History doesn't disappear all at once. It disappears one story at a time.

For more than 50 years, Dr. W. Marvin Dulaney has dedicated his life to preserving African American history from Black Dallas and Texas to the people, places, institutions, and stories that helped shape America.

In this episode of Making Black History Today, Liz and Porter sit down with the historian, scholar, educator, author, and preservationist to talk about what happens when history isn't documented—and why preserving the memories of our elders can't wait.

2026 also marks an important anniversary: 100 years since Dr. Carter G. Woodson established Negro History Week in 1926, laying the foundation for what would eventually become Black History Month.

Dr. Dulaney would later serve as president of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the organization Woodson founded.

In this conversation, we explore:

→ Dr. Dulaney's journey into African American history→ The Black Dallas history hiding in plain sight→ The stories we've already lost and those still waiting to be uncovered→ The importance of the African American Museum, Dallas→ Dr. Carter G. Woodson and 100 years of preserving Black history→ Why documenting the stories of our elders is urgent→ Freedom Schools and teaching Black history to the next generation→ The responsibility we all share to document the history happening around us

But this conversation isn't only about looking backward.

It's about what we choose to carry forward.

Dr. Dulaney has spent more than five decades helping preserve the history that came before us. Making Black History Today is documenting the history unfolding around us now.

Different generations. Different methods. The same responsibility.

Because somebody has to keep the archive.

Somebody has to identify the people in the photograph.

Somebody has to interview the elder.

And somebody has to make sure one more story makes it into the record before it disappears.

What history are you living right now that you worry future generations might forget?

Follow Making Black History Today on Spotify and share this episode with someone who believes our stories deserve to be preserved.

Making Black History Today is the digital archive of today's history-makers, documenting today's history for tomorrow.

New episodes every other Thursday.

Making Black History today.

"Travel teaches you something powerful...you realize how much we are all the same." — Ambassador Ron Kirk

Former Dallas Mayor and U.S. Trade Representative under President Barack Obama, Ambassador Ron Kirk reflects on the leadership lessons, relationships, and life experiences that shaped one of America's most respected public servants.

This isn't a résumé recap.

In this exclusive conversation with Liz and Porter, Ambassador Kirk shares what growing up in East Austin taught him, the influence of former Governor Ann Richards, the wisdom of his ancestors, the mistakes that became his greatest teachers, and why he believes, "We Are American History. Period."

Whether you're a student, a young professional, or simply looking to grow as a leader, this conversation offers timeless lessons on purpose, service, and building relationships that matter.

Hosted by Liz & Porter on Making Black History Today, Dallas's premier podcast documenting today's history makers for tomorrow.

New episodes every other Thursday.

🌐 www.makingblackhistorytoday.com

📩 impact@makingblackhistorytoday.com

Wall Street has historically shut its doors to Black women, so right here in Dallas, two founders built their own.

This week on Making Black History Today, hosts Liz & Porter sit down with LaToya Gooden and JaCoi Pugh, the creators of Black Women's Wall Street. Together, they break down what it actually takes to invest while Black, push past the barriers still built into corporate finance, and turn community into generational wealth.

This isn't a corporate success story. It's an unfiltered look at what it takes to build something that brings Black women entrepreneurs, business owners, and community leaders together to create ownership and lasting impact.

In this episode, you'll hear:

- How Black Women's Wall Street grew from a local idea into a movement

- The barriers Black women entrepreneurs still face—and how they're overcoming them

- Why building wealth together creates more impact than doing it alone

- The role of strategic relationships and mentorship in growing a business

- Why ownership is essential to closing the racial wealth gap

- What legacy means when you're building something designed to outlive you

Whether you're an entrepreneur, a professional, a community leader, or

someone building toward a stronger financial future—this one's for you.

If this episode inspired you, hit the [+] FOLLOW button and save this episode to your library so you never miss a moment of history being made. Share this with someone building a business, a legacy, or

their own future today.

Making Black History Today is Dallas's premier podcast documenting the leaders, entrepreneurs, creatives, and change-makers shaping Black history in real time. New episodes every other Thursday.

Hosted by Liz & Porter | Recorded in Dallas, Texas

Can music heal a city? Can faith create common ground? And what happens when people choose unity over division?

In this episode of Making Black History Today, Pastor Richie Butler, founder and CEO of Project Unity, joins internationally acclaimed conductor Maestro Leon Lacey for a conversation about leadership, community, and the power of music to bring people together.

