IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY FIFTH THIRD BANK AND BY THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES.

I AM ANGEL IDOWU.

BRANDIS FRIEDMAN HAS THE EVENING OFF.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING A PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US CARED ON THE SHOW TONIGHT, IN A YEAR UNLIKE ANY OTHER PUBLIC ART HAS BLOSSOMED ON CHICAGO STREETS.

WE WILL TALK TO ARTISTS ON HOW ART HAS THE POWER TO INFORM, EDUCATE AS WELL AS BEAUTIFY.

>>> THIS MONTH'S VOICES WILL CLUB SELECTION IS A BOOK BY REVEREND DOCTOR CT VIVIAN.

WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE CO-AUTHOR AND THE BOOKS LEGACY.

>> JOHN SAID LET THAT BOY BOOGIE-WOOGIE BECAUSE IT IS IN HIM AND LET IT COME OUT.

>> I SAT DOWN WITH BLUES HARMONICA PLAYER, BILLY BRANCH.

>>> LAST YEAR BROUGHT TURMOIL TO THE CITY BUT ALSO A LURCHING OF OUTLOOK ART, ESPECIALLY MURALS.

IN CHICAGO MURALS THAT RESONATE WITH THE COMMUNITIES HAS A LONG TRADITION BEGINNING WITH THE FAMOUS 1967 WALL OF RESPECT WHICH DEPICTED BLACK LUMINARIES.

TODAY, SCENES OF JUSTICE, PRIDE AND COMMUNITY HAVE BLOSSOMED INTO MURALS ON CHICAGO STREETS AND STOREFRONTS CREATING A CONSTANTLY EVOLVING AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING BACKDROP FOR A TUMULTUOUS YEAR.

JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT POWER OF PUBLIC ART ARE, ARTIST DORIAN SYLVAIN WHO WAS THE LEAD ARTIST FOR THE NEURAL MOVES CAMPAIGN AND ARTIST, EDUCATOR AND CURATOR, JUAREZ HAWKINS WHO WAS ALSO ADJUNCT FACULTY AT CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

I WANT TO GET RIGHT INTO IT.

JUAREZ, I KNOW YOUR MOTHER ORIGINALLY HELPED CREATE THE WALL OF RESPECT.

CAN YOU TELL US THE SIGNIFICANCE THAT THAT MURAL HAS WITH CHICAGO'S BLACK COMMUNITY?

>> Guest: I CAN SPEAK STRONGLY ABOUT IT.

THE WALL OF RESPECT BECAME AN ANCHOR FOR THE COMMUNITY.

ONE, IT WAS PRIMARILY A SOURCE OF PRIDE.

IT WASN'T FUNDED BY A LOT OF EXTERNAL GRANTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

THERE WERE ARTISTS WHO CAME TOGETHER WHO WANTED TO CREATE SOMETHING MEANINGFUL IN THE COMMUNITY AND AS A CHILD GROWING UP AROUND THE CORNER IT DID BECOME THE SOURCE OF UNDERSTANDING OF OUR HISTORY BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE THERE.

WE TOOK PRIDE IN BEING ABLE TO RECITE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ON THE WALL.

ON A LONGER, BROADER SENSE, IT REALLY SPARKED THE MURAL CAMPAIGN THAT PERMEATED NOT ONLY CHICAGO COMMUNITIES BUT REALLY, NATIONWIDE.

WALLS STARTED TO POP UP ALONG CHICAGO AND YOU SAW AN EXPLOSION OF MURALS IN THE LATIN X COMMUNITY AND ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY PEOPLE WOULD SEE THE WALL ART, PUBLIC ART WAS A VERY POTENT WAY TO GET THE MESSAGE ACROSS TO THE BIGGEST GROUP OF PEOPLE POSSIBLE.

>> Host: THAT'S TRUE.

DORIAN, I KNOW CHICAGO ARTISTS, EUGENE WADE AND OTHER ARTISTS TRIED TO RE-CREATE THAT MURAL.

HE RECENTLY PASSED.

