Headlights: Voices from The Progressive South

 SYNOPSIS: The U.S. Supreme Court's decision last week in the Callais case is likely to lead to a major loss of Black representation across the South. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry immediately suspended the state's pending congressional primaries to redraw its maps. Other Republican officials in states including Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia are calling for reducing or eliminating their Black-majority districts. This week we look at the ruling and its implications. Our interview is with South Carolina writer Rick Pidcock, who grew up in the conservative evangelical movement and has become an astute observer and critic of it. As a columnist for Baptist News, he has been raising alarms about the ongoing growth of Christian nationalism. Plus: A look at this weekend's inaugural Latido Festival in San Antonio, a celebration of Tex-Mex music and culture. SHOW NOTES: "Exiles in Christendom" Rick Pidcock  "The Supreme Court has all but killed the law that helped kill Jim Crow" Stacey Abrams, MS NOW  "Statement on SCOTUS Decision in Louisiana v. Callais" U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures  "Virginia voters back redistricting amendment after months of legal and political battles" Virginia Mercury  "'Rigging a system:' Legal challenges expected, advocacy groups respond to redistricting approval" Florida Phoenix  "Louisiana governor postpones U.S. House primary elections after Supreme Court ruling" Louisiana Illuminator  "TN GOP discussing eliminating the state's only Democratic-held U.S. House seat" Tennessee Lookout  "Mississippi Official Calls to Eliminate State's Only Majority Black House District After Voting Rights Ruling" Mississippi Free Press  The Latido Festival San Antonio  "The Evolution of Música Norteña: A Cultural Journey" Texas State Historical Association  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: Another year, another cluster of hateful anti-transgender bills proposed in our state legislatures. This week, we round up some of the worst laws passed this spring in Southern states to further bully and harass trans people. In states like Tennessee and Georgia, this year's bills are no longer only aiming at issues like sports and bathroom access, but are aiming directly at the presence — or even the mention — of trans people altogether. In happier news, we also check in on this weekend's Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival in Louisiana. SHOW NOTES: Trans Legislation Tracker translegislation.com  "Tennessee Republicans advance flurry of bills to make life unlivable for transgender people" The Advocate  "Mississippi lawmakers pass bill changing driver's license gender identification requirements" WAPT  Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival  "Crawfish, Cajuns, and Native Americans: The History of Crawfish Season in South Louisiana" KPEL  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: Nonviolent resistance was the core strategy of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and '60s, and its chief architect alongside Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was another pastor, Rev. James Lawson Jr. Like King, he studied the success of Gandhi's anti-colonial resistance in India, and he answered King's call to teach its precepts to thousands of young African-Americans in the South. Lawson died in 2024, but a new memoir — Nonviolent — gives vivid dimension to his life and his ideals. This week, we talk to the book's co-author, writer and journalist Emily Yellin, who knew Lawson for most of her life and worked closely with him on the text. She says Lawson never stopped fighting for justice, over the years taking on causes including the rights of women, LGBTQ people, and Palestinians, among others. Also: We look Elon Musk's expanding corporate footprint across the South — a Tesla factory is draining Austin's drought-depleted aquifer, xAI data centers in Mississippi and Memphis are threatening the local air and water, and his Boring Company is punching a hole in Nashville's limestone despite the opposition of local residents. Plus, a preview of this weekend's MerleFest celebration of roots music in Wilkesboro, N.C. SHOW NOTES: Nonviolent: A Memoir of Resistance, Agitation, and Love Rev. James Lawson Jr. and Emily Yellin  1,300 Men: Memphis Strike '68  "Tesla's Gigafactory water use surges in Austin as new chip plant looms" Texas Tribune  "New Aquifer leader talks future of district and Stage 4 drought" KXAN, Austin  "Water plan killed at Elon Musk's massive Memphis data center, billions of gallons now needed" The Cool Down  "'A different set of rules': Thermal drone footage shows Musk's AI power plant flouting clean air regulations" Floodlight  "NAACP Sues xAI for Illegal Pollution from Data Center Power Plant" Earthjustice  Music City Loop The Boring Company  "How TN Republican lawmakers insulated Musk's Boring Company tunnel in Nashville from local officials" Tennessee Lookout  MerleFest  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected]

SYNOPSIS: The Democratic Party has an identity problem with voters nationwide, and especially in the South. But a rising wave of young party activists is seeking to bring new energy and ideas into some of the most conservative areas of the country — like Knox County, Tennessee, which has been sending Republicans to Congress since the Civil War. This week, Jesse talks to Solomon Trapp and Julia Kaye, two organizers of a new Young Democrats chapter in the county. They say there is a hunger among younger Southerners for alternatives to prevailing political powers, which aren't addressing their needs. Also: Curriculum fights across the South. Texas reshapes its social studies standards to emphasize the state's accomplishments and downplay less admirable parts of its history. Florida's war on sociology. And in Virginia, some tensions about how to teach the events of January 6th. Plus: A look at the Arkansas Folk Festival, marking its 64th year this weekend. SHOW NOTES:  "Texas students urge education board to focus on inclusion over politics in social studies overhaul" The Texas Tribune  "Texas is changing its social studies curriculum. Critics say it's too state-centric" KUT News  "Hey State Board of Education, what's the rush?" Texas Freedom Network  "Sociology no longer a general education course at Florida universities" Florida Phoenix  "Bill to require factual teaching about U.S. Capitol attack clears Va. General Assembly" Virginia Mercury  "HB 333" Virginia General Assembly "Letter Urges Gov. Spanberger to Veto VA Bill Limiting Teaching About January 6" PEN America 64th Annual Arkansas Folk Festival  "A Brief History of the Arkansas Folk Festival" Lyon College CONTACT:  Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

Hey there. This is Jesse, I just wanted to check in and let you know there's not a new episode of Headlights this week, because I'm recovering from what I think is technically called some seasonal crud. But a lot has happened this past week, so I have a good selection of links and stories in the show notes to call to your attention, including: — A library director in Rutherford County, Tennessee, was fired by her library board for refusing to move more than 100 books from the children's section of the library to the adult section. Many of the books had LGBTQ themes. — President Trump unveiled renderings for his planned "presidential library" in Miami, which looks like it would become the tallest building on the city's skyline. Of course, library is probably the wrong name for this pricey vanity project. In a press briefing in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters, "I don't believe in building libraries or museums. Could be [an] office, but it's most likely going to be a hotel with a beautiful building underneath and a 747 Air Force One in the lobby." And a MAGA merch store, no doubt. — And some follow-up on our discussion the other month of high electricity rates in Alabama. The state Legislature did pass some changes in how the state regulates its Public Service Commission, expanding the number of members on the board and giving the governor more power in appointing them. It freezes rates at current levels until 2029. However, what it did NOT do is mandate public hearings on rate increases. It creates the possibility of them, but only if the commission WANTS to hold them. So, not much of a step forward for transparency or public input.  You can find links to those in the show notes, and — lord willin' and the creek don't rise — we'll be back with a full episode next week. Take care! SHOW NOTES: "Tennessee librarian is fired for refusing to move over 100 LGBTQ books from children's to adult section" NBC News  "What to know about Trump's future presidential library, which he says may be a hotel" NPR  "Gov. Kay Ivey signs bill giving governor more control over PSC" Alabama Reflector  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: El Paso is a city at multiple borders — not only between countries, but cultures, languages, and histories. This week we talk to journalist Jazmine Ulloa, an El Paso native whose new book about her hometown dives into more a century of its history. Following the stories of five families, she traces the ways El Paso and the United States have been shaped by successive waves of migration and the never-ending fight over who belongs and who doesn't. Also: Dems flip two more seats, this time in Florida; Louisiana forces the 10 Commandments into every classroom in the state; and two anti-LGBTQ bills die (for now, anyway) in the Tennessee Legislature. Plus, a look at Little Rock's unusual purse museum and what it says about women's history. NOTE: Due to an editing snafu, a few sentences were cut from the start of the discussion of laws mandating the posting of the 10 Commandments in public schools. Please see the Show Notes for the missing text. SHOW NOTES:  Here's the missing text from the 10 Commandments discussion: Posting the 10 Commandments in public spaces has been a popular rallying point for Christian conservatives for decades. Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore was famously ousted from office in 2003 for refusing to remove a large sculpture of the Old Testament edicts that he had had installed in the rotunda of the court building. Federal judges ruled that Moore's sculpture violated the constitutional separation of church and state. But successive waves of conservative appointments to the federal bench and especially the U.S. Supreme Court have shifted the landscape for religious expression by public entities, with rulings in several cases broadening the legal scope of what's allowed.  "El Paso: Five Families and One Hundred Years of Blood, Migration, Race, and Memory" Jazmine Ulloa  "Florida Democrats flip two seats in special legislative elections" Florida Phoenix  "New Democrat representing Trump's district says he's just 'one of 180K constituents' she will serve" Florida Phoenix  "Full List of Seats Democrats Have Flipped Since Trump Returned to Power" Newsweek "What to Know About the Push to Display the Ten Commandments in Classes" The New York Times  "Court permanently blocks Arkansas Ten Commandments law" Americans United for Separation of Church and State  ESSE Purse Museum CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected]  (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: Everyone knows the air around Louisiana's Cancer Alley is bad. But how bad? And what's actually in it? That's what two scientists at Johns Hopkins University set out to understand. Their work so far has shown the air in the communities around massive petrochemical plants has as much as 10 times higher levels of toxins than was previously known. This week, we talk to Peter DeCarlo and Keeve Nachman about their findings and the technology they used to do the research. In the news: Florida sheriffs call for a different approach on immigration enforcement; several Southern legislators fan anti-Muslim bigotry; and a data dashboard illustrates the economic impacts of gun violence in Tennessee. Plus: the Big Ears Festival returns to Knoxville. SHOW NOTES: "Scientists Uncover the Truth in Cancer Alley" The YEARS Project  "Florida Sheriffs rebel against Trump's, DeSantis' mass deportation efforts" Florida Phoenix  "Sheriff Judd answers questions about Immigration Enforcement Council" Polk County Sheriff  "Islam in the United States" Wikipedia  "Tuberville shares social media post suggesting Muslims are 'the enemy'" Politico  "'Unabashed bigotry': GOP's Tuberville sparks backlash with anti-Muslim messages" MS NOW  "'It Doesn't Need to Be Here': The Right Vilifies a Muslim School in Alabama" The New York Times  "Doug Jones calls Tommy Tuberville's anti-Muslim rhetoric 'vile'" Alabama Reflector  "Nashville leaders demand Rep. Ogles resign after he calls for deportation of all Muslims" Nashville NewsChannel 5  "House GOP leadership silent as more members post anti-Muslim statements" NPR  Tennessee Firearm Fatality Dashboard The University of Tennessee Voices for a Safer Tennessee  Big Ears Festival  The Pilot Light  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: As minority whip for the Georgia state Senate Democrats, Senator Kim Jackson helped lead the fight in this session for a package of bills aimed at reining in aggressive immigration enforcement in the state. Republicans have blocked them, but this week Jesse talks to Jackson about the proposals and the public outcry that led to them. She also talked about her perspective and role as an Episcopal priest, a farmer, and a queer person of color in the Legislature. Also: Overt racism and ethno-nationalism are surging on the right. We take a look at leaked chat messages from young conservatives in Miami, the popularity among young Florida voters of far-right gubernatorial candidate James Fishback, and the efforts by the Texas-based Center for Baptist Leadership to push the Southern Baptist Convention into full embrace of white Christian nationalism. Plus: A preview of upcoming shows in Texas by Ballet Leplanta, which fuses classical ballet with Mexican folkloríco. SHOW NOTES: State Sen. Kim Jackson "'Nazi heaven': Inside Miami campus Republicans' racist group chat" Miami Herald  "'I love Hitler': Leaked messages expose Young Republicans' racist chat" Politico  "Remember the hateful Young Republicans group chat? It's the tip of the iceberg." Eli Thompson, USA Today  "I Went to Florida to See the 31-Year-Old Candidate Thrilling Gen Z. We're in Trouble." Michelle Goldberg, The New York Times "SBC influencer William Wolfe wants an America of white people" Rick Pidcock, Baptist News Edinburg Dance Theatre  Ballet Nepantla Tour CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: A raft of primaries and one special election in the South last week brought some fresh faces into the spotlight and offered tantalizing clues about this fall's midterms. This week we take a look at the high-profile Democratic and Republican contests for U.S. Senate in Texas, as well as a slate of anti-establishment votes in both parties in North Carolina. Plus, an Arkansas state House district flips blue. In part 2 of our look at ICE incarceration in the South, we drop in on a packed meeting in heavily Republican Wilson County, Tennessee — where nobody, Democrats or Republicans, wanted a massive new detention center. It's part of a bipartisan wave of resistance to the facilities across the country, which is complicating the federal government's plans for massive warehousing of immigrants. And we check in on an exhibit of the Kentucky photographer Ralph Eugene Meatyard's work, at Atlanta's High Musuem. SHOW NOTES: Wilson County Commission Feb. 17, 2026 "A Blueprint for Resistance: How Residents and Local Governments Are Shutting Down ICE Detention in Warehouses" Vera "MAP: All 23 industrial warehouses ICE wants to turn into detention 'death camps'" Courier Newsroom "'Not the right location:' Hanover supervisors, residents oppose DHS ICE facility" Virginia Mercury "Canadian company says Virginia warehouse sale to ICE won't proceed" Associated Press "Conservative Georgia town pushes back against ICE detention center: 'We are Americans after all'" The Guardian "Warnock tours Social Circle infrastructure amid concerns over proposed ICE detention center" CBS News "As ICE Buys Up Warehouses, Even Some Trump Voters Say No" The New York Times "Sen. Marsha Blackburn: ICE ends plans for Wilson County immigrant detention 'mega center'" Tennessee Lookout "Wilson County Mayor: ICE eyes immigrant detention 'mega center' in Lebanon to house up to 16,000" Tennessee Lookout "James Talarico defeats Jasmine Crockett in blockbuster Democratic primary for U.S. Senate" The Texas Tribune "Paxton says he'd consider dropping out of Senate runoff if Republicans pass voter ID bill" The Texas Tribune "He's No Beto, but Can Talarico Win? A Texas Writer Weighs In." The New York Times "What We Learned From North Carolina's 2026 Primaries" The Assembly "Arkansas Democrats just flipped a Republican seat" The Downballot "The Family Album of Ralph Eugene Meatyard" High Museum of Art  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: As the Trump administration's aggressive mass deportation campaign has ramped up, so have the profits of private prison companies. This week, we take a look at CoreCivic, the Tennessee-based company that is one of the two largest operators of private prisons in the United States. It has been in the immigrant detention business for more than 40 years, and last year was one of its best ever thanks to its close relationship with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We listen in on CoreCivics most recent quarterly earnings call, full of rising revenue numbers and rosy projections — and we annotate it with context and background that the executives somehow failed to mention to their investors. We also take a look at the company's history, and its direct connections to the South's ugly legacy of for-profit prisons. Plus: a preview of an upcoming tribute to Mississippi folk artist L.V. Hull. SHOW NOTES: "The True History of America's Private Prison Industry" Shane Bauer, Time Magazine "CoreCivic Inc." American Friends Service Committee  "Trump's Immigration Crackdown Is a Boom Time for Private Prisons" Mother Jones "Biden Administration Fights to Keep Private Immigration Jails Open, Despite Promises" American Immigration Council "CoreCivic Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results" CoreCivic "The Cruel Conditions of ICE's Mojave Desert Detention Center" The New Yorker "Tax Payments by Undocumented Immigrants" Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy  "The