With Good Reason

Imagine if Beyonce had a secret recording of her singing Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical Hamilton, from before they were both famous. It would be epic! Music professor Brooks Kuykendall (University of Mary Washington) has worked with a graduate student to uncover the epic musical crossover of the 19th century--a John Philip Sousa arrangement of Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore. And: Stephen Vitiello (Virginia Commonwealth University) works with some unusual musicians: insects! Along with his collaborator, University of St. Louis biologist Kasey Fowler-Finn, Vitiello makes sound art out of the calls of insects, bringing these tiny songs to big galleries. And: Greg Howard (University of Virginia) remembers his friend Paul Koors, a physician and gifted songwriter, by encouraging others to play the songs that Koors left behind.

Later in the show: In 2013, Caroline Shaw’s composition “Partita for 8 Voices” made her the youngest recipient ever of the Pulitzer Prize for Music. Today, Shaw’s compositions range from traditional quartets and solo piano pieces to a cappella and hip-hop collaborations.

The best defense against conspiracy theories and fake news is robust journalism--but only if people trust their sources. Mallory Perryman (Virginia Commonwealth University) studies why people distrust their news sources and what we should do to change their minds. And: Why do people believe weird things? That’s what Jason Hart (Christopher Newport University) wants to find out. He delves into the psychology behind ghost encounters, anti-vaccine hoaxes, conspiracy theories, and more.

Later in the show: Lieutenant General George Crocker says that when he was first introduced to Rick Atkinson he was told, “If you like the truth, you’ll love Rick.” Over his long career as a journalist and historian, Atkinson has won three Pulitzer Prizes for works that he has written and edited. As part of the Pulitzer Centennial Campfire Initiative, we honor Rick Atkinson’s career, from Vietnam Veterans, WWII, and the Persian Gulf War to DC police shootings and the War in Iraq.

On Sept. 27th and 28th, the most notable poets of our time will gather in the nation’s capital to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Furious Flower Poetry Center, the first academic center devoted to African American poetry in the United States. The founder of Furious Flower, Joanne Gabbin (James Madison University), along with Lauren Alleyne (James Madison University) join us in studio to celebrate this anniversary and hear the voices of Furious Flower poets like Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Rita Dove and others who have appeared on With Good Reason.

Later in the show: Widely known for his poetry about the Vietnam War, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa’s writing has also explored themes of home, black resilience, and jazz and blues music. Komunyakaa was a guest of honor at a week-long seminar at James Madison University’s Furious Flower Poetry Center, called “Facing It,” titled after his most famous poem. And the recent book, Sargent’s Women tells the fascinating stories behind four of John Sargent’s portraits. From English manor houses to New Hampshire artist colonies, Donna M. Lucey (Virginia Humanities) ushers us into the scandalous and heartbreaking lives of Gilded Age high society.

In late August 1619, twenty or more enslaved Africans arrived in Virginia at what’s now called Fort Monroe. They were the first Africans documented in British North America. We speak with Terry Brown, Fort Monroe’s park superintendent about how the park--and America--are commemorating their arrival.

We hear from the Tuckers, the descendants of the very first African-American baby, and learn about their work to uncover the stories of their ancestors. Hear more from the Tuckers on our sister show, BackStory.

Poet Synnika Lofton (Norfolk State University) reflects on 1619 and shares how he channels his political thoughts into art.

When Ana Edwards (Virginia Commonwealth University) first heard the story of Gabriel, an enslaved blacksmith who attempted a rebellion in Richmond, Virginia, she knew she needed to share it. She explains how new efforts to commemorate the lives and rebellions of enslaved Virginians in this Confederate capital are reshaping Richmond today.

Richmond poet Joshua Poteat shares how he has been inspired by Gabriel’s story.

In the early 19th century, Americans began to journey away from home simply for the sake of traveling. Will Mackintosh(University of Mary Washington) is the author of a new book Selling the Sights: The Invention of the Tourist in American Culture.

And: In the past couple of decades, a lot has changed for rural American tourism. Nancy McGehee (Virginia Tech) says that from public artworks to popular foodie trails, small towns and rural areas are finding ways to enrich their communities through tourism.

Plus: City-dwellers escape to national and state parks for the beautiful sights and the fresh air. Chris Zajchowski (Old Dominion University) says that, unfortunately, when those tourists travel for clean air, they bring polluted air with them.

