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?

This year, Michael Morand, director of community engagement for Yale's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, was appointed New Haven's official city historian. We return to our conversation with him about bringing New Haven’s history to life and the exhibit he collaborated on at the New Haven Museum. The exhibit includes years of Michael's research as part of The Yale and Slavery Research Project documenting Yale’s historical ties to slavery. The exhibit, which is on view until March, 2025, is called Shining Light on Truth: New Haven, Yale, and Slavery.

Guest: 


Michael Morand: Director of community engagement for Yale's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library and New Haven's official city historian.

You can read about Michael Morand's role as New Haven's official city historian on CT Public's website.

Special thanks to our intern Frankie Devevo.

This episode originally aired on September 11, 2024. 

This year, Michael Morand, director of community engagement for Yale's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, was appointed New Haven's official city historian. We return to our conversation with him about bringing New Haven’s history to life and the exhibit he collaborated on at the <a href="https://www.newhavenmuseum.org/">New Haven Museum</a>. The exhibit includes years of Michael's research as part of <a href="https://yaleandslavery.yale.edu/">The Yale and Slavery Research Project</a> documenting Yale’s historical ties to slavery. The exhibit, which is on view until March, 2025, is called <a href="https://www.newhavenmuseum.org/48546-2/">Shining Light on Truth: New Haven, Yale, and Slavery</a>.
Guest: 
<ul>
<li>
Michael Morand: Director of community engagement for Yale's <a href="https://beinecke.library.yale.edu/">Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library</a> and New Haven's <a href="https://library.yale.edu/news/new-haven-mayor-appoints-librarys-michael-morand-city-historian">official city historian</a>.
</li>
</ul>
You can read about Michael Morand's role as New Haven's official city historian on <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/news/2024-11-01/new-haven-city-historian-michael-morand">CT Public's website</a>.
Special thanks to our intern Frankie Devevo.
This episode originally aired on September 11, 2024.

New Haven’s historian Michael Morand on bringing the city's past to the present

This hour, we learn about some of the ways that millennial and gen z politicians are making their mark on the U.S.

Up first, Brandon Scott is the youngest mayor of Baltimore in more than 100 years. A new documentary film called The Body Politic follows Mayor Scott during his first term in office, focusing on his campaign to reduce gun violence. We are joined by that film's director and producer, Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough.

Then, Layla Zaidane is President and CEO of Future Caucus, an organization that brings together young lawmakers to collaborate across party lines. She reframes the idea of civility in politics and tells young people they can have an impact on government.

GUESTS:


Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough: Director and Producer of the documentary film The Body Politic, which follows Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott’s efforts to reduce gun violence in the city.The film will be broadcast as part of PBS's POV series on November 25th.


Layla Zaidane: President and CEO of Future Caucus, an organization that brings together young lawmakers to collaborate across party lines.

This hour, we learn about some of the ways that millennial and gen z politicians are making their mark on the U.S.
Up first, Brandon Scott is the youngest mayor of Baltimore in more than 100 years. A new documentary film called <a href="https://www.pbs.org/pov/films/bodypolitic/">The Body Politic</a> follows Mayor Scott during his first term in office, focusing on his campaign to reduce gun violence. We are joined by that film's director and producer, Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough.
Then, <a href="https://futurecaucus.org/our-team/layla-zaidane/">Layla Zaidane</a> is President and CEO of <a href="https://futurecaucus.org/">Future Caucus</a>, an organization that brings together young lawmakers to collaborate across party lines. She reframes the idea of civility in politics and tells young people they can have an impact on government.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough: Director and Producer of the documentary film <a href="https://www.pbs.org/pov/films/bodypolitic/">The Body Politic</a>, which follows Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott’s efforts to reduce gun violence in the city. The film will be broadcast as part of PBS's POV series on November 25th.
</li>
<li>
Layla Zaidane: President and CEO of <a href="https://futurecaucus.org/">Future Caucus</a>, an organization that brings together young lawmakers to collaborate across party lines.
</li>
</ul>

How young politicians are working toward change

In her new book Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal, Dr. Bettina Love says that Black public school students like her in the 1980s and 1990s were "labeled disposable because of our zip code, test scores, and Black skin." Dr. Love is this year's winner of the Stowe Prize for Literary Activism. She joins us to explain how she sees anti-Black racism baked into U.S. education policy.

And Professor Anthony Abraham Jack, author of Class Dismissed: When Colleges Ignore Inequality & Students Pay the Price says there is more to making college campuses inclusive than admitting a diverse student body.

GUESTS:


Dr. Bettina Love: William F. Russell Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University. She’s winner of the 2024 Stowe Prize for Literary Activism and author of Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal.


Anthony Abraham Jack: Inaugural Faculty Director of the Boston University Newbury Center and Associate Professor of Higher Education Leadership at the Boston University Wheelock College of Education and Human Development. His new book is Class Dismissed: When Colleges Ignore Inequality & Students Pay the Price.

In her new book <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250280381/punishedfordreaming">Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal</a>, <a href="https://bettinalove.com/">Dr. Bettina Love</a> says that Black public school students like her in the 1980s and 1990s were "labeled disposable because of our zip code, test scores, and Black skin." Dr. Love is this year's winner of the <a href="https://www.harrietbeecherstowecenter.org/stowe-prize-for-literary-activism-2024/">Stowe Prize for Literary Activism.</a> She joins us to explain how she sees anti-Black racism baked into U.S. education policy.
And <a href="https://anthonyabrahamjack.com/">Professor Anthony Abraham Jack</a>, author of <a href="https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691237466/class-dismissed?srsltid=AfmBOooRXZXHSTqu2kOQfxbMre6TLnX75gGf1NCSlGak3wukuamLrRzH">Class Dismissed: When Colleges Ignore Inequality &amp; Students Pay the Price</a> says there is more to making college campuses inclusive than admitting a diverse student body.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
Dr. Bettina Love: William F. Russell Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University. She’s winner of the <a href="https://www.harrietbeecherstowecenter.org/stowe-prize-for-literary-activism-2024/">2024 Stowe Prize for Literary Activism</a> and author of <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250280381/punishedfordreaming">Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal</a>. 
</li>
<li>
Anthony Abraham Jack: Inaugural Faculty Director of the Boston University Newbury Center and Associate Professor of Higher Education Leadership at the Boston University Wheelock College of Education and Human Development. His new book is <a href="https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691237466/class-dismissed?srsltid=AfmBOooRXZXHSTqu2kOQfxbMre6TLnX75gGf1NCSlGak3wukuamLrRzH">Class Dismissed: When Colleges Ignore Inequality &amp; Students Pay the Price</a>.
</li>
</ul>

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

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