Ellen Levitt | ROUTES

Lisa Leslie

Ellen Levitt — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:22:53 +0000

Lisa Leslie (born 1972) is a former pro basketball star and Olympian, a coach, and activist. Here is a clip of her making the very

The PostLisa Leslie first appeared on ROUTES.

So, What IS Afrofuturism?

Ellen Levitt — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:39:14 +0000

Words and expressions can have a heyday. They can be buzzworthy. Extra popular. Used frequently and with special emphasis. In recent years, but especially in

The PostSo, What IS Afrofuturism? first appeared on ROUTES.

US Olympic Hall of Famer Wilma Rudolph

Ellen Levitt — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:36:16 +0000

Wilma Rudolph (June 23, 1940 – November 12, 1994) is an outstanding athlete and a role model for the ages. Ms. Rudolph is remembered mostly

The PostUS Olympic Hall of Famer Wilma Rudolph first appeared on ROUTES.

Why so few African-American Players?

Ellen Levitt — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:34:12 +0000

The Negro Leagues. Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell. Jackie Robinson, Larry Doby, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays. Roy Campanella, Monte Irvin, Ernie Banks, Dave

The PostWhy so few African-American Players? first appeared on ROUTES.

Breaking New Ground: A Landmark African-American Revival of “Gypsy”

Ellen Levitt — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 13:37:31 +0000

The current Broadway revival of the classic musical “Gypsy” is ground breaking for certain reasons, yet still roots itself in the beloved original and other

The PostBreaking New Ground: A Landmark African-American Revival of “Gypsy” first appeared on ROUTES.

Roy Haynes: The Timeless Journey of a Jazz Drumming Legend

Ellen Levitt — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 08:00:22 +0000

Imagine spending much of your life playing the drums, innovating, and exploring music with a wide variety of musicians, and living for nearly a century

The PostRoy Haynes: The Timeless Journey of a Jazz Drumming Legend first appeared on ROUTES.

“Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies”

Ellen Levitt — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 11:53:55 +0000

The Brooklyn Museum is showing a wonderful retrospective “Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies” by the late African-American/Mexican artist Elizabeth

The Post“Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies” first appeared on ROUTES.

2024 Paris Summer Olympics

Ellen Levitt — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 14:49:19 +0000

The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics are in full swing, and Team USA is doing well, earning medals in various sports. African-American athletes make up a

The Post2024 Paris Summer Olympics first appeared on ROUTES.

The Swans of Harlem — Treasure It!

Ellen Levitt — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 12:54:36 +0000

The Swans of Harlem has a few basic starting points: the most obvious is the great deal of media awareness surrounding Misty Copeland who many

The PostThe Swans of Harlem — Treasure It! first appeared on ROUTES.

Angela Bofill

Ellen Levitt — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 10:30:30 +0000

Angela Bofill, a renowned musical gem, was best known for her songs in the 1970s and 1980s passed away on June 13th at the age

The PostAngela Bofill first appeared on ROUTES.

Visual History of Black Creative Spaces by Alex Harsley

Ellen Levitt — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 06:05:58 +0000

“From the Victoria to the Village: Alex Harsley’s Visual History of Black Creative Spaces” This retrospective by Alex Harsley features portraits of famous Black Americans

The PostVisual History of Black Creative Spaces by Alex Harsley first appeared on ROUTES.

Visual Narratives: The Influence of Faith Ringgold

Ellen Levitt — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 05:40:38 +0000

Let us pay homage to the recently passed Faith Ringgold, a remarkable and distinctly American, Black and female artist. Ringgold died on April 12, 2024

The PostVisual Narratives: The Influence of Faith Ringgold first appeared on ROUTES.

Kwame Brathwaite’s NYC “Black Is Beautiful” Moments

Ellen Levitt — Fri, 30 Dec 2022 09:52:56 +0000

Sometimes the smaller exhibitions in an art or history museum will bowl you over with their power. Individual pieces and groups of pieces will captivate

The PostKwame Brathwaite’s NYC “Black Is Beautiful” Moments first appeared on ROUTES.

