July 31, 2013, Segment 2 – We begin a series of commentaries on the aftermath of the Zimmerman verdict with Mychal Denzel Smith, who recently wrote a piece for TheNation.com that asked “how long are we supposed to remain calm when the laws we are called on to respect are an open assault on our humanity?”
August 21, 2013 – Hour 1 – We shine a spotlight on Baltimore, Detroit, and Richmond, CA to explore a common theme in cities across the country — banks, big money, and the future of cities.
September 4, 2013 – Segment 2 – We launch our new series on three major urban centers facing post-industrial challenges, Baltimore-Detroit-Oakland, with Center for Emerging Media Scholar-in-Residence, Dr. Lester Spence. Baltimore-Detroit-Oakland features historians and activists from the three cities in dialogue with one another.
October 4, 2013 – Segment 2 – Last weekend, I moderated a conversation between political economist Dr. Gar Alperovitz; Dr. Lester Spence and Dr. John Duda at the the Baltimore Book Festival’s Radical Bookfair Pavilion about Alperovitz’s book What Then Must We Do?
October 7, 2013 – Segment 1 – We discuss the cultural and political roots of the stalemate in Washington that has led to the government shutdown.
December 17, 2013 – Segment 2 – In this episode of Baltimore-Detroit-Oakland, we discuss what these cities’ economies say about the future of the American city, looking at the state of pensions in each of these cities and discussing the implication of Detroit’s bankruptcy on Baltimore and Oakland.
April 2, 2014 – Segment 4 – We remember DJ, producer, and remixer Frankie Knuckles, considered the Godfather of House Music, who died unexpectedly on Monday.
April 28, 2014 – Segment 4 – We discuss Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling’s racist statements about African Americans, released last Friday.
May 21, 2014 – Segment 3 – We look at the startling announcement today that NPR will cancel “Tell Me More with Michel Martin,” one of their few shows featuring an African American host.
August 11, 2014 – Segment 3 – We turn to the topic of the possibility of water privatization in Baltimore. We speak with Lauren DeRusha, National Campaign Organizer of Corporate Accountability International, and Dr. Lester Spence, Center for Emerging Media Scholar-in-Residence and Associate Professor of Political Science and Africana Studies at Johns Hopkins University.
September 16, 2014 – Segment 2 – In light of the recent news that Minnesota Vikings player Adrian Peterson has been accused of child abuse for injuries he allegedly inflicted while disciplining his son, we take a look at the issue of child abuse, and when does “disciplining” go too far?
October 10, 2014 – Segment 2 – We turn to a conversation about Black nationalism and its role in the political and cultural landscape today. Our guests include: Dr. Lester Spence, Center for Emerging Media Scholar-In-Residence and Associate Professor of Political Science and Africana Studies at Johns Hopkins University; author and songwriter John Wesley; and Dr. Jeff Menzise, licensed school psychologist in Washington, DC, and author of Dumbin’ Down: Reflections on the Mis-Education of the Negro.
October 14, 2014 – Segment 1 – We have a conversation with former Black Panther Marshall “Eddie” Conway, who was released from prison earlier this year after being incarcerated for 44 years. We talk about his time in prison, his work with young men inside and outside prison, and Friend of a Friend, a mentoring project he started with American Friends Service Committee.
January 5, 2015 – Segment 4 – We will host our first Philosophers’ Roundtable of 2015 with Dr. Lester Spence, Dr. Desiree Melton, and Dr. Joe Pettit. We discuss the political, cultural and social transformations that 2015 might bring, and the type of world those changes would create.
January 14, 2015 – Segment 4 – In the latest installment of our feature “If You Mayor of Baltimore”, we’re talking New Year’s resolutions. Our panel of influential Baltimoreans discuss their hopes and aspirations for our city in 2015.
April 8, 2015 – Segment 2 – We discuss Science Fiction and Social Justice with adrienne maree brown and Dr. Lester Spence.
April 14, 2015 – Segment 3 – Our panel discusses Science Fiction and Social Justice. With: adrienne maree brown and Dr. Lester Spence. We discuss the book adrienne maree brown just edited, ‘Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction Stories From Social Justice Activists.’
June 25, 2015 – Segment 2 – Today the Baltimore Sun released results of the autopsy report of Freddie Gray, which indicate that he suffered from a “high-energy injury” to his neck and spine. We talk about the medical examiner’s report and what this new information means for the case.
June 25, 2015 – Segment 3 – Joe Tropea, Digital Projects Coordinator for the Maryland Historical Society (MDHS), joins Dr. Lester Spence to discuss MDHS’s new project to collect footage and images of the Baltimore Uprising.
July 13, 2015 – Segment 3 – Two years ago, on July 13, 2013, George Zimmerman was found not guilty in the death of Trayvon Martin. We ask the question, Two Years After the George Zimmerman Verdict: What’s Changed?
July 23, 2015 – Segment 2 – Our guest host is Dr. Lester Spence, Center for Emerging Media Scholar-In-Residence. In follow-up to Marc’s discussion yesterday with Ta-Nehisi Coates on his new book Between the World and Me, we continue the discussion on this important and compelling book.
