ICYMI: The Last Week in Black Writing and Culture (8/20 - 8/26)

The original “flyboy” Greg Tate returns with a masterful collection of his most poignant essays in Flyboy 2: The Greg Tate Reader. Since starting his career at the Village Voice in the 80s, Tate has become one of the most influential writers in Black popular culture. He sat down with Steven Thrasher to discuss the influence of jazz, art, and Black women writers on his work.

The Hugo Awards are science fiction’s most coveted awards in the genre, recognizing best novel, best short fiction, and more across a slew of categories. At last weekend’s gala in Kansas City, N. K. Jemisin became the first Black writer to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel for her work The Fifth Season. She caught up with Alexandra Alter at the New York Times to discuss her win and diversity in science fiction. Also bringing home Hugo Award honors that evening, Dr. Nnedi Okorafor won the Best Novella category for Binti, a space tale of race and determination. Dr. Okorafor took a moment to reflect on her upbringing and inspiration in an interview with NPR.

In Memoriam: Joyce Carol Thomas (1938-2016), award-winning poet, playwright and children’s author.

Jacqueline Woodson, author of this summer's must-read Another Brooklyn, reflects on her favorite stories and getting the Hamilton treatment from Lin-manuel Miranda one day.

Raoul Peck’s highly-anticipated documentary on James Baldwin will premier at the Toronto International Film Festival next month. Peck spent the last six years working on I Am Not Your Negro, building on Baldwin’s last unfinished manuscript Remember This House.

Authors Morgan Park, Danez Smith, Brit Bennett, and Darnell Moore ponder Frank Ocean’s “literary aesthetic” in light of his highly anticipated sophomore release Blonde.