Black Voices Research Articles

The Forward Movement: Amplifying Black Voices on Race and Orthopaedics-Sports Medicine is Community Medicine.

The Forward Movement: Amplifying Black Voices on Race and Orthopaedics-Sports Medicine is Community Medicine.

The Forward Movement: Amplifying Black Voices on Race and Orthopaedics-We Must Understand the Value of Health Equity.

The Forward Movement: Amplifying Black Voices on Race and Orthopaedics-We Must Understand the Value of Health Equity.

Columns: Black Youth Futures: Rhythm and Verse: Blues Music in the Classroom

The author calls for the implementation of blues music in secondary classrooms— specifically as a tool for humanizing Black voices in English language arts.

Alberta Hunter, Musical Qualia of Blackness, and Black Women Working Together

Abstract In this article, I argue for a culturally specific and historically informed understanding of Black voice and musical identity through an examination of the musical practices of vocalist Alberta Hunter (1895–1984), whose long career can be broken into two distinct periods: first from the middle of the 1910s to 1956, and a second between 1977 and her death in 1984. Within, I reframe musical practices emergent from and developed within Black American communities as musical “qualia”—socio-culturally informed and chronotopically situated embodiments of something’s properties—of Blackness, to enable a more direct investigation of how and why certain sounds signal or index Blackness to both listeners and performers. To demonstrate the musico-semiotic function of Black vocality and musical performance, I employ a synthetic methodology combining theorizations of qualia from the field of linguistic anthropology with detailed transcription and analysis of four recordings of “Downhearted Blues,” a piece she co-composed with pianist Cora “Lovie” Austin and recorded several times throughout her long career. Close examination of three recordings made by Hunter (1922, 1939, and 1977) and one made by vocalist Bessie Smith (1923) allows for a more granular understanding of how Hunter’s musical practice transformed over time in dialogue with broader genealogies of Black musical history. I focus particularly on Hunter’s relationships with other Black women in the performance of this tune, arguing that “Downhearted Blues” ultimately becomes a site for the development of a Black feminist epistemology exemplary of what musicologist Tammy Kernodle has identified as “Black Women Working Together” (2014).

Revolutionary Art and the Creation of the Future: The Afrofuturist Texts of José Antonio Aponte and Martin R. Delany

Afrofuturism (an artistic perspective in which Black voices tell alternative narratives of culture, technology, and the future) and the Dark Fantastic (interrupting negative depictions of Black people through emancipatory interpretations of art) are two interrelated concepts used by Black artists in the Atlantic World to counter negative images and emphasize a story from a Black perspective. Likewise, these concepts have been used to recreate and re-narrate history with an eye towards subverting white supremacist historical narratives. By using Afrofuturism and the Dark Fantastic as lenses through which texts by authors from the African Diaspora in the Atlantic World are examined, an alternative narrative of Black histories and futures concerned with revolution, liberation, and justice can be seen. The two texts that are the subject of this research include José Antonio Aponte’s descriptions of his book of paintings under interrogation in 1812–1813, and Martin Delany’s novel Blake; or the Huts of America (1859–1862), providing images of enslavement that run counter to a white supremacist telling of history. They both imagine alternative pasts and futures for Africa and the Afro-Diaspora involving revolution and magic. These works, though produced at different times and locations in the nineteenth century, offer new ways in which to discuss liberation and freedom in the context of the artistic production of the Atlantic World.

Black voices in Anthropology

Black voices in Anthropology

Deconstructing Methodist Mythology: The Search for a Usable Postcolonial Ethic

ABSTRACT This article offers a postcolonial and liberationist hermeneutic for reinterpreting and reassessing Wesleyan and Methodist history. It argues that much of Methodist and Wesleyan history has been shrouded in ‘Whiteness’; this term is concerned less with the epidermis of those racialized as ‘White’, and is more focused on systems, structures, policies, and procedures, all of which incorporate the totality of this phenomenon. As a cradle Methodist and a local preacher, I argue that for contemporary British Methodism to be a truly more radical, inclusive, and diverse ecclesial body, it will need to decolonize its history, rethinking how we see traditional, visible figures and consider the lack of agency of those condemned to the shadows. This work is not a revisionist ‘take down’ of John Wesley; rather, it is a postcolonial-inspired, Black theology hermeneutical reappraisal of our common history, seeking to give agency to often invisible Black voices.

