The Black On Black Project

From inventor Elijah McCoy to writer Chinua Achebe, authors Ali Kamanda & Jorge Redmond have created a lyrical, rhythmic text celebrating inspirational Black men, past and present, in their debut children's book "Black Boy, Black Boy."

Episode 24: Consultant Michael S. Williams chats with artist, fashion designer and educator Precious D. Lovell about her life, creative practice and what viewers can expect from her exhibition Ex-Domestication. The show is on view at Anchorlight in Raleigh, NC.

Episode 23: In this episode of Curated Conversations, author, educator and community strategist Bertha Boykin Todd joins consultant and Black On Black Project founder Michael S. Williams for a discussion about her life as an educator and her latest book, Reflections on a Massacre and a Coup.

Episode 22: Mixed media artist Alexandria P. Clay joins Black On Black Project founder Michael S. Williams for a discussion about her latest body of work, "I Carry Them On My Back, Of Course!"

Episode 21: "MY NAME IS PAULI MURRAY" directors Betsy West & Julie Cohen, producer Talleah Bridges McMahon and editor Cinque Northern sit in conversation with Michael S. Williams of the Black on Black Project on the life of this forgotten pillar of the American civil rights and gender rights movement.

Episode 20: Black On Black Project’s special edition of Curated Conversations (EP 20) featuring Monèt Noelle Marshall about the short film prophesy.

Episode 19: How can art be used to foster necessary changes in our communities? Shaw University, the Black On Black Project and members of the Raleigh arts community discussed the power of art in documenting societal issues and fostering change.

Episode 18: The artists from "Breathe: Life After Death" — Clarence Heyward, JP Jermaine Powell, William Paul Thomas and Telvin Wallace — at Raleigh’s Block Gallery discuss the exhibition and life during the pandemic and social unrest.

Episode 17: Artist and entrepreneur Kevin "Kaze" Thomas joins Curated Conversations to talk about current events, his background and new music.

Episode 16: In 2020 the world has dealt with COVID-19 and quarantine, and then again we see more hashtags for African-American citizens — Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. In this episode we try to unpack all that’s happened and why.

Episode 15: In this episode, artist and entrepreneur Nathaniel L. Key talks about his new book, his faith and growing up in Buffalo, NY.

Episode 14: In this episode we discuss the case of Ahmaud Arbery, who was fatally shot while jogging in Brunswick, Georgia, on February 23, 2020.

Episode 13: Courtney Napier joins Curated Conversations to discuss housing, displacement, civic responsibility and the importance of black storytellers.

Episode 12: Morgan Siegel of Jeddah's Tea chats with us about the company's journey, the changes it has made during COVID-19 and why she feels the "ceremony of tea" is so vital right now.

Episode 11: We chat with the owner of Durham-based Empower Dance Studio Nicole Oxendine and artist, performer and arts administrator Carly P. Jones about their career paths and how they use the arts to impact the community.

Episode 10: Los Angeles-based contemporary visual artist and arts educator April Bey discusses growing up in the Caribbean, her annual trips to Ghana and how she’s working/teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Episode 9: This episode of BOBP Curated Conversations is a Saturday Night Book Club discussion about the book "The True Story Behind the Wilmington Ten" by author and historian Larry Reni Thomas.

Episode 8: Artist Cornell D. Jones, who is based in the Fayetteville area, chats with us about his upbringing in Alabama, his evolution as a creative and his love for teaching.

Episode 7: William Paul Thomas discusses his reasons for creating portraiture, his thought process when working with a subject and his most recent exhibitions including the group show "Front Burner" at the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Episode 6: Filmmaker and producer Christopher Everett talks about his background, his company Speller Street Films and upcoming projects “Grandmaster" and “Harlem’s Last Poet.” We also share exclusive footage from “Wilmington on Fire II.”

Episode 5: Triangle-based visual artist Natasha Powell Walker talks about her art background, her “Sexy Not Silent” exhibition series and what arts organizations can do to pivot during the current global pandemic.

Episode 4: Raleigh artist Alexandria Clay discusses how her practice explores what public spaces would look like if they prioritized, reinforced and supported the identity of minorities.

Episode 3: Black On Black founder and curator Michael S. Williams uses this episode of BOBP Curated Conversations for a Saturday Night Book Club discussion about the book "The Education of Blacks in the South, 1860–1935" by James D. Anderson.

Episode 2: Durham artist Anthony Patterson discusses how his art helps to uncover some of the “forgotten” history in our nation.

Episode 1: Poet Johnny Lee Chapman, III talks about his writing practice and projects he’s done about the history in North Carolina. [Video file is corrupt, but watch Chapman perform his original poem “Free Market” in Fayetteville with Anthony Otto Nelson, Jr. The poem and performance were part of a group exhibition called “Troublesome Presence.”]