During the 1960s, young people from all over the country flooded into a small village tucked behind the Oakland hills amidst a grove of towering redwoods. Some of them just came to party, but many sought to build an alternative to what they saw as the violence and reckless consumerism of mainstream society. In the … Continued
Today’s episode features interviews with two of my favorite local journalists – Rick Paulas and Sam LeFebvre. In the first segment, I chat with Rick Paulas, who has written about East Bay-related topics for outlets such as the New York Times, Vice, and many others. He’s been based in Oakland for the past few years, … Continued
Today’s episode is all about waterfront history. The first segment covers the only Black whaling Captain in California history: William Shorey. The media called him “Black Ahab” and his adventures made him an Oakland hero. He was one of the most powerful men of color in California—but there’s a complicated side to his story that’s … Continued
Today’s episode features two segments about the history of West Oakland. The first segment explores how Oakland’s Black population nearly quintupled during the 1940s when tens of thousands of African Americans fled the Jim Crow-era South to work in East Bay shipyards like Moore Dry Dock Company. The backlash to this boom laid the foundation … Continued
The first part of this episode features a one-on-one interview with Cheryl Fabio, the director of “Evolutionary Blues: West Oakland’s Music Legacy.” Cheryl discusses local blues history, the legendary 7th street music scene, and her event series “Resistance, Resilience & Anticipation: A fresh look at the Black Arts Movement in Oakland.” For more about those … Continued
North Oakland’s Golden Gate neighborhood has undergone a rapid demographic shift over the past decade as many longtime Black residents have moved out and wealthier, younger white people have moved in. The first segment of this episode features five stories that explore how folks are navigating these changes. The second segment of this episode features … Continued
The first segment of this episode explores the history of Emeryville’s legendary mudflat sculptures: For decades, millions of drivers passing through Emeryville saw an ever-changing array of giant statues along the bayshore. In addition to the towering wooden vikings, dragons and other whimsical creatures, activists used driftwood and trash to build monumental projects responding to … Continued
