Notes from America with Kai Wright

Episodes

Not Just Forgotten, but Erased From History: A Final Note from Notes from America

Our final episode is dedicated to the people who are too often left out when we celebrate the past.

Notes from America with Kai Wright |

The Real Heartbeat of D.C. Isn’t Politics. It’s Go-Go Music.

Washington, D.C.’s newest museum is an homage to go-go, a music genre born and bred in the District, exploring how the music became a rich culture reflecting the city's heritage.

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Dear Listener: A Celebration of Our Best Moments with You

From holiday sing-alongs to your personal stories, the best part of this show is hearing from our listeners. Before we wrap up, we revisit some special moments — led by you.

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A Year After Being Shot in Vermont, Palestinian Student Hisham Awartani Sets His Sights on Home

Shot and severely injured while visiting family in Vermont in 2023, college student Hisham Awartani grapples with his recovery in the U.S., and an unfolding war at home in Palestine.

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We Could End AIDS. So Why Are People Still Dying?

Decades later, AIDS is still with us and its status as an epidemic remains accurate. In this episode, we learn why that is from two women and a young man born with HIV.

Notes from America with Kai Wright |

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Notes on a Native Son

Presenting: ‘Notes on a Native Son,’ A Celebration of James Baldwin at 100

“Notes on a Native Son” is a new audio series on James Baldwin and his words, as read by those who love and appreciate their power and continuing relevance.

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Ta-Nehisi Coates on James Baldwin's Words

Writer Ta-Nehisi Coates is considered, by some, as James Baldwin’s natural heir, filling the intellectual void after Baldwin’s death in 1987.

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Civil Rights Lawyer Bryan Stevenson on James Baldwin’s Courage

Bryan Stevenson finds courage and compassion in James Baldwin’s writing, which helps him face some of the hardest realities of being Black in America’s brutal criminal justice system.

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Writer Siri Hustvedt on James Baldwin’s Complexity

Siri Hustvedt is a celebrated writer of fiction and nonfiction who is inspired by the connections between the humanities and science.

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Writer Darryl Pinckney on James Baldwin’s Love

Darryl Pinckney is an award-winning writer of fiction and non-fiction inspired by James Baldwin since his teenage years.

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Novelist Elif Shafak on James Baldwin’s Compassion

Shafak and Baldwin share a deep connection to Turkey and a commitment to belonging and empathy in storytelling.

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Author and Playwright Caryl Phillips on James Baldwin’s Friendship

Caryl Phillips was first a student studying James Baldwin, then the two became friends.

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Biographer David Leeming on James Baldwin’s Teaching

David Leeming was asked by James Baldwin to be his biographer after a friendship of more than 25 years, which began in Turkey in the early 1960s.

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Author Colm Toibin on James Baldwin’s Interiority

Early on in life, award-winning Irish writer Colm Toibin saw connections between his religious upbringing in Ireland and James Baldwin’s in Harlem.

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Nikki Giovanni on James Baldwin's Anger

In 1971, Giovanni was a young poet and writer with a job in television. When she was asked who she’d like to record a conversation with, she suggested James Baldwin.

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Writer Hisham Matar on James Baldwin’s Patience

Hisham Matar is an award-winning writer of fiction and non-fiction. Born in New York to Libyan parents, he trained to be an architect before trading buildings for books.

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Writer Ekow Eshun on James Baldwin’s History

British writer Ekow Eshun is also a broadcaster and curator whose work, like James Baldwin's, tackles identity, race and Black masculinity.

Notes from America with Kai Wright |

Specials

For more Notes from America, check out our special projects.