arts & culture
Honoring Expression Rooted in Memory and Movement
Kesi Neblett - From Civil Rights Legacy to Netflix
I speak with the youngest daughter of Civil Rights Activists Charles and Marvinia Neblett, Kesi Neblett, who was born and raised in Russellville, KY, and has a fantastic story. She was also recently featured on THE Mole, a reality game shows that initially aired on ABC from 2001 to 2008 before being rebooted on Netflix in 2022.
John Wesley Work III - composer, ethnomusicologist, educator, and choral director
In this broadcast, Todd Lawrence and I discuss the scholarship and work Of John Wesley Work III and the newly launched Award named in His honor. The AFS African American Folklore Section is proud to issue the first call for submissions for the new John Wesley Work III Award
Celebrating the Legacy of Blues
I found my way into the modern Blues dancing world the way a lot of folks did (and still do) - through swing dancing. Often, Blues was the late-night dance for social swing dances and was occasionally referred to as swing’s “slow sexy cousin.
Zydeco Music
Similar in style to the Cajun music of their white Cajun counterparts of Southern Louisiana, Zydeco music shares its common origins and influences and also overlaps in style and repertoire. However, Zydeco music’s distinct sounds are rooted in its rural beginnings and reflect the social and economic conditions of its black and brown creators.
Jackie Merritt – Preserving The Blues Through Art
There are many ways to express and preserve culture and traditions. Some convey it through literature, some through spoken word, and others through the various arts, ei—painting, music, performance, and dance. Jackie Merritt uses the arts to tell the story of the blues people. The art of painting, singer/songwriting, and performance. Merritt is a cultural bearer extraordinaire whose roots in painting and the love of acoustic guitar galvanized her on a journey to becoming one of the premier Black Traditional Music practitioners who works to make sure the people of the music and experience live.
Hip Hop is the Great Great Great Grandchild of The Blues
The Blues and Hip Hop constitutes over one hundred years of black expression. They are both oral and aural documentation of the black experience in the Americas. Furthermore, the expression is unique and specifically formulated as a response to black in America. According to Louisiana native and blues legend Chris Thomas King, 'Blues' was created in New Orleans.
Eenie Meenie Miney Moe and The Ice Cream Truck Song’s Origin
There are many songs used to engage children by parents and teachers. Some are nursery rhymes, and some are jingles for popular kids' products. We all know and love them. However, most have no idea the racist origins of these tunes that became a stamp in households, schools, and communities. This essay will discuss two of the most popular songs.
Book Review of ‘Clean Getaway’ - Chapter book by Nic Stone
‘Clean Getaway’ is a chapter book by Nic Stone. The story is about a boy named William “Scoob” Lamar and his G’ma traveling across America in 2018 to finish a trip G’ma tried to take when she was younger, but never finished.
Blues Narrative - Mr. Waltho Wallace Wesley
Mr. Waltho Wallace Wesley, a descendant from the Muskogee Creek and Seminole Nations. A Life long resident of Indian territory in present-day Oklahoma, and ‘Black’ Indian historian.