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Oscar Brown Jr.: 'Bid 'Em In'
Oscar Brown Jr. is a poet, playwright, singer, actor and humorist who
travels the United States, telling stories of African-American history. His
song "Bid 'Em In" -- a harrowing, percussive narrative where Brown plays the
part of a slave auctioneer -- has become an animated short film eligible for
an Oscar.
Eartha Kitt's 'Expectations'
Outrageously sexy, multi-talented entertainer Eartha Kitt has been igniting crowds for more than half of a century. Kitt turns 78 years old this January, but still has that legendary velvet purr to her voice. Kitt recently sat for a chat with reporter Allison Keyes about her latest project -- a stage play called Expectations.
The Voice-Over Biz with Rodney Saulsberry
Rodney Saulsberry has been a top talent in the closely knit voice-over
industry for many years, doing everything from Alpo commercials to animated
TV series. He shares some of the secrets of the trade in his new book,
You Can Bank on Your Voice.
Religion and Morality in America
The huge voter turnout by self-described evangelical Christians in the 2004 presidential election has revived a long-simmering debate about "values." NPR's Tavis Smiley moderates a weeklong roundtable on faith, religion and morality in America. Hear each of the week's discussions on definitions of morality, church-state separation, fundamentalism and more.
'We Shall Overcome': Reliving the Civil Rights Era
Using words, archive photos and rare recordings, veteran anthologist Herb
Boyd has created a "living history" chronicling American's civil rights
movement with his new book We Shall Overcome, which comes with two
audio CDs narrated by longtime activists and actors Ossie Davis and Ruby
Dee.
'Arc of Justice': An American Tale of Racial Hatred
Kevin Boyle recently won the National Book Award for Arc of Justice,
his nonfiction account of a black physician's struggle in 1920s Detroit to
hold on to his home in the face of violent threats from his white racist
neighbors. Hear Boyle's acceptance speech at the awards ceremony.
It's a Most Wonderful Time for Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick started singing at six. She reached stardom in the 1960s, wrapping her sophisticated voice around memorable pop tunes. Now she's out with her first-ever collection of holiday music, My Favorite Time of the Year. She tells NPR's Tavis Smiley about it.
Levy Lee Simon's Haitian Revolution Trilogy
The Robey Theatre Company in Sherman Oaks, Calif., has mounted For the Love of Freedom, Levy Lee Simon's trilogy about Haiti's slave revolt -- which rocked Napoleon's France -- and its historical aftermath. The Tavis Smiley Show offers a condensed version of the epic production.
Emeline Michel, the 'Queen of Haitian Song'
Emeline Michel has been called the "queen of Haitian song," and her voice
conjurs visions of beaches with lapping surf and the brown faces of the
people of her island homeland. She talks to NPR's Allison Keyes about the
message of her music.
Gertrude Mongella, Africa's Highest-Ranking Woman
This year, Gertrude Mongella became the highest-ranking elected woman in all of Africa when she was elected to the presidency of the African Union's new Pan African Parliament. She talks to NPR's Tony Cox about the challenges the African Union faces in the Ivory Coast and the Sudan.
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