2023 Ohio Team Picks: Black History Month

We had such a great reaction from our Black History Month Staff picks that we published in 2021 that we wanted to do it again!

The media and art we consume helps create laughter, calm, and an escape from the stresses of life. Many of us think critically about the literature and music we consume, and we, again, are  focusing on the works of Black creators. We happily recognize and celebrate the massive and meaningful contributions of Black artists. As an ongoing honor to Black History Month, we have created a list of Sierra Club Ohio team favorite picks - we hope you enjoy our favorites as much as we do.

Literature

1. Never Forget Our People Were Always Free, by Ben Jealous is a Parable of American Healing “One of the nation’s most prominent civil rights leaders” (Washington Post), a New York Times bestselling author, community organizer, investigative journalist, Ivy League professor, and former head of the NAACP, Ben Jealous draws from a life lived on America’s racial fault line to deliver a series of gripping and lively parables that call on each of us to reconcile, heal, and work fearlessly to make America one nation. Never Forget Our People Were Always Free illuminates for each of us how the path to healing America’s broken heart starts with each of us having the courage to heal our own.The son of parents who had to leave Maryland because their cross-racial marriage was illegal, Ben Jealous’ lively, courageous and empathetic storytelling calls on every American to look past deeply-cut divisions and recognize we are all in the same boat now. Along the way Jealous grapples with hidden American mysteries, including:

• Why do white men die from suicide more often than black men die from murder?

1. How did racial profiling kill an American president?

2. What happens when a Ku Klux Klansman wrestles with what Jesus actually said? 

3. How did Dave Chappelle know the DC Snipers were Black? 

4. Why shouldn't the civil rights movement give up on rednecks?

5. When is what we have collectively forgotten about race more important than what we actually know?

6. What do the most indecipherable things our elders say tell us about ourselves?

Told as a series of parables, Never Forget Our People Were Always Free features intimate glimpses of political, and faith leaders as different as Jack Kemp, Stacey Abrams, and the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu and heroes as unlikely as a retired constable, a female pirate from Madagascar, a long lost Irishman, a death row inmate, and a man with a confederate flag over his heart. More than anything, Never Forget Our People Were Always Free offers readers hope America’s oldest wounds can heal and her oldest divisions be overcome.

2. The 1619 Project (2021) by Nikole Hannah-Jones is an anthology of essays investigating the origins of the slave trade in America, and how it has shaped what the country would become. It’s also an exploration of how we create history, and how these stories shape our political present. The essays are accompanied by fictional excerpts and poetry, bringing to life the experiences of enslaved people in America.

About the Author: Nikole Hannah-Jones is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist covering racial injustice for The New York Times Magazine, and creator of the 1619 Project. She has received a MacArthur Foundation Grant as well as a Peabody Award, two George Polk Awards and the 2018 John Chancellor Award for Excellence in Journalism from Columbia University. In 2016, Hannah-Jones founded the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting with the aim of supporting the work of investigative reporters of color.

3. The Intersectional Environmentalist by Leah Thomas, examines the inextricable link between environmentalism, racism, and privilege, and promotes awareness of the fundamental truth that we cannot save the planet without uplifting the voices of its people — especially those most often unheard. Written by Leah Thomas, a prominent voice in the field and the activist who coined the term "Intersectional Environmentalism," this book is simultaneously a call to action, a guide to instigating change for all, and a pledge to work towards the empowerment of all people and the betterment of the planet. Thomas shows how not only are Black, Indigenous and people of color unequally and unfairly impacted by environmental injustices, but she argues that the fight for the planet lies in tandem to the fight for civil rights; and in fact, that one cannot exist without the other. An essential read, this book addresses the most pressing issues that the people and our planet face, examines and dismantles privilege, and looks to the future as the voice of a movement that will define a generation.

4. Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking by Toni Tipton-Martin encapsulates Black cooking, history and joy in the way of food historian, writer and Cook’s Country editor-in-chief Toni Tipton-Martin. As the first African American editor of a major American newspaper’s food section, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Tipton-Martin’s role in the Black food history cannon is prominent. Jubilee shines light on important but often ignored or underappreciated figures of American food history such as Samuel Fraunces, Freda DeKnight and Chef George Crum. In giving life to their stories, Tipton-Martin undertakes the remarkable task of rightfully placing the source of American food and culinary culture with the Black Americans who invented it. As she offers thoughtful context and history, the author provides tantalizing recipes for dishes.

5. The Rise of the American Conservation Movement: Power, Privilege and Environmental Protection by Dorceta Taylor, examines the emergence and rise of the multifaceted U.S. conservation movement from the mid-nineteenth to the early twentieth century. She shows how race, class, and gender influenced every aspect of the movement, including the establishment of parks; campaigns to protect wild game, birds, and fish; forest conservation; outdoor recreation; and the movement's links to nineteenth-century ideologies. Initially led by white urban elites—whose early efforts discriminated against the lower class and were often tied up with slavery and the appropriation of Native lands—the movement benefited from contributions to policy making, knowledge about the environment, and activism by the poor and working class, people of color, women, and Native Americans. Far-ranging and nuanced, The Rise of the American Conservation Movement comprehensively documents the movement's competing motivations, conflicts, problematic practices, and achievements in new ways.

6. The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama offers readers a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress. Drawing from her experiences as a mother, daughter, spouse, friend, and First Lady, she shares the habits and principles she has developed to successfully adapt to change and overcome various obstacles—the earned wisdom that helps her continue to “become.” She details her most valuable practices, like “starting kind,” “going high,” and assembling a “kitchen table” of trusted friends and mentors. With trademark humor, candor, and compassion, she also explores issues connected to race, gender, and visibility, encouraging readers to work through fear, find strength in community, and live with boldness.

