How do you celebrate Black History Month when Black history itself is under threat?
That’s a question we on the More To The Story team were asking ourselves as February approached, because this year just feels different from years past, as the Trump administration systematically minimizes and even erases references to Black experiences and contributions to this country. Mentions of slavery are being removed from museums and national parks, books are being taken out of schools and libraries, and funding is being pulled from Black arts organizations.
I started working with Al Letson almost 20 years ago, and for several years, we collaborated on his first radio show, State of the Re:Union. SOTRU, as we called it among ourselves, celebrated people coming up with creative solutions to help their communities. SOTRU took listeners all over the country and introduced them to unlikely leaders who were finding ways to create opportunity, recover from a crisis, or simply bridge the divides among people.
For Black History Month in 2010, Al wanted to create the definitive audio profile of one of the most important civil rights leaders most people have never heard of. His name was Bayard Rustin, and without him, Martin Luther King Jr. would not have learned the philosophy of nonviolent resistance, and there would have been no March on Washington in 1963. Working on the Rustin episode was an inspiring experience, and our audience loved it. So we decided to bring it to you this week on More To The Story.
Too often, Black History Month is acknowledged in the media with a brief mention and an excerpt from MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech. But that approach overlooks the contributions and sacrifices of so many people, including Rustin. It’s worth taking the time to hear their words and wisdom and appreciate the battles they fought, especially at this moment in our history.
—Taki Telonidis
