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The Defenders: Why Black Americans Are the Backbone of American Democracy

By Dr. James Peterson | WURD RadioFrom the brutal bondage of slavery to the barricades of the Civil Rights Movement, from the ballot boxes of Reconstruction to the protest power of Black Lives Matter, Black Americans have cultivated the critical infrastructure of American democracy. Time and again, we have rescued it, resurrected it, and relentlessly defended it.Through centuries of exclusion, terror, and systemic oppression, Black communities have forced this nation to reckon with […]

October 1, 2025 6

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This week on WURD: NJ city’s slavery reenactment request, activism through politics, the spiritual successor to “Love Jones”

Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Melanie Burney and Salem County NAACP president Nelson Carney joined Wake Up With WURD with Solomon Jones to discuss a controversy in Salem, N.J., where Black students were asked to participate in a slave reenactment for the city’s 350th anniversary celebration. The request, made by Betsy McBride on behalf of the nonprofit Stand Up for Salem, sparked outrage and led to her termination. Independent filmmaker Nicholas 'Sixx' […]

September 26, 2025

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A pivotal moment for free and independent journalism in PA

By Christopher Baxter | Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. There are more forces at work than ever to silence free and fearless reporting, and there are fewer resources than ever to undertake the independent, unbiased investigative journalism that keeps our government honest and ensures […]

September 23, 2025

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This week on WURD: Actress Starletta DuPois, Michael Coard’s fight to protect Philadelphia’s Black history, DA Larry Krasner on the National Guard

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner joined Wake Up With WURD with Solomon Jones to discuss the Trump Administration’s deployment of the National Guard in Democratic-led cities, many with Black mayors. Krasner argued that such actions are unconstitutional without a genuine emergency, warning they could pave the way toward dictatorship. He also shared what everyday citizens can do to protect themselves and their communities should the National Guard come to Philadelphia.Dr. […]

September 19, 2025

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Black America should care that Charlie Kirk was murdered. Here’s why.

By Dr. James Peterson | WURD RadioPhoto Credit: Gage Skidmore | This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.Charlie Kirk is dead.The 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA was shot dead this week, allegedly by a 22-year-old white man from Utah, according to reports from the FBI and Utah officials. While details are still emerging, one thing is clear: Charlie Kirk is gone from this plane, but his ideas and the […]

September 16, 2025

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This week on WURD: Pulitzer Prize winner Trymaine Lee, remembering 9/11, Charlie Kirk murder

Lawyer and philosophy professor Dr. Tim Golden joined Wake Up With WURD with Solomon Jones to talk about the murder of Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk. Dr. Golden also weighed in on whether politics played a role in the tragedy and what the aftermath could mean for Black communities. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Trymaine Lee joined Evening WURDs with Dr. James Peterson to talk about his new book "A Thousand Ways […]

September 12, 2025

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This week on WURD: The Stylistics’ Herb Murrell, Ready, Set, Grow, National Guard in D.C.

WURD President and CEO Sara Lomax joined Wake Up With WURD with Solomon Jones to talk about the launch of "Ready, Set, Grow" at the Barnes Foundation. Designed to help small businesses prepare for the opportunities coming to Philadelphia in 2026, the kickoff will feature top city and state stakeholders sharing insights on how entrepreneurs can benefit.Philadelphia native Herb Murrell is a founding member and longtime vocalist of The Stylistics, one of the […]

September 5, 2025 2 2

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This week on WURD: Actor Richard Lawson, prostate cancer awareness, 20 years after Hurricane Katrina

Actor Richard Lawson is best known for his roles in "Dirty Harry," "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," "Grey's Anatomy" and more. Lawson joined Wake Up With WURD with Solomon Jones to talk about Tyler Perry's "Beauty in Black.” He also discussed his 50-year career and the positive impact of Tyler Perry’s support of Black media professionals in the entertainment industry.Investment strategist Angela Matthews is the founder of the Happy […]

August 29, 2025

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Let’s All Go Back to School: Why Learning Is Our Greatest Act of Resistance

By James Peterson | WURD Radio Every August, a familiar refrain rains on our summer: It’s time to get ready to go back to school. Parents scan school-supply lists, teachers brace themselves for crowded classrooms, and students groan about the end of summer. “Back to school” is a season, an ethos, a ritual. But in this moment—one marked by an autocratically induced, systemic diminishment of education at all levels—we should all embrace the […]

August 28, 2025

Press Release

Official WURD Radio Statement on the Resolution of Doctors Directory Litigation

We are glad to report that the litigation brought by Do No Harm against WURD Radio, the University of Pennsylvania Medical School and the Consortium Dedicated to Health Equity Education (CDHE) has ended. We appreciate the support of our audience and community during this difficult time. With the conclusion of the lawsuit, we can now continue the essential work of connecting our audience with trusted, culturally competent medical information. This fall, we […]

August 27, 2025