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☆ 2 Black Heroes, 2 Cities in New York: A Journey Into the Past
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Shayla Martin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

There are certain American cities that are known for Black history. But African American history and culture can, of course, be found across the United States, in seemingly unlikely cities, like Portland, Maine, say, or Providence, R.I. There are currently more than 700 Network to Freedom locations across 39 states, in addition to Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Many are in the Northeast, a region that is not always strongly associated with Black history. Curiosity about these lesser-known destinations is how I found myself on the road to Auburn and Rochester, N.Y., the homes of two American heroes: Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman.

Persons: Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman Organizations: Service’s, Freedom, National Underground Railroad Network, Underground Railroad, Washington , D.C, U.S . Locations: Memphis, Atlanta . Birmingham, United States, Portland , Maine, Providence, R.I, Washington ,, U.S, U.S . Virgin Islands, Northeast, Auburn, Rochester, N.Y

☆ South Korea jails former hero pastor for sexually abusing North Korean teenage defectors
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Yoonjung Seo | Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —A South Korean pastor once hailed as a hero for helping North Korean defectors escape to safety has been jailed for sexually abusing minors. Refugees fleeing North Korea often make the perilous journey across the border into China, before attempting to reach South Korea. China, a close ally of Pyongyang, doesn’t consider North Korean defectors refugees, instead seeing them as illegal economic migrants. Under a border agreement with North Korea, it forcibly deports them. Once returned to North Korea, defectors face possible torture, sexual violence, hard labor, imprisonment in political or re-education camps, or even execution by the state, according to activists.

Persons: Chun Ki, Chun, ”, “, Durihana Organizations: South Korea CNN, North, Seoul Central, Court, ” CNN, Children, doesn’t, Underground Railroad, Korea Future Initiative, CNN Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Korean, North Korea, China, Pyongyang, China’s, London, Durihana

☆ Dawoud Bey, Full Frame: On Richmond’s Trail of the Enslaved
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Siddhartha Mitter | More About Siddhartha Mitter | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

In Richmond the task Bey set himself was still more challenging, with just the path, foliage and water as raw materials. “You would think there’s not much here to look at,” he said as we paused on the trail. “What might those things add up to,” he said, when composed into the frame of a photograph. For Cassel Oliver, the curator, Bey has “mastered the technique of allowing the lens to be the eyes of the body,” inviting, even across the centuries, a kind of empathy. “Through the sheer beauty of the work,” she added, “he’s allowing us to see the trail as we have never seen it.”

Persons: I’m, ”, Bey, Cassel Oliver, “ Organizations: Railroad, Evergreen Locations: In Ohio, Evergreen Plantation, Louisiana, Richmond

☆ Artists of Color Ask: When Is Visibility a Trap?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Aruna D Souza | More About Aruna D Souza | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The blur offers a similar anonymity to the residents of Harlem in Ming Smith’s nighttime photos from her “Invisible Man” series (1988-91). Where Smith uses long exposure to create her effect, Sondra Perry, in her video loop, “Double Quadruple Etcetera Etcetera I & II” (2013) relies on a tool in Photoshop that removes unwanted elements to partially obscure the bodies of two dancers. John Edmonds overexposes his film to create solarized prints with velvety surfaces in which his Black male subjects take refuge in the shadows. The hoodie, not surprisingly, shows up in many forms. Kevin Beasley casts it in resin in “ … ain’t it?” (2014), while Edmonds depicts young men who are doubly obscured — hoods up and seen from the back — in his large-scale photographs from 2018.

Persons: Smith, Sondra Perry, Joiri Minaya, John Edmonds overexposes, Kevin Beasley, Edmonds, Carrie Mae Weems, Trayvon Martin Locations: Harlem, Ming

U.S. Rep. John Curtis won't run to succeed Mitt Romney, leaving the race to replace the nationally known Utah senator clear of one of the state's best known Republicans. “We’ve accomplished a lot but my work for them is not done," Rep. John Curtis wrote in a Monday op-ed in the Deseret News. “I believe we need elected leaders who are more concerned about doing their job than getting the next job. Curtis emerged as a possible candidate after Romney, 76, announced last month that he won’t run for reelection. He would have been a formidable contender for the job in Republican-dominated Utah, along with Republican Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson, 54, who announced his campaign Wednesday.

