On Second Thought

In 1912, more than 1,000 black citizens were driven out of Forsyth County. Large tracts of land were seized and families were threatened with violence if they did not cooperate. Poet and author Patrick Phillips grew up in Forsyth County and documented the area’s complicated racial heritage in his new book, "Blood at the Root." He joins us to talk about the racial climate in Forsyth and the issues that persist to this day.

In 1912, more than 1,000 black citizens were driven out of Forsyth County. Large tracts of land were seized and families were threatened with violence if they did not cooperate. Poet and author Patrick Phillips grew up in Forsyth County and documented the area’s complicated racial heritage in his new book, "Blood at the Root." Plus, 2016 is the centennial year of the Pulitzer Prize. The honor has been awarded to dozens of people from or living in Georgia, and so we'll spend some time with past

The Breakroom gang joins host Celeste Headlee to weigh in on the week's news. The panel includes writer Nicki Salcedo of Decaturish.com, music blogger Jordan Stepp, Georgia State University professor Hector Fernandez, and Jeff Breedlove, who is the communications director for DeKalb County commissioner Nancy Jester. BREAKROOM TOPICS: 1) The first presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is Monday. Lots of people will be watching for false balance in the debate. It’s the

Brigadier General Robert Lee Scott was a boy from Waynesboro, Georgia who went on to become a World War II hero. He was an American fighter pilot who flew in the Himalayas, one of the most dangerous routes possible at the time. Scott became a household name by writing about his experiences in the book “God is My Copilot” and played a key role in the opening of the Museum of Aviation near Robins Air Force Base. But he was also a flawed person, according to biographer Robert Coram. His new book is

Brigadier General Robert Lee Scott was a boy from Waynesboro, Georgia who went on to become a World War II hero. He was an American fighter pilot who flew over the Himalayas, one of the most dangerous routes possible at the time. Scott became a household name by writing about his experiences in the book “God is My Copilot” and played a key role in the opening of the Museum of Aviation near Robins Air Force Base. But he was also a flawed person, according to biographer Robert Coram. His new book

How smart are animals? Humans may not be smart enough to know. That’s conclusion of primatologist Frans de Waal. He says humans tend to observe animal behavior with their own exceptionalism in mind. He bridges the dividing line between humans and animals in his new book "Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?" We revisit our interview with de Waal about his research into the breadth of animal intelligence. Then, the rhythmic songs of birds and frogs have inspired modern music

Atlanta Chef Kevin Gillespie was a fan favorite on the TV cooking competition “Top Chef.” He now runs two restaurants in Atlanta: Gunshow and Revival. In his latest cookbook, “Pure Pork Awesomeness,” Gillespie professes his love of pigs (even the living kind) and shares recipes for the home cook without the “chef-y” language. We revisit our conversation with Gillespie who tells us about some of his favorite recipes and his definition of Southern food. Plus, the watermelon was once a symbol of

Author Colson Whitehead’s latest novel “The Underground Railroad” tells the story of a Georgia slave on a quest for her freedom by riding a train state-to-state. We talk with Colson Whitehead ahead of his appearance Wednesday night at the Carter Center in Atlanta. Plus, the state of Georgia has declared 2016 the Year of Georgia Music. Each month will be a celebration of people who make this state’s soundtrack come alive. In this installment, we talk about songwriting in Georgia. We speak with

The Underground Railroad wasn’t a real railroad. There were no chugging engines or steel tracks, but there are both of those things in author Colson Whitehead’s latest novel, "The Underground Railroad." In his book, many historical details about the slave era are reimagined, and the route to freedom begins in Georgia. “The Underground Railroad” has won over the attention of critics, Oprah's Book Club, and the National Book Awards. There’s even talk about adapting this story into a short-run

The state of Georgia has declared 2016 the Year of Georgia Music. Each month will be a celebration of people who make the state’s soundtrack come alive. Today, we feature two Georgia songwriters. Michelle Malone was born and raised in Atlanta and comes from a family of performers. Randall Bramblett was born in Jesup, Georgia and now lives in Athens. We speak with the pair about what inspires their work and what being a singer-songwriter means to them. Randall and Michelle will perform Wednesday