Us & Them

Latest Episodes:

Community and Cops Talking Across the Divide Oct 25, 2017

Show notes

High-profile confrontations between African-Americans and police officers have fueled tensions across the country. West Virginia is NOT a place where people are comfortable talking about these things. But in Trey's hometown of Charleston, some of the key players are now bringing this tension out into the open.

A Policeman is a Person in Your Neighborhood, In Your Neighborhood, In Your Neigh-bor-hoo-ood! Oct 12, 2017

Show notes

Errol Randle is a cop in Charleston, WV. He thinks police have to do more than arrest bad guys: they should also help fix struggling communities. He champions a program that encourages officers to resettle among Charleston’s high crime neighborhoods. While some residents welcome the boots-on-the-ground, embedded police presence, others are suspicious.

Shack! - A Civil Rights Story Sep 27, 2017

Show notes

At a time when the President of the United States questions the patriotism of African American football players protesting social injustice, we present the civil rights struggle of another African American who, nearly 50 years ago, broke a color barrier in the NFL -- James “Shack” Harris, the first black player in history of NFL to earn a job as starting quarterback.

Two Tales of Coal Sep 12, 2017

Show notes

Like many from his state, Trey was weaned on the jingle “Coal is West Virginia!” For this episode, we meet two West Virginians who see the mining industry in completely different ways: one who believes coal is the lifeblood of the state's workers; the other who argues coal is to blame for keeping West Virginians poor.

Hillers & Creekers! Aug 23, 2017

Show notes

Americans tend to sort themselves into tribes that share similar culture, ideas and values. Trey recalls kids at his West Virginia high school sorting themselves into different camps and how one dressed was a defining factor, right down to the shoes.

Confederate Reckoning: When Will The Civil War End? Aug 17, 2017

Show notes

The tragedy in Charlottesville, VA makes us wonder if it’s possible to reconcile different versions of history. This episode features two American foreign correspondents of color who’ve sought to answer this quandary. They fly from Kenya to New Orleans to report on the angry protests over the dismantling of Confederate monuments.

Remembering New Math & Common Core Aug 03, 2017

Show notes

When conservatives and liberals fight about school curriculum, the disagreements aren’t just about science and history. Even math has been a battleground in the culture wars. Also, Common Core was a hot button issue during the 2016 Presidential Campaign. Have you heard much about it lately?

Deanna, Tymel & Amarie Jul 18, 2017

Show notes

Deanna McKinney’s been through one of the hardest things a parent can endure. Her teenage son was gunned down on her front porch by a kid looking to join a gang. Now she’s making meaning out of the tragedy by working to ensure a better community for the daughter her son left behind.

Amazing Grace Jul 01, 2017

Show notes

Everyone knows the song. People who don’t consider themselves spiritual or religious find it meaningful. John Newton penned the hymn to connect with Christians, but it has transcended that and become a folk song and an anthem for civil rights. The origins of the song are complicated -- Newton was a slave trader who did not renounce slavery until long after he wrote it.

Sodomy, Stonewall & Pride Jun 19, 2017

Show notes

Not that long ago, you could get locked up for being gay. A West Virginia man tells Trey about being sent to a mental institution for violating sodomy laws. While standing in front of the historic Stonewall Inn in NY’s Greenwich Village, gay activist Brendan Fay tells Trey how things have changed over the past five decades for LGBT people in America and around the world.

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