Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 345

Jeffrey Colvin Discusses Debut Novel, 'Africaville'

'In the new novel Africaville, author Jeffrey Colvin tells the story of a dynamic Black community in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that spans generations. It's mostly comprised of people from the Caribbean and African Americans from the southern United States. And we learn that people come to Africaville  for a number of reasons - to find freedom or to flee oppression. Colvin drew inspiration from his own life. He grew up in Alabama and witnessed a number of once-thriving Black communities disappear due to urban renewal and migration and that are now lost to history.' -- Jeffrey Colvin

The DC Symphony and the Motown Sound

'The DC Legendary Musicians perform The Motown Sound with The DC Symphony,  featuring the music of Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross & the Supremes, David Ruffin, Mary Wells, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, and Smokey Robinson.' -- The Kennedy Center

The Last Dragon: a Black Culture Tribute to Kung Fu

'The Last Dragon is arguably the film that best exemplifies the connection between black culture and kung fu. Which is why Josh Toussaint-Strauss copped a lot of stick for leaving it out of his previous video, about that very subject. It was left out because there are so many examples of this cultural crossover, it would require a video all of it's own. So this is a tribute to The Last Dragon, which in turn is a tribute to the kung fu film genre, as well as a celebration of Black culture.' -- The Guardian

Oddisee—The Survivalist: In Residence at Duke University

'Amir Mohamed el Khalifa — the acclaimed rapper and producer better known as Oddisee — came to Durham in October 2018 for a weeklong residency as part of Duke Performances’ Hip-Hop Initiative. Oddisee’s visit coincided with Duke Performances’ ongoing 'Building Bridges: Muslims in America' series, a three-year project that seeks to foster understanding, respect, and dialogue around Muslim art and culture.' -- Duke Performances

Taraji P. Henson on Living with Depression and Anxiety

'Actress and activist Taraji P. Henson sits down with us to talk about her struggles with depression and anxiety while dealing with the pay gap in Hollywood, racial injustice, and generational trauma. She further explains the stigmas around openly talking about mental health in the Black American community and how her foundation intends to break the cycle.' -- SELF

New Film, 'Clemency', Looks at Death Row From a Warden's Eyes

'A new death row drama called Clemency premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January this year where it won the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize, making director and writer Chinonye Chukwu  the first Black woman to win the festival’s biggest prize. The film stars Oscar-nominee Alfre Woodard as a prison warden faced with the psychological challenges of being tasked with the job of executing prisoners. Clemency provides an unusual perspective into state-sanctioned executions by taking a deep-dive into the life of a warden. It examines what it’s like to be a Black woman sending men to their death, what it means to bottle up your emotions and practice methodical professionalism, and how those carrying out state-sanctioned killings are often left traumatized and isolated. The film follows the execution of character Anthony Woods, played by Aldis Hodge, and was inspired by the Sept. 21, 2011, execution of Troy Davis.' -- The Takeaway

Michael Kiwanuka On Embracing His Name And How 'Big Little Lies' Changed His Life

'You might know that song, called "Cold Little Heart" as the opening credits to the HBO show Big Little Lies, starring Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon. It was a pretty big deal, but the person who wrote that song, Michael Kiwanuka, didn't even remember signing off on it at the time the show premiered. Michael Kiwanuka talks about embracing that name, finding his voice and how that TV show changed his life. Before we get to that conversation, we start with a live performance of "You Ain't the Problem" from his latest album.' -- Studio Sessions

Smartphone Surveillance in the Digital Age Download

'Smartphones are tracking our every move, whether you’re a high school student in California or a Secret Service agent in the nation’s capital. Across the globe, dozens of companies can now log the precise locations of millions of consumers through their mobile phones ... and then store that information in massive data files.  After receiving one such data set, the New York Times went deep into the world of the location data industry. They pored over one of the largest files ever reviewed by journalists and found more than 50 billion location pings from more than 12 million Americans’ phones in cities across the country. That’s just a snapshot of what companies collect every single day.   The Takeaway spoke to Charlie Warzel , an opinion writer-at-large for the New York Times and one of the reporters behind the investigation, to understand the scope of the location data industry today.' 

MVP's: Mo Vaughn and Frank Thomas Discuss Their Post-Baseball Career Ventures

Former Major League Baseball MVPs Mo Vaughn and Frank Thomas discuss their post-career business ventures with Black Enterprise.

How the South Shore Drill Team Uses Dance to Transform Young Lives in Chicago

'Titus Batts and DeSonni Hardge are the young co-captains of South Shore Drill Team, a non-profit organization based in Chicago that uses performance art to empower disenfranchised youth. In a city with a long-held narrative of violence and crime, these two boys are showing their communities that the routines that bond them in drill are stronger than the social pressures that would divide them on the streets.' -- NOWNESS