Last week was a busy and fun week for me! Dr. Robinson and I got to go in deep on The Candyman series in episode 2 of “Conversations with Beloved & Kindred” and then I closed out the week talking with three dynamic authors for the Virginia Festival of the Book!! And if you did not get a chance to see them LIVE, fear not I got you covered!!
You can check out both videos below:
Season 2-Episode 2: Conversations with Beloved & Kindred...”All About Candyman”
Virginia Festival of the Book– “To Reimagine Time: Historical Fantasy” A conversation with authors Shelley Parker-Chan, Natashia Deón, and Nicole Glover!
Missed last week’s Season 2 premiere of Conversations with Beloved & Kindred?? Fear not I got you covered!!
Check out our first episode where Dr. Robinson and I jump in feet first to discuss the films Horror Noire: A Black History of Black Horror (2019) and Ganja & Hess (1973)
Tune into our discussion below:
And as a little bonus check out these post-episode resources:
Films:
Night of the Living Dead (1968) [Available to stream and view on Peacock, Tubi, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Max)
Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song (1971)
Ganja and Hess (1973) [Available to view on Showtime]
Da Sweet Blood of Jesus (2014) [Available on Showtime]
Get Out (2017) [Available to stream on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video]
Horror Noire: A Black History of Black Horror (2019) [Available to view on Shudder]
Books:
Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from the 1890s to Present (2011) ~Robin R. Means, PhD
The Good House (2003) ` Tananarive Due
Brown Girl in the Ring (1998) ~Nalo Hopkinson
Articles:
“As Black horror rises in popularity, horror writers discuss its evolution” ~Carolyn Copeland [See Here]
“How Black Horror Became America’s Most Powerful Cinematic Genre”~ Gabrielle Bellot [See Here]
And we are back for another season of engaging the Black experience!! As always gotta give a special shout-out to Auburn Avenue Research Library!! In this season of Conversations with Beloved & Kindred we will have a thematic focus on “Black Cinematic Horror”!!
Our first episode/discussion explores the 2019 documentary Horror Noire: A Black History of Black Horror and the 1973 film Ganja & Hess. You can watch the event live here on February 10th at 3 pm!!
And if you want a preview of the two films check them out below:
Horror Noire: A Black History of Black Horror (2019)
Ganja & Hess (1973)
“Black history is black horror.” ~Tananarive Due
*Conversations with Beloved & Kindredis a freeform dialogue on creative works of speculative fiction (i.e. literature, film, television, and art) grounded in the Black lived experience. Inspired by the work of two legends, Toni Morrison and Octavia Butler, Dr. Gipson and Dr. Robinson engage the lived Black experience via reimagined speculative Black pasts and presents, giving voice to the silenced narratives.
“Sit back and wait to hear a slammin track…Rockin jams by popular demand, I’m back” ~Rakim, ‘Guess Who’s Back’
WE ARE BACK for another season of “Conversations with Beloved and Kindred!” And we are hyped and excited to get back to it!! Did you miss us?!! Well we missed you!!
Kicking off Black History Month, in this second season Dr. Robinson and I are looking forward to bringing you more intellectual commentary as we dive into the Horror and Thriller film genre!
In the past five years since Jordan Peele’s 2017 film Get Out debut on Hollywood screens the genre horror has really picked up steam and garnered new audiences. But what about Black horror and thrillers specifically?? Although not a new genre it has not received the same amount of attention as other horror films. So Dr. Robinson and I want to shed light on some seminal, classic Black horror and thriller films as well as some newcomers that are worthy of your viewing!!
As noted by horror writer and educator Tananarive Due “We’ve always loved horror, it’s just that, unfortunately, horror has not always loved us”. Well we hope that with each episode we can bring to you this season we share some love and appreciation to the Blackness in horror!!
And just in case you need a little refresher or you are new to the series, Conversations with Beloved & Kindred is a web series in collaboration with the Program & Outreach Division at Auburn Avenue Research Library (Atlanta, GA) hosted by two Black feminist creatives myself Dr. Grace D. Gipson (Virginia Commonwealth University) and Dr. Kaniqua Robinson (Furman University). Through each episode, we talk about creative works (i.e. literature, film, television, and art) that are grounded in the Black experience. Following in the footsteps of two legendary women Toni Morrison and Octavia Butler, Gipson and Robinson seek to fill in the gaps of Black history by reimagining a supernatural Black past and present, while giving voice to the silenced narratives.
