Malcolm X 100 & Transforming Narratives
Malcolm X was a master narrator. Whenever reporters tried to get him with a “gotcha question,” he got them instead. Continue reading Malcolm X 100 & Transforming Narratives
Tag: Carl McRoy
Moonwalking on a Revolutionary Summer’s Dream
The year of my birth was cause for widespread celebration. There were huge outdoor parties in New York and large-scale fireworks that reached the moon. They partied like it was 1969! Because it was. The moon landing was televised. Woodstock … Continue reading Moonwalking on a Revolutionary Summer’s Dream
The Resilience Music of Mavis Staples
The American Psychological Association defines resilience as “the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.” If I were to give an … Continue reading The Resilience Music of Mavis Staples
Black Sabbath & T-Pain Join MLK’s March on Militarism
Heavy metal pioneers and popular rapper team up with the “Drum Major for Justice” against the power-hungry Evil Triplets. Continue reading Black Sabbath & T-Pain Join MLK’s March on Militarism
Langston Hughes: Rivers from Eden to America
Adapted from a chapter in Carl McRoy’s Black from the Past. Did you know Langston Hughes wrote his first published poem just after graduating high school . . . on the back of an envelope . . . in only … Continue reading Langston Hughes: Rivers from Eden to America
Model Minority? Which Model Minority?
Which minority should we model? The Wampanoag, who taught the British to plant corn and other crops, saving them from starvation? The Iroquois whose democratic ways inspired Ben Franklin and others? The Cherokee of New Echota in Georgia, who formed … Continue reading Model Minority? Which Model Minority?
Dreaming of a Black Christmas, part 1: Chuck Berry & Rudolph’s Run
Add some color to your carols and learn about the stories behind the songs. Continue reading Dreaming of a Black Christmas, part 1: Chuck Berry & Rudolph’s Run
Dreaming of a Black Christmas, part 2: Ghetto Claus
Add some color to your carols and learn a little about the stories behind the songs. Continue reading Dreaming of a Black Christmas, part 2: Ghetto Claus
Swing Low, Sweet Hummer EV
Jump into my Hummer, where old spirituals take on new meaning. Continue reading Swing Low, Sweet Hummer EV
Three-Fifths 