Headlights: Voices from The Progressive South

The Progressive South and Barberian Productions
  • 5.0 (12)
  • Politics
  • Updated Weekly

The American South is much more than Spanish moss and plantation politics. In every city, town and rural county across the region, there are people working for a better future, continuing a centuries-long fight for real freedom, equality and opportunity. In every episode of Headlights, we bring you news, interviews and stories of people working for justice and progressive values all across the South. From community organizers to elected officials to artists and writers, business leaders and scientists, we amplify the voices of those making a difference in our Southern states.

  1. 5d ago

    Ep. 56: Pride in Arkansas

    SYNOPSIS: It's another fraught Pride Month in the South, where LGBTQ rights remain under attack from conservative lawmakers. This week we talk to Dolores Wilk of Central Arkansas Pride about their advocacy for the state's queer population, and the importance of visibility — including a Pride celebration right in front of the state Capitol Building. Also: The Supreme Court lets Alabama go back to marginalizing Black voters; the troubled history of a for-profit immigrant detention center in Louisiana; and Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger disappoints the state's cannabis industry. Plus, a look at gay Florida playwright Matthew Lopez, and a current production of his work in Jacksonville. SHOW NOTES: Central Arkansas Pride  "Norman Jones" Encyclopedia of Arkansas  "Supreme Court's Alabama redistricting ruling marks brazen reversal of its previous stance" Democracy Docket  "Sanitation, use-of-force transparency lacking at Winnfield ICE facility, inspection finds" Louisiana Illuminator  "Migrants detained at ICE facilities launch hunger strikes to protest conditions" Stateline  "My Four Months as a Private Prison Guard" Shane Bauer, Mother Jones  "ICE detention is growing in the South. This state was the first." USA Today  "Record-Setting $7 Million Settlement Caps LaSalle's Legacy at Texarkana Jail" Prison Legal News  "Louisiana jury awards more than $40 million to family of man who died in privately-run jail" Associated Press  "Another year, another Va. retail cannabis market veto leaves businesses, the public with few options" Virginia Mercury  The Legend of Georgia McBride The 5 & Dime Theatre Co. CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark jmayshark@theprogressivesouth.org (865) 214-7764

    42 min

  2. Jun 1

    Ep. 55: The Young, Gifted, and Green

    SYNOPSIS:  LaTricea Adams learned about environmental racism first-hand, growing up in Memphis and seeing the differences between Black and white neighborhoods. She now leads Young, Gifted and Green, a nonprofit that trains young people in organizing and environmental justice. In this week's interview, she talks about how the water crisis in Flint, Mich., turned her into an activist — and how resistance to data centers across the country is creating new alliances across regions and races. Also: Right-wing redistricting momentum sputters in South Carolina and Alabama; what Ken Paxton's primary win means in Texas; and why New Orleans is tired of hearing about its impending doom. And in our arts and culture segment, we pay tribute to the great transgender fantasy artist and Atlanta native Jeffrey Catherine Jones. SHOW NOTES: Young, Gifted and Green "Federal judges block Alabama's use of 2023 congressional map" Alabama Reflector "Effort to redraw SC voting lines fails amid record start to early voting" South Carolina Daily Gazette "Tala-freak-o vs. Ken the Criminal: Texas candidates sharpen attacks as U.S. Senate race locks in" The Texas Tribune "Ken Paxton has amassed millions of dollars while in public office" Texas Public Radio "'Point of no return': New Orleans relocation must start now due to sea level, study finds" The Guardian "Why The Guardian's new article about New Orleans feels like 'a modern day redlining of an entire city.'" The Lens "Mayor Helena Moreno: New Orleans is not in retreat, and that viral study doesn't tell our story" NOLA.com ""Point of No Return?": A Conversation About Sea Level Rise and the Future of New Orleans" The Lens  "'Roots' Returns to School Libraries" Compass  "Jeffrey Catherine Jones: An Appreciation" Longbox of Darkness  "Jeffrey Catherine Jones: A Life Lived Deeply" The Comics Journal CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark jmayshark@theprogressivesouth.org  (865) 214-7764

