Not a Genuine Black Man

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In his influential essay "On National Culture," Frantz Fanon observed that white critics have questioned the authenticity of bebop because they were attracted to the despairing images of black people in jazz. Performer Brian Copeland learned firsthand how the demand for "authenticity" can have racist undertones. While he was hosting his Bay Area radio program, one disgruntled listener insulted him with a phrase that would become the title of his show, Not a Genuine Black Man. This solo performance at the DR2 asks what the phrase means, who qualifies for the distinction of "genuine black man," and why many African Americans are buying into the concept. The questions Copeland asks are meanin[...]