All Of It with Alison Stewart

Julius Eastman was a Black, queer composer and a fixture of downtown New York's music scene in the 1970s, who died in 1990 in relative obscurity. Beginning last year, the Los Angeles-based music collective Wild Up has attempted to honor Eastman's legacy by recording and releasing his work in a seven-part series. Members Christopher Rountree and Jiji join us to discuss the second volume, Joy Boy, for an All Of It Listening Party.

The House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection is holding its fourth day of public hearings today, focusing on former president Trump's attempts to pressure state election officials into overturning the election results. WNYC's own Brian Lehrer joins us to preview the hearing and discuss what revelations might be found.

In 2021, The Boy Scouts of America agreed to a $2.7 billion settlement for the hundreds of boys who came forward over the years as victims of sexual and physical abuse. A new documentary, "Leave No Trace," sheds light on the BSA policies that enabled predators to continue their crimes while profiling several victims. Award-winning director Irene Taylor Brodsky joins to discuss the film.

We discuss locations with historical ties to Black communities in New York City with artist, historian and Black Gotham Experience founder and lead creative Kamau Ware.

[REBROADCAST FROM March 1, 2022] A new museum exhibition in Harlem explores African American contributions to our national culinary identity. African/American: Making the Nation’s Table, presented by the Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD), will run until July 17 at The Africa Center at Aliko Dangote Hall. Curator and culinary historian Dr. Jessica B. Harris (Netflix's "High on the Hog," and recently one of Time's 100 most influential people) joins us to talk about the exhibition. 

This year is only the second time Juneteenth has been a public school holiday in NYC and the first time it has been recognized as a federal holiday. This month, the New York Public Library put together a list of books for educators and parents to help teach kids about this important day as well as significant historical moments in Black History. Shauntee Burns-Simpson, Manager of School  Outreach for the NYPL, joins us to talk about some of the books on this list.

In honor of Juneteenth, we are spotlighting underreported Black history and culture. Author Eric K. Washington will join to talk about his quest to get official landmark status for a building in Chelsea in which Black children were educated in the years following the Civil War, known as "Former Colored School Number 4." 

In 2020, while looking back through his family tree, Grammy-winning musician Fantastic Negrito learned that his seventh-generation grandparents had been a white indentured servant from Scotland and an unnamed enslaved man, living in a common law marriage in 18th-century Virginia. The discovery inspired Fantastic Negrito to write an album about their union, titled White Jesus Black Problems. Fantastic Negrito joins us for a Listening Party.

Fantastic Negrito will perform at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! this Saturday.

Food writer Nicole A. Taylor has written a new cookbook, Watermelon and Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations, inspired by her years observing the holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. Before the holiday, now officially recognized by the federal government, Taylor joins us to talk about the history of Juneteenth cooking, as well share some recipes for main dishes, desserts, and special drinks you may want to try out this weekend.

Southern-ish Potato Salad (exerpt)

SERVES 6 TO 8

The greatest failure when making potato salad is overcooking the spuds—creamy mashed pota- toes is a no-go for any potato salad recipe. You want a waxy variety like fingerlings, Yukon Golds, or red potatoes; these varieties will keep their shape and texture when cooked right. Bobby Seale, cofounder of the Black Panther Party, said it well in his 1988 cookbook Barbeque’n with Bobby, where he wrote under a recipe titled “Hunky Crunchy Potato Salad” that his mother’s potato salad was a “tasty quasi-mashed potato salad.” My pro tip is to season the potatoes while they are warm. Begin your training to be a queen.

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces⅓ cup plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt 8 ounces bacon (optional)About 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter (if omitting the bacon)1 medium yellow onion, chopped 1 fennel bulb, cored and chopped¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil½ cup sour cream ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves and stems, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons leaves for garnish2 teaspoons ground mustard1 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus extra for garnishZest of 2 lemons (2 tablespoons)3 tablespoons Quick-Pickled Banana Pepper brine (page 44)¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Peel your potatoes and rinse in cold water. Place the potatoes in a large pot and add water to cover (around 10 cups) and ⅓ cup of the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook the potatoes, uncovered, until just tender but with some bite still, 18 to 25 minutes. Be sure not to overcook the potatoes—you don’t want mushy potato salad! Drain the potatoes and transfer to a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt and allow to cool for 30 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon (if using) over medium heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp and browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan. (If you’re omitting the bacon, melt the butter in a large skillet here.) Add the onion and fennel to the hot bacon fat in the skillet and cook until softened, about5 minutes. Season with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Add the cooled fennel mixture to the bowl with the potatoes, then add the olive oil, sour cream, chopped parsley, ground mustard, paprika, lemon zest, pickled banana pepper brine, and pepper and stir to combine. Taste! Taste! If necessary, you may need to add a tad more of the seasonings and sour cream. Garnish with the parsley leaves and, if desired, an extra pinch of paprika.

We’re talking about potato salad here, so: everyone has their way. Some people make it the day of; some people make it the day ahead. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

June 19th marks the date in 1865 when the news of emancipation reached enslaved Black people in Texas, and has been commemorated as Juneteenth ever since, finally becoming a federal holiday in 2021. WNYC Newsroom culture and arts reporter Precious Fondren joins us to talk about some of the ways Juneteenth is being celebrated across the city.