Paris speaks with renowned historian and public intellectual Henry Louis Gates Jr. about race, identity, and how history continues to shape American life. Gates challenges long‑held assumptions about Blackness, explaining why race is not a biological fact but a social construct rooted in power and history. Drawing on genetic ancestry research, he unpacks what DNA reveals about African American identity, including the lasting impact of slavery and racial hierarchy. The conversation also surfaces often‑erased stories of Black and Indigenous people in early American history, particularly during the Revolutionary War, and examines why these narratives remain contested today amid debates over education and memory.

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Paris sits down with acclaimed astrophysicist and NOVA’s Particles of Thought host Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi for a wide‑ranging, thought‑provoking conversation that bridges cutting‑edge science, identity, and purpose. Drawing from his new book, Why Do We Exist?: The Nine Realms of Universe that Make You Possible, Dr. Oluseyi unpacks the hidden layers of the cosmos, from subatomic particles to the vast structure of space‑time and connects them to the very real question of who gets to participate in these discoveries. Together, Paris and Hakeem explore why making science accessible to Black communities matters, how representation in academic and scientific spaces can reshape what young people imagine as possible, and why seeing yourself reflected in the pursuit of knowledge is essential to expanding our collective understanding of the universe and our place within it.

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Four months after the capture of Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro, debates over corruption and authoritarianism have dominated headlines. On Rooted, scholars Dr. Layla Brown, Dr. Tony Van Der Meer, and Yvette Modestin look deeper examining the Bolivarian Movement’s roots, its central relationship to Afro‑Venezuelan identity, and the long U.S. tradition of intervening when Black‑led movements reshape power across Latin America.

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In this episode of Rooted, we ask what it really means to make jazz now. From Boston jazz clubs and basement jam sessions to TikTok lives and global stages, Grammy-nominated saxophonist Godwin Louis breaks down how jazz continues to evolve across generations, cultures, and continents.

We explore jazz’s deep roots in Black American history, its ties to the African diaspora, and why America so often waits decades to celebrate Black innovation. If jazz was born from resistance, community, and improvisation—what does that look like in 2026?

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Rooted digs into reality TV accountability, revisiting America’s Next Top Model through a critical lens that centers Black women and power. Our panel unpacks the now‑iconic “We were all rooting for you!” moment, how a new documentary reframes Tyra Banks and the early‑2000s modeling industry, and what accountability looks like when those traditionally marginalized are positioned as gatekeepers.

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Just days before she was fired by President Trump, Carla Hayden - the first woman and the first African American to serve as the librarian of Congress - warned about the risk of losing important parts of U.S. history. Hayden and Noelle Trent, the head of Boston's Museum of African American History, spoke with GBH News Rooted Host Paris Alston about their efforts to preserve Black history.

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Callie Crossley guest hosts Rooted in leading a panel that breaks down the biggest surprises of the 2026 Oscars, from Michael B. Jordan’s groundbreaking win and Ruth E. Carter’s historic nomination milestone to the heated debates around Teyana Taylor’s role, Paul Thomas Anderson’s sweep, and whether the new casting category can push Hollywood toward real representation—all while questioning what the Oscars' move to YouTube means for the future of film

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On Rooted, we’re unpacking the “Bluey‑to‑Baddies” pipeline—and why tween media feels impossible to find in a world drowning in YouTube algorithms and AI‑generated slop. Paris taps award‑winning animator Chaz Bottoms to break down the brutal realities of making it in cartoons, especially for creators of color. Then Genie Deez and Thy Than, showrunners of the new PBS Kids series Phoebe & Jay, join her to ask the big question: Can public media’s hand‑crafted, mission‑driven storytelling still compete with the algorithm?

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