大象传媒

In 1970, Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown, set up a Motown spoken word record label.

It was called Black Forum and recorded poetry, civil rights speeches, African-American soldiers in Vietnam and more. It closed in 1973 after eight releases. Those releases have started to attract interest with some reissued. They stand as a powerful testament to the African-American experience at a turbulent time in America.

The financial educator and spoken word record collector Alvin Hall listens to the recordings and talks to those involved in their creation.

Featuring: :

* Theatre director and producer Woodie King Jr., Producer of 鈥淏lack Spirits: Festival of New Poets in America鈥�, and 鈥淚t鈥檚 Nation Time: African Visionary Music鈥�

* Professor Suzanne E Smith, author of "Dancing in the Street: Motown and the Cultural Politics of Detroit"

* Pat Thomas, author of "Listen Whitey: The Sights and Sounds of Black Power 1965 鈥� 1975"

* Elaine Brown, singer/songwriter of the album 鈥淓laine Brown鈥� and former leader of the Black Panthers

* Suzanne de Passe, former Creative Director and President of Motown

* Amiri Baraka, star of 鈥淏lack Spirits: Festival of New Poets in America鈥�, 鈥淚t鈥檚 Nation Time: African Visionary Music鈥� and civil rights activist, poet, and writer

Black Forum releases:

* Dr Martin Luther King Jr. 鈥� Why I Oppose The War In Vietnam
* Stokely Carmichael 鈥� Free Huey
* Langston Hughes and Margaret Danner 鈥� Writers Of The Revolution
* Guess Who鈥檚 Coming Home 鈥� Black Fighting Men Recorded Live In Vietnam
* Ossie Davis and Bill Cosby 鈥� Address The Congressional Black Caucus
* Black Spirits - Festival of New Black Poets in America
* Imamu Amiri Baraka 鈥� It鈥檚 Nation Time
* Elaine Brown 鈥� Elaine Brown

Producer: Ekene Akalawu

First broadcast on 大象传媒 Radio 4 in January 2014.

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