I’m a talker–no one teaches for thirty years without developing some skills in that regard. And as a reader I’m a generalist. Lots of things capture my attention, as you can see from the selection presented here. But the connective tissue in every case is my interest in the “Originals”–the cultures made by the pioneer populations whose creole adaptations to Native America and Europe in America shaped the world we live in today. I see their footprints in many places. Here’s a collection of recent talks… Come explore with me.
Most recent
Two radio interviews. It’s disappointing to report that the BBC producers made an error, but no, I did not say that Dubose Heyward was ostracized by Charleston society:
Click below to listen:
- Romancing the Gullah in the Age of Porgy and Bess, an interview with Latonya Johnson, New Directions Books.
- “On Reading Porgy” (two episodes), the novel as a window on race and identity in the U.S. An Opening Lines (BBC Radio) production.
History Chick
I like a deep dive, and my favorite topics include historic landscapes and the cultures people made in them.
Click to listen
- The Struggle to Save Gullah Spirituals at the Georgetown (S.C.) Public Library on Pawley’s Island
- The Transformation of Uncle Tom, an interview on NPR’s Morning Edition with the great Bob Edwards
- “Southern Writers on the Confederate Flag,” readings and reflections on heritage vs. hate during the flag boycott of 2001
Stuff you can read online
Pop Culture Bites
For those snared by the deadly combination of Twitter and royal weddings: “Meghan Markle Died for Our Sins“
Community Conversations
On the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War “The Nat Fuller Feast: Together in Harmony“
For something tasty in the kitchen: “The Taste of the Sun: Okra Soup in the Gullah Geechee Tradition“
Garden Goddess
Explore my garden diary, “Escaped from Cultivation,” on substack.