Twelve Black fantasy authors
By Thean Sargeant It’s inspiring to see publishing houses and their imprints (think smaller, more specific publishing houses under one publisher) pick up manuscripts and imprints by Black authors. It’s even more inspiring to see many Black authors explore the fantasy genre. Many fantasy authors draw inspiration from their cultures’ mythology. If you’ve been thinking about reading fantasy, consider supporting these Black fantasy novelists. Ehigbor Okosun Ehi, as she likes to be called, grew up with the Nigerian mythology and traditions that she writes about in her books. This multi-degree holder’s debut book, and first of a duology, Forged By Blood, was published by Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins that is dedicated to science fiction and fantasy. Look out for the sequel, Exiled by Iron, in October 2024. Tracy Deonn (#1 New York Times bestseller) Known for her popular series The Legendborn Cycle, Deonn, who holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree, has made quite a name for herself. In 2021, she won a Coretta Scott King – John Steptoe New Talent Award. Her books are published by Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster literary fiction and nonfiction for children and teens. Look out for the third book in The Legendborn Cycle, Oathbound in May 2025. Liselle Sambury (Canadian) Sambury, who holds a degree from Queen’s University in Ontario, is another author published by Margaret K. McElderry Books. She debuted in 2021 with her book Blood Like Magic, the first in the Blood Like duology. This book made Sambury a finalist in the 2021 Governor General’s Literary Award for Young People’s Literature — Text. The sequel, Blood Like Fate, came out the following year. Her two newer books Delicious Monsters and Tender Beasts are out now and available for purchase. Jordan Ifueko (#1 New York Times bestseller) Award-winning author (Nebula Award and Ignyte Award, to name a few) Jordan Ifueko is known for her Raybearer series. The series is partially inspired by her West African heritage and other world cultures. The imprint Abrams Books has published her work. Look out for her new, standalone book (based in the same world as Raybearer) The Maid and the Crocodile. Nia “N. E.” Davenport Davenport is both an academic and a published author. She is known for her popular Blood Gift duology published by Harper Voyager. The first book in the duology, and Davenport’s debut book, is The Blood Trials. The follow-up book, The Blood Gift, was published in June 2024. Deborah Falaye (Canadian) Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria equipped Falaye with knowledge of the Nigerian and Yoruba mythologies she needed to write her debut novel Blood Scion. Published by HarperTeen, another imprint for HarperCollins, in 2022, the book is the first in an unnumbered series. Look out for her second book War Widow in late 2024. Suyi Davies Okungbowa (assistant professor at the University of Ottawa) Another academic and author, OsasuyiOkungbowa, Suyi for short, has four science fiction books. Anaddon Books published David Mogo, Godhunter in 2019. Hachette’s imprint Orbit Books published two books in the Nameless Republic trilogy: Son of the Storm (2021) and Warrior of the Wind (2023). Tor Publishing Group, an imprint of Macmillan, published his standalone book Lost Ark Dreaming in 2024. The release of his last book in the Nameless Republic trilogy is anticipated. Terry J. Benton-Walker This master’s degree author wrote a popular series, Blood Debt, which contains two books: Blood Debt and Blood Justice. They were published by Tor Teen, an imprint of Macmillan. Walker also has a children’s fantasy series, Alex Wise, published by Random House Children’s Books’s imprint Labyrinth Road. Marlon James James is a Jamaican-American academic and author whose first book was published in 2005. His book Black Leopard, Red Wolf, published by Riverhead Books, an imprint of Penguin Group/Penguin Random House, marked his entry into fantasy in 2019. This book is the first of a planned trilogy titled The Dark Star. The second book, Moon Witch, Spider King was published in 2022. Look out for the final book in the trilogy White Wing, Dark Star. Moses Ose Utomi Utomi, a Nigerian American, takes inspiration from his West African culture and mythology. This academic published his first fantasy YA novel Daughters of Oduma with Atheneum Books for Young Readers, a Simon and Schuster imprint. His two published novellas are part of the Forever Desert trilogy. The books, published by Tordotcom, an imprint of Macmillan, include The Lies of the Ajungoand The Truth of the Aleke. The last book of the trilogy is forthcoming. Jamison Shea Shea’s debut book, I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me, and its upcoming sequel, I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call, serves as their launch into the world of dark fantasy writing. Henry Holt and Co., who operate under Macmillan in the US, published their books. Rivers Solomon Award-winning academic and author, Solomon has been in the fantasy genre for seven years. Their book An Unkindness of Ghosts was published by Akashic Books, an independent, Brooklyn-based publisher. Their second book, The Deep (a novella), is based on a song of the same name that was commissioned from the hip-hop group Clipping for the show This American Life. The group members Daveed Diggs, William Hutson, and Jonathan Snipes are given credit on the book for their involvement. Saga/Gallery Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, published the book. Solomon’s third book, Sorrowland, is a gothic fantasy published in 2021 by MCD Books (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, whose parent company is Macmillan).
