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Black to the Future

"You stand up for folks who traditionally are bullied or exploited". The students following in the footsteps of Morehouse College's most famous graduate Martin Luther King.

Matthew Bannister goes to Morehouse, an historically black, male college in Atlanta, which prides itself on producing the black leaders of tomorrow. He first travelled there eight years ago, on the eve of President Barack Obama's election and now he's back as the country's first African American leader leaves office and Donald Trump is sworn in. He hears the stories of Morehouse men past and present and finds out what they think about racial divisions in the US today.

We hear from former student turned lawyer, Chadrick Mance who stands up for those who have been "bullied or exploited". Dr Duane Jackson describes how he was persuaded to enrol as a student at Morehouse by the college's most famous graduate Dr Martin Luther King in the 1960's, and he's still there today as a professor.

Graduate Frederick Anderson relives the moment he was singled out by President Obama when he gave a commencement speech at the college. Also there that day was Anre Washington who remembers that, despite the thunder and rain, the graduating class were inspired by the president's words.

Morehouse president Dr John Silvanus Wilson explains why he chose to go to Morehouse after experiencing racism at his predominantly white high school in Philadelphia, his classmates in Atlanta included Jeh Johnson, the current secretary of homeland security and film director, Spike Lee.

Musician Tim Maxey also travelled south for his education, he tells Matthew why he was initially nervous about going to an all black male college. Back in 2008 Matthew spoke to Isaiah Scott, he was just beginning his college career, but now he's in the working world and reflects on what it's like going from a majority black institution to work meetings where he's sometimes the only African American in the room.

(Picture: Frederick Anderson. Credit: AP Photo/Atlanta Journal Constitution/Curtis Compton.)

Available now

50 minutes

Last on

Thu 19 Jan 2017 07:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Wed 18 Jan 2017 12:06GMT
  • Wed 18 Jan 2017 17:06GMT
  • Thu 19 Jan 2017 02:06GMT
  • Thu 19 Jan 2017 04:06GMT
  • Thu 19 Jan 2017 05:06GMT
  • Thu 19 Jan 2017 06:06GMT
  • Thu 19 Jan 2017 07:06GMT

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