#black-cultural-cool

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fromThe Atlantic
1 day ago

The Black Daughters of the American Revolution

Karen Batchelor's discovery of her eligibility for the Daughters of the American Revolution was surprising, given the organization's long history of racism and elitism.
Social justice
Writing
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 day ago

Eminem's 8 Mile helped me survive abuse and opened my eyes to a world outside of orthodox Judaism

Exposure to cinema and Eminem's music provided an escape and connection during a challenging and isolated period of life.
New York City
fromwww.amny.com
2 days ago

Cardi B helps launch Mayor Mamdani's 2-K jingle contest, with one big rule: no AI | amNewYork

Cardi B will help judge NYC's 2-K jingle competition to promote free child care for two-year-olds, with applications opening June 2.
Music
fromPitchfork
1 day ago

Charles Mingus: "Fables of Faubus"

Charles Mingus created politically charged music, expressing outrage against racism and oppression through his song 'Original Faubus Fables' despite censorship from Columbia.
Arts
fromHyperallergic
3 days ago

Melvin Edwards, Who Sculpted a New Vocabulary for Political Art, Dies at 88

Melvin Edwards, influential sculptor, passed away at 88, known for his innovative abstractions reflecting art history and the legacy of Atlantic slavery.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 days ago

Baldwin by Nicholas Boggs review the relationships that drove a genius

James Baldwin's legacy has been revitalized, particularly through Raoul Peck's documentary, despite earlier criticisms of his work and its relevance.
fromThe Nation
3 days ago

What Made This Seder Different From Any Other Seder?

The event was once described by The New York Times as 'a cross between a Jewish summer camp in the Catskills and a progressive jazz concert.' Past incarnations have featured Laurie Anderson, Philip Glass, Lou Reed.
NYC music
NYC LGBT
fromwww.amny.com
4 days ago

Indelible' voices: How the NYC trans community is fighting erasure from a Lower East Side stage | amNewYork

Indelible is a forum for trans people to share their stories and foster understanding.
Portland
fromOregon ArtsWatch * Arts & Culture News
5 days ago

DanceWatch: South Indian, 'Princess and the Pea,' Dance Theatre of Harlem and more * Oregon ArtsWatch

April showcases a vibrant mix of traditional and experimental dance performances across Oregon, highlighting Bharatanatyam and new ballet interpretations.
Venture
fromForbes
6 days ago

ForbesBLK Newsletter: The Internet Was Built On Black Culture. Now Comes The Renaissance.

Alphonzo Terrell launched Spill to empower Black culture in social media after leaving Twitter, achieving significant growth and partnerships.
History
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 days ago

How can you forget me': show details Filipino Americans' rich history

The exhibition showcases the lives and stories of Filipino migrants, emphasizing their humanity beyond labor history.
Los Angeles Rams
fromDefector
5 days ago

South Carolina Forgets But Doesn't Forgive | Defector

South Carolina's focus is on current performance, exemplified by Joyce Edwards' strong game against TCU despite previous challenges.
Right-wing politics
fromWIRED
5 days ago

The Promise of 'Woke 2' Is Fueling a Leftist Fever Dream

Donald Trump's 2024 victory was seen as a rejection of 'woke' ideology, leading to a culture of offensive speech without fear of consequences.
fromAdvocate.com
5 days ago

12 portraits of transgender beauty and resilience in the Deep South

Exploring Transgender Identity in South Carolina is a candid photographic and interview-based documentation of transgender life in South Carolina. This project offers a contemporary visual record of a community that exists largely outside of that narrative yet within its realities.
SF LGBT
East Bay (California)
fromThe Oaklandside
6 days ago

Thousands turn out for Oakland No Kings march

Thousands protested across the U.S. against authoritarianism, with Oakland's No Kings march being one of the largest events, attracting 20,000 participants.
Los Angeles
fromKqed
6 days ago

Marching for Immigrant Rights, 20 Years Ago and Today | KQED

The 2006 immigrant rights marches in Los Angeles galvanized Latino organizing and continue to inspire current activism against anti-immigration policies.
Social justice
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 day ago

Politics of Black hair: why grooming rules are under scrutiny across the diaspora

Disputes over natural Black hairstyles highlight ongoing colonial influences on grooming standards in schools and workplaces across the African and Caribbean diaspora.
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 week ago

Black music is not a subculture it is the engine': Why the Mobo awards matter more than ever, 30 years on

