Best Jamil Ellis Podcasts (2025)

1
Deliberate, But No Speed: How Supreme Court rulings have allowed public schools to remain segregated seventy years after Brown v. Board. 27:50

6d ago27:50

27:50

The hosts discuss how desegregation under Brown was hampered in schools by a policy of “all deliberate speed” where the speed was often zero. In contrast, and despite the fact that in large portions of the nation education is separate and unequal, the Trump administration has begun an “all speed ahead” policy of eliminating decrees which contained …

1
The Company Trump Keeps: From David Duke to The Proud Boys to Project 2025 – Intended Consequences 26:02

11M ago26:02

26:02

In this episode, the hosts discuss Project 2025 and its potential impact in a Donald Trump administration. Heritage Foundation and Trump https://www.heritage.org/impact/trump-administration-embraces-heritage-foundation-policy-recommendations Biden’s Judicial Appointments https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/12/04/most-of-bidens-appointed-ju…

1
Voting is a Fundamental Right: Exercise It; You’ll Make It Stronger 21:59

11M ago21:59

21:59

In this episode, the hosts begin a series of discussions on the historical significance of voting, efforts to prevent some groups from voting, and why you should exercise your right to vote even if you don’t like the choices. Do what you can, where you are, with what you have. Southern Strategy - In American politics, the Southern strategy was a Re…

1
States Rights, Legal Wrongs: A Recurring Page from the Segregationist Playbook 18:34

1+ y ago18:34

18:34

In this episode, the hosts discuss the history of invoking some form of States’ Rights theory to limit the efforts of the federal government to expand or protect the rights of persons within the United States Southern Manifesto https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Manifesto Mississippi State Sovereign Commission https://web.archive.org/web/201912…

1
Claudine Gay: The Latest Victim in the Debate over DEI, Affirmative Action, and Meritocracy 19:33

1+ y ago19:33

19:33

In this episode, the hosts discuss the controversy concerning the Resignation of Harvard president Claudine Gay.Is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion undermining merit or does it address a history of Discrimination, Exclusion, and Inequality. Claudine Gay's Resignation The Claudine Gay Debacle Was Never about Merit Claudine Gay and the Limits of Soci…

1
From Jamestown to Charlottesville: Virginia and America’s racial divide 25:38

1+ y ago25:38

25:38

In this episode, the hosts discuss the leading role that Virginia has played in the racial divide in America’s history. Home to the Founding Fathers and Capital of the Confederacy, the state has been the crucible of the ideals which built this country and the ideas which would tear it apart. Washington, DC History https://washington.org/DC-informat…

1
Holding the Line: Sandra Day O’Connor’s legacy of bringing stability to the Supreme Court by protecting its established precedents. 18:04

1+ y ago18:04

18:04

In this episode, the hosts discuss Justice O’Connor’s role as the “swing vote” as the Court addressed major fault lines in our society on issues such as abortion, affirmative action, and gender equality. Planned Parenthood v. Casey https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/505/833/ Grutter v. Bollinger https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/…

1
Black History: Never Equal; Never Protected: Up North to Indiana 29:07

1+ y ago29:07

29:07

In this episode, the hosts continue examining how specific states have addressed racial equality, Black history, and White Supremacy. In this episode, they travel outside the Deep South, and focus on the state of Indiana – Klan Capital and home of Sundown Towns. LINKS IN THIS EPISODE Links for podcast Violence in Jacksonville Florida https://www.cn…

1
Black History: Never Equal; Never Protected - First Stop: Florida 34:07

2y ago34:07

34:07

In this episode, the hosts begin a series of episodes examining how specific states have addressed the racial equality, Black history, and White Supremacy. First stop: Florida. LINKS IN THIS EPISODE Smithsonian Magazine https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/one-hundred-years-ago-four-day-race-riot-engulfed-washington-dc-180972666/ Florida Academic…

1
Colorblind Remedies for Color-Conscious Wrongs 24:27

2y ago24:27

24:27

Photo Credit : Encyclyopedia Britanica In this program, the hosts discuss the Supreme Court’s decision to forbid race-conscious affirmative action approaches to achieve diversity n higher education. The discussion contrasts Justice Roberts’ pronouncement that decisions should be color-blind with Justice Jackson’s reminder that the country has been …

1
Not in Our Stars, but in Ourselves: How The Supreme Court Undermined Its Own Reputation 36:22

2y ago36:22

36:22

Image Credit: Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States In this episode, the hosts discuss the Roberts Court’s failure to adhere to precedent and the effect this is having on the public’s confidence in the Supreme Court. Respect for precedents and the application of the principle of stare desisis provide constancy and comfort and avoids …

