Lecture Notes: Dr. Rebecca Hall Interview on Black Power Media

Introduction

• Presenter: Dr. Rebecca Hall
• Background: Independent scholar, activist, and educator
• Her paternal grandparents were born enslaved
• Publishes on the history of race, gender, law, and resistance
• Author of "Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts"
• Awards: Finalist for NAACP Image Award, Pan America Open Book Award
• Fellowships: 2022–23 Radcliffe Institute fellow

Research and Writing

Choice of Graphic Novel Format

• Inspired by powerful memoirs in graphic narrative form, such as "Maus" by Art Spiegelman
• Graphic novels as a medium to make complex historical research accessible
• Challenges in creating graphic narratives: akin to producing a whole production

Academic Experience

• Experienced multiple firings from teaching positions due to radical views and addressing race issues
• Independent scholar: Lives from grant to grant, not tied to an institution
• Negative experiences in Academia: White liberal toxicity, lack of support
• Audio Drama: Details her struggles as an academic