Notes from America with Kai Wright WNYC Studios

White supremacist myths turn defeated leaders into heroic victors. Are Donald Trump and the MAGA movement the next Lost cause? 

Donald Trump is the lead contender for the Republican nomination for President once again. And with pending indictment looming in the headlines, the opportunity arises for the former president to yet again, control the narrative of his defeat.

If we turn to history, we’ll see that this story isn’t unfamiliar. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Dr. David Blight, author of "Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom," joins host Kai Wright to tell the story of the Confederacy’s Lost Cause mythology–how it was created, why it still matters today, and how similar it may feel to the narrative of Donald Trump’s MAGA movement. Plus, we open our pre-election time capsule and hear from listeners about their wildest dreams for the future of the country and themselves.

This episode was originally published as ‘MAGA, the New Confederate Lost Cause’ on November 16, 2020. Listen to more episodes here. 

Companion listening for this episode: 

American Political Myths Have Consequences For Us All (2/9/2023)

From the “Southern Strategy” to the civil rights movement, we’re surfacing what is true about our nation’s past, and what is propaganda masquerading as history.

“Notes from America” airs live on Sunday evenings at 6pm ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts. To catch all the action, tune into the show on Sunday nights via the stream on notesfromamerica.org or on WNYC’s YouTube channel.

We want to hear from you! Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter @noteswithkai or email us at notes@wnyc.org.

Ramadan Mubarak! We check in with people of the Muslim community, their intentions, traditions and plans for making the most of this holy month. 

Ramadan has begun, which means that close to two billion people worldwide will be abstaining from food and water from sunrise to sunset. But Ramadan is about much more than fasting. It is one of the most sacred periods for Muslims. The vastly diverse global community of Muslims spends the month of Ramadan exploring the deeper and personal meaning of their faith. It is also a time for the community to practice generosity–to themselves and others. 

To celebrate and learn more about this holiday, host Kai Wright speaks to Ahmed Ali Akbar, a James Beard award-winning writer and the host of the Crooked Media podcast Radiolingo. Akbar is also the creator and host of See Something Say Something, a podcast focused on the Muslim American experience. Together, they explore how Ramadan celebrations can evolve over time and take calls from listeners who are celebrating. 

We also hear from producer Rahima Nasa about her plans for Ramadan from trying new recipes to learning about different Islamic cultures. You can follow her celebration on our Instagram @noteswithkai. She’ll be posting weekly throughout the month. 

 Companion listening for this episode: 

 Face the Darkness, Welcome the Light (12/20/2021)

 Do you need a revival?  On the longest night of the year, join us to celebrate Yalda, a poetic Persian tradition. 

“Notes from America” airs live on Sunday evenings at 6pm ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts. To catch all the action, tune into the show on Sunday nights via the stream on notesfromamerica.org or on WNYC’s YouTube channel.

We want to hear from you! Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter @noteswithkai or email us at notes@wnyc.org.

Some believe that the religious right’s roots begin with Roe v. Wade. But there was an earlier court decision about the rights of segregated schools that first mobilized them.

The recent surge in anti-trans legislation nationwide sparked a conversation on our show, about how the religious right has worked to deny the rights and existence of LGBT people for decades. This movement dates back to the early 1970s; to trace its history, producer Jessica Miller visits Mississippi and follows the bitter fight against a religious freedom bill passed in 2017 called HB 1523. The bill states that people who don’t believe in LGBT rights can’t be forced to abide by new civil rights protections. A group of civil rights advocates sued the state in response, and the ensuing debate revealed the real history behind all of the religious right's arguments today. 

This episode was originally published as ‘In Jesus' Name... We Legislate’ on June 13, 2017. Listen to more episodes here. 

Companion listening for this episode: 

Church, State and the Soul of Our Nation (10/10/2022)

Christian nationalism – the push to have laws, policies and social norms reflect Christian values –  is a growing movement in the U.S. As its rise continues to influence contemporary politics, how should we consider and prepare for its impact on our government? 