December 8, 2015 – Segment 2 – Today we examine the conditions of our society that placed Freddie Gray in his social and economic position when he died in police custody last April.
January 28, 2016 – Hour 1 – We begin the show with an examination of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ recent critiques of Bernie Sanders’ stance on reparations. With: A. Adar Ayira, Dr. Lester Spence, and Bill Fletcher.
March 2, 2016 – Segment 3 – On Sunday, February 21 2016, MSNBC announced that it would be canceling the Melissa Harris-Perry Show, after two weeks of the show’s being pre-empted for other news and following an email from Harris-Perry to her staff, which went public, in which she indicated that she felt “worthless” to NBC News executives.
March 8, 2016 – Segment 3 – Marc discusses race and class politics in the national election, with: Dr. Lester Spence and Edward Wyckoff Williams.
March 9, 2016 – Segment 2 – We host a recap and analysis of the results of today’s primaries and caucuses in Michigan, Mississippi, Idaho and Hawaii, with George Zornick and Dr. Lester Spence.
March 25, 2016 – Segment 4 – We host a rebroadcast of our show from January when our panel of guests examined Ta-Nehisi Coates’ critique of Bernie Sanders’ statements about reparations. With: A. Adar Ayira, Dr. Lester Spence, and Bill Fletcher, Jr.
April 12, 2016 – Segment 2 – We hear a rebroadcast of a fascinating conversation in which our guests examined Ta-Nehisi Coates’ critiques earlier this year of Bernie Sanders’ stance on reparations.
April 15, 2016 – Segment 1 – Dr. Lester Spence joins me in-studio to talk about his new book, Knocking the Hustle: Against the Neoliberal Turn in Black Politics. Spence is Center for Emerging Media Scholar-In-Residence, Associate Professor of Political Science and Africana Studies at Johns Hopkins University, and author of Knocking the Hustle and Stare in the Darkness: The Limits of Hip-hop and Black Politics.
April 15, 2016 – Segment 2 – Dr. Lester Spence and I talk about race, comics and the new Black Panther comic by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Brian Stelfreeze and Laura Martin.
April 26, 2016 – Segment 1 – We host a special hour-long tribute to Prince, who died last week at the age of 57. With: Carla Wills, Kalima Young, Dr. Lester Spence, and Steve Parke.
May 19, 2016 – Segment 2 – We turn to a conversation about Black nationalism and its role in the political and cultural landscape today. Our guests include: Dr. Lester Spence, John Wesley, and Dr. Jeff Menzise.
May 31, 2016 – Segment 3 – Will you watch the premiere of the new Roots series tonight? We discuss the remake of the groundbreaking series with: Dr. Lester Spence, David Zurawik, and Carla Wills.
June 10, 2016 – Segment 3 – We host a panel of guests who reflect upon the remake of the classic miniseries Roots, now that the entire series has aired. With: Dr. Kimberly Moffitt, Dr. Lester Spence, and LaKeyma Pennyamon.
July 11, 2016 – Segment 1 – We have a discussion on the tragedies last week — the killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile and the shooting in Dallas — and what they say about the state of our society.
August 17. 2016 – Segment 1 – We speak about the DOJ Report on Baltimore Policing, focusing on considerations of both race and class, jumping off from an article that guest host Dr. Lester Spence wrote for Jacobin, “Policing Class: In Baltimore and elsewhere, repressive policing isn’t just about racism – it’s also about class.”
August 17. 2016 – Segment 2 – We turn to Flint, Michigan, where the State of Emergency regarding lead in the water has been lifted.
August 17, 2016 – Segment 3 – We listen in to the newest episode of our monthly Arts & Culture series, Booth Stories. We will talk with the Baltimore Slam Team who recently became the 2016 National Slam champions
September 5, 2016 – Segment 1 – For Labor Day, we listen back to repeat broadcasts of two discussions on the remake of the classic television mini-series “Roots.”
November 10, 2016 – Segment 1 – We begin the show with a National Roundtable on the Election. What happens next, how do we move forward with this administration?
January 3, 2017 – Segment 1 – We begin the show with a National News Year in Review. 2016 was a very eventful year for national politics.
January 18, 2017 – Segment 1 – We host a National News Roundtable, focusing on the state of our nation and moving forward. With: Arun Gupta, and Dr. Lester Spence.
May 23, 2017 – Segment 1 – We hosted a very special Marc Steiner Show archive edition: A panel discussion we recorded at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in May 2011 about Manning Marable, the scholar who died just days before his groundbreaking – but controversial – biography, Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention, was published.
June 1, 2017 – Segment 1 – We hosted a panel discussion on Parenting Black Children. With: Dr. Kimberly Moffitt, Dr. Lester Spence, and Dr. Karsonya “Kaye” Wise Whitehead.
July 20, 2017 – Segment 1 – We hosted a National News Roundtable, where our guests reflected on the latest headlines. With: Dr. Lester Spence, Dr. Ray Winbush, and Dr. Roni Ellington.