The Late Virgil Abloh Contemporary Cultural Exhibition

Ellen Levitt — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 14:30:27 +0000

One expression that has always irked me is “Only the good die young.” It is meant to comfort, to assuage the pain after the passing

The PostThe Late Virgil Abloh Contemporary Cultural Exhibition first appeared on ROUTES.

Herbie Hancock and Keyon Harrold at Central Park Summerstage

Ellen Levitt — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 12:06:34 +0000

Jazz remains relevant to music lovers, and, people are certainly still interested in watching famous jazz musicians perform live at Central Park Summerstage. Nothing invigorates

The PostHerbie Hancock and Keyon Harrold at Central Park Summerstage first appeared on ROUTES.

Major League Baseball, Why so few African-American Players?

Ellen Levitt — Sat, 11 Jun 2022 14:46:35 +0000

Historically, Major League Baseball (MLB) has been dominated by, mostly celebrated, African-American players, compared to 57.5 percent of players in the National Football League (NFL

The PostMajor League Baseball, Why so few African-American Players? first appeared on ROUTES.

Black Dolls Reflecting an Array of Cultural Ideas

Ellen Levitt — Tue, 24 May 2022 11:29:51 +0000

Dolls may not seem like the most obvious items to exhibit at a world-class museum that showcases arts and culture. Yet, given deeper examination through

The PostBlack Dolls Reflecting an Array of Cultural Ideas first appeared on ROUTES.

Gateways Music Festival: A Feast for the Ears and the Eyes

Ellen Levitt — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 19:31:49 +0000

“Hats Off” to the Gateways Festival for a rather enjoyable and enlightening Saturday, April 23rd, in the East Village of Manhattan. First the agenda was

The PostGateways Music Festival: A Feast for the Ears and the Eyes first appeared on ROUTES.

Gateways Music Festival and African-American Classical Music

Ellen Levitt — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 22:21:51 +0000

You can certainly “Take it to the Bank” if you asked the average person in the United States to name a classical music composer or

The PostGateways Music Festival and African-American Classical Music first appeared on ROUTES.

Comic Books, Cartooning, AfroFuturism and Women Cartoonists

Ellen Levitt — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 15:18:10 +0000

Many of us regularly read syndicated cartoons online or in print publications. Others enjoyed reading comic books as youngsters and have done so later on

The PostComic Books, Cartooning, AfroFuturism and Women Cartoonists first appeared on ROUTES.

Afrofuturism Music Festival: Nicole Mitchell and Angel Bat Dawid

Ellen Levitt — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 12:00:05 +0000

African-American and AfroFuturistic dynamic duos fused in one concert As part of the this year’s Carnegie Hall Afrofuturism Music Festival, this show presented bandleaders Nicole Mitchell with her

The PostAfrofuturism Music Festival: Nicole Mitchell and Angel Bat Dawid first appeared on ROUTES.

Faith Ringgold’s Retrospective Exhibit “American People”

Ellen Levitt — Sat, 12 Mar 2022 14:24:45 +0000

What is North American art? Who are the North American People? There are many answers to these two questions — and more likely — curators,

The PostFaith Ringgold’s Retrospective Exhibit “American People” first appeared on ROUTES.

Sun Ra and his Arkestra then (1992) and now (2022)

Ellen Levitt — Sat, 26 Feb 2022 13:59:08 +0000

When the 2022 Afrofuturism series was announced by Carnegie Hall, I scrolled eagerly through the rather eclectic line-up of the festival. I was hoping it

The PostSun Ra and his Arkestra then (1992) and now (2022) first appeared on ROUTES.

AfroFuturist Period Room “almost woke” at the MET?

Ellen Levitt — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 12:21:01 +0000

Reclaiming the Past While Being Future Forward The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a selection of what are called “period rooms.” As in many other

The PostAfroFuturist Period Room “almost woke” at the MET? first appeared on ROUTES.

NYC’s New Museum Triennial and Pan African Artists Today

Ellen Levitt — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 11:19:13 +0000

In the world of art museums, the biennial and triennial exhibitions generate a lot of buzz. These art survey shows bring together a variety of

The PostNYC’s New Museum Triennial and Pan African Artists Today first appeared on ROUTES.

