The June 22 edition of The New Yorker has been released, and the illustrated cover is devoted to the history of violence inflicted on black people in the United States. Entitled ‘Say Their Names’, the powerful illustration features George Floyd, the US citizen recently killed by a police officer in Minneapolis. It shows his body … Continue reading “The latest New Yorker cover pays tribute to black lives lost”
Protests against racism and the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis have re-ignited demands in many places around the world to destroy or revise symbols of those who engaged in slavery, who were often honoured in their lifetimes and whose names and faces often remain in the public eye as statues, buildings or institutions. In … Continue reading “Symbols of Slavery”
Widespread protests have again broken out in the U.S.A. after the death of an African-American man in police custody. George Floyd, 46, was arrested in Minneapolis, Minnesota on 25 May on suspicion of passing forged money. During his arrest, a police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes, despite Mr Floyd protesting … Continue reading “His Life Mattered”
The Hate U Give (THUG for short) was published in 2017. The setting, events, and characters of this coming-of-age story are largely inspired by Thomas’s own life. It was a number-one New York Times Best Seller, made the 2017 National Book Award Longlist, and was adapted into a movie in 2018. The protagonist is Starr Carter, a … Continue reading “Book Notes: The Hate U Give”
The Hate U Give is a bestselling young-adult novel and now a new film. The carefully nuanced novel, written in part from experience by young African-American author Angie Thomas, gives a fascinating insight into the life of a teenager caught between two worlds: the mostly black neighbourhood where she lives and the mostly white private … Continue reading “The Hate U Give”
NFL American football star Colin Kaepernick brought attention to Black Lives Matter’s protests about police brutality towards African Americans with his silent protests, kneeling instead of standing when “The Star-Spangled Banner” played before NFL games. Two years on, Kaepernick has been frozen out of the football league but has won two major human-rights awards for … Continue reading “Kneeling for His Rights”
Detroit tells the true story of an incident during the “race riots” which swept U.S. cities in the summer of 1967. The film, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, has won praise for its portrayal of police corruption and racial tensions during that long hot summer. 1967 is remembered for the hippie Summer of Love, but July … Continue reading “Detroit: Modern History on Film”
