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Part 4: Neil deGrasse Tyson: My Parents Trained Me How Not to Get Killed by the Police as a Kid
Part 2: Neil deGrasse Tyson on Going to Harvard, Turning Down Carl Sagan's Invite to Cornell
Part 1: Neil deGrasse Tyson on Growing Up in Castle Hill Projects in The Bronx, Raps Kurtis Blow
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In this clip, Neil deGrasse Tyson reflects back on being one of the few Black students at Harvard during the mid-1970s. He also recalls Caucasian students wanted to touch his hair during elementary school. This prompts a discussion about the prospect of being a Black nerd during the 70s, 80s, and 90s during a time when African Americans were expected to fit into a few categories such as "the athlete" or the "cool guy." Moving along, Neil introduces DJ Vlad to a new term for Black Nerds, "Blerd." From there, Neil explains that although he considered himself a nerd, he also wanted to be respected as a man with athleticism in his neighborhood.
