Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 292

The Little Rock Nine: Civil Rights History Celebrated Through Dance

'Elizabeth Eckford was one of nine Black students to further the civil rights movement by enrolling at the historically segregated Central High in Little Rock, Arkansas. The historic images of her courageously walking through an enraged mob of White students, teachers and parents, have been burned into the collective consciousness of activists for equality around the world. The First Day, which was directed by Barnaby Roper and performed by Kendie Jones, is a dance interpretation of Eckford’s walk that day. Its monochrome aesthetic is an evocative nod towards the black-and-white images of Eckford's public ordeal, which was captured by press photographers and republished in papers internationally.' -- NOWNESS

 

 

PSA — RESIST COVID/TAKE 6! - A Collaboration with Carrie Mae Weems & The Peace Poets

'Bro/Sis Artist in Residence Carrie Mae Weems partners with Bro/Sis and our alumni The Peace Poets to create a public health campaign - a PSA and billboards - focused on COVID.' -- The Brotherhood Sister Sol

Bettye LaVette Might Be Just What You Need Today

 'Bettye LaVette just released Blackbirds, an album of reinterpretations of songs popularized by some of her favorite jazz singers.' -- World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

Keeping Up With Amanda Jones, Score Composer On The Rise

'Amanda Jones is the first African American woman ever nominated for an Emmy for an original television score. She got her start because producer/writer Lena Waithe took a chance on her.' -- Morning Edition

Author Yaa Gyasi Says Writing Can Be 'An Act Of Love And Justice'

 

'Yaa Gyasi's debut novel, Homegoing, won a PEN/Hemingway Award. Her follow-up, Transcendent Kingdom, draws on Gyasi's life as the daughter of immigrants from Ghana.'

Jacqueline Woodson Wants Kids To Know The Beauty — And The Danger — Of Football

'Many of Jacqueline Woodson's books tackle serious issues in a way that's accessible for kids: Race, drugs, foster care, classism, intolerance. Her latest book does that, too. It's called Before the Ever After and it's written in the voice of a 12-year-old boy whose father is a professional football player, a big star both on TV and to the neighborhood kids. But his father is also suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, the degenerative brain disease that's been diagnosed in many collision-sport athletes.' -- All Things Considered

'Afro-Latino Travels with Kim Haas'

'Host Kim Haas joins All Of It to discuss her new PBS show, Afro-Latino Travels with Kim Haas.'        

Kirk Franklin on the Power of Faith and Light in Times of Darkness

'Gospel icon Kirk Franklin shares his thoughts on COVID, racial injustice, and the role of the church amid the chaos.'  -- Black Enterprise

Reimagining Education: Race and Purpose in Higher Education with Tressie McMillan Cottom

'Virtues & Vocations is a national forum housed at the Kenan Institute for Ethics for scholars and practitioners across disciplines to consider how best to cultivate character in pre-professional and professional education. In this talk from the summer webinar series “Reimagining Education: Conversations on Character, Community, and Crisis,” Kenan Institute Director and Professor of Sociology Suzanne Shanahan discusses “Race and Purpose in Higher Education" with Tressie McMillan Cottom.' 

Trailer: Black Emperor of Broadway (dir. Arthur Egeli)

'In 1920, the king of Broadway, playwright Eugene O’Neill cast Charles Gilpin as the lead in his new play, The Emperor Jones. At a time when roles of color were played by White men in blackface, Gilpin became the first Black actor to play a lead role.  The play made stars of both Gilpin and O’Neill, but when Gilpin took issue with O’Neill’s liberal use of the word "nigger" in the script, altering the language in performances, he was fired though his acclaimed performance has changed Broadway forever. Inspired by the play “N” by Adrienne Earle Pender, a playwright and descendent of Gilpin with the screenplay penned by Ian Bowater.'