Happy Birthday Renaissance Man and Media Master Gordon Parks

Ellen Levitt — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 01:21:07 +0000

🍾Gordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks, born November 30, 1912, was known as a photojournalist. However, he also wrote books on photography, memoirs and fiction. In

The PostHappy Birthday Renaissance Man and Media Master Gordon Parks first appeared on ROUTES.

Birthday Greetings Unbought and Unbossed Shirley Chisholm!

Ellen Levitt — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 11:42:38 +0000

🎂Shirley Anita (St. Hill) Chisholm, born November 30, 1924, in Brooklyn, New York contributed to our society as an educator, politician and activist. A woman

The PostBirthday Greetings Unbought and Unbossed Shirley Chisholm! first appeared on ROUTES.

Happy Birthday Keep the Faith Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.

Ellen Levitt — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 12:16:14 +0000

🎂We commemorate the birthday of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., who was born November 29, 1908 in Connecticut, but moved when very young to Harlem with

The PostHappy Birthday Keep the Faith Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. first appeared on ROUTES.

Baby, Baby, It’s Berry Gordy’s Birthday

Ellen Levitt — Sun, 28 Nov 2021 19:40:22 +0000

🍾Berry Gordy, born November 28, 1929, is best known as the founder of Motown Records. A proud native son of Detroit, Berry (actually Berry III)

The PostBaby, Baby, It’s Berry Gordy’s Birthday first appeared on ROUTES.

Happy Birthday Little Willie John You Gave Us Fever

Ellen Levitt — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 16:31:19 +0000

🎂William Edward John (aka Little Willie John)(born November 15, 1937) in Cullendale, Arkansas, but moved to Detroit as a youngster, with his parents and nine

The PostHappy Birthday Little Willie John You Gave Us Fever first appeared on ROUTES.

Ozier Muhammad’s Photographs at the Keith De Lellis Gallery

Ellen Levitt — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 11:11:51 +0000

In late October, Ozier Muhammad began our conversation at the Keith de Lellis Gallery in midtown Manhattan by contemplating his college years. “One of my professors suggested

The PostOzier Muhammad’s Photographs at the Keith De Lellis Gallery first appeared on ROUTES.

Birthday Greetings Star Trekkie Whoopi Goldberg

Ellen Levitt — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 13:42:58 +0000

🍾Whoopi Goldberg, (aka Caryn Elaine Johnson), born November 13, 1955, in Manhattan — her growing up turf was in a housing project in the Chelsea section

The PostBirthday Greetings Star Trekkie Whoopi Goldberg first appeared on ROUTES.

Happy Birthday Hammond B-3 Organ Booker T. Jones!

Ellen Levitt — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 10:25:40 +0000

🍾Booker T. Jones, born November 11, 1944, in Memphis, Tennessee, is one of Soul and Rock music’s premier musicians — a multi-instrumentalist and a musical

The PostHappy Birthday Hammond B-3 Organ Booker T. Jones! first appeared on ROUTES.

Happy Birthday Always Go with the Feeling Hannibal Lokumbe

Ellen Levitt — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 13:43:43 +0000

🍾Hannibal Lokumbe (aka Marvin Peterson), born November 11, 1948, is a composer and jazz trumpeter. Over the past 4 decades, he has composed classical works for

The PostHappy Birthday Always Go with the Feeling Hannibal Lokumbe first appeared on ROUTES.

Here! Here! Happy Birthday Greetings Benjamin Banneker

Ellen Levitt — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 12:40:50 +0000

🎂In his time, Benjamin Banneker, born November 9, 1731, was something of a Renaissance man. He was: a surveyor; a writer who penned Almanacs and Ephemeris

The PostHere! Here! Happy Birthday Greetings Benjamin Banneker first appeared on ROUTES.