Who is Cree Summer?
By Thean Sargeant Cree Summer Francks, professionally known as Cree Summer, is an American Canadian actress who has graced both live and animated screens. Her father, Don Francks, was a Canadian actor, singer, and musician. Her mother, Lili Red Eagle Francks (née Clark), is a Plains-Cree African American actress and an adopted Red Pheasant Cree Nation member. Summer lived in both Saskatchewan and British Columbia before starting school in Toronto. She now lives in the U.S. Summer was interested in voice acting from a young age. With her father’s help, she landed the role of Penny in the 1983 Inspector Gadget animated show. In an interview with AV club, she said that her father was auditioning for the show and asked if his daughter could read for Penny. With that, it was the beginning of her acting career. Summer has voiced main characters, acted as multiple characters within a show, and played background characters for over 40 years. She has amassed over 250 roles across films, television shows, and video games. When asked how she thinks of voices for her characters, Summer told Splinter that she sees a picture of them and gets an “indication of what they sound like.” According to asitecalledfred.com, she also looks at the character’s age, jaw, and even teeth to determine what they should sound like. Aside from that, Summer uses the voices she gave her toys from when she had to entertain herself as an only child without a TV. Summer enjoys the non-competitive nature of the voice-acting world as she feels that other voice actors are silly people who enjoy doing their job. They “[know] their lane and what they’re good at,” she explains to AV club. Voice actors recommend one another for roles they know the other person would be good at. Summer has grown close to many in her voice-acting circle like Grey Delisle and fellow Torontonian Tara Strong, describing her relationship with the latter as one of the “sweet soul sisters for a million years.” While some of her characters have been white, Summer has brought many Black female characters to life. In the past, Black and brown kids didn’t see themselves depicted on screen as often as their white counterparts. According to Summer in AV Club, cartoons are one of the first times kids can see themselves, so it’s not good when Black and brown kids are not represented. She got excited when she saw her Rugrats character, Susie Carmichael, thinking that the character “looks like a real little brown girl, not like a white girl [coloured] brown.” She also feels that her Black princess in Atlantis: The Lost Empire doesn’t get the recognition a Disney princess needs. She hopes this changes. Summer’s work has also extended into live-action roles. She appeared on popular shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Living Single in 1994. Her longest role was Winifred “Freddie” Brooks in A Different World, a spin-off of The Cosby Show. She played the role from 1988 until the show’s end in 1993. Recently, she played a minor character on Abbott Elementary and will be starring in Disney/Marvel’s miniseries Ironheart. Summer has dabbled in singing and released one studio album called Street Faërie. Her love for singing carried over into her characters as she has sung for some of them. A few shows wherein Summer has sung are All Grown Up! as Suzie Carmichael, Drawn Together as Foxxy Love, and Codename: Kids Next Door as Abigail Lincoln (Numbuh 5). Summer has been unstoppable in pursuing the career she has loved since she was a little girl. She credits the start of her career to pure nepotism and hopes that her daughters can carry on the “family business” of voice acting.
Breaking Stereotypes with Abbott Elementary
By Thean Sargeant Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers about the TV show Abbott Elementary. In 2021, Quinta Brunson’s award-winning mockumentary Abbott Elementary graced the air. What started as an homage to Brunson’s mother, quickly expanded into a network show that doesn’t rely on Black stereotypes. Four of the show’s main characters are quite different, just like how Black people in real life vary. Janine Teagues (Quinta Brunson), Gregory Eddie (Tyler James Williams), Ava Coleman (Janelle James), and Barbara Howard (Sheryl Lee Ralph) each have unique problems that are resolved throughout the show. Janine is the most optimistic of the bunch. Her personality is that of an awkward adult who makes her way through personal relationships the best way she knows how. She is a college-trained teacher who ended her long-term relationship towards the end of the first season. She also has awkward relationships within her family, namely with her mom and sister. We, as the audience, get the feeling that Janine wants everything to fall in line and work out perfectly. We see her reel back from her perfectionism as she gains wisdom from those around her, mostly Barbara, who she looks up to. Gregory is a no-nonsense, nonchalant character. However, as the show progresses, he eases away from the tough Black man trope, and instead proves to be someone who can stick to his morals without seeming unapproachable. Audiences learn that his dad has a huge influence in his life (especially, since his mom passed). Sometimes, this influence is not so good, because it makes Gregory feel like he can’t stray from the path that has been mapped out in his head. His character is realistic, as he deals with heavy parental pressure, even into adulthood. Ava is a peppy, quick-witted, and selfish person who only does things to benefit herself. However, her character develops into someone who is slightly more willing to help others, even if it has almost little to no benefits for her. A college graduate who was the step class master for her sorority, Ava is an educated sassy lady who knows when to take situations seriously. While Ava’s character is hilarious, she is more than just a comedic relief. She is a character with flaws that she addresses as the show progresses. Barbara is an upbeat, older Christian woman who has been teaching at Abbott for years. Her