shero SEASON 3: EPISODE 3 Shelley's 89th Birthday SEASON 3: EPISODE 4 Uncovering the Movement: An Interview with N. H. Fireball Smith SEASON 3: EPISODE 5 Dr. Vincent Harding Discusses The True Meaning of the Struggle SEASON 3: EPISODE 6 James Armstrong and His Story of the Integration of Graymont School SEASON 3: EPISODE 7 An Interview with Tommy Wrenn, Foot Soldier in the Movement SEASON 3: EPISODE 8 Yvonne Willie Author of the Boy Who Didn't Want to Be Black SEASON 3: EPISODE 9 Mayor Ford Talks About Redistricting in the 90s SEASON 3: EPISODE 10 An Open Forum Discussion on William Raspberry, Racism and Economic Power Click An Icon Below To Listen To Shelley's Plumbline Learn More Book For Speaking Engagements

Today, Shelley reaches back into his archive to an interview with Mariam McClendon. They discuss colorism, that is, the differences in perception between light- and dark-complected blacks and the challenges darker-complected blacks encounter – even from members of their own race. Even though the interview is from 1991, the problem of colorism still exists today, hindering relationships and opportunities among blacks. Season Two: Episode 08 The Persistent Problem of Colorism Today, Shelley reaches back into his archive to an interview with Mariam McClendon. They discuss colorism, that is, the differences in perception between light- and dark-complected blacks and the challenges darker-complected blacks encounter – even from members of their own race. Even though the interview is from 1991, the problem of colorism still exists today, hindering relationships and opportunities among blacks. Click An Icon Below To Listen To Shelley's Plumbline Podcast Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , and LinkedIn . The death of George Floyd last year has shone a spotlight on what it means to be Black, and especially, to be dark-skinned in America. Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro has our report from Minnesota, home to a growing population of African and other immigrants. It is part of our continuing series "Race Matters", and Fred’s series, "Agents for Change." Watch Now In this extended interview from Roots, Race & Culture, Danor and Lonzo continue their conversation about colorism with University of Utah professor Edmund Fong and current student Darienne Debrule. The group explores how colorism differs among varying ethnic groups, and how you can help combat colorism in your own community. Watch Now CNN's Anderson Cooper highlights a project that reveals how children view racial beliefs, attitudes and preferences . Study shows black and white children are biased toward lighter skin. Test aimed to re-create landmark Doll Test from 1940s. Watch Now When Chika Okoro read the casting call for one of her favorite films, she noticed that actresses with darker skin were assigned lesser roles —prompting her to address a phenomenon she'd experienced all her life: colorism. In this eye-opening talk, Okoro shares coping strategies along with steps that could help eliminate this insidious and destructive mindset of discrimination. Watch Now When I began teaching in Boston, I was struck by how often students of color referred to each other as “light-skinned” or “dark-skinned.” Almost daily, I witnessed high school students identify, categorize and stereotype their peers based on skin tone. Having grown up African American in Louisiana, I was used to white people’s ideas of white superiority and even those “colorstruck” black people who preferred lighter skin. But I did not expect that so many young people of diverse ethnicities—including Dominicans, Puerto Ricans and Cape Verdeans—would actively engage in everyday forms of skin-color bias Read more Coloism Toolik Colorism is an insidious, globally prevalent bias that deeply impacts the lives and livelihoods of darker-skinned women. The term refers not only to the preference for lighter skin between different racial and ethnic communities, but also within those communities. Colorism is an enduring vestige of colonialism and white dominance around the globe and disproportionately harms women of color. Inclusive leaders must work to prevent women of color from experiencing colorism at work — and make sure they don’t leave. The author presents three ways to disrupt colorism in the workplace. Read More Every year, Hollywood inevitably comes under criticism for its lack of racial diversity. But another lesser-known yet still pervasive problem also resurfaces: the lack of diversity in skin tone. It happened again with “In the Heights,” a big-budget film based on the musical created by Lin-Manuel Miranda, which was called out this week for its dearth of dark-skinned, Black Latinos in leading roles. Colorism — or discrimination against darker-skinned people within their same ethnic group — lurks deep among pretty much all communities with varying levels of melanin. But it doesn’t get talked about, and that could be a setback for the racial justice efforts that intensified after the police killing of George Floyd last year. Read more Upload

