Cape Up With Jonathan Capehart

In this conversation recorded for Washington Post Live on Jan. 10, actor David Oyewolo talks about his new series, “Lawmen: Bass Reeves,” in which he plays the eponymous Bass Reeves, the first Black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River. Oyelowo also discusses what it was like to work with his wife in a part weighted with personal and historic significance, and why it was important for him to bring Reeves’s story to the screen.

In this conversation recorded for Washington Post Live on Jan. 11, Tennessee Rep. Justin J. Pearson discusses how the legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. has impacted the rising generation of political leaders and why he thinks U.S. institutions are being degraded through partisan politics.

In this conversation recorded for Washington Post Live on July 20, Colson Whitehead discusses his new book, “Crook Manifesto,” how the novel fits into the Harlem trilogy, his process of grounding critiques of how we live into his writing, and what genres he plans to conquer next.

In this conversation recorded for Washington Post Live on June 22, two-time Academy Award-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter discusses her new book, “The Art of Ruth E. Carter: Costuming Black History and the Afrofuture, from Do the Right Thing to Black Panther,” dives deep on her creative process, and reflects on how her work has helped define Black style and culture.

In this conversation recorded for Washington Post Live on Dec. 14, Michelle Ebanks, the president and CEO of the Apollo Theater, discusses the history of the legendary performing arts venue in the heart of Harlem, the building’s first expansion and renovation – and how two decades of leadership at Essence Communications have positioned her to lead the Apollo into its next chapter.

In this conversation recorded for Washington Post Live on Dec. 6, actor Adrienne Warren and creator & showrunner Marissa Jo Cerar discuss their new series, “Black Cake,” and dig into the intergenerational, intersectional story of a Black American family learning the truth about their mother after her death. Warren and Cerar also touch on the importance of showing stories of Black and Brown people that are not about the civil rights movements, slavery or oppression, and why the story could only be adapted as a series, not a film.

In this conversation recorded for Washington Post Live on Nov. 29, actor Lily Gladstone and writer-director Erica Tremblay discuss their new film, “Fancy Dance,” the importance of setting the story on a Seneca-Cayuga reservation, the themes of indifference and invisibility, and why, despite its great acclaim and reviews, no studio has bought the film.

In this conversation first recorded for Washington Post Live on April 27, Yale University professor Ned Blackhawk discusses his book, “The Rediscovery of America: Natives Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History,” which recently won the National Book Award for nonfiction, and explores the foundational role Native Americans have played in U.S. history, including in the formulation of our country’s Constitution, and how their presence and contributions are frequently overlooked, or worse, erased.

Every 19th of October, Grenadians mark a somber anniversary: the 1983 execution of the country’s former prime minister and revolutionary leader, Maurice Bishop, and others who died alongside him. The people of this Caribbean nation still have no closure 40 years later. The remains of Bishop and his supporters were never returned to their family members and are missing to this day. In the first episode of “The Empty Grave of Comrade Bishop,” The Washington Post’s Martine Powers takes us on the personal journey that led her to learn about Grenada’s history. Martine delves into why Bishop was such an influential figure, what made the United States nervous about him and why the mystery of his missing remains continues to haunt so many on the island.Listen to more episodes here – or on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or Spotify. You can find photos and documents from the investigation in our special episode guide here. Subscribers to The Washingt

In these Washington Post Live conversations from Nov. 14, former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni and award-winning Palestinian journalist Rula Jebreal discuss the Israel-Gaza war from their respective vantages, plus the next steps for the conflict.

In this Washington Post Live conversation from Nov. 8, Rob Rubba — winner of the 2023 James Beard Award for outstanding chef — discusses his Michelin-starred restaurant Oyster Oyster, why he sees it as a “stepping-stone” for restaurants of the future and how sustainability is worked into everything from the food in the kitchen to the plate on the table.

In this Washington Post Live conversation from Oct. 31, Rep. Daniel S. Goldman (D-N.Y.) discusses how he and his family sheltered in a Tel Aviv hotel during Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel, his support for Israel’s right to defend itself and his thoughts on new House Speaker Mike Johnson.

In this Washington Post Live conversation from Oct. 16, actress and author Jada Pinkett Smith discusses her new memoir, “Worthy,” growing up in Baltimore, her misunderstood relationship with Tupac Shakur, and corrects the record about her marriage with Will Smith.

In this Washington Post Live conversation from Oct. 4, filmmaker Raoul Peck discusses his new documentary, “Silver Dollar Road,” which explores the history of land dispossession of Black homeowners through the story of the Reels family, and explains what drew him to their fight to save their home.

In this Washington Post Live conversation from Sept. 20, Drew Gilpin Faust, a historian and the first female president of Harvard University, discusses her new book, “Necessary Trouble: Growing Up Midcentury,” which chronicles her path toward civil rights activism, and puts her scholarship on the Civil War into greater context.

In this Washington Post Live conversation from Sept. 18, USAID administrator Samantha Power discusses the ways women are leading the charge in combating our changing climate, why they are disproportionately impacted, and USAID’s efforts to help communities mitigate and adapt to the climate change.

In this conversation recorded for Washington Post Live on Sept. 6, Post columnist Michele Norris discusses her new podcast, “Your Mama’s Kitchen,” where she talks with guests about the importance of their mom’s kitchen in the life of their home and family, and how childhood food memories shape us.

In this conversation recorded for Washington Post Live on Feb. 8, former Newsweek editor Mark Whitaker discusses his new book, “Saying It Loud: 1966 – The Year Black Power Challenged the Civil Rights Movement,” how the year transformed the way in which Black Americans viewed their lives and lessons for activists organizing today.

In this Washington Post Live conversation from May 10, Chasten Buttigieg discusses the new edition of his memoir, “I Have Something to Tell You,” which he rewrote for young adults, why he thinks the far right is going after LGBTQ Americans and what he hopes for his two children when they are old enough to read his book.

In this conversation first recorded for Washington Post Live on Jan. 19, Maya Moore Irons and Jonathan Irons discuss their new book, “Love & Justice: A Story of Triumph on Two Different Courts,” their journey to get him released from prison after a wrongful conviction and their view on reforms to the criminal justice system.