The Brian Lehrer Show Juneteenth at Lincoln Center
Jun 19, 2025
Carl Hancock Rux, a multifaceted artist known for his poetry and playwriting, discusses Lincoln Center’s fifth annual Juneteenth celebration. He delves into the power of folklore as a tool of resilience, highlighting how storytelling has shaped African American culture. The conversation touches on the significance of the proverb 'Sankofa,' emphasizing the importance of understanding history. Rux also explores the legacy of trickster tales in Black storytelling, showcasing their cleverness in challenging oppression and celebrating cultural heritage.
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Folklore as Self-Emancipation
- Folklore among enslaved Africans served as a system of self-emancipation and cultural survival.
- These stories created mythology, religion, and superheroes to survive oppression and find freedom.
Sankofa: Look Back to Move Forward
- Sankofa means it is okay to look back in order to move forward.
- History and memory, though fallible, are essential to understanding identity and progress.
Trickster Figures as Survival Symbols
- Trickster figures use wit to challenge oppression and help others learn survival.
- These stories mix humor and spiritual insight, often showing shape-shifting to evade danger.
