Local, USA

Silence in Sikeston

By Jill Rosenbaum. A production of Retro Report and KFF Health News.

The story of how the 1942 lynching of Cleo Wright - and the subsequent failure of the first federal attempt to prosecute a lynching - continues to haunt the small city of Sikeston, Missouri. Then, in 2020, the community is faced with the police killing of a young Black father. The film SILENCE IN SIKESTON explores the necessary questions about history, trauma, silence and resilience over 78 years.

The companion podcast is about finding the words to say the things that go unsaid. This is an invitation. Perhaps this journalism, these stories, will spark a conversation that you’ve been meaning to have. Hosted by Cara Anthony, a KFF Health News Midwest correspondent and an Edward R. Murrow and National Association of Black Journalists award-winning reporter from East St. Louis, Illinois.

Subscribe to Silence in Sikeston: The Podcast to hear more about the public health effects of silence and trauma.
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart

Podcast Transcripts

Episode 1 'Racism Can Make You Sick'

Episode 2 'Hush, Fix Your Face'

Bonus Episode 'Meet the Makers'

Episode 3 'Trauma Lives in the Body'

Episode 4 'Is There a Cure for Racism?'