Black & Indigenous Stories: Erased

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Welcome to Black & Indigenous Stories: Erased—a podcast where silenced stories are spoken out loud and proud for all to hear. In each episode, we read works by Black and Indigenous writers, explore the lives behind the words, and uncover ignored, distorted, or whitewashed histories. Stories of truth, resistance, imagination, and survival—reclaimed, remembered, and heard. Not footnotes, history.

Episodes

  1. Aug 12

    Credo - W.E.B. DuBois

    What do you believe deeply enough to say out loud? Published in 1904, W.E.B. Du Bois’s Credo is a declaration of belief—in humanity, freedom, education, dignity, justice, and the possibilities of a world still becoming. With each statement, Du Bois names what he believes and what he hopes can be. His words speak to the realities of Black life in America and refuse to allow those realities to define the limits of Black humanity. More than a century later, Credo still invites us to consider our own convictions. What do we believe about one another? What do we believe is possible? And what are we willing to stand for as we work toward a more just world? This reading honors the voice of W.E.B. Du Bois and the enduring power of naming what we believe. These words are more than history. They're testimony. They're vision. They're a call to remember. Not footnotes. History.

  2. Jul 29

    What to the Slave is the Fourth of July - Frederick Douglass - Pt. 4

    In this final part of the speech, Frederick Douglass ends his historic 1852 speech by turning from indictment to possibility. After exposing the deep contradictions between America's ideals and its treatment of enslaved people, he offers something powerful: hope. Hope rooted the belief that truth has the power to transform hearts, movements, and nations. Mr. Douglass reminds us that history is never fixed. People can choose justice. Communities can choose courage. Nations can choose to live more fully into the values they proclaim. More than 170 years later, his closing words are still challenging and inviting. They ask us to consider what freedom requires of each generation and how we continue the unfinished work of building a society where dignity, equality, and humanity belong to everyone. Thank you for joining me throughout this special series as we experienced one of the most impactful speeches in American history, one part at a time. My hope is that hearing Frederick Douglass's words out loud has allowed you to engage them with fresh ears and a renewed appreciation for their enduring relevance. This is Erased, a podcast dedicated to restoring the voices, stories, and histories that have often been pushed to the margins. Because these stories were never footnotes—they're history.

  3. Jul 15

    What to the Slave is the Fourth of July - Frederick Douglass - Pt. 3

    This episode contains one of the most unflinching sections of Frederick Douglass's 1852 address. Here, Mr. Douglass turns his attention to the internal slave trade, exposing the buying and selling of human beings as the nation's greatest moral failure. He refuses to soften the reality of families torn apart, lives treated as property, and a system of violence not hidden from public view, but protected by law and defended by those who benefited from it. More than a history lesson, this part of the speech is a call to witness. Mr. Douglass insists that truth must be spoken plainly, especially when silence serves injustice. His words challenge listeners to resist the temptation to look away and instead confront the human cost of a society that proclaimed liberty while profiting from oppression. As difficult as these passages are to hear, they are essential to understanding both the history of slavery in the United States and the extraordinary moral courage of those who fought to end it. This episode is part of Erased, a podcast dedicated to restoring the voices, stories, and histories that have too often been pushed to the margins. Because history cannot be understood without the voices that refused to be silenced. Listener's Note: This episode contains historical descriptions of slavery, human trafficking, and racial violence as presented in Frederick Douglass's original 1852 speech. It is shared in its original form to preserve the integrity of his words and the historical record.

  4. Jul 8

    What to the Slave is the Fourth of July - Frederick Douglass - Pt. 2

    In this second part of Frederick Douglass's historic 1852 address, admiration leaves the room and uncomfortable truths show up. Mr. Douglass challenges his audience—and us—to consider who's included in America's promise of liberty and who's deliberately left out. With incredible restraint and unwavering conviction, Mr. Douglass asks a question that reaches beyond his time: Can a nation truly celebrate freedom while denying it to others? As his words unfold, the distance between America's ideals and its reality become difficult to ignore. Instead of condemning for the sake of condemnation, Mr. Douglass invites his listeners to wrestle with the moral contradictions that shaped the nation and continue to echo through history. This episode is presented as part of Erased, a podcast dedicated to restoring the voices and stories that history too often overlooked, minimized, or erased. By listening to these words in their original form, we honor not only the brilliance of Frederick Douglass, but the enduring call to confront injustice with honesty, courage, and hope. Listener's Note: This episode contains the original language of Frederick Douglass's 1852 speech. It's presented in its historical form to preserve the integrity of his words and the historical significance of his message.