Children of Dilley" ProPublica L.V. Hull Legacy Center "Mississippi Museum of Art to Present First Major Museum Exhibition of the Art and Singular World of L.V. Hull" Mississippi Museum of Art  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: On back to back days earlier this month, the Tennessee Valley Authority reversed course on plans to close two massive coal-fired power plants, and the Trump administration abandoned federal regulation of greenhouse gases. The double whammy clearly illustrated the impact of the administration's aggressive insistence on fossil fuels, regardless of the local and global cost. To get a handle on the implications, this week we visit again with Steve Smith of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. He accuses the administration of an Orwellian denial of the reality of climate change. Also: Attacks on tenure in Tennessee, a move to restore voting rights to people convicted of felonies in Kentucky, and a remembrance of the Reverend Jesse Jackson's South Carolina roots. Plus: a historical exhibit of Black Southern crafts at the International African American Museum in Charleston, S.C. SHOW NOTES:  Southern Alliance for Clean Energy  Compass Points podcast  "Coal Reversal" Compass "How reaction to Charlie Kirk's death led to Tennessee bill targeting tenure" The Knoxville News Sentinel "Restoration of Voting Rights for Felons" National Conference of State Legislatures  "KY Senate committee backs bill to restore voting rights to some with felony convictions" Kentucky Lantern "Jesse Jackson: A voice that rose from Greenville and echoed across America" South Carolina Daily Gazette "Middle of Somewhere" International African American Museum  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: When it comes to environmental protections, the Trump administration has been on a deregulatory spree. On the front lines of fights to protect air, water and ecosystems across the South is the Southern Environmental Law Center — a nonprofit with a team of more than 100 lawyers, who are keeping busy in courts and on Capitol Hill. This week we talk to Geoff Gisler, Program Director for the SELC, about the biggest threats to Southern communities and landscapes the group saw in the first year of Trump 2.0, and what they foresee coming. Also: the election conspiracy theorists behind the FBI's seizure of Georgia ballots from 2020; allegations of censorship at the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument in Mississippi; and Florida takes another step toward blocking any regulation of greenhouse gases. And: Alabama native Ella Langley takes the charts by storm with "Choosin' Texas." SHOW NOTES: Southern Environmental Law Center "FBI raid in Fulton County relied on previously investigated 2020 election claims" Georgia Recorder  Affidavit for Warrant for Georgia ballots  "Trump's 'Stop the Steal' lawyer probing 2020 election fraud has access to sensitive US intel" Politico  "Trump's Director of Election Security Is an Election Denier" The New York Tim "Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home" National Park Service  "Visitor brochures are returned to Medgar Evers home" Mississippi Today  "Evers National Monument Never Removed Brochures 'Not One Second,' Superintendent Says, Disputing Reports" Mississippi Free Press  "Local Florida governments would be banned from enacting climate change policies under new proposal" Florida Phoenix "A Brief Inquiry Into 'Choosin' Texas'" Texas Monthly "Choosin' Texas" Ella Langley CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: Why does Alabama have the highest residential electricity rates in the country? This week, we dig into the profitable, polluting business of Alabama Power, the state's largest electrical provider. Dennis Pillion, a reporter for Inside Climate News, joins to talk about what he has found digging into the private company. Much of its decision-making is shielded from public view by Alabama law, and the state's residents are quite literally paying the price for it. Also: What does Democratic candidate Taylor Rehmet's overwhelming win in a Trump-friendly state Senate district mean for Texas? • Another generational stand-off in a Democratic congressional primary, this one in North Carolina. • Virginia looks to get strict on semi-automatic weapons. • And a new play in Miami revisits the city's language wars. SHOW NOTES: "Wired for Profit" Inside Climate News "How Taylor Rehmet upset a MAGA candidate to flip a North Texas Senate district" The Texas Tribune  "A House District Divided" The Assembly  "Miami New Drama premieres 'English Only,' a play about Miami's language wars" Miami Times Herald "English Only" Miami New Drama CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: While outrage continues to mount about violent immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, ICE and the Border Patrol are active at smaller scale in cities across the South. A hearing last week in New Orleans brought together political leaders and immigrant advocates to detail the terror that Operation Catahoula Crunch has instilled in local communities, where many people are afraid to go to work or school. This week we have selected excerpts from the hearing, including statements from Congressman Troy Carter, New Orleans' new Mayor Helena Moreno, and representatives from New Orleans City Council, the ACLU, and more. Also: The FBI's alarming seizure of 2020 election ballots in Fulton County, Georgia; the impact of increasingly severe winter weather across the South; and a heartbreaking story of one young Alabama man's deportation. Plus, we pay tribute to Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black History Month. SHOW NOTES: "Shadow Hearing on Operation Catahoula Crunch, ICE Invasion of Louisiana" Homeland Security Committee Democrats (Video link)  Fulton County Commissioner Mo Ivory on FBI raid (Instagram) "FBI raids Fulton County election office seeking ballots from Trump's 2020 loss" Atlanta Journal-Constitution  "Fox5: Jack Smith labels Georgia 'Ground Zero' in 2020 election probe during tense House hearing" Ga. State Rep. Lucy McBath  "Winter Storm Debilitates the South, Encasing Cities in Ice and Snow" The New York Times  "Situation in Mississippi Grows More Dire After Days of Ice, Outages and a Rising Death Toll" Mississippi Free Press  "Football referee forced to leave Alabama for Mexico: 'How many kids would get deported for that?'" John Archibald (AL.com) Carter G. Woodson Home (National Park Service) CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: "Affordability" — the struggle many Americans face to pay for housing and food and transportation — has become a political buzzword. But what what drives it, and what can government action do about it? A recent report by the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy gathers specific data to look at the challenges in the Bluegrass State, and makes specific policy recommendations. We talk to Jason Bailey, the center's director, about their findings. Also: mounting deaths at the Camp East Montana immigrant detention center in Texas; rising pushback against the proliferation of energy-sucking data centers; and Florida considers scrapping the property taxes that support its local governments. Plus, three Oscar nominees with deep Southern roots. SHOW NOTES: Kentucky Center for Economic Policy  "Building a Kentucky Workers Can Afford" Kentucky Center for Economic Policy  "Feds plan to build nation's biggest migrant detention center at Fort Bliss" The Texas Tribune  "60 violations in 50 days: Inside ICE's giant tent facility at Ft. Bliss" The Washington Post  "Detained Immigrants Detail Physical Abuse and Inhumane Conditions at Largest Immigration Detention Center in the U.S." ACLU  "The black hole of Camp East Montana" El Pais  "Immigrant's death in ICE custody ruled homicide by El Paso medical examiner" The Texas Tribune "Congresswoman Escobar Statement on Detainee Death at Camp East Montana Likely to be Classified as Homicide" Rep. Veronica Escobar  "Tract details plans for 3,000-acre data center campus in Caldwell County" Austin Business Journal  Headlights Ep. 20: Fossil Fuels and an AI Surge  "Elon Musk's xAI faces tougher road building out data centers after EPA rule update" CNBC  "Rep. Ruwa Romman introduces HB 1012 to slow the growth of data centers" The Atlanta Voice  "A second proposl to eliminate property taxes in Florida is now ready for a vote by the full house" Florida Phoenix "Gov. Ron DeSantis Delivers State of the State Address" WPTV News  "Counties Deliver" Florida Association of Counties  "'The Alabama Solution': A Humanitarian Crisis in Grainy Detail" The Marshall Project  "'The way you hold that camera': HBO doc pays tribute to slain Arkansas filmmaker Brent Renaud" Arkansas Times CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: Martin King Luther Jr. Day arrives this year in the midst of an ongoing assault on his legacy and the accomplishments of the Civil Rights Movement at both the national and — in the South — state levels. So this week we spend a little time listening to MLK the man, the leader, the strategist, the philosopher and preacher, who articulated a clear vision for moral and political progress in the United States and across the globe. His work was much broader, and his goals more specific, than the small portions of the "I Have a Dream" speech that