Birdman won Best Picture at the 87th annual Academy Awards on a night periodically punctuated by politically-conscious acceptance speeches. That film and The Grand Budapest Hotel tied for the most wins, four, followed by Whiplash with three, and Boyhood with two. There weren’t any upsets in terms of the major categories, with Julianne Moore (Still Alice) and Eddie … [Read more...]
Another setback keeps Keith on the road
Keith wanted nothing so much as to get back home. That, though, was not to be the case. Jessica flagged him down as he crossed the lobby. “Mr. Jackson, there’s a message here for you marked urgent.” “Thanks.” He took the piece of paper from her, stuffed it in his pocket and went up. Starting to pack, beginning with his beloved shaving kit, he saw the telephone’s message light … [Read more...]
Crusading journalist’s anti-lynching writings make for fiery reading
“Ida B. Wells was born a slave in Holly Springs, Mississippi in 1862. After beginning a teaching career to support her orphaned siblings, she moved to Memphis to become a journalist… In 1883, she was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a train, an experience that she chronicled in her first published piece. Though Wells achieved success as a writer, editor and even … [Read more...]
Anthology gives MN Black writers well-deserved recognition
Blues Vision: African American Writing from Minnesota (Minnesota Historical Society/Minnesota Humanities Center), prose and poetry culled from the proverbial cream of the Twin Cities crop of African American authors, is a book you want to have sitting on your coffee table. Not just as some sort of intelligentsia ornament — though, yes, it’ll serve the purpose — preferably as … [Read more...]