character is based on Quinta’s actual mom who was a kindergarten teacher herself. Barbara can be seen as a stereotype, but there is some nuisance to her character that goes beyond reading the Bible and constantly talking about God. She is accepting of the LGBTQ+ community. This acceptance has caused strife between her and her church choir members who aren’t too accepting of the community. She also has moments when she doesn’t readily accept someone for being different from her. In season 2, episode 8, Barbara encounters a parent who has a profane word tattooed across her chest and a derogatory term on her jacket, which is seen after Barbara asks the mother to cover up. The problem grows as Barbara essentially assumes that the mom is an unwed single mother — she is not. When Ava suggests that the mother’s attire is okay as long as her child is okay, Barbara realizes that she should look at the situation differently. While she still doesn’t completely condone the mom, she accepts that people are different. She learns to let certain things slide. Abbott Elementary’s success proves that audiences have been looking for something that isn’t just overplayed stereotypes. The show has wrapped up its third season and is preparing for its fourth. Many stories are still to be told in it, so hopefully ABC continues to see the vision behind it for years to come.
Five books by Black authors to look out for this year
By Sydnee Walcott While reading may be boring to some, it has more benefits than one may think. Reading is a lifelong skill that gives people room to improve their memory, build their vocabulary, and gain more knowledge. One of the biggest things reading can do is teach people about the world around them and how they can do their part to help make positive change. Here’s a list of five books by Black authors to be on the lookout for this year. The Black American Handbook for 2024 The year 2024 started on a high note with the release of The Black American Handbook for 2024 by Albert Allen III. The handbook encourages Black people to do better for themselves in various sectors. Some content in the book touches on how the descendants of enslaved Black Americans should demand reparations payments from the U.S. for free labour, how AI opportunities benefit Black Americans, preserving family wealth, doing their art to combat the homelessness problem within the country, creating a political party that benefits them, and steps to making their goals become a reality. You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!): A Little TJ Book Labelled as a New York Times Bestseller, award-winning actress and mental health advocate Taraji P. Henson’s debut picture book, You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!): A Little TJ Book, is geared towards children ages four to eight. Lil TJ, a quirky, stylish, and somewhat off-the-cuff little girl, is excited for her first day of school. However, her feelings change upon her arrival when she realizes everything she does is different and makes her stand out in the wrong way. Things don’t get any better for TJ as one of her classmates, Beau, continuously teases her. This leaves TJ filled with anxiety and doubt until she remembers some important words of wisdom from her Grandma Patsy. This gives TJ the confidence to make new friends and help someone else in the process. Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration What was supposed to be an essay on Black joy for The Washington Post, became so much more when NAACP Image Award-winning author Tracey M. Lewis-Giggetts received an outpour of positive responses from readers. Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration, is a 288-page book filled with lyrical essays about the evolution of joy within Lewis-Giggetts life, even amid trauma. These essays allow readers to recognize the power of Black joy and knock down the one-note narratives of Black life as only being compromised by trauma and hardship. My Black Country: A Journey Through Country Music’s Black Past, Present and Future The year 2024 has been the breakout year for many Black artists within the country music scene. People have been looking forward to a year like this as Black people have contributed to the origins of the genre and have often seen their contributions get overlooked due to cultural appropriation. Award-winning professor, songwriter, and author Alice Randall, celebrates the Black origins of country music and how the genre brought Randall and her activist mother together. Randall has made her own contributions to the genre, becoming the first Black woman to co-write a number one country hit, Trisha Yearwood’s “XXX’s and OOO’s.” While touching on Randal and her mother’s bond through country music, the book celebrates the genre’s Black influences throughout its history, introducing them to a new generation of listeners. Kiki Finds Her Voice: Be True to You and Embrace Your God-Given Gifts While growing up, fitting in and becoming popular is what some kids look to achieve. At times, kids may find themselves in a situation where they might be subjected to peer pressure to achieve their desired popularity. However, kids often discover that becoming popular is not worth it if peer pressure is involved. The school talent show is coming up and Kiki is excited when she is invited to perform along with the popular girls. Her excitement is cut short when her new friends choose to sing a song Kiki’s parents don’t approve of. This puts Kiki in a difficult position as she has to decide if popularity and pleasing her friends is more important than speaking up and doing what she knows is right. Based on a true story in the life of Grammy-nominated gospel singer and actress Kierra Sheard-Kelly along with Molly Hodgin, this children’s picture book helps kids discover how they can use their God-given gifts in a positive light and how to be true to themselves when it’s not deemed as the popular thing to do. All books listed above are available for purchase in hardcover, paperback, and as an ebook for various apps and reading devices.