CAN YOU SHARE HIS LEGACY AND HIS IMPACT ON PUBLIC ART?

>> Guest: EUGENE EDA, WHICH IS WHAT WE CALLED HIM, EDA WADE WAS A GIANT FIGURE IN THE PUBLIC ARTS MOVEMENT AND A GIANT FIGURE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY MOVEMENT THAT GREW INTO THE BLACK ARTS MOVEMENT.

PART OF WHAT MADE EDA SUCH A GIANT FIGURE IS THAT HE WAS UNAPOLOGETICALLY LACKBLACK.

HE WANTED HIS WORK TO BE ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE, FOR BLACK PEOPLE AND ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE.AS FAR AS HIS WORK ON THE WALL OF RESPECT, HIS GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT WAS A SERIES OF DOORS THAT HE DID FOR MALCOLM X COLLEGE IN WHICH HE GROUNDED ALL OF HIS DESIGNS IN THE HISTORY OF EGYPT.

IT WAS A MOMENT JUST LIKE IN THE 60S WHERE HE CLAIMED TO BE HISTORY AS A FRAMEWORK TO TALK ABOUT BLACK GREATNESS AND TO BE AN INSPIRATION FOR BLACK COMMUNITY WHICH EMBODIED MALCOLM X AT THE TIME.

THEY WE'RE ABLE TO ENJOY HIS WORK FOR DECADES.

>> Host: JUAREZ, CAN I ASK WHAT YOU WOULD SAY IS MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT PUBLIC ARTISTS AND DISCOURSE TODAY?

>> Guest: IT HAS A LOT OF ROLES.

THE MORE IMPORTANT ONES MOVE BEYOND JUST DECORATION.

IF YOU WERE LOOKING AT, LET'S SAY 71ST STREET AND JEFFREY, THE PROJECT THERE FOR EXAMPLE, IT BROUGHT A LOT OF RIGHTNESS AND VIBRANCY.

NOW YOU SEE MURALS POPPING ALL THE WAY DOWN 71ST STREET DOWN THAT CORNER.

IT CERTAINLY GIVES A SENSE OF HOPE AND INSPIRATION BUT IT ALSO HAS THE POWER TO COMMUNICATE A LOT WHAT WE SAW IN BROTHER EDA AND HIS WORK WAS THAT PRIDE AND HERITAGE AND PRIDE IN OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND THAT PERMEATED HIS WORK THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE FROM THE WALL OF TRUTH THROUGH THE PROJECTS HE COLLABORATED ON WITH WILLIAM WALKER ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE DOORS AND THE MURALS.

>> Host: DORIAN, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, I KNOW THAT PUBLIC ART CREATES AN AGENCY FOR PUBLIC ART THAT INSTITUTIONS DON'T PROVIDE BUT INKING OF THE FACT THAT THEY ARE NOT LONG TERM, WOULD YOU SAY THAT IS AN ADVANTAGE OR A DISADVANTAGE?

>> Guest: I THINK IT MIGHT DEPEND ON HOW YOU LOOK AT IT.

AS A CHANGE ITSELF, IT'S PAR FOR THE COURSE, THEY SAY THAT THE PAINT WILL WHETHER, IT WILL FADE, IT WILL FLAKE OFF.

IT IS NOT AS PERMANENT AS A MEDIUM SAY AS MOSAIC WOULD BE.

HOWEVER, SOMETIMES ART IS JUST A REFLECTION OF IT'S MOMENTS, OF IT'S TIME.

WE ARE ALSO CHILDREN OF IT'S TIME AND WE SPEAK TO IT'S EXPERIENCE.

I THINK THIS SHOWS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT A MURAL AND EVEN WATCHING IT'S LIFESPAN.

GO THROUGH A BRAND-NEW ITERATION TO SOMETHING THAT HAS OVERTIME BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND MAYBE WE ARE WATCHING THIS WEATHERING AND AGING.

I AM A PROPONENT FOR RESTORATION.

I DON'T ALWAYS WANT TO SEE MURALS HAVE THIS LONG SLOW DEATH.

