Nationally Recognized Scholar on Black Popular Culture to Present Black History Month Convocation
Mark Anthony Neal, professor of Black Popular Culture in the Department of African-American Studies at Duke University, will present a convocation commemorating Black History Month on Friday, Feb. 6 at 10:50 a.m. in the Skinner Memorial Chapel. His presentation, entitled “Barrack Obama and the Era of the New Black Man,” addresses the changing representation of Black culture in music, film, and politics since the post-civil rights movement. A noted author, considered to be one of the most brilliant cultural critics of his generation, Neal will sign copies of his books following the convocation. This event is free and open to the public.
Mark Anthony Neal, professor of Black Popular Culture in the Department of African-American Studies at Duke University, will present a convocation commemorating Black History Month on Friday, Feb. 6 at 10:50 a.m. in the Skinner Memorial Chapel. His presentation, entitled “Barrack Obama and the Era of the New Black Man,” addresses the changing representation of Black culture in music, film, and politics since the post-civil rights movement. A noted author, considered to be one of the most brilliant cultural critics of his generation, Neal will sign copies of his books following the convocation. This event is free and open to the public.
In addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in Black popular culture, Black masculinity, and hip hop aesthetics at Duke University, Neal is the author of several acclaimed books, including “New Black Man” (Routledge, 2006) and “Soul Babies: Black Popular Culture and the Post-Soul Aesthetic” (Routledge, 2002). He is also the co-editor of “That’s The Joint: The Hip Hop Studies Reader” (Routledge, 2004).
Neal believes that although Black culture has begun to generate a great deal of wealth, “culture in general has become more of a commodity than something that people use to help them get through their lives.” Dedicated to challenging sexism and misogyny, Neal hopes to enable people to “rethink Black masculinity in the 21st century.”
As a lover of gospel and rhythm & blues music since his childhood, two of Neal’s books study the ties between black music and. “What the Music Said: Black Popular Music and Black Popular Culture” (Routledge, 1998) and “Songs in the Key of Black Life: A Rhythm and Blues Nation (Routledge, 2003) examine the role of gospel, blues, be-bop, soul, and hip-hop in creating an “aural public space” for African-American communities. His books also address the commercialization of Black popular music, and its threat to the authentic articulation of African-American values and experience. Neal has two forthcoming books, “ThugNiggaIntellectual,” about the performances of blackness in Black popular culture, and “Street Dreams,” which identifies rhythm & blues music as a mirror into African-American middle class lifestyle.
Copies of Neal’s books will be available for purchase at the event and in advance at the Carleton bookstore at a 15% discount. For more information, contact the bookstore at (507) 222-4153.
Neal’s appearance is sponsored by the Office of College Relations. For more information, including disability accommodations, please call (507) 222-4309.