In October of 1871, the oldest University in Nashville TN, teetered on the brink of collapse. To survive, Fisk University staked its last $40 on a set of field hymns and 10 descendants of American slavery. The singing group carried melodies their families shared in secret from the cotton fields of middle Tennessee to the high court of the Queen of England. The landmark tours of the Fisk Jubilee Singers rescued a university, gave Nashville its identity, and set the course of American music. 

One hundred fifty years later the journey of the Fisk Jubilee Singers continues. Immerse yourself in the music and voices of the original chorus and hear how their stories are transformed through poetry in this one-hour special “Three Castles and the Music City.”

Produced in partnership with Nashville Public Radio [WPLN]
Hosted by: Destiny Birdsong
Co-Written and Produced by: Joshua Moore and Colleen Phelps
Editing by: Anita Bugg
Transcription by: Ayinde Jean-Baptiste

Poets:
Destiny Birdsong
Ciona Rouse
Bryan Byrdlong

All The Apostles are Black, All the Saints Queer, and All of Them Are Brave: towards a queer canon (Pt.2) 

Hello, hi Beloveds! Welcome back to the second installment of our Roll Call episode. We are your hosts, Kopano Maroga and Maneo Mohale, and we are sluts for history and sluts for discourse and are going to be picking the brains of our fabulous guests Koleka Putuma (featured in part 1) and Nakhane (featured in part 2) speaking all things blackness, South Africanness, craft, microaggressions, white twinks and black queer ancestors. We are joined in these episodes by voicenote interludes from black, queer South African artists Gugulethu Duma (aka Dumama who opens and closes the show), Lindiwe Mngxitama and Kneo Mokgopa. Special thanks to our magnificent producer, Maia McDonald, and our generous mentors, Danez Smith and Jenna Wortham, for holding space for us and holding our hands through the process. 

Big, black, slutty love!

Maneo & Kopano

Hosted by: Kopano Maroga and Maneo Mohale

Featuring: Nakhane, Kneo Mokgopa, and Gugulethu Duma

Produced by: Maia McDonald

All The Apostles are Black, All the Saints Queer, and All of Them Are Brave: towards a queer canon (Pt.1)

Hello, hi Beloveds! We are Kopano Maroga and Maneo Mohale and we have the absolute honour of hosting this 2 part episode of Roll Call for you produced by the Poetry Foundation. We are sluts for history and sluts for discourse and are going to be picking the brains of our fabulous guests Koleka Putuma (featured in part 1) and Nakhane (featured in part 2) speaking all things blackness in these episodes. South Africanness, craft, microaggressions, white twinks and black queer ancestors. We are joined in these episodes by voicenote interludes from black, queer South African artists Gugulethu Duma (aka Dumama who opens and closes the show), Lindiwe Mngxitama and Kneo Mokgopa. Special thanks to our magnificent producer, Maia McDonald, and our generous mentors, Danez Smith and Jenna Wortham, for holding space for us and holding our hands through the process. 

Big, black, slutty love!

Maneo & Kopano

Hosted by: Kopano Maroga and Maneo Mohale

Featuring: Koleka Putuma, Gugulethu Duma, Lindiwe Mngxitama

Produced by: Maia McDonald

In this episode, black feminist poet and performance artist Gabrielle Civil grapples with the slippery, urgent nature of black time, what she calls the déjà vu. She talks to fellow poets Rashidah Ismaili and jayy dodd, scholar Michelle M. Wright, and visionary six year old Naima about poetry and history, memories and the future. This episode offers sonic experiments, spotlight readings, and intimate chats to bring the déjà vu alive. (Also check out Gabrielle’s new book the déjà vu, available 2/22/22.)

Hosted by: Gabrielle Civil
Featuring: Rashidah Ismaili, jayy dodd, Michelle M. Wright and Naima
Produced by: Tyree Rush
Transcription by: Kristen Jeré

Poets:
Octavia Butler
Nikki Giovanni
Alexis Pauline Gumbs

This episode is a roundtable discussion between Brittany, Maurisa, and Ajanae. We discuss the way that friendship has sustained us and been the catalyst for our growth as writers. We also highlight other literary friendships that inspire and guide our practices (i.e Pat Parker and Audre Lorde, Cornelius Eady and Toi Derricotte, Willie Kinard and AsiahMae, etc) and how valuable community is to the development of Black writers.

Hosted by: Maurisa Li-A-Ping, Brittany Rogers and Ajanae Dawkins
Produced by: Camille Mojica
Transcription by: Victor Jackson

When many people think of experimental Black poetry, they imagine Jazz, or spoken word, or vernacular––they “envision” sound. But what about poetry you can see? In this episode, Keith S. Wilson talks with poets Alison C. Rollins and Chaun Webster about visual poetry. What is it? Where does it come from?  What strange things does it do to our sense of time?

