The Black Codes

A few weeks ago, at the beginning of the Derek Chauvin trial we had no idea what would happen, but honestly did not have our hopes high. This led to a question, why were our hopes so low? How do these clear murderers continue to get off? How is this happening? For the people at large, an often overlooked group holds the weight for many in their hands. The jury. But, like with all things in this country, there have been legal and unwritten parameters around who can and cannot sit for jury. This week we do a mini dive into what a juror is (15:20) and the current jury qualifications (17:15). We discuss a few monumental cases and unpack the insane belief that only whites can be color blind in a court of law. Yes, you read the right.

Another back episode we tackle the One Drop Rule. Colorism is real, a product of divide and conquer. This episode we get into it a little and other things such as Michelle Obama being president, Cherokee ancestry getting children expelled from school, Plessy v Ferguson and Rosa Parks.

In late February the Raymond A Wood letter that was released. In fact is was the day before the anniversary of Malcolm X's assassination. Wood was a black ex cop who, after his passing dropped a letter confessing his involvement in the assassination of Malcolm X. This back episode we give our thoughts on the letter, why a young black man in the 60s would join the NYPD, self preservation, and how not everyone is really 10 toes down. Naturally, we close out the episode with a Tupac vs Biggie convo.  

While black history month is all year long around here, we close out the national black history educational season with a look at black centered/focused organizations. Like the month itself, these organizations do not just spring out of nowhere, for no purpose and no reason. They are in fact a direct result of being stiff armed and excluded. Donald leads this one opening with a conversation about realizations nearing thirty and a treehouse (4:20). We move into the inspiration for and rise of popular black centered orgs such as HBCU's, Black business districts, National Black Caucus and the like (6:40). Donald highlights Tulsa's Greenwood District (19:05), the creation of Black student orgs on college campuses (31:40) and Black Girls Code (40:56) to drive the point home. And if you did not know about the latter group, we highly suggest you check them out https://www.blackgirlscode.com (https://www.blackgirlscode.com)

History is crucial to understanding a society and culture at large. In these here United States, Black Americans have had a direct influence on America since its foundation. The impact, infrastructure, and culture...the threads of what make a nation a nation include and are quite literally built on black backs.  However, the unquestionable impact we have had is often overlooked, brushed to the side and or straight ignored. Better late than never, we spend this episode focusing on the importance and celebration of black history and Black History Month. Donald opens with his decision to start tweeting again and has some choice words for people who run around without phone cases (1:20). We also share a very, very big announcement (11:11). Getting into the heart of the episode we talk Carter G Woodson (17:00) and break down the creation, reason and need for Black History Month (24:20). Savannah clues us in on what the best selling book/movie “Gone With the Wind” is truly about (40:25) which leaves Donald baffled. We close this episode with a question many (white and black alike) have pondered “is full integration truly possible” (57:30).

This week we finish up our series on equity talking about health, food and activity. We open with the mental and how stress is induced by racism (19:00) and what stress actually does to the body on a biochemical level (25:30). We move into the physical and how food and alcohol has been used as a weapon (29:00) and Donald shares a disturbing form of jail punishment (36:16). This leads us into how all grocery stores do not matter (42:23) and food desserts. We wrap this episode with Savannah's power walking (1:02:40) and a closing message from Donald (1:12:15)

Trump may be out of here, but his band of terroristic misfits surely are not. Which led us to think about how so many people were shocked and surprised that this level of ignorance, hatred, fear and confidence existed. We of course, were not surprised at all. This week we talk about Americas long standing history with white domestic terrorism. We get into its always present energy (16:50), how that energy allows for 4,084 *recorded southern lynchings to occur in a 3,792 week period (35:00) and its recent/worrying trend upward (45:00). Donald shares some core tenants of these terrorist groups (53:45) so you can keep your eye out and we have some words for a select group of men (1:06:50).