  5. Jul 1

    What to the Slave is the Fourth of July - Frederick Douglass - Pt. 1

    In July 1852, just one day after Americans celebrated Independence Day, Frederick Douglass stood before an audience in Rochester, New York, and delivered one of the most powerful speeches in American history. In Part 1 of this special series, Mr. Douglass begins with gratitude, acknowledging the courage of the nation's founders and the promise of liberty that inspired the American Revolution. Beneath his admiration, another question begins to take shape — one that'll become impossible to ignore. Rather than rushing to his famous challenge, Mr. Douglass carefully prepares his audience to confront the contradiction between America's ideals and the lived reality of millions of enslaved people. As you listen, consider the words, and the courage it took to speak them publicly in 1852. These stories are not footnotes—they're history.

  6. Jun 3

    The Souls of White Folk - By W.E.B. DuBois

    Reading this essay was earie. It was written in 1920, and yet, I could feel the parallels to the discussions we're having and the events we're experiencing today in 2026. This reading is from 'Dark Water: Voices from Within the Veil' by W.E.B. Du Bois and it digs into the themes of racial identity and colonialism. It explores the impact of "whiteness", the failure of white religion, labor exploitation, and the end of a world war. It also talks about America's role in colonialism and the global impact of racial prejudice. Takeaways Racial IdentityColonialismExploitation Chapters 00:00 The Souls of White Folk15:14 The Failure of White Religion36:24 The World Market and Labor Exploitation47:05 The End of World War

  7. Apr 29

    The Ingrate - Paul Laurence Dunbar

    “The Ingrate,” by Paul Laurence Dunbar uses satire to challenge the myth of the “kind” or “benevolent” enslaver a narrative often used to soften the brutal reality of enslavement. On the surface, the story seems to show a generous "master" offering help, while the recipient is labeled an ingrate. Under the surface, Dunbar shows how the actions are self-serving, rooted in control and power and not genuine care. What's framed as generosity is a continuation of dominance. The irony is who's seen as an “ingrate.” Dunbar invites you to ask the question: Is the recipient ungrateful, or are they resisting a system that expects submission for basic humanity? Dunbar critiques the idea that oppressed people owe gratitude to those who benefit from their oppression. Through his layered storytelling, Dunbar dismantles the illusion of benevolence and highlights a deeper truth: acts presented as kindness within unjust systems often maintain those very systems. The story asks you to consider whose perspective defines “gratitude” and at what cost. Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906) was one of the first nationally recognized Black poets in the United States. Born in Dayton to formerly enslaved parents, he began writing at a young age and quickly gained attention for his powerful voice. Dunbar wrote in both standard English and Black dialect, capturing the beauty, struggle, and complexity of Black life in America. His work stood out because it spoke honestly about race, identity, and dignity during a time of deep segregation. Despite a short life, he became an influential literary figure whose writing helped open doors for future B

  8. Apr 15

    How it Feels to be Colored Me - Zora Neale Hurston

    Zora Neale Hurston's 'How It Feels to be Colored Me' written in 1928 explores her feelings and pride about being colored while also experiencing negative reactions. She talks about how she's only colored against the backdrop of whiteness. This essay highlights her personal experiences and feelings about race, identity, and belonging. She reflects on her journey from a small colored town to a larger city, and offers a personal perspective rather than a systemic or generalized view of race and racism.

  9. Mar 29

    Sweat - Zora Neale Hurston

    "Sweat" by Zora Neale Hurston is a 1926 short story about Delia, a hardworking washerwoman enduring a 15-year abusive marriage to her lazy, adulterous husband, Sykes. Delia keeps up their household with her "sweat," while Sykes hates her work and wastes her money, having been beating her from the beginning of their marriage. Sykes tries to force Delia out of her home, which she paid for, to live with his mistress, Bertha. In the end his “evil” turns on him and he reaps what he has sown.  In this story Zora Neale Hurston shows how we can find our voices even when all we’ve known is suffering in silence. She uses the concept of Karma to show that we can reap what we sow in good and in bad. —------- Sweat was originally published in the Harlem Renaissance literary magazine “Fire” in 1926. The magazine only released one issue.

  10. Season 1, Episode 1 Trailer

    Welcome to Erased Podcast

    Welcome to Black & Indigenous Stories: Erased—a podcast where silenced stories are spoken out loud and proud for all to hear. In each episode, we read works by Black and Indigenous writers, explore the lives behind the words, and uncover ignored, distorted, or whitewashed histories. Stories of truth, resistance, imagination, and survival—reclaimed, remembered, and heard. Not footnotes, history.

    Welcome to Erased Podcast
  • 1 Trailer
    9 Episodes

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About

Welcome to Black & Indigenous Stories: Erased—a podcast where silenced stories are spoken out loud and proud for all to hear. In each episode, we read works by Black and Indigenous writers, explore the lives behind the words, and uncover ignored, distorted, or whitewashed histories. Stories of truth, resistance, imagination, and survival—reclaimed, remembered, and heard. Not footnotes, history.

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