In The Arts

My grandmothers were strong. They followed plows and bent to toil. They moved through fields sowing seed. They touched earth and grain grew. They were full of sturdiness and singing. …
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Poem for Nana What will we do when there is nobody left to kill?

40,000 gallons of oil gushing into the ocean But I sit on top this mountainside above …
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Excerpt from book:

“My great grandmother Emily died in bed at her Louisiana home at the end of the summer of 1936, with $1300 in cash hidden under her mattress. …
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Excerpt from book:

“Your wine any good, Pilate?” asked Guitar. “Couldn’t tell you.” “Why not?” “Never tasted it.” Milkman laughed. “You sell wine you don’t even taste?” “Folks don’t buy …
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In water-heavy nights behind grandmother’s porch We knelt in the tickling grasses and whispered: Linda’s face hung before us, pale as a pecan, And it grew wise as she said: …
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Ernie Barnes was a professional athlete, artist, actor, and author.  From a young age, his parents encouraged him to read art books and listen to classical music.  During school, Barnes …
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Kendrick Lamar is arguably the most influential hip hop artist of this generation. On June 8th, Kendrick took part in a Compton peace walk supporting Black Lives Matter along with …
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Could we please give the police departments to the grandmothers?

Give them the salaries and the pensions and the city vehicles, but make them a fleet of vintage corvettes, jaguars …
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African American improvisational quilt-making is an innovative branch of a medium that reaches back to African textiles and continues to thrive.

New York Times writer Roberta Smith talks about how …
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