Stayed On Freedom

Hosted by Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium

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Apr 2026

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April 15, 202623 min

Episode: 20: "Beginning Again..." | Stayed on Freedom Podcast

In this episode, we visit Brown Chapel AME Church, a historic cornerstone of the Civil Rights Movement, as it reopens its sanctuary after being closed since the COVID-19 pandemic. Once a central gathering place for organizers during the Selma voting rights campaigns, the church now stands in a new chapter — one of restoration and renewal.We explore the progress made in rebuilding the sanctuary, reflecting on the church’s enduring legacy while celebrating the community’s commitment to preserving it for future generations. Through this moment of reopening, the episode highlights both how far the restoration has come and what still remains to be done, inviting support to help bring the project to full completion. It’s a story of resilience, history, and the ongoing effort to protect a sacred space that has long been a beacon for justice.

December 30, 202516 min

Stayed on Freedom Podcast Best Moments of 2025!

The Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium “Stayed On Freedom” podcast engages foot soldiers, leaders, scholars and ‘extraordinary ordinary’ people who are “stayed on freedom.” We remember to remember how the history and continuing legacy of the Black freedom movement and our Civil Rights Heritage Sites have transformed communities and changed the world!The views and opinions expressed are those of the podcast hosts, guests and participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium.Donate to the Consortium⁠ ⁠⁠https://aaacrhsc.org/donate/Explore the podcast

December 20, 2025Episode 1824 min

Episode 18: "Sitting Down and Standing Up"

This episode tells the powerful story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the year-long protest that began in Montgomery, Alabama after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated city bus in December 1955. What started as a one-day boycott organized by local activists quickly grew into a sustained movement, with thousands of Black residents walking, carpooling, and organizing alternative transportation rather than riding the segregated buses. Under the leadership of a young Martin Luther King Jr. and the Montgomery Improvement Association, the boycott endured for 381 days, facing intimidation, violence, and economic pressure — all while maintaining nonviolent discipline. The episode explores how this grassroots protest culminated in a federal court and Supreme Court decision that struck down segregation on public buses and helped launch King’s national leadership within the Civil Rights Movement.Made possible with the support of the 1772 Foundation.The Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium “Stayed On Freedom” podcast engages foot soldiers, leaders, scholars and ‘extraordinary ordinary’ people who are “stayed on freedom.” We remember to remember how the history and continuing legacy of the Black freedom movement and our Civil Rights Heritage Sites have transformed communities and changed the world!The views and opinions expressed are those of the podcast hosts, guests and participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium.GIVE TODAY!⁠https://secure.qgiv.com/for/aaacrhsc/

November 16, 202553 min

Episode 17: What's Louder Than A Bomb?

In this episode, we sit down with Mick Petts, son of Welsh stained-glass artist John Petts, to explore the story and significance of the Wales Window at 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. The conversation takes us through how the 1963 bombing of the church, which killed four young girls, spurred a global response — particularly from Wales — and how John Petts designed the window as both a tribute and a gesture of solidarity. We dig into the window’s symbolic imagery (a Black Christ figure, arms outstretched, pushing away hatred while offering compassion) and hear from Mick about the artistic process, his father’s intentions, and the legacy the window carries in the ongoing struggle for racial justice.Made possible with the support of the 1772 Foundation.The Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium “Stayed On Freedom” podcast engages foot soldiers, leaders, scholars and ‘extraordinary ordinary’ people who are “stayed on freedom.” We remember to remember how the history and continuing legacy of the Black freedom movement and our Civil Rights Heritage Sites have transformed communities and changed the world!The views and opinions expressed are those of the podcast hosts, guests and participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium.GIVE TODAY!⁠https://secure.qgiv.com/for/aaacrhsc/Explore the podcast

September 19, 202532 min

Episode 16: "The Power and The Peril of a Mass Meeting"

This episode of Stayed On Freedom recounts the tragic stampede at Greater Shiloh Baptist Church in Birmingham in 1902, when a mass meeting turned deadly. It explores how the gathering, meant to be a moment of collective power and unity, descended into chaos, leading to panic and loss of life. The episode reflects on both the power of mass meetings in shaping movements and the peril they carried, especially in a segregated South where large gatherings of Black people were seen as both inspiring and threatening.

