Trey's Table Podcast By James Smith cover art

Trey's Table

Trey's Table

By: James Smith
Listen for free

About this listen

 A podcast about African American politics, history, and culture.Copyright James Smith Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Trey’s Table Episode 313 Young, Gifted, and Black

    Trey’s Table Episode 313 Young, Gifted, and Black
    Jun 4 2025
    In 1937, an 8-year-old Lorraine Hansberry narrowly dodged a brick thrown through her family’s Chicago home by a white mob. Their crime? Moving into a “whites-only” neighborhood. This trauma—and her father Carl Hansberry’s landmark Supreme Court case (Hansberry v. Lee)—would fuel her masterpiece, A Raisin in the Sun the first Broadway play by a Black woman .

    The Hansberrys’ battle mirrored the Younger family’s in Raisin both defied racist housing covenants that confined Black families to overcrowded, overpriced slums. Though Carl won his case on a technicality (the covenant lacked enough signatures), the ruling didn’t end segregation—just as the Youngers’ victory over Clybourne Park’s buyout offer couldn’t erase systemic racism .

    Hansberry’s genius was turning her family’s story into art that exposed Northern liberalism’s hypocrisy. As she wrote, Raisin wasn’t just about “buying a house” but “the ghetto’s violence, deferred dreams, and the cost of dignity” .

    Tune in to explore how housing discrimination shaped Hansberry’s radical vision—and why her fight still resonates today. #ARaisinInTheSun #HousingJustice #BlackHistory"
    Show more Show less
    37 mins
  • Trey’s Table Episode 312: Interconnected

    Trey’s Table Episode 312: Interconnected
    May 31 2025
    Let’s explore the connections between Black Americans and Filipino Americans.

    https://youtu.be/PcPS-21ZVMw?s...
    Show more Show less
    38 mins
  • Trey’s Table Episode 311: The Shirley Card

    Trey’s Table Episode 311: The Shirley Card
    May 28 2025
    Trey’s Table Episode 311: The Shirley Card


    # How the Shirley Card Introduced Racial Bias Into Photography | Trey’s Table Ep. 311

    I’m Trey Smith, host of Trey’s Table, where we explore African-American history, politics, and culture. In Episode 311, we examine the Shirley Card—a tool that embedded racial bias into photography for decades.

    ## The Problem With the Shirley Card
    Used by photo labs to calibrate skin tones, the Shirley Card (named after a white model) set lighter skin as the default standard.

    As a result, darker complexions were often poorly rendered—too dark, washed out, or lacking detail. This wasn’t just technical oversight; it reflected systemic exclusion.

    ## Why It Still Matters
    The Shirley Card’s legacy persists today, from **facial recognition struggles** with darker skin to **uneven social media filters**. Understanding this history reveals how bias shapes even everyday technology.

    ## Listen to the Episode
    We discuss:
    ✅ The origins and impact of the Shirley Card
    ✅ How Black professionals challenged these standards
    ✅ The fight for equity in modern imaging tech

    🎧 **Stream now** on [Apple Podcasts](link), [Spotify](link), or your preferred platform.

    Have thoughts? Connect with me via email at Treyjws@icloud.com
    Show more Show less
    38 mins
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_T1_webcro805_stickypopup
All stars
Most relevant  
My new favorite podcast. He does such an amazing job of researching each topic and I love the book recommendations.

An amazing an innovative take on African American Culture

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.