Listen to Season 2 Now We've got new content for you every Wednesday. Make sure you subscribe! Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , and LinkedIn . SEASON TWO: EPISODE 10 The Plantation Ghost Today Shelley shares an interview from 1995 with Ezekwa Abdullah. Ezekwa argues that Blacks still repress themselves and suffer a form of psychological slavery in the collective subconscious psyche because attitudes of repression have been preserved and passed from one generation to the next. The ghost of the plantation exists today because not enough has been done to condemn this point of view. View Episode 10 Details & Resources Click An Icon Below To Listen To Podcast Recently Aired SEASON TWO: EPISODE 10 The Plantation Ghost Today Shelley shares an interview from 1995 with Ezekwa Abdullah. Ezekwa argues that Blacks still repress themselves and suffer a form of psychological slavery in the collective subconscious psyche because attitudes of repression have been preserved and passed from one generation to the next. The ghost of the plantation exists today because not enough has been done to condemn this point of view. View Episode 10 Details & Resources SEASON TWO: EPISODE 9 Free By Choice Inmates Share Their Stories Today, Shelley replays an interview from the Free By Choice program, which brought inmates from Alabama prisons on the air to speak openly about their crimes and the decisions which led to them. These Free By Choice inmates had a strong desire to share their stories so their suffering could serve to help others avoid making the same mistakes. View Episode 9 Details & Resources SEASON TWO: EPISODE 8 The Persistent Problem of Colorism Today, Shelley reaches back into his archive to an interview with Mariam McClendon. They discuss colorism, that is, the differences in perception between light- and dark-complected blacks and the challenges darker-complected blacks encounter – even from members of their own race. Even though the interview is from 1991, the problem of colorism still exists today, hindering relationships and opportunities among blacks. View Episode 8 Details & Resources SEASON TWO: EPISODE 7 From Running Track to Running Drugs: An Interview with Orlando Jones Today’s episode of Shelley’s Plumbline features an interview from 1989 with Orlando Jones, a one-time track star at the University of Alabama. Orlando shares his story of how he went from running on a track as an All-American scholarship athlete to running drugs across the border in Mexico, eventually getting caught and landing in prison. He shares his message in the hope that others might avoid his fate. View Episode 7 Details & Resources SEASON TWO: EPISODE 6 Life After Prison:An Interview with Julius Davis Today’s episode features a 1993 interview with Julius Davis, a man who had just spent 19 years in prison. At 21 years of age, he had been handed two life sentences for his involvement in two separate murders. Julius discusses how prior to his crimes, he was involved as a positive influence in his community and how two bad decisions led him to prison. While in prison, however, Julius did not fall victim to negative influences. He created a circle of constructive people who kept their spirits in a positive place and made the best of the prison experience. Listen and hear how he continued his positive influence on the community after his release. View Episode 6 Details & Resources SEASON TWO: EPISODE 5 I Love The Skin I'm In In this episode, Shelley reflects on an interview from 1991 that covers the topic of racial identity. Which is the correct terminology? Black? African-American, People of Color? The interview also discusses class differences among Blacks. Be advised that this episode contains frank discussions about race and uses the n-word. Listener discretion is advised. View Episode 5 Details & Resources SEASON TWO: EPISODE 4 The Evolution of Black Media, Part 2 Today we continue exploring the Evolution of Black Media and the role Black radio stations played during the Civil Rights Movement of the 60s. We explore how the Black population began to look to popular disc jockeys such as Jack Gibson, Gertrude Cooper, Georgie Woods, Martha Jean “the Queen,” and the Plumbline’s very own Shelley “The Playboy” Stewart to hear coded messages regarding protests and demonstrations. Black Radio stations gave a voice to Dr. King and other prominent