Black preachers and narratives of the independence

A very interesting discussion introducing a collection of sermons by Black preachers (1750-2010), from the first Black ministers to today.

You've all heard Martin Luther King's speech; even if his style is quite unique, it is interesting to see how he is deeply grounded in a long standing tradition of preaching in African-American churches. To learn more about this tradition of Black preaching, listen to this story from NPR News and Notes. This is a very well crafted and edited broadcast, with analysis, comment and examples from sermons preached by African-American ministers.

W.E.B. Du Bois wrote in the Souls of Black Folk that the three main features of the preaching style of African-American preachers were the preacher, the music and the frenzy. I think this is very accurate description for many of these sermons including the one we studied in the seminar on the civil rights movement.

For those of you who are interested in the history of decolonisation, there is currently a very good series of radio broadcasts, in French, on France Culture : Boulevard des Indépendances. I listened to the episode on the independence of Congo and found that it was a brilliant example of how one can try and reconstruct events. The events are narrated by different eyewitnesses and participants who provide clues and partial explanations to the causes of the succession of events; but, ultimately, the listeners have to do the historian's work of analysis and piecing together the meaning of these events. You can listen to this series on the radio, online or podcast each of the shows.

Enjoy the summer holidays.

The Tea Party : past and present

Here's an interesting inquiry into the modern Tea Party's connection with the American Revolution and how its activists feel about the historical events of the past. Disclaimer : it comes from a rather liberal media, The New Yorker.

Excerpt from Sarafina : video posted for group 2

Britain has a new PM

Gordon Brown tendered his resignation to the Queen and gave a last speech in front of Number 10 Downing Street, before leaving with his wife and two sons.

7.56pm: Here is Brown's resignation speech:

As you know, the general election left no party able to command a majority in the House of Commons.

I said I would do all that I could to ensure a strong, stable and principled government was formed, able to tackle Britain's economic and political challenges effectively.

My constitutional duty is to make sure that a government can be formed following last Thursday's general election.

I have informed the Queen's private secretary that it's my intention to tender my resignation to the Queen. In the event that the Queen accepts, I shall advise her to invite the leader of the opposition to form a government. I wish the next prime minister well as he makes the important choices for the future.

Only those who have held the office of prime minister can understand the full weight of its responsibilities and its great capacity for good. I have been privileged to learn much about the very best in human nature, and a fair amount too about its frailties, including my own. Above all, it was a privilege to serve. And, yes, I loved the job, not for its prestige, its title and its ceremony, which I do not love at all. No, I loved this job for its potential, to make this country I love fairer, more tolerant, more green, more democratic, more prosperous and more just – truly a greater Britain.

In the face of many challenges in a few short years, challenges up to and including the global financial meltdown, I have always strived to serve, to do my best in the interests of Britain, its values and its people. And let me add one thing also. I will always admire the courage I have seen in our armed forces. And now that the political season is over, let me stress that having shaken their hands and looked into their eyes, our troops represent all that is best in our country and I will never forget all those who have died in honour and whose families today live in grief.

My resignation as leader of the Labour party will take effect immediately. In this hour I want to thank all my colleagues, ministers, members of parliament. And I want to thank above all my staff who have been friends as well as brilliant servants of the country. Above all, I want to thank Sarah for her unwavering support, as well as her love, and for her own service to our country. I thank my sons John and Fraser for the love and joy they bring to our lives. And as I leave the second most important job I could ever hold I cherish even more the first, as a husband and father. Thank you and goodbye.

Would you like to hear it for yourselves?

I've simply selected a snipet from the Guardian's live blog for my first year students who might remember what the new Clause 4 of the Labour Party is about...

8.25pm: Brown is in Labour HQ delivering a speech to party workers. He quotes the section from the new clause four about the people achieving more through the strength of their common endeavour.

Shortly after this, David Cameron went to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen and to "kiss hands". He then made a short speech before entering in Number 10.

The video is available on the Telegraph's website.

And that's all for tonight, folks.

the endgame?

Apparently the discussion with Labour has collapsed and Nick Clegg will shortly be entering into a coalition governement led by David Cameron. At least that's what is suggested in the latest up-dates on the live coverage of the day by the Telegraph and the Guardian.

Another great interactive feature from the Guardian to find out what Nick Clegg's secret list caught on camero through a car window contains.

I just copied this quotation from the Guardian's live coverage of the election aftermath:

8.39am: George Osborne, the shadow chancellor, has just been on the Today programme. He dismissed suggestions that the Tories could form a minority government.

I keep reading about this option and I'm afraid it doesn't really exist. We can't just turn up at Buckingham Palace and say we'd like to form a minority government. We would need the consent of the Liberal Democrats to form a minority government.

For this quotation in its context and much more on the election, visit the http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/may/11/general-election-2010-live-blog

Last night there were a few major moves made by all three parties:

- the Lib-Dems had been talking in secret to Labour

- Gordon Brown announced he would be resigning as PM before the next party conference (around November) and offered electoral reform to Lib-Dems in exchange for a coalition

- The Conservatives counter with an offer of a referendum on AV ( see bottom of my last post for an explanation on this electoral system) and a full coalition

Now, Nick Clegg and his party have to decide whether they wish to support the party to which they feel closest or the party which has the most MPs in Parliament.