Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 106

Tracing A Fraught And Amazing History Of American Horticulture

'When Abra Lee became the landscape manager at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, she sought some advice about how to best do the job. The answer: study the history of gardening. That led to her uncovering how Black involvement in horticulture in the U.S. bursts with incredible stories and profound expertise, intertwined with a tragic past. She's now teaching these stories and working on a book, Conquer the Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country's Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers. Abra Lee talks with Short Wave producer Eva Tesfaye about uncovering Black horticultural history and several hidden figures who shaped it.'

Patti LaBelle: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

'The first song in Patti LaBelle's Tiny Desk (home) concert sets the tone and quickly sums up the entire 15-minute performance. "Something Special (Is Gonna Happen Tonight)" from her 1986 album Winner In You is a highlight from one of many chapters in her fabulous career. A backstage corner of a concert hall in Austin, Texas, is transformed into Patti's world, furnished with a throne, flowers and trunks full of shoes. Options are a must, given a knack for kicking off her shoes during shows. The entire band managed to fit onto the set: thirteen people, including fierce background vocals, keys, horns and more, to recreate some of the best from the Godmother of Soul.'

The Limits with Jay Williams: Niecy Nash Is No One's Supporting Actress

'In her own words, Niecy Nash has made it "from the hood to Hollywood." As she closes out her leading role in Claws, Niecy tells Jay about her early days in Hollywood with clarity–and hilarity. With the Oscars approaching next month, Niecy also gets real about the deeper reasons the Academy so often overlooks Black women, and why she isn't looking for their approval. Her outlook is faith-based and positive, not in small part because she has found love again with her wife, musician Jessica Betts. As she reflects on her evolving sexuality, Niecy confirms that finally, she feels seen.'

Left of Black S12 · E12 | Coloniality in the Financial Systems of the U.S. Virgin Islands with Tami Navarro

When you look at the U.S. Virgin Islands, you may think of it as a getaway destination. However, this largely impoverished Black island U.S. territory has fallen prey to financial services companies like the Economic Development Commission (EDC) that reinforce a near-identical hierarchy to that of the colonial past where race, gender, and class effectuate familiar modes of marginalization. Dr. Tami Navarro, Assistant Professor of Pan-African Studies at Drew University, joins Left of Black host and Duke University Professor Mark Anthony Neal to discuss her book, Virgin Capital: Race, Gender, and Financialization in the US Virgin Islands, published by SUNY Press.

Code Switch: Can Therapy Solve Racism?

'In 2020, nearly 20% of Americans turned to therapy. Many of those people were looking for a space to process some of the big, painful events they were living through, including the pandemic, a contentious election cycle, and of course, the summer's racial reckoning. But that had us wondering: What exactly can therapy accomplish? Can it mitigate the effects of racism? Help us undo how we internalize racial trauma? Today, Code Switch share the stories of two Latinx people who tried to use therapy as a means to understand and combat anti-Blackness in their own lives.'

Broadcasting Mogul Byron Allen

'In 2018, comedian and media mogul Byron Allen became the first Black American to own a 24-hour mainstream cable news network when he purchased The Weather Channel for $310 million – in cash. Now, Allen is preparing a bid to buy the Denver Broncos, which – if successful – would make him the NFL's first Black majority owner. CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Lee Cowan talks with Allen about his entrepreneurial spirit, and his success at increasing non-White ownership in broadcasting.'

Southern University Leadership Talks Cannabis Law & Agriculture

'Dr. Janana Snowden of the Southern University Agriculture Center, Dr. Marla Dickerson of the Southern University Law Center, and Khadijah Tribble of Curaleaf discuss opportunity for economic and social advancement through cannabis.'

Conversations in Atlantic Theory • Episode 10: Mark Christian Thompson on Phenomenal Blackness: Black Power, Philosophy, and Theory

'A discussion with Mark Christian Thompson, Krieger-Eisenhower Professor in the Department of English at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. He is the author of five books: Black Fascisms, published in 2007 by University of Virginia Press; Kafka’s Blues, out with Northwestern University Press in 2016; 2018’s Anti-Music: Jazz and Racial Blackness in German Thought Between the Wars, published by SUNY Press; Phenomenal Blackness, our occasion for discussion today, which appeared in late 2021 with University of Chicago Press and the forthcoming Critique of Nonviolence: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Philosophy. In this conversation, we explore the influence of key figures in German critical theory on post-WWII African American writers and political intellectuals.'

'Segregated Skies' Tells the Story of the First Black Pilot for a Commercial Airline

'When American Airlines hired David Harris in 1964, he became the first African American pilot for a commercial airline. The story of how he broke the color barrier in the clouds is the subject of the young adult book Segregated Skies by Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Cottman. At age 87, David Harris doesn't fly anymore — and he misses it. "It's the greatest job in the world. I flew and flew and flew and was ready to fly more in my life," Harris says wistfully. "I would have done it another 30 years had I not grown old".'

How Jazz Legend Lee Morgan's Resting Place was Lost and Found, 50 Years After His Tragic Death

'Though the trumpeter Lee Morgan was killed in 1972, his legacy was well maintained. At least it seemed so, until one fan discovered that Morgan's gravesite seemed to have vanished.'