Episode 100: A Landmark Celebration of Black Stories, Voices, and Legacy

Hosted by Lissa Jones , the 100th episode is an expansive, deeply moving celebration that honors the elders, the artists, the activists, and the community that built—and continues to fuel—the Black literary tradition. Highlights include: • A newly released archival segment featuring J. California Cooper Recorded before the podcast officially launched, this rare conversation hosted by elder storyteller Beverly Cottman with renowned author J. California Cooper offers timeless reflections on writing, wisdom, and the purpose of storytelling. • A segment honoring the legacy of George Floyd through poetry Two Minneapolis poets, Mary Moore Easter and Bernard James , contributors to the anthology Can't Stop, Won't Stop , (Rain Taxi 2021) share excerpts and reflections created in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder. Their words capture the grief, urgency, and creative power that shaped Minneapolis and the world in 2020. • Appearances from celebrated past guests The episode revisits powerful moments with Ross Gay, Frank B. Wilderson III, Pearl Cleage, Lynn Nottage, Gail Christopher, Claudia Rankine, Rickey Fayne, and others who helped define the voice of the show. • A guided audio tour of the Givens Collection Curator Davu Seru leads listeners through the 40th anniversary exhibit "The Circle Unbroken," offering a rare look at the artifacts, history, and cultural heritage preserved in the Givens Collection of African American Literature. Full Conversations and Bonus videos — including the Sounds of Blackness performance, the full Givens Collection tour, and Can't Stop, Won't Stop — can be found at . About Black Market Reads Black Market Reads is a podcast of the Givens Foundation for African American Literature, produced in partnership with iDream.tv. Black Market Reads is dedicated to celebrating Black writers and cultural heritage through in-depth conversations, live events, and archival preservation.

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Episode 100: A Landmark Celebration of Black Stories, Voices, and Legacy is an episode from Givens Foundation | Black Market Reads by iDream.tv.

This episode is 49:55 long.

This episode was published on Dec 2, 2025.

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