We Who Are Dark
We Who Are Dark
Trent Tomengo
This podcast is a conversartion in history and humanities as they relate to the African Diaspora with a heavy focus on Black American creative output. It is primarily a conversation between history scholar Dr. Neil Vaz and humanities scholar and artist Trent Tomengo.
Dr. Neil Vaz Goes to Ghana (Part V)
In this episode, Dr. Vaz wraps up his report on his recent trip to Ghana. He discusses how the current country of Ghana was founded, how it got it's name, and the efforts of its first president, Kwame Nkrumah, to establish a "United States of Africa" in 1957. Giving details on why that initiative failed, he also discusses the current political challenges facing countries on the African continent.
Aug 31
55 min
Dr. Neil Vaz Goes to Ghana (Part IV)
In this episode Dr. Neil Vaz shares with Professor Trent Tomengo what the Africa trip did for him and why the knowledge of self begets security and stability in one's self-esteem.
Aug 25
51 min
Special Guest: Former Student, Eddie Bouey
In this episode Professor Tomengo's former student, Eddie Bouey, was invited on to discuss the impact of his courses on Mr. Bouey's life. They discuss everything from Greek mythology to the impact of Black professors on Black college students in the classroom.
Aug 24
1 hr 16 min
Dr. Neil Vaz Goes to Ghana (Part III)
In this part 3 episode of Neil Vaz's trip to Ghana, the professor continues to share with Professor Trent Tomengo his experience. Answering Professor Tomengo's questions pertaining to how the trip transformed Vaz's psychology, Vaz delves into the nuances of Ghanaian history and the Asante participation in the transatlantic slave trade.
Aug 17
45 min
Dr. Neil Vaz Goes to Ghana (Part II)
In this episode Dr. Neil Vaz discusses his trip to Ghana with Professor Trent Tomengo. They delve into the history of the transatlantic slave trade and the arrival of the Portuguese on the Gold Coast. They also touch on the various Akan polities, the transformation of their societies, and their participation in the transatlantic slave trade.
Aug 8
1 hr
Dr. Neil Vaz Goes to Ghana
In this video Dr. Neil Vaz discusses his recent trip to Ghana with Professor Trent Tomengo. Dr. Vaz dives into his childhood motivations that compelled him to a point of interest in the Akan culture of Ghana.
Jul 31
46 min
Archibald Motley's "Saturday Night" and "Blues"
In this final episode of Season 2, Professor Tomengo and Dr. Vaz analyze two of Archibald Motley's paintings, namely "Saturday Night" (1935) and "Blues" (1929). In discussing these works, the conversation addresses the new stereotype reserved for Black women in popular culture at the time, the oversexualized Black woman. It also includes commentary on other popular stereotypes and how their use today denotes an ignorance of the real history behind their development. Further discussion of the Harlem Renaissance and Motley's aesthetic conventions solidifies the place his works hold in understanding Black popular culture during the early part of the 2oth century.
Jul 20
39 min
Archibald Motley's Painting "Jockey Club" (1929)
In this episode, Professor Tomengo and Dr. Vaz have a spirited discussion about Archibald Motely's painting Jockey Club (1929). The conversation includes information about the various racial categorizations for Black people (Octoroon, Quadroon, Mulatto) and how those people associated with these categorizations navigated Early America.
Jul 14
25 min
The Art of Archibald Motley
In this episode, Professor Tomengo and Dr. Vaz discuss the art of Archibald Motley and its role within the context of the Harlem Renaissance. Key to their discussion is the impact that colorism had on Black American life and culture, including U.S. policies concerning "race" in America. Using Archibald Motley's Octoroon Girl of 1925, they discuss the effects of the "one drop rule" and its influence on American societal structures.
Jul 7
51 min
American International Politics and WW1
In this episode, Dr. Vaz and Professor Tomengo continue their discussion of Woodrow Wilson's international policies as they relate to Latin American countries. The conversation includes issues related to the aftermath of WW1 (both domestic and international) and the forming of the League of Nations.
Jul 1
24 min
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