Givens Foundation | Black Market Reads
Black Market Reads is a menu for Black literary consumption and all of its spin-offs. Featuring conversations with Black artists who love to read and write and engage in arts and culture. PRODUCER: The Givens Foundation for African American Literature PRODUCTION SERVICES: iDream.tv HOSTED BY Lissa Jones, INTRO/CLOSE Derek Emery ARTWORK courtesy of Ta-coumba Aiken BMR is made possible through the generous support of our individual donors and the voters of Minnesota, through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
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Episode 77 - Jody Lulich, In the Company of Grace: A Veterinarian's Memoir of Trauma and Healing
10/17/2023
Episode 77 - Jody Lulich, In the Company of Grace: A Veterinarian's Memoir of Trauma and Healing
Rising to accept a prestigious award, Jody Lulich wondered what to say. Explain how he’d been attracted to veterinary medicine? Describe how caring for helpless, voiceless animals in his own shame and pain provided a lifeline, a chance to heal himself as well? Lulich tells his story in In the Company of Grace, a memoir about finding courage in compassion and strength in healing—and power in finally confronting the darkness of his youth.
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Episode 76 - Keith Ellison, Break the Wheel: Ending the Cycle of Police Violence
10/16/2023
Episode 76 - Keith Ellison, Break the Wheel: Ending the Cycle of Police Violence
In this episode, presented with a live audience in partnership with Magers & Quinn Booksellers, Lissa talks with Minnesota Attorney General and author, Keith Ellison, about his latest book detailing the trial of Police Officer Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd exploring why this book is a vital contribution not just to the literature of the Floyd trial, but to that of police reform generally.
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Episode 75 - Sherrie Fernandez-Williams, Goddess of the Whole Self
09/22/2023
Episode 75 - Sherrie Fernandez-Williams, Goddess of the Whole Self
In this episode, Lissa talks with author Sherrie Fernandez-Williams about her latest book, Goddess of the Whole Self, inspirations and origin stories. Go Deeper at www.BlackMarketReads.com
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Episode 74 - Davu Underwood Seru, The Archie Givens, Sr. Collection of African American Literature and Life
08/30/2023
Episode 74 - Davu Underwood Seru, The Archie Givens, Sr. Collection of African American Literature and Life
In this episode Lissa sits down with Davu Underwood Seru, the newly appointed Curator of the Archie Givens Sr. Collection of African American Literature and Life at the University of Minnesota. This Collection includes novels, poetry, plays, short stories, essays, literary criticism, periodicals, and biographies that span nearly 250 years of American culture -with particular strength in the areas of the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Movement. With tens of thousands of archival and manuscript materials that document the history of black literature and culture, the Givens Collection is an invaluable community and scholarly resource. In this episode we explore the collection and meet Davu Seru, musician, composer, author and recently named Curator of the Givens Collection.
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From the Archives: Rachel Howzell Hall
07/01/2023
From the Archives: Rachel Howzell Hall
In this previously unpublished episode, Lissa talks with author Rachel Howzell Hall during her visit to the Loft's inaugural Wordplay Festival, exploring issues of crime and passion in her 2019 novel They All Fall Down (Forge Books). Rachel Howzell Hall is a noteworthy author from Los Angeles, The United States, who is famous for writing thriller, mystery, literature & fiction, and crime fiction novels. She has written 7 critically acclaimed novels in her career, which include the books of the Detective Elouise Norton novel series. The 3rd book of this series was the receiver of the coveted Kirkus Star. One more book from the same series was included in the list of the Los Angeles Times’ top books to read in the summer. The New York Times has praised the chief protagonist of the series, Elousie Norton, by describing her as a formidable fighter and a person that everyone would want to have by their side. In addition to writing this popular book series, author Hall has collaborated with James Patterson for writing the novel, The Good Sister. Hall is known to be a featured writer on the acclaimed series of the NPR. Author Hall has also served in AWP’s Writers’ Program in the role of a mentor. Currently, she is serving on the panel of the board of directors of the MWA. Author Hall was born in Los Angeles, California. During her childhood days, she used to always keep a pen with her and used to write everywhere, especially the places she felt like writing on. Hall used to fill her notebooks, loose leaf papers, her brother’s yearbook, and in church bulletins. She never used to write on freeway overpasses, buildings, or walls as she used to consider it as graffiti. For a period of 4 years, author Hall has lived in Santa Cruz. The episode also includes a brief conversation with founding director Steph Opitz, about the origins of the 1st Wordplay Festival.