Persons: John Curtis, Mitt Romney, “ We’ve, “, ”, Curtis, Romney, Mike Lee, Donald Trump, who's, Adrielle Herring, Brad Wilson, Wilson, Joe Biden's, Trent Staggs, Rod Bird Jr, Roosevelt, Tim Ballard, Ballard Organizations: Rep, Deseret, Senate, Romney, Republican, Republican Utah, Operation Underground Railroad, Democrats Locations: Utah, Provo, Curtis, U.S, Mexico, Riverton

Republican Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson is poised to formally announce at a Wednesday night rally that he is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Mitt Romney, who recently announced he won't run for reelection. Romney announced earlier this month that he won't seek a second term, saying younger people needed to step forward. Wilson would likely fall somewhere between Romney and Lee in that regard, said Damon Cann, head of Utah State University’s political science department. He launched an exploratory committee even before Romney’s announcement and recently said he will resign from his speaker job and the state House on Nov. 15. The winner of next year's Republican primary on June 25 will be heavily favored to win the general election in November.

Persons: Brad Wilson, Mitt Romney, Romney, Mike Lee, Donald Trump, Wilson, Lee, Damon Cann, Mike Lee’s, ” Cann, Cann, Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs, ”, Rod Bird Jr, Tim Ballard, Ballard, of Jesus Christ, Trump Organizations: Republican Utah, U.S, Senate, Utah State, Utah’s House, GOP, Riverton Mayor, Operation Underground Railroad, Operation Underground, of Jesus, Saints, Utah Legislature, Republican Locations: Utah, Romney, Salt Lake City, Draper, Massachusetts, Roosevelt, Salt

☆ Opinion | How the Underground Railroad Got Its Name
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Scott Shane | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Born into slavery outside Washington, D.C., in 1801, he had largely educated himself and bought his own freedom 11 years before. And one day early that August he took up his pen and made literary history, becoming the first to use a phrase that would resound through the subsequent decades of slavery and to the present day: underground railroad. In researching a book about Mr. Smallwood, likely the most fascinating and important African American activist and writer you’ve never heard of, I stumbled upon the solution to an old historical mystery: Where did the Underground Railroad get its name? The answer: from Mr. Smallwood’s newspaper dispatches, overlooked until recently in aging newsprint stacked in a Boston Public Library warehouse. As I read through these extraordinary letters, a rare real-time account of escapes and a lost masterpiece of satire, I came across the first use of “underground railroad” from the Aug. 10, 1842, edition of Tocsin of Liberty, an abolitionist newspaper published in Albany.

Persons: Thomas Smallwood, enslavers, Smallwood, you’ve, antic, ’ Organizations: Washington , D.C, U.S . Capitol, Railroad, Public Library, Washington Locations: Washington ,, Washington , Baltimore, Albany, N.Y, Liberty

☆ Trump to host screening of 'Sound of Freedom,' the divisive anti-child-trafficking hit film
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Former President Donald Trump this month will host a screening of "Sound of Freedom," the surprise hit film about rescuing sex-trafficked children that has been embraced in right-wing circles, his 2024 campaign announced Thursday. "Sound of Freedom" has made more than $53 million as of Wednesday, Deadline reported. Utah-based Angel Studios distributed "Sound of Freedom," selling tickets through an online "pay it forward" campaign. Other conservative outlets have defended the film from its critics, and Ballard has pushed back on those linking it to QAnon. That outlandish right-wing internet conspiracy revolves around the idea that Trump was secretly fighting against shadowy, powerful rings of satanic pedophiles.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Eduardo Verastegui, Ron DeSantis —, DeSantis, Disney, Bob Iger, Jim Caviezel, Indiana Jones, Tim Ballard, Ballard, Caviezel, Mel Gibson's, Steve Bannon Organizations: White House, Prosperity, GOP, Florida Gov, Disney, CNBC, The New York Times, Rotten Tomatoes, Angel Studios, New York Times, Homeland Security, Operation Underground Railroad, Underground Railroad, Trump Locations: Bedminster , New Jersey, Florida, Disney's, Utah, Colombia, Colombian, QAnon

☆ A Film About Child Trafficking Takes on Summer Blockbusters
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Marc Tracy | More About Marc Tracy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“Sound of Freedom,” a thriller starring Jim Caviezel as a federal agent who takes on child traffickers, will not be the summer box office’s biggest hit. The film — whose distributor, Angel Studios, has a big success with “The Chosen,” a streaming series about the life of Jesus — was the third most watched film in North America last weekend. Its $19.7 million weekend take was behind only the horror film “Insidious: The Red Door,” which made $33 million in its first weekend, and “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” which made $27.4 million in its second. “Sound of Freedom” is based on a true story: Caviezel plays Tim Ballard, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security agent who investigated pedophiles. Some critics say the film appeals to the QAnon movement, which posits a false conspiracy theory accusing progressive elites of pedophilia.

