The assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., the most prominent leader of the American civil rights movement, happened on April 4, 1968, as he stood on the second floor balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. He had come to Memphis to lead a march by striking sanitation workers. In response to King’s death, more than 100 American inner cities exploded in rioting, looting, and violence. James Earl Ray, a career small-time criminal who became the object of a more than two-month manhunt before he was captured in England, pled guilty to the shooting. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Black History
4/2/24 O&A NYC INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: Jennifer Hudson Wins Best Supporting Actress at the 79th Oscars (2007)
George Clooney presents singer/actor Jennifer Hudson with the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Dreamgirls at the 79th Academy Awards in 2007. Continue reading
3/25/24 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: The Piano Lesson
Boy Willie (Charles Dutton), a sharecropper, travels to Pittsburgh in the 1930s hoping that his sister, Berniece Charles (Alfred Woodard), will let him have the piano that their enslaved uncle engraved in pre-Civil War Mississippi. Willie hopes to parlay proceeds from selling the instrument into ownership of the land his uncle once worked. But when Berniece has other ideas, it becomes clear that the piano represents very different things to the siblings. Continue reading
3/19/24 O&A NYC CELEBRATING WOMEN ON INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: Jennifer Hudson Wins Best Supporting Actress – 79th Oscars (2007)
George Clooney presenting Jennifer Hudson with the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Dreamgirls at the 79th Academy Awards in 2007.
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3/18/24 O&A NYC CELEBRATING WOMEN ON HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: The Trip to Bountiful- Cicely Tyson, Blair Underwood, Vanessa Williams, Keke Palmer
Unable to drive, Carrie (Cicely Tyson) begs her son (Blair Underwood) to take her on a visit to her hometown of Bountiful. When he refuses, Carrie makes an escape to the bus station, where she meets Thelma (Keke Palmer) in The Trip to Bountiful. Vanessa Williams also stars in this film. Continue reading
3/17/24 O&A NYC CELEBRATING WOMEN ON GOSPEL SUNDAY: The Caravans- Mary Don’t You Weep and More
3/16/24 GOING BACK TO AFRICA WITH WaleStylez: Why Black People Aren’t Mourning Queen Elizabeth
Black twitter has been very, very vocal about why the passing of Queen Elizabeth is something they will not mourn. We look at the top 5 reasons why. Continue reading
3/15/24 O&A NYC CELEBRATING WOMEN ON SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Firebird- Dance Theatre of Harlem
Dance Theatre of Harlem’s iconic Firebird places the Russian folk tale about a magical bird that triumphs over evil in an exotic Caribbean setting. John Taras’ choreography to Stravinsky’s familiar score was further enlivened by sets and costumes by Geoffrey Holder. The 1982 DTH production was a tremendous worldwide success. Continue reading
3/12/24 O&A NYC CELEBRATING WOMEN ON INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: Fannie Lou Hamer Fought For The Rights Of Black Americans
In 1962, Fannie Lou Hamer was ready to cast her first ballot – but Mississippi wasn’t ready to let her vote. Denied registration, she fought for rights for Black Americans. Continue reading
3/11/24 O&A NYC CELEBRATING WOMEN ON HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: The Mahalia Jackson Documentary
This timeless documentary about Mahalia Jackson, the legendary Queen of Gospel, features Jackson herself telling her story of her life and times! Continue reading