Shelley’s Plumbline

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This week's podcast features guest Candis Bonner, who shares a conversation about lifelong friendship and the evolution of Black media.

Friendship Loss and Reunion
We discuss the pain of losing friends and the rarity of true friendship. Shelley recounts the emotional reunion with his lifelong friend, Jimmy, after 10 years of separation following his homelessness at age 7.

Black Radio Industry History
Candis Bonner, Jimmy’s daughter, shares stories of her career path from Michigan State to a top writer for Black Radio Exclusive in Los Angeles. The episode discusses that syndicated shows, driven by money, ultimately dilute the power of influential local Black radio personalities who could mobilize cities.

Current State of Black Media
Shelley and Candis Bonner agree that effective Black-owned media is virtually nonexistent today because Black-owned media cannot secure financial support or advertising from the business community. Ricky Jones expressed concern that the ongoing struggle is terrifying due to the absolute collapse of Black institutions and shrinking attention spans in younger adults.

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This week's episode of Shelley's Plumbline explores the opposition to Human Rights progress, including the anti-DEI movement and the inaction of the Black bourgeoisie, prompting a call for a desperate resurgence of the movement for freedom. 

Shelley and Ricky emphasize the crucial role of education, advocating for widespread reading and critical thinking as a necessary exercise to counter the shallowness of social media content. 

Shelley recounts a striking personal story about openly engaging with members of the Ku Klux Klan in their hometown.

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This week Shelley's Plumbline covers a debate on the Black Church's role in community unity and institutional strength, questioning if its historical influence on the community and youth still remains strong today. 

Shelley shares his concern about whether Black institutions like the church that once helped navigate racial struggles have weakened in that role. 

The discussion then addresses the ongoing fight for equality, emphasizing that awareness and responsibility are needed to address current racial conditions.

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The week's discussion centers on the pursuit of power, with Ricky and Shelley questioning the sustainability of the integration model and discussing the need for new political approaches, including "voluntary separation." 

We pay tribute to Reverend Jesse Jackson, remembering his dedication to "Education, hope, and the continuous fight for equality and power. 

Finally, we offer a critique of "late-stage capitalism" in America, which Ricky Jones argues is causing the economic collapse of institutions due to concentrated capital and systemic exploitation.

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In this episode, we dive into the pivotal moments that shaped our world—from the blackouts and segregation of the 1940s and post-war era, to the political earthquakes of Maynard Jackson’s and Coleman Young’s mayoral elections in Atlanta and Detroit. We compare the struggles for equality faced by figures like Reverend Jesse Jackson with the modern-day battles for DEI, ultimately asking: Is the core struggle still simply the fight for power and against "anti-blackness" in a system of "late-stage capitalism"?

Let's get started.

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This episode concludes a four-part series on Dr. Carter G. Woodson and centers on the loss of the Black Old Guard, specifically honoring Reverend Jesse Jackson. A key point of discussion was the denial of Reverend Jackson lying in honor at the state capital, which the hosts connected to a broader historical erasure and ongoing attacks on education and historical acknowledgment. 

The hosts emphasized that confronting and learning from painful history, citing the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) Moment, is crucial for future progress. Finally, the conversation critiqued the negative impact of capitalism on higher education, arguing that the focus on "job-ready" students produces individuals who lack critical thinking skills.

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This week's episode continues our Black History Month series on Dr. Carter G. Woodson, whose rejection of the NAACP begs the question: Does the influence of funding to Black movements trigger the need for a "leadership audit" within Black organizations? 

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This week's episode continues the focus on the life and ideology of Dr. Carter G. Woodson as part of a four-part Black History Month series. We open by marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of Negro History Week and re-ask Woodson’s provocative question from the 1940s: "Do we deserve to celebrate right now?" Woodson opined that celebration was unwarranted if Black people had not studied their history and contemporary situation to better understand what is really happening today.

Ricky discusses the historical necessity and proliferation of Black organizations post-1865, following emancipation. These groups, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), the Niagara Movement, the NAACP, and the Urban League, were established as collective tools to ensure the well-being of Black men, women, and children against white supremacy, post-Reconstruction backlash, and challenges like Plessy v. Ferguson. 

The episode covers the historical friction among Black leaders and discusses Woodson's split with the NAACP in 1915. Woodson found the Washington D.C. branch, led by Archer Grimkey, to be "too moderate." After Grimkey refused his proposals to expand the branch’s operations, Woodson left, declaring, "I am a radical. I am ready to act if I can find brave men to help me."

Bringing the conversation to the modern day, the hosts cited recent brazen examples of racism and questioned the preparedness of contemporary Black organizations, including fraternities, sororities, the Black church, the NAACP, and the Urban League. 

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In this special Black History Month episode of Shelley's Plumbline, executive producer Mark Jamroz and host Dr. Ricky Jones—son of the Radio Hall of Famer Shelley Stewart—share a conversation on Carter G. Woodson and the origins of Black History Month. 

The core of the conversation focuses on the legacy of Carter G. Woodson and the founding of Negro History Week, with Jones detailing Woodson's academic journey and his concerns about the miseducation of Black people. 

The episode ultimately challenges listeners to do their homework. Black people do not currently "deserve to celebrate" Black History Month and must commit to serious study and organization to earn the right to celebrate in 2027.

Are you ready to celebrate? Tune in and let us know.

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