Racial Injustice

In light of recent events across the country and in Central Ohio, WOSU Public Media is committed to providing educational resources for all ages about race, racism, bias, protesting, civil rights, Black history and more. Below is a growing list of resources that will enable us all to become more engaged, more informed, and more inspired to stand up for diversity.

“As our community grapples with racial injustice, turn to WOSU Public Media
for information, dialogue and education.”

-Tom Rieland, Former General Manager, WOSU Public Media

: Find Beauty in Every Mess created by Laurie Clements, Brenden Spivey and Wil Wong Yee.

: Brown Boy Hope created by Duarte Brown, Shelbi Harris and Francesca Miller.

89.7 NPR News and All Sides with Ann Fisher

Our staff at 89.7 NPR News and All Sides with Ann Fisher are providing coverage of the Black Lives Matter movement and police reform:

Listen on the WOSU Ohio TV Channel, WOSU app or online at wosu.org.

Local and National Programming

WOSU and its national partners offer programming about diversity and racial justice. The following programs are available for streaming or via live broadcast:

Dialogue: Race and Police – Healing the Divide

Decades of complaints of police bias and brutality against people of color came to a head in 2020 with the deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Casey Goodson and Andre Hill. Demanding change, protesters flooded the streets of downtown Columbus and many suburban city centers. Columbus city officials promised reform and voters approved independent oversight of the police. In our latest Dialogue program, we looked at where those promised reforms stand and examined efforts to heal the divide between the police and people of color. Our panelists for this program were Columbus minster Jeffery Kee, veteran Ohio police officer Angel Tucker and former police chief Kim Jacobs. WOSU News Content Director Mike Thompson moderated the conversation, with 89.7 N PR News Anchor and Host Clare Roth monitoring the Q&A. Dialogue is a series of provocative discussions about the most challenging issues facing our community and country held in partnership with WOSU Public Media and Ohio State’s John Glenn College of Public Affairs.

Dr. Frederic Bertley, host of QED with Dr. B and CEO of COSI

QED with Dr. B: What is Race?

This episode features conversations about race with scientific experts who are tackling this charged topic from a variety of angles – how skin color is an adaptive trait and varies widely across the planet, how race is a social, not biological construct and how humans are in fact 99.9% identical, plus how even our technology is influenced by implicit bias. QED with Dr. B is a fun and informative science series, co-produced by WOSU Public Media and COSI, that talks one-on-one with the scientists, engineers and innovators who are redefining how we interact with our world.

American Masters: Freedom Riders

Diane Nash And Others Hold Hands and Sing
Credit: Courtesy of Tennessean

American Masters Podcast – Why Black Lives Matter Activist DeRay Mckesson Believes You Have More Power Than You Think

American Masters Podcast: DeRay Mckesson

Additionally, PBS is featuring films and specials focused on racism in America in an effort to encourage conversation and change.

PBS NewsHour has also compiled a list of books and articles for you to read, podcasts for you to listen to, and films for you to watch that may illuminate your understanding of the ongoing fight for racial justice and equality. Find the list here.

Unedited “Eyes on the Prize” Interviews with John Lewis and C.T. Vivian are available to stream courtesy of the American Archive of Public Broadcasting.

John Lewis: Get in the Way has been added to the WORLD Channel schedule and is available to stream here.

WOSU Passport

WOSU Passport is the member benefit that provides you with extended access to an on-demand library of quality public television programming. Featuring both PBS and select local programming, WOSU Passport allows you to watch even more episodes of your favorite shows, including full seasons of many current and past series.

Explore all of the videos that are available on Passport at pbs.org.

Share Your Story

Your story may be included in a featured collection of personal stories from Americans grappling with racism and its impact, past and present. PBS AMERICAN PORTRAIT will air a four-part docuseries in January 2021 that spotlight American stories, including how the far-reaching impact of the events of 2020 have affected our everyday lives.

WOSU Classroom

WOSU Classroom is providing resources from PBS LearningMedia that supports discussion about race, racism, protesting, civil rights, Black history and historical individuals, bias, past and current events, and more. Access these resources here.

From news coverage to documentaries, PBS LearningMedia is also providing resources on confronting anti-Black racism.

When it comes to discussing diversity and racism with children, PBS KIDS has developed a Learning Kit with Daniel Tiger to help them understand the people, alike and different, that make up the world in which they live.

