African American and African Diasporic Studies: Videos and Podcasts

Black Studies in Video is a black studies portfolio that brings together over 800 seminal documentaries, interviews, and previously archived footage that survey the black experience. The videos covered African American history, politics, art and culture, family structure, gender relationships, and social and economic issues dating back to 1949 to present day.

"Kanopy is an on-demand streaming video service for public libraries and educational institutions that provides library patrons, students and faculty access to a large collection of films." Selection may change based on titles OSU has licensed.

"Swank Digital Campus provides colleges and universities with the largest academic streaming collection of its kind. With over 25,000 films, documentaries and TV shows, Swank Digital Campus simplifies film distribution by providing faculty and students a legal streaming resource both on and off campus." Selection may change based on titles OSU has licensed.

This month, we’re looking back on the history of Attucks School in Craig County. Built in 1916, Attucks served African American students in Vinita, a city located in northeastern Oklahoma, through the mid-1950s. Deeply rooted in the African American community, the school and its teachers provided students and their families with support in many different ways. Even today, its impact can be seen in the memories of alumni near and far, with many returning for the school’s biennial reunions. In this episode, we’ll hear excerpts from the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program’s archives featuring Attucks alums Arlene Kirkendoll, Charles Kirkendoll, Lois Hunt West, Robert Ramsey Jr, Okla Hicks, and Mary Crawford. Later, we’ll sit down with Kathleen Duchamp, the director of the Eastern Trails Museum in Vinita to learn more about the history and importance of Attucks School.

Nestled in Okfuskee County is Boley, Oklahoma, a quiet town that was once referred to as "the largest and wealthiest exclusive Negro city in the world." This episode of Amplified Oklahoma features the history of Boley and how the town influenced and affected its residents. We'll hear oral history interview excerpts from Henrietta Hicks and the late William Hunt. Dr. Lynne Simpson from the Oklahoma State University Library also joins us to discuss the history of Boley and the importance of education within the community.

From the late 19th century to the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case, a number of territorial, state, and federal laws authorized the segregation of schools in Oklahoma and across the South. In Stillwater, Oklahoma, these laws would result in the creation of Booker T. Washington School, which served the African American community in Stillwater for decades. The school played an integral role in the surrounding African American community and continues to have a special bond with former students, parents, and community members. This month on Amplified Oklahoma, we’re highlighting the legacy of Washington School and its impact on the African American community in Stillwater. We’ll hear excerpts from interviews with former students as they share their memories of the school. Later, we’ll talk with Stacy DeLano, director of the Stillwater Public Library, as she discusses the importance of documenting this community history.

On June 18, 1954, an unassuming jet airliner made its descent to the Stillwater airport. On board was Haile Selassie, the famed Emperor of Ethiopia. He was visiting to thank OSU for its assistance in establishing an agricultural college in Ethiopia, now called Haramaya University. This month on Amplified Oklahoma, we’re exploring the history of OSU’s collaboration with Ethiopia. We’re featuring memories from former OSU faculty and families that worked abroad as they discuss adjusting to a new culture and the lasting effects of their work on the agricultural industry in Ethiopia. We’ll also hear from David Peters, head of the OSU Archives, as he talks about the impact of the program on both OSU and Ethiopia.

In this episode, poet Clem Heard, a 2018 Tulsa Artist Fellow for the Literary Arts, reads a piece he created especially for our podcast. Clem, a New Orleans native, talks to Lindsey and Emily about food and poetry, finding balance in one’s writing life, and the advice he has for those who are getting to know Oklahoma.

In this episode, poet and actor Deborah J. Hunter reads two poems based on the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre that she wrote and performed in Tara Brooke Watkins’ play, “Tulsa 21: Black Wall Street.” Lindsey and Emily talk to Deborah about the use of the word “massacre” versus “riot” and discuss what it means to confront this violent, painful, and hidden moment of Oklahoma’s history through poetry.

In this episode, author Hannibal Johnson shares a poem and an essay that addresses what’s necessary to improve Oklahoma’s relationship with diversity and inclusion. Hannibal talks to Lindsey and Emily about our shared humanity, the power of asking “what if,” and he emphasizes the importance of making people feel valued and respected.