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Episode 73 - Santi Elijah Holley, An Amerikan Family: The Shakurs and the Nation They Created
05/26/2023
Episode 73 - Santi Elijah Holley, An Amerikan Family: The Shakurs and the Nation They Created
In this episode Lissa talks with Santi Elijah Holley about his book An Amerikan Family: The Shakurs and the Nation They Created. An enlightening history of the rise and lasting impact of Black liberation groups in America, as seen through the Shakurs, one of the movement’s most prominent and fiercely creative families, home to Tupac and Assata, and a powerful incubator for today’s activism, scholarship, and artistry. They have been celebrated, glorified, and mythologized. They have been hailed as heroes, liberators, and freedom fighters. They have been condemned, pursued, imprisoned, exiled, and killed. But the true and complete story of the Shakur family—one of the most famous names in contemporary Black American history—has never been told. SANTI ELIJAH HOLLEY has reported for more than a decade on the intersection of culture, music, race, religion, and politics. His work has appeared in numerous national and international outlets, including The Atlantic, The New Republic, the Economist, the Guardian, the Los Angeles Times, and the Washington Post. Holley is the recipient of grants from PEN America and the Robert B. Silvers Foundation, and he was awarded an Oregon Literary Fellowship for nonfiction. He lives in Los Angeles. Learn more
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Episode 72 - Charlayne Hunter-Gault, My People
04/15/2023
Episode 72 - Charlayne Hunter-Gault, My People
Charlayne Hunter-Gault is an American civil rights activist, journalist and former foreign correspondent for National Public Radio, CNN, and the Public Broadcasting Service. Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes were the first African-American students to attend the University of Georgia. In this episode she and Lissa discuss her life's work, her philosophy, and her latest book -My People: Five Decades Writing About Black Lives
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Episode 71 - Shaun M. Anderson, The Black Athlete Revolt: The Sport Justice Movement in the Age of #Black Lives Matter
02/27/2023
Episode 71 - Shaun M. Anderson, The Black Athlete Revolt: The Sport Justice Movement in the Age of #Black Lives Matter
In this episode Lissa talks with Dr. Shaun M. Anderson, about his debut publication The Black Athlete Revolt: The Sport Justice Movement in the Age of #Black Lives Matter (Rowman and Littlefield, 2023). The Black Athlete Revolt is the first book to take a historical and contemporary look at how Black athletes have used their influence to move beyond protests and create substantial change for Black Americans. Spanning from the civil rights movement to today, this book reveals the ever evolving and important role of Black athlete activism. Specifically, The Black Athlete Revolt explores the influence of black athletes since the late 19th century, through the Civil Rights Movement, and into today’s #BlackLivesMatter movement. As society fights to go from protest to policy reform, the revitalization of athlete activism in recent years has sparked a new platform: The Sport Justice Movement. This book details the ascension of this movement, where it is presently, and what’s next. Go Deeper - visit
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Episode 70 - Pearl Cleage, Blues for an Alabama Sky
02/21/2023
Episode 70 - Pearl Cleage, Blues for an Alabama Sky
In this episode Lissa talks with playwright and author Pearl Cleage about Blues for an Alabama Sky, her current work and references to inspirations and influencers including Langston Hughes, Stacey Abrams, Ntozake Shange, Viola Davis, audience development and more. Blues for an Alabama Sky is playing on the Wurtele Thrust stage at the Guthrie through March 12, 2023 Tickets: Go Deeper
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BONUS EPISODE: Dr. Clarence Lusane returns
02/14/2023
BONUS EPISODE: Dr. Clarence Lusane returns
In celebration of Black History Month, Lissa was invited by Books and Books to interview Dr. Clarence Lusane about his recent work. Twenty Dollars and Change: Harriet Tubman and the Ongoing Fight for Racial Justice and Democracy, (City Lights 2023). Join us for this in depth conversation. Link to purchase the book:
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Episode 69 - Wanda M. Morris, Anywhere You Run
11/25/2022
Episode 69 - Wanda M. Morris, Anywhere You Run
Dripping with Southern atmosphere and blistering suspense, Wanda M. Morris’ sophomore outing proves she is a “writer to watch” (Publishers Weekly). About ANYWHERE YOU RUN: It’s the summer of 1964 and three innocent men are brutally murdered for trying to help Black Mississippians secure the right to vote. Against this backdrop, twenty-two year old Violet Richards finds herself in more trouble than she’s ever been in her life. Suffering a brutal attack of her own, she kills the man responsible. But with the color of Violet’s skin, there is no way she can escape Jim Crow justice in Jackson, Mississippi. Before anyone can find the body or finger her as the killer, she decides to run. With the help of her white beau, Violet escapes. But desperation and fear leads her to hide out in the small rural town of Chillicothe, Georgia, unaware that danger may be closer than she thinks. Back in Jackson, Marigold, Violet’s older sister, has dreams of attending law school. Working for the Mississippi Summer Project, she has been trying to use her smarts to further the cause of the Black vote. But Marigold is in a different kind of trouble: she’s pregnant and unmarried. After news of the murder brings the police to her door, Marigold sees no choice but to flee Jackson too. She heads North seeking the promise of a better life and no more segregation. But has she made a terrible choice that threatens her life and that of her unborn child? Two sisters on the run—one from the law, the other from social shame. What they don’t realize is that there’s a man hot on their trail. This man has his own brand of dark secrets and a disturbing motive for finding the sisters that is unknown to everyone but him . . .
