PODCAST · history
Urban Roots
by Deqah x Urbanist Media
Urban Roots is the award-winning podcast that preserves place through story. Hosted by Deqah and published by Urbanist Media, 501c3.
Episodes
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Edgemont Inn (short)
From 1833 to 1851, Harriet Beecher Stowe and her family called a two-story yellow brick house in Walnut Hills home. Her experiences there – across the river from slave-owning Kentucky – inspired Uncle Tom’s Cabin. In the 1930s, the house was converted into The Edgemont Inn — a tavern and boarding...
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Gordon Hotel (short)
In the 1910s, millions of migrants from the rural South arrived in Cincinnati seeking employment. Affordable housing was scarce; workers and their families packed into dark, dangerous tenements. Seeing poverty on the rise, local millionaire Jacob Schmidlapp built something unusual for the time:...
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Preserving Cincinnati's Green Book Legacy
You heard briefly about Cincinnati’s remaining Green Book sites in our shorts; now prepare to be immersed in their history. Our host (Deqah) will take you to Walnut Hills and discuss what these places meant — and continue to mean — to the neighborhood and its residents. -- Juneteenth Cincinnati...
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Manse Hotel (short)
When greats like Duke Ellington, Jackie Robinson, or Thurgood Marshall came to Cincinnati, they couldn’t stay at the white-only inns downtown – so they went to The Manse Hotel and Annex in Walnut Hills. With its 108 luxurious rooms, first-class restaurant, and large ballroom, the Manse was the...
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The Green Book (short)
In Jim Crow America, Black Americans couldn’t travel like their White counterparts. Every time you stopped at a restaurant, a gas stop, a bathroom, you’d have to check: can you enter? Is it safe? The Green Book — a directory of Black-friendly businesses — became the “bible of Black Travel” in the...
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k. kennedy Whiters on Preservation as Repair
Join Deqah (host) as she sits down with guest, k. kennedy Whiters– a preservationist, registered architect, business owner, educator, writer, and founder of interdisciplinary firms wrkSHäp kiloWATT, studio kW Architecture + Preservation for an IRL chat about architecture, preservation, reparative...
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Juneteenth Voting Promo
Hey friends! We’re bringing back Juneteenth programming—and this year, we want your input on topics! Choose between local Black Architects and Green Book sites! Cast your vote at https://cinradio.org/juneteenth-special-programming-from-urbanist-media/ now through April 20th.
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ALT Design: Brent Spence Community Engagement
Since October 2023, the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet have advanced a new iteration of the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project, proposing to replace the existing bridge and expand capacity along I-71 and I-75. In 2025, community engagement sessions in...
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The Real Value of Real Estate w/ Cecily King
Dive into all things real estate in our latest convo with Cecily King, a real estate professional and educator whose work focuses on equitable development, racial justice, and community-driven investment in Detroit. She is also an Associate Professor of Real Estate Development at Columbia GSAPP.…
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BONUS: Preserving Joy: A’Lelia Walker’s Harlem Renaissance
Join Deqah Hussein-Wetzel (host) and award-winning journalist and historian A'lelia Bundles (guest), in a Black history and preservation-focused conversation about A'lelia's newest book Joy Goddess: A’Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance. A’Lelia Walker—daughter of Madam C.J. Walker and…
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BONUS: Bree Jones on Development Without Displacement
Unpack equitable preservation-based development with Deqah (host) and Bree Jones (guest), the Founder and CEO of Parity, an equitable development company headquartered in West Baltimore that acquires and rehabilitates abandoned properties by the block to create affordable home ownership...
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The Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs – Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts
We at Urbanist Media (and the Urban Roots podcast) are excited to have, yet again, celebrated Juneteenth with Cincinnati Public Radio. This year, we produced brand new Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: weekly, 90-second tributes to people and places important to Cincinnati Black history and African...
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Dr. Lucy Orinthia Oxley – Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts
We at Urbanist Media (and the Urban Roots podcast) are excited to have, yet again, celebrated Juneteenth with Cincinnati Public Radio. This year, we produced brand new Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: weekly, 90-second tributes to people and places important to Cincinnati Black history and African...