    50 min

  3. May 25

    Ep. 54: The Leftists of Texas

    SYNOPSIS: Texas conservatives like to cultivate an image of the state as a frontier of rugged individualism and unbridled capitalism. But it is also the land of the Cowboy Strike and the Texas People's Party, a contested terrain with an often overlooked history of radical politics. That's what writer and Austin native David Griscom brings to light in his new book, The Myth of Red Texas. This week, we talk to him about some of the stories he uncovered — and the lessons they provide for the state's present and future. Also: The latest on the post-Callais redistricting frenzy across the South; the federal prosecution of the Southern Poverty Law Center; and a Tennessee school system bans Alex Haley's Roots. Plus: Georgia artist Amy Sherald brings her exhibition American Sublime to Atlanta, after withdrawing it fro the politicized National Portrait Gallery.  SHOW NOTES: The Myth of Red Texas David Griscom  David Griscom bio "Supreme Court halts order for Alabama to use US House map with 2 largely Black districts" Associated Press "Tuberville casts doubt on Alabama redistricting" The Hill "US Supreme Court Reverses Mississippi Redistricting Order That Led to End of GOP Supermajority" Mississippi Free Press "South Carolina governor calls for a special session on redistricting" NBC News "South Carolina House backs congressional map favoring GOP but bill faces a more skeptical Senate" Associated Press "Federal Grand Jury Charges Southern Poverty Law Center for Wire Fraud, False Statements, and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering" U.S. Department of Justice "Headlights, Episode 8: Watering the Roots"  "SPLC Files Motions Arguing Trump Administration Officials Made False Statements Related to Informant Program" Southern Poverty Law Center  "The Politically Motivated Indictment of Southern Poverty Law Center" Lawfare "Tennessee school district bans Alex Haley's Roots under 2022 state law" The Guardian "Amy Sherald: American Sublime" High Museum of Art  "Amy Sherald Cancels Her Smithsonian Show, Citing Censorship" The New York Times  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark  jmayshark@theprogressivesouth.org (865) 214-7764

    49 min

  4. May 18

    Ep. 53: The Memphis Massacre

    SYNOPSIS: When the all-white Republican supermajority in the Tennessee Legislature carved up Memphis into three congressional districts during the first week of May, they insisted that race had nothing to do with it. But when it comes to Memphis, race always matters. This week, we listen to the voices raised in protest during Tennessee's rapid-fire special session, and put them in the context of the long and often ugly history of the state's treatment of its largest Black-majority city. From violence by white mobs after the Civil War to the murder of Martin Luther King Jr. to the ongoing occupation of city streets by National Guard troops, Memphis has always been on the front lines of attempts to build Black political power — and to knock it down. SHOW NOTES: "Tennessee redistricting debate marked by fiery oratory about Black struggles for voting rights" Tennessee Lookout  "Tennessee lawmakers vote to replace failed Achievement School District turnaround program" Chalkbeat Tennessee  "Tennessee House passes Shelby County district attorney removal bill" Tennessee Lookout  "Students on Tennessee vouchers are underperforming, state audit finds" WPLN "How a large-scale effort to register black voters led to a crackdown in Tennessee" The Washington Post  The Equity Alliance  People's Grocery lynchings Wikipedia  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark jmayshark@theprogressivesouth.org  (865) 214-7764

    52 min

  5. May 4

    Ep. 52: Inside the Evangelical Right

    SYNOPSIS: The U.S. Supreme Court's decision last week in the Callais case is likely to lead to a major loss of Black representation across the South. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry immediately suspended the state's pending congressional primaries to redraw its maps. Other Republican officials in states including Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia are calling for reducing or eliminating their Black-majority districts. This week we look at the ruling and its implications. Our interview is with South Carolina writer Rick Pidcock, who grew up in the conservative evangelical movement and has become an astute observer and critic of it. As a columnist for Baptist News, he has been raising alarms about the ongoing growth of Christian nationalism. Plus: A look at this weekend's inaugural Latido Festival in San Antonio, a celebration of Tex-Mex music and culture. SHOW NOTES: "Exiles in Christendom" Rick Pidcock  "The Supreme Court has all but killed the law that helped kill Jim Crow" Stacey Abrams, MS NOW  "Statement on SCOTUS Decision in Louisiana v. Callais" U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures  "Virginia voters back redistricting amendment after months of legal and political battles" Virginia Mercury  "'Rigging a system:' Legal challenges expected, advocacy groups respond to redistricting approval" Florida Phoenix  "Louisiana governor postpones U.S. House primary elections after Supreme Court ruling" Louisiana Illuminator  "TN GOP discussing eliminating the state's only Democratic-held U.S. House seat" Tennessee Lookout  "Mississippi Official Calls to Eliminate State's Only Majority Black House District After Voting Rights Ruling" Mississippi Free Press  The Latido Festival San Antonio  "The Evolution of Música Norteña: A Cultural Journey" Texas State Historical Association  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark jmayshark@theprogressivesouth.org (865) 214-7764

