Hazel Scott, Legacy of a Defiant Jazz Icon
Harlem in the 1920s was a place for rejuvenation of the spirit of African American people, a city that could embrace Blackness and provide a space for the development of the great artists of their generation. Jazz created the rhythm of the city, while writers such as Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen [...]
Lacy Legs Rolling Unholy: A Derby Empire Rising
Story and Photos by Steve Furay Berkeley, California, September, 1973 ~ “Yes, the Roller Derby, that brainchild of the 1930’s, that archetype of the 1950’s which doesn’t even possess the cool to be worshipped in revival like Chuck Berry. Where men and women, regardless of race, color, creed or national origin can skate miles and [...]
“Rubin Rapping — How 15,000 Freed John”
This article is reprinted from a December 1971 issue of the Berkeley Barb, a revolutionary minded publication that reported on the issues most relevant to the New Left of its generation. Author Jerry Rubin was a prominent socialist activist of his era, also a member of the Chicago 7, a collective who were charged with [...]
Allied Media Conference 2010 Preview
This year’s Allied Media Conference in Detroit is set to bring together independent activists from across the country working to change the public media landscape. The stakes couldn’t be higher, as the system of corporate conglomerated news and information has become a fragment of what is necessary for a functional democracy, with more and more [...]
Malcolm X Tribute Album to be Released
In honor of the late Malcolm X, a special tribute album will be released this summer in prelude to the release of the three unpublished chapters of the Autobiography of Malcolm X. The album, NECESSARY!, will feature a range of musical artists taking inspiration from the legacy of one of the 20th Century’s most powerful [...]
Federal Court Ruling Is A Challenge To Net Neutrality
In a federal court ruling last week, judges declared that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) did not have the right to impose a fine on Comcast for its slowing of internet service to a file sharing site. The decision has been widely viewed as setback to federal efforts to assure that internet users would have [...]
Black Women Rock! Showcasing the Funk
Betty Davis was a rock star. As a legendary funk singer and muse to jazz great Miles Davis, she was a strong black woman who took the music to her own level, expressing her feminine essence while challenging standards that kept many women performers within certain bounds. Betty Davis broke artistic shackles and made her [...]
WORT in Madison: a community servant
WORT is an honored institution in Madison, a community radio station providing a voice for those concerned with world affairs, politics, local events and music that typically evades the airwaves. Established in 1975, the station is dependent upon contributions made from the local public, both in their programming and their revenue. WORT is now in [...]
Resurrecting Journalism
John Nichols and Robert W. McChesney have taken their message of media activism on the road in support of their book “The Death and Life of American Journalism”. The book is a current account of the state of the news industry, which continues its decline with countless layoffs of journalists and worthless reporting. Nichols, a [...]
Media Consolidation in the 21st Century
Photo by art makes me smile Freedom of the press is a fundamental right in the United States guaranteed by the First Amendment, created because an independent press is a crucial part of any democracy, informing citizens about current events and acting as a check on government and corporate power. But because no single media [...]