Archiving, Curating and Teaching Afro-Latin American Film

Abstract: Working at the intersections of Latin American film studies, Afro-Latin American studies, digital humanities (DH), and decolonial pedagogical praxes, this article aims to engage with educators interested in teaching about Afro-descendant representation, antiracist audiovisual productions, the legacy of the African diaspora in Latin America, and the diverse perspectives of Afro-descendants in the region—through the lens of Latin American film and media. In dialogue with calls to decolonize traditional film and media studies curricula, this article critically analyzes the scholarly, archival and digital landscapes of resources focused on Black representation in Latin American cinemas and Afro-Latin American media makers. I identify some of the archival and curatorial exclusionary practices that affect the visibilization of Afro-descendant representation and productions within national cinematecas from the region. Finally, I share a digital humanities project designed to amplify Afro-descendant representation and filmmakers in Latin American cinemas through the curation and creation of resources that center Black voices, experiences, and communities.

True Women as Sacred Friends

Drawing from African American author and anti-slavery advocate Harriet Jacobs, this essay demonstrates that even well-intentioned white abolitionists can inadvertently reinforce racist systems. Jacobs sought help from white abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe to share her emancipation story, but received a response that exposed her past to Jacobs’s employer without consent. In her novelized memoir Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Jacobs demonstrates the importance of Black voices and leaders in the abolitionist movement, showcasing feminist scholar Chandra Mohanty's concept of a “coalition” of women using their diverse positions to combat social inequities. By examining Jacobs's portrayal of the white women who aided her, I argue that Jacobs employs the rhetoric of true womanhood and sentimental novels to depict models of true allyship marked by consent-based sympathy. This essay delves into the nuances between sympathy and empathy in the context of nineteenth-century literature, referencing Gay Gibson Cima's assertion that these terms cannot be collapsed. By connecting Jacobs's use of sentimentality to Cima's differentiation between Black expressions of sympathy and empathy, this essay reveals how Jacobs strategically fosters empathetic connections between white and enslaved women, promoting a coalition of consent-based allyship in nineteenth-century abolitionist discourse.

The Forward Movement: Amplifying Black Voices on Race and Orthopaedics—Elevating the Discussion on Race

The Forward Movement: Amplifying Black Voices on Race and Orthopaedics—Elevating the Discussion on Race

(Life) Cycles, (Ocean) Currents, and (Ancestors’) Rhythms: Dawnland Maritime Histories through Indigenous and Black Voices

(Life) Cycles, (Ocean) Currents, and (Ancestors’) Rhythms: Dawnland Maritime Histories through Indigenous and Black Voices

“Soul on Ice”: Black Commodification, Race, and the National Hockey League

The NHL has a long-standing, problematic relationship with race. The North American sporting and racial climate have brought even more attention to this reality. A notable tactic to counter the accusation of reinforcing racism within sports corporations, including the NHL, is publicly associating themselves with minoritized organizations. This often occurs through formal partnerships or the acquisition of minoritized-founded entities, initiatives, and organizations. This paper considers how salient discourses of race and Blackness are articulated by the hosts and contributors of NHL Studio’s Soul on Ice: The Podcast (SOIP) as an acquired NHL entity. The NHL aims to reposition itself on issues of race and the portrayal of Black members within hockey through SOIP. The podcast gives a platform to empower Black voices within White hockey culture but also problematically enmeshes the NHL within the commodification of Black culture and hardship. The acquisition of Soul on Ice: The Podcast by the NHL is used to sanitize and shield the league while reinforcing the normative Whiteness of hockey. Further, the consequences of the leagues’ commodification of Blackness and the nuanced experiences of Black NHL players and community members shared via the podcast are unpacked.

Introduction to the special feature: amplify Black voices in optics and photonics.

This multi-journal special issue highlights the work of Black scientists and engineers in optics and photonics to accomplish the goal of engaging the entire optics and photonics community and bring awareness to the quality of their research and contributions to the field.

Ending the HIV Epidemic in Black America: Qualitative Insights Following COVID-19.

The disproportionate effects of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) on Black American communities highlight structural systems rooted in racism and must be addressed with national strategies that improve both biomedicine and social determinants of health. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine the experiences and interpretations of experts in the HIV workforce (local, state, and national HIV-related organizations) regarding the state of HIV and COVID-19 among Black Americans. Within key informant interviews and a focus group recorded and transcribed verbatim, fifteen members of the HIV workforce and Black community described their experiences and provided insights to inform ending the negative outcomes resulting from HIV and COVID-19. Data were analyzed using NVivo software, and eight themes emerged to address disease disproportionality through a Black lens. Themes reflected (1) accessing information and care; (2) key potential partners/stakeholders; (3) investing in Black communities; (4) governmental support; (5) increasing engagement and advocacy; (6) HIV-related community conversations; (7) developments since COVID-19; and (8) the Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) trajectory. Themes directly speak to recommendations to adjust education and policy strategies for HIV and COVID-19 prevention and intervention. Such recommendations, (1) amplifying Black voices, (2) investing sustainable dollars into Black communities, and (3) leaning into advocacy, can bolster the foundation for the HIV workforce and Black community to break ineffective response patterns and lead the fight against these systemic issues of inequity.

