18 Podcasts About Black Life, History, and Culture
Fiction, documentary, life advice, and more!
In February 1970, a group of Black students and educators at Kent State University came together to honor the history, stories, and wealth of contributions that Black Americans had made to society and culture. What started off as an event on one university’s calendar soon spread across the country and now, over 50 years since that first celebration, Black History Month has become an annual celebration around the world.
After a year filled with both grief in the wake of the deaths of George Floyd and so many others, and celebration at the historic election of Vice President Kamala Harris, the need to uplift and celebrate Black voices feels more important now than ever. In honor of Black History Month, queue up these 18 podcasts that celebrate the history, culture, and stories of Black people from across the globe. From richly narrated documentaries to insightful personal diaries, these podcasts explore Black life in all of its joys and complexities and are the perfect way to kick off a month of highlighting and celebrating Black storytellers.
Audiodrama
Dem Times
I’d guess every immigrant child is familiar with their parents threatening to send them ‘back home’ if they misbehave. Dem Times is a young adult comedy-drama that explores what happens to one teenager when that threat comes true and his parents send him to a Ghanain boarding school after he’s expelled from his high school in the UK. The instant culture shock makes for a really funny fish out of water story about coming of age in a world incredibly different from that which you grew up in.
Margaritas and Donuts
Margaritas and Donuts is a sweet romantic comedy about what happens when an unlucky in love pediatrician falls for the ophthalmologist who works in the office across the hall. From meet-cute to misunderstandings, Margaritas and Donuts is a great podcast about dating in your 40’s, balancing work and relationships, and finding love where you least expect it.
African Folk Tales
African folk tales were traditionally passed on from generation to generation by word of mouth. The podcast African Folk Tales narrates stories from across the continent and digs into their meanings through short, entertaining episodes like “How Anansi Came To Own All Stories,” which tells the widely loved Akan folk tale character’s origin story.
Life & Advice
Go Ask Your Mother
Go Ask Your Mother is a fun and lighthearted podcast about parenting, love, and navigating all of the decisions, worries, and joys of family life. In “How I Met Your Mother,” the podcast’s hosts Vanel and Sindy talk dating, Twitter storms, and the not so fairytale-like way they met. From Sindy meeting Vanel’s family for the first time while pregnant to how Vanel adjusted to becoming a stepdad, the podcast shares unique stories and lighthearted advice in conversations filled with warmth and laughter.
Curlify the Outdoors
Curlify the Outdoors is a podcast of insightful interviews about the relationship that curly-haired Black and Afro-Latinx people have with nature, outdoor sports, and their hair. The episode “Curlifying the Outdoors with Brianna” delves into notions of “good hair,” the joy of exploring the outdoors with your friends, and the online communities of Black female trekkers working to diversify perceptions of the outdoors.
Truth Be Told
Truth Be Told is an incredibly comforting podcast of unfiltered advice that gives Black and Indigenous people a space to seek and share wisdom about everything from self-confidence to fractured relationships. The episode “Holding Onto Joy” explores how we can cultivate joy amidst the difficulties of moments like the one we are living through now by drawing on the wisdom of older generations and the insights of modern scholars.
Food
Point of Origin
Point of Origin explores the history and cultural foundations of food from around the world. In the two-part story “Farming While Black,” the podcast digs deep into the complicated relationship between Black Americans and farming. It explores the role slavery has played in the absence of Black people in modern agriculture and presents illuminating discussions about the Black farmers and scholars working to challenge historical narratives and reclaim the vital role of Black farmers in global agriculture.
Dinner For One
Dinner For One is a soothingly introspective look into the life of an American woman living in Paris in the aftermath of her divorce. In “Confit my Canard” the podcast’s host Sutanya turns on the mic as she cooks herself dinner for one. She talks about her quest to feel at home in the city she moved to for love, reckons with who she is outside of the relationship that began her love affair with the city, and begins to discover the healing power of good food.
