Remembering writer and activist Amiri Baraka (1934-2014)

The great American writer Amiri Baraka died this past January. I have been looking at a lot of material online and thank goodness there is a lot! Baraka was an immensely significant figure in manifold ways: music historian, Beat colleague and publisher, poet, Black Nationalist, Communist, activist, founding member of the Black Arts Movement, and incisive critic and speaker. Despite this (and to a degree because of this) he hasn't always been recognized as widely, because of his allegiance to "subversive" ideas and challenging notions. Baraka's writings are vivid and lively on the page and they will stand, but he was an engaging persona as an interviewee, lecturer, performer so I thought I would collect some links. Democracy Now held an informative panel discussion on Baraka's legacy; and the Hammer Museum hosted a lively conversation between Baraka and his daughter the art historian and curator Kellie Jones; some other interesting talks include a 2011 lecture at the University of Virginia; and a 2008 reading/discussion at the University of Minnesota. He read his poetry on HBO's Def Poetry Jam and heaps of vintage audio on MP3 is posted on ubuweb: sound. Just a start....