My “Descendant” story; Awe-inspiring Black pianist; Fisk soars!
Friday, January 13, 2023
What I’m Reading
I went to the National Museum of African American History & Culture on Saturday, January 7th, for a screening of the Netflix documentary “Descendant.” The powerful film centered on Africatown, a small community in Alabama founded by survivors who survived a voyage aboard the Clotilda — the last slave ship that illegally brought enslaved Africans to the United States.
The documentary tackles several key themes, including environmental racism and communal bonds. However, one of the themes I found very interesting was that of oral history — the oldest type of history. In my article about the documentary, I talked with Dr. Kern Jackson, co-writer of “Descendant” and director of the African American Studies program at the University of South Alabama. This quote stuck with me:
“The thing about the oral record is that it persists. We play around with terms like storytellers and griots, but they are active in what they do. And when they do it very well, the things they have to say go beyond their lives.”
A panel discussion followed the screening, featuring the director, Margaret Brown, Jackson, Questlove, who served as an executive producer (and has an ancestor from Africatown!), and two descendants currently living in the community, Veda Tunstall and Joycelyn Davis.
It’s a heavy film, so just be prepared if (that should read: when) you watch it.
‘Descendant’ Highlights The Importance Of Oral History, HuffPost
It is impossible to watch this and not feel something: A stranger gifted a piano to an 11-year-old boy with autism after seeing him play the keyboard in a local news story. The stranger, Bill Magnusson, said he was inspired to buy a grand piano for the boy, Jude Kofie, because he had "Mozart-level" talent. Magnusson is also paying for Jude to receive lessons.
Jude took his father by surprise by playing piano for the first time like a concert pianist. From there, he’s become a viral sensation on social media. Go, Jude!
A stranger gave a boy with autism a $15,000 piano after hearing him play, CBS Evening News
Here’s an inspiring story! Fisk University, a historically Black college in Nashville, Tennessee, recently made history as the first HBCU to participate in an NCAA women’s gymnastics meet. But the work isn’t complete. HBCUs are watching Fisk intently to see how it handles the launch of a gymnastics program — and all the challenges that come with it.
But the team is optimistic. “I feel like it’s nice to show that Black girls can do it, too,” said Jordynn Cromartie, a freshman member of the Fisk gymnastics team. “We have a team that’s 100% of people of color and you’ve never seen that before anywhere. I feel like we have a point to prove.”
At Fisk University, gymnastics makes a giant leap for HBCUs, AP News
The first few paragraphs of this story will likely stop you in your tracks. In Capital B, a Black-led nonprofit news organization, health reporters Margo Snipe and Julia Craven explore the conversation surrounding health care reparations for the centuries of medical mistreatment of Black Americans.
“[Academics] and public health experts have long disagreed on whether financial reparations alone are an approach that can adequately rectify centuries of ill-treatment that has resulted in dismal health outcomes for Black Americans. Will they solve the health inequities ingrained in a system designed to perpetuate harm?”
The medical system has failed Black Americans for centuries. Could reparations be the answer? — Capital B
Mielle Organic’s rosemary mint scalp and hair-strengthening oil has been at the center of heated controversy after white TikTokers started to promote the Black-owned hair care product. Black consumers have voiced concern that the brand would change its formula to cater to other hair types while leaving those who’ve supported the brand behind. Writer L’Oréal Blackett makes a case for gatekeeping Black hair products.
Mielle Hair Oil & The Case For Gatekeeping Black Hair Products — Refinery29
What’s In The News
Damar Hamlin has been discharged from the hospital, the Buffalo Bills say…
Tennis star Naomi Osaka is pregnant with her first child…
I really enjoyed this heartwarming moment between a father and his son who lost a spelling bee…
From my colleague Jillian Wilson: “A new study found that Black women report experiencing less obvious depression symptoms instead of the more hallmark signs…”
Police departments across the United States have struggled to recruit and retain officers. Recently, they’ve turned to HBCUs to recruit…
Diamond of the pro-Trump duo Diamond and Silk has died…
Nearly 20 years ago, a Maryland boy promised his mother that he would get his college degree if she did it with him. In December, they walked across the stage together…
If you love mess, this story has it all. I’ll let the headline speak for itself: The Indie Author Who Faked Her Own Death Shook The Online Book Community With A Truly Wild Plot Twist...
Rep. Summer Lee is the first Black woman elected to Congress from Pennsylvania. Here’s how she plans on helping to make sure Congress looks more like the rest of America…
The Howard University men’s basketball team is using its platform to spotlight a significant issue: Black maternal health…
The University of Missouri announced in a campus-wide email that Meg Miller, a student who went viral after posting a violently racist message on Snapchat, will not receive any punishment from the school…
Over 20,000 migrants who tried to cross the Mediterranean to Europe have disappeared, leaving their families in constant anguish with questions unanswered. Now, a forensic anthropologist is searching for answers…
People are getting a little tired of broken promises when it comes to diversity pledges universities made in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. Here’s how Penn State abandoned a big pledge on racial justice…
Popeyes has signed “the Popeyes meme kid" to an NIL deal…
From Tina Turner to Queen Ramonda, Angela Bassett has given everything to her craft. And now, she’s the first actor to win a major individual acting award for a Marvel movie.
Abbott Elementary won some Golden Globes as well! Season 3 is on the way…
What I’m Watching
Happy MLK weekend! If you're looking for a celebration to tune into, you can watch MLK: Blueprint for the Culture, an event "exploring the relationship between Dr. King and the movement of the 1960s with contemporary civil justice movements" at Harlem's historic Apollo Theater. It will stream on Facebook on January 15th at 3 p.m. EST…
President Joe Biden will travel to Atlanta for the MLK holiday. He is set to deliver remarks at Ebenezer Baptist Church on January 15th…
The trial against Young Thug and YSL is in the jury selection process. Capital B has an explainer detailing everything you need to know…
Tory Lanez’s sentencing has been rescheduled from January 27th to February 28th (and might get delayed again)…
The 1619 Project, the Pulitzer Prize-winning work from Nikole Hannah-Jones, will debut as a Hulu series on January 26th…
Who will replace Trevor Noah on The Daily Show? Comedian Roy Wood Jr has been a correspondent on the show for years, and he “absolutely” wants to be considered…
Amazing news: The FDA has approved a new, breakthrough Alzheimer's drug that appears to slow the brain disease, albeit with health risks. Keep an eye on this…
Al Roker made his triumphant return to the TODAY show last week after he was hospitalized…
See you in 2066! The United Nations released a report that claims Earth’s protective ozone layer is healing at a pace that should see the hole over Antarctica fully patched up in about 43 years…