FROM THE EDITOR

I don’t know about you but I am so happy to be entering the holiday season! Seems like everyone I talk with and everywhere I turn, people are tired and feeling burned out. Another thing that is very evident is how much people are taking stock of things to be grateful for. We’ve all been through the absolute wringer lately, but coming out on the other side is great cause for numerous shouts of hallelujah! My gratitude is great for being ensconced in and surrounded by great art

Okay, it needs to be said out loud - Black women are taking arts and cultural institutions to new levels in a wave of leadership that ripples across the entire world! There, I said it! This does not in any way diminish or exclude anyone else's contributions. But we have known for decades that Black women bring the ideas, lead the community engagement and programming in major institutions, volunteer until they are worn and unhealthy, and who are overlooked, denied leadership a

We learn early in life that water is the ultimate sustainer. It is what keeps our environment healthy, hydrates our internal systems, and cleanses our exterior bodies. Fela Kuti says it best, "water you no get enemy." Like water, creativity, you no get enemy. To me, creativity is the ultimate sustainer and motivator. Without it, we are destined to bland, tasteless existences. Just as we learn the importance of water early in life, we also learn the joys of experiencing the s

How many of you have had the opportunity to visit the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture? I see your hands waving in pride. I’ll bet you’ve got the t-shirt, the mug, and the magnet. And why not?! The museum is a treasure to behold and the pride that comes with walking the halls of this monument to OUR history and culture makes one’s chest burst with pride. As travel remains complicated, the museum continues to engage with us and offer virtual

I just watched Summer of Soul…( Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) . Wow! What a ride – the performances, the narratives, the times! Just a few weeks ago William Greaves’ Nationtime was made available for viewing by LANGSTON . Yet another piece of important Black history that lay dormant in a basement for decades, and was only recently restored and put back into the active volumes of Black cinema. So much of our history is left to languish or intentionally tuc

President Jimmy Carter declared Black Music Appreciation Month on June 7, 1979. In 2009, President Barack Obama gave June its current designation as African American Music Appreciation Month. In his 2016 proclamation, President Obama noted that “a vital part of our Nation's proud heritage, African American music exemplifies the creative spirit at the heart of American identity and is among the most innovative and powerful art the world has ever known.” The creative spirit tha

Letter from the Editor, May 2021