Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 100

How the Pandemic Deepened Maternal Health Disparities for Black Women

'A new report by the National Center for Health Statistics shows that pregnancy related deaths for mothers rose in the first year of the pandemic. Black women continue to be disproportionately affected. The Takeaway talked with Monica McLemore, associate professor of family health care nursing at the University of California, San Francisco about the report and solutions to improve Black maternal and child health care.'

The Rich History of Winston Salem's Black-owned Safe Bus

'Safe Bus was a Black-owned transportation company formed in 1926 to serve the African American community in Winston Salem, North Carolina. It was created at a time when trolleys extended into white neighborhoods only. The company eventually became part of the city's Transit Authority. David Ford of WFDD on the company's important place in North Carolina's Black history.'

How Black Women Are Disrupting Death Care in the U.S.

'Once a taboo subject, the pandemic has forced many of us to confront death. It’s also put a spotlight on the people working in the death care industry and the many ways inequities in life are perpetuated in death.  The Takeaway were joined by Joél Simone Anthony, also known as The Grave Woman, a licensed funeral director, embalmer, insurance agent and sacred grief practitioner and Alua Arthur, death doula and founder of Going with Grace, a death doula training and end-of-life planning organization.'

Aunjanue Ellis On Her First Oscar Nomination for 'King Richard'

'Actress Aunjanue Ellis, well known for her acting career on stage as well as critically acclaimed performances in HBO's recent series, Lovecraft Country and Netflix's When They See Us, joins us to talk her first Oscar nomination. Ellis received a Best Supporting Actress nod this year for her performance as Oracene "Brandy" Price, mother to Venus and Serena Williams, in King Richard, in which she starred opposite to Will Smith's Richard Williams.'

A Mayor Named Tiffany: Young, Determined and Black

'Elected in February 2021 with 82% of the vote, the 8-year former village trustee Tiffany Henyard became the Village of Dolton’s first and youngest woman mayor in the village's 130-year history at age 37. She joins Alfred Edmond, Jr. on Beyond The Hype to share how she is bringing fresh solutions on issues ranging from public safety and prison reform, to restoring communities by boosting homeownership, and more.'

Dionne Warwick on Lena Horne and Her Musical Influences

'On February 8, 1996, Dionne Warwick discussed her musical influences and the impact that Lena Horne and others had on her career, in this clip from our digital archives. Interview conducted for American Masters—Lena Horne: In Her Own Words (1996), directed by Susan Lacy.'

Rebecca Hall Discusses Making Her Film PASSING

During a seminar at the American Film Institute Conservatory, director, writer and producer Rebecca Hall talked to AFI Fellows about her film PASSING.

How Tech is Changing Fashion Forever | Emma Barnett Meets Ozwald Boateng

 

'Emma Barnett meets celebrated fashion designer and Savile Row tailor Ozwald Boateng to discuss his new collection for London Fashion Week, how the pandemic has influenced our fashion choices and the role technology will play in the future of tailoring.'

What's Next in Marlon James's 'African Game of Thrones'?

'The Dark Star Trilogy is Booker Prize-winning author Marlon James's epic fantasy series set in a fictionalised ancient Africa. Dubbed the “African Game of Thrones”, James's stories are filled with powerful witches, shape-shifting animals, and battles between warring kingdoms influenced by folklore and mythology from the continent. In the just-released second novel of the series - Moon Witch, Spider King - James tells the origin story of Sogolon, a centuries-old witch who hunts for a mysterious missing child. The first novel in James' trilogy, 2019's Black Leopard, Red Wolf, was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction in the US. and is set to be adapted for the screen by Michael B. Jordan.  In this episode of The Stream, James talks about his latest work and the importance of fantasy literature.'

Left of Black S12 · E14 | Black Utopias and the Mystical with Jayna Brown

Can the utopian model that is a common theme in science and speculative fiction also be a new way for Black people to rethink how to exist in a world where their humanity is always called into question? What do such historic figures like Sojourner Truth reveal to us through their own mystical practices? Dr. Jayna J. Brown, Professor of Humanities & Media Studies at the Pratt Institute, dissects other ways of being found in the life and legacies of Rebecca Cox Jackson, musicians Alice Coltrane and Sun Ra, and Sojourner Truth through her new book, Black Utopias: Speculative Life and the Music of Other Worlds published by Duke University Press.