Louis Draper resisted labels. He knew that they could confine, like boxes, but much worse, they might be like prison cells: impossible to escape.
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Philadelphia Offers a Full-Fledged Summer of African Art
People talk about Africa as if it were a unitary thing, one culture, one mind, which it’s not.
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Artist and Perpetrator: Are South Africa’s Arts Promoting Rape Culture?
While the stars of South Africa’s film industry arrived at the glamorous opening of the 37th Durban International Film Festival, it was the heated issue of arts’ role in perpetuating a culture of gender-based violence that had many on edge.
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We’ve Always Been Here: A Portrait of the US by Two Black Artists
Divisions of race, class, and place haunt aspirations for equality and justice in the US.
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Biafra: Nigeria Has Failed To Learn From Past Mistakes
I was probably eight the first time I heard about Biafra. It was from an Igbo classmate in elementary school who whispered how “our people” had tried to create their own land, but the Hausas wouldn’t let them.
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With His New Historic Design, Architect David Adjaye Has Hit the Top
The National Museum of African American History and Culture on Washington’s National Mall—opening in September—has been a long time coming. Architect David Adjaye’s radically inventive design will make sure it’s unforgettable.
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Inside the Oldest Labor Union for Black Musicians
Founded in an era of segregation, the New Amsterdam Musical Association is one of New York’s most fascinating—and unknown—cultural landmarks.
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Black Iris Project Soars Into Its Debut Season With a Plan to Buck Ballet’s Traditions
The two dancers belong to a ballet collaborative called Black Iris Project, which aims to create and perform pieces that tell stories about black history and culture.
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Is the Greatest Collection of Slave Narratives Tainted by Racism?
In the 1930s, the federal government sent (mostly white) interviewers to learn about slavery from former slaves. Can we trust the stories they brought back?
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The Price of Freedom
The Bermudian Slaves were masters at the helm and many historians relate facts.Bermuda has long been known as a place where slaves and indentured servants struggled to obtain their place in Society once they gained their freedom.
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