Kanya King stated, 'Black music shapes what we listen to, how we speak, how we dress, how we tell our stories and I guess it's defined as Britain's cultural identity but structurally and institutionally is still often treated as m.'
London music
fromAllHipHop
3 days ago

Action Bronson Teaches NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Albanian Blessing

Mamdani opened up about his journey from immigrant child to becoming the city's 112th mayor, calling it a dream realized. Born in Uganda in 1991 and arriving in New York at age 7, he's now the youngest person to hold the office in over a century and the city's first Muslim and African-born mayor.
New York City
Books
fromFast Company
3 days ago

How American independent bookstores made a massive comeback

Independent bookstores have adapted and are thriving despite the rise of online shopping.
Arts
fromHyperallergic
4 days ago

Remembering Glen Baxter, Pat Steir, Melvin Edwards

This week honors an absurdist cartoonist, a feminist artist, and a sculptor addressing violence in the US.
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 days ago

Women behind the lens: I grew up hating my natural hair. But I transformed that pain into something empowering'

I create sculptural hairstyles using my natural hair as a material. I add some extensions, and shape it with thread and wire. A sculpture can take me from 30 minutes to more than six hours.
Writing
NYC music
fromwww.amny.com
4 days ago

From Brooklyn to the stage: Timi Dre brings a global sound to SOB's | amNewYork

Timi Dre blends Afrobeats, Konpa, and R&B, creating a unique sound reflective of New York's cultural diversity and energy.
Music
fromSPIN
6 days ago

Harriet Tubman and Georgia Anne Muldrow Free the Soul - SPIN

Harriet Tubman's sixth album, Electrical Field of Love, showcases their unique blend of rock, jazz, and funk with soul singer Georgia Anne Muldrow.
SF LGBT
fromLGBTQ Nation
5 days ago

We especially need to uplift joyous Black trans lives on this Trans Day of Visibility - LGBTQ Nation

Transgender Day of Visibility celebrates Black trans lives and contributions while addressing ongoing violence against the community.
NYC LGBT
fromwww.nytimes.com
1 week ago

How a Dexter' Star Is Singing Her Way Through Spanish Harlem

Luna Lauren Velez maintains her Puerto Rican roots while thriving in Hollywood, known for roles in 'New York Undercover' and 'Dexter'.
Social justice
fromPsychology Today
1 day ago

Helping Black Women Remove the Mask

Black women navigate stereotypes and require therapy to reclaim their authenticity while clinicians must advocate against oppressive systems.
Arts
fromArtforum
4 days ago

Jacob Lawrence and the Unfinished History of American Inequality

Jacob Lawrence's art addresses migration, racial inequalities, and social issues, making it relevant to contemporary societal challenges faced in the US.
Books
fromThe Atlantic
6 days ago

How Long Can You Live Your Ideals?

Pat Calhoun chooses parenthood over radicalism, paralleling Elsa Haddish's struggle between her militant past and raising her daughter safely.
fromLos Angeles Times
6 days ago

Linea Personal sprinkles R&B soul in LP 'Todo Nada'

"It's slow music, the lyrics transmit good feeling and it's moody," said frontman Gustavo Raya Garcia following the album's release on March 26.
Music
Brooklyn
fromBrooklyn Paper
2 weeks ago

'Looking for Terry' exhibition examines stop-and-frisk history and reclaims Black identity in Bed-Stuy * Brooklyn Paper

Black artists reclaim their narrative beyond surveillance and criminality through 'Looking for Terry,' challenging decades of discriminatory policing practices rooted in the 1968 Terry v. Ohio Supreme Court ruling.
fromHyperallergic
4 days ago

A Palestinian-American Photographer's Intimate Gaze

"In 'break bad (freddy flexing)' (2021), a slim man's attempt to exert physical strength instead displays his fragility. A gentleness in his eyes suggests truer strength beneath the performance."
Arts
Social justice
fromABC7 Los Angeles
5 days ago

Cascades of Freedom flow at San Francisco' Martin Luther King Jr. memorial

Yerba Buena Gardens features a significant monument to Martin Luther King Jr., promoting justice, peace, and reflection.
LA food
fromKqed
3 weeks ago

Sharing the Stories of Black Altadena's Recovery and Resilience | KQED

Radio host James Farr amplifies voices of Altadena's Black fire survivors through ongoing community journalism, documenting their journey from disaster response through displacement and rebuilding decisions.
Arts
fromwww.theguardian.com
6 days ago

African people are surreal': songwriter and blues poet Aja Monet on Black resistance and love as spiritual warfare

