Black to the Future

Available for over a year

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.)