MLK Memorial Statue

On Saturday September 3rd, 2011, we were honored to have with us via telephone two African American writers, activists, and radio hosts to speak with us about the controversy surrounding the new Martin Luther King Memorial Monument now in place between the Lincoln and Washington Monuments in Washington D.C..

The monument’s August 25th unveiling ceremony, with an address by President Barack Obama, was postponed because of Hurricane Irene, to a still undetermined date in September or October.

Our guests:

Kevin Alexander Gray, author of the collection of essays, Waiting for Lightning to Strike, the Fundamentals of Black Politics, contributor to The Progressive, Counterpunch, and his own blog, The New Liberator, and, host of Live from the Land of Hopes and Dreams on Sirius Satellite Radio, from Columbia, South Carolina.

Dr. Jared Ball, writer, activist, and mixtape artist, Pacifica WPFW Host, Professor of Communications at Morgan State University, author of I Mix What I Like, the book and the blog, and, of the Black Agenda Report editorial, “The Corporate King Memorial and The Burial of a Movement.”

Also, on the phone, from San Francisco, AfrobeatRadio Producer Ann Garrison.

Audio excerpts played during the program are:

“Who’s King?” by American political prisoner and writer Mumia Abu Jamal available at: Prison Radio Project: “Who’s King?”

Excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Beyond Vietnam” Riverside Church Speech available at the Stanford University Archives: “Beyond Vietnam.”

Music pieces played:

Intro extract from: Epitaph For A Man Who Dreamed (In Memoriam: Dr Martin Luther King, JR. by Adolphus Cunningham Hailstork performed by the Paul Freeman Chicago Sinfonietta Conducted.

Why Do you Not Dance from the CD titled CHAKA. Composed by Prof Akin Euba and performed by City of Birmingham Touring Opera.

The program was produced and hosted by Ann Garrison and Wuyi Jacobs

This program was broadcast live on AfrobeatRadio on WBAI 99.5 FM on Saturday September 03, 2011as part of our  regular weekly program.