The Second Draft Project Podcast

The Second Draft Project

Dr. Allissa V. Richardson and Prof. Jameela Hammond
“Journalism is the first rough draft of history,” Philip L. Graham once said. Graham was the legendary president and publisher of the Washington Post, and believed that strong news media bolsters our democracy. What if, however, journalism’s first draft was flawed? What happens when journalists get things wrong? What happens when bias seeps into news coverage? What should journalism owe the people when it falls short? This podcast proposes a way forward: The Second Draft Project.  The Second Draft Project is brought to you by the University of Southern California’s first Black media studies research center, The Charlotta Bass Journalism and Justice Lab. Founded by Dr. Allissa V. Richardson in 2022, the center is dedicated to saving, studying and sharing the work of prominent and hidden figures who have been central to Black social justice movements in America. The Lab’s namesake, Charlotta Bass, was the first Black woman to own and operate a newspaper on the West Coast. She was also a nominee for the US Vice Presidency in 1952. In her spirit, the Second Draft Project revisits Black news stories that were misreported due to incomplete or false narratives, to center Black storytellers — just as Bass would have done.
Quest for Truth
Nearly 60 years after Malcolm X was shot and killed while speaking at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City, there are still more questions than answers about the circumstances of the civil rights leader’s death, which has been the subject of controversy, conspiracy theories, and well-founded skepticism alike. In this episode, we explore some of these narratives and uncover the power of visual documentation in revealing truths about injustices. We also examine the parallels between the enduri...
Jul 15
22 min
Daughters of the Movement
Everyone dreams about who they want to be when they grow up. As we grow up, however, these desires are increasingly influenced by the realities of life. This is especially true for the children of famous civil rights leaders like Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X. In this episode, Dr. Shabazz speaks with the Second Draft Project about her father, birthright, lineage, and the importance of carrying the torch. Balancing the work of rewriting the false narrative that surrounds her famil...
Jul 3
13 min
What is the Second Draft Project?
Former president and publisher of the Washington Post, Philip L. Graham, once described journalism as the first draft of history. For the most marginalized members of our society, however, history has shown that this first draft is at best incomplete. At worst, it’s inaccurate, and sometimes, it can even be harmful. Enter the Second Draft Project: a chance for those at the center of our nation’s most pivotal moments in social justice to highlight where the media fell short and offer a fresh t...
Jun 19
24 min
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