Basic Black Griot

Dale Andrews on Religion and Politics

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:05:00 GMT

We spoke to the Reverend Dale P. Andrews, the Boston University School of Theology’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of Homiletics and Pastoral Theology, about the role religion plays in American politics today, what it means to be a Christian president, and what he thinks of the Reverend Jeremiah Wright.

Marc Lamont Hill on the 2008 Election

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:21:00 GMT

We sat down with Temple University professor and Fox News political analyst Marc Lamont Hill at Simmons College to talk about the election. We asked Hill, who has also contributed to NPR, the Washington Post, Essence Magazine, and the New York Times, about the issues the candidates haven’t addressed, whether the United States is in a post-race moment, what impact he expects young people to have and whether race will be a deciding factor at the polls.

Gloria Maria Burnett

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:41:00 GMT

In our quest to discover what Americans are thinking about the election, we spoke to several people in Cambridge, Massachusetts, about their opinions on the subject. One of them was Costa Rican immigrant Gloria Maria Burnett. A passionate Obama supporter, she told us that she thinks he can save the nation—and that he is the chosen one.

Citizens Talk About the Election: Eugene West

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 06:18:00 GMT

In our effort to learn what Americans are thinking about the election, we spoke to several people in Cambridge, Massachusetts, about their feelings on the subject. One of them was retiree Eugene West, who told us his opinion on the war in Iraq and race’s role in the election, as well as his concerns for his pension.

College Students Talk About the Election: Laurel Scott

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:20:00 GMT

The latest student we spoke to about the election was Laurel Scott, the Anna Howard Shaw scholar at Boston University and a PhD student in Practical Theology and Ethics, who is researching immigration and the church. We discussed what the possibility of having a black president means to her, and what the next president should do about immigration.

College Students Talk About the Election: Onaje Woodbine

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:34:00 GMT

The most recent university student we spoke to about the election was Boston University PhD candidate in Psychology of Religion Onaje Woodbine. We asked him if Obama represents a new type of black politician, what a McCain victory would mean for the country, and what in Obama’s background allowed him to succeed.

College Students Talk About the Election: Jacqueline Blue

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:04:00 GMT

The latest installment of our series on what college students think about the election is an interview with Jacqueline Blue, a Master’s of Sacred Theology student at Boston University who also has twenty years of military service, including twelve years of active duty. We asked Jacqueline, a Democrat who has never voted a straight ticket, why she is undecided, which candidate’s defense policies she prefers, and what role she thinks race will play in the election.

College Students Talk About the Election: Sheneita Graham

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 07:39:00 GMT

In our ongoing effort to learn what young people think about the election, we asked Boston College junior Sheneita Graham about the Republican platform, if she and her friends talk about politics, and how she feels about voting for the first time.

Davarian Baldwin on Election 2008

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 06:50:00 GMT

Davarian Baldwin is an Associate Professor of History and African and African Diaspora Studies at Boston College. He has taught a range of courses on the African American experience and the history of modern thought. He is currently at work on two manuscript projects: Black Belts and Ivory Towers: The Racial Foundations of U.S. Social Thought and UniverCities: How Knowledge Institutions are Re-Structuring the Urban Landscape.

We sat down with Dr. Baldwin to talk about the historic context of the election, whether political debate is possible in homogeneous Massachusetts, and his reluctant support for Barack Obama. Let us know what you think!

College Students Talk About the Election: Kettlyn Prophete

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:57:00 GMT

The next college student we spoke to in our effort to discover what young people think about the election was Boston College’s Kettlyn Prophete. This first-time voter spoke very candidly about her thoughts on black McCain supporters and white Obama supporters. Watch what she has to say and let us know if you agree with her.