“Notes from America” airs live on Sunday evenings at 6pm ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts. To catch all the action, tune into the show on Sunday nights via the stream on notesfromamerica.org or on WNYC’s YouTube channel.

We want to hear from you! Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter @noteswithkai or email us at notes@wnyc.org.

State lawmakers across the country are introducing new waves of legislation targeting the transgender community. What’s behind this movement? 

To answer this question, we first turn to history. Host Kai Wright speaks with Imara Jones, founder of TransLash Media and host of the podcast The Anti-Trans Hate Machine: A Plot Against Equality. Jones shares the national picture of this surge in anti-trans legislation and centers this political moment in religious history. Then, Henry Seaton, the transgender justice advocate for the ACLU of Tennessee shares stories from those impacted by the state’s new law banning gender-affirming care for minors and drag performances in certain public places.

Companion listening for this episode: 

Roe Is Gone. What Now? (6/27/2022)

Host Kai Wright and listeners react to the recent SCOTUS decisions, including the fall of Roe v. Wade. Plus, a reflection on the significance of LGBT Pride in a scary political time for the community. 

“Notes from America” airs live on Sunday evenings at 6pm ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts. To catch all the action, tune into the show on Sunday nights via the stream on notesfromamerica.org or on WNYC’s YouTube channel.

We want to hear from you! Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter @noteswithkai or email us at notes@wnyc.org.

Why do millions of people from around the world flock to Philadelphia, PA, to visit a statue….of a fictional character? We ask Paul Farber, host of the WHYY podcast The Statue.

Many who have been to Philadelphia have visited the iconic plaza outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art that houses the Rocky statue. But what does a statue celebrating a fictional boxer tell us about how and why we create monuments? Paul Farber is a Philly native, director of The Monument Lab, and host of the podcast The Stature. He joins host Kai Wright and executive producer André Robert Lee to discuss the complicated facts surrounding the famous site– and what he decided to do about it. You can hear more about how Paul explored this peculiarity on WHYY Digital Studio’s The Statue. 

Companion listening for this episode:

American Political Myths Have Consequences For Us All (2/9/2023)

From the “Southern Strategy” to the civil rights movement, we’re surfacing what is true about our nation’s past and what is propaganda masquerading as history.

“Notes from America” airs live on Sunday evenings at 6pm ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts. To catch all the action, tune into the show on Sunday nights via the stream on notesfromamerica.org or on WNYC’s YouTube channel.

We want to hear from you! Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter @noteswithkai or email us at notes@wnyc.org.

Artist Michelle Browder lives in a city that is increasingly being altered by monumental works…including one she created herself.

More than 30 years ago, as an 18-year-old art student in Atlanta, Michelle Browder came across a work of art that haunted her. The picture was meant as a tribute to Dr. J. Marion Sims, a 19th century doctor long known as the 'Father of Gynecology.’ His discoveries, only made possible by his experimentation on enslaved women, endowed his legacy in U.S. history, yet erased the victims of this research. Armed with this knowledge, she set out to create a monument in Montgomery, Alabama, where a statue of Sims still stands in front of the state capitol building. 

Michelle Browder joins the show to share the story behind her creation called “the Mothers of Gynecology,” in tribute to Anarcha, Lucy & Betsey, three of Dr. Sims’ victims.

Companion listening for this episode:

The Battle Over Black Studies (2/21/2023)

Black studies is not about inclusion. It’s about disruption – which is why some fear it.

“The United States of Anxiety” airs live on Sunday evenings at 6pm ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts. To catch all the action, tune into the show on Sunday nights via the stream on WNYC.org/anxiety or tell your smart speakers to play WNYC. 

We want to hear from you! Connect with us on Twitter @WNYC using the hashtag #USofAnxiety or email us at anxiety@wnyc.org.