On Second Thought

Activism, Voting Rights, And 'Good Trouble': New Film Highlights Legacy Of Congressman John Lewis Jul 10, 2020

John Lewis has gotten into a lot of trouble in his life. The now 17-term House Representative from Atlanta has been arrested 45 times – five as a U.S. congressman. One of the original Freedom Riders , Lewis trained in nonviolent resistance, but faced a lot of brutality during his time as a young activist in the civil rights movement. He suffered harassment and attacks during lunch counter sit-ins in Nashville, his skull was fractured by a blow from a Klansman in 1961, and he was badly beaten after crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama on Bloody Sunday .

How Anacaona Pictures Is 'Providing A Voice To The Voiceless' Jul 10, 2020

Growing up, Mahalia Latortue says she had three career options — doctor, lawyer or engineer. But despite starting her undergraduate studies at Oakwood University in Alabama focused on pre-law, she graduated with a passion for filmmaking. Today, she’s a recent Savannah College of Art and Design film graduate who founded her own Atlanta-based production company called Anacaona Pictures . The company’s mission is to “create diverse, untold stories and provide a voice to the voiceless.”

OST Full Show: 'John Lewis: Good Trouble'; SCAD Film Graduate Launches Anacaona Pictures Jul 10, 2020

John Lewis has served as U.S. Representative for Georgia's 5th Congressional District since 1987, and is known for his passionate work both in the civil rights movements and on Capitol Hill. A new documentary called John Lewis: Good Trouble goes beyond the highlight reel of his storied life and reveals more personal elements of the man and the figure. On Second Thought hears from the film’s director and producer Dawn Porter and producer Erika Alexander about how the film connects his legacy of seeking justice from his youth to his role as a revered congressman today.

'The Talk' Is A Rite Of Passage In Black Families. Even When The Parent Is A Police Officer. Jun 26, 2020

For generations, "The Talk" has been a mainstay in African American families. At some point, Black children all get warnings from elders about how to avoid – and survive – police encounters. It’s a rite that cuts across region, socioeconomic status and profession – even for members of law enforcement.

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson On Handling COVID-19, Racial Justice And More — In His First 6 Months Jun 26, 2020

America’s mayors have taken center stage in 2020. Big city mayors feuded with state and federal officials over COVID-19 protections and resources, and have been praised — and condemned — for their handling of protests sparked by the death of George Floyd. These crises may be unfolding on a national and international scale, but affect lives in every American city and town. Outside of Atlanta’s national spotlight, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson is working to address these issues head-on.

Upcoming ‘Dundee Village’ To Offer Safe And Sanitary Sanctuary For Savannah’s ‘Roofless’ Jun 26, 2020

When COVID-19 hit Savannah, city leaders were particularly concerned about the homeless population — or “roofless people,” as 3 rd District Alderwoman Linda Wilder-Bryan prefers. Her drive to help people who couldn’t get into shelters led to a proposal for “ Dundee Village .” Now, plans are underway for a safe and sanitary complex of tents – which will later be converted to livable shipping containers – to house people displaced by the pandemic and at risk of contracting COVID-19 on the streets.

OST Full Show: Spotlight On Savannah — Weathering Worldwide Crises On The Georgia Coast Jun 26, 2020

America’s mayors have taken center stage in 2020. Big city mayors feuded with state and federal officials over COVID-19 protections and resources, and have been praised — and condemned — for their handling of protests sparked by the death of George Floyd. These crises may be unfolding on a national scale, but affect lives in every American city and town. With Atlanta officials already in the national spotlight, On Second Thought turned to local leaders in Savannah — Georgia’s first city and the state’s largest coastal municipality — to see how they are responding. We begin with Savannah Mayor Van Johnson , who took office in January of this tumultuous year. He shed light on his decision-making processes and vision for the city’s future.

Amid Movement For Racial Justice, The Need For Rebellious Art — And Uncomfortable Conversations Jun 19, 2020

Today, in celebration of Juneteenth, Power Haus Creative has organized what they’re calling the “ Juneteenth Takeover ” – in which 19 Atlanta artists will display their work on the exterior of the historic Flatiron building in downtown Atlanta. Carlton Mackey and Melissa Alexander are two of those artists.

Walking The Talk: What Does It Mean When Companies Say #BlackLivesMatter? Jun 19, 2020

While the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Sandra Bland galvanized the #BlackLivesMatter movement, the killings of Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery have forced America to reckon with centuries of racial injustice and police brutality in unprecedented ways. Not only have protests demanding change been widespread, but major corporations — which, until now, have been largely silent and hesitant to embrace Black Lives Matter — are pledging to fight racial injustice and declaring their support of the nearly seven-year-old movement.

OST Full Show: Corporations On #BlackLivesMatter; Art As Rebellion Amid Movement For Racial Justice Jun 19, 2020

While the deaths of Travon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Sandra Bland galvanized the #BlackLivesMatter movement, the killings of Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery have forced America to reckon with centuries of racial injustice and police brutality in unprecedented ways. Not only have protests demanding change been widespread, but major corporations — which, until now, have been largely silent and hesitant to embrace Black Lives Matter — are pledging to fight racial injustice and declaring their support of the nearly seven-year-old movement. We discuss the significance of those corporate responses, as well as new challenges these companies face to commit to righting past wrongs.

