Actress Anna Deavere Smith is known for her roles on TV series like The West Wing, Nurse Jackie and Black-ish. She’s also the playwright and performer behind more than fifteen one-woman shows including the Tony-nominated Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 and the new This Ghost of Slavery: A Play of Past and Present. She writes scripts based on her interviews with real people in a style she pioneered called “verbatim theatre.”

Host Khalilah Brown-Dean spoke with Anna about the politics of art at a live event in New Haven in late-October. The event was part of the Artistic Congress, organized by Long Wharf Theatre and Yale Schwarzman Center. We discussed doubt, courage and her hope that her art inspires people to take action.

GUEST: 


Anna Deavere Smith: Actress and playwright. On TV she is known for roles on The West Wing, Nurse Jackie and Black-ish. One stage, she has written and performed in more than fifteen one-woman shows, including the Tony-nominated Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 and the new This Ghost of Slavery: A Play of Past and Present. She is also a professor at NYU and founded the Institute on the Arts and Civic Dialogue.

Actress <a href="https://www.instagram.com/annadeaveresmith/">Anna Deavere Smith</a> is known for her roles on TV series like The West Wing, Nurse Jackie and Black-ish. She’s also the playwright and performer behind more than fifteen one-woman shows including the Tony-nominated Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 and the new This Ghost of Slavery: A Play of Past and Present. She writes scripts based on her interviews with real people in a style she pioneered called “verbatim theatre.”
Host Khalilah Brown-Dean spoke with Anna about the politics of art at a live event in New Haven in late-October. The event was part of the Artistic Congress, organized by <a href="https://www.longwharf.org/">Long Wharf Theatre</a> and <a href="https://schwarzman.yale.edu/">Yale Schwarzman Center</a>. We discussed doubt, courage and her hope that her art inspires people to take action.
GUEST: 
<ul>
<li>
Anna Deavere Smith: Actress and playwright. On TV she is known for roles on The West Wing, Nurse Jackie and Black-ish. One stage, she has written and performed in more than fifteen one-woman shows, including the Tony-nominated Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 and the new This Ghost of Slavery: A Play of Past and Present. She is also a professor at NYU and founded the Institute on the Arts and Civic Dialogue.
</li>
</ul>

Disrupted is about the changes we all encounter and the forces driving those changes. Some disruptions spark joy and possibility. Others move us to take action and re-evaluate our world. But the show isn't just about those disruptions; it’s about embracing them, exploring new perspectives, and feeling more connected to ourselves and our communities. Host and political scientist Khalilah Brown-Dean creates a place where changemakers come together to help us see the world differently and challenge us to grow together.

Visit ctpublic.org/disrupted for more! 

Disrupted is about the changes we all encounter and the forces driving those changes. Some disruptions spark joy and possibility. Others move us to take action and re-evaluate our world. But the show isn't just about those disruptions; it’s about embracing them, exploring new perspectives, and feeling more connected to ourselves and our communities. Host and political scientist Khalilah Brown-Dean creates a place where changemakers come together to help us see the world differently and challenge us to grow together.
Visit <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/disrupted">ctpublic.org/disrupted</a> for more!

Disrupted

Playwright and actress Anna Deavere Smith on the politics of art

In March of 1924, more than 100 Black and white attendees were at a dinner party in downtown Manhattan. The party was organized by prominent thinkers Charles S. Johnson and Alain Locke and included people like W.E.B. DuBois. Their goal was to bring together Harlem’s young Black writers with white publishers to help the writers’ work find a national audience. The party was a success. So much so that it’s often considered the start of the period known as the Harlem Renaissance.

The Harlem Renaissance saw a boom in the popularity of Black writers, just as the party’s organizers hoped. Writers like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston might get the most attention, but the period was not just about writing— music and visual arts also flourished.

This hour, we’re exploring the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance in honor of its 100th anniversary. UConn professor Erika Williams joins us to explain what the Harlem Renaissance was and to help us understand how people thought about queerness during the Harlem Renaissance.

We’ll also hear from Denise Murrell who curated a recent exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art called "The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism." She says exhibits like this one can help expand the museum-going public.

GUESTS:


Erika Williams: Associate Professor of English and Africana Studies at the University of Connecticut.


Denise Murrell: Merryl H. & James S. Tisch Curator at Large at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She recently curated an exhibit called"The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism," which was on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art earlier this year.

To learn more about Zora Neale Hurston, you can listen to our interview with Tracy Heather Strain.

In March of 1924, more than 100 Black and white attendees were at a dinner party in downtown Manhattan. The party was organized by prominent thinkers Charles S. Johnson and Alain Locke and included people like W.E.B. DuBois. Their goal was to bring together Harlem&rsquo;s young Black writers with white publishers to help the writers&rsquo; work find a national audience. The party was a success. So much so that it&rsquo;s often considered the start of the period known as the Harlem Renaissance.
The Harlem Renaissance saw a boom in the popularity of Black writers, just as the party&rsquo;s organizers hoped. Writers like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston might get the most attention, but the period was not just about writing&mdash; music and visual arts also flourished.
This hour, we&rsquo;re exploring the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance in honor of its 100th anniversary. UConn professor <a href="https://english.uconn.edu/person/erika-williams/">Erika Williams</a> joins us to explain what the Harlem Renaissance was and to help us understand how people thought about queerness during the Harlem Renaissance.
We&rsquo;ll also hear from Denise Murrell who curated a recent exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art called "<a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/the-harlem-renaissance-and-transatlantic-modernism">The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism</a>." She says exhibits like this one can help expand the museum-going public.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
Erika Williams: Associate Professor of English and Africana Studies at the University of Connecticut.
</li>
<li>
Denise Murrell: Merryl H. &amp; James S. Tisch Curator at Large at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She recently curated an exhibit called "<a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/the-harlem-renaissance-and-transatlantic-modernism">The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism</a>," which was on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art earlier this year.
</li>
</ul>
To learn more about Zora Neale Hurston, you can listen to <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/disrupted/2023-01-18/beyond-her-novels-zora-neale-hurston-was-a-pioneering-anthropologist">our interview with Tracy Heather Strain</a>.