Music

• Tems - Free Mind

• Michael Joseph Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century.

• Miles Dewey Davis III was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music.

• Aubrey Drake Graham is a Canadian rapper, singer and actor. An influential figure in contemporary popular music, Drake has been credited for popularizing singing and R&B sensibilities in hip hop.

• The Grammys' 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop special enlists Missy Elliot, Future, The Roots, and more - The segment is meant to serve as a celebratory kick-off to a year of Academy programming highlighting hip-hop’s breadth and legacy. Rounding out the lineup is a bevy of the genre’s best: Big Boi, Busta Rhymes, Spliff Star, De La Soul, DJ Drama, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Glorilla, Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Mele Mel, Scorpio, Ice-T, Lil Baby, Lil Wayne, the Lox, Method Man, Nelly, Public Enemy, Queen Latifah, Rahiem, Rakim, DJ Spinderella, Scarface, Swizz Beatz, and Too $hort. The Roots’ Questlove will step in as the special’s musical director and producer, while rapper LL Cool J will introduce and dedicate the event before performing. The hip-hop group Black Thought will narrate the segment.

• Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American R&B and soul singer. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo artist with a string of successes, earning him the nicknames "Prince of Motown" and "Prince of Soul.”

Film

• NOPE written, directed and produced by Jordan Peele

• A lot of Nothing written and directed by Mo McRae

• For those of you in and near Columbus, The Gateway Film Center has been showing a series that began in January and will continue into March. With Black History month upon us, this is an incredible opportunity to see the work of early Black film artists:  Introducing Pioneers of African American Cinema, January, February and March 2023

  • Presented for the first time in Ohio, this unique partnership will showcase the feature-length and short film restorations from Kino Lorber’s celebrated collection, a leading art house film distribution company, alongside film experts, community activists and a curated art installation. Screening once a month, the series lineup includes the works of Directors Oscar Micheaux, Frank Perugini, and more.

• Malcolm X - A tribute to the controversial black activist and leader of the struggle for black liberation. He hit bottom during his imprisonment in the '50s, he became a Black Muslim and then a leader in the Nation of Islam. His assassination in 1965 left a legacy of self-determination and racial pride.

• Boyz N the Hood - Follows the lives of three young males living in the Crenshaw ghetto of Los Angeles, dissecting questions of race, relationships, violence, and future prospects.

• The Wood - Three old friends recount memories of their shared childhood in Inglewood, Calif., as they prepare for a wedding. When the groom goes missing without a word, Mike and Slim struggle to find their nervous friend and return him to his impatient bride before the wedding begins. 

• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a 2022 American superhero film based on the character Black Panther from Marvel Comics. This is a sequel to Black Panther (2018) and produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. This film is directed by Ryan Coogler, who co-wrote the screenplay withJoe Robert Cole. The film stars Letitia Wright as Shuri / Black Panther with Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Mabel Cadena, Tenoch Huerta Mejia, Martin Freeman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Angela Bassett. This film shows the leaders of Wakanda fighting to protect their nation in the wake of King T'Challa's death. Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M'Baku, Okoye and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with Nakia and Everett Ross to forge a new path for their beloved kingdom.

• Brown Sugar Sidney (Sanaa Lathan) and Dre (Taye Diggs) can attribute their friendship and the launch of their careers to one single childhood instant ... witnessing the birth of hip-hop on a New York street corner. Now some 15 years later, she is a revered music critic and he is a successful, though unfulfilled, music executive. Both come to realize that their true life passions will only be fulfilled by remembering what they learned that day on the corner.

• Remember the Titans In Virginia, high school football is a way of life, an institution revered, each game celebrated more lavishly than Christmas, each playoff distinguished more grandly than any national holiday. And with such recognition, comes powerful emotions. In 1971 high school football was everything to the people of Alexandria. But when the local school board was forced to integrate an all black school with an all white school, the very foundation of football's great tradition was put to the test.

• Descendant, a 2022 Netflix documentary, tells the story of activists in Africatown, a Black community in Alabama, as they fight to reclaim their history.

• Hidden Figures, Three brilliant African-American women at NASA -- Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson -- serve as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation's confidence, turned around the Space Race and galvanized the world.

Podcasts

• The Changemaker with Marie Beecham, a Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Advocate. You may know Marie from Instagram where she has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers. On The Changemaker, Marie informs, encourages, and equips you to make a difference. Change starts with you.
• Breaking Green Ceilings Podcast amplifying the voices of environmentalists from historically underrepresented communities including Disabled, Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Color and accomplices (episodes 1 hour)
• Black History for White People. The goal is simple—educate white people on black history. #BHforWP is a multiethnic collective dedicated to loving black and brown people by educating, resourcing, and challenging white people to actively participate in racial justice. The highest calling of humanity is to love. Whether you know it or not, the racial disparities in our country hurt us. They train us to protect our advantages rather than love others, and that mentality reduces us.
• Therapy for Black Girls: Atlanta, GA. The Therapy for Black Girls Podcast is a weekly chat about all things mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible versions of ourselves. Join your host, Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed Psychologist as she offers practical tips and strategies to improve your mental health, pulls back the curtain on what happens in therapy sessions, and answers your listener questions.

• Louder Than A Riot: Rhyme and punishment go hand in hand in America. Louder Than A Riot reveals the interconnected rise of hip-hop and mass incarceration. From Bobby Shmurda to Nipsey Hussle, each episode explores an artist's story to examine a different aspect of the criminal justice system that disproportionately impacts Black America. Hosted by NPR Music's Rodney Carmichael and Sidney Madden, this podcast is invested in power from all angles — the power the music industry wields over artists, the power of institutional forces that marginalize communities of color, the power of the prison industrial complex and the power dynamics deep-rooted in the rap game.