America in Black

Marc Lamont Hill reports on the increasing number of school boards and legislators moving to limit the teaching of Critical Race Theory in public schools. Hill beings the episode by discussing the AP African American Studies course first launched by College Board in 2022. The course is designed to explore the African Diaspora in-depth. Hill analyzes the new AP course at Ridge View High School in Columbia, South Carolina, led by Daniel Soderstrom, who stated that the AP class is not a history class, but is instead interdisciplinary as "examples of Black excellence are found in everywhere in our society." Hill focuses on Soderstrom's class as they learn of the Harlem Renaissance, where one student explains the importance of the class to her. Hill expands on the public debates surrounding the teaching of Critical Race Theory. Hill interviews Nikole Hannah-Jones, founder of the 1619 Project, and Krystle Matthews, the Democratic nominee for United States Senate from South Carolina who was defeated by Republican Tim Scott, who stated that parent involvement in local school boards is necessary to a functioning education system. Hill meets Ibram X. Kendi, who argues in favor or the teaching of systemic racism and critical race theory in schools, and The Heritage Foundation's Mike Gonzalez, a conservative, argues against.

Gayle King interviews Michael B. Jordan about his youth as a basketball player, his advocacy for HBCUs, and his creation of the new film Creed. Danya Bacchus analyzes African-American hair as she interviews clients in a California hair salon. Ayana Byrd, author of Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America, cites American society's historic acceptance of black hair texture and styles. Bacchus discusses the CROWN Act, a law in several US states prohibiting employment and educational discrimination based on hair texture or styles, also citing a study that says black women's hair is 2.5 times more likely to be perceived as unprofessional. Bacchus interviews Cory Booker and Tabitha Brown about the passage of the CROWN act at the federal level.

Jericka Duncan evaluates the decline in marriage rates in the United States in recent decades, with the single-rate of black Americans almost double than that of white Americans. Duncan interviews groups of single Black Americans to discuss the challenges they face when finding a partner.