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Episode 68 - Dr. Clarence Lusane, Twenty Dollars and Change
11/10/2022
Episode 68 - Dr. Clarence Lusane, Twenty Dollars and Change
In Twenty Dollars and Change, Lusane offers a searing examination of what the fight to replace Andrew Jackson with Harriet Tubman on the twenty-dollar bill reveals about race, class, and social justice in America today. Lusane gives voice to the millions of Americans who mobilized for the “Tubman twenty,” becoming a part of the long legacy of people of color and women challenging symbols of patriarchy, racism, and white supremacy. He also discusses the movement that emerged in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, who was arrested for allegedly passing a counterfeit $20 bill. Lusane argues that while Andrew Jackson’s image represents a flawed vision of democracy that tolerates white supremacy, Harriet Tubman’s represents the demand for gender equity, racial justice, and the struggle of people working for social inclusion and economic fairness. With insight and urgency, Lusane explains how national symbols in support of social justice serve to unify and strengthen us as a people. Clarence Lusane is a Professor and former Chairman of Howard University’s Department of Political Science. For more than forty years, he has written about and been active in national and international human rights, anti-racism politics, Diaspora engagements, U.S. foreign policy, democracy building, and social justice issues such as education, criminal justice, and drug policy. He has served as a political consultant to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and many elected officials. He is also a former Commissioner on the DC Commission on African American Affairs. His most recent book, The Black History of the White House, received praise from , , and , among others. Dr. Lusane was also recently interviewed on .
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Episode 67 - Megan Giddings, The Women Could Fly
08/28/2022
Episode 67 - Megan Giddings, The Women Could Fly
Reminiscent of the works of Margaret Atwood, Shirley Jackson, and Octavia Butler, a biting social commentary from the acclaimed author of Lakewood that speaks to our times—a piercing dystopian novel about the unbreakable bond between a young woman and her mysterious mother, set in a world in which witches are real and single women are closely monitored. Megan Giddings has degrees from University of Michigan and Indiana University. In 2018, she was a recipient of a Barbara Deming Memorial fund grant for feminist fiction. Her novel, Lakewood, was published by in 2020. It was one of New York Magazine’s 10 best books of 2020, one of NPR’s best books of 2020, a Michigan Notable book for 2021, was a nominee for two NAACP Image Awards, and a finalist for a 2020 LA Times Book Prize in The Ray Bradbury Prize for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Speculative Fiction category. In 2021, she was named one of Indiana University’s 20 under 40. In 2022, Megan has an essay in ) and her second novel, The Women Could Fly (Amistad), was published on August 9th, 2022. She lives in the Midwest. This episode was recorded before a live audience at Magers & Quinn Booksellers in Minneapolis, on August 9, 2022, celebrating the launch of The Women Could Fly.
