Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 220

Orisanmi Burton: What Really Happened During the Attica Prison Rebellion

'On September 9th 1971, a spontaneous uprising began in a New York State prison. A group of prisoners overpowered guards, broke windows, started fires, and captured supplies, sparking the Attica Rebellion. Soon, over 1,200 prisoners had assembled with 42 hostages to demand better treatment and better living conditions. Orisanmi Burton details the revolt and deadly retaking of Attica prison.' -- TED-Ed

“Fire in Little Africa,” a Rap Album About a Historical Tragedy

'The Tulsa massacre of 1921 was perhaps the single worst act of racial violence in the terrible history of Jim Crow. But, for generations, few people—even in Tulsa—knew about it. Now the rap community of Tulsa is coming together to change that, with the new record Fire in Little Africa.'

'Land-Grab Universities' Thrived On Indigenous Land. Now, Some Are Making Amends

'Land-grant universities broadened access to higher education in the United States — but only at the expense of Indigenous Americans. Nearly 11 million acres of land were taken from tribes and Native communities to fund the universities, according to an investigation by High Country News. That investigation, published a year ago, has since won awards and sparked calls for change. Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd speaks with Tristan Ahtone, who co-reported the story.'

Tested: Beginning To Right The Financial Wrongs Of Funding HBCUs

'For decades, states and the federal government have funded Historically Black Colleges and Universities at rates much lower than historically white schools. Those funders – public and private – are just beginning to see the systemic racism built into how we pay for colleges, and small steps are being taken to right past wrongs. Host Dave DeWitt speaks with Liz Schlemmer, WUNC's education reporter, about that history, and how one school – North Carolina A&T State University – is setting fundraising records, and how administrators and advocates hope to build on recent successes.'

Left of Black S11 · E27 | Author Deesha Philyaw on The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

How have Black women had to move within the institution of the Black church, maneuvering through the sometimes-toxic patriarchy and sexism that has contributed to their silence, while also living full lives outside of the church walls? Celebrated author Deesha Philyaw joins Left of Black host and Duke University Professor Mark Anthony Neal to discuss her the break-away hit, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, published by West Virginia University Press. Her book is also being adapted for the small screen as a new series on HBO Max spearheaded by actress Tessa Thompson's new production company, Viva Maude.

How Barry Jenkins Reimagined Slave Narratives in "The Underground Railroad"

'Director Barry Jenkins’s mini-series adaptation of the Colson Whitehead novel The Underground Railroad premieres on Amazon Prime. Both the book and the series center around Cora, an enslaved woman who escapes from a plantation in Georgia.  Like the book, the new show depicts the harsh realities of slavery, but also imagines what it would have been like for enslaved people to escape from plantations using a literal underground railway system.  The Takeaway speaks to Robert Daniels, contributing film critic to Polygon, the New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times, about how Jenkins’s achievement compares to previous movies and TV shows set in the Antebellum South.'

Vincent Herring Infuses Jazz With Bold Strokes And Swagger On 'Minor Swing'

'Vincent Herring is an alto saxophonist with a dynamic sound and aggressive attitude. His new album Preaching to the Choir features Jazz with a big dollop of swing rhythm and blues feeling.' -- Fresh Air

Creative Time’s Diya Vij Helps Launch an Art World Think Tank

'Diya Vij started her new job as Associate Curator of Creative Time just last fall, in the midst of the pandemic. She has since announced the first Creative Time Think Tank cohort, which includes La Tanya S. Autry, Caitlin Cherry, Sonia Guiñansaca, Namita Gupta Wiggers, and a number of other engaged voices of the art community. This new initiative invited people to submit proposals for an open call, drawing 200 individual or group applicants. The selected cohort will meet regularly for the next 10 months to reflect on the realities around us and imagine a way forward for the cultural sector. Vij has built a reputation over the years for her work at the Queens Museum, High Line, and in the Commissioner’s Unit of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, where she created the Public Artists in Residence program. She joins Hrag Vartanian to discuss this unusual think tank and what the collective hopes to accomplish.'

Former 'Pregnant Girl' Builds Support To Help Other Teen Moms

'Nicole Lynn Lewis felt overwhelmed and isolated as a young single mom in college. Now she runs a nonprofit, Generation Hope, designed to help teen parents get the financial and emotional support they need to thrive. Lewis is the author of Pregnant Girl: A Story of Teen Motherhood, College, and Creating a Better Future for Young Families.' -- Fresh Air

What Boston Can Teach Us About Free Universal Preschool Education

'President Biden has proposed the American Families Plan. And as part of that plan, he is proposing $200 billion towards free, universal preschool. Back in the late 1990s, Boston offered preschool to some of its children through a lottery. And this week, researchers released a study looking at the long-term effects of preschool education on those children. Joining The Takeaway to help us understand what they found, is one of the authors of the study, Christopher Walters. He is an Associate Professor of Economics at UC Berkeley and is affiliated with the MIT School Effectiveness and Inequality Initiative.'