On Second Thought

A significant demographic change occurred in the past eight years since Barack Obama first ran for president in 2008. White Christians went from making up 54% of the country to comprising less than half. This decline is important in understanding today's political landscape, according to Robert Jones. Jones is the CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute and author of the new book, "The End of White Christian America." We speak with Jones about the political and social implications of this

This month, Turner Classic Movies showcases the work of early African American filmmakers dating back to the 1920s. These “race films” were compiled by Atlanta filmmaker and producer Bret Wood, who talks with us about his work to preserve a golden age of cinema that’s long been forgotten. The 1919 silent film "Within Our Gates" is directed by Oscar Micheaux, and he's considered to be the first important black film director. This film makes an attempt to respond to DW Griffith's 1915 film "Birth

A significant demographic change occurred in the past eight years since Barack Obama first ran for president in 2008. White Christians went from making up 54 percent of the country to comprising less than half. This decline is important in understanding today’s political landscape, according to Robert Jones. Jones is the CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute and author of the new book, “The End of White Christian America.” We speak with Jones about the political and social implications

Twenty years ago, the Olympic Games kicked off in Atlanta, but the international celebration of athleticism turned a dark corner about a week later when a bomb went off at a free concert in Centennial Olympic Park. A mother died and a man suffered a fatal heart attack after the blast. More than a hundred others were injured. Memories of that violent attack are what still stand out in many people's minds. At the time, Dena Brummer was a teen journalist assigned to cover the games for VOX Teen

It's been 20 years since Atlanta became an Olympic city. The city transformed after that moment. We spend the hour on how the 1996 Olympics changed Atlanta and hear stories from listeners about their Olympic memories. We speak with former NPR correspondent Kathy Lohr, who covered the games for the network, and Maurice Hobson, an assistant professor of African American Studies at Georgia State University and the author of the forthcoming book, "The Legend of the Black Mecca: Myth, Maxim, and the

One of the strangest aspects of Atlanta's 1996 Olympics was the mascot chosen to represent the games. Izzy, the controversial mascot, was met with a wave of criticism during the games and is still remembered as a large disappointment. John Ryan is credited as the creator of the mascot, but he tells us what happened to Izzy is not his fault.

The internet has changed the way journalists reach audiences, causing media outlets and journalism programs to struggle with how best to teach the craft journalism to the next generation. University of Georgia professor Valerie Boyd is spearheading a MFA program that specializes in teaching long-form journalism techniques to students. Guest host Adam Ragusea sits down with Boyd to talk about the value of long-form and it’s place in the current media landscape. Then, we continue our conversation

For many veterans returning from war, it can be difficult to adjust to civilian life. A new documentary showing at the Macon Film Festival tells the story of one veteran who’s suffered emotionally and physically from war, only to return home as a farmer where he’s trying to find peace. We talk with filmmaker Alix Blair about her documentary, "Farmer/Veteran." We also hear from Jon Jackson, a Georgia veteran who started a farm in Milledgeville. Jackson is now working with other veterans adjusting

The internet has changed the way journalists reach audiences, causing media outlets and journalism programs to struggle with how best to teach the craft of journalism to the next generation. University of Georgia professor Valerie Boyd is spearheading a MFA program that specializes in teaching long-form journalism techniques to students. Guest host Adam Ragusea sits down with Boyd to talk about the value of long-form and it’s place in the current media landscape. We also add two more voices into

The 2016 Rio Olympics will be kicking off next month, but this year also marks the 20th anniversary of the 1996 Atlanta games. And one of the biggest players in bringing the Olympics to the South was Georgia's own Andrew Young. Ambassador Young recalls a few memorable moments from '96 and talks about his role in bringing the Summer Olympic Games to Atlanta.