Weight
By Priscilla Wiredu That weight. That weight that has been on the shoulders of the first African forced onto that ship. The weight that crushed them amongst each other through the violent, uncaring waves. The same weight carried on the back of the first slave to set foot in the Americas. That weight that lived on slaves’ backs, their heads, their shoulders, their feet, keeping them down, submissive, scared. That weight makes them think that they were better off drowning in the water with others. The weight of grief is piled on top of that too, but for their survival, they push that aside. It’s amazing, the Black human body, isn’t it? The weight in which Black women carry when dealing with their boss’s families and their own. The weight Black men feel to “stay in their place” when minding their own business. The weight of hateful eyes looking at them, waiting for them to step out of line so they can unleash their animalistic hate. It’s like walking through a lion’s den covered in T-bone steaks. It’s dangerous to not be aware of this weight — Emmet Till, just a boy, was just getting used to his weight when his life was savagely torn from him. All because of the lie of a white woman. Now his mother carries his weight until her death. The weight has become our survival instinct. The weight of carrying our crying babies on our backs escaping the cotton fields at night. The weight of worrying when our Black family will return home, if at all. That weight. That immovable weight. That weight never goes away. Every Black American has felt it, personally or sympathetically. Whether it’s walking into a store to get something. Or encountering a police officer, Or walking home alone in the dark (where people are afraid of YOU, ain’t that some shit?) The weight Martin Luther King Jr. talked about in his iconic speech, how the weight he felt for every Black American and his dream to one day uplift it. The weight Rodney King felt as those three heavyset police officers beat him within an inch of his life, and were acquitted for doing so. The weight Ruby Bridges felt walking down the steps of her home, aligned with bigots shouting at her as she made her way to school. A weight no six-year-old should have to feel. The weight George Floyd felt on his neck for nine minutes. Recorded,slow, and tortuous weight. The weight of the gunshot that crashed through Ralph Yarl’s face, simply because he had the nerve to not know where he was. The weight OJ Simpson felt when the verdict at his trial was announced. The weight Barack Obama felt during his inauguration. This weight is ambivalent for Black people. This weight has made itself a home within every Black American, whether they acknowledge it or not. It should be crushing, it should be devastating, it should wipe anyone out. But it doesn’t. Because through everything Black people have been through, they have been granted strength. Resilience. Resistance. Pride. Love. Justice. Acknowledgement. Whether its ending generational trauma, or passing new laws, or positive representation, This weight is shared equally among Black people, and as a people, we have learned to distribute it among us so that no one suffers alone.
Nope: A Black Instinct
By Priscilla Wiredu Two years ago, I wrote an article about the portrayals of Black people in horror movies. The article discusses the types of roles Black people play in such films wherein they pretty much end up dying painfully and unjustly. The main point of this article was to showcase how Black people aren’t wanted in horror cinema unless they are suffering. They do not want to be seen as heroes, survivors, or protagonists. It would have been a solid theory that Black people simply wouldn’t survive in horror films. Now, a new theory arises: maybe Black people are too smart to get into horror movie plots. A survival technique Famed director Jordan Peele has made several films with Black actors with the underlying theme of these films being racism. Peele’s debut feature,Get Out (2017), follows the story of a Black man as he finds out the hypnotic and terrifying secrets of his white girlfriend’s family. As the title suggests, the protagonist has to get out before he becomes their next victim. On the Internet, many skits and videos comically show how Black people would react in horror movies, and why these films would then end faster than anticipated. It’s not because Black people are buzzkills and ruin the fun. Black Americans, specifically, have been socially engineered to avoid danger and conflict whenever it’s presented. They’ve inherited a generational survival instinct that has transcended even today. Experiences of the oppressed vs the oppressors Southern physician Samuel Cartwright (1793-1863) was famous for coining the term drapetomania, a racist fluke disguised as a mental illness that explained the psychology of enslaved Black people who escaped. Cartwright theorized that the enslaved who wanted to escape slavery were mentally unhinged since slavery made their lives better. He also believed Black people were put on this earth to be enslaved for White people. It was deemed unfathomable to break free from that. Of course, drapetomania has long since been debunked, with more verifiable studies on Black mental illness and well-being coming to light, and advancements in Black mental health help. However, the reason why it is mentioned here is paramount to explain why there is such a difference in approaching danger when it comes to Black and White people. As history tells us, White people came from Europe, participated in the most recent slave trade, brought Africans to Americas and colonized every group of