The Listening Room

Adolph Caesar’s commanding presence on stage and screen garnered him an Academy Award nomination for his role in A Soldier’s Story (pictured above). He reflects on legacy, art, and the enduring power of performance.

The Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright of the American Century Cycle—a series of ten plays chronicling the African American experience across the 20th century, each set in a different decade. Recorded in 1998; lightly modified for clarity and listenability from an analog tape.

One of the first Black graduates of Harvard Business School (MBA ’33), later a professor of business and marketing at Howard University for 30 years. Subsequently Vice President of Marketing at PepsiCo, he pioneered the concept of target marketing. In this two-part conversation, he reflects on leadership, opportunity, and building enterprises with vision. Digitized from the original tape; lightly edited for clarity.

Photographer and film director best known for the watershed movie Shaft. His fashion photography graced the pages of Vogue, and he served nearly three decades as a staff photographer for Life magazine.

The first African American mayor of New York City reflects on leadership, responsibility, and the challenges of civic life in one of the world’s greatest cities.

Half of the legendary Nicholas Brothers dance duo, Harold Nicholas recalls a lifetime on stage and screen, blending artistry with showmanship. Interviewed March 1998; recorded for our archive and lightly edited for clarity.

A charismatic presence and storyteller, Antonio Fargas reflects on craft, representation, and living boldly as an artist. Recorded for our archive; lightly edited for clarity.

A foundational voice in American rhythm & blues and early rock, Hank Ballard shares stories behind the songs and the early R&B scene. He wrote “The Twist” and fronted The Midnighters. Digitized from the original tape; lightly edited for clarity.