Shoga Speaks
Join Filmmaker Dr. Robert Philipson as he explores the intersection of Black and Queer identities, Black-Jewish interrelations, and Music.
Shoga Speaks
Latest Episodes
From Minstrelsy to Broadway, Part Two
At the turn of the 20th century, African American artists faced a fundamental question: how could they prove their citizenship and claim their place in American culture? Historian and musician David Gilbert traces how the first generation of Af...
From Minstrelsy to Broadway, Part One
In 1896, Ernest Hogan's "All Coons Look Alike to Me" became the first song to sell a million copies in America, making him a star and setting off the "coon song craze"—an era in which African American performers and composers achieved unprecede...
The Jewish Roots of John Garfield
This episode explores the life and legacy of actor John Garfield (born Julius Garfinkel), focusing on how his Jewish roots shaped his identity, artistic choices, and political stance. Journalist Robert Nott, author of He Ran All the Way: Th...
The Killing of Canada Lee
In this episode, Dr. Robert Philipson interviews Mona Smith, Canada Lee's biographer, about the rise, political assassination, and virtual erasure of this African American hero. From 1934 to 1951, Canada Lee was the most famous and revere...
The Greatest Jewish Boxer You've Never Heard Of
In this episode of Shoga Speaks, Dr. Robert Philipson interviews author Doug Century about his biography Barney Ross: The Life of a Jewish Fighter, exploring the extraordinary life of Barney Ross—a Jewish boxing champion, Worl...