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Jennie Davis Porter – Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts
We at Urbanist Media (and the Urban Roots podcast) are excited to have, yet again, celebrated Juneteenth with Cincinnati Public Radio. This year, we produced brand new Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: weekly, 90-second tributes to people and places important to Cincinnati Black history and...
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Robert S. Duncanson - Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts
We at Urbanist Media (and the Urban Roots podcast) are excited to have, yet again, celebrated Juneteenth with Cincinnati Public Radio. This year, we produced brand new Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: weekly, 90-second tributes to people and places important to Cincinnati Black history and…
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BONUS: Architects Who Opened Doors w/ Michael Burson and David Kirk
In this episode of the Urban Roots podcast, host Deqah Hussein-Wetzel sits down with two accomplished Cincinnati-based Black architects—David Kirk, President and CEO of DNK Architects, and Michael Burson, a longtime (now retired) architect who has worked extensively with Cincinnati Public…
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BONUS: Building Little Saigon w/ Erica Allen-Kim
In this bonus episode, Deqah and Vanessa have a much-needed conversation with Erica Allen-Kim about her new—must-read—book, Building Little Saigon: Refugee Urbanism in American Cities and Suburbs, about Vietnamese American-built landscapes and cultural heritage. In this interview, Deqah and…
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BONUS: Making Noise With No Money: The Decay Devils
Deqah and Vanessa chat with Lori Gonzalez and Tyrell Anderson from the Decay Devils, an organization that started as a group of friends in Gary, Indiana who loved playing in abandoned buildings. They then started making some noise—posting on Instagram, starting a nonprofit, organizing community...
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Carolyn Cortner Smith
Throughout its history, Decatur, Alabama has produced a number of unapologetically bold, creative, and “difficult” women who weren’t afraid to break the mold. In this episode, we’ll tell you the story of one of them: Carolyn Cortner Smith, believed to be the first licensed female architect in the...
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First Missionary Baptist Church
The city of Decatur, Alabama is home to many historic Black churches, including one with a particularly rich history: First Missionary Baptist Church, in Old Town, the city’s predominantly Black neighborhood. Designed by one of the first African American architects, Wallace Rayfield, the church…
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Ohio River to Freedom: New Richmond
Today New Richmond is a charming town along the Ohio River with a relatively tiny Black population. But for a moment in time in the 19th century, it was not only a hotspot of abolitionist activity, it was also home to a vibrant Black community. How did that happen? And why are there so few Black...
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Ohio River to Freedom: Ripley
Black Underground Railroad agents lived perilous lives. Because they could be killed or jailed for their work, they hid any and all evidence of their activities. So, today, historical records of their efforts are rare. Luckily, however, historians in the town of Ripley, Ohio have not only…
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BONUS: Preservation for the People w/ Dr. Kwesi Daniels
HAPPY PRESERVATION MONTH! To celebrate, we wanted to share with you a new podcast that we think you’ll love: Preservation for the People brought to you by The Black Art Conservators (BAC) and produced by Urbanist Media! In their first episode, Kayla Henry-Griffin and Nylah Byrd talk to Dr. Kwesi...
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BONUS: Justin Garrett Moore on Humanities in Place
EXCITING NEWS…Season 3 is coming soon! If you’re not subscribed to our podcast or our newsletter, please do so now! You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. That way, you’ll know immediately when a new episode drops. Today we have a high-energy conversation with Justin Garrett Moore,...
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BONUS: Moving at the Speed of Trust (w/ Zahra Ebrahim)
Housekeeping first! Please give to our GoFundMe Campaign – we need your help to earn $5,000 by December 31: https://www.gofundme.com/f/urbanistmedia We’re also up for an Anthem Community Voice Award! Vote for us (Sign in and click “Celebrate”) by December 21! Now our amazing guest: Zahra Ebrahim,...
