Peter Blackmer
Associate professor of Africology and African American Studies at Eastern Michigan University and author of Unleashing Black Power, discussing Harlem grassroots organizing from 1954–1964.
Best podcasts with Peter Blackmer
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Oct 21, 2025 • 1h 21min
Peter D. Blackmer, "Unleashing Black Power: Grassroots Organizing in Harlem and the Advent of the Long, Hot Summers" (UVA Press, 2025)
In this insightful discussion, Peter Blackmer, an associate professor of Africology and African American Studies, delves into grassroots organizing in Harlem during the transformative 1950s and 60s. He highlights the pivotal role of figures like Malcolm X and Mae Mallory in shaping a local resistance against systemic racism. Blackmer connects Harlem's struggles to global anti-colonial movements, revealing how the city became a training ground for Black radical thought. He also challenges perceptions of Northern liberalism, framing it as a strategy of repression that fueled the fight for Black power.
Oct 21, 2025 • 1h 21min
Peter D. Blackmer, "Unleashing Black Power: Grassroots Organizing in Harlem and the Advent of the Long, Hot Summers" (UVA Press, 2025)
Peter D. Blackmer, an associate professor at Eastern Michigan University, dives into the grassroots movements in Harlem that shaped the Black Power era. He discusses the hidden influences behind his research, like archival discoveries and transformative figures such as Malcolm X. Blackmer highlights the significant link between local struggles and global anti-colonialism. He emphasizes the importance of long-term organizing, revealing how systemic repression fueled uprisings. His insights offer a fresh perspective on the dynamics of race, resistance, and community identity.