gets trotted out every year. Here are some extended excerpts from him, from across his career. Also: It's January, which means many of our state legislatures are back in session. We check in on an aggressive package of immigration enforcement bills in Tennessee, questions about school vouchers in Alabama, and electoral politics coloring things in the Georgia State Assembly. Plus: a memoriam for Claudette Colvin, who became a civil rights pioneer as a teenager and died last week. SHOW NOTES: "Rediscovering Lost Values" MLK (1954)  Audio  Transcript "The Birth of a New Nation" MLK (1957) Audio Transcript  KCTA Interview w/MLK (1959)  The "I Have a Dream" Speech MLK (1963) Audio Transcript "Eulogy for the Martyred Children" MLK (1963) Audio & Transcript "Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech" MLK (1964) Audio & Transcript "Beyond Vietnam — A Time to Break the Silence" MLK (1967) Audio  Transcript "I've Been to the Mountaintop" MLK (1968) Audio Transcript "Immigration policy fights expected to take center stage as Tennessee Legislature reconvenes" Tennessee Lookout "Tennessee GOP wants to track K-12 student immigration status" Chalkbeat Tennessee "Busy first day set to kick off 2026 legislative session in Georgia" Georgia Recorder "Georgia Democrats unveil bills designed to rein in federal immigration agents" Georgia Recorder "Alabama Legislature 2026 preview: Let's get this over with" Alabama Reflector "Judge temporarily blocks Alabama rule saying voucher students can't play sports for a year" Associated Press "Civil rights activist Claudette Colvin dies at 86" The 19th "Before Rosa Parks, There Was Claudette Colvin" NPR CONTACT:  Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: Democracy is hard. As John Adams said, "It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself." It's even harder when governments are corrupted by money and partisan chicanery. Which is why the nonprofit group Democracy North Carolina has been fighting for truly representative government in the state for more than 30 years. Jesse talks with Marques Thompson, the group's Organizing Director, about the work of organizing, advocating and educating voters on issues including redistricting, ballot access, and the outsize role of corporate interests. He also talked about the impact the recent wave of immigration enforcement across North Carolina could have on this year's elections. Also: Why Texas A&M is censoring Plato, Tennessee opts out of federal funding for summer food assistance for low-income children, and Louisiana gives up on redistricting this year. And a look at a new exhibition that celebrates the music of Muscle Shoals, Alabama. SHOW NOTES: "Louisiana will use challenged congressional map after Supreme Court declines to expedite ruling" Louisiana Illuminator "DeSantis calls April special legislative session on Florida congressional redistricting" Politico "Gov. Bill Lee declines to secure millions in federal funds to feed Tennessee kids during summer" Tennessee Lookout "How a secret recording of a gender identity lecture upended Texas A&M" Texas Tribune "Texas A&M restrictions on race, gender could affect 200 courses" Texas Tribune  Martin Peterson "Texas A&M Bans Plato (further updates)" Texas Nous Muscle Shoals: Low Rhythm Rising - Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: The political map of the South is full of interesting questions in 2026, some of which will be answered at the ballot box. In this preview of the new year, Jesse looks at some of the highest-profile races and the contenders facing off in them: Contests for governor and senator in Texas, a fascinating rematch in Alabama, a test of Georgia's purple-state status, and a high-stakes Democratic primary in Tennessee. Plus: As Carnival season kicks off, we check in on the home of the nation's first Mardi Gras celebration. SHOW NOTES:  "Texas Democrats fill every state and federal race on 2026 ballot, a first for either party" The Texas Tribune   "Texas Rep. Gina Hinojosa joins Democratic race to challenge Gov. Greg Abbott" The Texas Tribune "Texas AG Ken Paxton officially enters Senate race against incumbent John Cornyn, Rep. Wesley Hunt" KUT News "Jasmine Crockett explains stance on Israel and Gaza amid 'coordinated attack' on social media" The Grio  "State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt announces run for comptroller, dropping congressional bid" The Texas Tribune  "Raffensperger, who rejected Trump's false election claims, is running for governor" Axios  "Trump endorses Lt. Gov. Burt Jones for Georgia governor" Politico "Memphis state Rep. Justin Pearson to challenge U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen in 2026 Democratic primary" Tennessee Lookout "Mardi Gras in Mobile" Visit Mobile CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: 2025 has been a tumultuous and difficult year across the United States, and certainly here in the South. In a year-end episode, Jesse looks back at some of the major issues we've covered on Headlights, from immigration enforcement to redistricting battles to labor rights and electoral contests — with help from a selection of voices we've heard here. Join us for a quick look back, and a look ahead to 2026. Show notes:  Headlights Ep. 14: Florida's War on Immigrants Headlights Ep. 21: Guns and Sanctuary in the South Headlights Ep. 11: ICE in the Louisiana Heat Headlights Ep. 3: A Union Veteran  Headlights Ep. 25: The Heart of Texas Headlights Ep. 27: Looking for Progress in Texas Headlights Ep. 33: 'Can't Win' in North Carolina Headlights Ep. 8: Watering the Roots  Headlights Ep. 29: Signs at the Ballot Box  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: What do you do if you have to run for office in a district that was drawn so that your political party can't possibly win it? That was the situation Kate Compton Barr faced in a North Carolina state Senate race in 2024. Her solution: radical honesty. She told voters she couldn't win, and instead talked to them about the damage that rigged maps do to democracy. Then she and some partners launched the Can't Win Victory Fund, a political action committee dedicated to recruiting other candidates to do the same — all of it focused not on flipping districts but on redrawing the underlying maps, to allow for actual representative government. Jesse talked to her about that, and about her current political run for Congress — as a Republican. Also: the ongoing conservative makeover of public education in the South. Florida loses track of thousands of K-12 voucher students; the University of Alabama shuts down magazines for Black and female students; and the University of Texas at Austin comes under the sway of the state's far-right leadership. And as Hanukkah begins, a look at one of the oldest and most important synagogues in the country — Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, founded in Charleston, S.C., in 1749. SHOW NOTES: Can't Win Victory Fund Fair Map Fight Club "University of Alabama alumni organize fundraiser for suspended student magazines" Alabama Reflector 1956 Magazine Alice Magazine Florida audit of voucher programs "How Florida lost track of 30,000 students, a 'cautionary tale' for vouchers" Washington Post  https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/11/21/funding-did-not-follow-the-child-state-audit-displays-school-choice-woes/ "The Conservative Overhaul of the University of Texas Is Underway" The New York Times "Texas Republicans are redefining higher ed. It's creating confusion about free speech on campuses." The Texas Tribune "What a Democrat's victory in the Miami mayoral election may mean for Trump" Associated Press "Democrat flips northeast Georgia state House seat, pulling off special election upset" Georgia Recorder History of Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: All eyes were on Tennessee's 7th Congressional District last week, where Republicans held onto what has been a safe GOP seat in a special election — but Democratic state Rep. Aftyn Behn cut the Republican margin of victory from 22 points in 2024 to under 9 points. The swing got the attention of political observers in both parties, who mostly agreed that it could spell bad news for Republicans in the 2026 midterms. We talk with Tennessee-based political writer and strategist Corbin Trent about what progressive candidates can learn from Behn's campaign, which focused on affordability and access to health care. We also look at an interesting election in Roswell, Georgia, an affluent suburb of Atlanta where a Democratic mayoral candidate ousted the Republican incumbent. Plus: a tribute to the late Steve Cropper, whose tasty, funky guitar riffs helped power Stax Records — and all of Southern soul music. SHOW NOTES: "GOP Frets 'Dangerous' Result in Tennessee" Politico "Super PACs have now spent $7 million in Middle TN U.S. House special election with a week to go" Tennessee Lookout "Republican Ousted by Democrat in Georgia" Newsweek  "Time Is Tight (Live 1970)" Booker T. and the M.G.'s  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

Hey guys,  A little bit of breaking news on the most recent episode.  We did an edit of the orginal production adding this bit in, BUT if you got this episode on release date it will not have included this edit so we wanted to make sure you had access to these details.   Thanks,  We'll talk to you soon.