Show Notes:
Hosted by: Keith S Wilson
Produced by: Original Sound Design and Production by Justin Zullo
Transcription by:Kristen Jeré
Featured work: “A Song by Any Other Name” by Alison C Rollins and “Untitled” from Wail Song by Chaun Webster

Show Description

Can any label or identity explain our freedom, our community or history? How do you identify and what does it mean? In this special episode with Jasminne Mendez, Darrel Alejandro Holnes and Raina J. León explores the fluidity of terms and identity as Black Latinx,o,e,a people from the diaspora. Work featured by Toni Morrison, Aracelis Girmay, Alan Pelaez Lopez and Elizabeth Acevedo. Episode produced by Cin Pimentel. Transcription by Victor Jackson.

Show Notes 

Social Media for Darrel – @blackboytraveljoy (Insta) and darrelholnes.com (website)
Books: Stepmotherland (Notre Dame University Press, 2022); Migrant Psalms (Northwestern University Press, 2021)

Social Media for Raina – @rainaleon (IG, Twitter, Facebook) and rainaleon.com (website); @storyjoyinc on IG and Twitter and storyjoyinc.com and check out acentosreview.com and @acentosreview on IG and Twitter and Facebook
Books and other work: Canticle of Idols ( CW Books, 2008); profeta without refuge (Nomadic Press, 2016); Areyto to Atabey: Essays on the Mother(ing) Self (Alley Cat Books, 2019); Boogeyman Dawn; sombra : (dis)locat

Social Media for Jasminne – IG/Twitter: @jasminnemendez 
Website: www.jasminnemendez.com

Social Media for Cin- Cin Pim – cinpim.com 

Additional list of Afro-Latinx authors to check out

★  Jasminne Mendez
★  Darrel Alejandro Holnes
★  Raina J. León
★  Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa
★  Grisel Y. Acosta
★  Willie Perdomo
★  Aracelis Girmay
★  Alan Pelaez Lopez
★  Ariana Brown
★  John Murillo
★  Elizabeth Acevedo
★  Thea Matthews
★  Kay Nilsson
★  Dizzy Jenkins
★  Avotcja
★  Yesenia Montilla 
★  Roberto Carlos Garcia
★  Mathew Rodriguez
★  Azuah
★  Adriana Herrera
★  Aya de León
★  Sulma Arzu-Brown

Prompts for teachers considering teaching the podcast

★ When you consider the title of the podcast, What the water carries, what comes to mind?
★ Listen to the quotation from Toni Morrison. What does it mean to you?
        ○ Read the essay, The Site of Memory, after you have listened to the podcast. How are the ideas of the podcast and the essay in conversation with one another?
★ In this prompt, watch Aracelis Girmay read another section from The Black Maria. Have you ever been suspected of doing or being something or someone you are not?  Write about that. In partners, tell this story to someone else. After you have shared this story, tell your partner who you are or how you want to be seen and in answer, your partner should say, “I see you you for who you are and who you want to be”. Write about what it is to hear that sentence from someone who is not your family or dearest friend.
★ Consider the term Latinx? What does it mean for you? One of the poets mentioned, Alan Pelaez Lopez, talks about how the “x” is a sign of a wound, not a trend. What do they mean? How does the essay complicate your understanding of what it means to be Latinx?
★ What are the songs that you keep on repeat, the songs that you need to hear over and over again, the songs that reveal an important part of who you are? Listen to “La Rebelión” by Joe Arroyo. Now read the poem from Elizabeth Acevedo mentioned in the podcast. Follow Acevedo’s form to write your own poem
        ○ First stanza: reveal a memory of a particular moment when you heard that song you love
        ○ Second stanza: incorporate a line or a word from the song you love and how it connects to your body or reveals who you are
        ○ Third stanza: tell us about the place around this memory.  Where is the story you are telling taking place?
        ○ Fourth stanza: Show is you dancing or moving to this music that you treasure.

Friends, we’ve reached the end–Franny, Danez, and producer Daniel say their goodbyes after five wonderful years as the crew of VS. The team reminisces on some of their favorite moments from the show, tells some behind the scenes gems, and gets a lil weepy by the end. As we say in the episode, we are so deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to create this show for you. Thank you for your ears, time, attention, and love. 

Stay subscribed for VS Presents Roll Call, a limited series launching early 2022 about the past, present, and futures of Black poetry, as well as VS season 6 with our new hosts and producer!

NOTE: Make sure you rate us on Apple Podcasts and write us a review

On our last guest interview (oh god!), the squad is joined by masterful poet and overall champion Rachel McKibbens. Recording from the spooky, amazing bar she runs in Rochester, Rachel breaks down her comfort with violence, the power of stopping without providing an ending, the joy and uniqueness of her Pink Door retreat, and much more.

NOTE: Make sure you rate us on Apple Podcasts and write us a review!