Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 202

The 'Right-to-Repair' Movement Gains Momentum In the U.S.

'Congressman Joseph Morelle of New York filed national right-to-repair legislation with Congress. Called the Fair Repair Act, the legislation would require companies, like Apple and John Deere, to provide consumers and independent repair shops with access to the information, parts, and tools required to repair products like iPhones and tractors. So far, the majority of right-to-repair legislation has been introduced at the state level in places like New York, California, Hawaii, and more. The Takeaway speaks to Matthew Gault, staff writer at VICE’s Motherboard, about the momentum surrounding the right-to-repair movement, what it would mean for consumers and companies, and more.'

Demetrius Noble: Raising Revolutionaries Series

'Demetrius Noble, better known as D. Noble, is a father, activist, teacher and radical cultural worker. He currently serves as a professor in the African American & Diaspora Studies department at UNC Greensboro. “Raising Revolutionaries” was Produced, Directed, Filmed & Edited by Katina Parker for Campaign for Black Male Achievement (CBMA).'

Demetrius Noble: Raising Revolutionaries Series (CBMA) from Katina Parker on Vimeo.

The Founders of Philadelphia International Records Look Back at 50 y\Years of Philly Soul

'Fast Company’s KC Ifeanyi spoke with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff—the innovative founders of Philadelphia International Records. As Gamble and Huff celebrate the 50th anniversary of PIR, the two explain the importance of their label and how they created that signature Philly Soul sound. KC also caught up with Dr. Mark Anthony Neal, professor of African and African American Studies at Duke University, and Philly legend DJ Jazzy Jeff on how PIR has impacted their lives and careers.'

 

Looking Back On The Legacy Of 'Shaft,' 50 Years Later

'Fifty years ago, cultural critic Nelson George was 13 years old, sitting in a darkened theater in Times Square — then came the electric opening credits of Shaft. "The minute he comes off the subway, and we hear that wah-wah peddle kick in, we're like, 'Whoa, yes. We're in this world,' " he recalls. On screen, a handsome Black man wearing a long leather jacket over a turtleneck sweater knifes his way through New York traffic, glides through picket lines, shoots the breeze with the newspaper vendor. And just who is this man? A sultry voice breaks it down. "You could've left the movie after that and been feeling pretty great about yourself," George tells Morning Edition. In 1971, Shaft was a revelation and a rupture from the past. The film heralded what came to be known as Blaxploitation cinema, a genre with a chequered legacy that also created inspired, Oscar-winning music.'

Medical Mistrust Among Black Americans And How One Family Is Working To Rebuild It

'Medical mistrust among Black Americans goes beyond the United States Public Health Service Syphilis Study at Tuskegee between 1932 and 1972. Connecticut Public Radio's Ali Oshinskie introduces us to one Black family that is illuminating that history and working to rebuild trust in the medical system.' -- Here & Now

Uncle Bobbie's Presents: Quinta Brunson's "She Memes Well"

'Uncle Bobbie's Coffee & Books's welcomed Quinta Brunson for an exciting discussion on her new book, She Memes Well. She was joined in conversation by Jasmine Mans, author of the highly sought after poetry book, Black Girl, Call Home, followed by a live audience Q&A session.'

How Danielle Brooks is Finding the Spotlight as a Leading Lady

'Danielle Brooks got her big break as Taystee, the lovable leader in Netflix's Orange is the New Black. That character was only meant to appear in a few episodes but wound up becoming the anchor for one of the show’s most poignant story arcs. But it shouldn’t be a surprise that Danielle’s talents stretched a bit part into a featured role. She’s always had leading lady potential—and she’s proving just that with her starring role as gospel legend Mahalia Jackson in Lifetime's biopic Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia. In this episode, Danielle explains how she proved her leading lady abilities both in front of and behind the camera, why she almost turned down Orange is the New Black; and why Hollywood fame was never her goal.'

Dirty South Virtual Speaker Series: Southern Hip-Hop and the Academy with Mark Anthony Neal, Anthony Pinn & Erik Nielson

'Dr. Mark Anthony Neal, James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of African and African American Studies, Duke University, Dr. Anthony Pinn, Agnes Cullen Arnold Professor of Humanities, Rice University, and Dr. Erik Nielson, Professor, Liberal Arts, University of Richmond discussed Southern Hip-Hop and the Academy in support of the exhibition The Dirty South: Contemporary Art, Material Culture, and the Sonic Impulse, curated by Valerie Cassel Oliver for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.'

Tuskegee Legacy Stories

'The Ad Council and COVID Collaborative’s “It’s Up To You” campaign highlights stories from the descendants of the U.S. Public Health Service Syphilis Study at Tuskegee. Their stories set the record straight on what happened, what has changed and what current generations can learn from the experience to build confidence in public health within Black communities, especially as it relates to the COVID-19 vaccines.'

 

Invisible Blackness – My Great-Great Grandfather Is Not An American Hero, An Interview with Caroline Randall Williams

 

'Caroline Randall Williams is an esteemed author, poet, and professor at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. She is best known for her cookbook Soul Food Love which she co-wrote with her mother Alice Randall. Caroline has been a featured guest on MSNBC and has penned revealing articles for New York Times opinion column "A Loving Chastisement for America" and "You Want a Confederate Monument? My Body Is a Confederate Monument" in which she tells her story as the great-great granddaughter of the nefarious confederate hero and KKK leader Edmund Pettus who had an affair with an enslaved woman who was working for him. On this episode on Invisible Blackness, host Adrian Younge and Caroline discuss the romanticism of the South and its leaders, American patriotism, and how she uses her white privilege to denounce the evils of her white ancestors.'