Mon Feb. 13 at 9:30PM on WKAR-HD 23.1 & STREAMING | WKAR celebrates Black History Month with stories from our local community.
Enjoy a half-hour special showcasing voices from the community featuring Witness 43 to MLK Assassination, Black Infant Mortality: The Societal Impact, and the spoken word of hip-hop artist Mama Sol.
Hard to Swallow
Hip-hop artist and Flint Michigan native Mama Sol performs her spoken-word piece Hard to Swallow. Through her rhymes and poetry, she brings awareness to the 2014 Flint Water Crisis. Today, her message still resonates, since many residents are still experiencing the financial, mental, and physical health repercussions from the fallout.
Twice as Likely: Black Infant Mortality Rates in the U.S
In the United States, Black infants are twice as likely as White infants to die before their first birthday: For every 1,000 births in the U.S., the White infant mortality rate is 4.6 while the Black infant mortality rate is 10.8. Why? Studies show that longstanding, systemic inequities result in racial disparity in every facet of maternal and infant health. Dr. Renee Canady, CEO of Michigan Public Health Institution, shares her intimate experience of the painful loss of her newborn son.
Witness 43
Fifty-four years following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Lansing resident Mary Ellen Norwood-Ford recounts that fateful day in history. Norwood-Ford worked at the hotel where Dr. King was murdered and was identified as Witness 43 in court documents related to the investigation. In a sit-down interview, she openly speaks with her niece, recalling her interaction with MLK, life under segregation, and her hopes for the future.