Birthday Greetings Zadie Adeline Smith

Ellen Levitt — Mon, 25 Oct 2021 16:25:45 +0000

🎂Zadie Adeline Smith, born October 25, 1975 in London, England, is an British novelist, essayist, and writer who has won in multiple awards for her best

The PostBirthday Greetings Zadie Adeline Smith first appeared on ROUTES.

Happy Birthday Greetings Aubrey Drake Graham

Ellen Levitt — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 12:11:23 +0000

🍾🍾Aubrey Drake Graham, born October 24, 1986 in Toronto, Ontario, is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, and entrepreneur — a prominent figure in music today.

The PostHappy Birthday Greetings Aubrey Drake Graham first appeared on ROUTES.

Happy Birthday Michael Eric Dyson

Ellen Levitt — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 06:16:54 +0000

🍾Michael Eric Dyson, born October 23, 1958 in Detroit, Michigan, is an academic, author, minister, and radio host who was a professor of sociology at

The PostHappy Birthday Michael Eric Dyson first appeared on ROUTES.

Dawoud Bey: An American Project — Review

Ellen Levitt — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 11:11:15 +0000

When you visit a museum or gallery to take in an exhibition, do you ponder the display process? Do you stand back and survey the

The PostDawoud Bey: An American Project — Review first appeared on ROUTES.

Phillis Wheatley Peters first Published Enslaved African Poet

Ellen Levitt — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 13:58:51 +0000

Phillis Wheatley Peters (c. 1753-54 – December 5, 1784) was born in West Africa (present day Gambia or Senegal), captured as a child, and sold

The PostPhillis Wheatley Peters first Published Enslaved African Poet first appeared on ROUTES.

Chester Higgins Jr.’s 5 Decades of Nile River Photographs

Ellen Levitt — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 07:20:52 +0000

There are several ways to read a photography book. You should not just read through it once; flip through the pages and randomly find intriguing

The PostChester Higgins Jr.’s 5 Decades of Nile River Photographs first appeared on ROUTES.

The Obama Portraits Tour: Brooklyn Dispatch

Ellen Levitt — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 11:04:29 +0000

On the Fourth Floor of the august Brooklyn Museum of Art, there is a gallery that temporarily features two large portraits. One is of Barack

The PostThe Obama Portraits Tour: Brooklyn Dispatch first appeared on ROUTES.

Brooklyn and Its Many Art Venues

Ellen Levitt — Sun, 01 Aug 2021 17:04:48 +0000

A big draw near the summer’s end will be “The Obama Portraits Tour,” from August 27 through October 24. The Brooklyn Museum will be one

The PostBrooklyn and Its Many Art Venues first appeared on ROUTES.

Mothers In Construction: A Podcast Like No Other

Ellen Levitt — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 09:10:09 +0000

Some people love listening to podcasts, but I rarely do. To me it’s akin to listening to a long radio newscast, and where’s the music?

The PostMothers In Construction: A Podcast Like No Other first appeared on ROUTES.

Cinque Retro at Art Students League Gallery

Ellen Levitt — Sat, 26 Jun 2021 11:50:03 +0000

Spending an afternoon at a famous art museum can be a delight, but you might be shoulder to shoulder with many other patrons of the

The PostCinque Retro at Art Students League Gallery first appeared on ROUTES.

Jerusalema Dance Challenge: What the World Needs Now

Ellen Levitt — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 18:16:53 +0000

This past year has been challenging, frightening, sobering. Covid-19, political turmoil, high-profile police shootings of civilians, and much more has rocked our world. We need

The PostJerusalema Dance Challenge: What the World Needs Now first appeared on ROUTES.

Alex Harsley, Photographer in the City, of The City

Ellen Levitt — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 10:55:55 +0000

In 1951 the book “A Walker in the City” was published. It was an ode to New York City, good and bad, and it might seem

The PostAlex Harsley, Photographer in the City, of The City first appeared on ROUTES.

New Museum’s “Grief and Grievance” Exhibit

Ellen Levitt — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 07:47:29 +0000

Back in Spring 2000, while teaching United States history and government at Murry Bergtraum High School in Manhattan, I told my eleventh graders about a

The PostNew Museum’s “Grief and Grievance” Exhibit first appeared on ROUTES.