In July 1949, four young African Americans — Ernest Thomas, Charles Greenlee, Samuel Shepherd, and Walter Irvin — were falsely accused of raping a white teenager in Lake County.
The Groveland Four, as they became known, were posthumously exonerated in 2021. This year, the state set aside $4 million to make their families whole. But can justice delayed ever be served?
Then, why the Stop WOKE Act appellate ruling isn’t the end of the controversy, a rock music camp is teaching more than music to young girls, and a huge art exhibit at the Straz offers insight into an incognito artist.
Reckoning with Florida’s past
(0:00) Nearly 80 years after one of Florida's most horrific chapters, the descendants of the Groveland Four are finally receiving compensation. How did the state come to acknowledge its role in what has been called a "legal lynching"? Can justice delayed can ever be served?
GUESTS:
- Bill Gladson, state attorney for Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, and Sumter counties
- Sen. Lavon Bracy Davis, D-Port of Orange
- Gilbert King, author of “Devil in the Grove”
A lesson on lessons
(12:01) A federal appeals court has struck down key parts of Florida's Stop WOKE Act related to what concepts can be taught in public universities and colleges. How will the ruling affect professors, students and academic freedom? A university professor who challenged the law says his fight may not be over. We ask why.
GUEST:
- LeRoy Pernell, Florida A&M University College of Law professor and former dean
Amped up on self-esteem
(21:02) What starts with a guitar pick ends with a confidence boost. Girls Rock St. Pete is about much more than learning guitar licks. Campers build confidence, resilience and friendships while writing original songs. This weekend, they'll prove it on stage at Jannus Live.
GUESTS:
- Cat Lim, Girls Rock St. Pete creative director
- Ani Archipov, Girls Rock St. Pete former camper and student at Berklee College of Music
Magical mystery tour
(36:04) Banksy has spent decades with a secret identity while becoming one of the world's most recognizable artists. A new Tampa exhibit showcases 160 original Banksy works, which blend street rebellion with sharp political commentary. The curator joins us to talk about the man, the mystery and the message.
GUESTS:
- Michel Boersma, “The Art of Banksy” curator
