Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 244

Icons & Influences: Brittany Howard on Nina Simone

'Brittany Howard discusses her lifelong love for the Nina Simone as well as her favorite performance by the legendary soul singer.' -- Rolling Stone

A Shot In The Dark: On Being Black and Taking Coronavirus Vaccines

'As the rollout of coronavirus vaccines unfolds, one big challenge for public health officials has been the skepticism many Black people have toward the vaccine. One notorious medical study — the Tuskegee experiment — has been cited as a reason. But should it be?' -- Code Switch

Interview with Dr. Carl Hart on the History of Drugs and Drug Policy in America

Columbia University Neuroscientist Carl Hart discusses his new book Drug Use for Grown-Ups: Chasing Liberty in the Land of Fear.

Coffee & Books: Marc Lamont Hill and Dr. Regina Bradley Discuss Her Book; 'Chronicling Stankonia: The Rise of the Hip Hop South‪"'

'On this episode of Coffee & Books, host Marc Lamont Hill is in conversation with assistant professor of English and African diaspora, Dr. Regina Bradley, author of Chronicling Stankonia: The Rise of the Hip Hop South.  They unpack the cultural impact of southern rap, why one chapter in the book took years to finish.'

GIVĒON: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

'"Just bear with me while I just enjoy this and soak in it," GIVĒON admits with a laugh. Switching between the demeanors of a seasoned, nonchalant crooner and a giddy-grinned newbie, the fast-rising R&B star makes a point to show his humility during his long-awaited debut at Tiny Desk. Accompanied by a minimal, masked-up band and only one background vocalist (a fellow Pisces at that), the baby-face baritone fills the set with resonance and light. He radiates gratitude with every note. Against a blue, moody backsplash of projected music video stills, GIVĒON notes the divine timing of this performance.'

A Historian Daina Ramey Berry's Brief But Spectacular Take on Understanding the Past to Live a Better Future

'This Brief But Spectacular comes from historian Daina Ramey Berry, who chairs the history department at the University of Texas at Austin. She is dedicated to rethinking the way we teach American history to all students, and her latest book is called, A Black Women's History of the United States.' -- PBS NewsHour

How Democracy Reform Protects Black Political Power by Ben Jealous

How Democracy Reform Protects Black Political Power

by Ben Jealous | @BenJealous | special NewBlackMan (in Exile)

The 2020 elections taught us that our democracy is both strong and fragile. This is the time to shore it up with the For the People Act that is now waiting for action by Congress. 

 Voters showed the strength of our democracy by showing up in record numbers to cast ballots to defeat an incumbent president. And voters in Georgia, led by Black voters, made history by electing a progressive Black preacher and Jewish filmmaker to the U.S. Senate. 

What makes our democracy strong is that people spent years organizing and building the capacity to educate and motivate voters. 

We also saw that our democracy is fragile. A president who did not want to give up his power spent weeks enraging his supporters with lies about the election. He tried to bully state officials to manufacture enough votes to overturn the election. He pressured members of Congress and his own vice president to trash the Constitution. And he urged his supporters to come to Washington and fight to keep him in power. We all saw how that turned out—with a noose on the Capitol lawn, Confederate flags in the rotunda, and members of Congress and their staff hiding in fear for their lives. 

The impeachment trial also showed both our strength and fragility. The House of Representatives voted to impeach the president for inciting an insurrection, and a clear bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate voted to convict him. But most Republican senators refused to defend democracy and hold Trump accountable for threatening it – and that will encourage extremists to turn to violence again. 

And now we see Republican state legislators trying to make it harder for people to register and vote. Already this year, they have introduced more than 100 bills to restrict voting. 

That’s why we need to take the same kind of energy that we put into the elections and turn it toward getting the House and Senate to pass the For the People Act. 

The first part of the For the People Act is a version of the Voter Empowerment Act that the late Rep. John Lewis championed for the last 10 years. It would encourage online and same-day registration—and preregistration for youth who will reach voting age by Election Day. It would encourage trust in the election process with paper ballots and recounts. 

Other parts of the For the People Act would restrict the power of big money in politics. And it would take on the kind of cynical partisan redistricting that state-level Republicans have used to give themselves far more power in state legislatures and in Congress than they deserve based on their share of the vote. 

Voter suppression, gerrymandering, and big money are all tools being used by right-wing leaders who fear the inclusive multiracial and multiethnic democracy we are building. They are willing to weaken democracy if it will maintain their ability to hang onto power even though they are a shrinking minority. 

We must not let them. Erecting barriers to try to keep Black people from voting is an ugly part of our past that we must make sure is not part of our future. 

***

Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and People For the American Way Foundation. Jealous has decades of experience as a leader, coalition builder, campaigner for social justice and seasoned nonprofit executive. In 2008, he was chosen as the youngest-ever president and CEO of the NAACP. He is a graduate of Columbia University and Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and he has taught at Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania.

Duke Performances Presents Billy Childs’ ‘Enlightened Souls (2013)

'Duke Performances presents the world premiere of Enlightened Souls: Commemorating 50 Years of Black Students at Duke at Baldwin Auditorium, Duke University, Durham, NC on Friday, October 4, 2013. Composed by Billy Childs. Commissioned by Duke Performances. Performed by the Billy Childs Jazz Chamber Ensemble featuring Dianne Reeves with the Ying Quartet.'

Duke Performances Presents Billy Childs' 'Enlightened Souls' from Duke Performances on Vimeo.

Coffee & Books" Marc Lamont Hill Discusses His Book 'Except for Palestine: The Limits of Progressive Politics' with Co-Author Mitchell Plitnick‪.‬

'On this episode of Coffee & Books, host Marc Lamont Hill is joined by Israel-Palestine expert Mitchell Plitnick, the co-author of Hill's new book, Except for Palestine: The Limits of Progressive Politics. The two discuss why it was important to write this book, and dive into policies and politics of Israel-Palestine.'

'Black Girl Songbook' – Chapter 2: Now That We Found Love Featuring Deborah Cox

'In the second chapter of Black Girl Songbook, Danyel Smith explores her favorite type of record. From Etta James’s “At Last” to Erykah Badu’s “Honey,” Danyel dives deep into songs that capture the discovery of a pure and true love. Later on, she’s joined by Juno Award–winning Canadian singer, songwriter, and actress Deborah Cox to talk about her iconic hit, “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here,” her extensive career, and her own “now that we found love” moment.'