Black College Achievers: Metropolitan State University

Questions for Your Teachers/Professors to Answer

45 min · 1 de jun de 2026
Portada del episodio Questions for Your Teachers/Professors to Answer

Descripción

1. “Why weren’t we taught that thousands of Black soldiers fought in the American Revolution?” Students want to know why figures like Crispus Attucks, Peter Salem, and James Armistead Lafayette are missing from most textbooks. 2. “If Black soldiers fought for freedom in 1776, why did slavery continue for almost 100 more years?” This question forces teachers to address the contradiction between American ideals and American reality. 3. “Why did the 54th Massachusetts have to fight for equal pay even while risking their lives in the Civil War?” Students recognize injustice and want to understand how racism operated inside the Union Army. 4. “How could the Harlem Hellfighters be heroes in WWI but face lynching and segregation when they came home?” This question highlights the brutal gap between military honor and civilian racism. 5. “Why were Black WWII veterans denied GI Bill benefits and blocked from buying homes because of racial covenants?” Students want to understand how federal policy helped create the racial wealth gap. 6. “Why were so many Black soldiers sent to frontline combat in Vietnam, and why did they return to the same racism they left behind?” This question connects military service to civil rights struggles of the 1960s and 70s. 7. “If Black Americans served in every war up to Iraq and Afghanistan, why are their contributions still left out of class discussions?” For the lesson plan for this episode email: radiotalklr@gmail.com [radiotalklr@gmail.com] Contact; 773-809-8594 or radiotalklr@gmail.com [radiotalklr@gmail.com]

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78 episodios

episode Campuses: The Flag vs. The Cross artwork

Campuses: The Flag vs. The Cross

Lesson Plan: Observing Inclusion and Institutional Behavior on Campus Learning Objectives 1. Students will identify visible signs of inclusion and exclusion on campus by analyzing symbols, policies, and classroom behaviors. Example: noticing Pride flags in common areas compared to the absence of crosses or Bibles on desks. 2. Students will evaluate how institutional practices shape classroom dialogue and influence which viewpoints feel safe to express. Example: observing when instructors avoid topics involving religion, race, or political disagreement. Learning Outcomes 1. Students will document at least three examples of selective inclusion based on campus observations. Example: tampons in men’s restrooms vs. restrictions on religious symbols. 2. Students will explain how institutional norms affect student learning using evidence from class discussions or campus spaces. Example: describing how instructors redirect conversations that challenge dominant narratives. 5E Learning Model Engage: Students view images of campus spaces (desks, restrooms, offices) and discuss what symbols or messages appear most often. Explore: Students walk through designated campus areas to observe visible inclusion practices and note what is present vs. absent. Explain: Students share findings and connect them to concepts of inclusion, conformity, and institutional culture. Elaborate: Small groups analyze how selective inclusion influences classroom dialogue, student comfort, and intellectual diversity. Evaluate: Students reflect on whether campus inclusion practices support or limit diverse viewpoints. Formative Assessment Exit Ticket: Students write one observed example of selective inclusion and one question they still have about how institutions shape which viewpoints are welcomed or avoided. Comments: radiotalklr@gmail.com [radiotalklr@gmail.com]

12 de jun de 202648 min
episode Is Louis Farrakhan Racist/Anti-Jewish? artwork

Is Louis Farrakhan Racist/Anti-Jewish?

Students Attending Classes as Critical Observers SEND THIS EPISODE TO ANOTHER STUDENT- Keep it Moving. Is Louis Farrakhan Racist/Anti‑Jewish? THE CONVERSATION MANY COURSES AVOID A critical examination of race, religion, power, and public narrative. Students from all backgrounds attending classes as critical observers, watching how instructors handle racial discomfort, avoid certain truths, and reveal how power and fragility shape what gets taught. Students often show more courage than the institution itself, noticing what faculty fear discussing in courses labeled “Race,” “Ethnicity,” or “People of Color” history. You all know the classes. LOL FIVE WAYS STUDENTS CAN OBSERVE, TAKE NOTES, AND NOTICE FEAR IN STAFF/INSTRUCTORS 1. Track Topic Avoidance Students note when instructors skip, rush, or redirect discussions about controversial leaders, racial violence, or institutional bias. These moments expose patterns of avoidance and institutional fear. 2. Analyze Language, Tone, and Body Cues Students listen for hedging phrases (“that’s complicated,” “we don’t have time”), nervous laughter, sudden tone shifts, or physical discomfort. These signals reveal fear of addressing real racial issues. 3. Observe Student Reactions Students document who leans in, who withdraws, who challenges, and who looks disappointed. These reactions highlight how student courage often exceeds faculty courage. 4. Compare Course Materials to What’s Missing Students review syllabi, readings, and lectures to see what is emphasized versus what is excluded—controversial Black leaders, antisemitism, systemic bias, or state violence. Absences reveal institutional fragility. 5. Reflect on Patterns Over Time Students summarize recurring behaviors: avoidance, redirection, discomfort, or openness. These patterns show how fear shapes the classroom climate and how real learning requires discomfort. FACULTY UNDER OBSERVATION Institutional Responsibility & Harmful Rhetoric Some instructors argue universities must confront statements that may perpetuate prejudice, raising concerns about student impact and community relations. They emphasize caution, context, and historical sensitivity. Selective Outrage & Racialized Standards Others argue controversial Black leaders are scrutinized differently and that institutions avoid difficult racial topics. They challenge inconsistencies in how “harm” is defined and enforced. WHY THIS EPISODE MATTERS “Many instructors (including Black) fear this podcast because it tackles the subjects their courses avoid. Students want real conversations. Some faculty avoid the discomfort real learning demands. The Black College Achievers Podcast creates the space they won’t.” Metro State Black College Achievers Podcast Where students confront the conversations institutions tiptoe around. I don't ask the college to validate and/or support this podcast. We don't need consent to be Black and achieve. “Can I get an Amen.” Comments to: radiotalklr@gmail.com [radiotalklr@gmail.com]

Ayer45 min
episode White DUI-Black Layoff: Which Will Metro State Hire? artwork

White DUI-Black Layoff: Which Will Metro State Hire?