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Episode 66 - Lynn Nottage, Sweat
08/15/2022
Episode 66 - Lynn Nottage, Sweat
In this episode Lynn Nottage speaks with BMR Host, Lissa Jones during the run of her play Sweat, performed at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Lynn Nottage is a playwright and a screenwriter. She is the first, and remains the only, woman to have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice. Her plays have been produced widely in the United States and throughout the world. Most recently, Nottage premiered MJ the Musical, directed by Christopher Wheeldon and featuring the music of Michael Jackson, more … http://www.lynnnottage.com/about.html
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Episode 65 -Kristin Henning, The Rage of Innocence
08/06/2022
Episode 65 -Kristin Henning, The Rage of Innocence
Kristin Henning is a nationally recognized legal scholar and activist in juvenile justice reform. As the Blume Professor of Law and Director of the Juvenile Justice Clinic and Initiative at Georgetown, she advocates for reform in the juvenile and criminal legal systems to fight the criminalization of Black adolescence. Henning explores the devastating long-term consequences of racial bias and over-policing youth within communities of color and addresses how to change racial disparities within the legal system.
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Episode 64 -Andrea Jenkins, The T is Not Silent
05/18/2022
Episode 64 -Andrea Jenkins, The T is Not Silent
Andrea Jenkins is the first Black transgender woman to be elected to public office in the United States. She was elected to the Minneapolis City Council with 73% of the vote. She is a poet, and an artist as well as a public official. Andrea is the author of the poetry collection The T is Not Silent, New and Selected Poems, and contributor to the acclaimed anthologies, Queer Voices, Poetry, Prose, and Pride. A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota, and Blues Vision: African American writing from Minnesota. Jenkins is also an oral historian for the Transgender Oral History Project at the University of Minnesota Libraries documenting the lived experiences of transgender and gender non-conforming people in the upper Midwest and in the United States.
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Special Edition: Race to Write: Black Authors on America's Racial Reckoning
02/15/2022
Special Edition: Race to Write: Black Authors on America's Racial Reckoning
In this episode, the tables turn and Lissa Jones is in the spotlight. Lissa joins Dr. Vanessa Weaver, host of to discuss the role of Black authors and literature in the current racial reckoning in her hometown of Minneapolis and across the country. In this Episode The impact of poet Amanda Gorman The origin of “Black Market Reads” The role of literature in the Black experience How Black authors and literature have influenced Lissa’s approach to diversity and inclusion. How the racial reckoning in Minneapolis has shaped “Black Market Reads” How “Black Market Reads” has shaped the national conversation about race Gain fresh insights and learn actionable steps you can take to address the diversity, equity and inclusion challenges in your life. Each week on the Workin’ It Out Podcast, Alignment Strategies’ founder and CEO Dr. Vanessa Weaver interviews thought leaders about DE&I issues in society and the workplace and uncovers solutions that can move us forward. Workin’ It Out is underwritten by Alignment Strategies, LLC and DITV Media.
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Episode 63 - Wanda M. Morris, All Her Little Secrets
01/24/2022
Episode 63 - Wanda M. Morris, All Her Little Secrets
“Every lie you tell, every secret you keep, is a fragile little thing that must be protected and accounted for…” In this episode Lissa talks with author Wanda M. Morris about her crime thriller, debut novel, Morris is a corporate attorney who has worked in the legal departments for several Fortune 100 companies. An accomplished presenter and leader, Morris has previously served as the President of the Georgia Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel and is the founder of its Women's Initiative, an empowerment program for female in-house lawyers. An alumna of the Yale Writer's Workshop and Robert McKee's Story Seminar, she is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America and Crime Writers of Color.
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Special Edition: Team Up for Health Equity with Bukata Hayes
12/13/2021
Special Edition: Team Up for Health Equity with Bukata Hayes
In this Special Edition of Black Market Reads, in a live production at the Capri Theater, Lissa Jones sits down with Bukata Hayes to talk about the book he co-authored with Stacy Wells, and then hear from a panel of representatives Nneka Sederstrom/Chief Health Equity Officer Hennepin Healthcare, Chaz Sandifer/CEO theNEWmpls, and R.T. Rybak/President and CEO The Minneapolis Foundation.
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Episode 62 - Jayne Allen
10/14/2021
Episode 62 - Jayne Allen
Jaunice Sealey is a popular speaker, thought leader, seasoned business executive, and noted author who writes fiction under her chosen nom de plume, Jayne Allen. The Detroit native and L.A.-based writer began her career as an attorney in the music industry as an executive at Universal Music Group. She later served as a senior digital strategist and business development executive for Lady Gaga and as an attorney and strategist for Prince, whom she credits for teaching her how to truly be an artist.
