Entertainment
New Mahalia Jackson Biopic to be Filmed in Chicago New Mahalia Jackson Biopic to be Filmed in Chicago
Oretha Winston
Special to the NNPA from The Chicago Defender
(NNPA)—Bill Duke brings his years of talent and experience to direct and executive produce The Mahalia Jackson Story, a music biopic chronicling the life of the woman who rose from her poverty and obscurity to become the world’s greatest gospel singer and a music icon and legend.
Getting her story to the screen has been a passion project of mine for many years,said Duke, who has more than 60 features, TV shows and TV movies to his credit.
The Mahalia Jackson Story was written by Ruth L Ratny, based on Just Mahalia Baby, Jackson’s seminal biography and augmented by personal stories revealed for the first time by her former accompanists, friends, relatives and pastors.
The full length feature film will feature some twenty of Mahalia’s classic songs, including Move on Up A Little Higher ,her first million seller and Thomas Dorsey’s Precious Lord,which Mahalia, as Dorsey’s song-plugger introduced in Detroit in 1940. Precious Lord would become a favorite of Mahalia’s friend, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
When she sings How I Got Over,’ it helps us all to believe that we can get over, too, says Duke.
The Mahalia Jackson Story will be filmed in Chicago and is endorsed by Chicago’s civic and religious community. Mahalia Jackson was a very active citizen of Chicago who along with Dr. Thomas Dorsey, Roberta Martin and Sallie Martin helped make the city the Gospel Music Capital of the World, said Mayor Rahm Emanuel in a letter of support for the film. Chicago is considered the birthplace of gospel and its annual Gospel Music Festival is the largest in the world.
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Arts and Culture
Third Annual Town Up Tuesday Lifts Oakland’s Community, Culture and Joy
Urban Peace Movement announced Town Up Tuesday, a free community music and social awareness festival dedicated to the people of Oakland to celebrate Bay Area culture and create safety by fostering connection and belonging. It will be on Tuesday, May 21, at Edoff Memorial Bandstand at Lake Merritt from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
By Kyung Jin Lee
Urban Peace Movement announced Town Up Tuesday, a free community music and social awareness festival dedicated to the people of Oakland to celebrate Bay Area culture and create safety by fostering connection and belonging.
It will be on Tuesday, May 21, at Edoff Memorial Bandstand at Lake Merritt from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The event will feature local Bay Area legends and rising stars home-grown talent that will include 10 performers: 1100 Himself, The Conscious Daughters, Michael Sneed, Trunk Boiz, 3LISE, The Animaniakz and Ms. Bria.
Too $hort is a special guest and there will also be a surprise legendary Oakland artist. The two DJs are Emelle & Dahge, and the two hosts are Dnas and Mystic.
Past performers have included: Kamaiyah, Yukmouth, Stunnaman02, Symba, Lil Kayla, Grand Nationxl, Jane Handcock, and D Smoke, among others.
“Oakland is a historically Black city and one of the most diverse and progressive in the country — a city rich with culture,” said Nicole Lee, executive director of the Urban Peace Movement.
“At a time when we are being scapegoated for political gain and negative narratives of Oakland permeate the press, we’re uplifting who we truly are and all the things that make this region so special.”
About Urban Peace Movement: Urban Peace Movement (UPM) is a racial justice organization working to end mass incarceration and the criminalization of Black and Brown communities in Oakland. https://urbanpeacemovement.org/ @urbanpeace510
Kyung Jin Lee is the media representative for the Urban Peace Movement.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of May 15 – 21, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May May 15 – 21, 2024
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Activism
Oakland Post: Week of May 8 – 14, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May May 8 – 14, 2024
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