Diane and I drove down to Kleinhan’s Music Hall to hear Imani Perry talk about the color Blue. Imani Perry, who won a National Book Award for South To America and is a Professor at Harvard University, brought her illuminating insights to Buffalo. In 2023, Imani Perry was named a MacArthur Fellow.
First off, Imani Perry is a gifted speaker. Her half-hour presentation was spell-binding. Most of it was based on her latest book, Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People (2025). Here’s a sample of the facts she shared with the 1000 people in attendance: “After the war, those Union uniforms were repurposed. Soon they attired police forces. It was the color of emancipation and became the color of law and order. (p. 99)
Imani Perry also idolizes George Washington Carver. Carver was a polymath who used his genius to help the people of the South. Because of misuse and greed, the land in the South which suffered from the pursuit of cotton wealth, was damaged. “And so Carve introduced the practice of crop rotation. That where his famous peanuts came in. He instructed the people to grow cotton one year, then peanuts the next. And so on. Carved believed that if you loved anything enough, it would tell you its secrets. He loved the Alabama soil and it was his teacher.” (p. 118)
In addition to Imani Perry’s brilliant presentation and Q&A, Barbara Cole of the Just Buffalo Literary Center also announced the 2026-2027 BABEL series. Check out the authors below. Of course, Diane and I will subscribe. GRADE: A
I don’t know Akbar’s work at all as yet, but it does sound like a good set of talks. Dick Gregory had a joke ca. FROM THE BACK OF THE BUS to the effect of, George Washington Carver found hundreds of uses for peanuts, but the whites in the US South never had any use for Carver.
Todd, I am a big fan of the peanut…and George Washington Carver. Brilliant man!
I’ve never heard of her. But it sounds interesting.
Maggie, I enjoyed BLACK IN BLUES and will seek out Imani Perry’s other works.
I agree with Maggie. I’ll have to check her out.
How lucky you are to have such an interesting venue nearby! Lots to do.
Beth, we’ve been subscribing to the BABEL series for a few years now. Diane re-upped today for next year’s series. We both enjoy listening to authors talk about their work. That was one of the attraction’s of BOUCHERCON.
Never heard of her! Come to think of it, I’ve never attended a lecture outside of school! But I do like peanuts and all the other nuts!
Bob, I know you’ve attended lectures at BOUCHERCON. And you officiated one at EYECON. I still remember your referee costume!