Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Musician Lupe Fiasco Headlines Film Screening on Civil Rights Struggle

Last night, the Jack Morton Auditorium played host to hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco and producer Chris Moore for a discussion with SMPA director Frank Sesno about a film project entitled The People Speak.

The film, to air December 13th at 8 p.m. on the History Channel, consists of actors, vocal artists, and other celebrities reading and performing the works of the “dissenters” of American history.

The works include letters, journal entries, songs, and more written by people who struggled through some of the nation’s most controversial issues, including civil rights.

Lupe kicked off the event with a reading of boxer Muhammad Ali’s speech in 1966 about his refusal to fight in Vietnam. A short clip of The People Speak was played immediately following which included a reading of Frederick Douglass by Don Cheadle, and John Legend’s performance of a Billie Holiday song “Strange Fruit,” which is about lynching.

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