Shelley’s Plumbline

Shelley’s Plumbline

In construction, a plumbline is a weight suspended from a string used as a tool to find the true reference line. A plumbline will always find the vertical axis pointing to the center of gravity, ensuring everything is right, justified, and centered. Pulling from a library of more than 3,000 shows from his storied career in broadcasting, Shelley's Plumbline leads us in a search for the truth, opening the channels of communication and understanding on tough social topics that are as relevant today as they were 40 years ago. Join us as we explore the past, compare it to today, and craft a better future.

Episodes

August 20, 2025 34 mins

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This week, Shelley chats once again with Dr. Ricky Jones, Professor of Pan-African Studies at the University of Louisville. Dr. Jones highlights W.E.B. Du Bois's views on broad educational access for African Americans and critiques the negative impact of integration on Black education. 

Shelley and Dr. Jones explore the historical context of Black education and media, the loss of community control, and the challen...

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August 6, 2025 36 mins

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 What’s education got to do with it? Everything. But in a system built to hold us back, education isn’t even the top concern—discrimination is. In this bold and necessary conversation, Dr. Stewart sits down with Attorney Tom Larkin to unpack the roots of educational inequality, the legacy of slavery, and the power of putting fat in the game.

 Listen to this episode of Shelley’s Plumbline—where truth, love, and agitatio...

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🔥 “People who are in control of the country because of racial stratification want to stay in control by keeping people stupid about the country’s history.” — Dr. Ricky Jones

In this compelling episode of Shelley’s Plumbline, Dr. Jones calls out the deliberate silence around slavery and America’s original sins — the genocide of Native Americans and the enslavement of Black people. He and Dr. Stewart ask the h...

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July 23, 2025 31 mins

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This week on Shelley’s Plumbline… a revelation that changes everything.

Dr. Ricky Jones has spent his life speaking truth to power. But in this episode, he shares a truth of his own—one that’s raw, personal, and decades in the making.

For the first time publicly, Ricky reveals the identity of his father.
That man… is Dr. Shelley Stewart.

Yes—our Shelley.
Human Rights icon. Radio lege...

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July 9, 2025 31 mins

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May 28, 2025 29 mins

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May 27, 2025 32 mins

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May 21, 2025 33 mins

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May 7, 2025 32 mins

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Dr. King's legacy inspired generations of activists and leaders, and his contributions continue to be recognized and celebrated today as a beacon of hope and progress. But Dr. King had a premonition about his death, and he warned the members of his inner circle to beware of the tactics external forces would use to break the movement apart after he was gone.

In today's episode, Shalley takes another look at hi...

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April 30, 2025 38 mins

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April 29 is a special day in Shelley's life. It is the birthday of his younger brother, Sam. Join us as Shelley shares an interview from 1994 with his brother Sam, just two weeks before his passing.

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April 23, 2025 34 mins

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April 16, 2025 34 mins

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