Ayanna and I discuss her new book Blackface, her desire to encourage honest and sustained conversations about race, understanding the history of performing blackness and connecting these performances from Shakespeare to minstrel into one long arc, the need for the full rainbow of stories from black authors, the shocking number of blackface performances occurring in the 21st century, and much more.

Ayanna’s recommended reads are:

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If you enjoyed this episode and want to listen to more, try Ty Seidule, Mateo Askaripour, Nancy Johnson, Anna Malaika Tubbs, and Bianca Marais.

Blackface can be purchased at the Conversations from a Page Bookshop storefront.      

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