Black Klansman is the extraordinary true story of Ron Stallworth, the first black detective in the history of the Colorado Springs Police Department. In 1978, Stallworth responded to a classified ad for the Ku Klux Klan, posing as a white man, and launched an audacious undercover investigation. With the help of his partner Chuck, who played the 'white' Ron Stallworth, Stallworth conducted phone conversations and even befriended David Duke, the Grand Wizard of the KKK. The book details his months-long investigation, during which he sabotaged cross burnings, exposed white supremacists in the military, and provided a searing portrait of a divided America and the heroes who fight against racism.
Set in 1936 Pittsburgh, 'The Piano Lesson' by August Wilson is the fourth play in his Pittsburgh Cycle. The play revolves around the Charles family, particularly the siblings Boy Willie and Berniece, who argue over whether to sell their family's heirloom piano. The piano, decorated with carvings of their ancestors, was originally traded by their white slave owner for two of the family's members. The conflict between Boy Willie, who wants to sell the piano to buy land, and Berniece, who insists on keeping it as a family legacy, is intertwined with themes of family history, cultural heritage, and the haunting presence of their ancestors' ghosts. The play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1990 and is a powerful exploration of African American identity and the struggle to come to terms with the past[2][3][4].
Seven Guitars is a play by August Wilson, set in 1948, and is part of his Pittsburgh Cycle. The story revolves around the funeral of Floyd 'Schoolboy' Barton, a local blues guitarist on the edge of stardom. The play is structured as a flashback to the events leading up to his death, highlighting themes of African-American male identity, self-understanding, and the struggles faced by the community in postwar urban Pittsburgh. The play features a cast of characters including Floyd, his girlfriend Vera, and their friends, all navigating personal and societal challenges[3][4][5].
It's a good season for the Washington family. Denzel is getting awards attention for a scene-stealing turn in GLADIATOR II. Malcolm Washington has made an impressive feature directing debut with THE PIANO LESSON. And speaking of that film, John David Washington has just delivered a fantastic performance bringing him back to the podcast once again, this time for a live taping at the 92nd Street Y. Josh and John David discuss the actors journey from athletics to the stage and screen and how he's navigated the long shadow of his iconic dad.
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