Summer in Milwaukee got more exciting with the announcement of Black Arts Fest MKE, a new cultural festival to be held at Henry Maier Festival Park The festival will celebrate and showcase African and African American culture from noon to midnight on Saturday, August 4, 2018. Derek Tyus, Chief Investment Officer and Vice President of West Bend Mutual Insurance Company, … [Read more...] about Black Arts Fest MKE; Joins lineup of ethnic festivals at Henry W. Maier Festival Park
Arts and Entertainment
Bronzeville Arts Ensemble is ‘Flyin’ West’
Bronzeville Arts Ensemble will debut its inaugural production of Flyin' West by Pearl Cleage on May 24- 27, 2018, at Wilson Theater in Vogel Hall at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. Set in 1898 in the historic, all black town of Nicodemus, Kansas, Pearl Cleage’s Flyin' West is the powerful story of four courageous African American women who against tremendous odds … [Read more...] about Bronzeville Arts Ensemble is ‘Flyin’ West’
‘Strange Fruit Volume II’ by Joel Christian Gill
Apples, bananas, cherries, and oranges. Tasty things, available from an appropriate tree, perhaps even one in your back yard. But what’s the story about them? Who was the first brave soul to take a chance and take a bite? In the new book Strange Fruit Volume II by Joel Christian Gill, you’ll see that some histories remain hidden on the vine. Throughout history, a lot of … [Read more...] about ‘Strange Fruit Volume II’ by Joel Christian Gill
Dael Orlandersmith: A ‘theater worker’ who writes the truth
By Jacquelyn D. Heath Special to The Milwaukee Times Others have described Dael Orlandersmith as an actress, a performer, a playwright, a poet. From her own viewpoint, she is simply ‘a theater worker’. That is, she is someone who applies their talents to create products for public consumption to be delivered via the stage. The award-winning, self-described ‘theater … [Read more...] about Dael Orlandersmith: A ‘theater worker’ who writes the truth
Anthony Russell to preform ‘Convergence’
Anthony Mordechai Tzvi Russell, along with famed klezmer trio Veretski Pass, will perform CONVERGENCE, the sold-out hit of the 29th annual Berkeley Jewish Music Festival, on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, at 7 p.m., at Anodyne Coffee Walker’s Point, 224 W. Bruce St, Convergence brings together 100 years of Yiddish folk music and African-American spiritual music. This exciting … [Read more...] about Anthony Russell to preform ‘Convergence’
A vision of black power
Being Frank By Frank James Special to the Milwaukee Times The African American community recently received a jolt of energy via the movie, Black Panther. The response to the movie was simply astounding. Box office returns were overwhelming. Many African Americans donned African garb to view the movie. The movie gave African Americans a concept of how black people could … [Read more...] about A vision of black power
‘Until the Flood’ revisits the trauma, legacy of racism
By Jacquelyn D. Heath Special to The Milwaukee Times On August 9, 2014, Michael Brown, an 18-year-old high school graduate just days away from starting college, was shot 12 times and killed by Darren Wilson, a 28-year-old police officer in Ferguson, MO, a suburb north of St. Louis. Brown was suspected of committing a strong-arm robbery of a convenience store; Wilson … [Read more...] about ‘Until the Flood’ revisits the trauma, legacy of racism
“All the Women in My Family Sing,” edited by Deborah Santana
Who are you? Spoken or unspoken, serious or in jest, you get asked that question all the time. Where are you from? Who are your parents? Have you been here before, and what do you do? In All The Women in My Family Sing, edited by Deborah Santana, the questions stand: who are you and what is your story? It’s a no-brainer: every day you spend in this world is different, … [Read more...] about “All the Women in My Family Sing,” edited by Deborah Santana
Lynette DuPree: The voice behind ‘Black Pearl’
By Jacquelyn D. Heath Special to The Milwaukee Times There are some kids who grow up struggling to find an interest or talent that they can turn into a career. Lynette DuPree didn’t have that problem. She knew exactly what she wanted to do when she grew up; she wanted to be a performer. The veteran stage, television and film actress is currently in Milwaukee in the … [Read more...] about Lynette DuPree: The voice behind ‘Black Pearl’
Jordan Peele was among the few to make history with his Oscar win
Jordan Peele stopped writing the script for his horror- satire film Get Out about 20 times before he finally finished it. On Sunday night, it won him an Oscar. “I thought it was impossible,” Peele said while accepting the award for best original screenplay. “I thought it wasn’t going to work. I thought no one would ever make this movie. But I kept coming back to it because I … [Read more...] about Jordan Peele was among the few to make history with his Oscar win