How soul singer Mary Jane Jones was forced to perform as Aretha Franklin before she took control of her life and career.
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Shelved: The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band’s “Brain Opera”
What happens when you’re not different just for the sake of being different.
Of Blackness and ‘Beauty’
At an art exhibit exploring black models through Western art, Morgan Jerkins finds historical evidence of the white supremacist definitions of beauty Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom identifies in ‘Thick: and Other Essays.’
Longreads Best of 2018: Sports Writing
We asked writers and editors to choose some of their favorite stories of the year in various categories. Here is the best in sports writing.
The Cowboy Image and the Growth of Western Music
How did cowboy hats and boots become the visual iconography of American rural music?
Revisiting the #MeToo Movement: A Reading List
#MeToo isn’t just a moment, it’s a movement. And there’s a lot of work yet to do.
Odetta Holmes’ Album One Grain of Sand
The singular singer released her groundbreaking album in 1963, the same year as the March on Washington, and used her art and appearance as weapons in the Civil Rights struggle.
Reading with Kiese Laymon’s “Heavy”
“Heavy” confronts generations of Black art.
Wonderful Things: The Kid Creole and the Coconuts Story
Combining island sounds with stylish clothes and an unforgettable stage presence, one of New York City’s most original bands helped influence 1980s pop culture, and they never sacrificed their unclassifiable artistic vision.
You’re Just Too Good to Be True
My on-again, off-again love affair with Engelbert Humperdinck.