Submit Your Answers To; radiotalklr@gmail.com [radiotalklr@gmail.com] Lesson Plan Thesis: Institutions claim to judge applicants “fairly,” yet background checks and racial bias shape who is seen as a risk, who is forgiven, and who is hired. Learning Objectives * Objective 1: Students will explain how HR interprets a DUI vs. a layoff during hiring. Example: A student states that a DUI is labeled a “behavioral risk,” while a layoff is viewed as “economic hardship,” even if both applicants are homeless. * Objective 2: Students will analyze how race historically influenced hiring outcomes beyond qualifications. Example: A student explains that white applicants often received more callbacks than Black applicants with equal or stronger records. Learning Outcomes * Outcome 1: Students can identify how “risk” is socially constructed in hiring. Example: A student notes that HR flags a DUI for liability but does not flag a layoff, even though both applicants need stable income. * Outcome 2: Students can connect the scenario to historical racial hiring patterns. Example: A student cites research showing Black applicants with clean records were rejected at higher rates than white applicants with criminal records. 5E Learning Model Engage: Present the scenario: John (DUI + eviction) and Bill (layoff + eviction) applying for the same custodial job. Ask: “Who gets hired—and why?” Explore: Students compare HR interpretations of “risk,” then examine résumé‑callback studies showing racial disparities. Explain: Class discusses how background checks appear neutral but are interpreted through racialized assumptions about reliability and danger. Elaborate: Students rewrite the hiring decision as if both applicants were Black, then as if both were white, analyzing how race shifts institutional judgment. Evaluate: Students produce a three‑sentence explanation of how background checks and race interact to shape hiring outcomes. Assessment (1 item) Exit Ticket: “Explain which applicant is more likely to be hired and how race historically influenced similar hiring decisions.”

8 de jun de 202617 min
episode Democrats Withheld Black History — Claimed Black Innovations artwork

Democrats Withheld Black History — Claimed Black Innovations

Order My Book: weusoursluckybooks.com [radiotaklr@gmail.com] Thesis Statement Democratic institutions after Reconstruction suppressed Black historical achievements while later claiming credit for Black innovations, distorting public memory and civic education. Learning Objectives 1. Identify historical erasure: Students will analyze how Democratic‑controlled school boards and archives omitted Black inventors and soldiers. Example: Examine textbook excerpts excluding Lewis Latimer or Granville T. Woods. 2. Evaluate narrative reclamation: Students will assess modern efforts to restore Black contributions to innovation. Example: Compare Carter G. Woodson’s documentation with current museum exhibits. Learning Outcomes 1. Critical awareness: Students can explain how political power shaped historical narratives. Example: Write a short reflection connecting Reconstruction politics to textbook bias. 2. Restorative engagement: Students propose one method to re‑center Black innovators in curricula. Example: Design a classroom poster honoring Garrett Morgan’s invention. 5E Learning Model * Engage: Display the yellow‑black poster; discuss first impressions. * Explore: Analyze primary sources showing omission. * Explain: Connect findings to political motives. * Elaborate: Create mini‑projects restoring erased figures. * Evaluate: Conduct a formative reflection on how reclaiming history change's civic identity. Bonus Click into the webpage and use one of the codes to redeem my book Relationships: The Power of Illusion. Hurry and claim a code before someone else does. Please do not use more than one code. www.iuniverse.com/en/redeem [http://www.iuniverse.com/en/redeem] 10600000441446 10600000441447 10600000441448 10600000441449 10600000441450 10600000441451 10600000441452 10600000441453

7 de jun de 202640 min
episode Please Help: Answer My Research Question artwork

Please Help: Answer My Research Question

Send Your Answers To: radiotalklr@gmail.com [radiotalklr@gmail.com] And/or call: 773-809=8594 Lesson Plan: Omitted Histories in College Courses Learning Objectives 1. Students will identify two major historical events (e.g., human zoos, Black massacres) commonly excluded from college curricula. Example: Students name the 1906 Bronx “human zoo” and the 1921 Tulsa Massacre. 2. Students will explain why higher‑education institutions avoid these topics. Example: Students cite institutional discomfort or political pressure. Learning Outcomes 1. Students will summarize one omitted event and its significance. Example: A student explains how human zoos shaped global racial hierarchies. 2. Students will analyze one barrier to teaching these events in college. Example: A student argues that universities fear donor or political backlash. 5E Learning Model Engage: Show the podcast image of human zoos and ask: “Why isn’t this in most college textbooks?” Explore: Students skim short summaries of human zoos and Black massacres (scroll to that episode for context). Small groups list what they notice and what’s missing from their prior education. Explain: Class discussion connects omissions to academic gatekeeping, curriculum politics, and institutional image management. Elaborate: Students compare how different universities handle race‑related content and propose what should be included in a complete curriculum. Evaluate (Formative Assessment): Exit Ticket: “Name one omitted event and one reason colleges avoid teaching it.”

5 de jun de 202618 min