Episode 1 - Intro to Black History

Hello everyone, and welcome to Black History is American History

I’m your host, Anthony Smith.

This podcast was created for one powerful reason: to preserve, explore, and celebrate the stories that have shaped Black history and, in turn, shaped the history of America itself.

But before we dive into the stories, we must ask an important question.

What is Black history?

Black history is more than a collection of names, dates, and events found in textbooks.
Black history is the story of resilience.
It is the story of a people who endured slavery, segregation, discrimination, and injustice… yet still found ways to build, to create, to lead, and to inspire.

Black history is the story of communities like Nicodemus, Kansas, where formerly enslaved families moved west in search of freedom and built towns with their own hands.

It is the story of educators who fought to teach when education was denied.
Entrepreneurs who built businesses when opportunity was limited.
Inventors who changed the world, even when recognition was often withheld.

From the traffic signal improved by Garrett Morgan,
to the refrigerated truck system developed by Frederick McKinley Jones,
to the countless medical, agricultural, and technological innovations created by Black minds—

Black Americans have helped build the very foundation of modern society.

And yet many of these stories are not widely told.

That is why this podcast exists.

Because Black history is not just about the past.
It is about understanding the journey that brought us to where we are today.

And perhaps even more importantly, it is about educating the next generation.

When young people know the stories of pioneers, inventors, leaders, and communities that came before them, it gives them something powerful:

identity, pride, and possibility.

They begin to see that history is not just something they read about.

It is something they are part of.

Here on Forever Black History, we will explore forgotten towns, historic movements, legendary figures, and untold stories that deserve to be remembered.

Because these stories remind us of something important.

Black history is not separate from American history.

Black history is American history.

And when we preserve these stories, we ensure that the legacy of those who came before us will continue to inspire those who come after us.

So thank you for joining me on this journey.

I’m Anthony Smith, and this is Black History is American History