Historic Talks in Historic Buildings Hosted by LaToya Brackett

“Historic Talks in Historic Buildings”: A New Lecture Series Presented by Historic Seattle and the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation and Historic Seattle are thrilled to announce our partnership on a new lecture se......More

“Historic Talks in Historic Buildings”: A New Lecture Series Presented by Historic Seattle and the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation and Historic Seattle are thrilled to announce our partnership on a new lecture series titled “Historic Talks in Historic Buildings.” This series brings public programs into historic places across Seattle—places rich with history and meaning—while highlighting the voices and scholarship shaping our understanding of the past. Speakers have been selected from the 2024-25 Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau, and together showcase the range of topics, questions, and discussions at the heart of historic preservation in Washington state. “They Want our Rhythm, But Not Our Blues: African American Innovation Through Pop Culture” by LaToya Brackett Click here to register now! The freedom often denied to African Americans to move and express themselves has meant that they have had to be especially creative in building their culture. The innovations created under oppression are often appropriated by the oppressor—they want our rhythm. And such culture and creativity has been forged from their everyday struggles—but they do not want our blues. Reflecting on music, sports, language, food, and even hair, this talk calls audiences in beyond the rhythm to recognize the blues that made African American popular culture. It serves as a guide to appreciating the art of Black pop culture by understanding how and why African American culture was created and when and where it appears across multiple platforms of popular culture—never without a unique artisan style.

Washington Hall, 153 14th Ave, Seattle, WA, 98122