color into their own little box. For decades, Black people have fought against slavery, Jim Crow, lynchings, hate crimes, and other racist systemic disadvantages to get where they are today. White people, on the other hand, have regressed when it comesto reigning superiority – no longer owning slaves, integrating with people of color,andracist laws being abandoned.However,White people, of course not all the time, now face consequences for their racist behaviors. Real-life horrors After putting up with racist practices, discrimination, gaslighting, and too many other forms of mistreatment to name, Black people in Western society have developed a sixth-sense sort of “power” that helps them understand they are not wanted in a certain area and therefore must leave if they want to live. Sundown towns, public lynchings, police brutality as examined in the murder of Emmett Till, and the horrors enslaved Black people faced on plantations explains why how Black people have developed this instinct. Ancestral Instincts Stories from the enslaved that are told from families to families, and news stories about police brutality and unjust killings of Black people, are enough to make Black people worry about their lives and safety that to just frolic into a haunted place as opposed to White people. White people have a superiority complex due to centuries of indoctrinating their beliefs and colonizing parts of the world. For example, White supremacists fear that they’re being replaced and facing karma for the damage they inflicted upon the world (which is far from the truth). Back to the drapetomania theory. Perhaps, Black people were mentally ill to want to escape slavery because if slavery was bad, what made them think the outside world would be any more welcoming to them? This theory in real life Black people are aware of the staggering difference between how they act and how White people act in dangerous situations. They are also aware of racism in horror films. The 2019 documentary, Horror Noire,details the history of racist cinema and how only recently have Black people mastered the horror genre. Of course, Black people try to make the best of it, making social commentary films, such as Peele’s Nope, Get Out, and the 2022 horror comedy The Blackening,a movie about Black friends who go to a cabin and try to survive a serial killer with their knowledge of horror films and Black peoples portrayals. Black Americans have used this instinct as a means of surviving in an racist anti-Black society for centuries. It has informed their arts, songs, poems,and struggles giving other members of society the chance to sympathetically view Black experiences from Black perspectives.
Five TV Shows That Broke the Colour Barrier
By Priscilla Wiredu For decades, Black Americans have fought for proper representation in Western media. As a result, Disney launched their first Black princess in the 2009 hit film The Princess and The Frog, Black Ariel in the 2023 live-action film The Little Mermaid –to name a few recent examples. The call for greater representation has been a long battle amongst Black Americans, along with the racial backlash they had received when such accomplishments have been made. Here are five historical TV moments that broke the colour barrier and helped pioneer Black TV. 1954 – Arthur Duncan on The Betty White Show” Renowned Golden Girls actress Betty White made a huge mark on American culture via her TV show Golden Girls. Three decades prior to this huge mark, Betty White had her own television show called The Betty White Show, where she would host weekly interviews with guests of her choosing. Betty White was an avid fighter for civil rights and fought against segregation. Using her show, she had a recurring guest, a Black tap dancer named Arthur Duncan, where they would engage in hearty conversation. Duncan would also perform small dances during his segments. Duncan was cited as the first Black man to appear as a regular on a U.S. talk show, and many people in America, especially in the South, had strong feelings about this. Hate mail and complaints called for Duncan to be taken off the show or for the show to be cancelled entirely. White, however, stood her ground. She allowed Duncan, as well as other Black guests, to appear on her show as she pleased. White was quoted as saying: “I’m sorry. Live with it”. Eventually, The Betty White Show was cancelled due to lack of sponsorship and low ratings. However, White’s choice to showcase a Black man on her show was an amazing stepping stone for Black audiences. 1967 – Eartha Kitt as Catwoman in Batman ABC’s live action Batman had casted the late iconic actress and singer Eartha Kitt to play Catwoman in its final season. Kitt’s portrayal as Catwoman wasn’t just for entertainment purposes. It was politically driven as well. Deep in the middle of the civil rights movement, and amid the Supreme Court’s striking down of the ban on interracial marriage, thanks to the famousLoving. V. Virginia court case, Kitt playing a provocative antagonist to a White superhero was quite the spectacle of the time. Many Black Hollywood actors who managed to achieve fame during those times did so by providing positive reinforcements for Black youth. Kitt’s Catwoman launched a legacy of empowering Black women to get into large Hollywood roles, as well as create their own superheroes decades later. 