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Black History Month is coming to an end, so we are wrapping it up with all the unapologetic blackness we experienced during the month of February. Y’all, it was lit!
Movies + Television
I know Proud Mary actually came out in January, but I had to include it because TARAJI P. HENSON AS A BAD-ASS ASSASSIN! She is the reason I still watch Empire, and she is definitely the reason I saw Proud Mary. The story was lacking a bit for me, but I enjoyed watching Mary handled her business. It’s definitely worth a rent just to see Mary’s gun action, and I hope to see more of Taraji being an action star.
Image: GIPHY
Now, Black Panther is the Big Joker of Black History Month 2018! The culture has been waiting for this movie for the longest time, and the time has finally come. I knew the movie would be amazing because I’ve been riding this Marvel train since the beginning, and even their “misses” are still decent movie going experiences. However, Black Panther is EVERYTHING, and the melanin was POPPIN’!!!! I didn’t realized how much it would touch my heart and spirit to see a black superhero movie with a majority black cast. I just saw the movie again yesterday to catch all the stuff I missed during the initial viewing, and it has officially topped Winter Soldier and Civil War as my favorite movie from the MCU. Now, I am even more pumped for Infinity War!! If you haven’t seen Black Panther yet, then do yourself a favor and go see it immediately, and you should probably see it at least twice. WAKANDA FOREVER!!!!!
Music + Podcasts
I have been listening to Black Love Matters for only a few months, but it has quickly earned a spot on the list of my favorite black podcasts. Niram and Niambi have the most amazing chemistry, and each show always features great topics. Above all else, I LOVE how they focus on black love because it is a beautiful thing, and it is not nearly celebrated enough. Three times a week, they share love stories submitted by real-life couples that will renew your faith in love, along with the usual segments of Kitchen Table Talk and Pillow Talk where they talk about ways to improve and strengthen relationships.
Code Switch is another recent add to my podcast playlist thanks to wanting more journalistic news from people of color, and this podcast has brought me everything I wanted and everything I didn’t even know I needed. I have only listened to a few episodes in the last couple of months, but they have all been great. My favorites so far have been the episode with Jemele Hill and the two-part episode about giving 2017 the biggest middle finger. You NEED some un-whitewashed news and commentary in your life, so add Code Switch to your favorite podcatcher immediately!
Books + Blogs
Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison recently celebrated her 87th birthday! Since Morrison has made a career of writing about race relations and the black experience in America, then her birthday, February 18th in case you were wondering, is the perfect time to share the beautiful and powerful words of Toni Morrison.
I don’t think I can properly put into words how beautiful Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi is and how much it moved me and my entire soul. It took way too long for me to get through the book, but that is mostly because of how much a chapter would just put me into all of my feelings, and I would need some time to marinate in the story, this heart-wrenching story was like reading the diary of my ancestors and reading the story of how I came to be in this world. I LOVED the unconventional storytelling of each chapter telling about a time in the life of the half-sisters and her respective descendents, and I was glad to see how the current descendents came together in the end, no matter how convenient it seemed to come together. Yaa Gyasi is a talented wordsmith and her debut novel has me wanting more. This is a great book to add to your reading list, especially if you’re looking to diversify your reading.
Your Turn
So…how did you celebrate Black History Month? Have you seen Black Panther yet? Do you still watch Empire? What podcasts are you currently loving? Let us know in the comments! |RL
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I haven’t seen Black Panther yet, but the trailer special effects alone will be fun to experience. I hope your March is going well.
If you get the chance to see Black Panther, I highly recommend you do so because it is sooooooo good!! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
I loved Black Panther! XD Proud Mary isn’t out in the UK yet (we get films super-late sometimes) but I’m glad you liked it! 🙂
That’s so crazy that you got to see Black Panther before Proud Mary when Proud Mary was released in January. I guess blockbusters get the special treatment! 🙂
I’m glad you liked Homegoing! That book has been on my TBR list since before it came out. I really need to read it soon. I hope you’re having a great March!
I hope you enjoy Homegoing too once you get around to reading it!
That’s a beautiful picture you chose for the top of the post 🙂 I have not seen Black Panther yet, but I rarely ever watch movies at all, to be honest. But I am curious, what with everyone talking about it 🙂
I have Homegoing, I should just read it already! You know how TBRs go… You’re really inspiring me to pick it up 🙂
Yeah, that picture is amazing, right?! Black Panther is definitely the talk of the town, and it’s definitely worth checking out if it ever crosses your path. Yup, those TBR piles are always growing, but Homegoing is definitely worth moving to the top of the pile. 🙂
I only hear amazing things about Black Panther. Wish it was easier for us to go to a movie these days but with tiny offspring it takes so much planning.
Black Panther definitely lives up to all the hype! I’ve seen it three times, and it blew me away every single time. I’m not a parent, but I can only imagine the effort it takes to plan an outing once you have offspring. The good news is I heard Black Panther is coming to Netflix in September!
This is fabulous! I haven’t seen Black Panther mostly because I have never seen ANY of the Marvel movies and I don’t know if it would make sense to me? But I kind of want to anyway, especially because I adore Michael B. Jordan. I loved him since he was (ready for it?) on All My Children like 15 years ago bwhaha. He was SO good, and I was like “damn, he is too good for this show” and turns out I was right 😀 I have always wanted to listen to some podcasts but my brain cannot pay attention, sad. I am glad you found a couple new ones to love!
I think you can definitely see Black Panther without seeing the other Marvel movies. The only movie that you may want to see to give some context is Civil War because that’s when Black Panther made his first appearance.
I totally agree about Michael B. Jordan being a gem! Looks like you know great talent when you spot it! My introduction to his greatness was on The Wire, and I absolutely LOVED him on Parenthood as Haddie’s boyfriend. Le sigh, he has the most beautiful smile!
Yeah, when it comes to podcasts, you definitely have to find the right one. When it happens, it’s a whole new world!!!! 🙂
I celebrated by posting a discussion/book recommendations post:
“Can you stand the heat? Let’s talk! Should it be a “Black History Month”?”
Homegoing was featured on that post 🙂
you can find it here: http://www.danielaark.com/can-you-stand-the-heat-should-it-be-a-black-history-month/
Wasn’t black panther just PHENOMENAL???
I’m not black and I was super moved [well my husband is half black and I love anything black so there! :0 ]
WAKANDA FOREVER!!!!!
That’s a great list of books on your post! Black Panther was SOOOO GOOOD!! I’m going to see it tomorrow in IMAX 3D! WAKANDA FOREVER!!!!!
I STILL HAVEN’T WATCHED BLACK PANTHER. T_T *cries in frustration* With my busy school schedule and being sick the past few days, I definitely haven’t had enough time to go see it. BUT MY BODY IS READY FOR THE BLACK REP!!!
– Aimee @ Aimee, Always
Ugh … it seems like everyone has been sick this month! I’m still getting over the flu too. I hope you feel better soon, so you can get to see Black Panther on the big screen!
Great post! I still need to see Black Panther, but I really hope to do so soon!!
Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
Thank you! Yes, see it ASAP!
I’m so glad to hear that Black Panther lived up to all the hype. I NEED to see it!!
YES!!! You NEEDS it!!!!!!