Pastor Richie Butler shares the story behind Project Unity, the Dallas-based organization dedicated to building trust, strengthening relationships, and creating meaningful dialogue across communities. Maestro Leon Lacey reflects on a career that has taken him around the world, including conducting for Beyoncé in Dubai, while explaining why some of his most meaningful work continues to happen right here in Dallas through Together We Sing.

Together, they discuss how faith, collaboration, and servant leadership can help heal divided communities, why honest conversations matter, and how music often communicates what words cannot.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why Pastor Richie Butler founded Project Unity
• How Together We Sing became one of Dallas' most powerful movements for unity
• Maestro Leon Lacey's journey from the international stage to leading music that transforms communities
• How faith and servant leadership build trust across differences
• Why collaboration is essential for creating lasting change
• What it means to make Black history today in Dallas

Whether you're passionate about leadership, community development, faith, music, or the future of Dallas, this conversation offers practical wisdom and hope for anyone who believes stronger communities begin with understanding.

Making Black History Today is Dallas' premier podcast and the digital archive of Dallas's current Black history makers. Hosted by Liz and Porter, each episode features conversations with the leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, artists, faith leaders, and change-makers shaping the future of Dallas while preserving its history for generations to come.

Follow Making Black History Today on Spotify for new episodes every other Thursday featuring the people making Black history today across Dallas.

For years, the Forest Theater stood empty.

A historic landmark. A cultural icon. A reminder of what once was.

Many people accepted that story.

Elizabeth Wattley did not.

In this Season II premiere of Making Black History Today, the President and CEO of Forest Forward joins us to discuss the effort to bring one of South Dallas' most important landmarks back to life and why the work is about much more than a building.

It's about history.

It's about community.

It's about who gets remembered and who gets left behind.

From the future of the Forest Theater to the future of South Dallas, Elizabeth shares the vision, challenges, and leadership lessons behind one of the city's most significant revitalization efforts.

If you've ever wondered what it takes to preserve history while creating opportunity for the next generation, this conversation is for you.

Topics include community development, historic preservation, leadership, economic opportunity, South Dallas, the Forest Theater, and the power of investing in people.

Follow Making Black History Today for conversations with everyday people making an extraordinary impact.

Naomi Green shares a firsthand experience of discrimination inside a doctor’s office and what it revealed about how bias can show up in everyday healthcare interactions.

What happens when the place designed to care for you becomes the place where you feel dismissed?

In this conversation on Making Black History Today, Naomi opens up about her experience and the broader questions it raises about visibility, treatment, and how different communities are heard and believed in medical spaces and beyond.

We explore:

• A real experience of discrimination in a healthcare setting
• How bias can shape everyday interactions in medical environments
• The impact of being unheard in systems designed for care
• Why these conversations matter for equity, trust, and access

This episode is part of an ongoing series highlighting lived experiences that often go unspoken but deeply shape how people move through the world.

New episodes bi-weekly.

Follow Making Black History Today for conversations with changemakers, leaders, and voices shaping culture, history, and impact.

In this special "BONUS" episode of Making Black History Today, we sit down with Maryum “May May” Ali, author, advocate, playwright, and the eldest daughter of Muhammad Ali.

Maryum shares what it was really like growing up with one of the most iconic athletes in history, the lessons her father taught her about service and humanity, and why her new one-woman play, FLOAT, premiering in Dallas May 27–June 7, is deeply personal.

This conversation explores legacy, Black history, storytelling, purpose, and creating positive impact beyond a famous last name. If you love powerful interviews, cultural conversations, and inspiring stories, this episode is for you.

Follow Making Black History Today on Spotify, save this episode, and share it with someone who believes legacy is built through purpose, impact, and storytelling.

In this episode of Making Black History Today, Dallas ISD Trustee Ed Turner and educator Nakia Douglas discuss what that means for students, schools, mentorship, discipline, leadership, and the future of public education.

Why are so few Black men entering education?

What happens when students never see themselves reflected in positions of authority and mentorship?

And are we paying enough attention to the growing challenges facing students today?

This conversation explores:
• Economics impact on education
• Representation in schools
• The realities facing today’s students
• Public education in Dallas
• Mentorship, accountability, and leadership

Hosted by Liz & Porter, Making Black History Today highlights the voices shaping culture, community, and legacy in real time.

Follow, rate, and share the podcast to help amplify these conversations.

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