ARTHUR on Racism: Talk, Listen, and Act

Arthur, Buster and Lakewood Elementary School’s lunch lady, Mrs. MacGrady, talk about ways we can all fight racism and stand up for what’s right.

In the short, Mrs. MacGrady quotes the late Congressman John Lewis in telling Arthur, “If you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have a moral obligation to do something about it.”

ARTHUR: Arthur Takes a Stand

Arthur thinks Mrs. MacGrady is being treated unfairly, so – with some guidance from special guest Congressman John Lewis – he decides the best way to take a stand is to take a seat.

During his life, Rep. Lewis’ actions inspired many people to take a stand for what is right. Watch this episode together and talk with your kids about his legacy.

Let’s Talk: How to Talk to Kids about Race (Season 1)

The earlier we start to talk to children about racism, the better we can overcome racism and unconscious biases. In this online video series, host Karen Tao sits down with parents to have lively conversations about race and racism and how these topics inform their family life. Watch here.

Community Conversations in Central Ohio

Historic and shocking recent events are provoking conversations about racism, privilege, injustice and violence. During a recent episode of Community Conversations, Ohio Wesleyan University Professor of History Michael Flamm spoke with WOSU’s George Levert about the issues and history of racism in the United States.

With a background in 20^th century history and writings about “law and order” politics, Professor Flamm defines systemic racism, discusses how urban areas are segregated simply by public transportation and the construction of highways and offers suggestions of books and documentaries that provide insight into the issues and history of racism in the United States.

Find more episodes of Community Conversations here.

“Chasing the Dream: Poverty and Opportunity in America”

Did you know that Columbus is the second most economically segregated city in the country? Economic opportunity is not attainable for everyone… not even here in Ohio.

WOSU’s “Chasing the Dream: Poverty and Opportunity in America” is a multi-platform media initiative that provides insight into the impact of poverty on American society. Listen to the stories of Black families striving to get a foothold out of poverty and explore upward mobility and strategies for designing a city where opportunity and equality exist for everyone.

StoryCorps Columbus

StoryCorps Columbus seeks to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people. Columbus and WOSU hosted the national StoryCorps project in July 2019 and captured over 120 local stories throughout the month. WOSU was provided the interviews to create a local version of the popular NPR series – StoryCorps Columbus.

Starting in the fall of 2019, WOSU aired the stories on 89.7 NPR News and online at wosu.org. Many of these emotional, heartfelt stories provide an insight to the growing diversity of Columbus.

Ann B. Walker is a woman of many firsts: the first woman in broadcast management at WLWC-TV in Columbus, the very first female broadcaster to report on the Ohio legislature, and the first Black woman from Franklin County given a White House Appointment.
Luster Singleton, who identifies as a non-binary, found a mentor in Ginger Boyd when they met at a gathering of transgender people of color in Columbus.
Brian and Lachandra Baker reminisced on 10 years of marriage: the ups, the downs, and what they’ve learned from each other along the way.
Toni Shorter Smith and Reita Bynum Smith recall the success of saving two buildings on the Near East Side of Columbus that represent the history of Black culture in Columbus.

StoryCorps honors the voices, experiences and life stories of Black Americans in a recent episode, To Live With Your Hands Unfolded.

American Graduate

WOSU received a federal grant to produce programming for the American Graduate project, which is designed to focus on alternative career paths for the next generation of workers. The project in 2019 led to several documentaries, public forums, radio specials and a podcast series called Rivet.

Arts & Culture

Columbus Neighborhoods

Columbus Neighborhoods is an Emmy Award-winning series that explores the rich diversity of our community through cultural and historical programming. Over the past decade, WOSU has aired a dozen major documentaries about the neighborhoods of Columbus.

Last year, WOSU produced a series of 26 half-hour programs as a part of its magazine series. The series has two diverse hosts – Charlene Brown and Javier Sanchez – and uncovers the stories of the people, neighborhoods and landmarks that shape the Columbus we know today.

Black History and Preservation

Black Community, Outreach and Mentorship

Black Artists and Businesses in Columbus

Watch additional episodes of Columbus Neighborhoods here.

Columbus Neighborhoods: Kelton House Underground Railroad Stop 360 Tour

Take a 360 degree look around the Kelton House and Museum on East Town Street in downtown Columbus to learn more about its history as an Underground Railroad stop.

