45. Was This the Last Black History Month?

45. Was This the Last Black History Month?

Author: African American Policy Forum April 7, 2022 Duration: 1:03:51
In this episode, Kimberlé is joined by thought leaders Jelani Cobb, Sherrilyn Ifill, and Cornel West, who share their perspectives on the threats to Black history and realization of Black freedom. The conversation is anchored in the question, "Was 2022 the last Black History Month?” and makes explicit why we must to fight to ensure it was not. Revisiting the crucial insights they raised as part of the MasterClass series, “Black History, Black Freedom, and Black Love,” each guest discusses what lessons we can learn from Black history in this renewed period of racial backlash. With anti-Critical Race Theory bills assaulting curricula in classrooms and gagging conversations about racism across the country, this conversation addresses the urgent need to push back against the reconfiguration of right wing organizing. Having endured the first Black history month commemorated under the vice grip of this anti-truth campaign, this episode invites us into a timely conversation about the past, present, and future of our collective struggle. With: JELANI COBB - Professor, Columbia School of Journalism; Staff writer, New Yorker; Author, "The Matter of Black Lives: Writing From The New Yorker" SHERRILYN IFILL - Former President & Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund; Author, "On the Courthouse Lawn: Confronting the Legacy of Lynching in the Twenty-First Century" CORNEL WEST - Professor, Union Theological Seminary; Author, "Race Matters" and "Democracy Matters" Hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw (@sandylocks) Produced and edited by Julia Sharpe-Levine Co-produced by Ashley Julien Supported provided by Destiny Spruill, Rebecca Scheckman, and the African American Policy Forum Music by Blue Dot Sessions Follow us at @intersectionalitymatters, @IMKC_podcast

Hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw, who coined the term itself, Intersectionality Matters! brings the framework of intersectionality from academic theory into the heart of contemporary conversation. This podcast, presented by the African American Policy Forum, examines how overlapping social identities-such as race, gender, class, and sexuality-shape individual experiences of discrimination and privilege. Crenshaw, a foundational scholar of critical race theory, guides listeners through nuanced discussions that connect legal analysis, current events, and cultural critique. Each episode tackles pressing issues in the news, from voting rights and economic justice to political movements and pop culture, demonstrating how a single-axis view of inequality often falls short. The dialogue here is rigorous yet accessible, featuring conversations with activists, thinkers, and community organizers who are on the front lines. Listening to this podcast provides the analytical tools to understand the complex, interconnected nature of power in our society. It’s a space where the personal, the political, and the structural collide, offering clarity on why seeing problems through an intersectional lens is not just an intellectual exercise but a necessity for meaningful advocacy and change. You’ll hear deep dives into policy, law, and the stories that define our moment, all grounded in the reality that our struggles and liberations are deeply linked.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Intersectionality Matters!
Podcast Episodes
82. Linked, Not Ranked: Remembering Gloria Steinem [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:40
Honouring the life and legacy of Gloria Steinem, host Kimberlé Crenshaw is joined by scholars Beverly Guy-Sheftall and Salamishah Tillet for an intimate conversation about the ways Steinem touched their lives, and affect…
81. Backtalking with Jamilah Lemieux [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:42
Host Kimberlé Crenshaw and author Jamilah Lemieux reflect on how it feels to release their first memoirs. On the heeels of the release of Backtalker: An American Memoir, author Kimberlé Crenshaw embarks on a series of co…
80. Whose America? Whose Story? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:09
America turns 250—the momentous milestone comes to us cloaked in surreality. Anniversaries usually ask us to remember. This one asks whether we are willing to remember everything. This episode explores why, after two and…
79. Introducing Backtalker: an American Memoir [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:12
Host Kimberlé Crenshaw and celebrated legal professor Cheryl Harris discuss the creative process and anticipated release of Crenshaw's latest book, Backtalker: An American Memoir. Crenshaw’s memoir traces the way her liv…
78. Misogynoir, Basketball, and the Art of Accountability [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:54
Host Kimberlé Crenshaw is joined by award-winning radio host Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead and playwright and feminist activist V (formerly Eve Ensler), author of The Apology. Together they discuss the 2026 NCAA Women's Final…
76. The Story of Us 2026, Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:06
This episode is an act of recovery, uplifting the artistic careers that McCarthyism upended through an immersive blend of conversation and artivism performances. This is part two. Click here for part one. Host Kimberlé C…
75. Unfinished Business: Racial Justice After Jesse Jackson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:01
This episode explores the life and legacy of Jesse Jackson—from organizing alongside Martin Luther King Jr. to building the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and reshaping the American electorate through his historic presidential c…
74. The Story of Us 2026, Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:17
This episode is an act of recovery, uplifting the artistic careers that McCarthyism upended through an immersive blend of conversation and artivism performances. Host Kimberlé Crenshaw is joined by award-winning filmmake…
73.  The Sounds of Us [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:35
Music has long been central to the fight for freedom—the rhythmic heartbeat of the struggle for justice. From Beyoncé to Shaboozey to L’il Nas X and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, Black artists have sparked a much-needed conver…