Prince’s Welcome 2 America tour has been an amazing experience! While he has consistently covered the favorites (e.g. Kiss, Take Me With You, Little Red Corvette, Controversy, etc.), there have been some new tracks (i.e., U Will Be With Me) and other great tracks (e.g. Hot Thing, Forever In My Life, When I Lay My Hands on U, etc.) that have excited those of us who have been “Prince enthusiasts” for decades. A special treat is when Shelby J. gets some time to showcase her strong and engaging voice on such gems as “Nothing Compares to You” or–if we’re lucky–”Misty Blue.” I could go on and on…especially since I’ve seen…um…just a few shows on this tour.

There are more shows this weekend at The Forum, and I must say, this really is a concert people don’t want to miss…you never know who you’ll get to see…Chaka Khan…Stevie Wonder…Janelle Monae…Alicia Keys…Amel Larrieux…what a collection of gifts!

But another thing that people shouldn’t miss are the contributions that Prince has made beyond music. Last week, I wrote an article for TheGrio.com, “Why Prince Deserves Props for his Political Activism,” which talks a bit about Prince’s other contributions. For those who want to reduce Prince to “just an artist,” I would venture to say that there appears to be much more.

Copyright 2011 Monique W. Morris

Misplaced Priorities Report Cover, NAACP 2011

Today, the NAACP released its new report, “Misplaced Priorities: Over Incarcerate, Under Educate“–a report that maps the differential investment in our children’s–and our communities’–futures. I provided editorial support for this document and hope that this important research will spark not only an interesting debate in our local communities, but necessary policy discussions among state and federal policymakers about our priorities.

Copyright 2011 Monique W. Morris

Dr. Manning Marable

My dear friend and mentor, Dr. Manning Marable, passed away on Friday, April 1, 2011. His mentorship and guidance meant the world to me as an undergraduate, graduate student, and professional in the field of social justice. I have been blessed with an opportunity to share how much he meant to me in two pieces published this morning:

“Manning Marable’s Students Remember Him” on The Root.com
“What Marable Would Want Us to Know about Malcolm X” on TheGrio.com

Scholars and former students around the country are remembering Dr. Marable and his contributions to the black freedom struggle–and I’m sure this will continue for a while. Please take some time to read them. These pieces capture just how special a scholar, mentor, and friend Dr. Marable was to many of us personally and to all of us politically:

“Manning Marable: A Brother, A Mentor, A Friend” by Michael Eric Dyson for TheRoot.com
“The Great Wells of Manning Marable” by Melissa Harris-Perry for The Nation
“Honoring Manning” by Timothy Patrick McCarthy for The Nation

Dr. Marable’s new book, Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention, is being regarded my many as his magnum opus, and I remember how dedicated his was to this project. It is not only a project that gives us a more thorough understanding of who Malcolm X was, it is also a project that will likely teach us a thing or two about ourselves and our social movements. Though Dr. Marable will not be able to lead a national book tour to engage communities in discussions about our slain human rights leader, there will still be opportunities for us to come together in rigorous dialogue about this important work. Stay tuned.

Copyright 2011 Monique W. Morris

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