The on-line launch of Blackademics

Two months after their recording on April 26, 2012, the first 12 minute installment of Blackademics went live. Our first four talks were filmed in the KLRU studios and on the historic Austin City Limits set. The event was an overwhelming success with a live studio audience of over 200 students, faculty, staff and community members. A write up in the Daily Texan captured the essence of the event as did this interview on KUT radio.The first talk, "Sista Docta" was by Dr. Omi Osun Joni L. Jones. was released Thursday June 28, 2012 on the ICUSP Youtube Channel.

Over the next few months we'll upload three more talks: "The Bus Stops Here" by urban planner Dr. Talia McCray; "Black with a 4.0" by educational psychologist Dr. Kevin Cokley; and my own piece, "The Life and Times of a Community Engaged Scholar." The goal of the larger project is to bring Black Studies to broad audiences via public television and social media. The four talks will get the ball rolling; Blackademics 2 will comprise a set of five more talks and be recorded in the late Fall.

Along with being shared via social media, the talks will also be shown on TV. The first four talks will air as two shows on KLRU public television. The eventual vision includes going national, with the central Texas Public Television episodes as an extension of our proof of concept and a teaser for PBS stations nationwide.

So look out for Blackademics, coming to a twitter feed, a Facebook Page and a YouTube channel near you. Again, that first release date is April 26, 2012.

Oh, and if you like what we are doing, share it, like it, friend it, subscribe to it. Give us feedback and help us spread Black Studies scholarship far and wide.

Dr. Kevin Michael Foster
Executive Producer