SYNOPSIS: Jim Hightower has seen Texas politics from the ground up for more than half a century. From editing the progressive Texas Observer to serving as the state's unlikely Commissioner of Agriculture to writing syndicated columns and books, he has been both a participant and a savvy and often funny observer. And he's still at it! Jesse sat down with him at an Austin brewpub for a wide-ranging conversation about the Lone Star State's political past, present and future, the Democratic Party's corporate money problems, and why "populism" — a word and idea Hightower has long embraced — has circled back into the political mainstream. Also: A series of court orders across the South throw roadblocks (however temporary) in MAGA's political path. And a look at why the South was slow to adopt the Yankee idea of Thanksgiving.  SHOW NOTES: JimHightower.com "Court order striking down Texas redistricting map upends plans for candidates across the state" The Texas Tribune  "Judge temporarily blocks National Guard deployment in Memphis" Tennessee Lookout "Florida judge temporarily blocks transfer of downtown Miami land for Trump's presidential library" Associated Press "Appellate Court rejects Florida attorney general's request in Trump library case" Miami Herald  "For Decades, Southern States Considered Thanksgiving an Act of Northern Aggression" Atlas Obscura  Lincoln's Thanksgiving Day proclamation  "How Thanksgiving, the 'Yankee Abolitionist Holiday,' Won Over the South" Serious Eats CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: Wilderness and untamed landscapes loom large in the South's sense of itself. Southern history and folklore are full of tales of mountains and rivers, swamps and bayous. A new magazine called Southlands aims to explore the Southern outdoors, both literally and literarily. This week Jesse talks to Southlands publisher Boyce Upholt about our relationship to our natural surroundings — and about a new book Upholt has also written, about the history and destiny of the Mississippi River. Also: a look at public employees across the South who are fighting back in court after being fired or punished for comments about the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk. And we check in on the First Voices Festival, a celebration of indigenous culture in Atlanta. SHOW NOTES: Southlands  'The Great River' Boyce Upholt Lawsuit against the University of Tennessee by Professor Tamar Shirinian  "Former Auburn University instructor sues school, says she was fired over Charlie Kirk post" Alabama Reflector  "Spartanburg County teacher's assistant claims wrongful termination over Charlie Kirk social media post" WYFF News  "Firing over Charlie Kirk post was unconstitutional, former Clemson professor claims in lawsuit" South Carolina Daily Gazette "Florida college employee fired after social media post about Charlie Kirk assassination files lawsuit" CBS News "Former MTSU dean, fired for social media posts about Kirk, sues school" The Tennessean "Judge temporarily restrains university from firing professor for post about Charlie Kirk" South Dakota Searchlight First Voices Festival  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: Democratic candidates romped in Virginia last week, and scored some significant wins in Mississippi and Georgia as well. What does that mean to politics in the rest of the South? It's complicated! That's why we asked Tennessee state Rep. Gloria Johnson, one of the "Tennessee Three," to join us for some analysis and thoughts about the results. She tells us why she thinks the pushback against conservative dominance in the South is real — and what it can learn not only from Virginia, Mississippi and Georgia, but also from Zohran Mamdani's win in New York City. Plus: her thoughts on President Donald Trump's pardon of convicted felon and former Tennessee state House Speaker Glen Casada. In our arts and culture segment, we forward — from afar — to the 8th annual Beignet Fest this weekend in New Orleans. We're wondering what exactly Crawfish Etoufee beignet fries are. SHOW NOTES: "Blue wave rebuilds the House" Virginia Mercury  "Democrats end GOP two-thirds supermajority in Mississippi Senate. What does that mean?" Mississippi Today  "Democrats flip two seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission" Georgia Recorder  Beignet Fest  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: What does it take to run an effective progressive political campaign in the South? This week, Jesse talks to political consultant Eva Posner of Evinco Strategies, who specializes in exactly that. She focuses on candidates from working-class and marginalized communities, and also helps train campaign managers and staffers — helping to build progressive political infrastructure in places that often lack it. Also: As wrangling continues over SNAP benefits during the federal government shutdown, we look at the importance of the food stamp program in the South, where one-third of its lower-income beneficiaries live. Virginia and Louisiana have put forward plans to cover any gaps for their residents at least through November. But Texas and Florida, whose residents together receive about $1.1 billion a month in SNAP funding, have no plans at all. Plus: A look at the 1924 exhibition in Jacksonville, Fla., that helped introduce Modern art to the South. SHOW NOTES: Evinco Strategies "SNAP: Key Statistics and Research" U.S. Department of Agriculture  SNAP benefits by state  "The loss of SNAP benefits could have ripple effects across the economy" Marketplace  "The Armory South" MOCA Jacksonville CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: What are the prospects for progress in Texas? Who better to ask than Progress Texas? This week Jesse talks to Chris Mosser, a veteran broadcaster who reports for the nonprofit media platform. They talk Lone Star politics, including this year's redistricting fight and names to watch in next year's elections. Also: how Florida sugar barons are capitalizing on their relationship with Trump; an Alabama school for LGBTQ students has to revise its mission to keep its charter; and a Texas school district locks its libraries. In the arts and culture segment, we look at the origins and spread of Trunk or Treating — coming to a church parking lot near you! SHOW NOTES: Progress Texas "Meet The Florida Sugar Barons Worth $4 Billion And Getting Sweet Deals From Donald Trump" Forbes Magazine  "​​Coca-Cola's Trump-approved soda begins to roll out in the United States" CNN  "America's Addiction to Big Sugar Leaves a Bitter Aftertaste" The Heritage Foundation  Magic City Acceptance Academy "Magic City Acceptance Academy secures renewal from Alabama Public Charter School Commission" Alabama Reflector   Alabama Public Charter School Commission Meeting, 10/15/25 "Magic City Acceptance Academy and the cost of state-sanctioned bigotry" Alabama Reflector "A Texas District Has Just Banned Students from Secondary School Libraries" BookRiot "New Braunfels ISD libraries to reopen Monday, 81 books flagged for further review" KSAT-TV "What to know about trunk-or-treating, a trick-or-treating alternative" National Public Radio CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: A new report shines light on gun deaths in Tennessee. It shows that the state has high levels of both gun homicides and suicides — and they have risen as conservative legislators have rolled back gun safety laws. We dig into the data with its lead researcher, Beth Joslin Roth, and state Senator Heidi Campbell. Also: Mississippi this year declared a public health emergency as its infant mortality rate hit its highest level in a decade. It has the worst infant mortality in the country, but many other Southern states aren't much better. Health care advocates say it will only get worse if subsidies for coverage on the Affordable Care Act marketplace vanishes next year — which is one of the sticking points in the federal government shutdown. And we pay tribute to the great soul singer D'Angelo, and look at how his roots in Richmond, Virginia, shaped his music. SHOW NOTES: Tennessee Under the Gun  "Southern Lawmakers Say Infant Mortality Rates Could Worsen with Health Care Cuts" NOTUS  "Stats of the States: Infant Mortality" CDC  "4.8 Million People Will Lose Coverage in 2026 If Enhanced Premium Tax Credits Expire" Urban Institute and the Commonwealth Fund  "MSDH Declares Public Health Emergency on Infant Mortality" Mississippi State Department of Health  "The Legendary Ingramettes" Richmond Folk Festival  "D'Angelo Brought Virginia's Soul to the World" Justin Tinsley, Andscape  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: The redistricting fight in Texas set the stage for a national scramble to redraw congressional lines ahead of next year's midterm elections. Among those at the center of the battle was Texas state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, a leading progressive voice in the state Legislature and one of the Democrats who fled the state in an effort to block the Republican power grab. This week, we hear from Eckhardt about that, and about the broader fight for representation in the Lone Star State. The biggest obstacle she sees? A lack of engagement by voters who feel ignored and have tuned out. She has ideas about how to bring them back in. Also, we look at the deportation of a Latino journalist in Georgia; a fascinating primary emerging in Memphis, over Tennessee's only Democratic congressional seat; and how yet another redistricting case being heard by the Supreme Court this week could spell the effective end of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. In our arts and culture segment, we preview the LEAF Global Arts Festival in the North Carolina mountains this weekend — which is marking its 30th year, and possibly also its final one. SHOW NOTES: "Spanish-language journalist arrested while covering protest near Atlanta deported to El Salvador" Associated Press  "NAHJ expresses concern over deportation of journalist Mario Guevara" National Association of Hispanic Journaliss  "A Letter From Detained Journalist Mario Guevara" ACLU "Tennessee House primary puts Democratic Party's generational divide on display" Politico  "Supreme Court to hear arguments in pivotal case on the Voting Rights Act" SCOTUSBlog  LEAF Global Arts  "CNN Explores Recent Decline of Music Festivals" EDM Tunes CONTACT:  Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: In the South, the prospects for progressive causes and candidates can be daunting. But Corbin Trent thinks the answer is not to back down or dilute their messages — it's to take strong, bold positions on behalf of the region's working people. Trent has been fighting for progressive values for a long time. He was a cofounder of the influential PAC Justice Democrats, and served as communications director for New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. A native and resident of Tennessee, he is now the creator of "America's Undoing," a new media project that is developing an ambitious progressive agenda in response to President Donald Trump's MAGA movement — and to the paralyzing inertia of what should be the opposition party. He talks about what Democrats are getting wrong, and how to move forward. Also, we take a look at a recent dust-up at Tennessee State University, the state's only publicly-funded Historically Black University. Two white internet provocateurs attempting to follow in the late Charlie Kirk's footsteps showed up on the Nashville campus recently. The result was an entirely manufactured confrontation designed to create clippable content for sharing across the right-wing media. We take a look at the incident, and at the way that seamless ecosystem works to generate endless right-wing outrage and, increasingly, to set the the agenda for conservative politicians in our Southern states. Finally, a tribute to Norman Jones, who died last week — a legendary drag queen and bar owner who was for decades a central figure in Arkansas' LGBTQ communities. SHOW NOTES: America's Undoing Corbin Trent  "How to beat MAGA in 2026, 2028 and beyond" America's Undoing  "​​Charlie Kirk's Most SAVAGE Campus Moments of Spring 2025" Turning Point USA  "Tennessee governor signs into law a bill that vacates the TSU board" WTVF Nashville  "Norman Jones, drag legend and gay bar proprietor, has died" Arkansas Times  "Norma Kristie Performing at Miss Gay Fayetteville 1988-89"  CONTACT:  Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: Writer Alexis Okeowo grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, and then moved away from the state for college. She is a contributing writer for The New Yorker, and has reported from Africa and Mexico. She has returned to her home state as the focus of her new book, Blessings and Disasters: A Story of Alabama. In a conversation, she talks about her experience in the state as the child of Nigerian immigrants, the layers of history and connection she dives through in her narrative, and the whiplash nature of progress and backlash in the state. Also: measles spreads in Georgia; the consequences of South Carolina's abortion ban; and still hopeful signs for electric vehicle investment in the South. And our arts and culture segment looks at a striking new exhibit by Texas artist David-Jeremiah. SHOW NOTES:  Alexis Okeowo "DPH Confirms Three New Measles Cases" Georgia Department of Public Health  "Headlights Ep. 8: Watering the Roots"  "Georgia's Childhood Vaccination Rates Have Dropped. Doctors Are Worried." Atlanta Journal-Constitution  "How Public Health Outreach Ended A 1990s Measles Outbreak And What's Different Now" National Public Radio   "SC Senate bill is the most extreme, dangerous abortion ban in our history" Amalia Luxardo South Carolina Daily Gazette "SC lawmakers are playing politics with women's lives" Christine Glang South Carolina Daily Gazette "Transportation Electrification in the Southeast" Atlas Public Policy and Southern Alliance for Clean Energy "David-Jeremiah: The Fire This Time" The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: Leah Song of Rising Appalachia joins us this week to talk about music, activism and bringing people together in difficult times. Leah and her sister, Chloe Smith, founded the band nearly 20 years ago and have combined an embrace of many strands of Southern music — from Appalachian string-band to Gospel and soul — with a commitment to social justice. Also: The troops are coming to Memphis. President Donald Trump last week announced a deployment of the National Guard to Tennessee's largest, Blackest and poorest city, with the enthusiastic support of Governor Bill Lee and the state's Republican senators. We take a look at the history of military deployment in the South, and why this mission is different from those after the Civil War and during desegregation. And we check in on Fiesta, this weekend's celebration of Hispanic and Latino culture in Birmingham, Alabama.  SHOW NOTES: Rising Appalachia    "Trump Deploys National Guard to Memphis" Associated Press "Trump's Use of National Guard in Los Angeles Was Illegal, Judge Rules" BBC  Fiesta 2025 Birmingham, Ala.  "Immigration Will Likely Save Our Birmingham Region" Comeback Town CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: In the wake of the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last week, blame flew in multiple directions. As usual, nobody on the right wanted to talk about guns. But Kirk's wasn't even the first newsworthy shooting of the day — there was a school shooting in Colorado a few hours earlier — or the first American political assassination of the year. This week we look at the issues of guns and gun deaths in the U.S. — and particularly in the South, home to some of the nation's loosest gun laws and highest levels of gun ownership. On gun safety, as on so many other issues, most of our state leaders are out of step with what the people of their states want. The conversation this week is with Katie Blankenship of Sanctuary of the South — a grassroots organization working across multiple states to provide legal representation for immigrants and havens for marginalized communities. She talks about the challenge of representing clients in the nightmarish ICE detention system — and about reclaiming the word "sanctuary" from right-wing scorn. And in our arts and culture segment, a look at this weekend's Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion. The music festival celebrates Bristol's history as "the Birthplace of Country Music" and spreads across outdoor stages throughout downtown. It also takes place in two states simultaneously — Virginia and Tennessee — because the state line runs through the center of the city. SHOW NOTES:  Sanctuary of the South "School Shootings in the U.S.: Fast Facts" CNN  Everytown for Gun Safety  "Gun Ownership by State 2025" World Population Review  "Firearm Mortality: State of the States" CDC  Charlie Kirk comments Media Matters  Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: Up until January of this year, several Southern states were among the leaders in clean energy production, with big investments in solar and wind power in Texas, Florida and elsewhere. Then came the Trump administration, with its hostility to renewable sources and championing of fossil fuels. This week, we talk to Steve Smith of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy about the status and future of energy production in the South — and the growing impact of massive new data centers and cryptomining operations, which are guzzling more and more from our regional grids. Also, we take a look at a trio of new laws in Texas that reflect the ongoing efforts of anti-abortion advocates to extend the state's total abortion ban outside its borders via novel legal mechanisms. If anyone thought religious fundamentalists were going to be happy with state-by-state abortion regulation, they were of course wrong. Our arts and culture segment previews this weekend's Mississippi Festival of Books, a celebration of all things literary in a state that punches way above its weight in producing great writers. Show Notes: Southern Alliance for Clean Energy "Stability in the Number of Abortions from 2023 to 2024 in US States Without Total Bans Masks Major Shifts in Access" Guttmacher Institute  "New Texas law requires hospitals support grieving families amid rising infant death rates post-abortion ban" CBS News "Texas bill allowing private citizens to sue over abortion pills clears Legislature" The Texas Tribune "City of Austin ends abortion fund to comply with new state law" The Daily Texan "Abortion Views in All 50 States" PRRI  Mississippi Festival of Books "Why has Mississippi inspired so many great writers?" W. Ralph Eubanks, America: The Jesuit Review  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: It's Labor Day, even in the South — the region of the country that has long been most hostile to workers' rights. From slavery through Jim Crow, from "Right to Work" laws aimed at weakening unions to low or nonexistent minimum wages, right-wing leaders in the South have long conspired to disempower labor. But in recent years a few fights — and some high-profile wins — have shown there's life in the Southern labor movement. In this week's holiday-abbreviated episode, we look at the state of play on the shop floor. SHOW NOTES: "They Moved My Job to Georgia" Peyton Hopkins "History of Prison Labor in the U.S." End Slavery Now "The Evolution of the Southern Economic Development Strategy" Economic Policy Institute "List of U.S. States and Territories by Income" Wikipedia  "Headlights Episode 3: A Union Veteran" "​​Just by having a union vote, Mercedes workers in Alabama won major concessions and proved the importance of worker power" Economic Policy Institute Union of Southern Service Workers "As a key labor union pushes into the South, red states push back" Stateline CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: Florida was once the swing state that presidential elections hinged on. But over the last few decades, it has turned redder and redder. This week we're joined by writer, educator and Progressive South board member Alfred Soto to talk about what has happened to his home state — and what (if anything) he sees that gives him hope. Also: School vouchers! As they roll out in ever more expansive forms across most of the South, we take a look at the shifting rationale behind them. First sold as a way to give options to low-income families, they are increasingly talked about in hazier terms of freedom for all — including wealthy families who already send their kids to private schools. Who's really benefiting from them? And in the arts and culture segment, we look at the desecration by the Trump and DeSantis administrations of a memorial to the victims of the Pulse nightclub massacre.   