I DO BELIEVE THERE IS TIME AND SPACE FOR INTERVENTION AND SOME MURALS AROUND THE CITY ARE SO IMPORTANT TO OUR PATROL FABRIC.

SPEAKING PARTICULARLY OF CALVIN JONES, MITCHELL KRYPTON WHO HAS DONE AMAZING WORK AROUND THE CITY.

WE NEED TO HOLD ONTO THAT.

I THINK IT ADDS VALUE FOR OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

>> Host: JUAREZ, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK WHAT PUBLIC ART PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CREATIVE THAT MAY NOT SEE THEMSELVES FULLY AS ARTISTS BUT WANT TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES AND HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY.

>> Guest: I WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE STORY OF WORKING ON THE PROJECT ON 71ST STREET.

A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WOULD COME UP AND ASK, CAN I DO SOMETHING WE'LL CAN I HELP?

EVEN IF IT'S JUST A FEW BRUSHSTROKES OR THEIR NAME, PEOPLE WANTED TO BE A PART OF THAT.

IT'S A DEMOCRATIC WAY OF WHAT ART MAKING IS.

IT IS MORE COMMUNAL.

YOU SEE MULTIGENERATIONAL INFLUENCES THERE, I WAS WORKING ALONGSIDE STUDENTS, ALONGSIDE ELDERS.

IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE TO COME OUT AND HAVE A HAND IN THAT CREATION.

THAT IS HOW MY MOTHER GOT INVOLVED WITH THEIR WALL OF RESPECT.

SHE WAS NOT AN ORIGINAL MEMBER OF ABBASI BUT SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY .

WE LIVED AROUND THE CORNER.

SHE WANTED TO PUT HER ARTISTIC STAMP ON IT AND HAVE A HAND IN IT.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING TO OPEN UP THE PATH OF PARTICIPATION.

>> Host: DORIAN, YOU MENTIONED THAT A LOT OF THE BOARDS THAT WERE PAINTED LAST SUMMER ARE BEING REPURPOSED.

WHAT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES DO YOU SEE PUBLIC ART HAVING THAT LONGEVITY CITY?

>>.

>> Guest: I SEE PUBLIC ART RING INTEGRAL IN THE FABRIC OF OUR CULTURAL LANDSCAPE IN CHICAGO.

NOT ONLY ARE THE ORGANIZATIONS FUNDING MORE PUBLIC PROJECTS BUT EVEN OUR CITY AND STATE ARE PUTTING MORE MONEY BEHIND PUBLIC EXPRESSION.

TO SOME DEGREE IT IS PULLED OFF OF THE IDEA OF NEEDING MORE MONUMENTS THAT ARE MORE REPRESENTATIONAL.

TO A LARGE DEGREE IT COMES FROM THE IDEA OF COMMUNITY NEEDING VOICES AND HAVE THEIR OWN EXPRESSIONS TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN AESTHETIC.

I FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT IT.I FEEL MORE PUBLIC ART HAPPENING ALL THE TIME.

>> Host: THANK YOU SO MUCH LADIES, I THINK THAT WILL DO IT FOR US.

MY THANKS TO JUAREZ HAWKINS AND DORIAN SYLVAIN FOR JOINING US.

>> Guest: THANK YOU!

>> Host: UP NEXT A NEW BIOGRAPHY ABOUT A CIVIL RIGHTS PIONEER WHO STOOD ALONGSIDE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

STICK AROUND.

>>.

>> Host: DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CALLED MINISTER AND FELLOW CIVIL RIGHTS PIONEER THE GREATEST CREATURE TO EVER LIVE .

WELL BEFORE HIS WORK A LONG TIME CAME ANOTHER ACTIVIST ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND VIVIAN WAS PARTICIPATING IN NONVIOLENT PROTEST HERE IN ILLINOIS STARTING WITH A 1947 SIT IN DEMONSTRATION AT SHIPS CAFETERIA IN PEORIA.

IF YOU DIED IN 2020 AT 95 YEARS OLD JUST AS HE WAS COMPLETING HIS MEMOIR LEADING CO-AUTHOR, STEVE PFEIFFER TO FINISH THE BOOK.

