Showing results by narrator "Bonnie Greer" in All Categories

Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, London-based author and playwright Bonnie Greer seeks to demonstrate that Barack Obama's presidency is what she calls a 'South Side Presidency'. And that it is only the South Side of Chicago, with its history and culture and institutions, that could have sent an African American, in this day and age, to the White House. Obama Music is a mixture of anecdotes about her own growing up in one of America's most formidable black communities, mixed in with observations on the origins and progress of the music of the South Side.

Langston Hughes was a man far ahead of his time, but his actions were often unpredictable, contradictory and refused classification. To give an example, he campaigned tirelessly for civil rights but then testified before the controversial House Committee on Un-American Activities, seen by many as a witch-hunt. Rather than ignoring or excusing these contradictions, Bonnie Greer confronts them, highlighting the many contradictions present in both his day and ours and painting an unforgettable portrait of a man caught up in strange and contradictory times.

Award-winning playwright, author, and critic Bonnie Greer's touching, funny, and thought-provoking memoir is a voyage into the making of a woman who set out to unmake what she'd been born and brought up to be. 'Proper girl' was a precious definition in segregated and racist America, where black life was deemed only three-fifths of white life. And the life of a black woman even less. This compelling memoir will not just enlighten, engage, and enthrall, but will move you to tears with every word. Courage, defiance, and ultimately hope define the story of a life that just had to be lived.