Unpopular

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Stephen Bantu Biko: The Road Toward Emancipation Jun 25, 2019

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"This is the first truth, bitter as it may seem, that we have to acknowledge before we can start on any programme designed to change the status quo. It becomes more necessary to see the truth as it is if you realise that the only vehicle for change are these people who have lost their personality. The first step therefore is to make the black man come to himself; to pump back life into his empty shell; to infuse him with pride and dignity, to remind him of his complicity in the crime of allowing himself to be misused and therefore letting evil reign supreme in the country of his birth. This is what we mean by an inward-looking process. This is the definition of “Black Consciousness” – Steve Biko, We Blacks, 1984.

Today, we recognize South African anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko, who encouraged a mindset shift, promoting the idea that black is beautiful and that Black people should view themselves as human beings. By rejecting white dominance and empowering Black South Africans to embrace their humanity, Biko became a threat. His resistance and emphasis on decolonizing the mind is relevant today.

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Galileo: Reason and Rejection Jun 18, 2019

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Galileo wrote the following in his 1615 letter to the Grand Duchess Christina: "But I do not feel obliged to believe that that same God who has endowed us with senses, reason, and intellect has intended to forgo their use and by some other means to give us knowledge which we can attain by them." Galileo was convinced the sun was near the center of the universe. Other people (ahem, the Catholic Church), not so much. As we are still fully aware of today, it can be pretty rough to get people onboard with new scientific knowledge -- and to get them to give up what they've always known.

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Amelia Bloomer and Elizabeth Smith Miller: Seeking (Re)dress Jun 11, 2019

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Victorian social mores may have taken the idea that women should be seen and not heard a little far, if you consider how ostentatious the garb of mid-18th century middle-class women was. Petticoats could be cumbersome, and corsets could cause a wearer physical harm. But fashion is worth it, right? Nay, some women said. Amelia Bloomer and Elizabeth Smith Miller advocated for more "rational dress" and -- gasp! -- wore pants. Today on the show, we ask: What's the value in pushing back against norms of dress?

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Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti: The Lioness of Lisabi Jun 04, 2019

Show notes

Nigerian women's rights activist and teacher Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was a force to be reckoned with. From the work she did protesting taxes on women, to her efforts in educating children and women, to her opposition of British colonialism, she played a major role in mid-20th century Nigerian politics and society. There were people who sought to diminish her power, as she fought systems that privileged few and penalized many. But what she was doing wasn't about her. Whether one enemy or 1,000 -- if the fight is worth it, it's worth it.

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Sitting Bull: Warrior, Leader, Symbol May 30, 2019

Show notes

A large part, but by no means the only part, of the story of Native Americans once Europeans arrived in the Americas is persecution. White colonists attempted to strip away their traditions, land, and lives through policy and combat. Many Native Americans assimilated, some going so far as to advocate for slavery and enslave Black people. Others resisted the dominance of white supremacy and the destruction of tribal culture. Sitting Bull was a Hunkpapa Lakota leader who dedicated his life to making sure his people and his culture could persist. He met a tragic end, but there's a reason his reputation as a warrior precedes him more than a century after his death.

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Introducing Unpopular May 23, 2019

Show notes

Throughout history, people have been denounced and demonized for dissenting from the majority. But that didn’t stop them from speaking up. Unpopular is about resisters and pariahs, rebels and revolutionaries. People like Sitting Bull, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Galileo, and the Mirabal Sisters took a chance on what they believed in – and inspired real change. Every week, host Yves Jeffcoat tells the story of someone who challenged the status quo, connecting the dots between their history and the history we’re making today. Unpopular launches on May 30th. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, the iHeartRadio app, and wherever else you get your podcasts.

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