Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 353

Author and Activist Bakari Kitwana in Conversation with Artist and Activist Theaster Gates

'Journalist Bakari Kitwana introduces, and interviews, artist Theaster Gates at the Cleveland Museum of Art on November 20, 2019, two days before the 5th anniversary of the killing of Tamir Rice by a Cleveland Police officer.' -- cleveland.com

99% of Native American Languages are in Danger of Going Extinct

'Many indigenous languages in the United States are in critical danger of dying out. Despite efforts to preserve them, all but two of the 115 indigenous languages in the United States are at risk of extinction.  The Administration for Native Americans has allocated approximately $12 million annually to tribes to preserve native languages but that’s a small fraction of what was spent in the late 1800s and early 1900s to support boarding school infrastructure, which contributed to the decline of many indigenous languages.  We spoke with Rebecca Nagle, Cherokee writer and host of This Land podcast.' -- The Takeaway  

'Waves': A Conversation with Writer and Director Trey Edward Shults

'Writer and director Trey Edward Shults joins us to discuss his new movie, “ Waves .” He is joined by cast members Renée Elise Goldsberry and Kelvin Harrison Jr. Waves opens November 15th at the Angelika and AMC Lincoln Square.' -- All Of It
         
        

Pushout: Documentary Explores Why Black Girls are Punished More at School

'Research shows black girls are much more likely to be punished in school than white girls. As part of our School Matters series, we spoke to a 13-year-old who says she was dragged outside and left in the cold by her teacher in the second grade. Author and producer Monique W. Morris talks with CBS This Morning's Jericka Duncan.'

Miles Davis on Getting Stopped By The Police | The Dick Cavett Show

'Miles Davis gives Nicolas Cage a lesson in the trumpet and discusses the police and the racist attitudes they have towards him and his success.' --The Dick Cavett Show 

Dick Gregory and the History of Black Comedy: A Conversation with Actress and Comedian Kim Coles

'Actress and comedian Kim Coles, perhaps best known for her five-season turn as “Synclaire” on the FOX series, Living Single, was the special guest for the Duke University course “Dick Gregory and the History of Black Comedy,” on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 6:15 p.m. The course is taught by Professor Mark Anthony Neal, the James B. Duke Professor of African & African American Studies, with the support of Dr. Christian C. Gregory, executor of the Estate of Dick Gregory, and the Estate of Jenny Lillian Semans Koortbojian.'

How Universities are Addressing Slavery and Reparations

'Over the past few years, the question of reparations for slavery has gone from the intellectual fringes, into the political mainstream, with presidential candidates staking out official positions. Now, several universities have begun addressing their role in this country’s legacy of slavery and racism. Georgetown, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Virginia Theological Seminary are creating scholarships, while Harvard, Yale, and Brown have publicly admitted to benefiting from the slave trade. Now, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda has requested reparations from Harvard Law School, because an Antiguan plantation owner helped found the school. This is leading to big questions regarding the right way to address reparations, and who should benefit. Marcia Chatelain, a Professor of History and African American Studies at Georgetown University, and Leslie Harris, a professor of History at Northwestern, joined our program to discuss.' -- The Takeaway

How Disco Changed Sex in America

'When you hear the word Disco, it might bring to mind the sound of cheesy manufactured dance music or images of John Travolta on the dance floor in Saturday Night Fever — but Disco was more than that. In fact, it was radical. Disco clubs arose out of gay subculture and its sound, which came to be dominated by female artists, was rooted in soul and R&B. As Disco became mainstream, it started to redefine American sexuality and Black and female artists took over the airwaves, prompting a backlash by radio DJs and rock ‘n’ roll fans.' -- AJ+

Reginald Dwayne Betts: From Jail to Yale

'Reginald Dwayne Betts is a Ph.D. in Law candidate at Yale. His major research interests are administrative law, criminal law, empirical legal studies, and law and literature. He holds a B.A. from the University of Maryland and a J.D. from Yale Law School, where he was awarded the Israel H. Perez Prize for best student note or comment appearing in the Yale Law Journal. While a J.D. candidate, he spent his summers with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the District of Columbia’s Public Defender Service. He has written three acclaimed collections of poetry, the recently published Felon, Bastards of the Reagan Era and Shahid Reads His Own Palm.' -- The Brainwaves Video Anthology 

Vijay Prashad: Hybrid Wars and US Imperialism

'Vijay Prashad, Executive Director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and Chief Editor of Leftword Books, delivers a presentation on Hybrid Wars and U.S. Imperialism at "Holding the Future Hostage: A Conference on Hybrid Wars, Sanctions, and Solidarity," held on Oct. 19, 2019 at The People's Forum in New York City.' -- The People's Forum NYC