July 7, 202530 min

Episode 15: "Hatred, Holy Places & Heroes" | Stayed on Freedom

History lives in the voices of those who lived it.In 1958, a young janitor named James Pruitt helped prevent what could have been a deadly bombing at Birmingham’s Temple Beth-El. His story—once untold—is now being preserved thanks to an oral history initiative led by our very own Executive Director, Lukata Mjumbe.This powerful interview, conducted as part of the Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium’s Evidence of Things Not Seen project, was recently featured in The Washington Post. But this vital work is now under threat—federal cuts have jeopardized the future of our oral history and youth programs, including the exhibit planned to mark the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.Made possible with the support of the 1772 Foundation.The Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium “Stayed On Freedom” podcast engages foot soldiers, leaders, scholars and ‘extraordinary ordinary’ people who are “stayed on freedom.” We remember to remember how the history and continuing legacy of the Black freedom movement and our Civil Rights Heritage Sites have transformed communities and changed the world!The views and opinions expressed are those of the podcast hosts, guests and participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium.Donate to the Consortium⁠ ⁠⁠https://aaacrhsc.org/donate/Explore the podcast

June 7, 202523 min

Episode 14: "Justice Delayed: The Legacy of the Scottsboro Boys"

Made possible with the support of the 1772 Foundation.The Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium “Stayed On Freedom” podcast engages foot soldiers, leaders, scholars and ‘extraordinary ordinary’ people who are “stayed on freedom.” We remember to remember how the history and continuing legacy of the Black freedom movement and our Civil Rights Heritage Sites have transformed communities and changed the world!The views and opinions expressed are those of the podcast hosts, guests and participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium.Donate to the Consortium⁠ ⁠⁠https://aaacrhsc.org/donate/Explore the podcast

April 16, 202550 min

Episode 13: "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"

In this episode of the Stayed on Freedom podcast, we explore Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s powerful "Letter from a Birmingham Jail."Written in 1963, this letter is both a moral defense of civil disobedience and a passionate response to critics of the Civil Rights Movement. We unpack its historical context, its timeless relevance, and the lessons it offers for today’s struggles for justice.Speakers in order of appearance:1.Lukata Mjumbe, Executive Director of the Alabama African-American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium (AAACRHSC)2.Barry McNealy, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute3.Jayla Poe, Old Sardis Baptist Church4.Lynn Douglas, St. Paul United Methodist Church5.Adrienne Reynolds, Old Sardis Baptist Church6.Margaret Norman, Temple Beth-El7.Reverend Thomas Wilder, The Historic Bethel Baptist Church8.Lexi Coleman, Birmingham Regional Organizer of AAACRHSC9.Reverend Marian Royston, St. Paul United Methodist Church10.Ken King, Preserving Black Churches Project Director of AAACRHSC11.Rachael Hicks, Gateway Youth Intern of AAACRHSC12.Dr. Terrence Brown, JEFCOED Director of Arts Education13.Jessica O'Connor, Public History Director of AAACRHSCMade possible with the support of the 1772 Foundation.

March 14, 202522 min

Episode 12: "The Bloody Tuesday Before Bloody Sunday"

🎙️ “The Bloody Tuesday Before Bloody Sunday” – Premiering Friday, March 14th on the Stayed On Freedom podcast!Before Bloody Sunday in Selma, there was Bloody Tuesday in Tuscaloosa. On June 9, 1964, courageous foot soldiers marched for justice—only to face brutal resistance. In this episode, we hear directly from those who were there, sharing their firsthand experiences of a pivotal yet often overlooked moment in the fight for civil rights.📢 Don’t miss this powerful conversation on the resilience of a movement that changed the world.📌 Listen wherever you get your podcasts!#StayedOnFreedom #BloodyTuesday #CivilRightsHistory #AAACRHSC #PreserveHistory #FootSoldiers #Tuscaloosa #BlackHistory #BloodySunday

February 21, 202542 min

Episode 11: Remembering Selma, the “Field Negro” and The Legacy of Malcolm X

Today (2/21/25) marks the 60th anniversary of Malcolm X’s assassination, we honor his legacy with a powerful conversation featuring his daughter, Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz. In a special episode of our Stayed on Freedom podcast, “Remembering Selma, the ‘Field Negro,’ and the Legacy of Malcolm X,” we reflect on his impact, his teachings, and the fight for justice that continues today.Made possible with the support of the 1772 Foundation.The Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium “Stayed On Freedom” podcast engages foot soldiers, leaders, scholars and ‘extraordinary ordinary’ people who are “stayed on freedom.” We remember to remember how the history and continuing legacy of the Black freedom movement and our Civil Rights Heritage Sites have transformed communities and changed the world!The views and opinions expressed are those of the podcast hosts, guests and participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium.Donate to the Consortium⁠ ⁠⁠https://aaacrhsc.org/donate/Explore the podcast