VIDEO: Amiri Baraka: Evolution of a Revolutionary Poet

Amiri Baraka: Evolution of a Revolutionary Poet

Exhibit at Zambezi Bazaar in conjunction with the Leimert Park Book Fair.

Amiri Baraka is one of the most prolific African American writers of the 20th century. He is an acclaimed poet and the Obie-winning playwright of Dutchman. His long list of writing credits includes: Blues People; Home; Social Essays; Black Fire; Selected Poetry of Amiri Baraka / LeRoi Jones and Selected Plays and Prose of Amiri Baraka/LeRoi Jones. He continues to be active in the struggle against racism and capitalism, to organize artists, and tp participate in the struggle for Black Liberation. He is currently teaching classes on Pan-African literature at Stony Brook College at the State University of New York and at Columbia University.

Produced by AALBC.com

Harlemnite Prays for Shootings... So Say the New York Times

Someone forwarded me a NY Times Article. The Times usually pisses me off when they write about Black folks 'cause they typically show the our most pathetic side.

To be sure the NYT couchs these artilces in sympatheic terms and tone. But this is only to pander to their liberal audience at the expense of Black people.

The late quote was from a Brother in Harlem about my age who said in response to a recent shooting where 8 people were injured said,

“I was praying something like this would happen to keep them out...”

You can read the whole article here: http://tinyurl.com/5uxaqd

One can reasonably assume the dude quoted was a "Brother" and that he was talking about white people.

The NY Times LIVES for these eggregiously asinine statements. The fact that Black people too are reluctant to come to Harlem for the same reason is unimportant to the Times.

It is already a cliché that local news programs will get the most ignorant sounding or looking Black people to quote on the scene of some news story.

Consider the imagery:

Ozier Muhammad/The New York Times, June 13, 2008

Decent white folks casually dine outside sipping iced coffee and latte's while a Brother strolls with a "40" in hand.

SIDEBAR
This cafe if around the corner from my house. I was in there to buy some French bread for dinner that night. A white guy, just recieved his small, regular cup, of coffee to go. The Cashier told him there was a price increase at the same time he handed him is coffee. The coffee was $2.75 (or thereabouts).

The White guy complained; (1) that he was not told up front and (2) that the price was outrageous -- even more than starbucks a few blocks away. He said the Cafe was making a mistake and that he would never buy coffee from there again.

I've stopped buying coffee, to go, there myself during the last price increase. Fortunately, there are increasingly more options in Harlem so I don't have to pay 3 Bucks for a cup of java.