The Coverage... Of Toni Morrison's Home

[By Kenton Rambsy]

This May, Nobel Prize Winning writer Toni Morrison released her 10^th novel, Home. The relatively short novel (approximately 160 pages) offers alternative visions of American history focusing on racial and social tensions after the Korean War.

Set in the 1950s, the novel disrupts the popular historical narrative that this period in America was characterized by national harmony and prosperity.

The Coverage Of... The Radical Martin Luther King

[By Kenton Rambsy]

In the summer of 2005, I had the privilege to attend the Tennessee American Legion Boys State program where I learned about state government, took part in leadership activities, and became more aware of what role I could play in the American political system. This particular summer stands out to me because during this summer program, I began to think critically about Martin Luther King and understand the radical negotiations he made as one of the leading figureheads of the Civil Rights Movement.

The Coverage of…Jesmyn Ward—National Book Award for Fiction

[Compiled By Kenton Rambsy]

Celebrating and honoring novelist Jesmyn Ward on receiving the National Book Award for Fiction, the Project on the History of Black Writing has compiled articles and videos featuring Ward.

The Coverage of…Nikky Finney—National Book Award for Poetry

[Compiled By Kenton Rambsy]
Celebrating and honoring poet Nikky Finney on receiving the National Book Award for Poetry, the Project on the History of Black Writing has compiled articles and videos featuring Finney.

The Coverage of.... Zone One By Colson Whitehead

[Compiled by Howard Rambsy II]

Here’s a sketch of the coverage of Zone One by Colson Whitehead. The pre-publication attention that the work has received has been remarkable.

The Coverage Of...Daniel Rasmussen’s—American Uprising

[Compiled By Kenton Rambsy]

 

 

Daniel Rasmussen’s—American Uprising: The Untold Story of America's Largest Slave Revolt is the riveting and long-neglected story of this elaborate plot, the rebel army's dramatic march on the city, and its shocking conclusion. No North American slave uprising—not Gabriel Prosser's, not Denmark Vesey's, not Nat Turner's—has rivaled the scale of this rebellion either in terms of the number of the slaves involved or the number who were killed. More than one hundred slaves were slaughtered by federal troops and French planters, who then sought to write the event out of history and prevent the spread of the slaves' revolutionary philosophy. With the Haitian revolution a recent memory and the War of 1812 looming on the horizon, the revolt had epic consequences for America.

The Coverage of... Tupac Shakur and the Celebration of his Birthday

June 16 marks the birthday of legendary rapper and street poet Tupac Shakur. Today, he would have been 40 years old. The songs and interviews recorded by Tupac during his lifetime provide audiences with a wealth of information to better understand the personality (or, personalities) of the late rapper. We are able to gain a better sense as to what diverse influences—namely those of the Black Power and Black Arts Movement—motivated the rapper and contributed to complex oral and literary legacy.  The HBW has compiled a collection of his music videos and interviews to celebrate his life and legacy.

The Coverage Of...The "Live" Performances of Gil Scott-Heron

[Compiled by Kenton Rambsy]

Honoring the legacy of Gil Scott-Heron, the HBW has compiled videos of Heron’s live performances. These videos display Heron’s versatility as a musician and lyrical poet. 

The Coverage Of...GIl Scott Heron's Video Interviews

[Compiled By Kenton Rambsy]

Over the past eight years, Gil Scott-Heron has given interviews ranging on a variety of subjects from his musical inspirations to his boyhood experiences in the South. The HBW has compiled a list of video interviews by Gil Scott-Heron over the last ten years to honor his legacy. 

The Coverage Of...The Passing of Gil Scott-Heron

[Compiled by Kenton Rambsy] 


To honor the legacy of Gil Scott-Heron and track the extensive online coverage of his life and work, the HBW has compiled a list of the most popular websites which feature information on the late poet/musician/scholar.

The Coverage of... Manning Marable and Malcolm X

[An HBW collaboration with Howard Rambsy II via SIUE Black Studies]

The shocking passing of Manning Marable and the long-awaited publication of his biography Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention have prompted quite a bit of commentary.

[Related: Marable, the 1950s, & Black Public Intellectuals]

Our work with the Project on the History of Black Writing prompted us to keep track of the coverage on Marable's death and the publication of his book on Malcolm.