THE RESULT OF THEIR COLLABORATION IS THIS MONTH'S BLACK VOICES BOOK COLLABORATION.IT IS CALLED IN THE ACTION, MEMORIES OF A NONVIOLENT WARRIOR.VIVIAN'S CO-AUTHOR, STEVE PFEIFFER, JOINS US NOW TO TALK ABOUT IT.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS AFTERNOON.

>> Guest: I AM HAPPY TO BE HERE, ANGEL, THANK YOU.

>> Host: HOW DID YOU AND VIVIAN DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP?

>> Guest: IN 2014 I WAS WORKING ON A BOOK, I APPEARED ON WTTW ON THIS BOOK CALLED JIMMY LEE AND JAMES.

TWO LIVES, TWO DEATHS AND A MOVEMENT THAT CHANGED AMERICA.

IT WAS ABOUT A FIGHT FOR VOTING RIGHTS IN ALABAMA IN 1965 AND PUSH FOR THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT.

DOCTOR VIVIAN WAS IN SELMA AT THAT TIME IN 1965, GARY IN DILI INVOLVED IN THAT MOVEMENT AND I WANTED TO INTERVIEW HIM FOR THE BOOK.

I CALLED HIM AND WE STRUCK UP A LOVELY CORRESPONDENCE.

WHEN I LEARNED THAT HERE WAS THIS MAN, 90 YEARS OLD AND HE HAD BEEN SO INVOLVED IN EVERY STOP ALONG THE JOURNEY OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT HE HADN'T A BOOK ABOUT HIS ACTIVITIES AND I SAID YOU HAVE TO WRITE A MEMOIR.

WE WENT BACK AND FORTH THAT WE FINALLY DECIDED TO COLLABORATE.

>> Host: I KNOW HE WAS A BIG PART OF THE COLLABORATION OF THIS BOOK BUT I WANT TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO WRITE THIS BOOK ONCE HE HAD PASSED?

>> Guest: IT WAS DIFFICULT, AS YOU SAID .

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CALLED HIM THE GREATEST PREACHER THAT EVER LIVED.

CHANNELING THAT VOICE IS RATHER DAUNTING OR ANYONE.

AND, FORTUNATELY I HAD A LOT RECORDINGS WITH HIM FROM INTERVIEWS AND THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET.

YOUTUBE'S OF HIS SERMONS AND OTHER INTERVIEWS.

HIS FAMILY WAS WONDERFUL TO GIVE ME THE DOCUMENTS.

WE PUT IT TOGETHER AS BEST WE COULD.

>> Host: ABSOLUTELY.

I KNOW DOCTOR VIVIAN HAD MENTIONED HOW INSTRUMENTAL HIS WIFE, OCTAVIA WAS.

CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP?

>> Guest: I AM GLAD YOU ASKED ABOUT THAT .

THE WOMEN OF THE MOVEMENT AT THAT TIME ARE NOT GIVEN AS MUCH CREDIT AS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN.

HE GAVE CREDIT TO OCTAVIA IN GREAT DOSES THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE.

SHE WAS AN ACTIVIST IN HER OWN RIGHT IN PONTIAC, MICHIGAN BEFORE THEY MET.

THEY MET IN PEORIA IN THE EARLY 1950S.

ONCE THEY GOT MARRIED AND HE WENT TO SEMINARY AND STARTED HAVING CHILDREN, SHE WENT INTO THE BACKGROUND AND JUST SUPPORTED HIM WHEN HE WENT OFF ON THESE VERY DANGEROUS MISSIONS BE AT SELMA, BE IT THE FREEDOM RIGHT AND SAINT AUGUSTINE IN 1964.

ALL THE STOPS ALONG THE MOVEMENT.

SHE WAS HOME TAKING CARE OF THE KIDS.

BUT, I HAVE TALKED TO THE FAMILY A LOT ABOUT THIS.

SHE WAS PROTECTING THE KIDS FROM NEWS ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE MOVEMENT.

SHE WAS WORKING SO THAT THEY COULD PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.

