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Nikki Giovanni weaves her life’s journey into University of Memphis lecture

NNPA NEWSWIRE — During a Q&A that brought talk of her love for Samuel Adams’ luxurious beer Utopia, the black arts movement influence of hip-hop and President Trump’s administration, Nikki Giovanni reflected on the Baldwin interview that led to the 1973 book “A Dialogue.”

Published

7 years ago

March 22, 2019

Oakland Post

By Harlan McCarthy, Special to The New Tri-State Defender

After closing her recent keynote lecture during the 10th Annual Women’s Honor Conference at the University of Memphis University Center, iconic poet Nikki Giovanni fielded a question that provided a snippet of her philosophy about contradictions.

The backdrop for her take on contradictions was her 1971 interview with novelist, playwright and activist James Baldwin, whose novel, “If Beale Street Could Talk,” is the basis of the hit movie of the same name.

During a Q&A that brought talk of her love for Samuel Adams’ luxurious beer Utopia, the black arts movement influence of hip-hop and President Trump’s administration, Giovanni reflected on the Baldwin interview that led to the 1973 book “A Dialogue.”

Giovanni, now a distinguished professor at Virginia Tech University, said television producer Ellis Haizlip made the interview happen just hours earlier.

“I haven’t looked at it,” she said of the now 38-year-old televised exchange with Baldwin. “I don’t go back because I don’t mind making a mistake… I might have contradicted myself… If you’re going to be an artist, you’re going to contradict yourself.”

The Annual Women’s Honor Conference is presented by Professional Assertive United Sisters of Excellence (P.A.U.S.E.) and several other campus organizations. P.A.U.S.E’s mission is to unite UofM women of all races, creeds and economic backgrounds while promoting academic and professional success through workshops and networking.

Multiple workshop sessions – rooted in the theme Grit, Grace and Glow – accented the conference. They featured Memphis-area professionals such as Dr. Menson-Furr, a UofM African studies professor, new state Rep. London Lamar and attorney, author and and blogger Carlissa Shaw, Esq.

Then came Giovanni. With the room full of women, the best-selling author thanked P.A.U.S.E President Kennedie Toney before easing into a range of topics that included politics, health, race, gender and social culture.

An avid game-show fan, Giovanni made light of the “Family Feud” and later shared a “Jeopardy” tale that included her calling host Alex Trebek when her name wasn’t listed among those in a category she believed to be NAACP Image Awards. She’s a seven-time Image Awards winner.

“Alex, they ought to have known I should have at least been a wrong answer,” she recalled telling Trebek.

Giovanni said she once asked her English class students whether she should be a contestant on the show “Deal or No Deal.” A definitive “no” was the response, with the reasoning being that they didn’t want her to be made a fool, she said.
In response, Giovanni said she told her class, “As old I am, if the first time I make a fool of myself is on ‘Deal of No Deal,’ I lived a bless life.”

A cancer survivor, Giovanni made a segue into her mastectomy and the topic of embarrassment. She punctuated that element of her address with a reading of “Deal or No Deal English 4714 CRN 169-7.”

At one point, Giovanni weighed in on the social problems surrounding victims in Charlottesville, women’s lynching in the Appalachia, the historical importance of Viola Liuzzo, adoption and abortion.

A native of Tennessee and an alumnus of Fisk University, Giovanni also read her poem “Native Tennessean,” which speaks to her love for her home state.

Describing herself as a mother’s daughter, Giovanni talked about the difficulty of relating to her father, whom she said mistreated her mother. She told a story about moving back from New York to help her ill father and how she dealt with the mistreatment of her mother.

She then read “I Married My Mother,” a poem about the relationship she had with her mom.

Giovanni, an avid quilter, put her experience with the craft in context by referencing her experience with the Quilts of Gee’s Bend, which are created by a group of women and their ancestors who live or have lived in the isolated African-American hamlet of Gee’s Bend, Ala. along the Alabama River.
She ended her lecture with “Quilts,” a poem about quilting.

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Michael: The King of Pop’s Story Returns to the Big Screen

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making.

Published

3 days ago

November 6, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film will arrive in theaters on April 24, 2026, with the singer’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, stepping into the spotlight to portray his legendary uncle.

The trailer wastes no time rekindling the aura of Jackson’s genius. Opening with a studio scene between Jackson and his longtime producer Quincy Jones, played by Kendrick Sampson, the clip builds from a quiet, familiar rhythm to the electrifying pulse of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” Viewers catch glimpses of the singer’s childhood, flashes of “Thriller,” and the silhouette that redefined pop culture. Each frame reminds fans of why Jackson remains unmatched in artistry and influence. The cast surrounding the late pop king’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, reads like a who’s who of Black entertainment and music history. Colman Domingo plays Joe Jackson, Nia Long portrays Katherine Jackson, and Larenz Tate takes on the role of Motown founder Berry Gordy. Laura Harrier portrays music executive Suzanne de Passe, while Kat Graham embodies Diana Ross. Miles Teller plays attorney John Branca, a towering entertainment lawyer and longtime Jackson confidant who later became co-executor of his estate. The film’s journey to release has been as complicated as the icon it portrays. Production wrapped in 2024, but legal hurdles over depictions of past controversies forced extensive reshoots and editing delays. Even so, Fuqua’s film now appears ready to reclaim the narrative, focusing on Jackson’s creative ambition and humanity beyond tabloid noise. IndieWire reported that the film had faced “a massive legal snafu” over a disputed storyline but was retooled to center the music and legacy that defined generations.

