Stamped

This narration explores how racism was not born from ignorance alone, but repeatedly shaped to defend profitable and political systems—then repeated until it felt like “common sense.” Along the way, it introduces three familiar stances people often fall into: segregationist, assimilationist, and antiracist, and it shows how even well-intended positions can still end up rationalizing inequality.

Moving from early European justifications for slavery into America’s founding contradictions and later debates about “uplift,” criminalization, and representation, this story invites listeners to notice how ideas travel through books, laws, sermons, and entertainment. It closes with a supportive invitation: identify where one currently stands, name what needs to change, and practice antiracism with steadiness, accountability, and care.

• Listeners who want a clear, calm overview of how racist ideas and racist policies have reinforced one another across history
• People reflecting on the difference between being “not racist,” being assimilationist, and taking an antiracist stance in daily life
• Anyone looking for a gentle, structured invitation to self-assess beliefs and commit to more equitable actions with accountability

Ibram X. Kendi is an American historian and writer widely known for examining how racist ideas are formed, defended, and challenged over time, and for popularizing an antiracist framework that emphasizes policy, power, and the principle of equal human worth.