The Continuing Need for Black History Month

Black History Month is here and that means there will be plenty of opportunities to attend speakers, presentations, films, and activities related to African American history, literature, culture, and art. I strongly encourage folks to attend these events as there is still considerable ignorance about African American culture.
I frequently teach courses in African American literature and culture and am regularly reminded that, despite 20-30 years of multiculturalism in our public schools, many elementary and high schoolers are not exposed to African American writers, artists, or musicians. I also find that few of my students have been provided opportunities to consider the rich and complex legacy that is African American history. So, get beyond Martin or Malcolm and read about Washington, Du Bois, Fannie Lou Hamer, or Thurgood Marshall. Do yourself a favor and check out a film, a speaker, or an event related to Black History Month. (You know PBS will hav a new documentary every night!) Or, take the time to read some African American authors. I know that bookstores and libraries will have many dispalys devoted to Black History Month. If you already "know" African American history, then check out a "new" author like Victor LaValle, Martha Southgate, Toure, or Paul Beatty. Buy a jazz cd and check out some of the contemporary talent like Jason Moran, Christian McBride, Jeff Watts, and Greg Osby. You'll enjoy it and you'll probably learn something too!

Happy Black History Month!

In Honor of MLK

I just returned from our local MLK celebration. It was great to see so many folks out. I am sure the nice weather helped!

To help honor of MLK, I have created a top ten list of things we should remember today:

1. Millions of people and thousands of leaders shaped the Civil Rights movement. While MLK was incredibly important and influential, he was just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
2. The Civil Rights movement focused on changing ordinary things, such as access to pools, schools, and restaurants. Sometimes, you get the impression the movement was mostly philosophy or theory.
3. Per James Hal Cone's scholarship, King's success is linked to the popularity of Malcolm X. King's fame is as much related to who he wasn't as to who he was.
4. King's career did not end in 1963 with his "I Have a Dream" speech.
5. King was assassinated while helping sanitation workers improve their negotiating position during a strike.
6. King (and the rest of the civil rights movment)was much more successful in changing social institutions in the South and attitudes in the North than he was at changing social institutions in the North and attitudes in the South.
7. The Civil Rights movement was primarily a religious movement.
8. The Civil Rights movement relied on music (both gospel and soul music) and art to bring people together.
9. The NAACP litigation strategy and lawyers (including people like Thurgood Marshall and Constance Baker Motley) were a significant element to the Civil Rights movement.
10. The Civil Rights movement was as much about property and power as it was abstract rights. Consequently, we should not be satisfied with the rights revolution. We should look to the distribution of power and property to determine how much racial progress has been made.

Jacob Lawrence in Springfield!!!!!

In January and February, the Springfield Art Museum has 80 prints of the work of Jacob Lawrence. It is an impressive show.

Even though the show does not have much "critical apparatus" to explain what you are seeing, you can learn a lot about Lawrence's style and his growth. The biggest things that I realized during the show:

(1) Lawrence's canvases are related to jazz in that he really experiment with colors and poses over the course of his various series. There was a group of 7 prints about genesis were this can really be seen!

(2) Lawrence's historical imagery might have more in common with the 1980 & 1990 literary interest in historical novels and neo-slave narratives than I had ever realized. I think there is an article or book here for someone to write.

(3) In seeing the Lawrence prints, I saw a ton of visual references from William Johnson, Horace Pippen, Aaron Douglas, and Romare Bearden. I wish the exhibition would have discussed that more!

(4) Lawrence's murals for the MTA in NYC seem to engage with graffiti art. I would love to see someone examine this in more detail.

It was a great show. Highly recommended!