So stay tuned!! Mark your calendars and save the date, February 10th will be here before you know it!!
In addition to my earlier thoughts on Juneteenth and the BFF Juneteenth Resource Guide, check out the video below: Summertime Conversations on “Feeling Good”–Juneteenth: Why Our Day of Jubilation Matters!sponsored by Auburn Avenue Research Library with my fellow sista-scholar Dr. Kaniqua Robinson.
We had a great time talking about the Juneteenth holiday, traditions, and hopes for the future!!
Birds flying high, you know how I feel Sun in the sky, you know how I feel Breeze driftin’ on by, you know how I feel
It’s a new dawn It’s a new day It’s a new life for me, ooh And I’m feeling good
‘Feelin’ Good’ ~Nina Simone
Hello!! Hello!! How are you feeling my friends?! Like Nina Simone, I’m feelin’ good and can’t wait for summer to get here!!
Summertime is definitely one of my favorite seasons, partly due to my Birthday [Leo in the House!!], the weather is amazing, and the fact that there is so much happening on a day-to-day basis! Well I got something for you to add to your summertime fun! Dr. Kaniqua Robinson and I are linking back up for some summertime conversations. If you have tuned into our video podcast, Conversations with Beloved and Kindred then you already have a sneak peek into what is to come!!
For the month of June, Auburn Avenue Research Library will host the limited series Summertime Conversations on “Feelin’ Good”: Exploring the Lived Experience of Black Joy!! Inspired by Nina Simone’s 1965 classic song “Feelin’ Good”, Summertime Conversations on “Feelin’ Good” is a freeform dialogue that foregrounds how people of African descent create communal agency and collective resilience via the cultivation of joy. Check out what is in store below:
June 16th-Juneteenth Why Our Day of Jubilation Matters: In recognition of Juneteenth (2021), this discussion will examine the history and contemporary relevance of the Juneteenth holiday as a curated expression of Black joy and agency. Juneteenth is an annual holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, which has been celebrated by African Americans since the late 1800s.
June 23rd-Sonic Curation of Happiness via Black Music: In recognition of Black Music Month (June), this discussion will explore the songs and singers/musicians that contribute to the communal expression of collective Black joy and happiness soundtrack.
Both episodes will take place at 5 pm via Auburn Avenue Research Library Facebook Live and YouTube Channel (for Live and later viewing).
“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your eardrums” ~Andre 3000, “Black Ice (Sky High)”
Let me hit you all with the last episode of the Spring Season for Conversations with Beloved and Kindred!! To close out the season, Dr. Robinson and I dived into the 1995 film, Vampire in Brooklyn. And what a time we had!! Don’t believe us, check it out below:
This was an awesome inaugural season and we hoped you enjoyed it as much as we loved having the conversations. Nothing like digging into those classic movies and tv shows and finding so many jewels. Each episode and film, definitely pushed our thinking, provided some entertainment, and on many occasions made us look beyond the surface!
Now although the Spring Season has come to a close, make sure you check us out for our Special Summertime Conversations later this month!!
Also, if you have any suggestions for the Fall season, make sure to hit us up!! And remember if you missed any previous episodes you can catch them all here!!
Tune in as Dr. Robinson and I close out our conversation on the HBO series “Lovecraft Country” with episode 9 (“Rewind 1921”) and episode 10 (“Full Circle”)!!
In this episode, we take a deep dive exploring the closing of the series!! We went deep with this episode, discussing the Tulsa massacre, grief and loss, legacy of trauma, closure, and wisdom out the mouths of babes…So sad that the series has come to an end, but grateful for its existence!!!
Missed last week’s episode of Conversations with Beloved and Kindred? No problem, I got you covered!!
Check out our latest conversation on the film Fast Color below:
On next time, we will be closing out the Lovecraft Country series with episodes 9 and 10!! And as always you do not want to miss out!! Can’t wait for you to join us in May!!
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Black Future Feminist 