4 chapters across the catalog
The discussion introduces the concept of "Miss Ann," a term coined by Black domestic workers for their white female employers, now viewed as a precursor to the "Karen" meme. Featuring author Carla Kaplan, the segment explores the white women of the Harlem Renaissance who "volunteered for blackness." The hosts compare this to modern figures like Rachel Nichols at ESPN, who align with Black culture until it affects their personal interests.
Author Isabel Wilkerson describes the Great Migration, where millions of Black Americans left the rural South for Northern industrial cities like New York and Chicago. This exodus was driven by the Jim Crow caste system and the demand for labor during World War I and World War II. The movement led to the Harlem Renaissance but also resulted in the creation of "urban" projects and tenement housing.
The Harlem Renaissance is characterized as a movement that was "as gay as it was black," featuring numerous queer artists like Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen. This artistic flourishing was tied to W.E.B. Du Bois's "Talented Tenth" philosophy, which sought to elevate an elite class of Black intellectuals. Modern parallels are drawn to John Legend's comments about the inherent liberalism of creative professionals.
Alain Leroy Locke, the first Black Rhodes Scholar and "Godfather of the Harlem Renaissance," utilized his elite education to frame Black folk art as "high art." The Rhodes Scholarship, founded by Cecil Rhodes to promote British imperial unity and international diplomacy, is described as a launching platform for globalist leaders. Locke's mission was to foster international understanding through a liberal education.
