A standard-bearer in the field of African American Studies, Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. of Harvard joins the co-hosts of Straight Ahead: The Omni-American Podcast for an excursion into the history of the sacred to secular cultural forms—music, oratory, literature, dance—created by Black Americans. Relating his personal story as well as his many books and documentaries, “Skip” Gates emphasizes how intertwined “black” and “white” Americans are and how this reality is tragically obscured by the Culture Wars post-Reconstruction to now. Throughout the conversation, in which his experience in Africa and with Africans holds a special place, Prof. Gates displays a sense of humor intrinsic to his personal style and the Afro-American tradition.

Articles Mentioned:

Carl Jung’s “Your Negroid and Indian Behavior” – https://bit.ly/3PYwwCG

Canonization of Jazz and Afro-American Literature – https://bit.ly/49yE5H3

The Black Studies War: Multiculturalism vs. Afrocentricity – https://bit.ly/43XwyjL

Follow Prof. Gates on,
X (formerly Twitter) – https://x.com/HenryLouisGates
   / @henrylouisgatesjr  

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00:00 Intro
00:28 Discussion with Dr. Henry Louis Gates
02:35 Homage to Albert Murray
04:44 African American Studies in 2024
10:03 Cultural Contributions and Patriotism
15:05 Transmission of Tradition and Inner Strength
26:00 Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
30:01 Culture Over Race
35:16 Identity Revelation
46:31 Cultural Wars and Traditions
52:51 Advancements in African American Studies
59:00 Cultural Traditions and Identity
1:15:08 Subscribe to Straight Ahead!"