Author's posts
Soundtrack to the Struggle: Nina Simone and Old Jim Crow
Nina Simone’s career in activism began in 1964, when her songs openly addressed racial inequality prevalent in the United States. She recorded the still-controversial “Mississippi Goddam,” her response to the murder of Medgar Evers and the bombing of Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church. That song, and others like “Old Jim Crow,” she said, were her …
News Digest 2-12-24
The Senate works all weekend on a foreign aid package…recent snowfalls have recharged soil moisture in parts of Iowa…the Chiefs win the Super Bowl.
Soundtrack to the Struggle: Nate Adderly — the Work Continues
The work song has existed since the dawn of recorded history. Field hands, boatmen, railroad gangs, and even cowboys used the work song to lift spirits and maintain the pace of labor. During the American era of slavery, the work song evolved into something far greater. It became a powerful means of communication, resistance, and …
News Digest 2-9-24
No charges will be filed against President Biden over his handling of classified documents…lawmakers in Des Moines are looking at combining mental health and disability services in Iowa.
Soundtrack to the Struggle: Count Basie’s “Same Old South”
Sometimes the truth is difficult to hear … or dangerous to tell. Sometimes, you have to serve it up with a helping of irony. And sometimes, you really DO have to use a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down. Such is the case with Count Basie’s classic 1940 record, “It’s The Same …
News Digest 2-8-24
The Supreme Court is to hear arguments today over whether Donald Trump can be kept off the Colorado primary ballot…immigrant rights advocates rally at the Iowa Capitol.
Soundtrack to the Struggle: Duke Ellington’s Grand Statement
January 23, 1943. Carnegie Hall. Duke Ellington and His Orchestra make their debut at the legendary venue. On the program is the premiere of Ellington’s new magnum opus – his three movement jazz symphony, “Black, Brown & Beige.” It is Ellington’s longest and most ambitious composition to date. Admittedly, the piece as a whole is …
Talking Pictures 2-7-24
The Beekeeper (2024) and American Fiction (2023) with Hollis Monroe, Phil Brown and Scott Chrisman.