members of the Movement and became the medium of choice for disseminating urgent messages and direction. View Episode 4 Details & Resources SEASON TWO: EPISODE 3 The Evolution of Black Media, Part 1 This week we kick off the first of a two-part series on the Evolution of Black Media. In this episode, Shelley tells us about the early days of Black Media and how much of the entertainment for black audiences was produced by whites. Amos N Andy, for example, a well-known radio sitcom, was produced and performed by two white actors. Shelley recalls how the first black man in radio, Jack Cooper, blazed a trail in 1929, and by the time Shelley created his Playboy persona, he wasn’t interested in entertaining just blacks; he used the power of music to bring people together. View Episode 3 Details & Resources SEASON TWO: EPISODE 2 Finding Musical Talent on the Chitlin' Circuit Today we continue telling the story of Shelley’s life in the world of music as he reflects on his days traveling the south on what was known as the Chitlin' Circuit. As a talent agent for Shelby Singleton Productions, Shelley traveled the Chitlin Circuit searching for talent that played in small towns throughout the South. He would then take the talent to big cities to cut records and get exposure. He discovered Clarence Junior Lewis, who went by the stage name “CL Blast” Shelley discovered Willie Hightower and Johnny Adams. He managed The Dynamic Soul Machine and helped launch the career of JV Jenkins, who performed a moving rendition of Peace in the Valley at the inauguration of Birmingham’s first black mayor, Richard Arrington. Listen in as Shelley shares music, insights, and inside stories about his life on the “Chitlin' Circuit.” View Episode 2 Details & Resources SEASON TWO: EPISODE 1 Eddie Kendricks' Last Interview View Episode 1 Details & Resources Today, we’ll begin an exploration of Shelley’s fascinating life in the music world. Over the course of his career, Shelley worked with many major names in music, such as Jackie Wilso n, Aretha Franklin , Wilson Pickett , and The Temptations . And he became fast friends with musical giants such as Bobby "Blue" Bland , Otis Redding , and Isaac Hayes . We’ll hear a clip of his interview with Eddie Kendricks , a lead singer with The Temptations. The interview traces the evolution of The Temptations, and discusses the surprising strategies of Barry Gordy and Motown Records and how they would manage the careers of groups, giving hit songs to certain groups to increase their popularity and accelerate their careers. Shelley Stewart LISTEN Season One Episode 1: Internalized Racism Season One Episode 2: Did Dr. Martin Luther King's Dream Become A Nightmare? Season One Episode 3: Homelessness Season One Episode 4: Hate Crimes Season One Episode 5: Is There A Need For HBCUs? Season One Episode 6: Should We End Black History Month? Season One Episode 7: Y outh Gangs & Drug Dealers Season One Episode 8: Part 2 Of Youth Gangs & Drug Dealers Season One Episode 9: Part 3 Of Youth Gangs & Drug Dealers Season One Episode 10: Interview With Jim Porter, Former NRA President Listen Upload EMAIL: CORLETTE@SHELLEYSPLUMBLINE.COM PR & PODCAST ENQUIRIES BUSINESS & SPEAKING ENQUIRIES PRESS EVENTS

Season 10: SEASON 10: EPISODE 1 Education is Our Greatest Asset. SEASON 10: EPISODE 2 There's a Leak in the Roof. SEASON 10: EPISODE 3 Still Singing the Blues. SEASON 10: EPISODE 4 Discussing Fatherhood with Marlon Keller. SEASON 10: EPISODE 5 The Unknown Community of Calcis, Alabama. SEASON 10: EPISODE 6 Young, Gifted and Black. A Chat with Artist Erica Chisholm. SEASON 10: EPISODE 7 Sharing Generational Knowledge with Elijah Davis. Click An Icon Below To Listen To Shelley's Plumbline Learn More Book For Speaking Engagements

Season 5: SEASON 5: EPISODE 1 Horace Huntley and the Dangers of Cultural Annihilation. SEASON 5: EPISODE 2 Early Slave Rebellions SEASON 5: EPISODE 3 Excerpts from "Remembering Slavery." SEASON 5: EPISODE 4 Shelley Reflects on Black History Month and Racism in America. SEASON 5: SPECIAL EDITON Hate Crimes [Rebroadcast] SEASON 5: EPISODE 5 Celebrating Powerful Women SEASON 5: EPISODE 6 Did Malcolm X Teach Us Something or Are We Doing the Same Thing Now? SEASON 5: EPISODE 7 Wake Up, Everybody. SEASON 5: EPISODE 8 Wake Up, Everybody, Part 2. SEASON 5: EPISODE 9 An interview with Park Scott on the Bahai Faith SEASON 5: EPISODE 10 Your Vote is Your Voice. Are You a Democrat or a Republican. Click An Icon Below To Listen To Shelley's Plumbline Learn More Book For Speaking Engagements

