The Tara Lake Show

Thank you for joining me this week for the conclusion of this special series on poet, author, activist, and educator Frances E.W. Harper. Just last week, we marked the 196th anniversary of Frances E. W. Harper, on September 24. As we continue to celebrate her impact as a visionary leader and thinker during this season of gratitude and remembrance, it’s an honor to bring you this special interview with Dr. Utz McKnight. Dr. McKnight is Associate Professor in Political Science and Chair of the Department of Gender and Race Studies at the University of Alabama. His book Frances E. W. Harper: A Call To Conscience, was published in December of 2020 on Polity Press.

Dr. McKnight discussed the enormity of Harper’s legacy as a a thriving activist, literary artist, author, orator, community leader, and educator. He highlighted the role of race and gender in her reception by the general public and by leaders in Nineteenth Century African American protest movements, and he also discussed Harper’s most popular fictional work, revealing more about what it offers for readers today.

More About This Podcast At: www.TaraLakeShow.com

Link: Dr. McKnight’s Web Page

Dr. McKnight’s Book: Frances E. W. Harper: A Call To Conscience

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Welcome back to the Tara Lake show!

This is the third installment of my series on Frances E.W. Harper, which celebrates the oratory of the Nineteenth Century Philadelphian and African American poet, author, abolitionist and suffragist. It has been an honor to share this series in recognition of Harper’s amazing work, which spanned decades, crossed two centuries, and continues to impact us so meaningfully today. This series ran from the spring through the fall of 2020, and this third and final installment coincided with the occasion of America’s Election Day weekend in November, 2020. I created this series — serving as writer, editor, producer and voice performer — to illuminate the power of Harper’s language in her extraordinary, decades-long crusade for justice. Harper’s speeches provide a unique perspective into the political, social, and cultural landscape of the Nineteenth Century. Frances E.W. Harper’s steadfast commitment to truth allowed her to call out injustice and racism in ways that are rarely heard even today.

Please visit www.TaraLakeShow.com for more information.

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Thanks so much for joining me for this week’s episode of the Tara Lake show.
Today, as part of this special eight-episode season, I’m excited to share the second installment in my three part series on poet, author, and activist Frances Ellen Watkins Harper. Last week, we learned a bit more about this inspiring pioneer and her role in history, and we explored some of her poetry. Harper began publishing in poetry in 1845, at the age of 20, and later became known for her fiction as well. She utilized her fiction to inspire, uplift, and educate audiences — and to dramatize the social issues that motivated her work and activism. Frances E.W. Harper lived and worked in Philadelphia for decades in the Nineteenth and early Twentieth Century, and I produced this project for Philadelphia radio audiences. As producer, writer, editor, voice performer, I added elements of audio theatre to this production. We are truly fortunate to have Frances E. W. Harper’s work with us today. More than 130 years on, Harper’s serialized novels speak powerfully to the present.

Please visit www.TaraLakeShow.com for more information.

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Back in December 2008, the project-based podcast The Tara Lake Show aired with “The Barack Obama Block Party”, Parts 1 & 2. That show was a colorful exploration of the meaning of Obama’s election. The follow-up came a year later – in 2009 – with Prophesying the “Homegrown Soulful Solution Revival”, which celebrated the work of young change makers. Well, it’s 2021, and the Tara Lake Show is back with an all new 8-episode season, produced by your host Tara Lake, with the same vibe you remember. The revamped version of The Tara Lake Show, with solo projects, history moments, commentary and interviews, will feature new episodes on Tuesdays. It wouldn’t be the same without you – Please join us!

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One year after the Barack Obama Block Party, the Tara Lake Show returns to tackle some of the year’s biggest topics and chat with young innovators who stepped up to make change in 2009. We discuss a number of topics, including the building of Black Family Genealogies, The Obama Presidency, new ways to support Historically Black Colleges and Universities, The Fire & Ink Cotillion, ensuring diversity in Bone Marrow donor banks, and the controversial issues surrounding H1N1 Swine Flu.

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And of course, we take it to the streets, as folks sound off on the Health Care Debate, President Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize, and the ongoing Tiger Woods drama.

Interviews:

Samara Rivers – Visual Arts Coordinator,  Owner of 29 & Holding Events Services, and culture blogger. View images of Samara’s Great-Grandfather and Great-Great Grandmother in Extras.
Chike Ogbunugafor – MD Student, Yale University and lead author of “Predicting Virus Evolution: The Relationship between Genetic Robustness and Evolvability of Thermotolerance” (Hardcover edition available in Spring 2010).

Spotlights:

FAMU (Florida A&M University) Young Alumni Movement – featuring Joey Digital, Social Media Consultant and Founder of DigitalGuestList. More on the Young Alumni Movement here.

Fire & Ink Cotillion & Does Your Mama Know: An Anthology of Black Lesbian Coming Out Stories (2nd Edition) – featuring Lisa C. Moore – Editor & Publisher of Redbone Press & Board President of Fire & Ink along with anthology contributor Alexis Pauline Gumbs – black feminist scholar/media activist and PhD Student, Duke University. More on the book.

Additional Show Links:

Samara’s Family Photographs – see images of Samara’s Great-Grandfather and Great-Great Grandmother here.

Natasha Collins, Bone Marrow Registries and Community Projects

Want to Get Involved? These Links are a great place to start.

Natasha’s Place
The National Marrow Donor Program
BecomeMyHero.org
View a video created for by friends, family, and classmates for the Match Natasha project.

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