The Black Syllabus

Is Donald Trump a political genius? Or has he simply figured out how to exploit weaknesses in America that have always been there?

In this episode of The Black Syllabus, Justin Grant and Jeff Lindor unpack Ta-Nehisi Coates' provocative Vanity Fair essay, "Donald the Great," which makes the case that Trump may be the most dominant American political figure of our time.

The conversation goes beyond the usual debates about Trump to explore bigger questions about race, power, and American democracy. Would Trump have risen to power without Barack Obama? How much of his political success was driven by racial backlash? Why have some of America's most powerful institutions been so willing to bend to his demands? And what can Democrats learn from Trump's approach to political power?

Justin and Jeff also examine whether Trump has fundamentally changed America or simply exposed truths about the country that many Americans have been reluctant to confront.

Ultimately, the question isn't just what Trump has done to America. It's what his rise tells us about who we are—and what kind of country we'll become after he's gone.

The Black Syllabus explores the ideas, people, and events shaping Black life and the world around.

What do the choices we make, and the values we pass down, say about the world we're creating for the next generation?

In Episode 2 of The Black Syllabus, Justin Grant and Jeff Lindor tackle three conversations at the intersection of parenting, education, culture, and personal responsibility.

The discussion begins with the disturbing allegations surrounding the Cornell University rape case, in which seven fraternity members have been accused of sexually assaulting a fellow student. Speaking as fathers raising sons and daughters, Justin and Jeff examine consent, masculinity, peer pressure, and the moral responsibility of young men. Beyond the legal questions, they explore how participating in degrading conduct can diminish not only another person's humanity but one's own.

The conversation then turns to Nikole Hannah-Jones and the difficult decisions Black parents face when choosing where to educate their children. How do we reconcile our commitment to public education and community investment with our desire to secure the best possible opportunities for our own children?

Finally, Justin revisits the cultural legacy of A Different World, sharing three candid reflections on Jasmine Guy, aging in the public eye, and one of television's most memorable relationship storylines.

In the first episode of The Black Syllabus, Justin Grant and Jeff Lindor revisit one of the most complicated debates in sports and culture: Jay-Z, Colin Kaepernick and the NFL.

Was Jay-Z’s decision to partner with the NFL a pragmatic attempt to create change from inside one of America’s most powerful institutions? Or did the partnership undermine the protest Kaepernick started by taking a knee?

We talk about Jay-Z’s controversial “past kneeling” comments, Kaepernick’s legacy, the difference between access and power, and a larger question: What happens when protest meets wealth, influence and institutional acceptance?

It’s a conversation about much more than football. It’s about activism, capitalism, Black celebrity, power — and the price of getting a seat at the table.