Season 8: SEASON 8: EPISODE 1 The Immigration Story of George Sarris. SEASON 8: EPISODE 2 George Subira: Teaching Black People to Sell. SEASON 8: EPISODE 3 The Legend of Willie Lynch. SEASON 8: EPISODE 4 Ezekwa Abdullah Discusses Willie Lynch in the Late 90s. SEASON 8: EPISODE 5 "The Colored Doctor," Dr Cashen. SEASON 8: EPISODE 6 The Last Interview with Eddie Kendricks [Rebroadcast]. SEASON 8: EPISODE 7 Internalized Racism [Rebroadcast]. SEASON 8: EPISODE 8 Interview with Hosea Williams: Did the Dream of Dr King Become a Nightmare [Rebroadcast]. SEASON 8: EPISODE 9 Rare Speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King [Rebroadcast]. SEASON 8: EPISODE 10 Hate Crimes [Rebroadcast]. SEASON 8: EPISODE 11 Shelley Reflects on Black History Month and Racism[Rebroadcast]. SEASON 8: EPISODE 12 The Back Porch: Race, Racism and Happiness [Rebroadcast]. SEASON 8: EPISODE 13 Should We End Black History Month? [Rebroadcast]. Click An Icon Below To Listen To Shelley's Plumbline Learn More Book For Speaking Engagements

In 1989, two gang members from the Birmingham area approached Shelley and asked to be on his show, "Open Mic." While the nature of gang life has changed between 1989 and 2023, there are a surprising number of things that are still in common. In fact, you might be surprised to discover the backgrounds of many gang members are not what you think. Youth Gangs & Drug Dealers Series In 1989, two gang members from the Birmingham area approached Shelley and asked to be on his show, "Open Mic." They wanted to share their experiences about the myths and realities of gang life and share their regrets over the youth they lost while acting as members of a gang. Ironically, the mother of one of the gang members heard her son on the show and came in the following morning to share her feelings and warnings with other parents. While the nature of gang life has changed between 1989 and 2023, there are a surprising number of things that are still in common. In fact, you might be surprised to discover the backgrounds of many gang members are not what you think. Dr. Shelley Stewart,, The Choice Bus SEASON ONE EPISODE 7:YOUTH GANGS & DRUG DEALERS PART 1 SEASON ONE EPISODE 8:YOUTH GANGS & DRUG DEALERS PART 2 SEASON ONE EPISODE 8:YOUTH GANGS & DRUG DEALERS PART 3 Click An Icon Below To Listen To Podcast Dive Deeper National Gang Center The National Gang Center (NGC) is a project funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The NGC is an integral component of the Justice Department’s mission to provide innovative leadership in coordination with federal, state, local, and tribal justice systems to prevent and reduce crime. The NGC disseminates information, knowledge, and outcome‐driven practices that engage and empower those in local communities with chronic and emerging gang problems to create comprehensive solutions to prevent gang violence, reduce gang involvement, and suppress gang‐related crime. Read More Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Gang Violence Prevention To address youth gangs, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) supports a range of programs and activities designed to prevent and suppress gang violence and recruitment. In FY 2019 , OJJDP awarded $7.4 million to support communities as they work to deter and suppress gang activity and provide services and treatment to victims of gang-related violence and crime. OJJDP provided direct funding to support the coordination of gang suppression efforts and activities by prosecutorial and law enforcement agencies; to reduce gang activity by focusing on strategies to disrupt recruitment and incentivize desistance by supporting programs that offer alternative support mechanisms for youth Read More Gangs in America's Communities Gangs in America's Communities, Third Edition blends theory with current research to help readers identify essential features associated with youth violence and gangs, as well as apply strategies for gang control and prevention. Authors Dr. James C. Howell and Dr. Elizabeth Griffiths introduce readers to theories of gang formation, illustrate various ways of defining and classifying gangs, and discuss national trends in gang presence and gang-related violence across American cities. They also offer evidence-based strategies for positioning communities to prevent, intervene, and address gang activity. New to the Third Edition: A series of new case studies document the evolution of numerous gangs in large cities, including the community aspect, evolutionary nature, and how cities influence levels of violence. New discussions highlighting the role of social media, insights into how gangs use it to recruit members, and the response from law enforcement. Current nationwide gang trends are discussed to encourage readers to analyze and interpret the most recent statistics for which representative data is available. Updated macro and micro gang theories