The legacy of the Harlem Renaissance 100 years later

We hear a lot of of debate around sex and sexuality from our political leaders these days. Proposed legislation in areas like reproductive rights and education are constantly in the news. And while that debate may seem intense today, it isn’t new. Americans have long argued over which kinds of sex are, and aren’t “acceptable.”

You need to understand the past to understand the present, as the saying goes. And according to historian Rebecca L. Davis, there are a lot of misconceptions about the past. She joins us today to talk about her new book Fierce Desires: A New History of Sex and Sexuality in America. She’ll explain the surprising ways Americans have understood intimate relations and even share a touching story that took place right here in Connecticut.

GUEST:


Rebecca L. Davis: Miller Family Endowed Early Career Professor of History at the University of Delaware and Professor of Women and Gender Studies. Her latest book is Fierce Desires: A New History of Sex and Sexuality in America.

You can listen to the interview with Jason Stanley that Professor Davis mentioned in this episode on our website.

We hear a lot of of debate around sex and sexuality from our political leaders these days. Proposed legislation in areas like reproductive rights and education are constantly in the news. And while that debate may seem intense today, it isn&rsquo;t new. Americans have long argued over which kinds of sex are, and aren&rsquo;t &ldquo;acceptable.&rdquo;
You need to understand the past to understand the present, as the saying goes. And according to historian <a href="https://www.rebeccaldavis.com/">Rebecca L. Davis</a>, there are a lot of misconceptions about the past. She joins us today to talk about her new book <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9781631496578">Fierce Desires: A New History of Sex and Sexuality in America</a>. She&rsquo;ll explain the surprising ways Americans have understood intimate relations and even share a touching story that took place right here in Connecticut.
GUEST:
<ul>
<li>
Rebecca L. Davis: Miller Family Endowed Early Career Professor of History at the University of Delaware and Professor of Women and Gender Studies. Her latest book is <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9781631496578">Fierce Desires: A New History of Sex and Sexuality in America</a>.
</li>
</ul>
You can listen to the interview with Jason Stanley that Professor Davis mentioned in this episode <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/disrupted/2024-10-11/exploring-connections-between-fascism-and-attacks-on-education-with-jason-stanley">on our website</a>.

The surprising history of sex and sexuality in America

Poet Reginald Dwayne Betts was part of a carjacking in a Virginia mall parking lot when he was 16 years old. He was charged as an adult and sentenced to 9 years in prison.

Dwayne was released in 2005. Today, he’s a lawyer and award-winning poet. He’s also the founder and CEO of a nonprofit organization called Freedom Reads. It provides handcrafted bookcases full of brand new books to prisons.

For Dwayne, and other incarcerated people, those books can be a lifeline— a connection to the rest of the world.

This hour, we have a candid conversation with Dwayne as he reflects on his poetry, the power of books, and life after prison.

We also take a visit to the Freedom Reads workshop and hear from some of the formerly incarcerated people who build the bookcases and bring them to prisons. You can see photos of the Freedom Reads workshop on our website.

GUEST:


Reginald Dwayne Betts: Award-winning poet, whose books include Felon and the upcoming Doggerel. He's also a lawyer and the Founder and CEO of Freedom Reads


Michael Byrd: Library Production Assistant at Freedom Reads


Steven Parkhurst: Communications Manager at Freedom Reads


James Flynn: Library Production Assistant at Freedom Reads

Special thanks to Kevin Baker and Ivan Dominguez at Freedom Reads.

Poet <a href="https://www.dwaynebetts.com/">Reginald Dwayne Betts</a> was part of a carjacking in a Virginia mall parking lot when he was 16 years old. He was charged as an adult and sentenced to 9 years in prison.
Dwayne was released in 2005. Today, he’s a lawyer and award-winning poet. He’s also the founder and CEO of a nonprofit organization called <a href="https://freedomreads.org/">Freedom Reads</a>. It provides handcrafted bookcases full of brand new books to prisons.
For Dwayne, and other incarcerated people, those books can be a lifeline— a connection to the rest of the world.
This hour, we have a candid conversation with Dwayne as he reflects on his poetry, the power of books, and life after prison.
We also take a visit to the Freedom Reads workshop and hear from some of the formerly incarcerated people who build the bookcases and bring them to prisons. You can see photos of the Freedom Reads workshop on our <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/disrupted/2024-12-06/the-power-of-books-in-prison-with-poet-reginald-dwayne-betts">website</a>.
GUEST:
<ul>
<li>
Reginald Dwayne Betts: Award-winning poet, whose books include <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393652147">Felon</a> and the upcoming <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324089261">Doggerel</a>. He's also a lawyer and the Founder and CEO of <a href="https://freedomreads.org/">Freedom Reads</a> 
</li>
<li>
Michael Byrd: Library Production Assistant at Freedom Reads
</li>
<li>
Steven Parkhurst: Communications Manager at Freedom Reads
</li>
<li>
James Flynn: Library Production Assistant at Freedom Reads
</li>
</ul>
Special thanks to Kevin Baker and Ivan Dominguez at Freedom Reads.

Playwright and actress Anna Deavere Smith on the politics of art

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