    54 min

  6. Apr 27

    Ep. 51: The Trans Panic Continues

    SYNOPSIS: Another year, another cluster of hateful anti-transgender bills proposed in our state legislatures. This week, we round up some of the worst laws passed this spring in Southern states to further bully and harass trans people. In states like Tennessee and Georgia, this year's bills are no longer only aiming at issues like sports and bathroom access, but are aiming directly at the presence — or even the mention — of trans people altogether. In happier news, we also check in on this weekend's Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival in Louisiana. SHOW NOTES: Trans Legislation Tracker translegislation.com  "Tennessee Republicans advance flurry of bills to make life unlivable for transgender people" The Advocate  "Mississippi lawmakers pass bill changing driver's license gender identification requirements" WAPT  Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival  "Crawfish, Cajuns, and Native Americans: The History of Crawfish Season in South Louisiana" KPEL  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark jmayshark@theprogressivesouth.org (865) 214-7764

    18 min

  7. Apr 20

    Ep. 50: The Legacy of Nonviolence

    SYNOPSIS: Nonviolent resistance was the core strategy of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and '60s, and its chief architect alongside Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was another pastor, Rev. James Lawson Jr. Like King, he studied the success of Gandhi's anti-colonial resistance in India, and he answered King's call to teach its precepts to thousands of young African-Americans in the South. Lawson died in 2024, but a new memoir — Nonviolent — gives vivid dimension to his life and his ideals. This week, we talk to the book's co-author, writer and journalist Emily Yellin, who knew Lawson for most of her life and worked closely with him on the text. She says Lawson never stopped fighting for justice, over the years taking on causes including the rights of women, LGBTQ people, and Palestinians, among others. Also: We look Elon Musk's expanding corporate footprint across the South — a Tesla factory is draining Austin's drought-depleted aquifer, xAI data centers in Mississippi and Memphis are threatening the local air and water, and his Boring Company is punching a hole in Nashville's limestone despite the opposition of local residents. Plus, a preview of this weekend's MerleFest celebration of roots music in Wilkesboro, N.C. SHOW NOTES: Nonviolent: A Memoir of Resistance, Agitation, and Love Rev. James Lawson Jr. and Emily Yellin  1,300 Men: Memphis Strike '68  "Tesla's Gigafactory water use surges in Austin as new chip plant looms" Texas Tribune  "New Aquifer leader talks future of district and Stage 4 drought" KXAN, Austin  "Water plan killed at Elon Musk's massive Memphis data center, billions of gallons now needed" The Cool Down  "'A different set of rules': Thermal drone footage shows Musk's AI power plant flouting clean air regulations" Floodlight  "NAACP Sues xAI for Illegal Pollution from Data Center Power Plant" Earthjustice  Music City Loop The Boring Company  "How TN Republican lawmakers insulated Musk's Boring Company tunnel in Nashville from local officials" Tennessee Lookout  MerleFest  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark jmayshark@theprogressivesouth.org

    59 min

  8. Apr 13

    Ep. 49: Who Are the Young Democrats?

    SYNOPSIS: The Democratic Party has an identity problem with voters nationwide, and especially in the South. But a rising wave of young party activists is seeking to bring new energy and ideas into some of the most conservative areas of the country — like Knox County, Tennessee, which has been sending Republicans to Congress since the Civil War. This week, Jesse talks to Solomon Trapp and Julia Kaye, two organizers of a new Young Democrats chapter in the county. They say there is a hunger among younger Southerners for alternatives to prevailing political powers, which aren't addressing their needs. Also: Curriculum fights across the South. Texas reshapes its social studies standards to emphasize the state's accomplishments and downplay less admirable parts of its history. Florida's war on sociology. And in Virginia, some tensions about how to teach the events of January 6th. Plus: A look at the Arkansas Folk Festival, marking its 64th year this weekend. SHOW NOTES:  "Texas students urge education board to focus on inclusion over politics in social studies overhaul" The Texas Tribune  "Texas is changing its social studies curriculum. Critics say it's too state-centric" KUT News  "Hey State Board of Education, what's the rush?" Texas Freedom Network  "Sociology no longer a general education course at Florida universities" Florida Phoenix  "Bill to require factual teaching about U.S. Capitol attack clears Va. General Assembly" Virginia Mercury  "HB 333" Virginia General Assembly "Letter Urges Gov. Spanberger to Veto VA Bill Limiting Teaching About January 6" PEN America 64th Annual Arkansas Folk Festival  "A Brief History of the Arkansas Folk Festival" Lyon College CONTACT:  Jesse Mayshark jmayshark@theprogressivesouth.org (865) 214-7764

    54 min
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About

The American South is much more than Spanish moss and plantation politics. In every city, town and rural county across the region, there are people working for a better future, continuing a centuries-long fight for real freedom, equality and opportunity. In every episode of Headlights, we bring you news, interviews and stories of people working for justice and progressive values all across the South. From community organizers to elected officials to artists and writers, business leaders and scientists, we amplify the voices of those making a difference in our Southern states.

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