In this episode, we delve into the complex nature of racism and how it operates under the surface through condescension, bias, and power imbalances. We examine the importance of humility, empathy, and genuine understanding in addressing the root causes of injustice and overcoming the divisions that have plagued our society for far too long. Along the way, we draw on the wisdom of Jesus, the power of the Gospel to change, and the timeless principle of the Golden Rule, exploring how we can put these teachings into practice.

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In this final ep of season 2, Phil and Taelor discuss the Malcolm quote:

"We Black men have a hard enough time in our own struggle for justice—and already have enough enemies as it is—to make a drastic mistake of attacking each other and adding more weight to an already unbearable load."

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In this week’s episode of Make it Plain, Phillip Holmes and Taelor Gray discuss this quote from Malcolm X:

"I see America through the eyes of the victim. I don't see an American dream. I see an American nightmare.”

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In this episode of Make it Plain, Phillip Holmes and Taelor Gray discuss a quote in which Malcolm X offers a vision of what minority voters are capable of accomplishing.

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In this week’s episode of Make it Plain, Phillip Holmes and Taelor Gray explore the following Malcolm X quote:

"Then in the second semester of the second grade, I was elected class president. It surprised me even more than other people. But I can see now why the class might have done it. My grades were among the highest in the school. I was unique in my class, like a pink poodle. And I was proud. I'm not going to say I wasn't. In fact, by then, I didn't really have much feeling about being a Negro. Because I was trying so hard, in every way I could, to be white. Which is why I am spending much of my life today telling the American black man that he's wasting his time straining to integrate. I know from personal experience. I tried hard enough.”

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In this episode of Make it Plain, Phillip Holmes and Taelor Gray examine the differences and commonalities in the experiences of African Americans in the North versus those in the South.

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In this episode of Make it Plain, Phillip Holmes and Taelor Gray talk about an illustration from Malcolm X that remains relevant today.

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In the season two premiere episode of Make it Plain, Phillip Holmes and Taelor Gray discuss Malcolm X’s views on the American political party system and relate his words to today’s polarized political environment.

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In this episode, Phillip and Taelor discuss the Netflix documentary, Who Killed Malcolm X,  which follows the work of Abdur-Rahman Muhammad. For over 30 years, Muhammad has been investigating the assassination of Malcolm X. The documentary investigates the allegations made in the 1977 Hayer affidavits.

The discussion took place prior to the Manhattan district attorney's announcement that convictions of Muhammad A. Aziz and Khalil Islam, who both served 20 years in prison for the murder of Malcolm X, would be thrown out. A brief update is provided at the end.

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In this season 1 finale, Phil and Taelor discuss their overall thoughts of the podcast so far, what they have taken away personally from the life of Malcolm X and the exciting things coming in the near future. Also, stay tuned for an exclusive listen of "Apply Pressure," a song off of Taelor's new mixtape. Thank you for all your support through Season 1. Stay tuned for more engaging content.

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“The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman.” - Malcolm X

In this episode, Phillip and Taelor welcome Jasmine Holmes to talk about how Malcolm X was a part of her upbringing, his influence on her life, her reflections on this quote as a Black woman, and much more.

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“The white man pays...subsidizes Reverend Martin Luther King so that [he] can teach the negroes to be defenseless. That's what you mean by ‘non-violent,’ to be defenseless, to be defenseless against one of the most cruel beasts that have ever taken people into captivity. That's the American white man.” -Malcolm X

Phillip and Taelor discuss Malcolm’s harsh criticism of Dr. King’s philosophy of nonviolence. Where was Malcolm right (or fair) in his criticisms? What role did region and context play in these comments? We also discuss how Malcolm and Martin's perspectives about each other's philosophy would evolve overtime.

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In this episode, Phillip and Taelor discuss symbolic victories (e.g. Juneteenth Holiday) vs actual policy changes (e.g. police reform) and whether or not Malcolm’s assessment of America still rings true today. Also, make sure to stay tuned after the episode to hear Phil announce the winners of the Carved in Ebony giveaway!

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Phillip and Taelor are taking a break to record more episodes, but in the meantime, take a moment to hear about some very exciting stuff happening. Make sure to check out our awesome book discussion available via Patreon. Thank you all so much for the amazing support you have shown Make It Plain. We are already at 4000 downloads! Last but not least, we are launching a brand new e-commerce store and to celebrate, we are doing an Instagram giveaway!

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In this episode of Make it Plain, Phillip Holmes and Taelor Gray discuss intellectual integrity. Malcolm X’s commitment to honesty, humility, and open-mindedness in the pursuit of truth drives us back to the Scriptures and reminds us of the posture every Christian should have.

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In this episode of the Make It Plain podcast, host Phillip Holmes and Taelor Gray discuss how Malcolm X was slandered. In his autobiography, Malcolm wrote:

“When I am dead — I say it that way because, from the things I know, I do not expect to live long enough to read this book in its finished form — I want you to just watch and see if I’m not right in what I say: that the white man, in his press, is going to identify me with “hate”. He will make use of me dead, as he has made use of me alive, as a convenient symbol, of “hatred”--and that will help him escape facing the truth that all I have been doing is holding up a mirror to reflect, to show, the history of unspeakable crimes that his race has committed against my race.” 

To start the conversation, Holmes and Gray reflect on how Malcolm X’s quote was frighteningly accurate and how this perception of him is alive and well today. They explore the motives for this misrepresentation and why Malcolm X predicted that the press would be the culprit rather than the government or FBI. 

Holmes and Taelor transition into a more focused discussion of slander and how it affects those who hear it and those who are its target. Phillip closes by sharing a story about how he was recently slandered to serve as an illustration of what they believe are the effects of slander and ends with biblical applications regarding how Christians should view slander.

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On this episode of the Make It Plain podcast, host Phillip Holmes and Taelor Gray kickoff episode 1 discussing misperceptions of Malcolm X. In his autobiography, Malcolm wrote:

“Why am I as I am? To understand that of any person, his whole life, from birth must be reviewed. All of our experiences fuse into our personality. Everything that ever happened to us is an ingredient.” 

To start the conversation, Holmes and Gray share how they were exposed to Malcolm X. Gray was exposed to Malcolm X by his mother at an early age while Holmes didn’t engage Malcolm X until recently which led him to read/listen to (HT: Thabiti Anyabwile) three biographies on Malcolm X as well as speeches and interviews.

Holmes and Taelor lead into more focused discussion of how Malcolm X is perceived as unhelpful or useless by many today in the pursuit of unity. They then discuss how Malcolm X is perceived in various corners of the church as well as the role regional cultures might affect not only one's view but exposure as well.  

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Make It Plain is a podcast for mature Christians in which Phillip Holmes and Taelor Gray offer Christian reflections on the words and life of the controversial civil rights leader Malcolm X.

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