Shelley’s Plumbline

Shelley Stewart
  • 5.0 (9)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

In construction, a plumbline is a weight suspended from a string used as a tool to find the true reference line. A plumbline will always find the vertical axis pointing to the center of gravity, ensuring everything is right, justified, and centered.  ​ Pulling from a library of more than 3,000 shows from his storied career in broadcasting, Shelley's Plumbline leads us in a search for the truth, opening the channels of communication and understanding on tough social topics that are as relevant today as they were 40 years ago.   Join us as we explore the past, compare it to today, and craft a better future.

  1. 2D AGO

    Which Golden Rule Do You Follow?

    Send a text The week's discussion centers on the pursuit of power, with Ricky and Shelley questioning the sustainability of the integration model and discussing the need for new political approaches, including "voluntary separation."  We pay tribute to Reverend Jesse Jackson, remembering his dedication to "Education, hope, and the continuous fight for equality and power.  Finally, we offer a critique of "late-stage capitalism" in America, which Ricky Jones argues is causing the economic collapse of institutions due to concentrated capital and systemic exploitation. Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

    31 min

  2. MAR 5

    Shelley's Back

    Send a text In this episode, we dive into the pivotal moments that shaped our world—from the blackouts and segregation of the 1940s and post-war era, to the political earthquakes of Maynard Jackson’s and Coleman Young’s mayoral elections in Atlanta and Detroit. We compare the struggles for equality faced by figures like Reverend Jesse Jackson with the modern-day battles for DEI, ultimately asking: Is the core struggle still simply the fight for power and against "anti-blackness" in a system of "late-stage capitalism"? Let's get started. Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

    39 min

  3. FEB 25

    Erasing History

    Send a text This episode concludes a four-part series on Dr. Carter G. Woodson and centers on the loss of the Black Old Guard, specifically honoring Reverend Jesse Jackson. A key point of discussion was the denial of Reverend Jackson lying in honor at the state capital, which the hosts connected to a broader historical erasure and ongoing attacks on education and historical acknowledgment.  The hosts emphasized that confronting and learning from painful history, citing the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) Moment, is crucial for future progress. Finally, the conversation critiqued the negative impact of capitalism on higher education, arguing that the focus on "job-ready" students produces individuals who lack critical thinking skills. Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

    33 min

  4. FEB 18

    Woodson's Challenge: Should Funding Dollars Make Decisions?

    Send a text This week's episode continues our Black History Month series on Dr. Carter G. Woodson, whose rejection of the NAACP begs the question: Does the influence of funding to Black movements trigger the need for a "leadership audit" within Black organizations?  Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

    33 min

  5. FEB 12

    Carter G. Woodson and the Challenges of Black Leadership

    Send a text This week's episode continues the focus on the life and ideology of Dr. Carter G. Woodson as part of a four-part Black History Month series. We open by marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of Negro History Week and re-ask Woodson’s provocative question from the 1940s: "Do we deserve to celebrate right now?" Woodson opined that celebration was unwarranted if Black people had not studied their history and contemporary situation to better understand what is really happening today. Ricky discusses the historical necessity and proliferation of Black organizations post-1865, following emancipation. These groups, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), the Niagara Movement, the NAACP, and the Urban League, were established as collective tools to ensure the well-being of Black men, women, and children against white supremacy, post-Reconstruction backlash, and challenges like Plessy v. Ferguson.  The episode covers the historical friction among Black leaders and discusses Woodson's split with the NAACP in 1915. Woodson found the Washington D.C. branch, led by Archer Grimkey, to be "too moderate." After Grimkey refused his proposals to expand the branch’s operations, Woodson left, declaring, "I am a radical. I am ready to act if I can find brave men to help me." Bringing the conversation to the modern day, the hosts cited recent brazen examples of racism and questioned the preparedness of contemporary Black organizations, including fraternities, sororities, the Black church, the NAACP, and the Urban League.  Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

    32 min

  6. FEB 6

    Have You Earned the Right to Celebrate BHM?

    Send a text In this special Black History Month episode of Shelley's Plumbline, executive producer Mark Jamroz and host Dr. Ricky Jones—son of the Radio Hall of Famer Shelley Stewart—share a conversation on Carter G. Woodson and the origins of Black History Month.  The core of the conversation focuses on the legacy of Carter G. Woodson and the founding of Negro History Week, with Jones detailing Woodson's academic journey and his concerns about the miseducation of Black people.  The episode ultimately challenges listeners to do their homework. Black people do not currently "deserve to celebrate" Black History Month and must commit to serious study and organization to earn the right to celebrate in 2027. Are you ready to celebrate? Tune in and let us know. Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

    38 min

  7. JAN 28

    Dr. Ricky Jones' MLK Speech: Holding a Mirror of Truth to America's Face

    Send a text Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

    42 min

  8. JAN 14

    Some Truths About Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks (Rebroadcast)

    Send a text We join the nation in mourning the loss of civil rights pioneer Claudette Colvin, who passed away on January 13, 2026, at the age of 86. In her honor, we are rebroadcasting this interview with her sister, Gloria Laster, originally broadcast on December 2, 2025. The discussion centers on the overlooked role of Colvin, the 15-year-old arrested nine months before Rosa Parks for the same act of defiance.  Laster recounts how Colvin was a plaintiff in the successful Browder v. Gale Supreme Court case that desegregated transportation but was intentionally excluded from the movement's public narrative. The conversation details the factors that led organizers, including the NAACP, to choose Rosa Parks as the face of the movement. Unlike Colvin, Parks' adult status and "respectable" image were considered more palatable, while Colvin was sidelined due to her youth, dark skin tone, poor family background, and rumors of pregnancy (later clarified as having occurred after her arrest). The episode stresses that the initial idea for the bus boycott was driven by women whose efforts were later minimized when male leaders, including Martin Luther King, took over. Shelley and Ricky Jones reflect on the ultimate disregard shown to many women of the movement, including Colvin and other plaintiffs like Mary Louise Smith and Aurelia Browder. They discuss how both Colvin and Rosa Parks were poorly treated by the male-dominated leadership, with Parks ultimately dying poor while their male counterparts gained prestigious positions. The episode sets the stage for a promised follow-up program, "Whatever Happened to Rosa Parks," to shed light on her struggles in the years after the Civil Rights Act. Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

    38 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

In construction, a plumbline is a weight suspended from a string used as a tool to find the true reference line. A plumbline will always find the vertical axis pointing to the center of gravity, ensuring everything is right, justified, and centered.  ​ Pulling from a library of more than 3,000 shows from his storied career in broadcasting, Shelley's Plumbline leads us in a search for the truth, opening the channels of communication and understanding on tough social topics that are as relevant today as they were 40 years ago.   Join us as we explore the past, compare it to today, and craft a better future.

Information

  • Creator
    Shelley Stewart
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    147
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Shelley’s Plumbline
  • Show Website
    Shelley’s Plumbline

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