First Person Storytelling
You Had Me At Black
“When was the last time that you felt complete freedom?” is the question at the heart of the You Had Me At Black episode “Radical Imagination.” Black millennials share stories of jumping into the pool with pressed hair, singing while falling in love, and so much more. This episode is filled with joyful stories about friendship, happiness, and freedom.
The Nocturnists
The Nocturnists is a storytelling podcast that gives listeners a look into the inner lives of healthcare workers and the intersection between their careers and personal lives. “Joy” is one of the early episodes in their Black Voices in Healthcare series, in which Black healthcare workers from across America share heartwarming stories about the joyful moments and encounters at work that made them come alive.
Culture
Alt.Latino
The Dominican Republic has a rich musical and literary history. In the Alt.Latino episode “3 Afro Dominicana Writers Reflect On Their Truths,” the authors Elizabeth Acevedo, Danyeli Rodriguez del Orbe, and Amanda Alcantara discuss writing from their own experiences, how their Dominican heritage shaped their storytelling, and their experiences of navigating the publishing industry as Afro-Latinx writers.
Back Issue
Back Issue is a joyful and quick-witted podcast that looks back at some of the most iconic moments in the last few decades of pop culture and explores the way they have shaped modern culture. In “Remember How Glorious Black TV was in the 90's?” hosts Tracy Clayton and Josh Guinn look back on the golden age of Black TV, talk about their favorite theme songs, and interview TC Carson about his experience playing Kyle on Living Single.
Books and Rhymes
What do Burna Boy, social housing, and philosophy have in common? They all inspired Caleb Femi’s debut poetry collection, Poor. In the episode “Psychogeography: Poor with Caleb Femi,” Books and Rhymes takes us onto a journey into the music and memories that inspired the poetry collection in an insightful conversation about the effect that architecture has on our wellbeing and self-perception.
Documentary
Into America
For years, Black children haven’t seen themselves properly represented in the toys they play with and books they read. In “Black Toys R Us,” Into America host Trymaine Lee explores the history of children’s toys and the challenges that pioneers like Yla Eason experienced in trying to bring more diverse toys to mainstream shelves.
The Comb
The Comb episode “Two Sisters” tells the story of Nana and Adjoa, two sisters who are raised apart in two different countries and, as a result, experience two very different childhoods. From their disparate experiences of feeling like they belong in the countries they grew up in, to the effect that growing up apart had on their relationship, the episode digs into the complicated nature of living in the diaspora and the reasons why one sister longs to return home to Ghana while the other dreams of life abroad.
Driving The Green Book
In the 10-part documentary series Driving The Green Book, Alvin Hall and Janée Woods Weber drive from Detroit to New Orleans using — and documenting stories about — the historic travel guide The Negro Motorist Green Book. In “Little Harlem, MS” they drive to Jackson, Mississippi, to hear stories from local residents and former musicians about the role the historic Black business district played in the community and the hope it inspired in those who visited it during the time of the Green Book.
Music
Jacked
Jacked is a 6-part documentary series that tells the story of a group of kids from Harlem who formed the group Guy and helped to launch New Jack Swing, a fusion of sounds that would go on to shape popular music and their friendships forever. Hosted by Taraji P Henson, the podcast traces the journey that led them to start creating music, delves into the rivalries that sprung up within the genre and narrates the key moments that would lead to the genre’s rise and fall.
Gospel Roots of Rock and Soul
Gospel Roots of Rock and Soul is a brilliant exploration into the roots of gospel music and how its cultural legacy went on to influence genres such as jazz, rock, and the blues. From early African American Spirituals to gospel’s entrance into the mainstream music industry, “Part 1” investigates the historical foundations of Black music in America and how it evolved into early twentieth century songs such as “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.”
The Bello Collective is a publication + newsletter about podcasts and the audio industry. Our goal is to bring together writers, journalists, and other voices who share a passion for the world of audio storytelling.
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