1974 – Good Times The late renowned American screenwriter Norman Lear made television history when his TV sitcom Good Times debuted on February 8, 1974. Good Times is said to have been the first TV show to depict a real Black family struggling in American life. Good Times is a staple in Black television because of the way it addresses racial identity and other issues. The protagonist in the series, James Evans Jr., the breadwinner of the family, and his wife, Florida, held authority in their household and were hard-working and loving parents to their children. Their children each were gifted in their own ways. James Jr. was a talented painter, Thelma was an aspiring doctor and feminist, and Michael was a firm believer in social change and justice. The show referred to figures of Black media, such as Ebony magazine, comedian Flip Wilson, and talented composer Isaac Hayes. Not only did Good Times portray Black families as beautiful, tight-knit and loving, they also honed in on social commentary when it came to race relations. Despite all these positive attributes, the characters had faced racial discrimination or some form of tokenism that was met with aloofness and disregard. Good Times shows that Black Americans can and do have the perfect nuclear family unit. 1966 – Star Trek The critically acclaimed TV series Star Trek, which debuted September 8, 1966, was influential not only in its compelling storylines and use of sci-fi lore but also because of the many lessons it taught about diversity and the power of representation. In watching Star Trek, viewers could reflect on society and its attitudes towards marginalised groups, as characters on the show are not just concerned about finding a utopia for humans, but rather about creating one themselves. The original Star Trek cast had a multitude of diverse characters, including Uhura, played by the beautiful late Nichelle Nichols, a Black woman who inspired many Black viewers by playing a female authoritative role. As if her appearance and acting skills weren’t enough, Nichols and William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk, had TV’s first interracial kiss, which aired on November 22, 1968. Despite some pushback from opposing viewers, Star Trek would continue to inspire millions and millions of fans years later. 1969 – Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood A children’s TV show that transcends generations in time and messages, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood was an educational show that taught children about love, acceptance, facing your fears, and many other important lessons for growing up. Hosted by the titular character Fred Rogers, many episodes have dealt with serious issues, such as one episode addressing death and grief relating to the assassination of President Kennedy. Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood also took a stand against racial segregation. On May 9, 1969, in response to the banning of desegregated public pools, Rogers let Officer Clemmons, a Black police officer played by Francois Clemmons, soak his feet alongside him in his little wading pool. Clemmons declines, saying he had no towel to dry him off. In response, Mr. Rogers offers to share his towel with him. Clemmons agrees and steps into the water with him. This simple display of humanity taught audiences that people can share things peacefully without race being a debilitating factor. Mr. Rogers Neighborhood single-handedly exposed the bigotry of denying Black Americans their right
Bill Cobbs: A Legendary Black Actor
By Priscilla Wiredu On June 25, 2024, veteran Black actor Willbert Francisco Cobbs, professionally known as Bill Cobbs,passed away at the age of 90. Cobb’s acting career spanned over decades. He is remembered not only for his impeccable acting, but also for his contributions to Black cinema as a whole. Early life Cobbs was born June 16, 1934 in Cleveland, Ohio, to a domestic worker and a construction worker. He had one brother, Thomas, and was the second cousin of James Baskett, another Black actor whose most noted role was Uncle Remus in Disney’s Song of the South. Cobbs served as a radar technician in the U.S. Air Force for eight years. Afterwards, he obtained work as a car salesman and office product salesman in Ohio. In 1970, the then-36-year-oldmoved to New York to seek acting work. Whilst looking for roles, he supported himself by doing odd jobsselling toys, and working cab service. Rise to fame Cobb’s first acting credentials began on stage. He worked at the African American Performing Arts Center and Karamu House Theatre in Cleveland. His first role was in Ride a Black Horse from the Negro Ensemble Company. He played small roles, whether it was for regional or street theater, mostly at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre. In the mid-70s, Cobb appeared in Broadway productions such as Black Picture Show, and The First Breeze of Summer. He later worked in stage productions for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. His movie debut was a one-line delivery in the 1974 film The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. From the 1970s to the 1980s, Cobb’s acting career took off. He made various TV appearances in well-known shows such as Good Times, The Equalizer, and Sesame Street. Notable Roles Cobbs made an icon of himself as an elderly but wise-cracking, knowledgeable Black man in most of his roles. He appeared in the Oscar-winning Martin Scorsese film The Color of Money (1986) and had a breakthrough in 1987 when he landed a role as a recurring character, The Dutchman, on the first and only season of the ABC sitcom The Slap Maxwell Story. One of his most iconic roles was that of the unsuspecting elderly man who shot Wesley Snipes’ character in the 1991 thriller New Jack City. During the 1990s, Cobbs appeared alongside many actors and celebrities, such as Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. Cobbs’ first noted 90s role was that of Devaney in the Oscar-nominated thriller The Bodyguard (1992). In 1993, Cobbs appeared in the sci-fi thriller Demolition Man with Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, and Sandra Bullock. In 1996, he played a jazz pianist in the musical comedy That Thing You Do! starring Tom Hanks and Liv Tyler. Cobbshas made notable one-off roles in classic 90s showsincluding E.R., The Sopranos,The Wayans Bros,Northern Exposure,and The Gregory Hines Show. In 2006, Cobbs landed a role in Night at the Museum and reprised his character in the 2014 sequel Night at The Museum: Secret of the Tomb. In 2013, Cobbs played the character Master Tinker in the movie Oz The Great and Powerful and appeared as Mr. Hendrickson on TVOKids’ Dino Dana in 2020, for which he won a Daytime Emmy. In 2023, Cobbs completed his final acting role in the TV mini-series Incandescent Love. Awards Throughout his acting career, Bill Cobbs has only earned two awards and one nomination for his work. Alongside his 2020 Emmy for Outstanding Limited Performance in Daytime Program, he won Best Actor for The Final Patient at the Trenton Film Festival in 2006. His one nomination, given by the Daytime Emmy Awards, is Outstanding Performer in a Childrens’, Family Viewing or Special Class Program for Dino Dana. Death/Legacy At 90 years-old, Bill Cobbs passed away on June 25, 2024. He starred in over 200 roles. Cobbs had created many possibilities in the world of Black artistry for peers, generations, and audiences alike. As American Actor Wendell Pierce writes, “[Bill Cobbs was a] father figure, a griot, an iconic artist, that mentored me by the way he led his life as an actor.”
African American Folklore
By Priscilla Wiredu African American folklore is a long-standing tradition amongst African Americans, dating back to the days of enslavement. African-American folktales were introduced as a means to preserveAfrican culture, as well as a form of hope and entertainment for the enslaved during hardships. These tales are often told orally, in flexible patterns, and with different meanings. They pass on information, give cautionary tales, and teach about morals and important life lessons. Taken from Spooky Wisconsinby S.E. Schlosser, “The Shrouded Horseman” tells the haunting story of spiritual karma, depicting how Black people who have escaped slavery and made comfortable lives for themselves, are still susceptible to brutal crimes that, with a glimmer of hope, can be brought to justice. When the Civil War ended, Jeremiah Jones became a free man. Eager to make a new life for himself, Jeremiah moved north to Milwaukee. For several years, he worked odd jobs until he earned enough money to purchasea big white horse and wagon for himself. Shortly thereafter, he was hired by the Phillip Best Brewing Companyas a delivery man. Jeremiah began his delivery rounds, greeting everyone with a cheerful smile and a joke that delighted the brewery’s customers and established a good reputation for himself. He quickly earned enough to buy property on the outskirts of town, where he built a beautiful little cottage. Once he was settled, Jeremiah decided it was time to marry. He had his eye on a pretty girl named Lucille. Her parents were surprised by the match, but quickly resigned themselves to the situation, not wishing to alienate their only daughter. However,for Lucille’s brother James, it was another matter entirely. James thought Lucille had married beneath her, and he hated Jeremiah, the formerly enslaved man,for stealing his sister’s heart. Lucille left her parent’s home forever in the dray drawn by the large white horse, and she never set foot in that part of the city again. She and Jeremiah lived a simple, but happy life in their little cottage by the woods. Three months passed when Lucille returned home early one evening to find Jeremiah lying dead in a puddle of blood on the floor of the barn. His face was battered almost beyond recognition. His arms and legs were broken in several places. Half-hidden under his leg she saw a silver pocket watch — one that she had last seen attached to the waistcoat of her brother James. The white horse and dray had been hacked to pieces. Lucille’s brother fled the city by the time the sheriff arrived at his house to question him. A warrant was put out for his arrest, but James was nowhere to be found. Lucille put the cottage up for sale and left town. No one in the area wanted to buy the house, thinking a brutal murder tainted it. So, the house remained empty. Until one evening at dusk, when a phantom appeared in a dray drawn by a glowing white horse. The horse’s driver was a tall figure wearing a gray shroud that whipped and flapped under the force of an invisible gale. The spirit of Jeremiah Jones had returned to avenge his death. He would not rest until he found his murderer. About six months after the ghost sightings began, James, the murdering brother, returned to Lucille’s house. “Lucy,” he called. “Lucy, I’m back!” James staggered around the yard, having fortified his courage in the local bar. Suddenly, he spied the phantom dray careening down the road with the shrouded figure standing up in its seat, cracking his long whip ferociously. The white horse was wild-eyed with fury. It picked up speed when it saw the man who had killed its master, and it gave an angry scream that stopped Jamesin his tracks. The ghost snapped the end of the whip around James’s leg and pulled him off his feet. Then, the horse and dray drove right through him. James gave a sort of gasp before floppingonto the ground, dead as a mackerel, with a look of sheer terror on his face.
