It’s Sunday, September 15, 1963, and four Klansmen have planted dynamite under the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The explosion killed four young girls and injured many others. History records this incident as a turning point in the Civil Rights movement. John Coltrane, his heart broken, was driven to tears, anger, and frustration. … Continue reading
Three pioneering women lay claim to Blues royalty. Mamie Smith, Ma Rainey, and Bessie Smith made an impact on American culture that still resonates today. In 1920, Mamie Smith became the first Black musician to make vocal blues recordings. A savvy marketer, she exploited the new medium of radio to reach audiences across the country … Continue reading
What promise did Marilyn Monroe make to secure a gig for Ella Fitzgerald? And which legendary jazz drummer’s “Freedom Now Suite” involved dozens of musicians in a musical demand for equal treatment? Find out during February on KCCK’s award winning daily show, “Soundtrack to the Struggle.” Each day during Black History Month, Hollis Monroe explains … Continue reading
Sympathy for the Devil (2023) and the book The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar with Hollis Monroe, Phil Brown and Ron Adkins.