Today my guest is the youngest recipient of the National Book Award for non fiction (2016). He is historian Dr. Ibram Kendi and his outstanding book is a detailed account of the stories that brought racism to America and the legacy, laws, and misunderstandings that perpetuates it through the centuries. It's called "Stamped from the Beginning" The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America" and it has already received wide critical acclaim and New York Times Best-Selling status. It is sure to be a standard textbook in many History Classes and curriculum and should be required reading as we continue to encounter issues and challenges of discrimination that started long before this country's founding.

In our discussion, Dr Kendi and I talk about some basics: "What is a racist idea?"; "Are there 3 races, and if not, where did the idea of races come from?"; "How did Christians help racism thrive in America?".

We will also cover the 3 positions people have had (and do have) when encountering race issues and how they've helped or hurt. We will talk about the racist ideas we all seem to have without realizing it (even Dr Kendi had them). We will discuss the three oldest and most popular strategies Americans have used to root out racists ideas and why they have failed.

In addition, Dr Kendi speaks to statistics related to education and lack of opportunity, violent crime, drugs, arrests and incarceration and issues that effect Black populations disproportionately; how to see those statistics more intelligently; and what to do about some of those problems.

This is a must-hear episode for any American and Dr Kendi's book is a must-read for every American, no matter your heritage and no matter where you fall on the ladder in society (rich or poor - powerful or ordinary). Please pass along this episode! It is an evergreen episode that will be important to hear, no matter what date you stumble on it. Thank you for listening.