This 5-part documentary series explores the most controversial and misunderstood language variety in the United States: African American Language (AAL). With the perspectives of everyday people and the guidance of historians, linguists, and educators, the series showcases the history of the language, the symbolic role it plays in the lives of African Americans, and the tremendous impact on the language and culture of the United States.
TALKING BLACK in AMERICA
The first film in the series, Talking Black in America, offers a broad overview of AAL. It portrays the unique circumstances that shaped the language variety now spoken by the descendants of enslaved Africans brought to the U.S. and this group’s incredible impact on American life and language. Speech varieties from the African American community reflect the imprint of African language systems, the influences of regional British and Southern American dialects, and the creativity and resilience of people living through oppression, segregation and the fight for equality. Featuring Reverend Jeremiah Wright, DJ Nabs, Professor Griff, Quest M.C.O.D.Y., Dahlia the Poet, Nicky Sunshine and many others, this Emmy Award-winning filmis a startling revelation of language as legacy, identity and triumph over adversity.
SIGNING BLACK in AMERICA
Black ASL is the unique dialect of American Sign Language (ASL) that developed within historically segregated African American Deaf communities. Black ASL today conveys an identity and sense of belonging that mirrors spoken language varieties of the African American hearing community. Different uses of space, hand use, directional movement, and facial expression are ways that Black ASL distinguishes itself as a vibrant dialect of American Sign Language. The African American Deaf community is now embracing their unique variety as a symbol of solidarity and a vital part of their identity.
TALKING BLACK in AMERICA — ROOTS
TALKING BLACK IN AMERICA — ROOTS is a celebration of African American resiliency, creativity, and ingenuity, finding a connection of the spirit among the peoples and societies of West Africa and the African Diaspora. Filmed in Ghana, The Bahamas, and throughout the United States, it is the third program in the Emmy Award winning TALKING BLACK IN AMERICA series, five interrelated documentaries on African American language and culture and their transformative influence on the United States and beyond.
TALKING BLACK in AMERICA — PERFORMANCE TRADITIONS
African American Performance genres have intrigued audiences and inspired imitations throughout the world. However, artistic forms such as the Blues, Spirituals, Spoken Word, Preaching, Comedy, and Hip Hop are more than entertainment; they reveal a story about the creative use of African American Language and how it has functioned as a tool for survival, liberation, and belonging within the Black Community.