On Second Thought

We dedicate our entire show to the way Southerners speak. Where did y’all come from? We can trace the use of the word “y’all” all the way back to our colonial ancestors. Cameron Hunt McNabb, an English professor at Southeastern University, gives us a history and dialect lesson. Plus, The Atlantic staff writer Vann Newkirk II makes the case for why “America Needs Y’all.” We talk with a panel of film experts to analyze the impact on Southern cinema, as well as how Southern filmmaking has changed

The Georgia Peach might well be the most iconic fruit to symbolize Georgia. You see it on license plates, billboards, and even government documents. But the peach is actually rare to Georgia, and not native to our agricultural climate. Tom Okie is an Assistant Professor of History Education at Kennesaw State University. His new book , called “The Georgia Peach: Culture, Agriculture, and Environment in the American South,” explores the odd history of the fruit.

When you think of a fictional "hero," you might picture a strong, capable character. Someone who exudes confidence and is revered by those around them. But the heroes of Yiddish literature are very different. A new book called “ Never Better!: The Modern Jewish Picaresque ” explores the traits of Yiddish protagonists and their underlying meaning. That book recently won the National Jewish Book Award. The author, Miriam Udel, is a Professor of Yiddish Language, Literature, and Culture at Emory

Atlanta is the fifth highest metro area for rates of new HIV diagnoses, but recent data shows annual infection rates in the state are dropping, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We learned more about the fight to stop the spread of HIV and AIDS with Tiffany Roan, the state’s regional director for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. The Georgia Peach might well be the most iconic fruit to symbolize Georgia. You see it on license plates, billboards, and even government

On October​ ​12,​ ​1958, the​ ​Temple,​ ​Georgia’s​ ​largest synagogue,​ ​ was​ ​bombed .​ ​Nobody was hurt in the explosion, but the community was shaken. A new play at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta recalls the attack, and its lasting effects. We spoke to Jimmy Maize , playwright and director of “ The Temple Bombing .” "The Temple Bombing" premieres Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 7:30pm at the Alliance Theater, and runs through March 12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqYxQ1EmrVk

Atlanta is the fifth highest metro area for rates of new HIV diagnoses , but recent data shows annual infection rates in the state are dropping , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We learned more about the fight to stop the spread of HIV and AIDS with Tiffany Roan, the state’s regional director for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation .

Georgia scored a big win in a long-running legal battle with Florida. Last week, a special master appointed by the U.S. Supreme Court said the high court should refuse Florida's request to cap Georgia’s water use. Florida argues the cap is needed because Georgia’s high rate of water consumption is dampening its oyster industry and state economy. E&E News reporter Amanda Reilly joins us to talk about this latest development in a decades-old water war. In 1967, the first African-American

In 1967, the first African-American students were admitted to the Medical College of Georgia. Dr. Joseph Hobbs, one of the first black students to graduate, was the first black faculty member at the school. Doctor Hobbs is now Chair of the Department of Family Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia, and is organizing the 50th anniversary of desegregation at that college. He joins us from Augusta to discuss decades of work in elevating African-American doctors at the school.

Author and former Atlanta Police Officer Trudy Nan Boyce published her first novel, “Out of the Blues,” last year. That story follows the detective work of Sarah Alt--a.k.a “Salt”--as she investigates often gruesome crimes in the Atlanta area. The second installment of Detective Salt’s story, called “Old Bones,” follows the fictional shooting of students at Spelman College. That book hits shelves February 21. Author Trudy Nan Boyce join us to discuss her new novel. Trudy will appear this

Georgia scored a big win in a long-running legal battle with Florida. Last week, a special master appointed by the U.S. Supreme Court said the high court should refuse Florida's request to cap Georgia’s water use. Florida argues the cap is needed because Georgia’s high rate of water consumption is dampening its oyster industry and state economy. E&E News reporter Amanda Reilly joined us to talk about this latest development in a decades-old water war.