1
The Fire This Time: Black History Surviving in the Time of Modern-Day Book Banning 29:53

2+ y ago29:53

29:53

Photo credit: Afro.com EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss Black History and the historical use of book burning, book banning, and other methods to suppress inconvenient truths. False narratives flourish when voices remain silent are have been removed from the discussion. To download the transcript, CLICK HERE A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FRO…

1
Martin Luther King: Waiting on His Dream 25:47

2+ y ago25:47

25:47

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss why Martin Luther King should not be limited by a selection of words from the “I Have a Dream” speech delivered in 1963, and how he pointed out the failings of America, confronted those in power, and challenged them to make that dream a reality. A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE If you look at …

1
They Don’t Dare Call It Treason: Our House is Under Attack. Where’s POTUS? 27:48

2+ y ago27:48

27:48

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss the actions and inactions of Donald Trump during the January, 6 2021 attack on the Capitol and why letting it go unpunished is not a positive option. A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE Where we stand on the Trump's actions (or lack thereof) from the January 6th, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol.…

1
Whose Constitution Is It, Anyway?: Originalism vs. The Living Constitution 37:29

2+ y ago37:29

37:29

Photo by Anthony Garand on Unsplash EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss the Supreme Court’s upcoming decisions on the Constitutionality of Affirmative Action and the power of state legislatures to draw Congressional district lines without judicial review. Originalists say let’s figure out what the words used in the Constitution meant…

1
Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; A new hope for Black communities that have been divided, deprived, and denied opportunities to accumulate wealth 25:38

2+ y ago25:38

25:38

EPISODE SUMMARY The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022: A new hope for Black communities that have been divided, deprived, and denied opportunities to accumulate wealth. In this episode, the hosts discuss various policies and practices which have adversely affected Black communities and hindered the ability to build wealth. Also in the podcast are rea…

1
From Loving vs Virginia to Roe vs Wade: Who gets to decide which rights get protected for Americans 39:03

3y ago39:03

39:03

Photo Credit: NYTimes.com EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss how the Loving v. Virginia decision barred States from prohibiting marriages because of the race of the participants, and the historical problem of “letting the States decide” the reach of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Highlighting the sectional …

1
Brown vs. Board of Ed Anniversary 22:34

3y ago22:34

22:34

Photo credit: AP Images for Britannica.com EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, we're going to focus on one of the most talked about cases in Supreme Court history. On May 17 1954, in a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court held in Brown versus Board of Education, that in the field of public education, the doctrine of separate but equal had no place, a…

1
Qualified: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, JCrew, and Jim Crow: Mind Your Place 37:57

3y ago37:57

37:57

Photo above by Greg Nash, TheHill.com In this episode, the hosts discuss the unusual things said in opposition to Judge Jackson’s appointment to the Supreme Court and how it fits a historical pattern of marginalizing Black women and downplaying their accomplishments to foster notions of inferiority. To download the transcript, CLICK HERE. LINKS IN …

1
Affirmative Action: How We Got To Now 47:30

3+ y ago47:30

47:30

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss the origins of Affirmative Action and the conditions and attitudes which compelled governmental and private institutions to take steps to combat lack of progress in dismantling segregation in American life. A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE There is a lot of misunderstanding around the history …

1
Gifted and Talented Programs: So many children left behind 43:33

3+ y ago43:33

43:33

Photo Credit: Zach Vessels In this episode, the hosts discuss the gifted and talented program, specialized schools, and charter schools in the NYC school system, and how they undermine - perhaps by design - the ability and the will to ensure that every public school student receives an equal educational opportunity. To download the transcript, CLIC…

1
Don’t Bother Me With Facts; I Know Truth: Why Combatting Bias is Hard 41:41

4y ago41:41

41:41

Photo by Michael Carruth on Unsplash In this episode, the hosts discuss sociological and psychological factors which sustain our biases. Topics include Confirmation Bias; tolerance of Hate Speech; support for False Equivalents; and the Dunning-Kruger, or Lake Wobegon Effect. Confirmation Bias https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias Take an …

1
The Assault on Critical Race Theory 35:21

4y ago35:21

35:21

Photo by Tasha Jolley on Unsplash In this episode, the hosts discuss the new legislative “ad campaign” attacking the teaching of Critical Race Theory, which seeks to honestly analyze the impact of law, race, and history on American institutions. These new legal initiatives seek to outlaw curricula which make students feel uncomfortable. This may ra…

1
It wasn’t only Tulsa 24:17

4y ago24:17

24:17

Photo by Nadine Shaabana Repost of our episode on Stolen History EPISODE SUMMARY America has historically had a short attention span when it comes to racial inequality. There has been a tendency to get riled up over episodes of intolerable racism, but (1) allowing the righteous indignation to fade over time, and (2) ignoring the everyday denials of…

