Learn Something New Today is a weekly podcast for curious people who refuse to stay uninformed. Hosted by historian and cultural storyteller Anthony Modesto Milian, each episode breaks down one idea, person, or overlooked moment in history that helps explain the world we live in now. From Black and Puerto Rican history to politics, culture, media, and power, this show delivers sharp storytelling without fluff. Short, intentional episodes designed for real life. Press play, stay curious, and learn something new today.
n this episode, I sit down with Allyn Maxwell Steele, co-executive director of the Highlander Research and Education Center — one of the most influential yet often overlooked institutions in American social movement history. Founded in 1932, Highlander played a critical role in shaping labor organizing, the Civil Rights Movement, and grassroots leadership across generations, hosting figures like Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and Septima Clark. But Highlander isn’t just history — it’s a living institution that continues to train organizers and communities today.
Our conversation explores what it actually takes to build movements that last, how leadership is cultivated rather than born, and why spaces for collective learning remain essential in moments of political and social tension. We also discuss Highlander’s resilience — from government targeting during the Red Scare to modern-day attacks — and what its survival reveals about the enduring struggle for democracy in America.
This episode is ultimately about power: where it comes from, how ordinary people learn to claim it, and why institutions like Highlander still matter in shaping the future.
17 Feb 2026
The Sh*tty History of Race Science
Race science is the belief that human races are biologically distinct in ways that determine intelligence, morality, behavior, and social worth — and that those differences can be scientifically measured and ranked.
Emerging in the 18th and 19th centuries, race science used tools like skull measurements, IQ testing, and later genetics to argue that white Europeans were naturally superior to other groups. These ideas were presented as objective science, but they were deeply shaped by social prejudice and political agendas. Race science helped justify slavery, colonialism, segregation, and the American eugenics movement, including forced sterilizations upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in the early 20th century.
Although mainstream biology today rejects the idea that race is a fixed biological hierarchy — modern genetics shows more variation within racial groups than between them — the language of race science has periodically resurfaced in new forms. Instead of explicit claims of superiority, it may appear as debates about IQ gaps, heredity, or “genetic differences,” often stripped of historical context.
Understanding race science isn’t just about studying bad ideas from the past. It’s about recognizing how scientific language can be used to legitimize inequality — and how those ideas have evolved rather than disappeared.
12 Feb 2026
When Crack was King: A discussion with Author Donovan X. Ramsey
In this episode, Anthony Miliàn interviews Donovan X Ramsey, author of 'When Crack Was King.' They discuss the impact of the crack epidemic on communities, debunk myths surrounding the 'crack baby' narrative, and explore the media's role in shaping public perception. The conversation also touches on the tragic case of Len Bias and compares the responses to past and present drug epidemics, highlighting the importance of community resilience in overcoming adversity.
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