Motown - Speaking In The Streets

Available for over a year

In 1970, Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown, set up a Motown spoken word record label. It was called Black Forum and recorded poetry, civil rights speeches, African-American soldiers in Vietnam and more. It closed in 1973 after eight releases. Those releases have started to attract interest with some reissued. They stand as a powerful testament to the African-American experience at a turbulent time in America. The financial educator and spoken word record collector Alvin Hall listens to the recordings and talks to those involved in their creation. Featuring: : * Theatre director and producer Woodie King Jr., Producer of “Black Spirits: Festival of New Poets in America”, and “It’s Nation Time: African Visionary Music” * Professor Suzanne E Smith, author of "Dancing in the Street: Motown and the Cultural Politics of Detroit" * Pat Thomas, author of "Listen Whitey: The Sights and Sounds of Black Power 1965 – 1975" * Elaine Brown, singer/songwriter of the album “Elaine Brown” and former leader of the Black Panthers * Suzanne de Passe, former Creative Director and President of Motown * Amiri Baraka, star of “Black Spirits: Festival of New Poets in America”, “It’s Nation Time: African Visionary Music” and civil rights activist, poet, and writer Black Forum releases: * Dr Martin Luther King Jr. – Why I Oppose The War In Vietnam * Stokely Carmichael – Free Huey * Langston Hughes and Margaret Danner – Writers Of The Revolution * Guess Who’s Coming Home – Black Fighting Men Recorded Live In Vietnam * Ossie Davis and Bill Cosby – Address The Congressional Black Caucus * Black Spirits - Festival of New Black Poets in America * Imamu Amiri Baraka – It’s Nation Time * Elaine Brown – Elaine Brown Producer: Ekene Akalawu First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2014.