Ida B. Wells begins Southern Horrors: Lynch law in All Its Phases (1892) by quoting a piece she wrote in the May 21, 1892, edition of the Free Speech, a Black newspaper in Memphis. In the piece, she lists recent acts of racial violence across the United States. She writes, “Eight negroes lynched since last issue of the ‘Free Speech’ one at Little Rock, … Read More Accountability and the Banality of Evil
+ 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
A few weeks ago, the Lillian E. Smith Center lost Bill Watts, an important member of our community. Here is a tribute I wrote about Bill. The Lillian E. Smith Center on Screamer Mountain is a spiritual space. It’s a patch of land with a history deeply connected with the Civil Rights Movement. It’s a space of community and bonding, a space where humanity … Read More A Tribute to Bill
A couple of years ago, I started doing something I never really thought I’d do: I began to read and research more about the Holocaust and World War II. I grew up with media depicting the Untied States’ perspective during World War II, specifically the heroic acts of United States service members in the fight against fascism. All of this, of course, positioned the … Read More World War II Literature Syllabus
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been reading multiple books set in Marseille. Specifically, I have read two novels detailing the movement of refugees during World War II to the port city in hopes of escaping the Nazi advance. Before leaving for Marseille, I read Julie Orringer’s The Flight Portfolio, a fictionalized account of Varian Frye’s work the Emergency Rescue Committee (ERC) in Marseille … Read More Art as Resistance in Anna Seghers’ “Transit”
Interminable Rambling 