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This episode concludes a four-part series on Dr. Carter G. Woodson and centers on the loss of the Black Old Guard, specifically honoring Reverend Jesse Jackson. A key point of discussion was the denial of Reverend Jackson lying in honor at the state capital, which the hosts connected to a broader historical erasure and ongoing attacks on education and historical acknowledgment.

The hosts emphasized that confronting and learning from painful history, citing the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) Moment, is crucial for future progress. Finally, the conversation critiqued the negative impact of capitalism on higher education, arguing that the focus on "job-ready" students produces individuals who lack critical thinking skills.

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This week's episode continues our Black History Month series on Dr. Carter G. Woodson, whose rejection of the NAACP begs the question: Does the influence of funding to Black movements trigger the need for a "leadership audit" within Black organizations?

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This week's episode continues the focus on the life and ideology of Dr. Carter G. Woodson as part of a four-part Black History Month series. We open by marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of Negro History Week and re-ask Woodson’s provocative question from the 1940s: "Do we deserve to celebrate right now?" Woodson opined that celebration was unwarranted if Black people had not studied their history and contemporary situation to better understand what is really happening today.

Ricky discusses the historical necessity and proliferation of Black organizations post-1865, following emancipation. These groups, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), the Niagara Movement, the NAACP, and the Urban League, were established as collective tools to ensure the well-being of Black men, women, and children against white supremacy, post-Reconstruction backlash, and challenges like Plessy v. Ferguson.

The episode covers the historical friction among Black leaders and discusses Woodson's split with the NAACP in 1915. Woodson found the Washington D.C. branch, led by Archer Grimkey, to be "too moderate." After Grimkey refused his proposals to expand the branch’s operations, Woodson left, declaring, "I am a radical. I am ready to act if I can find brave men to help me."

Bringing the conversation to the modern day, the hosts cited recent brazen examples of racism and questioned the preparedness of contemporary Black organizations, including fraternities, sororities, the Black church, the NAACP, and the Urban League.

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In this special Black History Month episode of Shelley's Plumbline, executive producer Mark Jamroz and host Dr. Ricky Jones—son of the Radio Hall of Famer Shelley Stewart—share a conversation on Carter G. Woodson and the origins of Black History Month.

The core of the conversation focuses on the legacy of Carter G. Woodson and the founding of Negro History Week, with Jones detailing Woodson's academic journey and his concerns about the miseducation of Black people.

The episode ultimately challenges listeners to do their homework. Black people do not currently "deserve to celebrate" Black History Month and must commit to serious study and organization to earn the right to celebrate in 2027.

Are you ready to celebrate? Tune in and let us know.

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We join the nation in mourning the loss of civil rights pioneer Claudette Colvin, who passed away on January 13, 2026, at the age of 86. In her honor, we are rebroadcasting this interview with her sister, Gloria Laster, originally broadcast on December 2, 2025.

The discussion centers on the overlooked role of Colvin, the 15-year-old arrested nine months before Rosa Parks for the same act of defiance.

Laster recounts how Colvin was a plaintiff in the successful Browder v. Gale Supreme Court case that desegregated transportation but was intentionally excluded from the movement's public narrative.

The conversation details the factors that led organizers, including the NAACP, to choose Rosa Parks as the face of the movement. Unlike Colvin, Parks' adult status and "respectable" image were considered more palatable, while Colvin was sidelined due to her youth, dark skin tone, poor family background, and rumors of pregnancy (later clarified as having occurred after her arrest). The episode stresses that the initial idea for the bus boycott was driven by women whose efforts were later minimized when male leaders, including Martin Luther King, took over.

Shelley and Ricky Jones reflect on the ultimate disregard shown to many women of the movement, including Colvin and other plaintiffs like Mary Louise Smith and Aurelia Browder. They discuss how both Colvin and Rosa Parks were poorly treated by the male-dominated leadership, with Parks ultimately dying poor while their male counterparts gained prestigious positions. The episode sets the stage for a promised follow-up program, "Whatever Happened to Rosa Parks," to shed light on her struggles in the years after the Civil Rights Act.

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Join Shelley's Plumbline for this powerful year-end recap, reflecting on the most impactful conversations of 2025, a year marked by the addition of co-host Dr. Ricky Jones.

Jones’s arrival brought a new voice of depth and truth that resonated profoundly with listeners. The year’s second most downloaded episode, "Finding My Father," featured the emotional and deeply personal story that revealed Dr. Shelley Stewart is the father of Dr. Ricky Jones, a testament to the podcast's commitment to honesty and personal connection.

The discussions this year consistently moved beyond surface-level answers to confront tough questions about our culture and history. The podcast tackled the unfulfilled dream of Martin Luther King.

The episode “Racism Today” became the most downloaded of the year, examining how old policies are simply being “re-enacted” through new "code words" like the attack on DEI. The year also featured vital insights from guests like Marlon Keller on the importance of fatherhood, artist Erica Chisholm on using creativity to "speak truth to power," and Elijah Davis on sharing generational knowledge.

The episode honors the unsung heroes of history and celebrates a broadcasting giant. Gloria Laster, the sister of Claudette Colvin, offered a critical correction to the historical narrative, clarifying that her sister was not pregnant at the time of her famous bus protest.

Finally, the year culminated with the well-deserved induction of Dr. Shelley Stewart into the Radio Hall of Fame, a milestone affirming his six-decade-plus career as an entertainer and an on-air voice of the Civil Rights movement across the Southeast.

Looking ahead to 2026, we will stay curious, listen with empathy, speak with courage, and continue the journey to find the line that leads to the truth.

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Hello, Plumbliners!

Shelley, Mark and Ricky are going to take a break going into the holiday season. So today, we (re)present the most downloaded Plumbline episode of 2025, titled "Racism Today."

In this episode, Shelley, Mark and Ricky Jones launch into a powerful discussion on the enduring struggle against racism, arguing that while overt segregation is gone, it has transformed, with terms like DEI serving as "code words" for veiled racist policies. They explore the historical context of white supremacy, citing Abraham Lincoln's views on racial inequality, and stress the urgent need for continued, honest conversation about justice. The episode also covers modern dangers to society like greed and anti-intellectualism, and examines intra-racial dynamics and miseducation within the Black community. Listen, learn and share your thoughts.

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