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Episode 61 - Tananarive Due on Black Horror and The Between
10/01/2021
Episode 61 - Tananarive Due on Black Horror and The Between
In our 60th episode, Lissa speaks with Queen of Black Horror Tananarive Due on the re-release of her 1995 debut novel The Between. Due is a leading voice in Black speculative fiction, and teaches about Black horror and Afrofuturism at UCLA. She is also the award-winning author of numerous books and executive produced Shudder's groundbreaking documentary Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror.
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Episode 60 - LaTanya McQueen
10/01/2021
Episode 60 - LaTanya McQueen
In this episode: LaTanya McQueen on her debut novel, When the Reckoning Comes which tells the story of Mira, a young Black woman, who travel's home to attend the plantation wedding of a childhood friend and is forced to contend with the personal and historical traumas of the place. She is also the author of the essay collection And it Begins Like This. She is an assistant professor of English and creative writing at Coe College in Iowa.
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Episode 59 - Resmaa Menakem
08/25/2021
Episode 59 - Resmaa Menakem
On this episode, Lissa sits down with Resmaa Menakem, the New York Times bestselling author of "My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies."
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Episode 58 - Carol Anderson
07/19/2021
Episode 58 - Carol Anderson
On this episode we’re excited to present a conversation with author, historian, and educator Carol Anderson on her recent work The Second: Race and Guns in a Fatally Unequal America. This conversation was recorded as part of a live virtual event in partnership with Magers & Quinn Booksellers and Hennepin Avenue Methodist Church in Minneapolis.
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Episode 57 - Morgan Jerkins on her debut novel Caul Baby
05/30/2021
Episode 57 - Morgan Jerkins on her debut novel Caul Baby
Essayist, memoirist, and, now, novelist Morgan Jerkins sits down with Lissa Jones. She discusses her inspirations for this story, both from her past (as a teenager she worked in her father's OB/GYN practice) and present (she tells us her character Amara was inspired by Vice President Kamala Harris). Though Caul Baby is a work of fiction with hints of magical realism, it is deeply rooted in the experiences of Black womanhood.
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Episode 56 - Poet Javon Johnson
04/24/2021
Episode 56 - Poet Javon Johnson
Javon Johnson, Ph.D. is a poet, performer, professor and recipient of numerous awards. According to poet Rudy Francisco, Dr. Johnson is “is one of the most brilliant writers in the world”. His new poetry collection, Ain't Never Not Been Black (Button Poetry, 2020).
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Bonus: Can't Stop, Won't Stop: Poems in the wake of racial injustice
03/01/2021
Bonus: Can't Stop, Won't Stop: Poems in the wake of racial injustice
Listen to audio of poets reading their work from Can't Stop, Won't Stop: Poems in the wake of racial injustice.
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Episode 55 - Can't Stop, Won't Stop with Mary Moore Easter and Bernard James
02/28/2021
Episode 55 - Can't Stop, Won't Stop with Mary Moore Easter and Bernard James
In this episode, Lissa speaks with Mary Moore Easter, editor and poet, and Bernard James, a poet who lives near the intersection now known as George Floyd Square. They discuss their poetry chapbook in response to the murder of George Floyd. The collection is titled Can't Stop Won't Stop the Rain Taxi Chapbook : Poems in response to the murder of George Floyd (copies can be found on Rain Taxi's website).
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Episode 54 - Claudia Rankine
01/01/2021
Episode 54 - Claudia Rankine
Launching season six of Black Market Reads, Lissa interviews author Claudia Rankine about her latest work Just Us: An American Conversation (Graywolf Press, 2020). For highlights from the interview, and to listen to past episodes visit www.blackmarketreads.com.
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Episode 53 - Dr. Frank B. Wilderson, III
10/06/2020
Episode 53 - Dr. Frank B. Wilderson, III
Author and scholar Dr. Frank B. Wilderson, III on his latest work, Afropessimism. From his youth in Minneapolis to Apartheid South Africa, Dr. Wilderson is a committed activist for radical social change. His creative, scholarly, and critical work has been published internationally. He is the author of several books, including Incognegro: Memoir of Exile and Apartheid. And Red, White and Black. Dr. Wilderson is a professor of Drama and African American Studies at the University of California, Irvine.
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