Ernest J. Gaines, Author of The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, Dead at 86 | The Root

Ernest J. Gaines, a MacArthur fellow best known for the book The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, died at his home in Oscar, La., Tuesday. He was 86. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″] In an obituary on their website, the Ernest J. Gaines Center at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, described the author as leaving behind a […]

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Biography of Gwendolyn Brooks, the People’s Poet | ThoughtCo

Jeffrey Somers, ThoughtCo Gwendolynn Brooks. Bettmann / Getty Images. Featured Image [dropcap]I[/dropcap]n many ways, Gwendolyn Brooks embodies the black American experience of the 20th century. Born into a family that moved to Chicago as part of the Great Migration of blacks to the north of the country, she made her way through school during the […]

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Ta-Nehisi Coates On Magic, Memory And The Underground Railroad | NPR

Growing up in Maryland, author Ta-Nehisi Coates was enthralled by stories of Harriet Tubman, the 19th century abolitionist who operated the Underground Railroad on the state’s Eastern Shore. He read about Tubman’s efforts to lead enslaved people to freedom, and was struck by the surreal qualities of her story. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″] “It just seemed wild,” […]

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Dr. Angela Davis to accept once-rescinded Fred L. Shuttlesworth Award | AL.com

Roy S. Johnson, AL.com Image Credit, FacebookFeatured Image [dropcap]Dr[/dropcap]. Angela Davis has agreed to accept the 2019 Fred L. Shuttlesworth Award from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, says BCRI President/CEO Andrea Taylor. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″] “Looking ahead, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute remains steadfast in its commitment to preserving and promoting civil and human rights, and […]

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Beloved St. Louis stage veteran Linda Kennedy passes at 68 | The St. Louis American

Kenya Vaughn, The St. Louis American A snapshot of mid-century South Philly. Featured Image [dropcap]Linda[/dropcap] Alton Randall Kennedy, a staple of the St. Louis theater scene for more than four decades, passed away this morning (Friday, August 16) after a battle with cancer. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″] Her son Terell Randall Sr. confirmed her passing via Facebook. […]

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