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BONUS: Rukaiyah Adams on Reimagining Community Wealth
Today, pod squad, you’re in for a treat: Rukaiyah Adams is one of our favorite, most inspiring people on the planet. Rukaiyah had a long, successful career in investment banking before she moved back home to Portland, Oregon and joined the board of the Albina Vision Trust, an organization…
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Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: Marian Spencer
To celebrate Juneteenth, Urbanist Media's Urban Roots podcast has partnered with Cincinnati Public Radio (WVXU) to bring you Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: weekly, 90-second tributes to people and places important to Cincinnati’s African American history. Today, for our last short, we feature...
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Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: Union Baptist Cemetery
To celebrate Juneteenth, Urbanist Media's Urban Roots podcast has partnered with Cincinnati Public Radio (WVXU) to bring you Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: weekly, 90-second tributes to people and places important to Cincinnati’s African American history. Today, we’re highlighting Union Baptist...
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Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: Sarah Fossett
To celebrate Juneteenth, Urbanist Media's Urban Roots podcast has partnered with Cincinnati Public Radio (WVXU) to bring you Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: weekly, 90-second tributes to people and places important to Cincinnati’s African American history. Today, we’re highlighting Sarah Fossett,...
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Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: Intersectionality at the Cotton Club
To celebrate Juneteenth, Urbanist Media's Urban Roots podcast has partnered with Cincinnati Public Radio (WVXU) to bring you Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: weekly, 90-second tributes to people and places important to Cincinnati’s African American history. Today, we’re highlighting the Cotton Club...
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Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts: Regal Theatre
This year, Urbanist Media's Urban Roots podcast partnered with Cincinnati Public Radio (WVXU) to celebrate Juneteenth! Juneteenth Cincinnati Shorts are weekly, 90 second tributes to people and places important in our region’s African American history. This first one is all about the historic…
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TRAILER: The Lost City of Vanport
Located between Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon, Vanport was a temporary wartime housing project built in 1942 to support the workers of the Kaiser shipyards. Working class people of African, Japanese, European, and Indigenous descent came for its well-paying jobs and affordable…
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BONUS: Brent Leggs on Raising Millions for Black Heritage
Today on the pod, we have a conversation with one of the biggest contributors to African American Preservation alive today... Brent Leggs! If you’re in historic preservation – or a similar field– you probably heard of Brent. But for those of you who haven’t — Brent is a Senior Vice President at…
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BONUS: Revitalizing Urban Main Streets
Happy April Fool's...but it's no April fools here...today, we’re 100% introducing you to two boss women doing dope work with Main Street America revitalizing urban main streets across America: Dionne Baux, the Vice President of Urban Development, and Amanda Elliot, Senior Program Officer and...
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BONUS: Preservation Through Podcasting
The tables are turned! Your hosts, Deqah and Vanessa, were recently interviewed by Nicholas Sikellis for his podcast, The Intangible, for a conversation that got into both their backgrounds and their unique perspectives on historic preservation — as well as their passion for the more...
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BONUS: Supporting Resilient Communities in Texas
Today, we’re introducing you to two all-star women we met at HAANDS — the Historic African American Neighborhood and District Summit — who are doing great work in Texas. First up, Tanya Debose, a fourth-generation Houstonian, the Executive Director of the Independence Heights Redevelopment…
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BONUS: Preserving Black Heritage in L.A.
Rita Cofield is an associate project specialist working on the Los Angeles African American Historic Places (LAAAHP) at the Getty Conservation Institute. Deqah first met Rita virtually on a National Trust panel on preservation podcasting, and Vanessa was connected to Rita by LA Principal City...
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BONUS: Forging a Path for Preservation-Based Economic Development
Lejuano Varnell is the co-founder of the Historic African American Neighborhood and District Summit, HAANDS, and the executive director of Sweet Auburn Works, which does preservation-based economic development along the historic Auburn Avenue corridor in Atlanta. We met Lejuano when we were in...
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BONUS: Reflecting on HAANDS and the future of our pod
We’re back from the Historic African American Neighborhood and District Summit (HAANDS) and we’re still buzzing! Deqah and Vanessa discuss the many things they learned about preservation-based economic development — and gush over the great people they met who are working to help their communities...
