The murder of George Floyd, captured on video for the world to see, was an inflection point in America.
In tandem with or a result of the ghastly sight and evolving Black Lives Matter consciousness, companies began to realize that black people were consumers. Commercials for clothing, electronics, insurance, cars and trucks, home repair products, are pitched by black men and women and interracial couples. The abrupt change would not have happened before George Floyd. Rational talk about racism are becoming a regular feature on radio and TV.
Not everyone may be thrilled about that. But the persistent history of neglected acknowledgement of contributions of creative black talent is being registered. Much is written about how immigrants, which most of us were at one point, enriched America. Black people, to state the obvious, were transported here and became enslaved people. The effects on them and on us are rippling through our culture this very minute.
Black writers, singers, dancers, actors, actresses, film makers have occupied a sub-strata of our culture for decades. No longer. Think about the singers and songs seared into memories of your teenage years, songs that were the backdrop of your romancing and dancing. And remain embedded there with everyone from Aretha, James Brown and their successors to this day.
This is more than entertainment. It shaped our culture.
Tine to give due respect to the creative talent, inventiveness, with which they enrich our lives. I have listened to Terrence Blanchard play at the annual Satchmo Summerfest in New Orleans.
Terrence Blanchard's creative juice was obvious at Sculler's Jazz Club in 2010.
But I'll bet no one in the audience would have guessed his genius would be in full bloom at another stage, nearly another planet away culturally, The Metropolitan Opera in October 2021.
Seeing his work at the Met is a huge step forward, an eye opener, a reminder of the depth of the pool of black talent and its pervasive influence on me and generations of white folks before me and after me. I am watching an inflection point become a cultural shift that affects all of us.
FIRE SHUT UP IN MY BONES, TERRENCE BLANCHARD,
Not sure where you were heading and where you ended up. Murder is the unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another. George Floyd? Not so. BLM? That's a self proclaimed Marxist organization. They capture the GF moment to reek havoc on our cities in their "summer of love". BTW, neither you nor I are or were immigrants. When you elect a Black president, you are no longer in "chains'. Stop with the BS. Now if your endeavor was to praise Black talent in the entertainment industry, I am with you. The woke crap, not so. But, don't you think all those Black entertainers could practice a bit of trickle down of their wealth to their own instead of whining about being enslaved. Gees, this is America, the land of opportunity where you can be what you want to be. I could go on and on but I think I've covered it
Posted by: Jeff | October 05, 2021 at 07:59 PM
Thanks for this important perspective, Paul. The times they are a'changin'...
Posted by: Sarah Cross Mills | October 05, 2021 at 08:31 PM
PT-Have you seen the opera? We have tickets to see it in the theater here on the 23rd. I just read Blow’s memoir- very powerful. I think Floyd’s death was a pivotal moment but I also think that movement was in the direction of including blacks in advertising and other media before that. I’ve been noticing it for awhile. About time too!
Posted by: Susan McCulloch | October 06, 2021 at 02:20 AM
Jeff, to your point, Tyler Perry, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Oprah, Queen Latifah, John Legend, Alicia Keys and scores of athletes who have made it big have contributed way more than a trickle to their communities and the general public
.https://people.com/celebrity/black-celebrities-who-give-back/
Posted by: Paul Tamburello | October 06, 2021 at 01:24 PM
Paul, very thoughtful essay. Thanks. And, I have seen the pics of you and Susaan with Ann. I just visited Susaan myself.
Carolyn
Posted by: Carolyn Liesy | October 06, 2021 at 04:06 PM