Episode 150: "Wheels Across Africa"

Here it is ladies and gentlemen...episode 150! Another milestone for the BMA. I'm not going to try and say too much about this one (if I get all the way to 200 I'll do it BIG!), other than to say thank you to everyone for listening/watching, subscribing, and passing the word along about the BMA podcast. I truly appreciate all of the support that I've received for this podcast and blog, and I'd appreciate it even more if y'all would drop a comment on the BMA iTunes page.

This episode is the 1926 documentary "Wheels Across Africa", presented by Dodge (a division of Chrysler Corporation) and adventurer/filmmaker Armand Denis is a road trip that takes you on a motor expedition (courtesy of Dodge trucks) straight through the colonized African continent. This film shows a very interesting portrait of 1930s Africa, starting at the Mediterranean (complete with a snake charmer in Morocco), and following all the way to the Indian Ocean. You get to see some cool stuff on the course of the journey, as the crew struggles to cross the Sahara Desert amongst the Arabs of North Africa, then continues on with the people and villages along the Niger River, and along on a wildlife safari through the east African plains and valleys. All in all it is an enjoyable look at an Africa of decades ago. I think y'all will dig it. Peace.

Episode 149: Malcolm X

Back-to-back Malcolm! This episode is a lead up to episode 150...and in it, Malcolm speaks on the subject of "You Can't Hate the Roots of a Tree and Not Hate That Tree". Delivered in 1965, Malcolm makes the case for gaining a knowledge of your African ancestry and culture. And since that is part of the foundation for this podcast and blog, I wanted to share this with my audience. Episode 150 and beyond is next. Peace to you all.

Hurricane Ike

Man, it's been a heck of a week. Ladies and gentlemen...Hurricane Ike was/is the reason that this beloved podcast and blog has been delayed over the past week. Out here in Houston and Galveston, Ike hit us pretty hard. Me and the future Mrs just moved out here a few months ago, and we've already survived our first hurricane! But all is well, and now that the worst has passed, I'm finally getting back down to business. There are a lot of people in the Houston area that could use some help though, so please look into volunteering or donating to the hurricane relief effort, or supporting the Red Cross to aid the relief effort. Ike was a big ole category 2 storm, and it'll still be awhile before things are back to normal out here. But in the meantime, Texas keeps pushing on. Peace y'all.

Episode 148: Malcolm X

Following up with the blog backlog...next up is Malcolm X in this incredible interview that he gave at UC Berkeley back in 1963. Since I'm still playing catch-up, I'll keep it short, but this interview seems to touch on so many topics that still have relevance, that it is a must-hear. I'm not going to take too much time to try and break it all down, but when brother Malcolm spoke...whether they agreed or disagreed, people listened. So sit back and enjoy this episode, and I'll keep it moving. Peace.

Episode 147: Gil Scott Heron

Man...what a week! Needless to say I got some catching up to do on my blogging. First up, Gil Scott Heron explaining and reciting his poem "Whitey on the Moon". It's brilliant social commentary. If you've never heard it before...you'll love it. Ain't nothing that I can add with my lil' commentary, so I'll move it right along. Enjoy. Peace.

Episode 146: James Baldwin

If it hasn't already, the start of the new school year is right around the corner. So especially for everyone headed back to class, I offer up this episode featuring the one and only James Baldwin. In this episode, James Baldwin discusses the topic "Living and Growing in a White World" in a talk with students at predominantly black, Castlemont High School in Oakland, California. The important thing here though, at least to me, is that in this talk Mr. Baldwin is encouraging the students to learn how to think for themselves. To take in information and form their own conclusions about it, instead of regurgitating facts and the opinions of others. I'm not sure when this was actually recorded, but this talk was broadcast on June 23, 1963. So to all of the students out there...this one is for y'all. If you're in high school...stay focused and graduate (I'm talking to you cousin)! To all of the college students...study hard, and learn to think!! Take an art class! Go Seminoles! Peace.

Episode 145: 1968 Democratic National Convention

With the 2008 DNC set to begin this week, I wanted to take y'all back to the 1968 DNC with this piece of radio coverage from Pacifica radio in Chicago. In this episode, broadcast live on August 28, 1968, correspondent Julius Lester is on the floor of the convention interviewing several black delegates from various parts of New York including Juanita Watkins, Guy R. Brewer, Edward J. Odom, Ted Childs, and Tyrell Duckworth, Sr., (as best as I can make out the names). This episode specifically highlights the massive disorganization between the democratic delegates, the black delegates in particular, and the members of the black caucus (today's Congressional Black Caucus - CBC). Julius Lester asks each delegate what action they believe the black caucus should take. He follows up with a question about the black delegates supporting the nomination of 'favorite son' Rev. Channing E. Phillips of Washington, D.C. as the party's nominee. Apparently the 1968 DNC went horribly, with disorganization inside and massive protests outside. But overall I thought this was an insightful piece of historical interviews, and I'm curious to see how it will compare to this year's convention (and the coverage of it). There is a lot of speculation and excitement surrounding this year's DNC, and I thought it would be worth looking back on how a convention went so badly forty years ago. Peace.