Move your device around or hover your mouse over the video, click and drag in any direction, to get the 360˚ experience.

Broad & High

Broad & High is a weekly arts and culture series that profiles artists and their work in Central Ohio. Explore the character and creativity of Columbus, as well as the stories of the art, culture and local music of our city.

Broad & High Presents local music series spotlights Columbus bands with performance videos and interviews, including Watu Utungo, who investigates the common thread of Black music by fusing elements of jazz, R&B, hip-hop, soul and gospel to create one eclectic sound.

Additional performances with social justice themes include:

Artist Profiles

Keturah Ariel’s work focuses on Black, female representation. She recently illustrated a new children’s book that was published in March.

Cyrus Fire considers himself a “pop surrealist” and his works in acrylic are easily identifiable by his bold sense of color and illustration.

David Butler’s body of work explores racist imagery found in old cartoons.

Toni Lipsey is a local crochet artist who is a regular on PBS Create. She learned to crochet when she was 13 and demonstrates for us her love of the craft and gives us an introduction to “Owlbert.”

Charlotte McGraw is an artist at Goodwill Art Studio. She has created a fictional town called Charlottesville, where creatures that are misunderstood, disrespected and rejected find a home, a hug, unconditional acceptance… and a permanent mayor named Charlotte.

Culture and Community

Find more episodes of Broad & High here.

Classical 101

Classical 101 is the only classical music service for Central Ohio. The station elevates the performing arts in the community through deep partnerships with the symphony, chamber orchestra, opera company and other groups. The following works are available at the Classical 101 website:

#ArtUnitesCbus

#ArtUnitesCbus was an initiative to employ Columbus-based visual artists to paint murals on the plywood installed over the windows throughout Columbus. What started as a project just at the Ohio Theatre and Greater Columbus Arts Council office quickly became a city-wide movement supported by businesses, artists and individuals who wanted to express their support for the Black Lives Matter movement and hope for the future. View images of the artwork painted during the summer of 2020 protests here.

The #ArtUnitesCbus Tour

The messages painted by Columbus artists inspired the community to demand that the temporary boards be preserved and exhibited after they came off of the windows of downtown and Short North businesses. There are now 99 murals spread over nine sites, 97 of which are available to tour outdoors. Find them here.

A group of artists were paid to paint temporary murals over the boarded-up windows of the Ohio Theatre on June 2, 2020, after it was damaged during protests. RYAN HITCHCOCK / WOSU

Even the Darkest Night Will End and the Sun Will Rise created by Adam Brouilette, Andy Graham, Lisa McClymont and Jen Wrubleski. Brown Boy Hope created by Duarte Brown, Shelbi Harris and Francesca Miller. (Photo: Ryan Hitchcock/WOSU)

Deliver Black Dreams

Deliver Black Dreams is an initiative led by Marshall Shorts in partnership with Maroon Arts Group, the Greater Columbus Arts Council and the City of Columbus. Deliver Black Dreams is a campaign of, by and for Black people. While public art is the launch point for Deliver Black Dreams, it is a campaign that seeks long-term change in the culture and across multiple sectors including health, education, culture, safety and more. Watch the video and learn more about the initiative here.

The HeART of Protest

In response to the current landscape in Columbus, The King Arts Complex has organized the “HeART of Protest” social media and programming campaign. Over 20 arts organizations in Columbus have come together to create 46 (nonsequential) days of artistic protest to honor the 46 years of Mr. George Floyd’s life.

For each year of George Floyd’s life, a day of programming will be shared in his remembrance. Each arts entity will focus on telling an aspect of the story of black America, from slavery to the present day, through its unique art form.

Learn more about the campaign and how to get involved here.

Speak Your Peace

We are living in challenging and unprecedented times. Speak Your Peace, an initiative of Columbus Public Health’s Columbus CARE Coalition, is a community response to the trauma and violence of these historic times in a peaceful way through poetry, writing, photography, dance and other forms of artistic expression.

Anyone can participate in Speak Your Peace. People of all ages and walks of life are encouraged to share work that shows how you have been working through this moment in a way that encourages artistic or peaceful expression. Learn more here.

Additional Resources

National Museum of African American History: Talking About Race

Talking about race, although hard, is necessary. The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture has gathered resources that will help you and your family talk about race and learn about others’ experiences. Find them here.

