© 2026 Michigan State University Board of Trustees
Public Media from Michigan State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

The Big Payback

Season 24 Episode 5 | 1hr 25m 13s

An Evanston, Illinois rookie alderwoman led the passage of the first tax-funded reparations bill for Black Americans. While she and her community struggle with the burden to make restitution for its citizens, a national racial crisis engulfs the country. Will the debt ever be addressed, or is it too late for a reparations movement to finally get the big payback?

Aired: 01/15/23 | Expires: 12/31/25
Extras
Unseen immigrant workers keep the Kentucky Derby running.
Follow filmmaker Julie Forrest Wyman as she searches for her place in the little people community.
One woman exposes abuse within Amish communities and helps survivors find the strength to speak out.
Barbara Jordan’s voice shook the nation. Discover her story in The Inquisitor.
Librarians across the U.S. examine how the review of library materials is impacting communities.
An editor’s journey through vision loss and the power of reinvention.
Welcome to the Independent Lens video podcast. We explore "Life After" and medical aid in dying.
A filmmaker investigates assisted dying through the lens of disabled voices missing from the debate.
Follow the fight to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment with a pivotal legal battle in Virginia.
Phil Sharp’s RNA breakthrough sparked a revolution in science, health, and biotech.