(gentle music) (upbeat music) - Hello everyone, and welcome to "Black Nouveau."

I'm Earl Arms, and this is our December edition.

Yes, it is the holiday season, and Alexandria Mack talks with spoken word poet, Cedric Hoard.

He was in black arts MKE's production of Langston Hughes Black Nativity and will be performing for us tonight.

We'll visit the home of James and Sandra English and share their ethnic holiday decorations.

And as you may know, Milwaukee PBS is celebrating its 65th anniversary.

For more than two of those decades, Joseph Savage was a producer and director here, but he was also a second-year student in the television production curriculum when the station first went on air in 1957.

We'll talk with him about his career with MATC and Milwaukee PBS.

We begin tonight though with part two of our conversation with the Racine Blues.

In October, the baseball team was recognized by the Racine County Sports Hall of Fame.

Much of the history though, has been limited to a handful of photos and a few pages in history books and newspapers.

After their special night, though, they're hoping that changes.

- What I'm here to talk about today is part of what helped to mold me and make me a halfway decent human being.

And that's being a part of a very unique bunch of men in a very unique athletic activity.

And I think I can describe its uniqueness in about five words.

Here's the five words, passion, dedication, perseverance, inspiration and love.

I'm talking about the Racine Blues baseball team.

- [Earl] On this night at the Racine County Sports Hall of Fame ceremony, James W.R. Stills Jr. did his part to bring the memory of the Racine Blues to life.

Led by their manager Johnny Holston, the Blues traveled the country as an independent Black baseball team from the 1940s until the 1970s.

Stills says it was a game they loved so much, they were willing to play anyone and go anywhere to find competition, whether that was within the walls of a state prison, or even the depths of the Jim Crow South.

- [James S.] Everybody wasn't happy to see you.

You know what I mean?

And that, even that didn't deter us as long as we got to where we had to go.

'Cause we played in some places where they just cleared off a field and moved the cars for the outfield and stuff like that.

But we loved to play.

That was our game.

- I was 16 when I started with the Blues, and to me it was education, being around these guys.

I learned some of the funniest stuff there is, (laughs) just being around these guys.

And I'm telling you it was, it was a real experience for me.

- [Player] That bus stopped sometimes.

We had to get out and push the bus.

- [Player] Oh yeah.

- [James B.]

We did that, We would get right downtown in front of everybody.

(all laughing) - And it was always on a Saturday or a Sunday, otherwise we got in late Friday night.

But it would stop midday in front of everybody and stop.

We had to get off the bus.

And people would be like, "What they doing?

Say something about the Racine Blues on there."

Then they see our baseball uniform.

"Where you guys playing?"

We'd tell them, and then we'd push the bus.

You only had to push it about 15 feet, and you'd pop the clutch, and it'd start up.

Vroom, it'd start up.

- But one guy wouldn't get off that bus though.

You remember him?

- [James B.]

Yeah.

- Johnny Finnison would not move.

(laughs) - [James B.]

He was probably the best baseball player we had, Finnson.

I ain't getting off this damn bus.

And nobody was gonna argue with him.

But we was coming home one night, about three in the morning.

We was coming from Danville, Illinois.

We was trying to get back home in time to go to work.

And Robert Stevenson threw on the brake.

I don't know if he, He said he saw a deer coming across the road, whatever.

But we think it was that Johnny Walkers.

(all laughing) - But he slammed on the brake, and all the seats came out on the bus and rolled.

Everybody just rolled up to the front of the bus.

(laughs) - [Player] It wasn't a new bus.

- Not by long, not by a long shot.

But he put all this, Johnny put a ton of money in it.

He bought the gas, he bought the uniforms, he bought the bats and the balls.

He put his whole life into it.

And he'd tell us, I remember he said, "If you hit a home run, you get a dollar.

If you got a triple, you got 75 cent."

- Shoot, I'd get me a triple.

- I'd get me a triple all the time - [Earl] Along with the financial challenges, Denory Brye talks about growing older and losing the teammates he grew so close with during his time with the Blues.

- It's hard to be, 'cause you lose your whole family.

In 56 when I started with them, they come up.

Ain't nobody here now but me and him.

So to me, I lost a whole family.

- A lot of the guys that came up with Norris, they got a lot of attention from the original baseball league.

Okay, the white leagues.

All right.

And many of them had tryouts with the professional teams only for the owners of the professional teams to find out how old they were.

And they would refuse to take them because of the age.

And they couldn't believe that they was playing at that high level of play at the age that they were.

