Free Black Thought Podcast

Host Connie Morgan and Braver Angels ambassador John Wood Jr. discuss his personal political and religious evolution and how he continues to find common ground with just about anyone. John is a former nominee for congress, former Vice-Chairman of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County, musical artist, and a noted writer and speaker on subjects including racial and political reconciliation.

Show notes:

• John on X: @JohnRWoodJr
• John’s “Woke or Still Dreaming? A Dialogue on MLK's "Dream" Speech, Social Justice Ideology, and the Future of Liberalism” for the Journal of Free Black Thought
• John’s Scrappy Campaign Ad
• Bearing the Cross: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference by David Garrow
• A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches (of Martin Luther King Jr.)

In this episode Quisha King and Connie Morgan talk about Quisha’s journey from questioning the 2016 election's narratives to a profound personal awakening. Despite facing resistance from loved ones, she found renewed strength through community and activism, ultimately working with the Republican National Committee and influencing grassroots efforts nationwide. THIS EPISODE RECORDED 20 JULY 2024, before Kamala Harris replaced Joe Biden as the nominee.

Show notes:

• Quisha’s website
• Quisha on X: @imquishak
• Quisha on YouTube

N3VLYNNN first caught our eye when she wrote an excellent piece setting the record straight on civil rights activist Pauli Murray’s identity. In this episode she and host Connie Morgan talk about what is happening to black history and how to handle modern gender ideology.

Show notes:

• N3VLYNNN’s movie: Reflections Unheard: Black Women in Civil Rights
• N3VLYNNN’s “How The Trans Movement is Erasing Black Women from History”
• N3VLYNNN’s YouTube Channel
• N3VLYNNN’s “Non-Binary is not a Revolutionary Black Feminist Concept”
• The Pauli Murray Center
• My Name is Pauli Murray documentary
• N3VLYNNN’s “I Made a ‘Trans Man’ Uncomfortable at the Dinner Table”
• N3VLYNNN’s “I Got Cancelled By An Old Friend.”
• N3VLYNNN’s favorite play: Ruined

Cecil Grant Jr. and host Connie Morgan discuss the experience of discovering that your values don't align with those of the people you were expected to be in harmony with.

Show notes: 

• Cecil’s Substack: Changing the Narrative
• Cecil’s podcast
• “Please Be Patient With Me”

Mike and Wink delve into the evolution and nuances of “Black Pride,” examining its complexities and the varying perceptions of snobbiness, class, and success within black America. It contrasts the experiences of the hosts from different backgrounds and regions, exploring themes such as generational gaps, popular culture's impact on identity, and the challenges of navigating public personas versus lived experiences. The discussion also highlights the importance of authenticity and the acknowledgment of previous generations' sacrifices.

Bion Bartning is the founder of the Foundation of Intolerance & Racism (FAIR) and the ProHuman Foundation — two organizations that Free Black Thought respects and collaborates with. In this conversation with Connie Morgan, he explains how his children’s school curriculum inspired him to become involved in the classical liberal nonprofit sector and what it means to embrace a Prohuman philosophy.

• American Field Service
• Bion’s “Dividing by Race Comes to Grade School” in The Wall Street Journal
• Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

Host Connie Morgan talks with Kareem Weaver about what lead a guy who grew up in the hood surrounded by chaos to become a leader in the literacy and education reform movement. Kareem is the Co-Founder & Executive Director of FULCRUM (Full and Complete Reading is a Universal Mandate).

• Full and Complete Reading is a Universal Mandate (FULCRUM)
• Ep. 13 - What You Don't Know About American Lynchings (Bill Carrigan)
• The Marva Collins 60 Minutes episode
• The Marva Collins Story
• The Right to Read - documentary featuring Kareem

Angel Eduardo and Connie Morgan talk about creativity, ending race and assuming the best about your ideological opposites. Angel works as Senior Writer & Editor for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), and serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism (FAIR).

Show notes:

• Angel’s website
• Angel on X: @StrangelEdweird
• The Harper’s Letter
• Angel on Instagram

In this episode Mike and Wink explore black identity, freedom, and tribalism, discussing Juneteenth and diverse paths to black American liberation. The conversation eventually shifts to Glenn C. Loury's new memoir Late Admissions, examining black conservatism’s nuances and the tension between individual and collective identities. They highlight challenges faced by black professionals, advocate for free black thought, and stress the need for nuanced understandings of black culture, emphasizing individuality over social conformity.

Connie Morgan and co-founder of Every Black Life Matters Kevin McGary talk about family, fatherhood and why Karl Marx must have been demon possessed. Kevin also serves as Chairman of the Frederick Douglass Foundation of California and he’s an executive with the Douglass Leadership Institute.

Show notes:

• Kevin’s book: DEI in 3D: Deciphering Designs, Demands And Dilemmas of DEI
• Kevin’s book: Freed To Be Servant and Slave: Finally breaking free of ALL bondage as a “new creation”...IN CHRIST!
• Kevin’s book: WOKEd UP!: Finally Putting an Ax to The Taproot Of White Supremacy And Racism In America
• Kevin on Locals: @theDEIGuy
• Every Black Life Matters on X: @Every_BLM
• Charles Darwin’s The Descent Of Man