Lol at thinking just because 2020 was ending so would the bullshit. Top of the year and we got a full on insurrection. A damn COUP! If you're anything like us, you're still taking it in trying to unpack what the hell just happened. In learning, we stumbled upon "Whitelash" (11:30) which is essentially white backlash to black progress. Yes there's a name for it and it's a real thing. This week we get into what it looks like (14:45), some of the causes (23:30) and the jig being up (47:50). We also take a quick break to talk about Japanese whiskey (29:20), Savannah's thoughts on traveling back in time (36:30) and Donald breaks some harsh but necessary news (37:15).

If you checked out our last episode you know we were here, there and everywhere in terms of conversation. And who can blame us honestly. We needed a break, especially during the holiday season. This episode is the second part of that conversation. We touch on Donald's potentially new favorite pastime (1:30), who generally bears some of the “founding fathers” last name (20:40) and the best compliment ever (22:05). Donald shares a not so secret, secret (27:10) and we get into a strange conversation about the future of soccer in America (30:44). Like, subscribe, and share!!

We don't know about y'all, but we needed a damn break from the doom and gloom. This week we get drunk and talk. From dreams of being a cougar (9:10), Savannah shares her New Years Resolution (27:55), Donald gives out his “F*ck you” for the day (36:55), to the old nature vs nurture debate (51:30) and a whole lot more. So much more we in fact had to cut this in two.

Ever wonder why so many black people are inherently skeptical or outright distrustful of medical providers? If so (or if that sentence is red hot news to you) we can assure you there is a reason. This episode we highlight a few key moments in history that explain why the distrust is so high and so common. How that old lie “blacks don't feel pain” advanced medical discoveries through exploitation and experimentation including but not limited to the “Father of Modern Gynecology”. How black medicine men/women and midwives were both needed and wanted but ultimately cast aside. How that boxing out and rejection opened the door for separate but never equal healthcare in this country right on through this very moment. Donald and Savannah ponder on their potential new superpowers and the big $ 600 we may or may not receive while Donald combs his newfound beard with a foot long afro pick. 08:54 Dive in Like, subscribe, & share this episode! www.theblackcodespodcast.com Follow us on social media Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theblackcodespodcast/ (@TheBlackCodesPodcast) Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheBlackCodes2 (@TheBlackCodes2)

We're talking more money this week, so naturally….more problems. In part two of “The Color of Money'' we discuss the Great Migration and predatory loans of the 20th century and continue through the “Ghetto Loans” brought to us by Wells Fargo just a few years ago. We touch on McMichael's Appraising Bible (please look into it), immigrant home buying, and our high key guilt over preferring the recent mild winters vs the 3 month tundras of yesteryear. 

There is a specific shared experience we're willing to bet almost all Black millenials who enjoyed school, or did well at school, or spoke with a certain cadence endured: being told “you act white”, “you sound white”, “you are white” or the fan fave “you're an oreo”. But why? Why is being educated, or “sounding” educated linked to whiteness? This week we get into the history black people have had with education while in this country. How one could be fined, jailed or whipped for teaching ANY blacks to read or write, why the damn troops had to be called in to escort children into school buildings and how equality and equity in many schools today is still a myth. We also show in a very embarrassing way math is not either of our strong suits and Donald answers the age old question “Can you read a room?”.

They say the American thing is to pick yourself up by your bootstraps but what happens when those same people are denying you access to the very boots needed to pick yourself up? Well unfortunately we don't need to rack our brain trying to find the answer. This week we start a two parter on loans and the economic discrimination black people have had to face and deal with while trying to pursue the American dream

While the dust hasn't completely settled from election week, we shift gears and start a new series block on resources and equity. Up first, one of Maslow's basic needs, shelter. Gentrification is the talk of many cities around the country and to really understand it, you have to understand just how many of the neighborhoods and cities who are susceptible to gentrification came and continue to be. No conspiracy theories here this week, we talk housing discrimination, redlining, why hoods get worse and just how “white flight” got coined. We both share our first time seeing a seizure in person and Donald reveals how he blew through his scholarship money in one weekend buying drip.

We love a good conspiracy theory. 2020 has given us a lot but because those wounds are entirely too fresh at the moment and we need a damn break, we're getting out of election talk and on to something else spicy and wild. Its no secret the Church and the Biblle were used to justify slavery (during and after the institution), however, we never really get into the nitty of how the Bible and Church were actually used. This week we talk about “The Curse of Ham” and explain how Ham seeing Noah naked led to the need to enslave blacks. Yes, you read that correctly. Donald also tells us how he spent his afternoons in High School and we reflect on 1999 being the end of the world.

