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When the echoes of our ancestors’ voices find a way to whisper through the pages of history, it takes a masterful storyteller to translate that whisper into a roar. That’s precisely what Zora Neale Hurston achieves in “Barracoon,” her account of Cudjoe Lewis’s harrowing journey from African freedom to the trials of Jim Crow Apartheid. Our conversation with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, a titan in the realm of antiracist literature, and moderated by the insightful Dr. Tony Keith Jr., bridges the past and present, revealing the undiminished power of such narratives to challenge, teach, and transform.
Imagine the impact of ancestral stories being woven into the fabric of our youth’s education, stirring a profound curiosity about their heritage and the complex tapestry of American history. We dissect how “Barracoon” for young readers can spark a voracious appetite for knowledge in children. It’s not just about recounting history; it’s about inviting young minds to question the legacy of the African diaspora and connect on a deeply personal level with the collective experiences of Black people through time.
Our journey through the literary landscape concludes with an homage to the ‘Black Books Matter’ movement and the indelible mark African American literature has made on society’s consciousness. Dr. Kendi and Dr. Keith, through their erudite perspectives, elevate our discourse and underscore the necessity for these narratives in shaping a more truthful and nuanced understanding of the past. Join us as we affirm the power of black storytelling—a testament to the resilience and brilliance of a people whose stories refuse to be silenced.
Thanks for listening! Follow us on Instagram, @MahoganyBooks, for information about our next author talk and attend live.
Author Bio
Ibram X. Kendi is a National Book Award–winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author. His books include Antiracist Baby; Goodnight Racism; How to Be an Antiracist; and How to Raise an Antiracist. Kendi is the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities at Boston University and the director of the BU Center for Antiracist Research. In 2020, Time magazine named Kendi one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He has also been awarded a 2021 MacArthur Fellowship.
Conversation Host
Tony Keith Jr. is a Black American gay poet, spoken word artist, and hip-hop educational leader from Washington, DC. He is the author of the YA memoir in verse How the Boogeyman Became a Poet. Tony’s writings have appeared in the International Journal of Critical Media Literacy, the Journal of Black Masculinity, and many others. A multiyear Fellow of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities with a Ph.D. in education from George Mason University, Tony is CEO of Ed Emcee Academy and lives with his husband, Harry Christian III, in his DC hometown.
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