Schomberg Center: Black Liberation Reading List

For 95 years, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture has preserved, protected and fostered a greater understanding of the Black experience through its collections, exhibitions, programs and scholarship.

In response to the uprisings across the globe demanding justice for Black lives, the Schomburg Center has created a Black Liberation Reading List. The 95 titles on the list represent books that activists, students, archivists and curators regularly turn to, with a particular focus on books by Black authors and those whose papers the center stewards.

WBUR On Point: How to Talk to Your Kids About Race, Racism and Police Violence

In this podcast, Melissa Giraud, Andrew Grant-Thomas and Christian Cooper discuss how parents should talk with their children about race, racism and police violence.

Oh Freedom! Songs and Voices of Freedom and Civil Rights

August 9, 2020 Natalie’s Grandview presented Oh Freedom! Songs and Voices of Freedom and Civil Rights, featuring Debra James Tucker, Tia Harris and Vicki Saunders, along with poet Stevi Knighton. This engaging program featured a cappella songs of freedom, video images and spoken words of the troubled times we find ourselves in.

Watch a recording of the concert on Facebook.

Ohio Citizens for the Arts: Anti-Racism Resources + Tools

Ohio Citizens for the Arts has gathered resources and tools to help you become more educated and engaged about racial injustice. From how to talk about race and how to use art to share stories, to supporting artists of color and knowing your rights, these resources are here to help us create a more inclusive future. Find them here.

LGBTQIA+ Storytelling Project: Black Gay Men’s Lives Matter: Then & Now

July 23, 2020 WOSU Public Media’s LGBTQIA+ Storytelling Project presented Black Gay Men’s Lives Matter: Then & Now, an intergenerational conversation about the unique lives of Black Gay men in light of the social unrest of 2020. The live event was recorded and is available to watch on the WOSU Public Media Facebook page.

Funding for WOSU’s LGBTQIA+ Storytelling Project is provided by The Legacy Fund of The Columbus Foundation.

Columbus Metropolitan Library: Virtual Author Talk with Barbara Fant

July 31, 2020 the Columbus Metropolitan Library hosted a discussion with award-winning poet and author Barbara Fant about the personal and systemic traumas she’s faced as a Black woman and her journey of healing through the arts. Watch the recording of the program here.

YWCA Columbus: 2020 Activists and Agitators Guide

YWCA Columbus began Activists and Agitators with the belief that anyone and everyone can be an agent for social change. We know that many of you care deeply about making our community equitable for all people, so we hope the training and grounding conversations you heard during this year’s Activists and Agitators event serve as only the beginning of your journey into social advocacy, activism and anti- racism! Miss the event? Watch a replay here.

There is so much that you can do right now to join YWCA Columbus in taking a stand against racism and taking action towards systemic change. We have compiled some suggested actions and resources in this guide, and challenge you to take a stand by completing some or all of the actions listed. If we all commit to intentional, anti- racist, direct action and harm reduction, our collective impact will be profound. Find the interactive resource guide here.

Action Steps to Fight Against Systemic Racism

YWCA Columbus has also developed a list of ways to get involved and create a sustained momentum for change. Find it here.

Columbus Metropolitan Club Forums

June 17, 2020 the Columbus Metropolitan Club hosted a discussion on the issue of racism and injustice in Central Ohio, featuring Columbus City Council Member, Priscilla R. Tyson, Franklin County Commissioner, Kevin Boyce and host, Jo Ingles, Statehouse News Bureau.

Racism: A Public Health Crisis sold out of limited live audience seating and was livestreamed via the CMC YouTube channel. Watch the conversation here.

Past CMC Forum topics of discussion include:

Stream previous forums on the Columbus Metropolitan Club’s YouTube channel.

: Find Beauty in Every Mess created by Laurie Clements, Brenden Spivey and Wil Wong Yee. We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest created by April Sunami.

: Life. Justice. Peace. created by Allen Watkins.

: GCAC and CAPA paid local artists to paint murals over boarded-up windows at the Ohio Theatre.

: Brown Boy Hope created by Duarte Brown, Shelbi Harris and Francesca Miller.

: Find Beauty in Every Mess created by Laurie Clements, Brenden Spivey and Wil Wong Yee.

: Brown Boy Hope created by Duarte Brown, Shelbi Harris and Francesca Miller.

GCAC and CAPA paid local artists to paint murals over boarded-up windows at the Ohio Theatre. #ArtUnitesCbus

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