Noire Histoir

"Selma" provides a snapshot of the efforts to end systematic suppression of Black voting and other civil rights in the South. In this episode, I discuss the film's portrayal of Martin Luther King, Jr.; President Lyndon B. Johnson; and other key figures from the Civil Rights Movement. Visit NoireHistoir.com for show notes and video.

"Your Money and Your Man" by Michelle Singletary, offers women financial advice for life in general but mostly focuses on dating/courtship, marriage, and raising kids. In this episode I discuss useful sections of the book along with the points on which I agreed and disagreed with Singletary's views on personal finance. Visit NoireHistoir.com for show notes and video.

In this episode, I discuss "What Happened, Miss Simone?", an award-winning Netflix documentary about the life and career of Nina Simone. Simone put her life and career at risk to join the Civil Rights Movement. She was ostracized by the music industry and abandoned by fans only to later re-emerge as a cultural icon. Visit NoireHistoir.com for show notes and video.

"At the Dark End of the Street" by Danielle L. McGuire tells the story of Black women's fight to obtain civil rights and equal legal protection against rape and sexual harassment. ⠀⠀ In this episode I discuss the book's fresh perspective on Rosa Parks and the Civil Rights Movement.   Visit NoireHistoir.com for show notes and video.

"Bessie" is an HBO film starring Queen Latifah in an excellent portrayal of 1920’s blues legend Bessie Smith. The movie covers Bessie’s rise, fall, and comeback during the 1920’s — 1930’s with brief peeks back into her childhood.   In this episode I discuss the movie's strengths (performances) and weaknesses (partially underdeveloped story).   Visit NoireHistoir.com for show notes and video.

"The Warmth of Other Suns" by Isabel Wilkerson, weaves together the stories of three people who fled the South during The Great Migration. It's not a happy book but I found it very inspiring.   In this episode, I discuss the book's main characters and touch on The Great Migration, the plight of sharecroppers, and the generational wealth gap.   Visit NoireHistoir.com for show notes and video.

"The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood" by David Simon and Edward Burns is one of the most saddening and inspiring books I’ve ever read. The book follows the lives of residents near the corner of West Fayette and Monroe Streets in West Baltimore over the course of a year in the early 90’s. The authors lay bare how a history of poverty, crime, and drug addiction tore apart the neighborhood, families, and individuals. Visit NoireHistoir.com for text and video.  

"Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" tells the story of Harriet Jacobs, a fugitive slave who escaped North with hopes of reuniting with her children. A quick but thought-provoking read, the book touches on several social issues. One of the primary themes is the impact of limited civil rights on slave women and their ability to protect themselves and their children.   Visit NoireHistoir.com for text and video.

Hello and welcome to Noire Histoir, a podcast where I share and discuss Black history and literature from my Noire perspective. In this introductory episode, I'll tell you a bit about myself and what you can expect from the podcast. Visit noirehistoir.com for more info.