Tag Archives: Barack Obama

Answering The Inconvenient Questions

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The sound montage above was created just after the verdict in the Trayvon Martin case was announced. The anger and outrage over what many believed to unadulterated racism in the case, was countered by commentators who would have you believe that because President, Barack Obama comes from a bi-racial family then racism is non-existent. We live in a “post racial society”, they proclaim. Yet, since the Zimmerman/Martin case, the word racism has been inescapable. Almost every other news story has the word racism in the headline.

Fanni Green & Gary Lemons 3.12.15Next on Life Elsewhere, we’ll ask the inconvenient questions: Why does racism exist? Is ignorance the same as racism? Is the non-stop disrespect of Barack Obama unabashed racism? Can there be a future without racism? To help us answer these questions and more, two distinguished experts on the subject of racism will join the program, Fanni Green, Associate Professor of Theatre, Acting and Voice and Professor Gary Lemons, author of Black Male Outsider: Teaching As a Pro-Feminist Man, A Memoir.

Also in the program, Norman B will select and play, five exceptional pieces of music about and on racism from Billie Holiday, Big Bill Broonzy, Sam Cooke, Ken Boothe and The Special AKA.  

Life Elsewhere airs Sundays, at 12 noon ET at The Source WMNF HD3  and Mondays, at 5.00pm PT at NWCZ Radio

Make sure you check out the cultural links at BACK.

Racism In America 2015

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As the 50th anniversary of Selma is commemorated, a video is posted showing members of the University of Oklahoma’s chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon gleefully engaged in a racist chant on a bus. Just a few days later, the chief of the Ferguson Police Department resigned, continuing a wave of high-profile exits following a scathing Department of Justice report on the city’s courts and police department. Nationwide scrutiny has been focused on the small Missouri city, since white police officer Darren Wilson shot and killed unarmed black teen Michael Brown. A Missouri grand jury declined to indict Wilson in November. These are just two of an alarming list of racist incidents making headline-news during the last 12 months.

Why does racism exist? Is ignorance the same as racism? Is the non-stop disrespect of Barack Obama unabashed racism? Can there be a future without racism? Next on Life Elsewhere we ask these and more inconvenient questions about Racism In America 2015, with special guests, Professor Gary Lemons, author of Black Male Outsider: Teaching As a Pro-Feminist Man, A Memoir and Fanni Green, Associate Professor of Theatre, Acting and Voice.

Life Elsewhere airs Sundays, at 12 noon ET at The Source WMNF HD3  and Mondays, at 5.00pm PT at NWCZ Radio

Make sure you check out the cultural links at BACK.

Life Elsewhere is now available at Soundcloud

Photograph of James & Jerrod by Norman B © 2011

Life Elsewhere On Racism Selected By PRX

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Life Elsewhere‘s program titled “Defining Racism” was prompted by the aftermath of the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial and Paula Deen‘s inflammatory language used in deposition. Our guests included Don Daughtry, a missionary who became the only white pastor at an all-black church in Atlanta, circa mid 60’s to mid 70’s. We also spoke with Terry Morgan, an African-American musician, impresario and promoter who has worked by and large with white artists for over thirty years. Plus regular contributor to Life Elsewhere, the legendary rapper, Sir Mix-A-Lot, well known for his thoughtful yet often controversial views, joined the conversation. Included in the show was a montage of voices, including President Obama, theatre professor Fanni Green and Norman B‘s son, James. The montage caught the attention of the curators at PRX, where it is now available. PRX Remix is a hand-picked collection of the best stories from PRX‘s community of producers and beyond. Remix is 24/7 stream of creative audio works, interesting podcasts, cool ideas, fascinating interviews, found tape, and intriguing sounds.

In the latest installment of BACK. you’ll find more intriguing links and a beautiful example of Maurice Deebank‘s music.