Author Spotlight

Aisha Harris

Aisha Harris is a critic and a cohost of National Public Radio’s podcast Pop Culture Happy Hour. She is the author of the essay collection Wannabe: Reckonings with the Pop Culture That Shapes Me.

3 Results
The Wiz: A Soulful Oz

Sidney Lumet’s lavish adaptation of a Tony Award–winning stage musical combines an ecstatic appreciation of Black artistry with a celebration of freedom and perseverance.

By Aisha Harris

Hollywood Shuffle: Against Type

In his directorial debut, Robert Townsend channeled his frustrations with the typecasting of Black actors, resulting in a satire whose hilarious critique of Hollywood still resonates today.

By Aisha Harris

Buck and the Preacher: Unsettled Land

Sidney Poitier’s directorial debut, a western depicting Black cowboy heroes, allowed two of the industry’s most significant Black stars to reorient themselves as artists.

By Aisha Harris