With election day less than a week out, we close our series on Civics by making one last attempt (in 2020) to stress the importance of voting. And not just voting, but voting the whole ticket, on all levels. We cover the current attack on our inboxes, how a group of dancers are taking education into their own hands, the repercussions for throwing up terroristic hand signs, and yes, Donald did say that, don't let him off the hook.

For many of us, our affiliation with one of the two major political parties stems from what our parents supported. Not that there is inherently anything wrong with that, our parents introduce us to a lot, good and or bad, during our formative years. However, many of us don't bother doing any further research, And if the internet, social media in particular, has taught us anything, it's that justice warriors with no idea what they're talking about live on both sides of the fence. This week we focus on our two major parties, highlighting some of the good, bad and ugly deeds committed by both.

After a necessary pause to focus on the police, we jump right back into our series on Civics to double down on the importance of voting. We get into our country's political philosophy, looking at what exactly it means to be a Democratic Federal Republic. We break down what that whole three fifths of a human business was and also explain how each state gets their electoral college number. Donald shares why he dislikes the fall and more!

With military equipment at their disposal, protection under the court system from consequence, and an ever growing fandom chanting a job is more important than someone's life….it's easy to see why there is little change, including consequence, happening within police departments. But why is that? This week on “Now I do what I want” we explore several laws and pieces of legislation that protect and also empower police officers across the country to act first, and deal with the consequences (extended paid leave) later.

One officer was “charged” (if you can call it that) with wanton endangerment in the Breonna Taylor case. Just another slap in the face to add to a long list of slaps to black americans and the american justice system on a whole. But how does this, how can this continue to happen? This week we dive into the history of police. Exploring their roots and power source and how that combination allows the boys in blue to unjustly MURDER the citizens they are supposed to protect and serve time and time again with little to no consequence or remorse.

Since we first got here, black people in this country have been prohibited from experiencing a laundry list of things including but not limited to:  Freedom Equality Decency Justice And that's just talking broad scale. This week we go small*ish scale and look at one denial in particular. A denial that is unconstitutional, yet continues decade after decade...including the current one. In “My vote doesnt matter: the lie, the myth, the legend”, we wander down memory lane and look at the ways in which the government and “the powers that be (or believe themselves to be)” legally and illegally kept black people from exercising their RIGHT to vote.  We also offer up a variation to the current voting process, one we believe has real potential.

How can we live in a place where Kalief Browder, a 16 year old boy is wrongfully held in prison for 3 years (2 in solitary) with no trial or conviction, yet Brock Turner, a 20 year old man caught violently raping a woman was given a 6 mo sentence of which he only served 3.  This week's episode we discuss how the white gaze is projected onto black children, and the damage of not allowing kids to be just that, kids.

WAP, a ballad given to us this summer by two black women has continued the conversation around bodily autonomy, what it is and just who gets to exercise. This week we discuss the history of black women's lack of autonomy through imposed hypersexulization and its ramifications.

“If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.” While the originator of this quote is up for debate (either Hitler or Goebbels, which sets a tone either way tbh) the message itself, unfortunately has shown to stand the test of time. So what do lies have to do with the inception and implementation of the black savage/brute stereotype? You guessed it, everything.

Breastfeeding is the tried and true method to feeding babies, literally the evolutionary purpose of breasts. Yet there are many who have a complicated relationship with it, and in America, that complication is particularly high in the black community. Why is that? Could it have something to do with, oh, I dont know…..that slavery sh*t?

Welcome to the Black Codes. Learn more about this podcast! In an attempt to understand what the hell is going on in America, Savannah and Donald (two self proclaimed N*ggas With Attitudes and degrees) embark on a quest to connect the dots. Through research, data and shade, The Black Codes aims to look at the present state of America through an often overlooked lens, her actual relationship with her Black citizens. Join us every Thursday as we uncover the many ties and lies that bind America's past & present.