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Griot and Grits

Griot and Grits

Written by: Griot and Grits
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Griot and Grits is a new take on the West African Griot, the storytelling, singing, poet, historian of the village that was tasked with passing on the history of the village orally. Griot and Grits empowers people to step into the role of a modern day Griot for their family, sharing the stories of love, loss, birth, joy, healing, perserverance, success and the myriad of other experiences that bind us all together within the beauty of our shared human frailty. We catalog those stories in the ark that is Griot and Grits, to preserve them into eternity....making the words of the Griot timeless.Griot and Grits Relationships Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Quick Bites - Rep. James Roberson Reflects on the Roots That Led to the NC State House

    Quick Bites - Rep. James Roberson Reflects on the Roots That Led to the NC State House
    May 17 2026
    Representative James Roberson — a Democratic member of the North Carolina House serving District 39 in Wake County and former Mayor of Knightdale — traces his story back to Wilson, North Carolina, a tobacco town once nicknamed “Little DC” for its deep political ties. He shares how his name came from the doctor who delivered him, a choice his mother made with pride, and recalls growing up in a household where civic engagement was a way of life. From crisp October mornings spent helping register voters to long nights watching election returns on television, those early experiences shaped his sense of purpose. His journey shows how place, family, and early lessons in service guided him from the streets of Wilson to a life in public leadership.

    Explore more voices, support the work, or share your own story at griotandgrits.org.

    License: This content is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–NoDerivatives 4.0 (CC BY‑NC‑ND 4.0). Permissions: If you would like to request permission for uses not allowed under this license (including commercial use, edits, remixes, or redistribution), please contact Griot and Grits at info@griotandgrits.org.

    This episode includes AI-generated content.
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    6 mins
  • Quick Bites - From Little Washington to Brooklyn with Ann E. Moore

    Quick Bites - From Little Washington to Brooklyn with Ann E. Moore
    Apr 28 2026
    Ann E. Moore was born in Washington, North Carolina in 1942 and raised by family there until her mother returned in 1949 to bring her and her siblings to Brooklyn, New York. She recalls the jarring adjustment from quiet Southern life to the rough streets of Brownsville — being chased home from the corner store, losing her eyelashes on an unfamiliar gas stove — while finding pride and inspiration in figures like Joe Louis and Jackie Robinson. Her story is a first-chapter portrait of the Great Migration seen through the eyes of a young Black girl learning to navigate two very different worlds.

    Explore more voices, support the work, or share your own story at griotandgrits.org.

    License: This content is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–NoDerivatives 4.0 (CC BY‑NC‑ND 4.0). Permissions: If you would like to request permission for uses not allowed under this license (including commercial use, edits, remixes, or redistribution), please contact Griot and Grits at info@griotandgrits.org.

    This episode includes AI-generated content.
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    7 mins
  • Quick Bites - Michael Jerome Thompson on Rock Hill Roots and a Family of Gospel Voices

    Quick Bites - Michael Jerome Thompson on Rock Hill Roots and a Family of Gospel Voices
    Apr 28 2026
    Michael Jerome Thompson reflects on his upbringing in 1950s Rock Hill, South Carolina, a small, segregated but close‑knit “village” where poverty was shared and childhood felt safe. Raised by his deeply spiritual mother, Estelle, after his father left, Michael grew up surrounded by music, family, and the legacy of gospel singers like his grandfather from the Dixie Hummingbirds. His story traces a journey from rural roots to the working world of Charlotte and later Washington, D.C., where he navigated identity, hardship, and reinvention. Through it all, he carries the meaning of his name — “one who is like God” — as a reminder of the resilience and faith that shaped his life.

    Explore more voices, support the work, or share your own story at griotandgrits.org.

    License: This content is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–NoDerivatives 4.0 (CC BY‑NC‑ND 4.0). Permissions: If you would like to request permission for uses not allowed under this license (including commercial use, edits, remixes, or redistribution), please contact Griot and Grits at info@griotandgrits.org.

    This episode includes AI-generated content.
    Show More Show Less
    6 mins
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