Later in the show: Within seconds of hearing someone speak, we make judgments about that person and their background, just based on their accent. Linguistics professor Steven Weinberger (George Mason University) explains how and when we develop accents and how these accents affect our identity.

Also: Written in early English, Geoffrey Chaucer’s fourteenth century writings may seem impenetrable, with strange pronunciation and incomprehensible phrases. English professor Alan Baragona (James Madison University) says the best way to approach Chaucer is to read it out loud and hear the musicality of the words.

Dr. Fern Hauck (University of Virginia Medical System) and Farah Ibrahim (CHIP) work to connect refugees and asylum seekers with high-quality healthcare, no matter what language they speak or what trauma they’ve suffered.

Al Fuertes (George Mason University) is also dedicated to improving outcomes for refugees and displaced peoples. He draws on his personal experience growing up under martial law to inform his transformative approach to healing.

Later in the show: In Border Odyssey Charles Thompson Jr. (Virginia Humanities) tells the story of his journey from a small organic farm in North Carolina to the nearly 2,000 mile long border between the United States and Mexico.

And: Gregory Smithers (Virginia Commonwealth University) describes the Cherokee evolution from one community into a people of multiple communities in his book, The Cherokee Diaspora: An Indigenous History of Migration, Resettlement and Identity.

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. In the years since, as residents have come and gone and rebuilt their lives, a lot has changed about the city-- including, says Katie Carmichael (Virginia Tech), the way people talk.

The author of Sudden Spring, Rick Van Noy (Radford University) says that, in many Southern communities, climate change is already here.

Later in the show: Residents of Tangier Island could become some of America’s first climate refugees—unless they get a much needed sea wall. Through a partnership with Google, a Virginia project is hoping to raise awareness of Tangier’s plight by allowing people from anywhere in the world to visit the endangered island—virtually.

Hundreds of thousands of citizens of island nations stand to lose their homes to rising sea levels. Anthony Boese is studying the ethical, political, and economic decisions needed when masses of people are forced to leave their island homelands.

Is there a better way to assess the potential damage of an approaching hurricane? Meteorologist Stephanie Zick (Virginia Tech) believes that studying how, where, and when hurricane loses its power can give us a more accurate picture.

Does the radiation emitted by our cell phones harm us? Deborah O’Dell (University of Mary Washington) recently finished a study that found cell phone radiation can cause changes to our cells. Also: In 2018, most people diagnosed with blood cancer can find a donor to help with their treatment. But not everyone. Karen Ballen (University of Virginia Health Systems) has been working to expand the donor database and discover new ways to match donors to cancer patients.

Later in the show: New forms of electro-magnetic treatments are fighting deadly melanoma and show promise against other cancers. Richard Heller (Old Dominion University) is a pioneer in the use of electro-gene-therapy and bio-electrics. Plus: There’s a whole field of cancer research devoted just to developing medications that can help ease the punch of chemotherapy side effects. Kimberly Lane (Radford University) and her student team are researching ways to ease the side effects of a potent chemotherapy drug used against with colon cancer.

There’s a new podcast called Sacred & Profane hosted by two Religious Studies professors, Martien Halvorson-Taylor and Kurtis Schaeffer (University of Virginia). The podcast explores how people think and act with religion, how religion can affect our experience on almost every level, and the relationship between religion, race, and democracy.

Later in the show: Christina Anne Kilby (James Madison University) says religion, at the level of the state, the community, the family, and the individual, can provide positive resources for dealing with refugee and migrant crisis. And: Annie Blazer (William & Mary) examines how Southern congregations, both historically Black and historically white, approach the challenges of urban gentrification. She says that changing neighborhoods have even spurred some churches to transform their religious missions.

From tracking tigers in Nepal to mountainside surgery on Montana’s wolverines, Deborah McCauley (VIEW) is on a mission to save disappearing wildlife around the world.

And: Rowan Lockwood (William & Mary) is taking a closer look at the fossils of giant oysters to learn how to rebuild oyster reefs today.

Later in the show: Crystal blue lakes might make for a popular tourist spot, but they’re starting to disappear. Dina Leech (Longwood University) is studying what gives lakes their color and why they’re changing.

Plus: While forests are a deep green right now, in just a few months leaves will be changing colors--thanks, in part, to caterpillars. Rebecca Forkner (George Mason University) shares how these tiny insects change their environments and what we can learn from them.