SHE WAS SUPPORTING HIM AND SAYING, YOU GO OFF.

EVEN IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO YOU, THE FAMILY WILL BE OKAY.

>> Host: WHILE.

IN 2013 DOCTOR VIVIAN WAS AWARDED THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM.

HERE IS A LIP OF THAT.

>> ROSA PARKS A SET OF HIM, EVEN AFTER THINGS WERE SUPPOSEDLY TAKING CARE OF AND WE HAD OUR RIGHT, HE WAS STILL OUT THERE INSPIRING THE REST OF THE GENERATION INCLUDING ME.

HELPING KIDS GO TO A COLLEGE WITH A PROGRAM CALLED UPWARD BOUND .

AND AT 89 YEARS OLD REVERENT VIVIAN IS STILL OUT THERE PUSHING US CLOSER TO OUR FOUNDING IDEAS.

>> Host: MR. PFEIFFER, I AM CURIOUS WHAT YOU SOUGHT THAT DOCTOR VIVIAN THOUGHT OF THIS FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT?

>> Guest: HE TOLD ME HE NEVER THOUGHT HE WOULD LIVE TO SEE A LACK PRESIDENT.

HE WAS SO HAPPY THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA HAD BEEN ELECTED AND THAT HE HAD ACCESS TO HIM AT VARIOUS TIMES TO PROVIDE COUNSEL.

HE WAS SO HONORED TO BE IN THE COMPANY OF OTHER RECIPIENTS OF THIS AWARD LIKE JOHN LEWIS, ANOTHER FELLOW ATLANTEAN, HANK AARON AND ALL THE OTHER WONDERFUL MOVEMENT LEADERS WHO HAD PRECEDED HIM.

IT WAS REALLY QUITE AN HONOR.

HE HAD A VERY SOFT SPOT IN HIS HEART FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA.

AND IF I MAY, THEY HAD A RELATIONSHIP THAT DATED BACK TO WHEN IT WAS CANDIDATE OBAMA IN SELMA IN 2007 GIVING A SPEECH DURING THE BLOOD HE SUNDAY COMMEMORATION.

OBAMA HAD A LIST OF ALL THE DIGNITARIES THAT WERE IN THE AUDIENCE TO HEAR HIM.

DOCTOR VIVIAN'S NAME WAS NOT ON THAT LIST AND OBAMA ADD AD LIBS, THERE'S ONE-PERSON ON THE LIST AND WE WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT HIM AND THAT WAS REVEREND VIVIAN WHO MARTIN LUTHER KING CALLED THE GREATEST PREACHER EVER LIVED.

DOCTOR VIVIAN SAID HE GOT TEARS IN HIS EYES WHEN CANDIDATE OBAMA RECOGNIZED HIM.

>> Host: IT SO INTERESTING THAT YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.

I WANTED TO ADD IN THIS CONVERSATION, PICKING YOUR BRAIN OF WHY DOCTOR VIVIAN HAS NOT RECEIVED THE SAME RECOGNITION AS A LOT OF OTHER CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS.

>> Guest: I TALKED TO THE FAMILY ABOUT THIS AND ANDREW YOUNG.

THE TITLE OF THE BOOK, IT IS IN THE ACTION, SAYS IT ALL IN A WAY BECAUSE DOCTOR VIVIAN WAS ALL ABOUT THE ACTION AND HE WAS ALWAYS BUSY, ALWAYS DOING SOMETHING, EVEN AFTER THE MOVEMENT.

AS OBAMA SAID RECOGNIZING HIM IN CREATING UPWARD BOUNCE.

HE CREATED ONE OF THE FIRST REMOTE LEARNING SYSTEMS.

AND HE FOUGHT WHITE SUPREMACY LONG BEFORE IT BECAME POPULAR TO DO SO.

I THINK THAT HE WAS SO BUSY AND ALSO A VERY HUMBLE MAN THAT HE JUST DIDN'T HAVE TIME OR THINK THAT HE WAS WORTHY TO DO A MEMOIR.

IT COULDN'T BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.

