Ben Jealous has given thousands of speeches as an American civil rights leader but few would guess that he had a childhood stutter that still defines his patterns of speech. As a surfer, he says he tends to ride his words and sentences like a wave. When he was a kid, Bill Cosby humiliated his stammer which left Ben's family stunned at the contrast between Cosby's public and personal behavior.

Take listen to Ben favourite things on this bonus b-roll episode.

Ben Jealous

Three words to describe America: Big, beautiful, and divided.

Favorite landscape: Big Sur. Yosemite

Family background: My father’s family arrived in Salem, Massachusetts, around 400 years ago, coming from England. My mom’s family has been here for around the same amount of time. They were among the earliest settlers and slaves in Virginia. One of my ancestors came on one of 17 slave ships from Madagascar, and she was most likely a pirate—16 out of 17 of those ships were piloted by known European pirates.

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the American Experience
00:45 Defining America: A Crossroads
03:02 Personal Histories and Racial Identity
05:56 The Influence of Environment and Nature
08:47 Overcoming Challenges: Stuttering and Resilience
10:46 Reflections on Optimism and Unity

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