Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 320

Book Trailer | Veil and Vow: Marriage Matters in Contemporary African American Culture by Aneeka Ayanna Henderson

'In VEIL AND VOW , Aneeka Ayanna Henderson places familiar, often politicized questions about the crisis of African American marriage in conversation with a rich cultural archive that includes fiction by Terry McMillan and Sister Souljah, music by Anita Baker, and films such as The Best Man. Seeking to move beyond simple assessments of marriage as "good" or "bad" for African Americans, Henderson critically examines popular and influential late twentieth- and early twenty-first-century texts alongside legislation such as the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act and the Welfare Reform Act, which masked true sources of inequality with crisis-laden myths about African American family formation. Providing a new opportunity to grapple with old questions, including who can be a citizen, a "wife," and "marriageable," VEIL AND VOW makes clear just how deeply marriage still matters in African American culture.' -- UNCPress
 

Mikael Chukwuma Owunna: Transcending The Body

'Step out: Mikael Owunna tells a personal story of finding his voice through photography, as well as shares the importance of his work for others. An award-winning queer Nigerian-Swedish artist and photographer, the recipient of a Fulbright scholarship (Taiwan - 2012), and the creator of the projects: I am Atayal!, Limit(less) and Infinite Essence.' -- TEDx Talks
 

Anthony Hamilton – "Back Together" (feat. Rick James)

Official music video for Anthony Hamilton's – "Back Together" (feat. Rick James) with production from 9th Wonder and animation from Toon53 Productions.

Nduduzo Makhathini And Omagugu Makhathini: Alone Together Duets

'2020 looked mighty bright for Nduduzo Makhathini . In January, jazz fans and critics alike jammed themselves into the Zürcher Gallery at the NYC Winter Jazzfest to get a glimpse of the rising star pianist. The buzz was real for the first South African artist ever to be signed to Blue Note Records. By the time his debut album, Modes of Communication: Letters from the Underworlds, came out on April 3, the world was deeply suffering from the pandemic. The pianist was immediately summoned for his other practice: as a sangoma , a traditional South African healer. Now, Nduduzo and his wife Omagugu Makhathini, a powerful singer in her own right, are hunkered down in South Africa's Eastern Cape with their three kids. For their Alone Together Duet, they offer some "healing sonics" with Nduduzo's composition "Beneath The Earth".' -- Jazz Night in America

Elie Mystal: Call It a Lynching

'On February 23, 2020, Ahmaud Arbery was jogging in his suburban neighborhood when two White men, a father and son, decided Arbery might be the culprit of a suspected robbery. They got in their truck, chased him, and ultimately shot him. News reports have referred to the incident as a “shooting,” a “murder,” and a “killing.” But lawyer and commentator Elie Mystal says it’s clear that it should be called a “lynching.”  He unpacks the country’s unique and horrific legacy of control and violence towards Black Americans -- and he tells Rebecca Carroll why it’s so important to use that word.' -- Come Through with Rebecca Carroll

The Art of the Obituary in the Age of COVID-19

'Since the pandemic began, the volume of obituaries and paid death notices in our newspapers have become a powerful reminder of the loss we’re all experiencing right now. In the absence of traditional mourning rituals like funerals, the obituary pages are becoming a communal space for us to grieve together in this moment. For more on what obituaries mean during this pandemic, The Takeaway spoke with Maureen O’Donnell, the obituary writer for the Chicago Sun-Times and a former president of the Society of Professional Obituary Writers, and John Pope, a contributing writer for the Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate and author of the book, Getting Off at Elysian Fields: Obituaries from the New Orleans Times-Picayune.'

The Tape Heard Round the NBA

'Director Michael Jacobs discusses the Quibi docu-series Blackballed, which tells the story of Donald Sterling’s expulsion from the Los Angeles Clippers.'
         
        

On Coerced Labor, and Work Without Employment

'Sociologist Erin Hatton explores the nature of coerced labor in America - as prisons, welfare programs and universities push workers outside the protection of traditional legal employment, employers wield increasing power to exploit and punish subjects with little protection and less bargaining power. Hatton is author of Coerced: Work Under Threat of Punishment from University of California Press.' -- This is Hell! 
This is Hell! · On coerced labor, and work without employment.

Stefon Harris: A Generation's Preeminent Voice Of The Vibraphone

'From Lionel Hampton to Milt Jackson, to Bobby Hutcherson and beyond, every Jazz generation has had its swinging heroes on the vibraphone. Since around the turn of the century, we've had a leading light in Stefon Harris. Harris may in fact be the preeminent voice of his instrument, but he says that's not that important. "The vibraphone, in my opinion, is just a bunch of metal and wood. Instruments are just tools," he says. "What's important is the mission behind the individual who's utilizing the tool." -- Jazz Night In America

Edge of Sports: Dr. Céline Gounder on the Risks of Reopening Sports

'Dave Zirin, host of Edge of Sports talks to CNN medical expert and NYU professor Dr. Celine Gounder about Covid-19, the push to reopen sports, how that undertaking could work, and how the nation’s leadership is dealing with the pandemic.'
Edge of Sports · Dr. Céline Gounder on the Risks of Reopening Sports