On March 7, 1942, a pivotal moment in history occurred as the first Black pilots joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. At the height of World War II, these brave men, fighting for both freedom abroad and racial equality at home, displayed extraordinary courage, belief in the greater good, and unwavering determination. These qualities defined the 992 black pilots, including the 450 who served overseas.

Known as the Red Tails, they earned the respect of fellow servicemen through their valor, unmatched skills, and relentless dedication, both on the battlefield and beyond. While the fight for racial equality was no different on base, in the US or overseas, the Tuskegee Airmen charged forward. As we mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and celebrate Tuskegee Airmen Day on March 7th, Donna & Jonathan honor their legacy and the profound impact they had on changing hearts and minds near and far.

Resources:

https://play.history.com/specials/tuskegee-airmen-legacy-of-courage/full-special

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmcpILi1Rxc

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c74e175p40qo

Now You Know:

https://www.thewarandtreaty.com/

Instagram:

@DonnaJaneen

#airforce #military #worldwar2 #tuskegee #tuskegeeairmen

"I'm Penny Proud, I'm Cute and I'm Loud, And I Got It Going on!"

Our commitment to ourselves, which subsequently is a commitment to you all listening, is to incorporate some lighter focuses on the show - bring the levity! We’re of course not going to stop doing the history dives, but we’ll aim to bring out the joy while recognizing and honoring the fight to get it.

This episode Donna & Jonathan highlight a few of their favorite childhood stars, relishing in the theme songs and nostalgia of the 90s and early 2000s.

What favorite shows or actors come to mind from these eras?

Resources:

https://girlsunited.essence.com/feedback/news/all-grown-up-your-favorite-black-child-stars-then-and-now/

https://www.history.com/news/black-tv-shows-culture

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695497/?ref_=nmawd_ov

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0722647/?ref_=nmawd_ov

https://people.com/parents/all-about-kyla-pratt-kids/

https://one-on-one.fandom.com/wiki/Arnaz_Ballard

https://www.ebony.com/raven-symone-doesnt-like-black-names-forgot-her-name-is-raven-symone/#.VhkpM2bh_bo.twitter

Instagram:

@DonnaJaneen

Call it a coincidence, call it kismet: the release of Wicked and Six Triple Eight. The true story of the first all women, all black army unit in 6888 and the fictional story of Wicked, the all green Wicked Witch of the West, coincided with the determination against the odds, the societal othering, and the plight of black women.

Listen along as Donna & Jonathan dissect the stories and uncover the additional messaging of heroism, colorism, and the portrayal of black women through film.

Did you see the correlation between the two stories? Were you inspired by any parts?

Resources:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Wicked

https://www.theroot.com/black-people-know-the-real-truth-about-glinda-and-elpha-1851715763

https://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/The-Six-Triple-Eight-Proved-That-No-Role-Was-Too-Small-During-World-War-II

https://www.forbes.com/sites/monicamercuri/2024/12/20/the-inspiring-true-story-behind-netflixs-the-six-triple-eight/

Instagram:

@DonnaJaneen

Less than 90 years ago, 18 Black American athletes defied the odds being the first black athletes to compete in the Olympic Games. Of all to be the first competition, they went to Berlin, Germany in 1936: a time riddled with the racist and anti-Semitic indoctrinations of Hitler.

We know black people have had to endure a lot in this country, come learn about the trials and tribulations they experienced here and abroad. Does this only scratch the surface? Yes. But the discussion of Donna & Jonathan continues to unveil the ugly underbelly of issues we continue to see in this country.

Instagram:

@DonnaJaneen

Resources:

https://www.pbs.org/video/olympic-pride-american-prejudice-lx0WCn/

https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/berlin-1936

https://www.ushmm.org/exhibition/olympics/?content=aa_athletes_medals&lang=en

https://freedomcenter.org/voice/reveal-stories-the-18-black-american-athletes-of-the-1936-olympic-games/

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/goebbels-olympics/#:~:text=With%20construction%20of%20an%20impressive,and%20called%20for%20a%20boycott.

https://www.ushmm.org/exhibition/olympics/?content=jewish_athletes_more

https://www.ushmm.org/exhibition/olympics/?content=aa_athletes&lang=en

We can often turn to music for inspiration, a lyrical expression and auditory stimulation to help us through certain times. Donna & Jonathan felt it apt in the current time to dive into protest songs of years past through present.

Resource:

https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/4/12/14462948/protest-music-history-america-trump-beyonce-dylan-misty

Cameron Forbes - If I Was White

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwnj3q-p4ho

Instagram:

@DonnaJaneen

The consideration of interracial marriage vs interracial sex comes down to one thing: property. Donna & Jonathan have discussed it before, and here they’ll discuss it in more depth; the intersectionalities of morality and laws and their consequences on simply getting to exist as a full person while black in America.

Resources:

https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/388/1/ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QQRe2M96jw

Book to read:

White Fright The Sexual Panic at the Heart of America’s Racist History

https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/jane-dailey/white-fright/9781541646544/?lens=basic-books#:~:text=In%20this%20urgent%20investigation%2C%20Dailey,War%20II%2C%20in%20the%20violent 

Instagram: 

@DonnaJaneen

Things are shaking up at the White House, more than we probably realized could be possible. What better time to discuss the icon that did so in a time we were scrutinized for every move; from the clothes we wore to the hue of our skin. Eartha Kitt was dynamic, inspirational and a game changer in many ways. We're so excited to share part of her life's journey with you all this month.

Instagram:

@DonnaJaneen

Resources:

https://www.whitehousehistory.org/photos/fotoware?id=B9A396B2898045E9%20972B31CEC8AF1CDB

https://www.britannica.com/art/theatrical-production/Means-of-artistic-control

https://youtu.be/uXIr6-HcocY?si=COs0bSnP1Gx2hNTD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PECF0ZupS28

Sometimes it feels resilience, tenacity and determination are not only overused adjectives but indicative of the struggle that persists today. Lowndes County is no exception to the immense effort and grit our ancestors displayed. When will we get to simply rest and just be?

To truly understand the depths and lengths people went to, watch the documentary and listen to the episode.

Resources:

https://www.multitudefilms.com/lowndes-county

Quips:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRKE6bLX/

Instagram:

@DonnaJaneen

Sometimes, Donna & Jonathan need a vacation too. Re-sharing a popular episode from April 2023.

Music is instrumental, pun intended, for many of us in the Black Community - Donna & Jonathan are no exception. From childhood artistry to a now multi-platinum singer-songwriter, Cameron Forbes joins the Now We Know podcast for an episode on the joys, the struggles and the triumphs of building his music career in LA over the last decade. Cameron details how he remains true to himself in keeping the love for music and not becoming jaded in a world that wasn't created for the faint of heart.

How has the world of TikTok and plagiarism impacted the music industry? Are artists having greater control over their creations or will AI totally change the game? 

Instagram:

@CameronForbes

www.cameronforbes.com

EP - Back to Me

@DonnaJaneen

Sources:

⁠https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/celebrating-black-music-month#:~:text=The%20earliest%20form%20of%20black,defining%20the%20hardships%20of%20slavery⁠. 

⁠https://www.npr.org/2021/06/30/1011901555/radio-diaries-harry-pace-and-the-rise-and-fall-of-black-swan-records⁠ 

⁠https://soundbetter.com/profiles/21436-cameron-forbes⁠ 

#blackartistry #blackmusic