And I can go down the line and name 10 or 12 guys that had tryouts and everything went well till they asked him they age, and then they shake their head and said, "No."

- [Player] You look at Satchel Page, he was a 42-year old rookie.

Stachel Page, (laughs) he was something else.

There was one other pitcher too used to pitch with Satchel.

But he made it to the big leagues, but it was 42 years old.

But the boy could throw the ball.

Can you blame him?

- Yeah.

- [Earl] The men also talked about the lack of press they received when they played.

- There was no pictures taken, like every game now you see, they got the newspaper got article like say the Raiders or something.

The next day you read about that.

But when we played ball, that was I can't recall ever seeing anything like that.

- From the perspective of publicity and given, you know community wide attention and so forth at some pretty tough times for our nation.

We, we all know the Racine Belles baseball team, the girl's baseball team, they're all over the city.

If you go to our mall over at the Regency and you go down the hall, you'll see big pictures of the Racine Belles.

We really have not gotten the attention we've had.

Our audiences were mixed, but we didn't have a mixed press.

It motivated me to concentrate my energies toward opening the minds of people.

So therefore I ended up developing, designing for the state courses on diversity, multiculturalism, and teaching race and ethnicity at Parkside courses similar to that at Gateway through my whole career.

So I have 40 years of teaching that and prior to that taught at my old high school and taught in Michigan, taught in Accra, Ghana.

But I've always tried to improve relations between the races so that all of us can get along a little better.

- [Earl] This night.

These men hope their memories will no longer be limited to a few pictures and press perhaps a start to solidifying their place in Racine and baseball history.

- I just hope they will like get together and have more stuff for the Blues and recognize the old Racine Blues.

(upbeat music) - I remember when a man asked me, Cedric, what does your skin color mean to you?

To be black means your trauma learns to silence it's echoes.

You learn to manufacture novelty from broken records.

Black skin is accompanied with melodies of grief.

It is constantly playing low in the background until another tragedy decides to turn the volume up.

Yet if we had a choice, we would still choose this skin, skin chosen by God to mirror his image.

Skin that sings as the sun shines down His presence on it to be black, is to have grief and gratitude act as siblings learning to share.

They don't compete as rivals.

They compliment as teammates.

They both keep score of your heart.

They work better together instead of a part.

To be black means this skin isn't foreign from pandemics.

Stepping outside has always been a risk.

Putting on mask to make certain crowds feel a little more safe is our normal.

To be black means you are the world's greatest aesthetic.

We are decorations for the occasion accepted for TikTok dances.

But heaven forbid I say I matter and even and even when they try to make assumptions about where you're from and about how you look before they ever knew your name, remember that it was a time too when they wondered what good thing could come outta Nazareth.

Yet it took a Nazarite to change the narratives.

A baby making his grand entrance in a manger transform to being a life saver, a trailblazer.

Some call him Jesus, others call him Savior.

He defied death.

So we can defy the odds to be black is to watch the marriage union of resilience and strength.

It is brilliant in our breath.

We still manage to find prayers and perseverance.

Our persistence produce proper perspective, provided peace perhaps prompted purpose.

To be black means that Jesus not only saved me, but he relates to me.

For we know tragedies, but we also know resurrection.

So what, what does my skin color mean to me?

It means more than you could ever imagine.

- That's an original poem by spoken word artist Cedric Hoard who was featured in black arts MKE's recent production of Langston Hughes' Black Nativity.

He joins us now.

- Hello.

- Hi.

Welcome to Black Nouveau.

- Thank you.

I'm glad to be here.

- Yes.

So tell us the poem.

You just performed "This Skin" did you write that specifically for Black Nativity?

- I did, I did.

You know, Dimonte Henning, who is a creative director for the show this year, just informed me that they wanted to incorporate spoken word this year which to my understanding is a new element of the show.

So I'm extremely humble extremely honored to be a part of the show.

And, and yes, these are all original pieces that I wrote specifically for this show this year.

- So tell me, what was that process as, you know you were learning about Black Nativity and writing a poem specifically for it.

What was the creative process there?

- Absolutely.

So, you know black Nativity is really telling the the story of Jesus' birth but really within the, the black experience.

So in particular for this skin, I really wanted to highlight the experiences of African Americans but really tie that into how that relates to the birth of Jesus and, and ultimately his purpose here on earth.

So I really wanted to capture relevant themes that we as black people can relate to, but more so point that to wow, how can our savior relate to that?

How can we draw closer to our savior as a result of some of our experiences?