Aja Monet blends surrealism and blues in her art, addressing themes of love, resistance, and societal absurdities influenced by historical fascism.
fromwww.aljazeera.com
5 days ago

Why UN slavery resolution won't be enough

The United Nations resolution categorically states that slavery is the gravest crime against humanity, emphasizing the need for global acknowledgment and action.
Social justice
NYC music
fromABC7 Los Angeles
1 week ago

In Harlem living room, jazz tradition blends heart and soul

Marjorie Elliot hosts weekly jazz concerts in her Harlem apartment to honor her late son and connect with the community through music.
fromHyperallergic
5 days ago

Tonika Lewis Johnson: Segregation and How to Disrupt It

Tonika Lewis Johnson's Folded Map Project connects residents known as 'map twins' who live on the same street name but miles apart, revealing structural inequality and personal commonality.
Arts
Social justice
fromBronx Times
6 days ago

'No War, No ICE, No Kings': Hundreds Rally in the Bronx for No Kings Day - Bronx Times

Hundreds gathered in the Bronx for the No Kings rally, protesting against executive power consolidation and ICE actions affecting local communities.
Berlin music
fromwww.amny.com
1 month ago

Meet the BLCK Madonna: Jazz singer Ana Hoffman redefining reverence and Black womanhood | amNewYork

Ana Hoffman adopted the moniker The BLCK Madonna to reclaim the Italian term's original meaning of reverence toward dignified women, while discovering over 300 historical Black Madonnas in European churches.
Education
fromTruthout
1 month ago

We Must Defend Black History - It Fuels Freedom Dreams of Students Under Attack

Teachers must transform curricula to eliminate biases and systems of domination while protecting vulnerable students, particularly Black students and students of color, from contemporary educational injustices.
Social justice
fromCN Traveller
2 weeks ago

"Black excellence is everywhere, Black connection is not": Inside the event designed to connect, unite and inspire Black thinkers

The Diaspora Salon in Marrakech convenes African and diaspora intellectuals, artists, and entrepreneurs to discuss culture, power, and economic futures across multiple disciplines.
US politics
fromTruthout
1 month ago

As the Status Quo Shatters, Afrofuturists' Visions Offer a Way Forward

State violence has expanded beyond Black communities to target white protesters, journalists, and politicians, while right-wing authoritarianism threatens multiracial democracy and prompts reimagining of Black freedom beyond the United States.
Arts
from48 hills
2 weeks ago

Drama Masks: Monsters in our midst, as Black and queer history looms - 48 hills

A Bay Area theatre critic prioritizes honest reviews over free event access, evaluating whether performances justify audience spending while acknowledging indie artists' resource constraints and limited venue availability.
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Black History Month was never given' to Black people, thus, it can never be taken from us

If you know anything about the basic origins of Black History Month then you know that we weren't given' anything. The question of who owns and authorizes Black History Month holds particular relevance now, in its centennial year, and at a time when efforts to celebrate, preserve, and acknowledge Black people's past in this country are under attack.
History
Books
fromAxios
4 weeks ago

Black-owned bookstores reach record numbers, but many still struggle

Black-owned bookstores face economic fragility despite reported growth, with 90% earning under $250,000 annually and many evolving beyond traditional retail through community programming and partnerships.
Social justice
fromLEVEL Man
2 weeks ago

The Common Thread of 50 Black Lives Lost

Legal systems in America have systematically protected white perpetrators who killed Black people from slavery through the present day, creating a pattern of sanctioned violence and impunity.
US politics
fromwww.npr.org
1 month ago

Civil rights leaders say the racial progress Jesse Jackson fought for is under threat

Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights icon who transformed Black political power through groundbreaking 1980s presidential campaigns, died at 84, leaving a legacy of expanding political possibilities for Black Americans and people of color.
fromwww.theguardian.com
3 weeks ago

Act Black: posters of Black Americans on stage and screen in pictures

Many of these posters are the only surviving proof of certain shows, with no recordings of plays, and certain films, having been lost over time. They offer a history of Black Americans trying to counter harmful stereotypes and provide vital and humanizing contributions to a growing Black culture.
Arts
#black-history-month
Social justice
fromHarvard Gazette
3 weeks ago

Why we need Black bioethics - Harvard Gazette

Black bioethics is necessary to address persistent healthcare inequities, including higher mortality rates, lower life expectancy, and disparities in COVID-19 treatment rooted in historical medical racism.
Music
fromenglish.elpais.com
1 month ago

