Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 293

Keith Knight’s New Hulu Show 'Woke' Is Evergreen — But Very Timely

'In the pilot episode of cartoonist Keith Knight’s new Hulu show Woke, the main character Keef is putting up posters in a park when police officers show up, draw guns and slam him to the ground. The cops think he is a suspect in a string of muggings because he "fit the description": a six-foot-tall Black male. The nerdy character, played by Lamorne Morris, is understandably shaken after the incident.  After a summer of civil unrest and protests over police brutality and systemic racism the show seems particularly prescient, but the semi-autobiographical plot is in reference to something Knight experienced 20 years ago. He joins The State of Things on WUNC host Frank Stasio to share a preview of the show and to talk about his own "woke" moments. Knight is the co-creator and executive producer of Woke.'

From Slave Cabins to the White House Launch: Koritha Mitchell in Conversation with Brittney Cooper

Brittney Cooper joins Koritha Mitchell for a conversation about Mitchell’s new book From Slave Cabins to the White House: Homemade Citizenship in African American Culture (University of Illinois Press).

Coffee and Books with Marc Lamont Hill: Martha Jones & 'Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote & Insisted on Equality for All'

'Host Marc Lamont Hill goes on a journey with historian, legal scholar and professor of history at Johns Hopkins University, Martha S. Jones, who discusses her new book, Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All. The two explore the importance of her book being released in the current times, her writing process, and why she would choose fact or fiction if she was stranded on a deserted island.'

'Young Gifted and Black: A New Generation of Artists'

'A new generation of Black artists and curators are making their mark on the art world while advocating for change within its institutions. The new book,  Young Gifted and Black: A New Generation of Artists , includes work from a wide range of contemporary artists and credits the necessary work done to ensure Black art is made, seen, and valued. Curator and editor Antwaun Sargent joins All Of It to discuss the book, how institutions can do better by Black artists, and recommendations for shows to check out now.' 
         
        

Laurence Fishburne On Becoming Malcolm X For New Audiobook

'Here & Now host Tonya Mosley speaks with Oscar-nominated actor Laurence Fishburne whose new audiobook The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley was recently released.'

ALA.NI: "Lament for Emmett Till" (a capella)

With lyrics from Trinidad and Tobago-born journalist and activist Claudia Jones,  ALA.NI offers a "Lament for Emmett Till".

Gwen Berry: "I Used the Podium to Protest. The Olympic Committee Punished Me."

'In sports arenas around the world, taking a knee is no longer taboo — it’s trending. But there’s at least one place where protesting is still not allowed. The Olympic medal podium. In this video Op-Ed, the track and field Olympian Gwen Berry confronts Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, over what she feels is his organization’s hypocrisy: Olympians are celebrated for their courage, drive and tenacity. But if they are spurred by those same traits to demand racial justice? That’s a punishable offense.'

Is the Fashion Industry Reckoning with Its History of Racism?

'As protests against police brutality spread across the U.S. this summer, major fashion brands and companies expressed solidarity with Black Lives Matter through social media posts, public statements, and commitments to quote “do better.” But have those gestures translated into real change within the fashion world?  The Takeaway spoke to Robin Givhan , Washington Post fashion critic, and Tracy Reese, fashion designer and founder and creative director of Hope for Flowers, about what this moment has meant for the industry, fashion’s history of systemic racism, new efforts to make it more inclusive, and more.'

Adia Victoria – “South Gotta Change” [Official Music Video]

Visuals from Adia Victoria's "South Gotta Change" (2020)

Clinton Melton: A Man Who Was Killed In Mississippi Just 3 Months After Emmett Till

'The murder of Emmett Till 65 years ago this week became a catalyst for the civil rights movement. Radio Diaries tells a lesser-known story of Clinton Melton, a Black man killed in a nearby town three months later.' -- Code Switch