Remarkable Receptions

A brief take on Phillis Wheatley’s portrait, tracing Scipio Moorhead’s 1773 image, Kerry James Marshall’s reinterpretation, and its circulation on a 2026 U.S. Postal Service stamp. Written by Howard Rambsy II Read by...

A brief take on evolving labels for Black poetry, tracing shifts from Negro poetry to Black poetry to African American poetry through anthology titles reflecting changing cultural identities. Script by Howard Rambsy II...

A brief take on racialized anointments, tracing how media repeatedly elevate one Black writer at a time, narrowing attention while obscuring the broader landscape of African American literary production. Script by...

A brief take on Toni Morrison’s rise in graduate research, showing how dissertation data tracks her shift from minimal attention in the 1970s to central prominence in African American literary studies. Script by Howard...

A brief take on free book distribution at SIUE, showing how giving students hundreds of titles and hosting browsing sessions sparked excitement and expanded opportunities for reading, conversation, and engagement with...

A brief take on the Fantastic Findings Forum, showing how short reflections demonstrate that brief insights can open new interpretive pathways in African American literary studies. Script by Howard Rambsy II Read by...

A brief take on subfields in African American literary studies, showing how areas like the Harlem Renaissance, Richard Wright studies, the Black Arts Movement, and Toni Morrison Studies emerged over time to organize...

A brief take on recurring alliteration in African American language practices, tracing how phrases like Sorrow Songs, Freedom Fighters, and New Negro Movement, use sound, rhythm, and repetition to enhance memorability...

A brief take on layered metaphorical masking in The Boondocks , showing how Aaron McGruder’s satire stacks voices and cultural references, linking Samuel L. Jackson’s role in Pulp Fiction , Donald Rumsfeld’s infamous...

A brief take on three Black women, June Jordan, Carolyn Denard, and Oprah Winfrey, whose literary advocacy, scholarly institution-building, and mass-media influence helped elevate Toni Morrison’s work into enduring...

A brief take on how SIUE Promise Prize Scholars Nia Roy and Al Smith respond to Amy Sherald’s portraiture, showing how students articulate the power of her grayscale technique, vibrant color contrasts, and confident...

A brief take on how African American literary knowledge has long circulated through sound as well as print, showing how Remarkable Receptions extends that oral tradition by calling listeners into an audio archive of...

A brief take on reimagining scholarly book reviews in African American literary studies, exploring how cluster reviews could illuminate broader developments across subfields more effectively than single-volume...

A brief take on the varied pronunciations of W. E. B. Du Bois’s name, revealing how letters, scholars, and shifting preferences reflect the ongoing reception of one of Black America’s most influential intellectuals...

| A brief take on the nationwide naming of schools after Paul Laurence Dunbar, tracing how the poet’s enduring influence led communities to commemorate Black educational excellence through his name. Written by Howard...