THIS IS, I BELIEVE, A REALLY IMPORTANT BOOK TO INSPIRE A WHOLE NEW GENERATION OF PEOPLE TO BE ACTIVE.

>> Host: AGAIN, THE NAME OF THE BOOK IS, IT IS IN THE ACTION, MEMORIES OF A NONVIOLENT WARRIOR.YOU CAN READ AN EXCERPT ON OUR WEBSITE.

THANK YOU FOR STEVE PFEIFFER FOR JOINING US.

>> Guest: THANK YOU, ANGEL.

>> Host: CHICAGO'S MUSIC SCENE IS REOPENING AND ONE LOCAL ARTISTS WASTING NO TIME GETTING BACK ON STAGE.

CHICAGO BLUES RESIDENT, BILLY BRANCH SHARES WITH US PERFORMING LIFE ONCE AGAIN.

[MUSIC] >> Host: BLUES HARMONICA PLAYER, BILLY BRANCH HAS PLAYED THE MOUTH HARP SINCE HE BOUGHT HIS FIRST ONE AT 11 YEARS OLD.

>> Guest: AS SOON AS I PUT IT IN MY MOUTH I COULD PLAY ANY FULL MALADY OR CHRISTMAS CAROL THAT I COULD THINK OF.

WHEN THAT HARMONICA WOULD WEAR OUT BECAUSE I WOULD PLAY IT ALL THE TIME I WOULD GO BACK AND BUY ANOTHER ONE.

[MUSIC] >> Host: THIS NATURAL SKILL QUICKLY TURNED INTO A PASSION AND HE WENT ON TO PLAY PROFESSIONALLY FOR THE BLUES LEGEND AND CHICAGO BLUES ALL-STARS FOR YEARS.

[MUSIC] [SINGING] IT WAS AFTER PLAYING AT THE BERLIN JAZZ FESTIVAL IN 1977 WITH DIXON AND SEVERAL OTHERS THAT BRANCHES OWN GROUP, BILLY BRANCH AND THE SONS OF BLUES WAS FORMED.

>> I CONSIDERED IT AMAZING TO HAVE PLAYED WITH SUCH LEGENDARY GREAT, WILLIE DIXON AND BO DIDDLEY AND OTIS RUSH, JUNIOR WELLS.

THESE WERE THE GUYS THAT LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR THE BIG ROCK SCENE AND ROCK 'N' ROLL.

[MUSIC] >> Host: BRANCH CONTINUED HIS COMMITMENT TO THE MUSIC GENRE BY CREATING THE INTERNATIONAL BLUE SCHOOL INITIATIVE IN 1978 THAT IS STILL ACTIVE TODAY.

>> Guest: I HAVE ALWAYS SOUGHT PART OF MY ROLE AS A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN TO SOW THE SEED BECAUSE WHEN I DISCOVERED THE BLUES, THE BEAUTY OF IT, THE DEPTH OF IT, I THOUGHT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS.

>> DESPITE HIS NATIONAL OUTREACH, BRANCH SAID THERE'S MORE WORK TO BE DONE.

>> IT NEEDS TO BE EMBRACED BY IT'S CREATORS, BY IT'S ORIGINATORS BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE SITUATIONS NOW WHERE THERE ARE FESTIVALS WITH NO BLACK PERFORMERS.

BLUES FESTIVALS WHICH IS LIKE AN OXYMORON.

>> Host: WHAT MORE DO YOU THINK THE CITY COULD BE LD BE DOING TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND HONOR THE IMPACT THAT BLUES HAS HAD ON THE CITY?

>> Guest: THE CITY, AS A WHOLE SHOULD MORE FIERCELY EMBRACE THE BLUES.

IN A PERFECT WORLD I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PEOPLE LIKE COMMON AND CHANTS WHO ARE RIGHT HERE IN ERE IN CHICAGO TO DIRECT SOME OF THEIR ENERGIES AND ATTENTION TO THE BLUES.

AND, MAKE IT RELEVANT TO THE 21ST CENTURY.

