Ona Judge: The Runaway Slave George Washington Pursued Til His Death (:00)

Guest: Erica Armstrong Dunbar, PhD, Charles and Mary Beard Professor of History, Rutgers University, Author of “Never Caught: The Washington’s Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave Ona Judge”

It’s Juneteenth, marking the end of slavery in America. So we’re listening back to a conversation about slavery and America’s first president – George Washington. He and Martha had an enslaved woman in their household named Ona Judge who slipped away from the Presidential mansion in Philadelphia one Saturday afternoon during dinner, never to return. George Washington pursued Ona Judge until the end of his life. But she died a free woman. (Originally aired 3/24/17)

Reparations for Slavery Becomes a 2020 Campaign Issue (52:47)

Guest: William Darity, PhD, Professor of Public Policy, Duke University

Many Americans are, for the first time, aware of Juneteenth. It commemorates the end of slavery in America and there’s a growing movement to make it a national holiday. We’re in a moment of increased attention on racism and racial inequality in the United States. Two thirds of American adults support the Black Lives Matter movement, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center. So what do we do about it? There are proposals to address systemic racism in policing, education, housing and banking. What about making reparations for slavery? That could mean cash payments to the descendants of enslaved people. Or it might mean specific housing, healthcare, scholarship or loan programs for black Americans. (Originally aired 4/28/19)

Bringing Games to Sick Kids (1:16:53)

Guest: Zack Wigal – Founder, Gamers Outreach

Children receiving treatment for serious medical conditions will sometimes spend extended periods in the hospital, which can be hard on their morale and their friendships. Playing video games can help. Zack Wigal is a gamer who runs a nonprofit that provides video game consoles to children’s hospitals. It’s called Gamers Outreach. (Originally aired 3/17/20)

Why Heat Waves Are Even Worse in Big Cities (1:28:48)

Guest: Nicholas Rajkovich, Assistant Professor of Architecture, University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning

It will officially be summer this weekend. But when the weather app on your phone says it’s 96 degrees, that may not be exactly true where you’re standing. If you’re under a tree in a park it’ll quite a bit cooler than standing in the middle of a parking lot at a strip mall. And cities, in general, tend to be several degrees hotter than outlying rural areas. As global temperatures get rise, some cities are rethinking how they deal with heat, including better design. (Originally aired 8/7/2019)