Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 689

Panel: Amiri Baraka--First Fires & the Black Arts Movement in the South

from Amiri Baraka: Meetings and Remarkable Journeys @ the Sonja Haynes Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (September 17-18, 2015).  
Panel: Amiri Baraka: First Fires, and the Black Arts Movement in the South with Sonia Sanchez + John Bracey, Jr. + James Smethurst + Moderator Joseph Jordan. Amiri Baraka: Meetings and Remarkable Journeys, Panel 1, 17 September 2015 from Sonja Haynes Stone Center on Vimeo.

Why #BlackLivesMatter Won the First Democratic Debate by Lawrence Ware

Why #BlackLivesMatter Won the First Democratic Debateby Lawrence Ware | @Law_Ware | NewBlackMan (in Exile)
After two Republican debates, Democrats finally got their moment to shine. Meeting in Las Vegas with the debate moderated by Anderson Cooper, the candidates had a sometimes-contentious debate that focused more on the issues than personal attacks. There are two takeaways about the candidates and one clear winner.
Hillary is polished and presidential
She rarely misspoke. She was cool and confident. Everyone knew she was the front-runner and treated her accordingly. She embodied ‘practiced spontaneity’ and, in my eyes, outperformed Sanders. She came off as a pragmatic centrist that can win in the general election.
When given the opportunity, she attacked Sanders on gun control and, amazingly, made him look like a centrist on the issue. She is a force to be reckoned with. She banged the ‘I’m a mother, grandmother, and possible first woman president’ drum a bit too hard, but she did so in a way that reminds us of the fact that we have a choice between white men and history.
Bernie is passionate
He tripped over his words early in the debate. He unconvincingly explained how a Democratic Socialist could be a viable candidate in the general election. He was flustered when his untenable gun policy was discussed, and he seems shaky at best on foreign policy.
Yet, while he lacks the polish of Secretary Clinton, he was unwavering in his enthusiasm. Catering to his supporters, Sanders consistently raised the issue of economic inequality. In doing so, he pushed Clinton so far left that she disingenuously tried to characterize herself as a ‘pragmatic progressive.’
However, I do think Sanders made a crucial error by coming to her defense about the emails. Principled politics is fine if you are only a symbolic candidate, but that is a genuine weakness for Clinton that should have been exploited.
#BlackLivesMatter are the real winners of the debate.
Van Jones rightly declared #BlackLivesMatter the true winners of the debate because institutional racism and police brutality were central to the discussion. The Movement for Black Lives forced candidates to address their concerns with clarity and care. More should have been said, but the fact that the candidates were forced to address overt and covert forms of racism speak to the impact this group is having upon the political landscape. Candidates are no longer taking black votes for granted. They now see that they must cater to black and brown people or be taken to task publicly for their silence.
Those of you who were disapproving and condescending to #BlackLivesMatter activists and supporters about protesting Sanders should now see the error in your thinking. The goal was never to work within a white supremacist political frame to gain trickle down justice. Black folks have tried that. It’s gotten us poverty, inadequate healthcare, and the new Jim Crow.
The goal, now, is to force politicians to address black concerns or risk disruption.  That is happening. BLM is having a real impact upon American political discourse. Let’s hope this translates into policy soon.
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Lawrence Ware is a professor of philosophy and diversity coordinator for Oklahoma State University’s Ethics Center. A frequent contributor to the publication The Democratic Left and contributing editor of the progressive publication RS: The Religious Left, he has also been a commentator on race for the HuffPost Live, CNN, and NPR.

#ThinkOutLoud: Panel on Emerging Black Digital Intelligentsia @ Schomburg Center on 10/15

In the New Republic's fall issue, contributing editor and Georgetown professor Michael Eric Dyson explored how the emerging black intelligentsia has embraced social media and technology to shape American thought. 
On October 15, the New Republic will bring this conversation to life through a discussion with a bevy of black thinkers, including Dr. Dyson, Ebony senior editor Jamilah Lemieux, Duke professor Mark Anthony Neal, Director of the Schomburg Center Khalil Gibran Muhammad, Assitant Rutgers Professor Brittney Cooper, and Lehigh professor James Braxton Peterson. New Republic Senior Editor and Intersection host Jamil Smith will moderate. 
Please join us for an evening of thought-provoking discourse.
Thursday, October 15, 2015 -- 6:00 PM (EDT)  Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture - 515 Malcolm X Boulevard New York, NY 10037   Register  

Twitter's Suspension of Sports Media Revives Debate Over Fair Use

'Twitter is going after news media that share highlights of U.S. football games without sports organizations' permission. The move shines a spotlight on the notion of fair use of copyrighted content.' -- +NPR 

'The Greats'--On Set with Rihanna [video]

'The photographer Craig McDean takes us behind the scenes with the boundary-pushing pop singer, whom he shot for T’s inaugural The Greats issue.' -- +The New York Times 

[excerpt] 'They Will Have to Kill Us First: Malian Music in Exile' (dir. Johanna Schwartz0

A new documentary, They Will Have to Kill Us First: Malian Music in Exile (dir. Johanna Schwartz) trails the breakthrough Malian quartet Songhoy Blues.

Saul Williams: The Refugee Crisis Isn't That Surprising

Spoken Word Poet, Actor and Social Critic Saul Williams discusses the unsurprising nature of the Refugee Crisis. Williams' latest book is U.S.(a.).

ProjectBronx: 5 Reasons "New York City Master Builder" Robert Moses Sucks

'Robert Moses is a controversial figure in New York history. To some he is remembered as a "master builder of the mid 20th century" To others he is remembered as an egotistical urban planner who destroyed communities and was biased against the poor.' -- +ProjectBronx 

#TheRemix: Joan Morgan on the Riff Between Black Feminists + White Feminists

'It's been clear that the "feminist" label is not one size fits all. When feminism intersects with race, it is often the case that "your oppression ain't like mine." Author and journalist Joan Morgan weighs in on what's really going on in the rift between white feminists and black feminists.' -- The Remix with +James Peterson   

'Bloom County' And Opus The Penguin Return After A 25-Year Hiatus

'Comic strip creator Berkeley Breathed tells +NPR Fresh Air's Sam Briger that a 2008 letter from author Harper Lee inspired him to re-launch his famous strip on Facebook. It's now called Bloom County 2015.'