Brad Lomax (1950-1984) was a civil rights and disability rights leader who had multiple sclerosis and used a wheelchair. He was a member of the Black Panther Party and a founder of the East Oakland Center for Independent Living in the 1970s, an organization focused ...
Judy-Lynn del Rey (1943-1986) was a New York sci-fi and fantasy editor and a woman with dwarfism who revolutionized the world of sci-fi editing with books from luminaries such as Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, and Philip K. Dick. After studying literature at Hunter College, ...
Daniel K. Inouye (1924-2012) was the first Japanese American to serve in the U.S. Congress and represented the State of Hawai‘i for more than 50 years. The first born son of Japanese immigrants, Inouye’s early life was a balancing act of heritage and identity as ...
Thomas Wiggins (1849-1908) was an African American composer and pianist known as one of the greatest musicians of the 19th century. Wiggins was blind from birth and likely autistic. Although born into slavery, he was the first African American to perform at the White House, ...
Explore the story of director, screenwriter and producer Blake Edwards, known for cinema classics such as “Breakfast at Tiffany's,” “Days of Wine and Roses” and the “Pink Panther” series.
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On April 6, 2007, comedian Paul Mooney reflected on the mechanics of stand-up comedy and his unique role as best friend to comedy’s all-time greatest, Richard Pryor. Interview conducted by director Michael Kantor for the six-hour PBS comedy series, “Make ‘Em Laugh: The Funny Business ...
As an artist, 66-year-old Jamie Diaz straddles several worlds of marginalization. As a trans woman, her work is less likely to receive the notice and acclaim garnered by her cisgender peers. As an incarcerated artist, prison rules mount higher hurdles to even expressing her creativity. ...
On October 10, 2007, Lily Tomlin spoke about her time on Laugh-In and how she developed her characters. Interview conducted by director Michael Kantor for the six-hour PBS comedy series, “Make ‘Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America” (2009). Chapters: 00:00 Utilizing character work to ...
On September 19, 2007, Phyllis Diller reflected on how her comedy was a response to years of “take my wife” jokes. Interview conducted by director Michael Kantor for the six-hour PBS comedy series, “Make ‘Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America” (2009). Chapters: 00:00 Comedy’s ...
Journalist Bill McKibben once observed that climate change lacked cultural relevance, particularly in the arts. “Oddly, though we know about it, we don’t know about it,” he wrote for Grist in 2005. “It hasn’t registered in our gut; it isn’t part of our culture. Where ...
