5/3/21 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: I Am Not Your Negro

Master filmmaker Raoul Peck envisions the book James Baldwin never finished, Remember This House. The result is a radical, up-to-the-minute examination of race in America, using Baldwin’s original words and flood of rich archival material. Continue reading

5/1/21 O&A NYC SATURDAY MORNING CONCERT: Otis Redding (1966)

During the 1966 Stax/Volt European Tour Otis Redding was asked to host a very special episode of the teen dance show, Ready, Steady, Go! Continue reading

4/23/21 O&A NYC INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY (ON FRIDAY): Rev. Sharpton delivers Daunte Wright’s Eulogy

National civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy for the 20-year-old father, noting that some compared Wright’s funeral procession to that of Prince.
Continue reading

4/14/21 O&A NYC BLACK LIVE MATTER: Former Officer Jim Potter Charge In Daunte Wright’s Death

By Walter Rutledge

Kim Potter, the former Brooklyn Center police officer will be charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of  20-year-old Daunte Wright. This comes one day after the 26-year police veteran  resigned from the police department. State officials said Ms. Potter would be booked into Hennepin County Jail. She was taken into custody at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in St. Paul around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Bodycam footage

Mr. Wright was killed Sunday during a traffic stop when Ms. Potter shot him with her two-pound black 9-millimeter Glock instead her eight-ounce yellow Taser. Police described the shooting as an accident, and body-camera footage showed her shouting the word Taser several times before firing her gun. The killing sparked protests and clashes with police on Sunday and Monday nights. Several cities in the region, including Minneapolis, St. Paul and Brooklyn Center, imposed curfews amid the protests.

Ex-officer charged with manslaughter

Ben Crump, who is representing the Wright family, said he appreciated that Washington County Attorney Pete Orput was pursuing justice; but a veteran of the police force knows the difference between a Taser and a gun. “This was no accident. This was an intentional, deliberate, and unlawful use of force”. If convicted charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison under Minnesota law.

4/8/21 O&A NYC THROWBACK THURSDAY: The Four Tops – I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) 

I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) is the 1965 Four Tops classic hit.
Continue reading

4/6/21 O&A NYC INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: The Temptations Perform My Girl at David Ruffin’s Funeral

 The Temptations sing My Girl at David Ruffin’s Funeral on June 10,1991 in Detroit Michigan. Members Ali-Ollie Woodson, Richard Street, Damon Harris, Dennis Edwards, Otis Williams, Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, Ricky Owens performed the Tempation’s classic. A little know fact former Motown superstar Michael Jackson paid for the funeral. Continue reading

3/19/21 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: DTH On Demand Presents: Firebird- (Last Day to Watch it !)



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

3/9/21 O&A NYC INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: Marian Anderson Lincoln Memorial Concert- Voice of Freedom American Experience PBS

Marian Anderson stepped up to a microphone placed on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and stared out at a crowd of more than 75,000 people. She had been barred from performing at Constitutional Hall, but thanks to clever advocacy by Walter White of the NAACP and the aid of high-powered allies like Eleanor Roosevelt, the concert was now set to make history. Continue reading

2/25/21 O&A NYC GOSPEL SUNDAY: The Caravans /The Soul Stirrers- TV Gospel Time (1962) 

Sample episode featuring Shady Grove Choir, The Caravans and Paul Foster of The Soul Stirrers. (Courtesy of Reelblack.) Continue reading

2/13/21 O&A NYC ITS SATURDAY: Frances Davis- Her Story (Life Before & After Miles)

Frances Taylor Davis shares her life history as a pioneering dancer with Katherine Dunham Dance Company, her marriage to Miles Davis and renewal after as a survivor. Continue reading