enable readers to explore a recent encapsulation of leading developmental models. New discussions around female gang members offer readers potentially effective programs for discouraging females from joining gangs—along with highly regarded delinquency prevention and reduction programs that have the potency to be effective in reducing gang crimes among young women. A comprehensive gang prevention, intervention, and suppression program in Multnomah County, Oregon shows how theory was successfully applied to reduce gang activity in a local community. New research on “gang structures” and their rates of crime illustrate the connections between violent crimes and the amount of violent offenders within a gang. Additional discussion of distinguishing features (e.g., typologies) of major gangs, and numerous examples of gang symbols, tattoos, and graffiti has been added to help readers identify and differentiate various types of gangs. KEY FEATURES: Quotes from real-life gang members are threaded throughout the book, providing the reader with a more personal perspective. Comprehensive coverage of gang origins, definitions, national trends, significance, assessment, and prevention provide readers with a foundational understanding of gangs. Compelling Case studies demonstrate the practical applications of the theories being discussed and encourage classroom discussion. Coverage of prison gangs and gender/ethnicity topics differentiates various ways to approach gang related issues such as the unique treatment needs, implications for prevention, and recommended services for female gang members. All-inclusive survey data published by the National Gang Center presents national and localized perspectives on gang trends, providing insight into topics such as female gangs, migration of gang members, small-town gangs versus the major adult gangs in large cities, gang homicides and drug trafficking The text covers both basic research (on causes and correlations of gang involvement) and applied research (what works and what doesn’t in combating gangs) to get readers to critically access the unique situation of gang activity within a particular community. Research summaries and historical perspectives help provide context for the reader and improve their critical thinking skills. Rent or Purchase eBook or Paperback National Gang Center YouTube Channel Knowing The Past Opens The Door To The Future: The Continuing Importance of Black History Month A project to support reductions in gang crime and violence. Views expressed do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NGC and its funders. The YouTube Channel features videos, webinar series, and podcast audio. Watch Or Listen Now

Season 9: SEASON 9: EPISODE 1 Shelley's Back! SEASON 9: EPISODE 2 A Reunion with the Son of Mr Clyde. SEASON 9: EPISODE 3 The Importance of Education. SEASON 9: EPISODE 4 Make America Greater. SEASON 9: EPISODE 5 A Meeting Is Not A Movement. SEASON 9: EPISODE 6 Old Sayings That Still Have Meaning. SEASON 9: EPISODE 7 Responsibility in the Modern Age. SEASON 9: EPISODE 8 Respect for All. SEASON 9: EPISODE 9 Happy Heavenly Birthday to Sam Stewart. SEASON 9: EPISODE 10 Another Look At Hosea Williams. Click An Icon Below To Listen To Shelley's Plumbline Learn More Book For Speaking Engagements

In this episode, Shelley tells us about the early days of Black Media and how much of the entertainment for black audiences was produced by whites. Amos N Andy, for example, a well-known radio sitcom, was produced and performed by two white actors. Shelley recalls how the first black man in radio, Jack Cooper, blazed a trail in 1929, and by the time Shelley created his Playboy persona, he wasn’t interested in entertaining just blacks; he used the power of music to bring people together. Images Sources: CBS 1942, Jim Crow Museum, Radio Hall of Fame, and Shelley Stewart Season Two: Episode 03: The Evolution of Black Media, Part 1 This week we kick off the first of a two-part series on the Evolution of Black Media. In this episode, Shelley tells us about the early days of Black Media and how much of the entertainment for black audiences was produced by whites. Amos 'n' Andy , for example, a well-known radio sitcom, was produced and performed by two white actors. Shelley recalls how the first black man in radio, Jack Cooper , blazed a trail in 1929, and by the time Shelley created his Playboy persona, he wasn’t interested in entertaining just blacks; he used the power of music to bring people together. To listen to Part One of The Evolution of Black Media, CLICK HERE Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , and LinkedIn . Excerpt and Blackface examples are from The Jim Crow Museum