Persons: Jim Caviezel, “, Jesus —, Indiana Jones, Caviezel, Tim Ballard, Ballard, Donald J, Trump, Neal Harmon, Angel’s, ” Organizations: Angel Studios, “, U.S . Department of Homeland Security, Operation Underground Railroad, Fox News, Guardian Locations: North America

☆ Avid Taylor Swift fans are flashing their dollars to attend the Eras Tour, with some spending up to $20,000 to see her as many times as possible
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour has taken the US by storm as Swifties do all that they can to see it. He's been to the Eras Tour eight times and sat in the front row for five of those shows. "I remember sending a text in 2019 to someone saying if there was ever a Taylor Swift best-of tour, money becomes no object," he said. QuestionPro, a research company, found that the Eras Tour could result in $4.6 billion in consumer spending in the US. That means she's putting upwards of $10,000 towards the Eras Tour, and might spend even more at future dates.

Persons: Taylor, Swifties, Jake, he's, Swift, He's, Taylor Swift, I've, Bridget Doyle, Doyle, —, Christy G, Lindsey Lisalda, Louis, Lisalda, Lindsey Lisalda Megan Crowley, jetting, Swift's, Megan Crowley, Clara Cummings, Megan Crowley Swifties, Kat, She's, Moira Rodriguez, Crowley Organizations: Service, Nashville, Roll Hall of Fame, National Underground Railroad Freedom, Swift's Los, Gillette Locations: Wall, Silicon, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nashville , Tennessee, Nashville, Denver, St, Swiftcation, Glendale , Arizona, Chicago, Kansas City , Missouri, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Swift's Los Angeles, Arizona, Foxborough , Massachusetts, Glendale, Nebraska, Minneapolis —, HAM

☆ More than retail or hotels, the film industry is destroying the planet. But sustainable sets like Oscar winner 'The Whale' may offer a new way forward.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Parisa Hashempour | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

InsiderThe film industry has a sustainability problem, and it's massive: The average tentpole production — a film with a budget over $70 million — generates 2,840 tonnes of carbon dioxide, the British Film Institute reported. Yawger saw raw materials from industry waste transform into items such as tables, outdoor furniture, bowls, and benches. "It revealed the film industry was the second most polluting behind aerospace," Jennifer Sandoval, the director of service development at Earth Angel, told Insider. "Plastic and trash are very visible in the film industry, and people can understand why we need to change things," Yawger said. These changes might help drive a more climate-conscious narrative or simply enable Earth Angel to swap out a character's plastic water bottle for a reusable one.

Persons: Max, Leonardo DiCaprio's, Tamsin Hollo, Hollo, Quinn Yawger, Yawger, it's, we're, Jennifer Sandoval, Sandoval, NBCUniversal, Bosque Organizations: British Film Institute, Railroad, University of California, Netflix, United Locations: Thailand, Atlanta, Los Angeles, California, Niebla, Mexico, United Nations

☆ Fact Check-‘I freed a thousand slaves’ quote falsely attributed to Harriet Tubman
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A quotation attributed to Harriet Tubman about having “freed a thousand slaves” resurfaced on social media around the anniversary of the abolitionist icon’s death, but experts told Reuters there is no record of Tubman ever saying it. The quotation, “I freed a thousand slaves; I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves,” has been shared on Twitter (here) and Facebook (bit.ly/3yCgfdh), (bit.ly/3Fpgyfh) following the 110th anniversary of Tubman’s death on March 10, 1913. “She wouldn’t have to convince anyone.”According to Kate Clifford Larson, who has written two books about Tubman (www.katecliffordlarson.com/), the fabricated quote started circulating in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Clifford Larson also noted that Tubman did not free a thousand slaves. There is no evidence that Harriet Tubman ever said she freed a thousand slaves and would have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.

☆ Amazon Studios is growing fast and spending big on shows like 'Citadel,' but insiders say unclear creative direction, leadership shifts, and tech bureaucracy threaten to drive away staff and talent
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Lucia Moses | Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +20 min

The dust has been settling at Amazon Studios after a big reorg in the fall that solidified Jen Salke's power. Yet Amazon Studios faces major challenges. Amazon Studios' Head of Global Television Vernon Sanders told Insider that the goal is to deliver content with global cultural relevance. Amazon Prime VideoWhile spending on such big swings has soared, some insiders see far less budgetary support for underrepresented casts. "I do think people wonder what's the commitment to Amazon Studios," the current insider said.

