February is Black Histories and Futures Month, a time to learn about and celebrate the histories, cultures, and achievements of Black people and communities around the world.
This is something the has been doing since its first episodes in 2022. It’s a conversation podcast executive produced by Professor Daniel McNeil (History) that has brought together scholars, activists, artists, curators, and musicians to discuss everything from activism and hip-hop philosophy to the politics of translation and the films of the Black diaspora.
We recently caught up with Professor McNeil and two other producers from the pod to get their recommendations for one short film, one song, and one book to explore this month. Here is what they told us.
Daniel McNeil
Executive Producer (Seasons 1-3), Professor in the Department of History and Queen’s National Scholar Chair in Black Studies
“ is an incredible short film/music video by The Blaze – a Paris-based duo of two cousins, Guillaume and Jonathan Alric – that provides us with precious resources to think and feel our way through questions about home and identity. Filmed in Algeria, it remarkably conveys the struggles of people who are always slightly different and dissatisfied – whether they find themselves the odd one out in a group or unable to carve out space for peace and solitude. I love how it conveys the athleticism, grace, and aggression with which young people connect and compete with their families, friends, and foes.”
Toleen Touq, MA’24
Producer and Editor (Seasons 2 and 3)
“ is a piano piece composed by Halim El-Dabh in 1949 and first performed at the Assembly Hall of All Saints’ Cathedral in Cairo the same year. El-Dabh wrote the piece in response to the Nakba of Palestinians in 1948, an event he believed haunted him forever. In the piece, El-Dabh experimentals with pedals, tones, and clusters, producing a score that embodies the despair and hope of the time. Halim El-Dabh was an Egyptian-American composer, musician, ethnomusicologist, and educator who was an early pioneer of electronic music. A pan-Africanist in his vision, he spent a considerable part of his life travelling throughout Africa, collaborating with musicians and collecting sounds and instruments for his compositions. Over a period of seven decades, his musical oeuvre spanned compositions for dance, opera, drum symphonies, electronic music, and orchestra.”
Anna Jane McIntyre
Associate Producer (Season 3)
“, edited by Alex Farquharson (Director, Tate Britain) and David A. Bailey (Director and Artistic Director of the International Curators Forum), chronicles Caribbean-British cultural contributions, triumphs, and tragedies spanning from pre-war London, the Windrush era, to the present. There are so many Caribbean-British superstars in this generous publication. Reading the essays, I understand just how essential a practice maintaining accessible cultural archives is to building healthy communities, cultural participation, and timelines. This book has helped me to fill gaps in my own family history as my father is part of this narrative, travelling from Trinidad to Britain at 14 years. I can’t say enough, this book is a gem!”