Hip hop faces its midlife crisis

Hip hop's cultural dominance has sharply declined, losing 24% sales share and 19% streaming share since 2023, with few emerging artists capable of sustaining mainstream relevance after Kendrick Lamar's 2024 peak.
#harlem-renaissance
fromLGBTQ Nation
1 month ago

These oft-overlooked icons show why Black queer history still matters (now more than ever) - LGBTQ Nation

Black History Month is a time to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements and courageous acts of people of African descent in the United States and around the world. This year, Black History month celebrates its 100th anniversary. And yet, Black History Month has failed to fully acknowledge or celebrate the contributions of Black LGBTQ+ people. Just as Pride Month remains overwhelmingly white in its representation, Black History Month continues to be deeply homophobic in its omissions.
LGBT
Music
fromBlavity News & Entertainment
1 month ago

HBCUs Celebrate Michael Jackson's Legacy In New 'Michael' Black History Performances - Blavity

Three HBCUs performed distinct interpretations of Michael Jackson's 'Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough' for Lionsgate's Black History Month celebration honoring Jackson's cultural influence.
fromHarper's BAZAAR
1 month ago

Dance Theater of Harlem Is Bringing Back Firebird . It's Never Felt More Timely.

First performed in 1910 by Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes and adapted by George Balachine for New York City Ballet in 1949, Firebird was inspired by a Russian folk tale. The ballet tells the story of Prince Ivan, who captures the firebird, a creature who is part bird, part woman, and then lets her go.
NYC music
Public health
fromAdvocate.com
1 month ago

How Black communities protected each other during the early days of the AIDS crisis

Early AIDS crisis lacked treatments and PrEP, and institutional racism denied Black patients care, forcing Black communities to build their own relief and support systems.
Film
fromLGBTQ Nation
2 months ago

These 10 essential movies about Black people with HIV will open your heart & mind - LGBTQ Nation

On-screen representation of people living with HIV remains extremely limited across platforms, with especially poor representation of Black people and few meaningful portrayals.
NYC music
fromBillboard
1 month ago

Miguel Leads 'ICE Out' Chant at NYC Show: 'In Solidarity With the People'

Miguel performed a politically charged concert at Radio City Music Hall, featuring anti-ICE messaging and calling for solidarity against the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies.
Photography
fromPortland Mercury
1 month ago

Ronin Roc on Why He Sees Black Art as "More Than February"

More Than February gallery elevates Black creativity year-round through Ronin Roc's digital portraits and a community-centered, accessible platform in Portland's Old Town/Chinatown.
Brooklyn
fromBrooklyn Paper
2 months ago

Brooklyn pays tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. with speeches, song and community service * Brooklyn Paper

Brooklyn's BAM will host a free 40th annual Martin Luther King Jr. tribute on Jan. 19 featuring remarks, performances, family activities, and a screening of Just Mercy.
Arts
fromHyperallergic
1 month ago

The Jazz Pictures the FBI Silenced

Lisette Model's thousand hidden photographs of East Coast jazz legends from 1940-1959 are revealed in a new book, exposing how government repression forced her to bury this significant artistic legacy.
LGBT
fromLGBTQ Nation
1 month ago

Jesse Jackson's "Rainbow Coalition" was as political as it was poetic - LGBTQ Nation

Jesse Jackson built the Rainbow Coalition to unite Black and Brown communities, the poor, and LGBTQ+ people while advocating equal legal protection and broad civil rights.
Music
fromAllHipHop
1 month ago

Jadakiss & Fat Joe Reflect On Hip-Hop Responsibility At NYC Black History Event

Jadakiss, Fat Joe, and BMAC CEO Prophet led Universal Music Group's Love Black Music event in NYC to honor Black music, culture, and industry reform.
US politics
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

This is Muslim New York: artists, thinkers and politicos on defining a new era for the city

Muslim creatives and intellectuals in New York City are rising, reshaping the cultural landscape and rebuking Islamophobia amid a renewed Palestinian-rights movement.
Brooklyn
fromBrownstoner
1 month ago

Hip-Hop Legends Celebrated With Borough Hall Exhibit

Brooklyn Borough Hall exhibition celebrates Brooklyn hip-hop pioneers through iconic portraits and honors photographers who documented the genre's rise.
Books
fromApartment Therapy
1 month ago

I Grew Up in a Black Home, Where the Books on Display Meant More Than Decor

A lifelong desire for a book-filled apartment grew from a childhood home where books signified intellect, memory, and emotional expression.
Books
fromThe Atlantic
1 month ago

