Talking Black in America: A Documentary and Outreach Program

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This award supports the production of a one-hour documentary on the speech of African Americans in the United States and in the African diaspora intended for broadcast on a major TV channel and other venues of public education about language differences. National controversies about the speech of African Americans have been erupting for more than a half-century now, calling attention to the depth of people's beliefs and opinions about language differences and the need for informed knowledge about language variation in public life. The documentary and accompanying instructor's guide promote an understanding of the status and use of African American Language in American society, an appreciation for its historical and current development, and an understanding of its role in education. Footage will be shot in a variety of locations in the US that include large urban areas (New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago), rural regions in North Carolina and Texas, and diaspora sites in the Caribbean and in West African (Liberia). A prominent group of researchers who serve as an engaged Board of Advisors will collaborate in designing the themes and format for production, in collecting footage, and in monitoring the editing. This project addresses the language variety of English most strongly affected by dialect prejudice, stereotyping, and linguistic discrimination. In portraying the history, development, and symbolic role of language in the lives of African Americans, this documentary and outreach program hopes to situate African American varieties of English as an integral part of the historical and cultural legacy of African Americans and to help counteract the persistent popular mythologies and misinformation about these language varieties in American society. It further helps to understand the effect of language differences on educational skills and assessment.