So really turning it on its head to say that yes we might have been through traumatic experiences, we might have been through difficult experiences, but even despite that there is still hope and there is still freedom.

- And have you ever done anything like this before as far as being in a play?

- This is my first big production but I've been doing spoken word for a number of years with with different various events and and venues and things like that.

But first time being in a, in a major production like this.

- And what would you say, obviously by the time this airs the production's gonna be done, but what would you say that those attending can expect out of this show?

- Wow, expect to dance, expect to move, expect tears.

Really just expect your heart to really be tugged in this show.

We got some amazing, amazing talent but I really think the message of this show is really gonna penetrate hearts and and that's the main goal.

- Well, thank you for sharing these poems with us, Cedric.

It's a pleasure having you.

- Cool, thank you.

(upbeat music) - Holidays are always a tie for homecoming.

So our anniversaries and as Milwaukee PBS is celebrating its 65th anniversary we thought you might be interested in this clip from our 25th anniversary program from 40 years ago.

- It's part of Channel 10 that viewers seldom see but one of our missions is the training of students to work in broadcasting, engineers, announcers, producers, directors, stage managers and artists.

All the dozens of skills that television demands.

Joe Savage, senior producer for channels 10 and 36 is another MATC alumnus.

- While I was in school, I volunteered for just about every job I could find, you know and I grew to like lighting and setting up and lighting sets and I became a darn good cameraman if I do say so myself.

After graduating from here, I went to the United States Navy for four years and then I came back and ventured up to East Lansing, Michigan at Michigan State University.

And because of the kind of training and background I had gotten at channels 10 and 36 I was able to land a job there while going to school.

And it helped me a lot, footing the bills.

I did come as a general producer director for college over the air.

But shortly after I got here, the producer in charge of minority program from a black perspective departed.

So I took over the particular type of programming.

We did a program called Necromancers for about three years and that the particular need for that in my view, had lessened.

So we went to another program emphasizing programming from a positive black perspective and we did that for their, up until about a year ago.

And the, the main thrust of my efforts, I suppose is to try to include minorities in blacks into the mainstream of society.

So because of that, in my position as senior producer I have designed, help design some programs that will include input from the black population.

- [Earl] And joining us now is Joseph Savage who we also must note is one of the creators of Black Nouveau and an award-winning journalist, producer in 1990 member of the Milwaukee Press Club Hall of Fame.

Joe, thank you so much for being here.

Thank you for your leadership and paving the way for this show.

But certainly talk about your time as a student here.

You were a student when this station first started.

- Well, I actually before the station started.

- Okay, Fair enough.

(laughter) - It was, it had some pieces on the air and Paul Taff, the station manager then took care of that.

Dr. Sleg was my mentor, so I have to mention him, but time here was pretty good as a student.

I almost got cut, but I made the cut, that was good.

And after that I learned how to operate the camera GPL and they were rack overs then, not like the Zooms now, you know so you had to know your lenses and that sort of thing.

And we got to know our lenses by using something called a Bretts Box, you know, it was you had to make it yourself out of cardboard and that way you got to know what your lenses could do that way.

- Well you learned that and I'm sure you learned so much more.

You contributed so much more.

Absolutely.

So talk about the student project.

You're also a staff member here, but the student project which you were a part of, and how significant that's been?

- Well, that's been a lifesaver for me.

You know, it got me started and so here I am, you know what 65 years later, you know, I'm still, I'm still an admirer of this station and that sort of thing, you know.

- Wow.

Well talk about your creation or a creation.

You were a part of Black Nouveau.

What was your mindset in coming up with this program?

- Well, there were so many negative things about people of color on the air at the time.

I said, no, I'm not gonna fall into that bag.

And our general manager wanted me to continue on with the negative things about black people.

And I said, no, I'm not gonna do that.

I say, we are going right away, let's understand each other.

I've been black longer than you have, so I think I know more about black people, so don't try to interfere.

Okay.

And he listened to me.

How about that?

- Absolutely.

Wow.

So, and now you've created this show.

It's, it's here now, but what are you doing now?

What's Joe Savage up to nowadays?

- I'm watching a lot of television about that.

I actually enjoy watching television.

- Yes.

Okay.

Well hopefully a lot of Black Nouveau, right?

- Oh yeah.

Every chance I get, you know, I even watch the reruns.

- Absolutely.

Yeah.

(laughter) - All right, so we have about a a minute left to talk a little bit, but I just wanna get back to your experience as a staff member here too.

You were a student, you were a staff member.

What are some of the differences you see from your time starting here to now as you walk around you see the studio and you see everything happening on Campus?

