Episode #1436
American Icons: Native Son
Friday, September 06, 2013
Play
00:00 / 00:00
This is the novel about racism that America couldn't ignore.
The story of a young man in the ghetto who turns to murder
was an overnight sensation. Richard Wright set out to confront white
readers with the most brutal consequences of racism, and finally lay to
rest the stereotype of the passive Uncle Tom — “he literally wanted to
create a bigger Thomas,” one scholar argues. But some think Native Son
exploited the worst stereotypes of black youth. “Is this giving me
permission to go kill white women?” wondered a young Carl Hancock Rux.
“Is that what we’re supposed to be doing now?”
We trace the line from Bigger Thomas to Notorious B.I.G., and visit a high school drama class acting out Native Son, and struggling to grasp the racism their grandparents experienced. With Nathan McCall, Carl Hancock Rux, and Richard Wright's daughter, Julia Wright.
Thank you to the following people for their time and research: Frankie Bailey, Timuel Black, James Campbell, The Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, Thomas Cripps, Dolores Fish, Rebecca Hall, Margot McMahon, Gabriel Mendes, Bayo Ojikutu, Howard Pitsch and the Fort Greene Association, Tim Samuelson, and Malcolm Wright.
Bonus Track: Nathan McCall on how Native Son changed his life
Hear producer Amanda Aronczyk's full interview with Nathan McCall, author of Makes Me Wanna Holler.
Video: Richard Wright's screen test for the original film of Native Son
Slideshow: The Stivers High School for the Arts' production of Native Son
We trace the line from Bigger Thomas to Notorious B.I.G., and visit a high school drama class acting out Native Son, and struggling to grasp the racism their grandparents experienced. With Nathan McCall, Carl Hancock Rux, and Richard Wright's daughter, Julia Wright.
Thank you to the following people for their time and research: Frankie Bailey, Timuel Black, James Campbell, The Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, Thomas Cripps, Dolores Fish, Rebecca Hall, Margot McMahon, Gabriel Mendes, Bayo Ojikutu, Howard Pitsch and the Fort Greene Association, Tim Samuelson, and Malcolm Wright.
Bonus Track: Nathan McCall on how Native Son changed his life
Hear producer Amanda Aronczyk's full interview with Nathan McCall, author of Makes Me Wanna Holler.
Play
00:00 / 00:00
Video: Richard Wright's screen test for the original film of Native Son
Slideshow: The Stivers High School for the Arts' production of Native Son
Vomit (Instrumental)
Artist: MF Doom & Parallel ThoughtAlbum: VomitLabel: Parallel Thought & MF DOOMPurchase: AmazonSaratoga Swing
Artist: Duke EllingtonAlbum: Best of Duke EllingtonLabel: X5 Music GroupPurchase: AmazonHow Long Blues
Artist: Jimmy YanceyAlbum: The Blues of Jimmy YanceyLabel: Ling Music GroupPurchase: AmazonCortical Songs (Thimble Taps Remix)
Artist: John Matthias, David Prior, Trinity College of Music String Ensemble & Nic PendleburyAlbum: Cortical SongsLabel: NonclassicalPurchase: AmazonCortical Songs (Phineas Gage Remix)
Artist: John Matthias, David Prior, Trinity College of Music String Ensemble & Nic PendleburyAlbum: Cortical SongsLabel: NonclassicalPurchase: AmazonFlugufrelsarinn (Kronos version)
Artist: Kronos QuartetAlbum: Plays Sigur RosLabel: NonesuchPurchase: Amazon
Music Playlist
Guests:
Timuel Black, Percival Everett, Jamie Hector, Harold Lucas, Eric McCalister, Nathan McCall, James Peterson, Carl Hancock Rux, Elena Spence, Angela Tomaselli, Trysh Travis, Jerry Ward, Richard Wesley and Julia WrightProduced by:
Amanda AronczykEditors:
David KrasnowRelated
Comments [7]
Leave a Comment
Email addresses are required but never displayed.
This episode helps restore the context. But the discussion of "Native Son" as literature and the impact it had on individual scholars, as well as the fascinating discussion of current-day high school students performing the play, were equally important.
This show is a great example of the melding of art, history and politics...truly a multi-disciplinary broadcast. Thank you!
It has been 44 years since I read Native Son at age 15. Your program this morning took me through a time warp and back again in the most comprehensive & realistic way that any article/program or personal experience involving racisim and the American situation has done in a very long time.
The sorrow that follows your broadcast is a weaving together of two thoughts that cannot justify one another...but are indisputable. They are:
so much has changed....so little has changed
Thank you for the broadcast. As always with your work--informative, touching, compelling and ever so neccessary