Black Studies Under Threat

Black Studies Departments on college campuses nationwide are facing mounting pressures. Shawn Utsey says they need to engage even more closely with the Black communities they often serve. Plus: Historically Black Colleges and Universities are owed billions from states that have underfunded them over the years. Virginia State University President Makola Abdullah highlights both the incredible strengths and chronic challenges impacting these universities.

Later in the show: Roi Boyd III is the author of Bless His Soul, The Agony, the Ecstasy, and the Destiny of Michael Jackson. He reflects on the years Jackson struggled to step away from the shadow of the Jackson Five to forge his own path to stardom.