Civil rights icons like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Justice Thurgood Marshall have become household names. But the historic work of New Haven native Constance Baker Motley is still unknown to many Americans. This week, a look into the life and legacy of the first Black woman appointed to a federal court in American history.

Guests:
Connie Royster: retired New Haven attorney, former director of development at the Yale Divinity School, and niece of Constance Baker Motley
Tomiko Brown-Nagin: Dean of theRadcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University and professor of Constitutional Law and History. She’s also the author of the book Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and the Struggle for Equality

Disrupted is produced by James Szkobel-Wolff, Zshekinah Collier and Catie Talarski. Our interns are Michayla Savitt and Sara Gasparotto.

Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today by visiting ctpublic.org/donate.

Civil rights icons like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Justice Thurgood Marshall have become household names. But the historic work of New Haven native Constance Baker Motley is still unknown to many Americans. This week, a look into the life and legacy of the first Black woman appointed to a federal court in American history.
Guests:
<ul>
<li>Connie Royster: retired New Haven attorney, former director of development at the Yale Divinity School, and niece of Constance Baker Motley</li>
<li>Tomiko Brown-Nagin: Dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University and professor of Constitutional Law and History. She&rsquo;s also the author of the book <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/563298/civil-rights-queen/">Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and the Struggle for Equality</a></li>
</ul>
Disrupted is produced by James Szkobel-Wolff, Zshekinah Collier and Catie Talarski. Our interns are Michayla Savitt and Sara Gasparotto.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today by visiting&nbsp;<a href="http://ctpublic.org/donate" data-stringify-link="http://ctpublic.org/donate" data-sk="tooltip_parent">ctpublic.org/donate</a>.

Disrupted is about the changes we all encounter and the forces driving those changes. Some disruptions spark joy and possibility. Others move us to take action and re-evaluate our world. But the show isn't just about those disruptions; it’s about embracing them, exploring new perspectives, and feeling more connected to ourselves and our communities. Host and political scientist Khalilah Brown-Dean creates a place where changemakers come together to help us see the world differently and challenge us to grow together.

Visit ctpublic.org/disrupted for more! 

Disrupted is about the changes we all encounter and the forces driving those changes. Some disruptions spark joy and possibility. Others move us to take action and re-evaluate our world. But the show isn't just about those disruptions; it’s about embracing them, exploring new perspectives, and feeling more connected to ourselves and our communities. Host and political scientist Khalilah Brown-Dean creates a place where changemakers come together to help us see the world differently and challenge us to grow together.
Visit <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/disrupted">ctpublic.org/disrupted</a> for more!

Disrupted

Constance Baker Motley is a civil rights icon. Why don't more people know her name?

According to the CDC, there are over 4,000 unintentional drowning deaths in the United States every year and around 850 of those are for people younger than 18.

And the numbers look different across various demographics. For instance, Black children ages 10-14 are nearly 4 times more likely to die from accidental drowning than white children of the same age.

And in 2017, researchers at Columbia University found that children with autism were 160 times more likely than the rest of the population to die from drowning.

This hour, we’re talking about how water safety can save lives, especially in underrepresented communities.

 

Photo Credit: Brian Bates

Photo Source: Diversity in Aquatics

<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/drowning/data-research/index.html">According to the CDC</a>, there are over 4,000 unintentional drowning deaths in the United States every year and <a href="https://wisqars.cdc.gov/infographics/?it=national&amp;i=UNINTENTIONAL&amp;m=DROWNING&amp;st=01&amp;ag=1&amp;d=chart&amp;yr=5&amp;y1=2020&amp;y2=2024">around 850 of those are for people younger than 18</a>.
And the numbers look different across various demographics. For instance, Black children ages 10-14 are <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/drowning/health-equity/index.html">nearly 4 times</a> more likely to die from accidental drowning than white children of the same age.
And in 2017, researchers at Columbia University found that children with autism were <a href="https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/news/individuals-autism-substantially-heightened-risk-injury-death">160 times more likely</a> than the rest of the population to die from drowning.
This hour, we&rsquo;re talking about how water safety can save lives, especially in underrepresented communities.
&nbsp;
Photo Credit: Brian Bates
Photo Source: Diversity in Aquatics

Water safety can save lives, especially in underrepresented communities

There was a lot of discussion surrounding the United States’ recent July 4th celebrations. There were festivities, like New York's parade of tall ships, and controversies, such as when musicians like Martina McBride and The Commodores canceled concert appearances due to an organizing group's affiliation with the president.

With so much being said— and felt— about these celebrations, it’s important to take a deeper look into what national anniversaries represent and the broader history behind them.

Joining us for the conversation is professor and political commentator Eddie Glaude Jr. His latest book is America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation’s Anniversaries.