- Well, everything was new at the time.

You know, I went down and I got the theme song made because of a musician I knew in the basement.

So that was fun to get.

That I had a chance to listen to a lot of different tunes.

And we finally selected the theme song.

Of course, it's not the same theme song as it is now, you know.

- You have to change it up a little bit huh?

- Yeah right.

- Anything else you wanna share?

- Well, I'm glad to see that the station has lasted 65 years.

I was here when it started.

There were a 11 people on the first broadcast and I had to cover all of them with a boom mic.

And I only had one boom shadow, so I was proud of that.

- Well Joe, thank you so much for being here.

It's an honor, it's a privilege and appreciate you laying groundwork for the show.

- Okay, thank you.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) - [James] It goes back to when I was a growing up.

Black is beautiful.

- [Sandra] I like to look at things that look like me.

(upbeat music) - [Liddie] Meet James and Sandra English who love decorating their homes for Christmas and even more so collecting Christmas decorations that reflect their passion for blackness at Christmas time.

(upbeat music) - [Sandra] I see the moving the moving couple back there.

I see the angel who slightly moving.

(Christmas music) - [Liddie] And then there's dancing Santa.

One of their most prized pieces.

- [Sandra] The doll that you see hanging here I think we got her in New Orleans.

And we have a couple of Santa heads back here that I really like.

And they, we've been had those for quite a while.

- [Liddie] This collecting of African American Christmas ornaments started as an adventure for educator James English.

His wife became hooked and took it over.

He has strong feelings on why he started his family's collection.

- [James] I wanted to have my house looking like the house that I grew up in, in Philadelphia.

To see people like me of color in my house.

And I, pieces that were just generic.

I mean, I've been around the world in the in the Air Force and I've seen houses and friends of mine and they had no black Santas in their houses so why should have a white Santas in mine?

So when I saw these different Santas throughout my, my trips, I said, well, this this will work, this will work.

And it just so happened I had a wife that was very supportive.

- [Liddie] When you're out and about and you see Christmas stuff, what don't you see?

- I don't see a lot of African American stuff.

I looked through everything there just hoping that I would find just one piece.

And usually I would find just one.

- When we went to Indianapolis Circle City Classic.

Went to the store in the mall and she was just amazed at what was there.

- [Sandra] We saw this one tree that was decorated with a lot of animals from Africa.

I think we pretty much bought everything on the tree.

So that was, I think pretty much our our first adventure in collecting a lot of this stuff.

- [Liddie] So the adventure began hunting to acquire culturally sensitive Christmas ornaments.

But on returning home there were few to none stores that featured their wares to African Americans.

Thus the traveling started.

- [Sandra] It's taken us from state to state.

We've gone to New Orleans, to Indianapolis, to Texas to South Carolina all over.

- [Liddie] One of their hotspots for finding pieces had been the big easy, New Orleans.

- [James] They have, because of the diversity that goes with that city, just to name New Orleans.

I mean, we've, some of the best pieces that we've got were from New Orleans, or they were very helpful in ordering a piece if it was outta stock.

- [Liddie] They've also gotten pieces from Jamaica.

- [Sandra] Mostly we go around Thanksgiving time.

A lot of people are putting out their Christmas stuff then.

So we would see a lot of things that we like then.

So we get 'em.

- [Liddie] The internet has been a great aid for them and probably others who collect.

- [James] And as I went on to the internet over the years, it's just so much stuff out there that come Christmas time, they're all sold out on the internet, all the good pieces.

So you have to wait till next year.

So, so we are like always a year behind on certain pieces.

- [Liddie] Suggestion for those who want to start collecting and putting together their own culturally sensitive Christmas home.

- [Sandra] I will tell them that they have to, first of all be ready to travel, because you're not gonna find very much here.

- [James] Probably try to get on Facebook, Twitter.

I'm pretty sure there's someone out there that has groups for Christmas.

Okay, where did you get this?

Let's go trade here.

Flea markets.

- [Liddie] Keeping the wife happy.

They have scoured every nook and cranny to find more.

African American figurines have gotten to a point that - [James] We have just too many, but there's never enough for her.

(Christmas music) - [Earl] Before we close tonight, a reminder that the Wisconsin Black Historical Society and Museum will hold its opening day Kwanza celebration on December 26th, the first day of Kwanza Umoja.

There is more information on our social media, but however you decide to celebrate this season, may it be a time of peace and love.

from all of us here at Black Nouveau, to you and your family, Happy New Year.