☆ Brad Pitt's production company, Plan B, is not renewing its overall deal with Amazon Studios
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Elaine Low | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Plan B, the production company cofounded by Brad Pitt, is not renewing its overall deal with Amazon Studios. In late 2022, French company Mediawan acquired a majority stake in Plan B. Brad Pitt's production company, Plan B Entertainment, is not renewing its overall deal with Amazon Studios, Insider has learned. Prime Video's "Paper Girls," produced by Plan B and Legendary Television, was canceled after one season. The move comes in the wake of a December announcement that French media company Mediawan had taken a majority stake in Plan B, with Plan B intending to operate as an independent content creator going forward.

☆ Biden to promote Baltimore spending as Republicans try to force cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Trevor Hunnicutt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

In Washington, Biden faces a colder reality as Republicans, now in control of the House of Representatives, threaten to block his economic agenda, bog down his programs in investigations and prevent the raising of the debt ceiling to force spending cuts. Monday's event takes Biden, a Democrat who touts his alliance with labor unions, to liberal Baltimore at an event expected to be attended by the state's governor and two senators, all Democrats. He is expected to announce an agreement between Amtrak and a labor group on the tunnel project, according to a White House official. Biden plans a similar event on Tuesday in New York related to that city's Hudson Tunnel project. On Friday, he will highlight the infrastructure bill's provisions replacing toxic lead pipes at an event in Philadelphia.

☆ A Secret Society Tied to the Underground Railroad Fights to Save Its Home
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Dodai Stewart | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

That said, “They need money,” Ms. Britt acknowledged. “They need money to deal with the house. They need money to deal with the issues with the city and the taxes. If we get weak: Look at that building. If we feel like we can’t go on anymore: Look at that building.”

☆ "Emancipation" review: Will Smith casts an Oscar-shaped shadow over Antoine Fuqua's earnest movie
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Any discussion of “Emancipation” will inevitably be clouded by the Will Smith of it all, and Apple’s decision to release the movie into the teeth of awards season. Taken to work laying railroad track, Peter overhears word of Lincoln’s pronouncement and realizes his best chance at freedom involves reaching the Union Army in Baton Rouge. Effectively adopting a Haitian accent, Smith captures the physicality of the role, and Peter’s defiance toward his captors without uttering a word. “Emancipation” premieres December 2 in US theaters and December 9 on Apple TV+. It’s rated R. (Disclosure: The writer’s spouse works for a unit of Apple.)

☆ Brad Pitt sells 60% of his Plan B production company to French media conglomerate Mediawan, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Brad Pitt is selling 60% of his production company, Plan B Entertainment, to French media conglomerate Mediawan in a deal that's set to be announced this weekend, according to people familiar with the matter. Neither Plan B nor Mediawan responded to requests for comment. For TV, Plan B's productions have included HBO's 2014 adaptation of "The Normal Heart," directed by Ryan Murphy, and Amazon Prime Video's 2021 miniseries "The Underground Railroad." Candle Media also acquired a minority stake in Westbrook Inc. — the production company founded by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith – earlier this year. The boutique investment bank Moelis led the sale for Plan B.

"The Woman King," starring Viola Davis, is now available to watch at home. You can buy "The Woman King" from digital retailers like Amazon and Vudu for $20. "The Woman King" is written by Dana Stevens ("Julie & Julia") and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood ("The Old Guard"). How to watch 'The Woman King'"The Woman King" is now available to watch through digital retailers like Amazon, Vudu, Apple TV, and Google. After purchasing "The Woman King," you'll be able to stream it whenever you want with no restrictions.

Morehouse CollegeWhen Morehouse College made history by launching its first class in the metaverse last spring, Hamilton was one of 11 professors to teach students using virtual reality technology. Partnering with the VR tech company VictoryXR, Hamilton is creating his first full course in the metaverse on Black history. Morehouse College history professor Ovell Hamilton. “You can do that in virtual reality.”Muhsinah Morris is the director of the Virtual Reality Project at Morehouse College. Morehouse College students attending a “Meditation Mondays” event in space within the metaverse.