>> Host: BRANCH HAS RECEIVED A NUMBER OF ACCOLADES ACKNOWLEDGING HIS WORK AS BOTH AN ACTIVIST AND MUSICIAN.

LAST YEAR HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE 2020 BLUES HALL OF FAME.

HE RECENTLY CREATED A SONG WITH ARTIST FAITH SPECTER ENTITLED THE BALLAD OF GEORGE FLOYD THAT WILL BE FEATURED IN THE WOODY GUTHRIE EXHIBIT AT THE GRAMMY MUSEUM.

>> Guest: CAN YOU MAKE IT TALK?

THEN YOU'VE GOT TO DO THIS.

[MUSIC] >> Host: AS BRANCH CONTINUES TO EDUCATE AN ADVOCATE HE SAID HIS MISSION REMAINS THE SAME.

TO GIVE BLUES THE RECOGNITION ITDESERVES .

>> Guest: EVERYONE CAN RELATE TO THIS BECAUSE IT IS THE SOUNDTRACK FOR THE HUMAN CONDITION.

EVERYBODY GOES THROUGH STRUGGLES, EVERYBODY HAS PROBLEMS.

THE BLUES IS A WAY OF RELEASING IT AND EXPRESSING IT AND MAKING IT NOT FEEL SO BAD.

[MUSIC] >> Host: AS WE MENTIONED, BRANCH WAS INDUCTED INTO THE BLUES HALL OF FAME LAST JUNE.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO READ WHAT THE ORGANIZATION HAS TO SAY ABOUT HIS CONTRIBUTION TO THE BLUES.

>>> A GARY INDIANA NATIVE MADE HISTORY AT LAST SUNDAY'S ACADEMY AWARDS.

HERE SILAS, MIA NEAL ALONG WITH HER COLLEAGUE, JAMAICA WILSON BECAME THE FIRST BLACK WOMEN TO WIN AN OSCAR FOR HAIR AND MAKEUP AND SILAS ON THE MOVIE, MIA NEAL.

IN HER ACCEPTANCE SPEECH, MIA NEAL MADE A TRIBUTE TO HER GRANDFATHER.

>> Guest: I WAS RAISED BY MY GRANDFATHER, JAMES HARMON.

HE WAS AN ORIGINAL TUSKEGEE AIRMEN.

HE WENT TO THE PAN AM GAMES, HE GRADUATED FROM NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AT A TIME THAT THEY DID NOT ALLOW BLACKS TO STAY ON CAMPUS SO HE STAYED AT THE YMCA.

AFTER ALL HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS HE WENT BACK TO HIS HOMETOWN IN HOPES OF BECOMING A TEACHER.

THEY DID NOT HIRE BLACKS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR ANCESTORS WHO PUT THE WORK IN, OR DENIED NEVER GAVE UP.

AND I ALSO STAND HERE, JAMAICA AND I BREAK THIS GLASS CEILING FOR SO MUCH EXCITEMENT FOR THE FUTURE.

[APPLAUSE] BECAUSE I CAN PICTURE BLACK TRANS WOMEN STANDING UP HERE AND ASIAN SISTERS AND OUR LATINA SISTERS AND INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND I KNOW THAT ONE DAY IT WON'T BE UNUSUAL OR GROUNDBREAKING.

IT WILL JUST BE NORMAL.

>> Host: NOW, BRANDIS FRIEDMAN SPOKE WITH MIA NEAL WHEN SHE FIRST RECEIVED HER OSCAR NOMINATION.

YOU CAN WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW ON OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS SUNDAY NIGHT.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE, WTTW.com/ NEWS THE VERY LATEST FROM WTTW NEWS.

AND, JOIN PARIS SCHUTZ AND BRANDIS FRIEDMAN THIS WEEK AT 7:00 FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT.

WE LEAVE YOU TONIGHT WITH MORE FROM CHICAGO BLUES LEGEND, BILLY BRANCH.

FOR ALL OF US TONIGHT HERE ON CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES, I AM ANGEL IDOWU.

THANKS FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

STAY HEALTHY, GOOD NIGHT.

[MUSIC]