Earlier this week, Edwidge Danticat published “It Can Happen Here” in Harper’s Bazaar. Danticat details how legislation in Florida reminds her of oppressive regimes in her Haiti and the repression of knowledge. She reminds us that no matter what we think, oppression and fascism can happen here, even if we think it can’t. The title of the article harkens back to Sinclair Lewis’ 1935 … Read More Fascism Can’t Happen Here
“Darling, phone call for you.” “I’m so tired. Can you take a message?” “It’s Martin. He wants to know if you got the card he sent last week.” “I’ll be right there. . . . Martin, it’s so good to hear your voice. How are Coretta and the kids? . . .” Every time I go up to the Lillian E. Smith Center, I think … Read More The Presence of the Past on Screamer Mountain
+ african american literature, american history, american literature, early american literature, frederick douglass, history, native american literature
Currently, I’m reading David F. Walker, Damon Smyth, and Marissa Louise’s graphic narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass based on Douglass’ autobiographies. There are a few things from this graphic novel that I plan to write about in the near future; however, as I read it, the above panel stood out. In this panel, Douglass discusses the similarities between systems of oppression that … Read More Rhetorical Intersections in Early America
+ african american art, african american literature, american history, france, history, james baldwin
Over the past two posts, I’ve been sharing my journal entries from the study travel trip I led to France a couple of weeks ago. Today, I want to finish up this series by sharing a short post from the beach overlooking the Mediterranean in Nice and a post about my journey to St. Paul de Vence to walk through the village that James … Read More Communing With James Baldwin in France
+ african american art, african american literature, american history, civil rights, france, history, the stone face, william gardner smith
Over the past few posts, I have been looking at the tensions that Simeon feels in William Gardner Smith’s The Stone Face. Simeon leaves the United States for France, seeking refuge and escape from the racist oppression of white supremacy. He finds, as other African American expatriates do within the novel, the “illusion of safety.” This illusion provides a means of escape, a means … Read More Rootlessness and Action in William Gardner Smith’s “The Stone Face”
Interminable Rambling 