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BONUS: Bringing "HAANDS" Together to Preserve Black Neighborhoods
Elijah Davis is the co-founder of the Historic African American Neighborhood and District Summit, HAANDS, for short. HAANDS brings together professionals in historic preservation and storytelling, economic development and entrepreneurship, and community organizing to share ideas about what can be...
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BONUS: Institutional Investors & Housing
As you may remember, our first season explored the history of three African American neighborhoods in Cincinnati. We explored the times when those neighborhoods were thriving — and when disinvestment instigated many of the socio-economic challenges these communities continue to face today. But…
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BONUS: Vishaan Chakrabarti on Community Preservation
We’re trying something new: bringing you bonus content to keep Urban Roots in your feeds (and hearts?) between seasons! First up is a fascinating conversation with Vishaan Chakrabarti, the co-founder and creative director of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism. Vishaan, who has years of...
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Black Indy Part 2: Reclaiming Indianapolis' Black History
In the 1950s and 1960s, Ms. Jean Spears was a young mother and burgeoning preservationist. She saved antiques from houses about to be demolished; she bought a home in a white slum and renovated it; later on, she did the same with a historic home in the black neighborhood near Indiana Avenue. In…
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Black Indy Part 1: Madam C.J. Walker and the Rise and Fall of Indiana Avenue
Madam C.J. Walker was a brilliant entrepreneur who built a haircare empire and became the first African American woman millionaire. You might have heard about her, but not many people know that her headquarters used to be located in Indianapolis, along a once vibrant Black corridor called Indiana...
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Remembering Biddy Mason Part 2: Building Black L.A.
In our previous episode, we told you the first half of Biddy Mason’s remarkable story: how she was born into slavery in Mississippi, earned her freedom in one of the largest freedom suits in American history, and went on to become one of Los Angeles’ most well-respected healers. Today, in the...
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Remembering Biddy Mason Part 1: Long Road to Freedom
In the spring of 2013, Laura Voisin George was in the reading room at the Huntington library when she came across a historical detail that struck her as … unusual. At the time, Laura was a PhD candidate studying one of California's first surgeons. While perusing a series of articles, she…
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Unearthing Black History in Brooklyn: Green-Wood Cemetery’s Freedom Lots
Founded in 1838, Green-Wood Cemetery is one of the earliest (and most famous) rural cemeteries in America. Its grandiose, park-like setting is scattered with notable burial sites and architectural masterpieces. But, in our interviews with Green-Wood staff members (Neela Wickremesinghe, Jeff...
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Season 2 Teaser
Welcome back, folks! We hope you’re ready for another season of Urban Roots because Season 2 is coming soon – Juneteenth (June 19th) to be exact. Please join us on an urban journey as we explore hidden African American history in cities across the country. Join us in Brooklyn, New York where we...
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South Cumminsville: For the Love of the Neighborhood
In this episode, the final of our Lost Voices of Cincinnati series*, we’re exploring the history of South Cumminsville, a neighborhood that, like many Black neighborhoods in Cincinnati, has been divided and diminished by top-down urban planning decisions and years of disinvestment. But it’s also…
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Avondale: It Takes a Village
In this episode, the third of our Lost Voices of Cincinnati series*, we’re exploring the history of Avondale, a neighborhood that experienced a different kind of white flight and is still recovering from transformative events that occurred during the mid-century such as race riots and housing...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Urban Roots is the award-winning podcast that preserves place through story. Hosted by Deqah and published by Urbanist Media, 501c3.
HOSTED BY
Deqah x Urbanist Media
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Urban Roots have?
Urban Roots currently has 50 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Urban Roots about?
Urban Roots is the award-winning podcast that preserves place through story. Hosted by Deqah and published by Urbanist Media, 501c3.
How often does Urban Roots release new episodes?
Urban Roots has 50 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Urban Roots?
You can listen to Urban Roots on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Urban Roots?
Urban Roots is created and hosted by Deqah x Urbanist Media.
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