NBAF is a cultural compass and living archive. Explore what we’re reading, hearing, seeing, and creating below.
Best known as the leader of the Harlem Renaissance, the celebrated poet and writer Langston Hughes believed in the power of art as resistance. What can we learn from his works today? Randal M. Jelks delivers this revelatory portrait of Hughes, tracing his journey from a child captivated by the wonder of Kansas City to cosmopolitan witness in Paris, New York, Mexico City, and Madrid. We encounter Hughes as a young man discovering the pulse of modern life in a world on the verge of exploding metaphorically and literally. His experiences informed his work and his thinking on art, democracy, and activism.
Langston Hughes is one of the few American writers who consistently wrote about democracy from a joyous perspective, and My America explores how his works speak to the political anxieties and crises we face today. Jelks deftly examines the themes in Hughes's work, including creative expression, communal dignity, class struggle, and human suffering and what they mean for our inner well-being as democratic persons and political participants.
Creative AF is our monthly nod to the culture-shapers, boundary-pushers, and vision-bearers whose work makes us pause, move, and think.
Jamaal Barber's artistic journey began with a fascination for aesthetic images and illustrations in children's books and comic books. After seeing a screen printing demo at a local art store, he started experimenting with printmaking, which became his primary focus. His work often addresses social issues, culture, and identity, particularly in relation to Blackness. Barber's art has been displayed at various galleries and shows, including the ZuCot Gallery and the Atlanta Print Biennial Show. He has also worked with notable institutions such as the New York Times and Emory University. Barber's approach to art is collaborative, often involving partnerships and community engagement, which he discusses in his podcast, Studio Noize. His work is a reflection of his personal experiences and the broader cultural context of Black life in America.
Jamal’s woodcuts and mixed-media prints illustrate the new Folio Society special edition of The Underground Railroad written by Colson Whitehead. Jamaal recently participated in the MTV/Smithsonian Channel art competition show The Exhibit. He has also worked for Twitter, the New York Times, Penguin Random House, Black Art in America, and Emory University.
Houston Museum of African American Culture
Houston Museum of African American Culture offers a powerful space for reflection and celebration in the heart of Houston. Situated in the city’s Museum District, the institution stands as a living archive and gallery of African American creativity, struggle, and achievement, honoring generations whose voices and artistry have shaped the cultural fabric of the City of Houston, the American Southwest, and the entire diaspora.
Founded in 2000 by Mayor Lee P. Brown and officially opening in 2012, the museum was envisioned as a place where art, history, and community dialogue could exist side by side. Through rotating exhibitions of visual art, photography, film, and historical artifacts, the museum highlights both nationally recognized and emerging African American artists. Its galleries often explore themes of identity, migration, resistance, and cultural expression, linking the local stories of Houston’s Black communities to the broader narrative of African American life across the nation.
Within its contemporary glass and steel structure, the museum invites visitors not only to observe but to engage. Programs, performances, and community events transform the space into an active forum for cultural exchange and reflection. The Houston Museum of African American Culture is more than a gallery of objects; it is a place where history and artistic expression meet, encouraging visitors to recognize how the legacies of the past continue to inform the conversations and creative visions of the present.
📍 Houston, TX
https://hmaac.org/
A sonic tribute to the enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., this playlist blends his most powerful words with music that echoes the spirit of justice, resistance, and hope. From gospel to hip hop, soul to spoken word, each track carries the weight and rhythm of a movement that continues to march forward.