1
Technology and Justice: Medicine and algorithms 44:37

4y ago44:37

44:37

Photo by Obi - @pixel6propix on Unsplash In this episode, the hosts discuss the nation’s history of medical experimentation, false beliefs about racial differences, and racial disparities in health care which have negatively impacted Black communities and led to significant gaps in life outcomes. Incorporating algorithms into the equation would ins…

1
Technology and Justice: Algorithmic Dangers in Facial Recognition, Jobs, and Education 40:44

4y ago40:44

40:44

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash In this episode, the hosts continue their discussion on the pitfalls at the intersection of technology and justice, including the use of facial recognition software which doesn’t recognize Black faces and the story of a teacher lauded by human observers but targeted for termination by a still undisclosed algorithm…

1
Technology and Justice - Embedding our past in our future 36:15

4y ago36:15

36:15

In this episode, the hosts begin the discussion on the increasing use of mathematical algorithms to crunch Big Data to predict future outcomes. This data, however, includes societal biases and embed our flawed past into our future lives. Today: Criminal Justice and the self-fulfilling prophecy of who is a risk to society. LINKS IN THIS EPISODE Foll…

1
For the People Act of 2021 25:25

4y ago25:25

25:25

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss the HR 1: For the People Act of 2021 and its provisions to make voting safe , simple, and secure for all citizens. At the same time, efforts in more than forty states to place even more roadblocks on exercising the franchise highlight the need for Congressional action. LINKS IN THIS EPISODE Follow …

1
The role of our government representatives 33:33

4+ y ago33:33

33:33

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss philosophies about the interplay of loyalty to “constituents” and the role of conscience for elected officials. In the context of impeachment, they ask whether senators appropriately followed their oaths both as senators and as impeachment jurors to support and defend the Constitution – and the Nat…

1
The Capital riot and social justice protests 29:33

4+ y ago29:33

29:33

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss the stark contrast between the preparation for the Black Lives Matter protest in June 2020 and that for the Insurrection on January 6, 2021. This difference has its historical roots in unfounded racial fears about Black anger and demands for equal justice. Challenges to the presumed social order ar…

1
Short coversation on COVID relief legislation 3:06

4+ y ago3:06

3:06

EPISODE SUMMARY A short discussion on debate around upcoming COVID release bill LINKS IN THIS EPISODE Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn Check out Unified Ground Check out BlackHistoryChatGPT https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/news/2019…

1
Reaction to Biden's executive orders 2:39

4+ y ago2:39

2:39

EPISODE SUMMARY Retired Federal Magistrate Judge the Honorable Ronald Ellis on President Biden’s executive orders this week. Tune into Ellis Conversations to hear more conversation on the intersection of law, history, and race. Next episode we tackle the capital riots and their historical context with other flash points in history. LINKS IN THIS EP…

1
John Lewis Voting Rights Act - It's time for action 38:17

4+ y ago38:17

38:17

Photo Credit: Getty Images There is no Negro problem. There is no Southern problem. There is no Northern problem. There is only an American problem. And we're here tonight, as Americans, not as Democrats or Republicans were met here as Americans to solve that problem. -Lyndon B. Johnson EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss the imperat…

1
A New Hope: The Search for Truth and Domestic Tranquility 34:59

4+ y ago34:59

34:59

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss the divergent realities that challenge the Biden administration. Alternate “facts” and false equivalents create a toxic atmosphere of “us versus them” which imperils any attempt to find common ground. The process of change requires an embrace of a more selfless approach and a rejection of transacti…

1
Bending the Arc Towards Justice: Next Steps 29:53

4+ y ago29:53

29:53

EPISODE SUMMARY After completing one year of discussions about history, societal realities, and legal frameworks, the hosts reflect on next steps. Pack the Court? End the filibuster? If you get the power to establish reforms without the need for the other side, is there reason to be cautious when the changes are beneficial to the whole? Majority ru…

1
The Hands That Rock The Cradle: Donald Trump, the Supreme Court, and the Federalist Society. 38:46

4+ y ago38:46

38:46

EPISODE SUMMARY In 2016, Donald Trump promised to cede his Constitutional duty to appoint Supreme Court justices to the Federalist Society. In this episode, the hosts discuss the influence and motivation of this organization, whose origin and rise is explored in the 2019 PBS Frontline episode “Supreme Revenge.” A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE…