https://jimcrowmuseum.ferris.edu/question/2016/march.htm "During the heyday of radio, many advertisers sponsored entire shows. Advertisers sponsored dozens of shows that featured minstrel type performances. For example, Rinsol, Lever Brothers, Pepsodent, and Campbell’s Soup sponsored the Amos ‘n’ Andy show from the 1930s to the 1950s. The Pick and Pat show was sponsored by Dills Best and Model Smoking tobacco. Postum sponsored the Beulah show, which initially was voiced by a white male actor Marlin Hurt. Molasses and January were featured performers on the Dr. Pepper Parade show. The Jack Benny show, which was sponsored by Jell-O, sometimes featured Eddie Anderson, playing African-American valet Rochester, with blackface performers in skits." The Beulah show was sponsored by numerous sponsors, but this video highlights the advertisements of TUMS and General Foods on the Beulah show. The original Beulah was created and performed by a white actor, Marlin Hurt. Amanda Randolph was the last radio version of Beulah. TUMS and General Foods on the Beulah show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk76BTu1y34 Rinsol, Lever Brothers, Pepsodent, Rexall,and Campbell’s Soup sponsored the Amos ‘n’ Andy radio show. Sponsors the Amos ‘n’ Andy radio show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVCI2W0Zr1s Amos 'n' Andy was born on radio in 1928. But its stereotypes and caricatures have roots deep in American culture and branches that are still evident today. The negative images in Amos 'n' Andy not only have historical precedents, but that they continued to inform televised representations of black Americans long after the show was no longer available. Read More Only known audio of the Gold Dust Twins show. Excerpt came from a reunion segment on the "Behind the Mike" show from 1940. Goldy and Dusty were two white actors, Harvey Hindemeyer and Earle Tuckerman, who performed skits in blackface and spoke with a broken dialect. The show was sponsored by Fairbanks Gold Dust Washing Powder. Fairbanks Gold Dust Washing Powder ads https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KrlY-P3DIY Pick and Pat and Molasses n January were blackface characters performed by Pick Malone and Pat Padgett. The duo were featured on shows sponsored by Dills Best Smoking Tobacco and Model Smoking Tobacco, Dr. Pepper, and Maxwell House coffee. Pick and Pat and Molasses n January were blackface characters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuLX1xUakaI The Jack Benny Show was sponsored by Jell-O in 1936. Many segments featured blackface performers. Jack Benny Show blackface performers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7v58XJR60Y Captain Henry’s Showboat featuring Molasses and January at the 4:16 mark. This film is a “picturization” of the Maxwell House Showboat radio show. Maxwell House Showboat radio show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiYYKDoZdxA Read More Read More Aunt Jemima Variety show video produced by the Jim Crow Museum. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ipamH6EEwI Photos of Plumbline's Host, Dr. Shelley Stewart The Road South As a five-year-old in Home-wood, Alabama, Shelley Stewart watched his father kill his mother with an axe. Two years later, Stewart escaped the care of abusive relatives, making a living as a stable hand. A stint in the army led to electroshock treatments for trying to integrate whites-only dances. But despite numerous setbacks, he never gave up his will to succeed. Eventually, odd jobs at radio stations laid the foundation for a 50-year career in broadcasting. As an African-American radio personality, Stewart reached out to Jim Crow Alabama, using music to integrate his audience. Along the way, he helped launch the careers of such legends as Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and Gladys Knight. Instrumental in the Civil Rights Movement, he publicized the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A remarkable witness to and participant in the momentous social changes of the last three decades, Stewart, now a successful businessman and community leader, shares his courageous personal story that shows the indomitable strength of the human spirit. Purchase Now Also, Available On Audible Click An Icon Below To Listen To Shelley's Plumbline Podcast Dive Deeper The University of Arizona The Evolution of Black Representation on Television February 21, 2022 Television has served as "a primary source of America's racial education," says UArizona scholar Stephanie Troutman Robbins. Q: What are the main ways that TV's depiction of Black people has changed over time? A: Early television really reflected a very narrow representation of non-white characters. And a lot of the earlier