Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 901

'The Great Gatsby' Revival: New Movie Coincides With Jump in Book Sales

The New York Times

A film remake of "The Great Gatsby," which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, is sparking strong renewed interest in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, 88 years after its first publication.

Death Toll in Nigeria Unclear after Battle with Boko Haram

Al Jazeera English
There are conflicting reports coming out of Nigeria surrounding the death toll following a gun battle between the army and the armed group Boko Haram.
A Nigerian senator says more than 200 people were killed in last week's conflict, while the army puts the figure at just 37.
There are reports that the army prevented aid groups from entering the town of Baga, in Borno state, where the battle took place, for several days after the confrontation.
Witnesses say thousands of homes were destroyed during the fighting.
Al Jazeera's Yvonne Ndege reports from Maiduguri, Nigeria.

MHP Show: Voting Rights Advocates Fight Voter ID Bill in North Carolina

with Judith Browne Dianis co-director of the Advancement Project.

ReelBlack Interview: Terence Nance Director of 'An Over Simplification of Her Beauty'

ReelBlack

RBTV's LYRISPECT sat down with artist TERENCE NANCE to discuss is debut feature, AN OVERSIMPLIFICATION OF HER BEAUTY. In this exclusive clip, he discusses his intentions, inspirations and finding an audience for his singular work, which opens in NYC on April 26.
You've just arrived home after a bad day. You're broke and lonely, even though you live in the biggest and busiest city in America. You do, however, have one cause for mild optimism: you seem to have captured the attention of an intriguing young lady. You've rushed home to clean your apartment before she comes over. In your haste, you see that you've missed a call. There's a voice mail; she tells you that she won't be seeing you tonight.
With arresting insight, vulnerability, and a delightful sense of humor, Terence Nance's explosively creative debut feature, AN OVERSIMPLIFICATION OF HER BEAUTY, documents the relationship between Terence and a lovely young woman (Namik Minter) as it teeters on the divide between platonic and romantic. Utilizing a tapestry of live action and various styles of animation, Terence explores the fantasies, emotions, and memories that race through his mind during a singular moment in time.http://oversimplification.mvmt.com/

Trailer: 'An Oversimplification of Her Beauty' -- a film by Terence Nance

Executive producers Jay-Z, Dream Hampton, and Wyatt Cenac present Terence Nance's explosively creative debut feature, AN OVERSIMPLIFICATION OF HER BEAUTY. With arresting insight, vulnerability, and a delightful sense of humor, the film utilizes a tapestry of live action and multiple styles of animation as it documents the relationship between Terence (Nance) and a lovely young woman (Namik Minter) as it teeters on the divide between platonic and romantic. Blurring the line between narrative, documentary, and experimental film, the film explores the fantasies, emotions, and memories that race through Terence's mind as he examines and re-examines a singular moment in time.

"All Black Everything: Exceptionalism and Suffering"--A TEDx Lecture by James Braxton Peterson

TEDxLehighRiver
Dr. James Braxton Peterson, Associate Professor of English and Director of Africana Studies at Lehigh University, explains All Black Everything as an idea he has been developing about the relationship between black exceptionalism and success and the way in which that success obscures the pain and suffering of the black community.

Haiti's Displaced Face New Evictions

Al Jazeera English
More than three years after a devastating earthquake hit Haiti, tens of thousands of people are facing a new crisis. Amnesty International says already displaced residents are being forced from the capital's tent cities. The Rights Group says the evictions are a violation of human rights and that the government is doing little to stop them. Caroline Malone reports.

Richie Havens Performs "Freedom" at 2003 Worldwide Protest Against the Iraq War

Democracy Now
To mark the passing of legendary protest singer Richie Havens, Democracy Now! has posted video of his performance of "Freedom" at the massive demonstration against the Iraq War, which took place in New York City as millions filled the streets around the world on Feb. 15, 2003. You may recall the song from Havens' performance at Woodstock, where he was the first act to take the stage, and did so quite dramatically. After a nearly 50-year career, Havens died Monday, April 22, 2013, at age 72 in his New Jersey home after a sudden heart attack.

Left of Black S3:E27 | Queer Sounds & Eccentric Acts in the Post-Soul Era

Left of Black S3:E27 |  Queer Sounds & Eccentric Acts in the Post-Soul Era 

Left of Black host and Duke University Professor Mark Anthony Neal is joined, via Skype, by DePaul University Professor Francesca Royster, the author of the new book Sounding Like a No-No: Queer Sounds and Eccentric Acts in the Post-Soul Era (University of Michigan Press).
With Black eccentricity as a frame, Neal and Royster discuss the careers and legacies of the late Eartha Kitt, Parliament-Funkadelic, Stevie Wonder's Secret Life of Plants, Grace Jones and the late Michael Jackson.
Royster is also the author of  Becoming Cleopatra: The Shifting Image of an Icon. 

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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.
***  Episodes of Left of Black are also available for free download in @  iTunes U

I Will Not Let An Exam Result Decide My Fate || Spoken Word from Suli Breaks

SuliBreezy

I Will Not Let An Exam Result Decide My Fate - Suli Breaks
Purchase on Itunes:https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-w...

"I Will Not Let An Exam Result Decide My Fate" picks up on the education topic but takes a different stance and angle from "Why I Hate School But Love Education". This poem talks about how we have been made to think about how education and getting university degrees can give us opportunities to have a better chance in making our dream careers a reality. It also touches on how as individuals we are judged and tested by how well we perform on exams, but not all people perform well in exams so why are they made out to feel like they're dumb? The inconsistencies of the education system are really peeled open to reveal a deep problem that needs to be addressed and how society's needs have changed to make this even more apparent.

When it boils down to it, why are we misled into thinking that education is the only way forward for successful means in our work and career lives? We need to open our minds and educate ourselves that exam results aren't the barometer of success and that we can't let them decide our fate. We are in charge of our own destinies!

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