SHOW NOTES: "School Choice Facts & Statistics" EdChoice "A Betsy DeVos-backed group helps fuel a rapid expansion of public money for private schools" NBC News  "Kentucky voters rejected proposals to allow tax dollars to go to private schools" NPR "Tennessee to give more average per-pupil funding to voucher participants than public school students" Chalkbeat "Private school vouchers are now law in Texas. Here's how they will work." The Texas Tribune "Why Florida school vouchers can pay for Disney tickets, TVs while draining billions from public schools" WESH Private School Review "The Role of Government in Education" Milton Friedman "Florida removes rainbow crosswalk honouring Pulse nightclub victims" BBC News Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer response X.com "Only When I'm Dancing Can I Feel This Free" Alfred Soto (MTV News)  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark  [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: The Confederacy ended in 1865, but it never really died. The iconography of the slavers' secessionist rebellion has returned again and again through the succeeding 160 years, particularly in times of backlash against progress toward racial equality. This week we look at recent moves by the Trump administration, along with a Texas school board, to once again pay tribute to the Confederacy's leaders and its so-called Lost Cause.  The conversation this week is with Dom Kelly, president and CEO of a nonprofit called New Disabled South, which works for equality and access for people with disabilities across the region. Dom is a fascinating guy with a background in advocacy, music, and politics, and he has a lot of smart things to say about the barriers that remain throughout society — and especially throughout the South. And in the arts and culture segment, we preview a new exhibition in Charleston, S.C., by the Iranian-born and Southern-based artist Raheleh Filsoofi. SHOW NOTES: "Whose Heritage?" Southern Poverty Law Center  "The Army is moving quickly to bring back the original names of bases named for Confederates" WUNC  "Confederate statues in DC area to be restored and replaced in line with Trump's executive order" Associated Press "Confederate Memorial (Arlington National Cemetery)" Wikipedia "The History of the Confederate Section at Arlington National Cemetery Was Never Erased" Kevin M. Levin "Midland school board votes to restore school name honoring Confederate general" Texas Tribune New Disabled South  Ep. 4: A Second Southern Redemption  The Progessive South (YouTube) "At the Edge of Arrival" Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art    CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: Miami is a Southern city by geography, but by history, demographics and culture it's really not like anywhere else in the South — or, arguably, the world. In this week's conversation, Cuban-American writer and environmental activist Andrew Otazo helps us understand the politics and personality of the South Florida tourist mecca. He's the author of a book and website called The Miami Creation Myth, and he explains how the city is built to be consumed — and not by the people who actually live there. In the news round-up, we look at the looming threat to the Voting Rights Act posed by a redistricting case out of Louisiana. The U.S. Supreme Court has already weakened the landmark civil rights law in a series of decisions, and a request from the court earlier this month suggests its conservative majority might be ready to knock out one of its last major protections for racial minorities. And in our arts and culture segment, we check out two new songs from Hayley Williams, leader of the Tennessee pop-rock band Paramore. She has some sad and scathing words for and about her hometown of Nashville. Show Notes: "The Miami Creation Myth" Andrew Otazo   "Court Asks for New Briefs in Louisiana Redistricting Case" SCOTUSBlog  "How We Got Here: Louisiana's Redistricting Case Puts the Voting Rights Act on Trial" Louisiana Illuminator "'Colorblind Constitution': Supreme Court wrangles over the future of race in the law" NBC News "Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party" Hayley Williams "True Believer" Hayley Williams  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: All eyes were on Texas last week as Republican legislators moved toward drawing new congressional districts, effectively trying to steal five seats from Democratic incumbents. It's part of President Donald Trump's strategy to maintain control of the House of Representatives after the 2026 elections. But it's far from the only blatantly partisan gerrymandering Southern states. We break down the map to show that conservatives are already hugely overrepresented in congressional delegations across the region — with districts drawn to marginalize progressive voices. Then it's on to hip-hop! The conversation this week is with Corey J. Miles, an assistant professor at Tulane University in New Orleans who was the editor of a special issue of the journal Southern Cultures devoted entirely to Southern hip-hop. He talks about the region's initial struggle for visibility in a genre dominated by the East and West coasts, and the ways it connects to Black Southern culture and narratives. Plus, a look back at the 1969 "Lonesome Cowboys" raid that helped spur the growth of LGBTQ activism in Georgia.  SHOW NOTES: "Texas House Republicans unveil new congressional map that looks to pick up five GOP seats" Texas Tribune Hip-Hop Southern Cultures "Hip-Hop Playlist" Corey J. Miles   "Film, summit to commemorate police raid that sparked Southern LGBTQ+ rights movement" Rough Draft Atlanta  "The Stonewall of the South That History Forgot" Smithsonian Magazine   Lonesome Cowboys Andy Warhol  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: Florida has an estimated 5 million immigrants — more than 20 percent of its total population. It is also ground zero of the Trump administration's mass deportation program. With the eager assistance of Gov. Ron DeSantis and state legislators, it has seen some of the country's most aggressive enforcement round-ups and most enthusiastic cooperation from state and local law enforcement. This week, we talk to Tessa Petit, executive director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, about the efforts of grassroots and community organizations to fight for the rights and security of the state's immigrant communities. We also take a drive out the Tamiami Trail, through the Everglades, to the entrance of Alligator Alcatraz — DeSantis' hastily built immigrant detention camp, which has already generated many complaints about inhumane treatment of detainees. And in our arts and culture segment, we consider the work of the late Arkansas poet Frank Stanford. A new biography makes a case for his place in the pantheon of modern Southern literature.   SHOW NOTES: Florida Immigrant Coalition Republican Party of Florida Storefront "Bright Lit Place"   WLRN "Frank's Battlefield" Arkansas Times "Frank Stanford" Poetry Foundation "It Wasn't a Dream; It Was a Flood" Frank Stanford   CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark  [email protected] (865) 214-7764    

SYNOPSIS: Angie Hayden became an accidental activist when she stood up against censorship in her local library in Prattville, Alabama. Now she's a founder of a statewide coalition called Read Freely Alabama, which is fighting efforts to ban books and restrict libraries across the state. We talked to her from the frontlines of a contentious fight over the control of public libraries and information. Also, in the tragic aftermath of the flooding along the Guadalupe River in Texas earlier this month, there was some fingerpointing about faulty emergency measures. But there was little discussion from state or federal officials about the causes of increased flooding — even as there have been a record number of flash flood warnings nationwide this year. Jesse looks at the ways many Southern states avoid discussing — or doing anything about — climate change and its effects. (You'll never guess what Tennessee has legally declared a "renewable energy.") And in the arts and culture segment, a consideration of Rock The Country. The touring two-day festival organized by Kid Rock and featuring acts like Nickelback and Hank Williams Jr. is making its final stop of the year this weekend in Anderson, S.C. The event bills itself as being a celebration of hard-working, real Americans. But its roster makes clear that it has a specific and narrow idea of who those Americans are — and aren't. SHOW NOTES: "Louisiana Is the Latest State to Redefine Natural Gas as Green Energy" The Associated Press 6/25/25 "A fossil fuel may be rebranded 'renewable energy' under proposed Tennessee law" WPLN News 3/7/25 HB 1143 Tennessee General Assembly  "Which States Produce the Most Renewable Energy?" The Motley Fool 6/27/25  "Monthly Climate Reports" National Centers for Enviormental Information   "Texas Leads U.S. Renewable Energy Generation by a Country Mile" Inside Climate  News 3/6/25 "U.S. Hit With Record Number of Flash Flood Warnings" NBC News 7/17/25 "Climate change helped fuel heavy rains that caused Hill Country floods, experts say" Texas Tribune 7/9`/25  "Texas political leaders are indifferent, if not hostile, to climate change mitigation" MIT Climate Portal 4/22/25 "Fifth National Climate Assessment" National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration  Read Freely Alabama "Autauga-Prattville Public Library sued over policies restricting book access"  Alabama Reflector 5/9/24 "Support Fairhope Public Library" Fundlibraries.org Rock the Country "Rock the Country Documentary" Kid Rock  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

Synopsis: What does U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett do in the bathroom? The privy proclivities of our East Tennessee congressman are among the issues on the minds of Jesse and the gang from "Cast Iron Resistance" in a special podcast crossover. Jesse joined the guys on their own show a few weeks ago, and here we present some relevant excerpts from the freewheeling conversation. Besides Burchett's toilet talks, topics include organizing efforts for progressives in the South, the poisonous impact of right-wing media, and the best ways to get politically engaged at the local level. Thanks to Steve Wildsmith, Nathan Higdon and Jeremy LaDuke for the hang! (And make sure you check out their podcast, too.) SHOW NOTES: Cast Iron Resistance  U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

