He's gone... He blew up America and will be profoundly missed. Our deepest condolences to his family and all those like us that loved and respected him. A powerful man and mind. A true poet.  It was an honor being able to meet and document this giant. 

Below is a video of a conversation we had with Amiri at the Harlem Book Fair in 2009.  He discusses President Obama and critics who do nothing.  Under that is another video from All Things Harlem, of Baraka's amazing and controersial poem, "Somebody Blew Up America" which he recited at an event marking the 40th anniversary of the Attica Prison rebellion at Riverside Church in Harlem. Enjoy!

Tyrone "Alimoe" Evans who was also known as "The Black Widow" passed away last week from complications of a seizure.  He was 37.  Alimoe was one of the best basketball players to ever come out of Harlem.  He was most publicly known for his streetball skills touring with the And1 Mixtape Tour, appearing in cities around the country and on television and video tapes.  But anyone who saw him play knows he should have played in the NBA and would have been very successful.  Take it from former NBA star, Shaquille O'neal, who said, “He was 6-7. He could handle the rock. He could shoot. He actually had the whole package, and he should have been in the league. Rest in peace, Alimoe. Love you, brother.”  

Thanks for the memories Alimoe.

Tyrone "Alimoe" Evans - Photo from streetball.com

Video

Actor and artist Lou Meyers passed away February 19, 2013 from a heart related emergency.  Meyers was most known for his role of Mr. Gaines on the television show, "A Different World' and appearances on "The Cosby Show."  Many people were unaware of his role as an activist.  All Things Harlem got a chance to hear Lou Meyers speak and community forum about the criminal justice system and mass incarceration.  Below is video of the event from our archives.  Mr. Meyers begins speaking around 2:10 mark.

Lou Meyers - Photo from Getty ImagesVideo

It was a packed house for Gil Noble's public wake at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, NY on April 12, 2012. Everyone including family, friends, colleagues and fans turned out to celebrate Gil Noble, the longtime host and producer of his groundbreaking and famous weekly news show, Like It Is. Noble's show was truly Pan-African focusing on the black experience on a local, national and international level.

We at All Things Harlem salute Gil Noble and continue to be inspired and influenced by him.

If you can please support the preservation and digitization of the Gil Noble archives please donate to Gil Noble Archives, P.O. Box 43138, Upper Montclair, NJ 07043.