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
Today, Shelley shares a very special interview from 1991 with the one-and-only Fred Shuttlesworth.
Reverend Shuttlesworth co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and was instrumental in the 1963 Birmingham Campaign with Martin Luther King.
Shuttlesworth participated in the sit-ins against segregated lunch counters in 1960 and took part in the organization and execution of the Freedom Rides in 1961. Shuttlesworth invit...
This week’s episode draws on an interview from 1991 with playwright Edward McRay.
He goes deep into the finer points of African culture, history, and the limits of the American educational system. Cultures must share their histories to increase understanding.
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Today we have a very special edition of Shelley’s Plumbline.
In 2002, Shelley visited two prisons in Alabama and spoke with inmates about their stories and turned it into the documentary Inside Out. And those stories speak for themselves. They are powerful. They are moving. They are profound. Stay tuned.
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Hello, Plumbliners, and welcome to Season 6 of Shelley’s Plumbline.
Shelley and I have been talking about changing the format of the Plumbline for some time, so we thought today we would give that a try.
We call this format The Back Porch. Think of it as “Shelley Unplugged.”
Today, Shelley and I are going to discuss instinct and the inner voice that guides us through our lives.
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So here we are – another major election is just half a year away.
Today’s podcast features a show from 1996. Stay tuned as Shelley explores the questions that remain the same then as they are today: What do you believe? Who do you support? Who will you vote for?
Your vote is your voice. If you do not speak, someone else will.
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Today Shelley celebrates National Women’s Month with some personal reflections on the strong women he has known in his life, from his mother Mattie C whom he saw murdered when he was five years old, to Oprah and Kamala Harris. Stay tuned as we celebrate the power of women.
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Hey, Plumbliners…
Shelley has been in the hospital the past couple of weeks, so he asked me to rebroadcast a previous episode. I looked back in the archives at one of my favorites. It’s from episode 5 of season 1 and it features an interview with attorney Rodney Max discussing Hate Crimes. Please enjoy. And if you’re so inclined send your thoughts and prayers toShelley at shelley@shelleysplumbline.com
As we come to the end of Black History Month, Shelley looks back on the last three episodes and shares his personal insights on the overt and not so overt signs that racism are still evident in America today.
Stay tuned as the plumbline seeks the truth.
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Today we continue telling more stories of Black history, as we share an excerpt from the recording, “Remembering Slavery: African Americans Talk About Their Personal Experiences of Slavery and Emancipation,” published by The New Press, in conjunction with the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution. Stay tuned and you’ll hear the words of actual slaves performed by well-known actors.
Hey, Plumbliners. Before we begin with this week’s episode, we’d like to thank you for the emails!
We received an email from a teacher in Washington state. She says, … My class has been learning about the Children's March recently, and one student asked whatever happened to Shelley the Playboy after watching the documentary "Mighty Times." That led us to some internet research, which led to finding this podcast and we...
Here at the beginning of Black History Month, we welcome you to season 5 of Shelley’s Plumbline. Since it is Black History Month, Shelley and I did some research. According to a recent article in Axios, “…lawmakers in 30 states have proposed new restrictions during the past year on what schools can teach about the nation's racial history…”
According to the74million.org ...18 (states) have passed laws restricting or banning the...
Today we bring Season 4 to an end as we shine the spotlight on the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. James was a controversial character to be sure, but he became good friends with Shelley and always admired Shelley’s belief in the power of education.
When James released the song Don’t Be A Dropout, he couldn’t wait to play it for Shelley and Shelley was one of the first to broadcast it on the air.
Since Shelley was a DJ and radio personality, he was instrumental in helping grow the careers of numerous well-known talented singers and musicians. During Season 4 we have covered stories about many of these musical giants who started as business associates of Shelley’s and blossomed into deep friendships.
We shared stories about BB King, Sam Cooke, and Johnnie Taylor. In episode 3, we talked about how Ray Charles drove a bus aroun...
On today’s episode we continue sharing stories from Shelley’s fascinating life in music as he tells us about his personal and professional relationship with Otis Redding.
Otis was a chauffeur for another band when he was discovered during a break at the recording studio in Muscle Shoals. Shelley was fortunate enough to be the first DJ to play Otis’s first recording on the air.
Their friendship grew, and Shelley left Radio for a while...
Hey Plumbliners. The theme of Season 4 has been about Shelley’s life in music. But this week, to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, we’re going to rebroadcast our podcast from Season 1 on Hosea Williams. Hosea Williams was a very close friend and associate of Dr King and was instrumental in organizing the Movement. Please enjoy this special episode.
Dr. King's legacy inspired generations of activists and l...
On December 1, 2023, Shelley received the Rosa Parks Day Award for Leadership, Commitment to Civil Rights, Voting Rights, and Civic Service.
Rosa Parks Day is December 1st because that was the day, in 1955, when Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus.
In today’s podcast, Shelley reflects on the award and on his own notoriety.
Rosa had heard the story of a black boy who had moved the plank dividing...
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