Why Race Matters from PBS Wisconsin explores race, identity and community through local voices and lived experiences.

Since its debut in 2020, Why Race Matters has carved out space for honest dialogue on issues affecting marginalized communities in Wisconsin.

Perspectives rooted in local context and broader histories

Producer and host Angela Fitzgerald leads season 4 with eight new in-depth interviews, each devoted to a topic essential to understanding our state. Episodes highlight the legacy of Black Midwesterners, the cultural significance of the Black church, and the persistent issue of food insecurity in underserved communities.

Other segments delve into the ways climate change threatens neighborhood stability and how Black journalists navigate bias and representation in newsrooms. In every episode, guests share local lived experiences connected to broader social, political and economic histories.

From individual stories to systemic realities

Fitzgerald’s interviews spotlight artists, activists, educators and professionals whose work and stories challenge viewers to think more critically about race, equity and belonging. The series invites audiences to consider how individual narratives reflect systemic realities — and what it means to build a more inclusive Wisconsin.

Black communities in Wisconsin before and amid the Great Migration | Why Race Matters

Across four seasons, Why Race Matters has remained a vital platform for dialogue, reflection and community connection. Season 4 continues that legacy, offering stories that are at once personal and profoundly political — grounded in truth, resilience and the ongoing struggle for meaningful change.

People ask, ‘Why are you always talking about white and black?’ Because the founders of my country and the founders of the state that I live in were obsessed with it.

Dr. Christy Clark-PujaraS4 EP 1 OF WHY RACE MATTERS

Angela is a national treasure. I never miss her shows, with her insightful, measured, and in depth reporting.

Chuck from La CrosseWHY RACE MATTERS

I appreciated the panorama of events related to racial issues throughout the country.

Ron from JanesvilleWhy Race Matters

I appreciate that they are bringing current conditions to light and discussing how people are experiencing what is happening in society.

Diane from the Township of PoyganWhy Race Matters

Why Race Matters

Black spirituality and resilience in the U.S.

S4 Ep14 | 26m 48s

Black spirituality in the United States is deeply rooted in the resilience and creativity of African-descended communities. But where did the Black church originate, and how does it connect to the history of Black enslavement, civil rights and Black joy? This episode explores the church's cultural legacy and evolving relevance.