How Toni Morrison Saw History

Preserve offensive monuments and artifacts and add counterpoints or context to confront and reveal suppressed histories and Black accomplishments rather than erase them.
fromThe Atlantic
2 months ago

How I Traced My Ancestor's Journey From Slavery to Freedom

The librarian sat me in front of a microfilm reader and brought out roll after roll of film. I stayed there for hours, squinting to decipher the archaic handwriting in the Free Negro Book, which was published annually in South Carolina before the Civil War. The names in each year's edition were alphabetized, but only roughly-all of the surnames starting with A came before all of the surnames starting with B, but Agee might come before Anderson, or it might come after.
History
Social justice
fromTruthout
1 month ago

The Black Anti-Fascist Tradition Recognized Fascism Didn't Begin in Europe

White supremacist state power and violence manifest as anti-Black fascism, linking prison abolition, historical uprisings like Attica, and enduring systemic bodily and social harm.
Books
fromThe Nation
2 months ago

Ishmael Reed on His Diverse Inspirations

A 1960s artist navigated and bridged Black cultural nationalism and the white counterculture while collaborating with multicultural avant-garde artists.
fromHigh Country News
1 month ago

How community organizers are amplifying Oregon's Black music history - High Country News

When Norman Sylvester was 12, long before he garnered the nickname "The Boogie Cat" or shared a stage with B.B. King, he boarded a train in Louisiana and headed west, toward the distant city of Portland, Oregon. He'd lived all his life in the rural South, eating wild muscadine grapes from his family's farm, fishing in the bayou and churning butter at the kitchen table to the tune of his grandmother's gospel singing.
Social justice
Books
fromABC7 Los Angeles
2 months ago

11 must-read children's books by black authors in honor of Black History Month

Providing access and choice to diverse children's books helps Black children read more and discover history, culture, and role models through picture books and programs.
fromHyperallergic
2 months ago

The African Diaspora Pictures Itself

Walking through Ideas of Africa: Portraiture and Political Imaginationat the Museum of Modern Art, I noticed that the exhibition didn't have definite sections or texts, and the wall labels abstained from naming the nationalities of the photographers. It was an invigorating experience to be in a show that eschews geographic boundaries set up by Western nations, as well as rejects a cause-and-effect narrative that centers Western colonialism as a framework for understanding African aesthetic production.
Arts
Arts
fromHyperallergic
2 months ago

Black Artists Create New Universes in "Unbound"

Unbound at MoAD connects African and diasporic artistic practices to cosmology, ancestral ritual, and futuristic imaginaries through sculpture, photography, and painting.
Social justice
fromwww.amny.com
1 month ago

Reverend Al Sharpton remembers Jesse Jackson, and his lasting impact on NYC | amNewYork

Rev. Jesse Jackson died at 84; he profoundly influenced civil rights and reshaped Democratic primary rules, mentoring Al Sharpton for over 70 years.
fromCurbed
1 month ago

I Miss My Black Brooklyn

I once lived in a Black mecca. But by the summer of 2022, my toddler son and I were often the only Black folks on the playground in Bedford-Stuyvesant, a fact that felt both alienating and surreal. We moved to Bed-Stuy that summer to be close to my sister and her family. Reeling from a recent separation and scrambling for child care in a different neighborhood, I often found myself on the playground, trying to make sense of both our new life and this
Social justice
Social justice
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

Why Black Celebrities Are Being Accused of "Selling Out"

Policing Black behavior enforces community solidarity by sanctioning perceived racial betrayal and criticizing individuals seen as prioritizing personal interests over Black interests.
fromBuzzFeed
1 month ago

I Bet You Didn't Know These 19 Famous People Have Black Heritage

To be Black in the U.S. has such an expansive meaning that traces back to Europeans deciding who got to be "white." While some people, like the Italians and Irish, earned their way into "white-ness," those with even a drop of Black in their heritage were relegated to the lower rungs of the racial ladder.
Social justice
Social justice
fromMedium
3 years ago

Confessions of a Race Writer

Race writers risk performing a narrowed, victimized 'blackness' while often holding privilege and a platform to speak for marginalized people.
Social justice
fromAxios
2 months ago

The Civil Rights era is losing its grip on young Americans

Younger Americans lack knowledge of Civil Rights history as weaker K-12 teaching and social-media consumption replace classroom learning, and activism occurs online instead of organizing.
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