Chapter 16
A Community of Tennessee Writers, Readers & Passersby

Aram Goudsouzian

Feeding a Movement

Suzanne Cope profiles Black women who used food to fight for freedom

In Power Hungry, author Suzanne Cope profiles Aylene Quin, a restaurant owner in McComb, Mississippi, and Memphis resident Cleo Silvers, who ran free breakfast programs for the Black Panther Party. By feeding people, they advanced the Black struggle for freedom.

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Slow Violence, Then and Now

Rob Nixon discusses writers, activists, and the challenges of the Global South

In his award-winning book, Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor, Princeton professor Rob Nixon looks at writer-activists and environmental justice across the Global South. Nixon will give the Naseeb Shaheen Memorial Lecture, hosted online by the University of Memphis on November 18.

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Vilified and Celebrated

Charles Hughes situates hip-hop star Bushwick Bill in the history of race, sex, disability, and national politics

In Why Bushwick Bill Matters, Charles Hughes explains the impact of an iconic hip-hop artist. He roots the story in both his academic training as a historian and his personal experience as person of short stature.

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Hoop Dreams — and Nightmares

Keith B. Wood explores the meaning of basketball in Memphis

In Memphis Hoops, Keith B. Wood examines how basketball promoted racial unity in Memphis, while also reflecting the city’s persistent prejudices. It centers around Larry Finch, a local legend as both player and coach.

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Spanks for the Memories

Stephen K. Stein discusses the BDSM movement in modern America

In Sadomasochism and the BDSM Community in the United States, University of Memphis historian Stephen K. Stein explains how a sexual community organized itself and found wider acceptance.

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