Five Significant Films to Black Culture
By: Sydnee Walcott Movies are a unique form of entertainment that touch upon cultural, political, and social issues. The film industry has achieved mass success in culture that consumes its audiences. Films offer a dimension of relatable life lessons, struggles, and solutions that viewers appreciate. Since the early days of filmmaking, Black filmmakers have continued to create films that did not always relate to the Hollywood culture, norms, and standards. A variety of Black films explored topics such as Black identity and race while breaking down harmful stereotypes that were commonly perpetrated in mainstream movies. In the early days, a majority of Black filmmakers were independent and relied on their own revenues and local talent to help bring their films and cinematic vision to life. Although there is still work left to be done, Black filmmakers have come a long way in the industry with the memorable success they have provided. A majority of these films hold significance within the Black community. Outlined are five films with relevant plots that outline Black culture and its powerful significance. New Jack City (1991) Taking place during the crack of the epidemic in the 1980s, the dangers of drugs, and the impact addictions have on loved ones is not the only topic this film highlights. The film also highlights illicit activities drug dealers are willing to engage in to rise to the top of the drug trade. Nino Brown, played by actor Wesley Snipes, is a drug tycoon in the film, and operates an illicit drug ring under the name of The Cash Money brothers. As a ruthless and bold leader, Nino transforms his drug operation into a multimillion-dollar empire through his masterful efforts. Two officers, Scotty, played by Ice-T and Nick, played by Judd Nelson work as a team to bring down Brown’s operation by conforming to his plan and going undercover. Boyz In The Hood (1991) Boyz In The Hood is one of the first notable films to address the reality of life for African Americans. It is a coming of age story for those who grew up in inner-city areas from childhood. Some of the issues the film touches on are gang related violence, hate speech, police brutality, weak law enforcement, and gentrification. Tre is played by Cuba Gooding Jr, who is the main character of the movie. He is sent to reside with his father, Furious Styles, played by Laurence Fishbourne in the Crenshaw area of South Central Los Angeles, as a young child. Growing up in an inner-city area, Tre and one of his friends, Ricky, a talented athlete, have avoided trouble. However, the same cannot be said for Ricky’s brother, Doughboy, and their other friends who have engaged in constant trouble and rebellious acts. One thing that is very noticeable within the film is that Tre is fortunate to have a father who is willing to help him stay on the right path to avoid being another tragic statistic within the inner-city area. His father is able to provide the help, resources, and support to be an influential role model for Tre. This movie demonstrates that good parenting can provide guidance that is critical in the early stages of development among children. Waiting to Exhale (1995) While the four main characters of the film are excelling in their careers, all four of them have experienced shortcomings in their romantic lives as they struggle to find a good life partner to commit to. Savannah, played by Whitney Houston and Robin, played by Lela Rochon have engaged in relationships with married men with each of them hoping their lovers would part from their wives for them. While Bernadine, played by Angela Bassett is left by her husband for his mistress Gloria, played by Loretta Devine seeks love after her son’s father comes out as gay. In the end, Savannah and Robin realize the situation dealing with married men and accept the fact that it is okay to be single. Bernadine finds love with a widower and Gloria finds love with a new neighbour. Fun Fact: The soundtrack for the film consists of only female African American artists. The Princess and the Frog (2009) Based on the classic fairytale, this Disney animated film tells the story of a hardworking young woman named Tiana, played by Anika Noni Rose, who dreams of opening up a fancy restaurant in her hometown of New Orleans. Things take a different path when Prince Naveen, played by Bruno Campos, has been turned into a frog and begs for Tiana for a kiss after mistaking her for a frog. Tina turns into a frog and the two go on a mission in hopes to transition back to humans with the help of a powerful and magical voodoo priestess. What makes this film significant to Black culture is the fact that Tiana became one of Disney’s first Black princesses. This milestone is significant as it gives young Black girls the ability to embody that form of representation on the big screen. Black Panther (2018) Following the death of his father, T’Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman returns home to uphold his title as the King of Wakanda. When faced against a powerful enemy who plans to put the fate of Wakanda in a crisis, T’Challa must tactfully use his powers as king and as the Black Panther to defeat his woes and save his people. The film was recognized as a monumental moment for Black people as the film celebrated African culture, incorporated a diverse cast and director, and told the story of Black Panther, the first superhero of African descent and one of the first Black comic book characters. Each of these five films pay tribute to Black culture in various ways. They convey stories on the realities Black people face on a daily basis. They also celebrate Black culture and provide audiences with a diverse cast.