☆ Billionaires like Elon Musk want to save civilization by having tons of genetically superior kids. Inside the movement to take 'control of human evolution.'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Julia Black | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +40 min

"We are the Underground Railroad of 'Gattaca' babies and people who want to do genetic stuff with their kids," Malcolm told me. Ellison, meanwhile, who has two children in their 30s, has reportedly resumed having kids — with his 31-year-old girlfriend. "The person of this subculture really sees the pathway to immortality as being through having children," Simone said. The person of this subculture really sees the pathway to immortality as being through having children. Before she met Malcolm, Simone was convinced she wanted to live her life single and child-free.

☆ How the filmmakers behind ‘Till’ depicted Black trauma without showing violence
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( Harmeet Kaur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The problem with ‘Black trauma porn’“Black trauma porn” – much like “disaster porn” or “poverty porn” – generally refers to graphic depictions of violence against Black people that are intended to elicit strong emotional responses. The implication is that these images can be needlessly traumatizing to Black viewers for whom violence is an inescapable fact of life. “There’s a difference between telling a story of Black trauma and telling a story that is ‘Black trauma porn.’”How Till avoids the trap of ‘trauma porn’What, then, is the line between a story of Black trauma and “Black trauma porn?”For Young, the distinguishing factor is context. Put bluntly, is that depiction of Black trauma intended to appeal to the sympathies of White people? It’s notable that many of the recent projects deemed to be “Black trauma porn” have been the work of Black creatives – an obvious reminder that Black people are not a monolith.

☆ 'The Woman King' review: Viola Davis stars in an action spectacle about female warriors
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-15 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Although “inspired by true events,” “The Woman King” clearly isn’t tethered to them, using the underlying story of 19th-century female warriors in an African kingdom as the jumping-off point for a rousing action vehicle, augmented by plenty of melodrama. It’s an egalitarian streak within a society where the king (John Boyega) still possesses a sprawling harem. Nanisca worries that her warriors “do not know an evil is coming,” a tease for the pending battle against the Oyo. If the finish is a bit too busy to be as rousing as intended, by then, “The Woman King” has made the most of its formidable arsenal. “The Woman King” premieres September 16 in US theaters.

☆ Вышел первый трейлер мини-сериала Барри Дженкинса «Подземная железная дорога»
▼ + stars: | 2021-05-13 | by ( Mld Media Srl | ) noi.md time to read: +1 min

Amazon представили первый тизер нового сериала Барри Дженкинса («Лунный свет», «Если Бил-стрит могла заговорить») «Underground Railroad». Сериал основан на романе Колсона Уайтхеда «Подземная железная дорога», за который он получил Пулитцеровскую премию в 2017 году. Композитором стал двухкратный номинант на премию «Оскар» Николас Брителл, ранее работавший с Дженкинсом над саундтреком к «Лунному свету» и «Если Бил-стрит могла заговорить». Роман повествует о жизни о темнокожей рабыни Коры, которая сбегает с хлопковой плантации в Джорджии на север через «Подземную железную дорогу». Многие авторитетные издания назвали эту книгу важнейшей для афроамериканцев со времен «Хижины дяди Тома» Гарриет Бичер-Стоу.

Persons: Барри Дженкинс, Колсон Уайтхед, Николас Брителл, Дженкинс, Кора, Гарриет БичерСтоу Locations: Джорджия, Америка, Юг, Канада

The Lord of the RingsUnul din cele mai așteptate seriale ale anului. Acțiunea filmului e setată cu mult timp înainte de acțiunea din Hobbit sau Lord of the Rings (triologia). [1]Serialul a fost întâmpinat în mod pozitiv de critici, care au lăudat caracterizarea personajelor, a distribuției și a atmosferei care aduce omagiu filmelor științifico-fantastice din anii 1980. The Wheel of TimeThe Wheel of Time este plasat într-un univers extins, unde magia există, dar numai femeile o pot folosi. The Witcher (Season 2)Bazat pe best-sellerul fantasy cu același nume, The Witcher este o poveste despre destin și familie.

Persons: Margaret Atwood, Crăciun, Peaky, fictiv Hawkins, Hawkins, Wanda Vision, Loki, Dexter, Nicolas Cage, Shadow, . Wednesday, Isaac Asimov, Nicole Kidman, Kiano, Emilio Sakraya, Henriette, David Ali Rashed, Fogg, Jules Verne . Leonardo, Leonardo Da Vinci Organizations: Infinity War, SF, Monetăria Regală, Banca Națională a Locations: Noua Republică, URSS, SUA, Blinders, britanic, Birmingham, Anglia, fictiv, Indiana, Moiraine, Witcher, Rivia, Americii, Monetăria, Spaniei, Banca Națională a Spaniei

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