characters were caricatures and racist depictions in many ways. And then as time goes on, we start to see more Black folks and we start to see them move from peripheral or secondary characters into primary focus. But for a while in television, you had extremes. You had the Black criminal stereotype and all the negative tropes associated with Blackness on the one hand, and then you had good, assimilating, respectable Black characters on the other. In the '80s, "The Cosby Show" depicted a Black affluent family who were different from the way that Blacks were mostly portrayed in mainstream TV at the time. Read More Read More National Museum of African America History & Culture Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom Blackface: The Birth of An American Stereotype Historian Dale Cockrell once noted that poor and working-class whites who felt “squeezed politically, economically, and socially from the top, but also from the bottom, invented minstrelsy” as a way of expressing the oppression that marked being members of the majority, but outside of the white norm. Minstrelsy, comedic performances of “blackness” by whites in exaggerated costumes and make-up, cannot be separated fully from the racial derision and stereotyping at its core. By distorting the features and culture of African Americans—including their looks, language, dance, deportment, and character—white Americans were able to codify whiteness across class and geopolitical lines as its antithesis. Make sure you check out their collection at https://shorturl.at/btTV3 Doug Battema Pictures of a Bygone Era: The Syndication of Amos ‘n’ Andy, 1954-66 Abstract This article seeks to raise questions about historiographical practice, challenge the reliance on apparently stable discourses of nation and race within contemporary historiography, and expand understanding of the potential and multiple sites of influence in which television operated during its early years as a popular medium. Drawing on principles articulated by Foucault and de Certeau about the production and generation of knowledge, the article critiques previous historical examinations of Amos ‘n’ Andy for overlooking salient features of the television program's cultural and industrial context, as well as its syndication run from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s. Using information about the syndication of Amos ‘n’ Andy gleaned principally from entertainment and advertising trade journals, the article points out how a more thorough understanding of the local, regional, and international context and of industrial practices may prove essential for recognizing possibilities about the patterns and circulation of cultural beliefs and historiographical norms. Battema, D. (2006). Pictures of a Bygone Era: The Syndication of Amos ‘n’ Andy, 1954-66. Television & New Media, 7(1), 3–39. https://doi.org/10.1177/1527476403253999 . Read More Lanier Frush Holt Writing the wrong: can counter-stereotypes offset negative media messages about African Americans? Abstract Several studies show media messages activate or exacerbate racial stereotypes. This analysis, however, may be the first to examine which types of information—those that directly contradict media messages (i.e., crime-related) or general news (i.e., non-crime-related)—are most effective in abating stereotypes. Its findings suggest fear of crime is becoming more a human fear, not just a racial one. Furthermore, it suggests tbat for younger Americans, the concomitant dyad of the black criminal stereotype—race and crime—is fueled more by crime than by race. Holt, L. F. (2013). Writing the wrong: can counter-stereotypes offset negative media messages about African Americans? Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 90(1), 108. Read More Lanier Frush Holt Writing the wrong: can counter-stereotypes offset negative media messages about African Americans? Abstract Several studies show media messages activate or exacerbate racial stereotypes. This analysis, however, may be the first to examine which types of information—those that directly contradict media messages (i.e., crime-related) or general news (i.e., non-crime-related)—are most effective in abating stereotypes. Its findings suggest fear of crime is becoming more a human fear, not just a racial one. Furthermore, it suggests tbat for younger Americans, the concomitant dyad of the black criminal stereotype—race and crime—is fueled more by crime than by race. Holt, L. F. (2013). Writing the wrong: can counter-stereotypes offset negative media messages about African Americans? Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 90(1), 108. Read More References Dunning, J. 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