Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'african american'

Carolina Chocolate Drops On Mountain Stage

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:54:00 EST

Steeped in the Piedmont blues of the North Carolina hill country, the trio breathes new life into the African-American string-band tradition. The group brings a claw-hammer banjo, fiddles, snare drum, bone percussion and even a kazoo to Mountain Stage.

Op-Ed: Backing Burris For Being Black...

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:47:00 EST

Before Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed Roland Burris, an African American, to the open Senate seat, Illinois congressman Bobby Rush promised not to back anyone Blagojevich appointed. Clarence Page says Rush has changed his mind and decided to back Burris because he is black.

Maternal Grandma Will Help Obamas Settle In D.C.

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 06:00:00 EST

The Obama girls, Malia and Sasha start class at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, DC., Monday Their maternal grandmother, Marian Robinson, is moving from Chicago to help them make the adjustment. Commentator Patricia Elam talks about the traditional importance of grandmothers in African-American families.

Civil Rights Authors Wrote Prologue For Change

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

Langston Hughes and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper are prominent African-American poets who wrote about civil rights and whose work still resonates today. Host Liane Hansen speaks with poet E. Ethelbert Miller about Harper's and Hughes' work and what it means in this time of change in America.

Op-Ed: Black Republican Torn After Obama Win

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:32:00 EST

Former Republican congressional staffer Sophia Nelson feels conflicted. As an African American, she loves the idea of a black family in the White House, but she's chagrined by her party's "blistering electoral defeat." She calls on Republicans to make amends with black Americans.

White House To Break Another Color Barrier In Jan.

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 06:00:00 EST

President Theodore Roosevelt caused a national incident in 1901 when he invited Booker T. Washington to the White House. Washington became the first African American to be a guest at a White House dinner. More than 100 years later, the first African American president and his family will move into the White House in January.

WWII Veteran Remembers War, Discovers Truth

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST

As a young African American man, Leon Bass resented fighting for the US in a war when he didn't have equal rights back home. But after helping to liberate the Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany, Bass reevaluated how he weighed good and bad in the world. The World War II veteran reflects on his experience.

Obama And The Politics Of Being Biracial

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:39:00 EST

President-elect Barack Obama defines himself as African-American. His mother is a white American, and his father is a black African. This hits a nerve with some people, who wonder why Obama doesn't use the term biracial to describe his race.

Minority Banks See Clients Through Tough Times

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST

Although the federal government is pouring billions of dollars into the nation's banks, minority-owned financial institutions serving African-American and Latino communities face their own unique challenges, such as higher unemployment rates and less access to credit. Bill Cunningham, of Creative Investment Research and Luis Pastor, of the Latino Community Credit Union, discuss helping their clients through economic crisis.

Chicago Congressman Davis Reacts To Blagojevich Scandal

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST

Illinois Rep. Danny Davis is vying to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. senate. Davis granted an extensive interview to NPR's Michel Martin. In it, he addresses whether or not Gov. Rod Blagojevich should resign and whether the seat should go to an African American.

With Inauguration, D.C. Braces For Record Crowds

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:56:00 EST

In the District of Columbia, millions are expected to witness Barack Obama being sworn in next month as the nation's first African-American president. One congressional office has developed a reality checklist for those thinking of joining in the surging mass of humanity.

The History Of The Black Church

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:10:58 EST

When President-elect Barack Obama spoke of the "black church" during his now-famous speech on race and religion, it was clear what he meant. But some historians who focus on African-American religion say the term "black church" is passe.

Will Obama's Presidency Change Perceptions Among Blacks...

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST

In the latest installment of the series, What Now?, which explores the impact of the nation's first-elected black president, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist William Raspberry, Spelman College professor William Jelani Cobb and Columbia University Law Professor and Patricia Williams discuss how Barack Obama empowers African-American communities.

'The Obama Effect' Prompts Europeans To Confront Racism

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST

President-elect Barack Obama's historic win is the source of much discussion overseas. Many Europeans hope that the election of an African American president in the US will spur their own countries to re-examine their own racial dynamics. Steven Erlanger, New York Times' Paris Bureau Chief, and author Mely Kiyak explain the phenomenon of "The Obama Effect."

A Friend's Perspective On Eric Holder

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:00:00 EST

President-elect Barack Obama is expected to nominate Eric Holder as attorney general. Holder, who served as deputy attorney general during the Clinton Administration, would be the first African American to hold the top position at the Justice Department. A close family friend of Holder shares her thoughts on the Washington lawyer.

Sources: Holder Tapped For Attorney General

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:02:00 EST

President-elect Barack Obama has decided to nominate Eric Holder as attorney general, according to a source close to the Obama-Biden transition team. If confirmed, Holder would be the country's first African-American to lead the Justice Department.

Election Inspires Minority Leaders To Aim High

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST

As Barack Obama prepares to become America's first African-American president, writer Mark Oppenheimer discusses his recent article in Slate Magazine about how other minority groups see the possibility of one of their own becoming president.

Obama Resigns Senate Seat Sunday

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST

President-Elect Barack Obama has announced he'll resign his Senate seat, effective Sunday. Illinois Governor, Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat, will appoint Obama's successor. Should the governor name an African American to replace the Senate's only African-American member? Ben Calhoun of Chicago Public Radio reports.

Vernon Jordan On 'Standing Up And Speaking Out'

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:27:00 EST

Vernon Jordan, former head of the National Urban League and the United Negro College Fund, discusses the power of the African-American oral tradition and his new book Make It Plain: Standing Up and Speaking Out.

Black Finance Guru Weighs In On Financial Crisis

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST

Ariel Capital Management LLC is one of the largest African-American owned money management firms in the U.S. Its founder John Rogers, Jr. shares how he beat the odds and rose to success, and what lessons can be learned from the current financial crisis.

What Happens To White Supremacist Groups Now...

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:00:00 EST

For many Americans the election of Barack Obama stands as a sign of progress. Inversely, for some white supremacists, having an African American president is deeply troubling. The Director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at CSU San Bernardino discusses the reorganization of white identity groups after Sen. Obama's win.

Obama Hip-Hop: From Mixtapes To Mainstream

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:05:00 EST

This election season, hip-hop artists flocked to their mixing boards in unprecedented fashion in support of Barack Obama. Rapper Young Jeezy and professor Mark Anthony Neal discuss the impact of an African American president-elect on hip-hop.

Hal Jackson: Still On The Air After 69 Years

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:03:00 EST

The African-American radio pioneer celebrated his 93rd birthday this week at a tribute in his honor at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. He also marked his 69th year in the radio business.

Is Black America Ready For A Black President...

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 08:04:00 EST

Now that Barack Obama has been elected the nation's first African-American president, what does that mean for the previous African-American power structure? Some older black leaders, like Jesse Jackson, did not welcome Obama with open arms in the campaign.

Youths Reflect On Obama Victory

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST

Brandon McFarland and Summer Sewell, both 20-somethings, are thrilled by Barack Obama's victory Tuesday night. They share their thoughts on what Obama's win means for their own ambitions as a young African-American man and a biracial woman.