Neil deGrasse Tyson on Being a "Blerd" (Black Nerd) at School, White Kids Touching His Hair (Part 3)

Part 4:    • Neil deGrasse Tyson: My Parents Trained Me...   Part 2:    • Neil deGrasse Tyson on Going to Harvard, T...   Part 1:    • Neil deGrasse Tyson on Growing Up in Castl...   -------- 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.