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★★★★★

4.7

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2196 reviews

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Witness Docs presents Unfinished, an investigative anthology series digging into America's unfinished business. Season 1, Deep South, produced in collaboration with Market Road Films, brought us on a journey into the Arkansas Delta to investigate the lynching of Isadore Banks. Season 2, produced with Critical Frequency, takes us to Short Creek, a community on the Utah/Arizona border divided by much more than a state line. Season 3, produced with Scripps, explores dual loyalties and hidden histories via the story of Ernest Withers, one of the most important photographers of the 20th century -- who was both a Civil Rights Movement photographer and a FBI informant. Hear more great stories about complicated people from Witness Docs at witnesspodcasts.com

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Check latest episodes from Unfinished podcast

Introducing: Sounds Gay

2023/06/22

Stitcher Studios brings you a new documentary series, Sounds Gay! We call it a "mixtape" because every episode is its own self-contained story, but with a unifying theme: exploring the intersection of music and queerness. Check out this first episode featuring the amazing story of CCM (Christian Contemporary Music) as told from queer perspectives - and if you like it, go find the rest of the show by searching for "Sounds Gay" on your favorite pod delivery service.

Ernie's Secret | E10 Exposed

2022/08/24

The FBI’s abusive domestic surveillance is exposed and after years of keeping his identity as an informant secret, Bill Lawrence and Ernest must testify under oath about their relationship. How far will they go to protect each other and preserve Ernest’s legacy as a hero of the civil rights movement?

Ernie's Secret | E9 The Assassination

2022/08/17

Dr. King returns to Memphis on April 3 to make good on his promise to lead a non-violent march. But first he has to get the militants on board. Ernest is relaying dozens of tips from inside every meeting and negotiation. Eye-witnesses share details of King’s final hours, and Ernest is instrumental in getting the most iconic and intimate images out to the world.

Ernie's Secret | E8 The Invaders

2022/08/10

We begin the story of Martin Luther King Jr.’s last eight days alive. A sanitation workers' strike brings King to Memphis - but by this time, March 1968, the movement is splintered. A homegrown Black Power group called the Invaders wants more active resistance, a non-violent protest turns into a riot and Ernest, now a paid racial informant, provides the FBI with a front row seat to an unfolding disaster.

Ernie's Secret | E7 Harm / No Harm?

2022/08/03

Ernest was an informant, but just how much damage did he actually cause? To what extent do the sins of the government fall on one man’s shoulders? Two people look over their FBI records and what Ernest revealed about them and arrive at very different conclusions.

Ernie's Secret | E6 Informants

2022/07/27

The FBI launches a massive, illegal intelligence dragnet to gather information that could be used to disrupt, discredit and damage people and groups it deems a threat. A lot of people get caught up in providing information to the law enforcement, including Ernest. So what made him different?

Ernie's Secret | E5 On The Front Lines

2022/07/20

Being on the front lines was dangerous - especially for a Black man with a camera. But Ernest puts himself at the center of the action. It’s easy to make friends with the Northern “agitators” pouring into West Tennessee and feed the FBI’s growing demand for their pictures.

Ernie's Secret | E4 Fayette County

2022/07/13

Ernest’s relationship with the FBI blossoms in 1961 in Fayette County, Tennessee where Black sharecroppers are kicked off their land just for trying to vote. FBI Special Agent Bill Lawrence and Ernest show up to help, but end up seeing something more sinister in the works.

Ernie's Secret | E3 Two Daughters

2022/07/06

How did Ernest operate and why did he do it? Two daughters bring us as close as we can get to the minds of the men at the center of our story, Ernest and his handler FBI Special Agent Bill Lawrence.

Ernie's Secret | E2 License To Lie

2022/06/29

The FBI has a license to lie and it takes a landmark lawsuit to force them to hand over a trove of secret records detailing Ernest’s years as an FBI informant.

Ernie's Secret | E1 The Perfect Cover

2022/06/29

Ernest Withers shot timeless photos covering the civil rights movement- Dr. King on that integrated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, Emmett Till’s uncle pointing an accusing finger and striking garbage men in Memphis wearing I AM A MAN placards. His loyalty and dedication earned him the trust of movement leaders King, Young, Lawson. But what if that trust was misplaced - what if Ernest was leading a double life?

Introducing: Ernie's Secret

2022/06/15

The story of Ernest C. Withers, an African-American journalist dubbed the "original civil rights photographer" -- who also happened to be an FBI informant. In this third season of Unfinished, co-produced with The E.W. Scripps Company, host and journalist Wesley Lowery (CBS News, Washington Post) brings listeners through a story of dual loyalties, hidden histories and one man caught in the middle. Lowery also provides new perspectives and insights on government overreach, and explores whether Withers was coerced and simply caught up in FBI surveillance during the Civil Rights Movement. New episodes start June 29

Podcast reviews

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4.7 out of 5

2196 reviews

★★★★★

Hershey71 2023/09/26

Loved it

Short Creek wasn’t the first podcast I’ve listened to about fundamentalist LDS, but it was the best. A sensitive, nuanced portrait of some complicated...

★★★★★

CZOU25 2023/08/12

wow!

Season one was the best!!!!!

★★★★★

AUser857091 2023/02/25

I appreciate the effort

I would have liked to hear a conclusion on how Black Memphis was destroyed from even what it was in the 50’s due to the very government that was spyin...

★★★★★

jarbradbury 2022/10/18

I Am A Man

Absolutely brilliant. My Mom was a civil rights activist in the 60’s. I’m so glad and grateful to you for this podcast.

★★★☆☆

Masstextnewbie 2022/12/04

Deep South

I enjoyed style and music. However, it seemed they intentionally led us down one path only to ambush us with new info in the last 2 episodes. The inf...

★★★★★

fashionablyl8te 2022/08/28

Unparalleled Story

The story is told with TRUE facts! Wonderfully told! I appreciate that his family and those who remember we him have the chance to share what they rem...

★★★★☆

Fb&owrbtkOV 2022/08/29

A great listen but…

In a world of so many podcasts, this stands out. I’m the biggest fan of Unfinished! Excellent journalism!! You’d be missing out if you forgo this expe...

★★★★★

Grindrer!!! 2022/08/23

Thank you

Very informing and told in a way that has a me on the edge of my seat. One of my favorite podcast

★★★★★

TobyBriggs 2022/07/27

Ernie’s Secret - Outstanding - A Must Listen

I have been a fan of the Unfinished Podcast since season 1 “Deep South” (another excellent podcast BTW). I was surprised and excited to see that Wesle...

★☆☆☆☆

nixfinity 2022/08/03

Horrible

Two screaming women basically reading a story to each other from People Magazine. The only scam here is on listeners sucked into hearing this regurgit...

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