Welcome to the virtual African American Read-In!
Welcome to the Virtual African American Read-In! Discover, read, and enjoy a variety of books by Black authors through your virtual PCC Library. Plus, when you use the PCC Library online, you have access to streaming media, too! Scroll down to access all materials.
eBooks are books that you can read online. Click on the titles to read any of the below eBooks!
The PCC Library is a satellite branch of the Pueblo City-County Library District. Regardless of which PCC campus you attend, you can sign up for a public library card for access to streaming media, eBooks, and test prep.
You can also talk to librarians at these and other local libraries to find books and more:
Streaming media is documentaries and other videos you can watch online. Click play to watch any of the below videos!
The Apollo: "The Apollo, directed by Oscar® and Emmy® winner Roger Ross Williams, chronicles the legacy of New York City’s landmark Apollo Theater, covering the rich history of the storied performance space over its 85 years. What began as a refuge for marginalized artists emerged as a hallowed hall of black excellence and empowerment. In the film, Williams reflects on the struggle of black lives in America, the role that art plays in that struggle, and the part the Apollo Theater continues to play in the cultural conversation. Weaving together archival footage of music, comedy and dance performances with behind-the-scenes verité footage of the team that makes the theater run, the film features interviews with such artists as Angela Bassett, Common, Jamie Foxx, Doug E. Fresh, Savion Glover, Patti LaBelle, Paul McCartney, Smokey Robinson, and Pharrell Williams. Parallel to the historical narrative, THE APOLLO examines the current state of race in America, chronicling the multimedia stage adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ acclaimed Between the World and Me as it comes together on the theater’s grand stage. An HBO Production." (Films on Demand and HBO, 2019).
Black Hollywood: Blaxploitation and Advancing an Independent Black Cinema: "This 1984 feature documentary explores the role of black actors, black directors, and the black audience in American movies. Lorenzo Tucker, known as the Black Valentino, discusses his career with Oscar Micheaux. Joel Fluellen and Vincent Tubbs tell memorable stories of what life was like for the few blacks working in Hollywood in the 50s and 60s including Dorothy Dandridge. Also included are interviews with Diahnne Abbott, Rosalind Cash, and Alfre Woodard, who talk about negative stereotyping. Jim Brown, Vonetta McGee, and D'Urville Martin come up with alternative solutions to the one-way street that was "blaxploitation" and discuss new ways of advancing an independent black cinema. Included is a marvelous speech by Sidney Poitier on accepting the Black Hall of Fame "Oscar.” Grandmaster Flash and his "Message" is the theme tune and the writer Oscar Williams holds the whole show together with his advice to the creative outsider.
Making Black America: Episode 4: "Despite the gains of legal desegregation, hour four reveals a fervent desire for Black spaces and institutions that provide a safe place to debate, organize and celebrate. Host Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores how Black cultural and political movements - from Black Power to Black Twitter - embraced a radical consciousness that championed a new generation. Distributed by PBS Distribution." (Films on Demand and PBS, 2022).
Mother of Kings: The True Untold Story of Mrs. Alberta King: "See how Mrs. King, the Matriarch of the First Family of Non-Violence, experienced extreme violence when she was tragically shot and killed at church." (Films on Demand and FilmHub, 2022).
Resistance in a Hostile Environment: Black Power: "Charting the period between 1961 and 1971, this is a searing account of how members of the British Black Power movement challenged police oppression and political prejudice. At the heart of the documentary is a series of astonishing interviews with past activists, many of whom are speaking for the first time about what it was really like to be involved in the British Black Power movement, bringing to life one of the key cultural revolutions in the history of the nation. A BBC Production." (Films on Demand and BBC, 2021).
Unapologetic: "After two police killings, Black millennial organizers challenge a Chicago administration complicit in state violence against its Black residents. Told through the lens of Janaé and Bella, two fierce abolitionist leaders, Unapologetic is a deep look into the Movement for Black Lives, from the police murder of Rekia Boyd to the election of Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Distributed by PBS Distribution." (Films on Demand and PBS, 2022).