GUEST:


Eddie S. Glaude Jr.: James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University and a frequent contributor to MS NOW. He is also the bestselling author of Begin Again. His latest book is America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation’s Anniversaries.

There was a lot of discussion surrounding the United States&rsquo; recent July 4th celebrations. There were festivities, like New York's <a href="https://youtu.be/blkYut_cvXg?si=dAg_-ODIB1AlrZGT">parade of tall ships</a>, and controversies, such as when musicians like Martina McBride and The Commodores <a href="https://youtu.be/cGyZa8kMT6Y?si=_70gD4QoEu5-76BW">canceled concert appearances</a> due to an organizing group's affiliation with the president.
With so much being said&mdash; and felt&mdash; about these celebrations, it&rsquo;s important to take a deeper look into what national anniversaries represent and the broader history behind them.
Joining us for the conversation is professor and political commentator Eddie Glaude Jr. His latest book is <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/673832/america-usa-by-eddie-s-glaude-jr/">America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation&rsquo;s Anniversaries</a>.
GUEST:
<ul>
<li>
Eddie S. Glaude Jr.: James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University and a frequent contributor to MS NOW. He is also the bestselling author of <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/575725/begin-again-by-eddie-s-glaude-jr/">Begin Again</a>. His latest book is <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/673832/america-usa-by-eddie-s-glaude-jr/">America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation&rsquo;s Anniversaries</a>.
</li>
</ul>

Eddie Glaude Jr. on the contradictions inherent in celebrating the United States

In 2018, the Supreme Court Case Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association reshaped gambling in the U.S. The ruling ended a ban on sports gambling— it had previously been illegal in every state except Nevada. Today, 39 states and Washington, D.C. have at least some form of legalized sports betting. Sports betting became legal in Connecticut in 2021.

This hour, we’re taking a look at how gambling has changed since then. We'll talk about how sports betting companies think about the work that they do and the way people are impacted by gambling addiction. We'll also discuss the the effect gambling is having on college students.

GUESTS:


Danny Funt: Reporter who’s covered the sports betting boom for publications like The Washington Post and The New Yorker. His new book is Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling.


Brian Hatch:Community Engagement Manager for the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling. He’s also the host of All in: The Addicted Gambler’s Podcast.

If you or someone you know is being adversely affected by gambling, there is help available. You can reach out to the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling’s helpline at 888-789-7777. You can go to their website at ccpg.org. You can also reach the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY RESET (1-800-697-3738).

Here are some of the other resources mentioned in the episode:


To find treatment programs in Connecticut, you can contact a Bettor Choice Program.


You can find a local or virtual Gamblers Anonymous meeting through their website


You can also listen to Brian's podcast, All in: The Addicted Gambler’s Podcast

This episode originally aired on April 10, 2026. 

In 2018, the Supreme Court Case Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association reshaped gambling in the U.S. The ruling ended a ban on sports gambling&mdash; it had previously been illegal in every state except Nevada. Today, 39 states and Washington, D.C. have at least some form of legalized sports betting. Sports betting became legal in Connecticut in 2021.
This hour, we&rsquo;re taking a look at how gambling has changed since then. We'll talk about how sports betting companies think about the work that they do and the way people are impacted by gambling addiction. We'll also discuss the the effect gambling is having on college students.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://dannyfunt.com/">Danny Funt</a>: Reporter who&rsquo;s covered the sports betting boom for publications like The Washington Post and The New Yorker. His new book is <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Everybody-Loses/Danny-Funt/9781668062029">Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling</a>.
</li>
<li>
Brian Hatch: Community Engagement Manager for the <a href="https://ccpg.org/">Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling</a>. He&rsquo;s also the host of <a href="https://addictedgamblerpodcast.libsyn.com/">All in: The Addicted Gambler&rsquo;s Podcast</a>.
</li>
</ul>
If you or someone you know is being adversely affected by gambling, there is help available. You can reach out to the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling&rsquo;s helpline at 888-789-7777. You can go to their website at <a href="https://ccpg.org/">ccpg.org</a>. You can also reach the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY RESET (1-800-697-3738).
Here are some of the other resources mentioned in the episode:
<ul>
<li>
To find treatment programs in Connecticut, you can contact a <a href="https://www.ccpg.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/bettorchoiceprograms.pdf">Bettor Choice Program</a>.
</li>
<li>
You can find a local or virtual <a href="https://gamblersanonymous.org/">Gamblers Anonymous</a> meeting through their website
</li>
<li>
You can also listen to Brian's podcast, <a href="https://addictedgamblerpodcast.libsyn.com/">All in: The Addicted Gambler&rsquo;s Podcast</a>
</li>
</ul>
This episode originally aired on April 10, 2026.&nbsp;

Constance Baker Motley is a civil rights icon. Why don't more people know her name?

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