Maven. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson

“Michael” promises more than a chronological retelling. It aims to explore how a child star from Gary, Indiana, became the world’s most influential entertainer. The script, written by Oscar-nominated John Logan, traces Jackson’s early years with the Jackson 5 through the triumphs and isolation of global superstardom. With Fuqua’s cinematic eye and producer Graham King—who brought “Bohemian Rhapsody” to life—joining forces with estate executors Branca and John McClain, the film is positioned as both a tribute and a restoration of Jackson’s cultural truth. Branca’s work behind the scenes has long shaped Jackson’s posthumous success. After the singer died in 2009, Branca and McClain took control of the estate burdened by debt and turned it into a global powerhouse worth billions. Under their stewardship, Jackson’s projects have generated more than $3 billion in worldwide ticket sales and landmark deals, including a $600 million joint venture with Sony earlier this year. At its heart, though, “Michael” is a story about artistry that transcends scandal. It offers a reminder that, despite the noise surrounding his life, Jackson’s music still bridges continents and generations. The trailer’s closing moments capture that spirit. As the beat of “Billie Jean” swells and Jaafar Jackson moonwalks into a spotlight, audiences are left with a familiar feeling—the awe of witnessing something timeless return home.

“Michael” opens worldwide in theaters April 24, 2026. See the official trailer here.

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Donald Trump Is the Biggest Loser

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Published

4 days ago

November 5, 2025

Oakland Post

By April Ryan

The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Chris Jones, Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives (AR-02), says, “Last night was electric, and it was unquestionably a wave.” Democrats won big in what is widely considered a repudiation of Trump’s 9 months at the White House in his second term.

In the state of Virginia, which produced the first big election night win and saw the election of the first woman governor, Democrat Abigail Spanberger, 56% of Virginia’s residents disapprove of President Trump. In New Jersey, 55% of state residents disapprove of the president; in New York, 69% disapprove; and in California, 63% disapprove of the president. The Trump brand or his support for any candidates did nothing to benefit those he endorsed in this election. They actually lost in each race he publicly put his name behind. Trump endorsed former New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, who lost the New York mayor’s race in his run as an independent. And New Jersey Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who ran for governor with the presidential endorsement, also lost his prospective race.

The next question is, will the democratic momentum be sustainable? Jones further explained, “This can become a 2026 tsunami, but turning a wave into a tsunami takes energy. A lot of energy. It doesn’t just happen. The conditions are there. Now we have to work!”

Some Democrats would argue that the work is already underway. The pushback against Trump’s national redistricting efforts received a thumb in the eye from California voters. Prop 50, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s counterbalance to President Trump’s redistricting efforts, passed in California last night. Although Trump’s name was not on the ballot last night, his Republican policies were. The United States has now entered the longest government shutdown in its history. Forty-two million Americans are not getting SNAP benefits. Economists are acknowledging that the government shutdown is contributing to the rise in delinquent debt in the student loan, automotive, and credit card industries. These items are among the negatives Americans are protesting against.

Compounding Trump’s political problems is a tariff battle that’s directly impacting pocketbooks. The day after the elections, the Trump administration was arguing before the US Supreme Court in favor of the president’s tariff powers. Meanwhile, President Trump‘s poll numbers are underwater, standing at a 37% national disapproval rate

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Historic Beatdown: Democrats Sweep Virginia as Speaker Don Scott and Jay Jones Make History

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — In a clear rejection of the policies of President Donald Trump, history repeated itself in Virginia.

Published

4 days ago

November 5, 2025

Oakland Post

By Lauren Burke

In a clear rejection of the policies of President Donald Trump, history repeated itself in Virginia. Democrats once again swept all three statewide offices as they did in 2017 during Trump’s first term. Abigail Spanberger easily won the office of Governor, and State Senator Ghazala Hashmi won her race over John Reid to be the next Lieutenant Governor. The victories occurred against the backdrop of a historic win in Virginia by Spanberger that will give Virginia its first woman Governor.

Spanberger’s widely predicted win over Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears was called 17 minutes after the polls closed in Virginia at 7 pm. Former Delegate Jay Jones won his race against incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares. His victory means Jones will be the first Black Attorney General in Virginia’s history. Jones’ win was particularly noteworthy since the last month of his campaign was consumed by the issue of private text messages from 2022 to Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner. Republicans ran a non-stop barrage of negative ads against Jones for a month.

Del. Coyner lost her bid for re-election to Delegate-elect Lindsey Dougherty. The Dougherty race was the number one target for House Speaker Don Scott and his campaign lieutenant, Delegate Dan Helmer. Coyner’s defeat was one of at least 13 victories for Democrats who have now added to their ranks in the Virginia House to historic margins. When the Virginia General Assembly returns to session in January, there will be at least 64 Democrats in the chamber. The widespread Republican defeat is a testament to a combination of historic fundraising, Democrats running in all 100 seats, dislike of President Trump’s policies, and an ineffective top of the ticket featuring Lt. Gov. Earle Sears.

+13: Speaker Scott and Del. Helmer Hit Historic Numbers in Fundraising and Power

As the evening ended, a glaring historic fact became clearer: The Virginia House of Delegates will expand to a historic number. The change means the largest Democratic House chamber in the modern era. There were several notable wins by Democrats running for the Virginia House. They include Virgil Thornton, Lilly Franklin, and Kim Pope Adams. Speaker Don Scott and his campaign chair, Dan Helmer, undertook a record fundraising effort never before seen in Virginia’s history. The moment of success for Virginia Democrats will be viewed as a positive signal for Democrats moving into the 2026 elections.