Jack Johnson, the Galveston Giant, is known for two things: his brutal fists and fearless audacity. Before Muhammad Ali, Johnson shocked the world with his unrivaled boxing skills, shattering racial barriers and igniting racial tensions. On July 4th, 1910, in "The Fight of the Century," he defeated Jim Jeffries, the "Great White Hope," becoming the first Black World Heavyweight Boxing Champion and creating an uproar among racists. But Jack's legacy of rising from poverty and challenging racial constructs is soon overshadowed by his own personal demons.

Listen to Black History, For Real on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/black-history-for-real/ now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Witnessing someone achieve greatness in multiple areas of life is pretty rare. Paul Robeson’s a rare type of man. Almost like Beyonce, he’s a Renaissance man. There isn’t a color line he can’t cross and excellence is his middle name. By the 1930’s, Paul’s graduated college as valedictorian, played professional football, and become the first Black actor to play Othello (don’t worry this gets addressed in the episode). But even with all the achievements, Paul’s still looked at as a nobody because he’s Black; and his outspoken nature leads to national condemnation.

Listen to Black History, For Real on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/black-history-for-real/ now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Football season’s back, and it’s still missing one of the game’s best quarterbacks: Colin Kaepernick. Colin grows up loving athletes like basketball player Allen Iverson, but he dreams of making it to the NFL. When the dream finally comes true, he takes the NFL world by storm in 2012 as quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. Almost four years later, everything changes. Images of police brutalizing Black people are inescapable. Colin kneels during the National Anthem to protest the injustices. His protests draws attention to police brutality, and it also draws the ire of some NFL owners and fans. But, he refuses to back down. It took Colin years to make it to the league, and only one season to lose it all.

Listen to Black History, For Real on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/black-history-for-real/ now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You ever see someone laugh so hard it makes you crack a smile? Even though you’ve got no idea what they are laughing about? Contagious joy helps people survive. Especially Black people, because Black joy is a revolutionary act. In this bonus episode, Franchesca and Conscious discuss how reclaiming spaces for happiness and expression is vital when balancing stories about trauma and oppression. The hosts also give a history lesson on the roots of rock and roll. Spoiler alert - Black people are the roots.

Listen to Black History, For Real on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/black-history-for-real/ now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You never think a simple day by the water can turn deadly. Young Eugene Williams never thought his day at the beach would end in tragedy, either. But, his death at a segregated beach in Chicago sparks a fight to desegregate all American beaches. Activists like Dr. Gilbert Mason, take a courageous stand to transform public spaces across the nation. In order to enjoy peace and tranquility in the Sun, they rise up and clash with racist violent mobs and a legal system resistant to change. Their fight alters the face of the Civil Rights Movement and the country.

Listen to Black History, For Real on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/black-history-for-real/ now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Summertime, and the livin’s easy. Unless you’re Black, and trying to hit up the beach, in early 19th-century America. Beaches, like the rest of the nation, are segregated by race. And of course Black people only have access to the most dangerous sands and waters. That begins to change when Frederick Douglass’ bougie son, Charles, buys land on the shores of Maryland. On the West Coast, Willa Bruce starts her own beach revolution, but her white neighbor’s aren’t happy and violence follows. If things are going to change anytime soon, Charles and Willa must stand their ground.

Listen to Black History, For Real on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/black-history-for-real/ now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“I’ll sleep when I die.” That’s usually the sentiment of a laborer on the perpetual grind. Sure, hard work pays off, but when do we declare it’s time to rest? In this special episode, our hosts have a candid conversation about the drawbacks of hustle culture and how prioritizing high productivity puts pressure on workers. Franchesca Ramsey and Conscious Lee also speak to the inequalities Black creators face in the gig economy. So let your hair down; this is a safe space.

Listen to Black History, For Real on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/black-history-for-real/ now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Martin Luther King, Jr. is dead, and Samuel L. Jackson’s taken the entire Morehouse College Board of Trustees hostage. This includes the recently assassinated Civil Rights icon’s father – Martin Luther King, Sr. Soon, MLK, Sr’s. heart problems force them to make a stark choice: sacrifice his life for the Movement, or spare him out of a decency. Police violence has ended student protests across the nation, but Samuel and the other students refuse to back down. Their demands must be met, even if it means potentially sacrificing a Movement elder.

Listen to Black History, For Real on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/black-history-for-real/ now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.