George Floyd's Third Ward: Reflections On The Neighborhood That Made Him Jun 12, 2020

In 2002, On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott recorded stories of residents from the Houston neighborhood where George Floyd grew up. Virginia reflected on the rich cultural legacy of the historically African American community. George Floyd was laid to rest in Pearland, Texas earlier this week. He was buried next to his mother, known as "Miss Cissy" in Houston's Third Ward, where Floyd grew up. Beyonce and Solange Knowles were also raised in the neighborhood. So was the actor Phylicia Rashad, the director and choreographer Debbie Allen, and musicians Samuel John "Lightnin'" Hopkins and Jason Moran.

Reform, Defund, Abolish: Understanding Calls To Re-Imagine The Police Jun 12, 2020

In the weeks since protests against police brutality began in Minneapolis, calls to reform, defund or abolish the police have been escalating. Demands for reform or cuts to police budgets aren’t new among activists, but a pledge by the Minneapolis City Council to “ dismantle ” the police department is unprecedented. The mayors of Los Angeles and New York City have also announced that they would both divert city funds from police departments to social service budgets. Practically speaking, what would it mean to “defund” the police? On Second Thought sat down with Cedric Alexander, former police chief of DeKalb County, and Michael Leo Owens , associate professor of political science at Emory University, to dissect the history and meaning behind the language of the protest movement.

With Lack of Pandemic Protections, Fears - And Coronavirus - Spread Among Georgia ICE Detainees Jun 12, 2020

While protests set off by the killing of George Floyd show no signs of letting up, another quieter protest has been stirring at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Irwin County, Georgia. There, a group of detainees staged a hunger strike and protest over video chat to raise the alarm over a lack of precautions against the spread of COVID-19 inside the detention center.

OST Full Show: Re-Imagining The Police; ICE Detention During COVID; George Floyd's Neighborhood Jun 12, 2020

In the weeks since protests against police brutality began in Minneapolis, calls to reform, defund or abolish the police have been escalating. These demands aren’t new among activists; however, responses from local governments across the country committing to redirect police funds or even “dismantle” police departments have been unprecedented. We break down reasoning, history and motivations behind the push to change how policing operates nationwide.

Georgians Demand Justice: The Messages And Momentum Behind The George Floyd Protests Jun 05, 2020

Since George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer on May 25, rage that had accumulated over centuries of racial violence spilled into the nation's streets. From Atlanta , Macon and Savannah to London , Amsterdam and Paris , protesters are flooding streets that, only weeks ago, stood nearly empty due to fears of COVID-19. The crowds are unprecedented in their size , diversity and condemnation of police brutality and systemic racial injustice. Despite early property damage , largely peaceful protests have gained momentum over the course of the last week.

Author Mary Beth Keane's 'Ask Again, Yes' Explores Addiction, Mental Illness And Forgiveness May 29, 2020

Mary Beth Keane’s 2019 novel Ask Again, Yes was an instant New York Times bestseller, and is now out on paperback. The book follows the families of two New York City police officers who live next door to each other in a suburb north of the city – and a tragedy that divides them and their children over four decades.

'Atlanta Journal-Constitution' Reporter Reveals An 'Imperfect Alibi' In Georgia Murder Case May 29, 2020

On Mar. 11, 1985, Harold and Thelma Swain were shot in the vestibule of a Baptist church in rural southeast Georgia during evening Bible study. Witnesses from the black congregation described a white man with shoulder-length hair who fled the scene. Despite years of investigation by both the local sheriff’s office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the case had gone cold by the end of the decade; even the leads generated by a 1988 episode of Unsolved Mysteries about the case proved false.

OST Full Show: AJC Unravels 'The Imperfect Alibi' In Georgia Cold Case; Author Mary Beth Keane May 29, 2020

In 2003, Brunswick prosecutors convicted Dennis Perry of killing a couple in their church back in 1985 — while another suspect had admitted to the murder on tape. Renewed interest in the case from the Georgia Innocence Project and a true crime podcast spurred Joshua Sharpe, criminal justice reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution , to revisit an early suspect’s alibi. Sharpe's research unveiled new DNA evidence, and prompted the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to reopen the case. Sharpe joins On Second Thought to talk us through what he learned in his nearly year of reporting on the 35 year-old case.

Ahmaud Arbery's Family, Friends Reflect On His Life, Death And The Path To Justice May 22, 2020

The last 35 seconds of Ahmaud Arbery’s life have been viewed, studied, dissected and discussed all over the world. That’s because of a video that went viral, showing his final moments before he was shot on a shady street in Satilla Shores, Georgia on February 23. And while his death has made international headlines, the people of his community remember Arbery for how he lived.

Macon Music Legend Alan Walden Remembers Rock ‘N’ Roll 'King' Little Richard May 15, 2020

Tributes have poured in from around the world since Little Richard’s death on Saturday, May 9. His influence crossed decades and borders, and he was beloved as one of Georgia’s own, always proudly proclaiming his love for his hometown of Macon. Not known for understatement, the man born Richard Wayne Penniman in 1932 – the third of 12 children – staked his own claim as the “architect of rock ‘n’ roll.”

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