5 chapters across the catalog
Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick faced backlash for using the N-word during a State of the City address shortly after participating in the NAACP's symbolic burial of the word. Kilpatrick used the term to describe the racial attacks he faced during a text-messaging scandal and whistleblower trial. The hosts suggest Kilpatrick was marginalized to clear the path for Obama's rise as the primary black political figure.
A clip from the 2000 production *American Scandal* depicts a confrontation between Sally Hemmings and her mother. The mother warns Sally that "fine things are traps" and that her "proper English and French clothes" do not change her status as a slave. The hosts discuss the nature of consent under the coercion of slavery and the mother's advice to get freedom for her children in writing.
An archival interview with actress Margaret Avery explores the controversy surrounding "The Color Purple" and its depiction of Black men. The hosts discuss how the "Tyler Perry formula" often relies on the archetype of the abusive Black man, which they argue demeans the community. They critique modern media representations of Black women, which they claim are limited to the "Mammy," the sexual object, or the difficult career woman seen in shows like "Scandal."
The College Board announces a new "adversity score" for the SAT, intended to provide context regarding a student's social and economic background. CEO David Coleman explains that the score measures "resourcefulness" by accounting for neighborhood crime rates and poverty levels, though critics argue this validates the idea that the test itself is flawed.
Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh is highlighted for her involvement in a self-dealing scandal involving the sale of her "Healthy Holly" books. She allegedly received $800,000 from the University of Maryland Medical System for books that were often never delivered. This is presented as a common method for political figures to receive disguised bribes.