CORRECTION: We inadvertently refer to ACLU Louisiana Executive Director Alanah Odoms as Alanah Combs. We apologize for the error!  SYNOPSIS: Louisiana has the highest incarceration rate in America. It is also home to the country's second-largest population of immigration detainees. Last week, a group of workers from the Service Employees International Union from across the U.S. took a caravan of buses to demonstrate outside two of the state's ICE detention centers. The union's membership includes more than 400,000 immigrants, and they wanted to show solidarity with people who have been swept up in the Trump administration's mass deportation campaign. In this week's episode, we travel to Basile, La., and New Orleans to hear from union members and partners in organizations including the ACLU about their efforts to stand up to ICE — particularly across the South. They stood in the sun at the height of summer heat on the asphalt outside the detention center where Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk was held earlier this year, in the hopes that their voices would carry over the barbed wire fences to reach the people caged inside. SHOW NOTES:  "Immigration Quick Facts" TRAC "GEO Group Announces Reactivation of South Louisiana ICE Processing Center" "Inside the Black Hole: Systemic Human Rights Abuses Against Immigrants Detained and Disappeared in Louisiana" "Rumeysa Ozturk Describes Detainment" Tufts Daily "States of Incarceration: The Global Context 2024" CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

Synopsis: As we close out Pride month, we thought it was a good time to check in with two leading voices for LGBTQ rights in the South: Chris Sanders of the Tennessee Equality Project and Jeff Graham of Georgia Equality. We spoke just a few days after the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case of U.S. v. Skrmetti, and Sanders and Graham had a lot to say about the ongoing political and legal attacks on transgender people and the queer community more broadly. Both said they hear a lot of anger and fear, but also a determination to keep fighting for equality. Also: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pulls a last-minute reverse on the state's ban of hemp-derived THC products; Mississippi faces a lawsuit over yet another anti-DEI bill; and with a group of six Southern state university systems announces the formation of a new accrediting body, which Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis promises will challenge what he called the "woke accreditation cartels." Plus: a look at some of the oldest and most creative 4th of July celebrations across the South. Show Notes: "Gov. Greg Abbott vetoes THC ban, calls for regulation instead" The Texas Tribune "Game changer? Fresh face enters Texas governor race" San Antonio News "Teaching the Holocaust Just Got Harder in Mississippi" The Bulwark Mississippi House Bill 1193 Gatlinburg 4th of July Midnight Parade Thunderfest(Bowling Green, Ky.) Panama City Beach 4th of July CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

Synopsis: Whose stories count in the South — and who gets to tell them? This week, we're talking to Gwen Frisbie-Fulton, a social worker and author in North Carolina who writes about people in the rural and small-town South. She has a lot of insights about the importance of storytelling in Southern culture, and the absence of many voices in official narratives. And after last week's Supreme Court decision upholding Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors, we take a step back to consider the arc of LGBTQ rights in the South since the landmark Obergefell ruling in 2015. Southern states have been in the lead on attacks on the rights of transgender people, and have continued to push to marginalize queer people in general in various ways. In our arts and culture segment, we catch up to the fantastic Mississippi Gospel-soul band Annie and the Caldwells. Show Notes: Working Class Storytelling by Gwen Frisbie-Fulton  "Every Anti-LGBTQ Bill Defeated" Equality Florida "Southern Baptist Delegates Call for Reversal of Supreme Court Ruling on Same-Sex Marriage" Associated Press Annie and the Caldwells    CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: Well before Robert F. Kennedy Jr. brought his vaccine skepticism to the federal government, many Southern states were already taking steps to weaken immunization mandates. This week, we take a look at recent moves in Florida, Louisiana and Texas to make it easier for parents to opt their children out of vaccines. Florida already leads the nation in unvaccinated kindergarteners. The conversation this week is with Brandon Jones, political director for the Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund, which is seeking out and supporting progressive candidates in local races across the Deep South. Jesse talks with Jones about his background — which includes a stint in the Mississippi Legislature — and why grassroots races are important to building progressive strength.  Also: It's AthFest time! SHOW NOTES: "Citing Government Overreach, Louisiana Won't Promote Vaccination, Surgeons General Say" CDRAP "Vaccine Opt-Outs Continue to Climb in Florida Schools" Axios Texas House Bill 1586 Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund New Southern Majority AthFest CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: Talking Southern History, Gender Identity and Politics With Adeem the Artist. As promised in our regular episode this week, here is an extended edit of our interview with Adeem the Artist. The critically acclaimed, politically engaged, non-binary singer-songwriter talks about their North Carolina childhood, their growing awareness of their own gender identity, and wrestling with the real stories of American history. Plus, an aside on Ezra Pound and cats. adeemtheartist.com CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: Bruce Springsteen once sang that "a king ain't satisfied until he rules everything," and Republican officials in one-party-rule states across the South are doing their best to prove the point. This week, we look at three examples of conservative attacks on the remaining pockets of liberalism in their states: Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn is calling for federal investigation of Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell; in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis is populating the ranks of state university presidents almost entirely with ideological politicos, most of whom lack academic credentials; and in Mississippi, the city of Jackson is continuing a nearly decade-long fight with state Republican leaders over control of its own airport. Fittingly for Pride month, our interview this week is with indie country standout Adeem the Artist, a non-binary singer-songwriter who is part of a wave of "Queer Country" artists making space for diverse voices in the traditionally conservative genre. We talk about their North Carolina childhood and their growing awareness of their own gender identity and the complexities of their Southern heritage. It's good stuff — and too much to fit all in one episode! So we'll be posting a longer edit of the interview later in the week. Finally, in our arts and culture corner we check in on a celebration in Texas this week of a homegrown pulp fiction legend — Robert E. Howard, creator of Conan the Barbarian.   SHOW NOTES:  "Sen. Blackburn calls for DOJ to investigate Mayor O'Connell following ICE operations in Nashville" WSMV, Nashville "How Many DeSantis Allies Lead Florida Universities and Colleges?" USA Today  "Jackson's Fight for Control of Its Airport Continues After Judge's Ruling" Mississippi Free Press Adeem the Artist  Robert E. Howard Days  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

SYNOPSIS: While much of the U.S. has given a green light to cannabis, the South remains mostly hostile to legalization. This week we look at recent moves in three states to restrict hemp-based THC products — and why Virginia still doesn't have a commercial weed market, even though marijuana is legal. In our conversation, we talk with Ilham Askia, CEO of the East Lake Foundation in Atlanta and co-founder of the nonprofit Gideon's promise. She has worked in both criminal justice reform and community development, and she talks about the connections between the two.  We also check in on a special production of the play The Miracle Worker — staged every year at Helen Keller's birthplace in Tuscumbia, Alabama.  SHOW NOTES: "Tennessee Governor Signs Hemp-Killing Legislation" Cannabis Business Times  "Game Over in Texas" Cannabis Business Times "Alabama Governor Signs Bill to Regulate THC Products" Cannabis Business Times "Legality of Cannabis by U.S. Jurisdiction" Wikipedia "Youngkin's Vetoes Take Another Hit on Cannabis Reform" Virginia Mercury "Grassroots Support for Legalizing Marijuana Hits Record 70%" Gallup  East Lake Foundation  Gideon's Promise 'The Miracle Worker' at Ivy Green CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764

Conservative legislators in the South have been attacking diversity programs for years, long before President Trump made a national priority of assailing "DEI." This week, we look at some of this year's anti-DEI bills in Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee and Texas — and why their allegations of anti-white discrimination are mostly bunk. This week's conversation spotlights North Carolina state Sen. Graig Meyer, a "pragmatic progressive" who represents the Chapel Hill area. He talked about how his background in social work and education led him to seek public office; how he seeks to be effective as a member of a legislative minority; and why he helped start a new North Carolina media company just a few years ago. And in our arts and culture segment, we look at a Kentucky quilt show with a unique focus: the Black jockeys who won the country's most famous horse race in the late 1800s, before the Jim Crow era forced them out of the Derby. Show Notes: U.S. Fortune 500 Corporate Governance Report  Prevalence of Workplace Discrimination Texas Anti-DEI bill Georgia anti-DEI bill  Louisiana anti-DEI bill  Tennessee anti-DEI bill  Kentucky Derby Black jockeys quilt show  CONTACT: Jesse Mayshark [email protected] (865) 214-7764