1
The Power of Judicial Dissent: Justice Ginsburg and the Promise of a Better Tomorrow 32:00

4+ y ago32:00

32:00

EPISODE SUMMARY “I like to think most of my dissents will be the law someday,” Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg told a lecture audience in 2015. In this episode, the hosts discuss the important role of reasoned dissents at the Supreme Court. Justice Ginsburg continued and refined a tradition championed by Justices Thurgood Marshall and John Marshall Har…

1
The Tyranny of Compromise 31:57

4+ y ago31:57

31:57

Photo Credit: Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division, public domain EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss how parties misuse power to pervert the mechanism of compromise. Rather than reaching a result that is in the best interests of the persons affected, one side chooses to capitulate to unreasonable or immoral demands. The…

1
Finding the Real Kamala Harris: Black Women, Politics, and Stereotypes 28:18

5y ago28:18

28:18

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss how Black women face dual challenges at the intersection of race and gender bias in our society, particularly when they seek positions of power and influence. In politics, the opponent often foregoes the complexity of actual issues in favor of the simplicity of caricatures, buzz-words, or one-dimen…

1
Justice Dismayed 30:35

5y ago30:35

30:35

Photo by AP Photo EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss ideas attributed to Clarence Thomas in a recent book. The topics run the gamut from the efficacy of affirmative action and voting rights to the possibility of capitalism and the Second Amendment being the keys to Black liberation and empowerment. Does Thomas have an unrecognized B…

1
Protest, Narrative, and the Pursuit of Justice 34:04

5y ago34:04

34:04

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts explore the dynamics of narrative control, how forces within our system use power and influence to redirect discussions about social issues. We wind up talking more about how we protest than why we’re protesting. This process limits our ability to effect change and allows injustice and intolerance to persi…

1
Ellis Conversations on LaMaMa Livetalks 47:34

5y ago47:34

47:34

EPISODE SUMMARY La MaMa presents La MaMa LiveTalks, conversations with artists, activists and thought leaders from around the country and around the world who join in discussions about art and life in times of crisis. The hosts of Ellis Conversations, Jamil Ellis and his father, retired Federal Magistrate Judge Ronald Ellis, discuss their podcast o…

1
Role of Protest in Fostering Change 29:21

5y ago29:21

29:21

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss the role of protest in fostering change and the limits of using courts to address systemic problems. They also explore how the success of protests often depends on the ability to rally popular support for the cause while avoiding attempts to redirect the narrative. LINKS IN THIS EPISODE Letter from…

1
Voting rights with Debra Cleaver from VoteAmerica 42:01

5y ago42:01

42:01

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts are joined by Debra Cleaver, Founder and CEO of VoteAmerica. The conversation includes a discussion of efforts to remove barriers to voting in America, ranging from the recent Wisconsin primary to the district court decision in the Florida felon enfranchisement case to the importance of vote by mail progra…

1
Criminal Justice: What you lose 28:53

5y ago28:53

28:53

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss the efforts in Florida to restore the right to vote for more than one million former felons even after the citizens there voted to amend the state’s constitution to achieve that result. They also explore other collateral effects of having a felony record, including the inability to serve on juries …

1
Criminal Justice - The Right to Trial 30:04

5y ago30:04

30:04

Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss the perils of exercising the right to trial. Public defenders don’t exist everywhere, and where they do, they are overworked and underfunded. Prosecutors fail to disclose evidence helpful to defendants and use peremptory challenges to affect jury composit…

1
Criminal Justice - Legal Lynching 32:54

5y ago32:54

32:54

Photo by Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss the country’s legacy of racial terror as embodied in lynchings of Blacks by white supremacist groups such as the KKK; how these efforts were designed to maintain racial apartheid by force and intimidation; and how they are related to the use of the criminal jus…

1
Criminal Justice - All about Bail 26:29

5y ago26:29

26:29

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss the perils of a monetary bail system in a society where as many as three-fourths of families are living paycheck-to-paycheck. The lack of accumulated wealth exacerbates the racial disparities in the criminal legal system and impairs the ability of accused persons to defend themselves when charged w…

1
Epidemics, Race, and Healthcare - COVID-19 22:44

5y ago22:44

22:44

In this episode, the hosts discuss why general protocols and algorithms aimed at COVID-19 have the potential to negatively impact healthcare outcomes in uninsured and under-insured communities of color. Myths about Black physical characteristics persist, even among medical students: Black skin is thicker; Blacks are more tolerant of pain; Blacks ha…

1
Criminal Justice - First Encounters 23:19

5y ago23:19

23:19

In this episode, the hosts discuss the critical role which subjective observations play during initial encounters with law enforcement. Combined with legal rules which allow officers to “tailor” testimony, this subjectivity has had negative impacts on groups perceived as suspects, and caused tensions between police and minority communities. A viole…

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Jamil Ellis Podcasts

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