Today Major League Baseball celebrates Jackie Robinson Day. It’s a special commemoration because it also marks Jackie’s 100th birthday.
Read MORE HERE
Jackie Robinson Day 2019
Month: April 2019
Review: Amazing Grace the Movie
[Los Angeles, CA] Aretha Franklin recorded her Amazing Grace album January 13th & 14th 1972 at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church located on 87th & Broadway in South Los Angeles. It was a live recording and featured many greats, including Rev. James Cleveland.
87th & Broadway – South Los Angeles
First screened Feb. 2019
The album was produced but the live footage was shelved for decades until the estate of “The Queen of Soul” approved it to be shown. In February of this year, the Pan-African Film Festival featured the screening as part of it’s opening night festivities. The screening took place at the Director’s Guild in Hollywood.
Starting April 5th, the general public has been given an opportunity to see the screening as it debuted in over 1,000 theaters. I was one of those viewers.
The film is just as iconic as the album as “The Queen” at age 29 dazzled those in attendance by her gospel renditions. The 87-minute film is more raw footage of the two-day concert and features many camera angles which were present to document the occasion.
While the documentary is, what it is; it falls short on taking advantage of the storytelling which are featured in similar formats. You are left wondered why the producers could not have woven in more anecdotal reactions from those who participated in the filming as well as more commentary which was surely would be available before and following 1972?
The documentary is worth seeing. The church is still on 87th & Broadway so it will be interesting to see the reaction of those who take a stroll down memory lane.
My “Hoodie Score” on a scale of 1-10 (ten being the highest) is an 8, due to the rare footage.
Review: Soul of a Nation Exhibit
Today many across the nation and throughout the world pay respect to Rev., Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was this day, fifty-one years ago when he was slain by an assassin’s bullet. The result was a public outcry not seen before, as over 100 cities erupted in riots and demonstrations.
1963-1983
Several weeks ago, the Broad museum opened Soul of a Nation chronicling twenty years; 1963-1983. It is a powerful exhibit showcasing African-American artist who used their talent to communicate the movement and the struggle during that era. Interestingly, several of the artist used Dr. King’s death in 1968 as a backdrop for their artistic talent.
The exhibit is a “special presentation” so the cost is $18 per person, however The Broad is offering free admission to Soul of a Nation every Thursday from 5-8 p.m. (last entry at 7 p.m.) during the exhibition’s run. A tip is to arrive early and stand in the “free general admission line” AND GET INSIDE THE MUSEUM. Once you are inside, you are good because at 5 p.m., the exhibit opens for general admission viewing. The exhibit runs through September and then moves to San Francisco at the De Young museum, which opens in October 2019.
From Negroes to African-Americans
I had a chance to visit the exhibit. Some of the artwork brought back vivid memories. There was an abundance of material I had never seen but it reflected the interpretive period. Sometimes we live in historic times and do not realize it as it seems like life as usual. The Harlem Renaissance was a benchmark period for African-American music and art. Years followed and the civil rights era brought back similar expressions as artist appeared in droves to interpret that era. It was a new time, a new level of consciousness as Negroes morphed into African-Americans and created a new dynamic. The exhibit does a great job of showcasing that period featuring very good diversity among the art work presented.
Listed below is a small sample of some photos from the exhibit
Entry to exhibit
Murals were a cornerstone for expression
Fred Hampton
Black Panthers
March on Washington
The Broad Museum - 221 S. Grand Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90012
Thomas Reports 