a and e | TOSINGER'S BLOG

There are stories that need to be told over and over again. Havard Business School has just released an audio commentary of the story of the entrepreneurship and progressive success of the historical hair business icon and philanthropist, Madame C.J. Walker aptly titled The Amazing Life of One of America’s Earliest Black, Female Entrepreneurs

Culled: Though not everyone may know her name, Madam C.J. Walker helped invent what have become staples of our modern country and economy: national sales forces, corporate social responsibility, and, yes, even basic hair care. Orphaned at age 8, married at 14, and widowed at 20 with a daughter to raise, Walker went on to become a millionaire entrepreneur in the Deep South at the turn of the century, against all odds. Professor Nancy Koehn describes Walker’s inspiring real life story of making good on her own unique American dream.

Listen here

ROOTS, The MiniSeries

I remember watching and re-watching Roots in the earlier years on Nigerian TV, truly drawn in and deeply empathetic and affected by the horrific experiences of the primary character Kunta Kinte (played by LeVar Burton) and his kin.

Roots: The Saga of an American Family is a novel written by Alex Haley and first published in 1976. It tells the story of Kunta Kinte, an 18th-century African, captured as an adolescent and sold into slavery in the United States, and follows his life and the lives of his descendants in the U.S. down to Haley (via Wiki).

“Roots opened up the minds of Americans of all colors and faiths to one of the darkest and most painful parts of America’s past.” – Publisher’s Weekly

PBS states that Roots is one of the most-watched miniseries of all time, Roots captivated its audience over eight consecutive nights in January 1977. The award winning series followed the multi-generational account of author Alex Haley’s family line from enslavement to liberaton. For the first time, America witnessed on film the horrors of slave ships, the mistreatment of slaves and human cost of slavery. Roots has since become a part of American cinematic history and cultural consciousness.

Fast forward to 2016, Roots has been remade. IT PROVES SOME STORIES ARE WORTH TELLING AGAIN, ISTORY® premieres “Roots” on Memorial Day 2016, airing over four consecutive nights at 9 p.m. beginning Monday, May 30, 2016. The four-night, eight-hour event series developed by HISTORY, from A+E Studios, is a historical portrait of American slavery recounting the journey of one family and their will to survive and ultimately carry on their legacy despite hardship.

“Roots” will be simulcast on A&E and Lifetime, in addition to HISTORY. The stellar cast includes Academy Award® winners Forest Whitaker (“Fiddler”) and Anna Paquin (“Nancy Holt”); Academy Award® nominee and Emmy Award® winner Laurence Fishburne (“Alex Haley”); Golden Globe Award® winning and Emmy Award® nominated actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers (“Tom Lea”); Tony Award® winner Anika Noni Rose (“Kizzy”); Grammy Award® winner Tip “T.I.” Harris (“Cyrus”); Emayatzy Corinealdi (“Belle”); Matthew Goode (“Dr. William Waller”); Mekhi Phifer (“Jerusalem”); James Purefoy (“John Waller”) and introduces Regé-Jean Page (“Chicken George”) and Malachi Kirby (“Kunta Kinte”).

Watch the trailer and stay tuned for the series::