ORIGIN OF EVERYTHING is an irreverent and informative series dedicated to exploring the idea that the past is always present. Every aspect of modern life—whether the words we use, the foods we love, the objects that get us through the day, the geographical borders that surround us or even the identities we give ourselves—emerges from the past. As researcher, writer and host, Danielle Bainbridge, Ph.D., applies a historical lens to unpack how all of these things came about and provokes audiences to think a little differently about their world.
NEW EPISODE: Language is constantly changing and ethnonyms are no exception. From “Negro” to “Colored” and “African American” to “Black,” the people and cultures of African origin living in the United States have had many names. In the latest episode, “Why Do We Say African American?,” Dr. Bainbridge looks at the etymology and reclamation surrounding Black history and identity.
A sampling of ORIGIN OF EVERYTHING episodes addressing race & culture in America includes:
The Racist Origins of U.S. Law
Description: Laws are intended to maintain order and promote justice, but what happens when those laws promote and spread discrimination and bigotry? In the this episode, Danielle analyzes the discriminatory history of U.S. law, tracing its origins in colonialism and chattel slavery up through the Jim Crow era and today’s mass incarceration.
Description: What is the difference between race and ethnicity? Can a person have more than one ethnic identity? ORIGIN OF EVERYTHING explores the history and evolution of different ethnicities that make up America.
Additional ORIGIN OF EVERYTHING episodes related to today’s cultural events are outlined in the following play lists: Black History andClass and American Culture.
WE TALK WITH DR. BAINBRIDGE ON THIS EDITION OF – STREAM ON WITH JIM WILLIAMS
Listen to “My guest is Danielle Bainbridge, Ph.D the force behind the popular PBS Digital series the ORIGIN OF EVERYTHING” on Spreaker.Dr. Bainbridge, who holds a Ph.D. in African American Studies and American Studies from Yale University and graduated Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in English & Theatre Arts, is available to discuss almost everything – topics spanning race, gender, sexual orientation, culture, history and more. From current cultural events, social and political movements to notable milestones and untold stories, Dr. Bainbridge is a subject-matter expert who delivers history with a splash of humor.
New episodes of ORIGIN OF EVERYTHING are available on PBS.org and the PBS Digital Studios’ YouTube Channel. Viewers are also encouraged to engage in online conversation by visiting Twitter at @PBSDS and@PBSOrigin; Facebook at @PBSDigitalStudios and @OriginofEverythingPBS; and Instagramat @pbsds and @pbsoriginofeverything.
