Black Market Reads

The Givens Foundation for African American Literature
  • 4.6 (23)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE

Black Market Reads is a menu for Black literary consumption and all of its spin-offs. Featuring Black artists who love to read and write and engage in arts and culture. PRODUCER: The Givens Foundation for African American Literature PRODUCTION SERVICES: iDream.tv MUSIC: Sarah White - Through People [M¥K Remix] BMR is made possible through the generous support of our individual donors, Target Foundation, and the voters of Minnesota, through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

  1. DEC 2

    E100: 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 www.BlackMarketReads.com.  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.

    50 min

  2. OCT 2

    Episode 99 - Debra Stone, The House on Rondo

    In Episode #99 Lissa talks with Author Debra J Stone about her new middle grade novel, The House on Rondo (University of Minnesota Press). Rooted in the lived histories of Minnesota's Black communities, The House on Rondo offers a deeply personal window into the destruction of a thriving neighborhood through the eyes of a young Black girl coming of age during an era of national civil rights protests. As Zenobia joins forces with her neighbor, the unforgettable former cowgirl Mrs. Ruby Pearl, to fight against the  demolition of her grandparents' home to make way for the new interstate highway, readers witness not just the heartbreak of displacement but also the power of community, protest, and memory. Our production team for this episode includes co-producers Lissa Jones and Edie French, technical director Paul Auguston, the voice Yo Derek, and our artist of inspiration Ta-coumba T. Aiken. Black Market Reads is produced by The Givens Foundation for African American Literature in partnership with iDream.tv. For more information and context visit https://blackmarketreads.com/

    29 min

  3. AUG 24

    Episode 98 - Leila Mottley, The Girls Who Grew Big

    Adela Woods is sixteen years old and pregnant. Her parents banish her from her comfortable upbringing in Indiana to her grandmother's home in the small town of Padua Beach, Florida. When she arrives, Adela meets Emory, who brings her newborn to high school, determined to graduate despite the odds; Simone, mother of four-year-old twins, who weighs an abortion in the heart of the South; and the rest of the Girls, a group of outcast young moms who raise their growing brood in the back of Simone's red truck. In this episode Lissa talks with author Leila Mottley about her latest novel The Girls Who Grew Big (Alfred Knopf 2025). Leila Mottley is the author of the novel Nightcrawling, an Oprah's Book Club pick and New York Times best seller, and the poetry collection woke up no light. Her sophomore novel, The Girls Who Grew Big, is forthcoming in June 2025. She was also the 2018 Oakland Youth Poet Laureate. She was born and raised in Oakland, where she continues to live. For GO DEEPER information about Leila and other topics visit www.BlackMarketReads.com

    28 min

  4. JUL 15

    Episode 97 - Valerie Burns, Icing on the Murder

    Looking forward to an intriguing summer read, Lissa talks with author Valerie Burns about her latest work. Packed with a delicious mix of cake, chaos, and crime, Icing on the Murder is a page-turner that's sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats and leave them craving more! In this fourth installment of the Baker Street Mystery series, influencer-turned-bakery-owner Maddy Montgomery is preparing for her dream wedding, but before she can say "I do" to her fiancé, veterinarian Michael Portman, she must first solve a murder that threatens to ruin her big day. When world-renowned wedding planner Serafina is found impaled by one of Baby Cakes Bakery's wedding cake skewers, Maddy and her trusted crew—along with a little help from her 250-pound Mastiff, Baby—take on the case. But can they unmask the killer in time for wedding bells to ring? Learn more: www.BlackMarketReads.com

    33 min

  5. JUN 20 · BONUS

    BONUS EPISODE: Ink, Identity, and Imagination: Literature as a Catalyst for Black Determination

    Ink, Identity, and Imagination: Literature as a Catalyst for Black Determination was the plenary discussion for From Resistance to Resilience: The Evolution of African American Reading, The Givens Foundation's Annual Conference held June 3, 2025 at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. Moderator: Gevonee Ford, founder of the Network for the Development of Children of African Descent Panelists: Dr. Duchess Harris, scholar, author and curator of The Duchess Harris Collection, Dr. Ebony Aya, founder of the Aya Collective, and Tish Jones, poet and Executive Director of TruArtSpeaks Enjoy additional conference recordings and highlights:

    50 min

  6. JUN 19 · BONUS

    BONUS EPISODE: Banned Books: The Duchess Harris Collection

    Duchess Harris, professor and author, was a presenter at From Resistance to Resilience: The Evolution of African American Reading,  The Givens Foundation for African American Literature's annual conference,  held on June 3, 2025 at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. In this engaging workshop, Dr. Harris addresses The Unwritten Curriculum: How Erasure in Literature Fuels Inequity, as she talks about her trajectory as an author, and the banning of her books. Visit BlackMarketReads.com to hear from conference Keynote Dr. Luke Wood, President of Sacramento State University and creator of the first Black Honors College.

    42 min

  7. JUN 18

    Episode 96 - From Resistance to Resilience, Dr.Luke Wood

    Dr. Luke Woods was the Keynote speaker at the Givens Foundation's annual conference conference,  Dr. Luke Wood returned to his alma mater, Sacramento State to become its ninth president on July 16th, 2023. A nationally renowned scholar on racial equity with a specific focus on early childhood education and community colleges. Dr. Wood has authored or co-authored 16 books and published nearly 200 articles, focusing on racial inequity in education. Dr. Woods' bold vision for the university includes 23 strategic action items, including the creation of the Nation's First Black Honors College, which welcomed its inaugural class of scholars in the fall of 2024. President Wood holds a bachelor's degree in Black history and Politics and a Master's degree in higher education leadership from Sacramento State and a master of Education in Early Childhood Education, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies with a higher education concentration from Arizona State University. "From Resistance to Resilience: The Evolution of African American Reading," was an extraordinary opportunity to champion literacy, cultural equity, and social justice. Held on June 3, 2025, this event was made possible through the generous support of the Minnesota Humanities Center.

    53 min

  8. MAY 23

    Episode 95 - Rickey Fayne, The Devil Three Times

    In this episode Lissa talks with author Rickey Fayne about deep philosophical questions inspired by his latest novel The Devil Three Times (Hachette Book Group, May 2025). Rickey Fayne is a fiction writer from rural West Tennessee whose work has appeared in American Short Fiction, Guernica, The Sewanee Review, and The Kenyon Review, among other magazines. He holds an MA in English from Northwestern University and an MFA in Fiction from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas. His writing embodies his Black, Southern upbringing in order to reimagine and honor his ancestors' experiences. This episode was recorded at Magers & Quinn Booksellers in Minneapolis, MN. Visit www.BlackMarketReads.com   Our production team for this episode includes co-producers Lissa Jones and Edie French, technical director Paul Auguston, the voice Yo Derek, and our artist of inspiration Ta-coumba T. Aiken. We thank Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota for supporting this series focusing on the intersection of health, race, and culture.

    33 min
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4.6
out of 5
23 Ratings

About

Black Market Reads is a menu for Black literary consumption and all of its spin-offs. Featuring Black artists who love to read and write and engage in arts and culture. PRODUCER: The Givens Foundation for African American Literature PRODUCTION SERVICES: iDream.tv MUSIC: Sarah White - Through People [M¥K Remix] BMR is made possible through the generous support of our individual donors, Target Foundation, and the voters of Minnesota, through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Information

  • Creator
    The Givens Foundation for African American Literature
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2025
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © @ 2025
  • Show Website
    Black Market Reads

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