Biography

On this edition of In Black America, producer/host John L. Hanson Jr. concludes his conversation with Dr. Imani Perry, the Hughes-Rogers Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University, and author of LOOKING FOR LORRAINE: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry.

Perry talks about the death of Hansberry’s father, being under the watchful eye of the FBI, challenging President Kennedy and his brother, and her association with the many activists, writers and musicians of the time.

On this edition of In Black America, producer/host John L. Hanson Jr. speaks with Dr. Imani Perry, the Hughes-Rogers professor of African-American studies at Princeton University and author of  LOOKING FOR LORRAINE: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry.

Perry talks about why she decided to write about Hansberry, what they both had in common, why A Raisin in the Sun has stood the test of time, and why Hansberry was more then a singular figure.

On this edition of In Black America, producer/host John L. Hanson Jr. speaks with Leon Robinson, actor, singer/songwriter, and film producer. He’s known to the world as "Leon."

Leon talks about becoming an actor, playing iconic personalities, his band, and why it’s important to tell African American stories.

On this edition of In Black America, producer/host John L. Hanson, Jr. speaks with Joe Henry, co-author of "Furious Cool: Richard Pryor and The World That Made Him."

Richard Pryor was arguably the single most influential performer of the second half of the twentieth century, and was the most successful black actor/comedian ever. Controversial and somewhat enigmatic during his life, Pryor’s performances opened up a whole new world of possibilities, merging fantasy with angry reality in new, unthinkable ways . Now, Henry's groundbreaking book brings him to life again both as a man and as an artist, providing an in-depth exploration of his talent, his lasting influence and an insightful examination of the world he lived in and the myriad influences that shaped both his persona and his art.