Free Black Thought Podcast

This episode examines the life of John Mercer Langston, a trailblazing black lawyer and educator who rose from antebellum Virginia to national prominence through resilience, self-reliance, and ambition.

Host Connie Morgan talks with Mandisa Thomas, founder of Black Nonbelievers, about growing up in Queens, questioning religion early on, and building a national community for Black non-religious people.

Show notes

• Black Nonbelievers
• Black Nonbelievers on Facebook
• Black Nonbelievers on YouTube
• Black Nonbelievers on X
• Holy Lockdown: Does the Church Limit Black Progress?

Connie Morgan sits down with Shiri Fein-Grossman, CEO of the Israel–Africa Relations Institute and former advisor at Israel’s National Security Council. The conversation dives into why Africa is becoming one of the most important regions in the world, how Israel is building strategic relationships across the continent, and what these partnerships mean for global security, economic development, and the future of international cooperation.

Mike DC Bowen and Wink Twyman Jr. discuss war and other topics.

Rev. Dr. Starlette Thomas discusses her personal experiences with race, her work on the Raceless Gospel, and her vision for a desegregated, inclusive church and society.

Show notes:

• The Raceless Gospel website
• Take Me to the Water: The Raceless Gospel as Baptismal Pedagogy for a Desegregated Church
• Starlette on X

Martin Plaut discusses his new book Unbroken Chains: A 5,000-Year History of African Enslavement, which explores overlooked history and challenges common misconceptions.

1. Unbroken Chains: A 5,000-Year History of African Enslavement
2. Best Book Martin’s read this year so far: The Place of Tides: A Transformative Nature Memoir of Isolation, Forgiveness, and Self-Discovery on a Remote Norwegian Island

Free Black Thought c-founder Dave Gilbert shares his journey from a rural Tennessee childhood to academia, technology, and his insights on AI, race, and society.

Show notes:

1. Dave’s “Critical Race Theory Comes to City Hall” for the Journal of Free Black Thought
2. Dave’s “Inequality Has Become Its Own Explanation” for the Journal of Free Black Thought
3. Dave on X

Khadijah Queen shares her inspiring journey from childhood adversity to becoming a poet, author, and academic after a life altering career in the Navy.

Show links:

1. Khadijah’s website
2. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea: A Veteran’s Memoir

Michael DC Bowen and Winkfield F. Twyman Jr. explore the multifaceted world of AI, discussing its power, hype, motives, ethical considerations, and future implications including space colonization and property rights.

Behavioral scientist Cory Clark discusses the concept of adversarial collaboration in science, aiming to bridge gaps between conflicting scholars. The conversation delves into the impact of COVID-19 on public trust in science, the feminization of society, and the complexities surrounding implicit bias research.

Show notes:

1. Adversarial Collaboration Project
2. Cory’s Website
3. Implicit Racial Bias Study
4. Cory on X