Basic Black: How do Black community leaders talk about police and street shootings?

Two Black men are sitting on a park bench talking to each other.

Kenrick Mercado is the Associate Producer for Basic Black at GBH.

Produced live at WGBH Studios in Boston, Basic Black is the longest-running program on public television focusing on the interests of people of color. The show, which was originally called Say Brother, was created in 1968 during the height of the civil rights movement as a response to the demand for public television programs reflecting the concerns of communities of color. Each episode features a panel discussion across geographic borders and generational lines with the most current stories, interviews and commentaries.

February 10, 2023

Updated August 28, 2023

The viral media of urban violence is triggering racial trauma, fear and anxiety for some Black men and youth.

The brutal beating of Tyre Nichols by five Black Memphis Police officers after a traffic stop in early January led to his death three days later, leaving behind a massive violation of the public’s trust. Less than a month later, 13-year-old Tyler Lawrence was gunned down in broad daylight while on his way to visit his grandparents in Mattapan.

According to the Washington Post database on police shootings, Black Americans are shot at a disproportionate rate, and are killed by police at more than twice the rate of white Americans. In his State of the Union Address this week, President Joe Biden acknowledged Tyre Nichols’ parents — who sat as guests in the crowd — and urged police departments to hold officers accountable.

This week on Basic Black, we’re having a conversation with Black community leaders about the impact of Lawrence and Nichols’ deaths. Joining host Callie Crossley: Dr. Charles Daniels, Jr., a licensed therapist and co-founder and CEO of Fathers’ UpLift, a mental health clinic and treatment facility; Steph Lewis, president and CEO of The BASE, an academic and sports youth program; Shawn Brown, executive director of Youth Guidance Boston, with its flagship programs BAM — Becoming a Man — and WOW — Working on Womanhood.

Watch the latest episode of Basic Black tonight at 7:30 p.m. on GBH 2 or live at the stream below. You can also watch on the GBH News YouTube channel. Subscribe to get notifications for future premiere episodes.