Black voices in cancer research and oncology.

Black voices in cancer research and oncology.

Bridging the Gap: A Community Advisory Board Promoting Community Engagement in Cancer Research for Ethnically Diverse Populations.

Prostate cancer disproportionately affects Black men in the United States, leading to higher mortality rates and health disparities. In addition, based on historical mistreatment and discrimination and the resulting distrust of the medical system, Black populations are consistently underrepresented in health care-related research. Addressing these challenges requires community-driven approaches integrating diverse perspectives and fostering equitable health outcomes. This article describes the formation and impact of The Multidisciplinary Health Outcomes Research and Economics (MORE) Lab Community Advisory Board (CAB) at The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences. We purposefully recruited Black men with CaP and Black health care professionals to serve on a CAB and advise on ongoing research to address quality of life (QoL) issues in ethnically diverse Black CaP survivors. The CAB seeks to mitigate CaP disparities and improve health equity by empowering Black voices and promoting collaborative research practices. The MORE Lab CAB has successfully provided a venue for community members to contribute to designing a culturally relevant research program to improve the QoL in ethnically diverse Black men with CaP. The CAB has been instrumental in developing research goals and tools, implementing a series of town hall meetings to educate and support Black CaP survivors, and disseminating research findings. In conclusion, CABs are potentially critical in guiding research, enhancing community engagement, and advocating for culturally responsive health interventions.

The Forward Movement: Amplifying Black Voices on Race and Orthopaedics-Embrace This Moment of Allyship.

The Forward Movement: Amplifying Black Voices on Race and Orthopaedics-Embrace This Moment of Allyship.

PLATFORM PR – THE PUBLIC MODERATION OF PLATFORM VALUES THROUGH TIKTOK FOR GOOD

TikTok wants to “inspire creativity” and “spark joy,” Meta aims to “bring the world closer together,” and YouTube aspires to “give everyone a voice and show them to the world.” Platforms claim that they want to do $2 . However, they regularly get international attention for being $2 instead. Social media data scandals are a prominent point of research. Yet initiatives to counterbalance these backlashes, such as YouTube’s Black Voices Fund or TikTok for Good are rarely investigated. Although platform initiatives' content is often not on the top of your For You Page (FYP), such social initiatives can tell much about what values a platform aims to promote. Examining the values promoted through social initiatives of platform companies provides a way to understand what these companies try to center as important or worthwhile. This project investigates the promotion of platform values through “TikTok for Good,” based on an inductive and thematic analysis of TikTok for Good videos (n=180). With this study, I aim to explore how platform values can enhance our understanding of the construction of what a platform counts as $2 , what is worth being visible, and in turn, what is not.

Assessing Access to Trauma-Informed Outpatient Mental Health Services for Adolescents: A Mystery Shopper Study.

The authors aimed to examine how access to trauma-informed mental health services in safety-net health centers varies by insurance type and race-ethnicity of the care seeker. In this mystery shopper study, three women (White, Latina, and Black voice actresses) called community mental health centers (CMHCs) and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) (N=229) in Cook County, Illinois, posing as mothers requesting a mental health appointment for their traumatized adolescent child. Each health center was called twice-once in the spring and once in the summer of 2021-with alternating insurance types reported (Medicaid or private insurance). Ability to schedule an appointment, barriers to access, wait times, and availability of trauma-specific treatment were assessed. Callers could schedule an appointment in only 17% (N=78 of 451) of contacts. Reasons for appointment denial varied by organization type: the primary reasons for denial were capacity constraints (67%) at CMHCs and administrative requirements to switch to in-network primary care providers (62%) at FQHCs. Insurance and organization type did not predict successful appointment scheduling. Non-White callers were significantly less likely (incidence rate ratio=1.18) to be offered an appointment than the White caller (p=0.019). The average wait time was 12 days; CMHCs had significantly shorter wait times than FQHCs (p=0.019). Only 38% of schedulers reported that their health center offered trauma-informed therapy. Fewer than one in five contacts resulted in a mental health appointment, and an apparent bias against non-White callers raises concern that racial discrimination may occur during scheduling. For equitable access to care, antidiscrimination policies should be implemented.

The Forward Movement: Amplifying Black Voices on Race and Orthopaedics-Change the Narrative.

The Forward Movement: Amplifying Black Voices on Race and Orthopaedics-Change the Narrative.