Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 766

Is #Ferguson President Obama's Hurricane Katrina?

Left of Black host Mark Anthony Neal is joined via Skype by Professor Lynnell L. Thomas to discuss the parallels between Ferguson and New Orleans. Thomas is an Associate Professor and Chair of American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston and the author of the recently published Desire and Disaster in New Orleans: Tourism, Race, and Historical Memory .

Raheem DeVaughn + Rhymefest + Kenny Dope: "Final Call"

R& B artist Raheem DeVaughn, Chicago-based Hip-Hop artist and activist Che 'Rhymefest' Smith and producer Kenny 'Dope' Gonzalez come together on "Final Call" (2014).

“Why do you want to help us? Help your own country" -- An African’s Message for America

In this Op-Doc Kenyan photojournalist and activist Boniface Mwangi asks American student volunteers: “Why do you want to help us? Help your own country.” --

James Brown's Funky Drummers: Jabo Starks & Clyde Stubblefield

Jabo Starks and Clyde Stubblefield provided rhythms on James Brown's classic recordings and serve as the backbeat for early Hip-hop. -- Morning Edition

Michael Brown, Sr. on the Aftermath of His Son's Death

Michael Brown's father discusses the events that continue to unfold in Ferguson and around the country, and the tension that comes with being a black parent in America. -- The Leonard Lopate Show

Newark's Mayor Ras Baraka Proves His Crime-Fighting Powers Early

Since his election, Newark, N.J., Mayor Ras Baraka has tried alternative tactics to combat crime, which he describes as just a small step in creating a safer environment for the city's residents and businesses. -- NPR's Code Switch

Choreographer Kyle Abraham Discusses Latest Work 'When the Wolves Came In'

Choreographer Kyle Abraham discusses his latest work When the Wolves Came In with Fusion. Abraham is a 2013 MacArthur Genius Grant winner.

Left of Black S5:E14: On Family, Ferguson and Art

Left of Black S5:E14:  On Family, Ferguson and Art
Left of Black host and Duke University Professor Mark Anthony Neal is joined via Skype  Liana Asim (@LianaAsim) and Jabari Asim (@JabariAsim) to talk about the current protests in response to police shootings, the social role of celebrities and artists, and the importance of family.
Liana Asim is a playwright and librettist; her most recent piece is Bedfellows, which examines the intimate relationship between Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Sneed.  Jabari Asim is Associate Professor of Writing, Literature and Publishing at Emerson College in Boston and the executive editor of The Crisis.  Asim is the author of several books including The N Word: Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn’t  and Why (2007),  What Obama Means . . .For Our Culture, Our Politics, Our Future (2009) and Whose Toes are Those? (2006)  and the forthcoming novel Only the Strong. The Asims are the parents of five children.
Left of Black is a weekly Webcast hosted by Mark Anthony Neal and produced in collaboration with the John Hope Franklin Center at Duke University and in conjunction with the Center for Arts, Digital Culture & Entrepreneurship (CADCE).*** Episodes of Left of Black are also available for free download in @ iTunes U*** Follow Left of Black on Twitter: @LeftofBlack
Follow Mark Anthony Neal on Twitter: @NewBlackMan

“Selma” Star David Oyelowo on Being a Black Actor in Hollywood

Selma star David Oyelowo, who portrays Martin Luther King, Jr. in the film, talks with Charlie Rose about being Black in Hollywood.  Selma is directed by Ava Duvernay and opens nationwide on January 9th.

On Fathers and Sons and Love (Trailer)

Trailer for 'On Fathers and Sons and Love' a new documentary by Camille DeBose on the role of Love in the lives of men.