Sometimes...
you gotta let go of hands that once held you,
just to hold on to yourself.

The blues is a living, vibrant, and contemporary art form, even if you couldn't tell from the limited coverage blues artists usually get in mainstream newspapers and magazines. Yes, there's a solid specialty press devoted to the music.

On the heels of Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” release, Black country artists had their mainstream moment amongst the genre’s fans. It was long overdue since it was us who helped create and pioneer country music, though racist industry politics have blocked most of our artists from shining in the big leagues. 

Today, on Mother’s Day, we take a moment to honor the legacies of Black mothers, grandmothers, and aunties whose voices and influence continue to resonate through the traditions of spirituals, field hollers, and slave seculars. These women were not just caregivers—they were cultural bearers, spiritual leaders, and community builders who shaped musical traditions that echo through generations.

In this episode of The African American Folklorist, we honor Dr. Ebony Bailey as Folklorist of the month of May. Dr. Bailey is a dynamic scholar, writer, and cultural worker whose groundbreaking research intersects Black Literature and Folklore. Dr. Bailey explores how African Americans have historically been both represented as “the folk” and how they have powerfully redefined that term through literature, activism, and cultural intervention.

Thank you for making time to meditate on two prominent dates, April 4,1968, the day of Dr. Martin Luther King's Murder at the  Lorraine Motel in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee, and April 2, 2020, the evening our oldest sibling and sister "Cookie" died from Covid 19. Her vibrant 52-year-old Daughter, Melvenia, passed 8 hours later. We didn't know Mel was infected.

In this month’s episode of The African American Folklorist, we shine a spotlight on Dr. Constance Bailey—Assistant Professor of African American Literature and Folklore at Georgia State University, and an innovative scholar whose research explores Black women’s comedy, speculative fiction, and African American oral traditions.

We looked forward to sailing paper-made boats down the creek, swinging across the creek on an old tire suspended from a rope tied to a branch far up in a tree, playing on the coal train cars, even when we knew better! It was always a treat to visit Uncle Ralph, Aunt Frankie and our cousins there in the coal camp.

Thinking about my grandmother and taking her advice to heart. 

On this day, March 6, we recognize significant moments in both blues history and the broader landscape of Black American folklore. From the birth of blues legend Furry Lewis to the infamous Dred Scott decision and the enduring legacy of folkloric themes in his lyrics…

On this episode, speak with Dr. Anika Wilson, The African American Folklorist of the Month for March! Wilson discusses her book, methodology, scholarship, and positionality as a Black Academic.

Dr. Raymond Summerville joins me, as he is the African American Folklorist of February, to discuss the importance of having more Black Folklore scholars

Harvard recently fired researchers for their Slavery Remembrance program without notice

Larry Handy is a folklife poet who joins us to discuss his Journey to Folklore, Folk Consciousness, and his project "Tour of Duty," LA Protest Memoir.

One hundred years since Fred Shannon’s life was stolen by a mob of white men in a small town in Eastern Kentucky. As I stand here, in this place, I can’t help but feel the weight of that century—one hundred years of silence, unanswered questions, and untold pain.

The Black Experience in Southeast Kentucky is a series that shares the stories of African Americans living in the hills of Southeast Kentucky.

In February of 2024, the Mississippi John Hurt Museum burned. The fire, believed to have been set intentionally

McDaniel was only allowed into the venue with a strict “No Blacks” policy as a favor, and even then, she was segregated to her table in the very back of the room. No other blacks won that specific award again until Whoopie Goldberg did for her performance in the 1990 film Ghost.

We no longer need to rely on any other platform to share, publish, or even interrogate our narratives.

After a long-time supporter contacted me and shared how we are significant in disseminating and distributing the Blues People story, I felt it necessary to put the call out!

Soon after Freedom
Jim Crow was declared
Between Civil War and Civil Rights.
Holocaust like a virus spread
Another century went by