iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 13h

I worked at a different branch of the library today and saw this gorgeous card catalog in a staff-only area on an upper floor. Every time I work at this branch, I stumble upon yet another vintage card catalog. (I’m sure it was in a public area at one time.) 📚 #libraries #NYC

Pushed up against the wall in a corridor of a staff-only area is a large and long vintage wood card catalog. Oct 7, 2026.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 07/10/2026

"New Negress Film Society is a collective of Black women and non-binary filmmakers creating community, spaces, and films that reimagine cultural production beyond the traditions that have exploited our communities." newnegressfilmsociety.com #activism #movies #BlackWomen

Screenshot of https://newnegressfilmsociety.com/ home page, featuring a purple-tinted archival photo of Black warrior women.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 07/10/2026

SAT, OCT 10: New Negress Film Society presents Black Women's Film Conference 2026 at BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Ave. "This one-day gathering explores Black cinema at the intersections of history, film theory, filmmaking, and political action." www.bam.org/film/2026/ne... #movies #Brooklyn #NYC

Still by Joie Lee from “Mother Hunger” with the words: "New Negress Film Society presents Black Women's Film Conference 2026."

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 06/10/2026

Still proud of myself when on Saturday I was disciplined enough to not buy a new book when browsing Mast Books, knowing a new book I had ordered online was delivered just that morning. Mast always has a well curated (and largely affordable) selection. mastbooks.com #books #bookstores #BuyIndie #NYC

Screenshot of the home page of Mast Books, which features a color photograph of the view of the bookstore from the large sales window.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 06/10/2026

Here’s another view of the Jean-Michel Basquiat mural that’s in progress on the side of the six-story building at the corner of Bowery and Great Jones. On top of the crane next to the building, the artist Owen Dippie was at work. It’s looking good! #art #StreetArt #NYC

Another view of the Basquiat mural (a portrait of the artist) that’s in progress on the side of a six-story building at the corner of Bowery and Great Jones. On top of the crane next to the building, the artist Owen Dippie is at work. Oct 3, 2026.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 06/10/2026

On Saturday, I walked over from the drag king panel at B Scene on Ave. B to the corner of Bowery and Great Jones. At that busy intersection, I checked out the new mural of Jean-Michel Basquiat that’s in progress. Basquiat lived at 57 Great Jones St. evgrieve.com/2026/09/a-6-... #art #StreetArt #NYC

On a bright sunny day with clear blue skies is a new mural in progress on the side of a six-story building at the corner of Bowery and Great Jones St. The view of the mural is from the intersection. On the side of building is a crane on which the mural’s artist is at work. The mural is of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Oct 3, 2026.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 05/10/2026

Well, the #Lanterns s1 finale sets things up nicely for a possible s2. Still not sold on the show (parts of the finale bored me; of the eight eps, I found only one or two to be good/engaging from start to finish), but the cast and their acting are great. The special effects are cool. #LanternsHBO

Aaron Pierre as John Stewart in the HBO/DC Comics series Lanterns.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 05/10/2026

Damn 😆 I wish we could edit posts. Saturday’s OG drag king panel was at B Scene, a bar at 50 Ave. B. There is a basement-level exhibit and upcoming events on Club Casanova at this East Village bar. (When the panel ended, the DJ played “Trash” by the New York Dolls; it truly felt like a party.) #NYC

Exterior of B Scene, a bar at 50 Ave. B. Oct 3, 2026.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 05/10/2026

The panel: just one of the events at B Scene (not Club B) celebrating Club Casanova. At the merch table afterwards, Mo approached me(!); we chatted. Before leaving, I (masked) told him I had a crush on him (and on king Sir Real) during the CC days. What a thrill! www.dragkinghistory.com #LGBTQ #NYC

Club Casanova exhibition on the walls of the basement at bar B Scene, 50 Ave. B. Oct 3, 2026.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 05/10/2026

In the late #90s, I went to Club Casanova parties because I found the kings incredibly sexy. As Mo said on the panel, OG kings embodied over-the-top male characters, esp to poke holes in toxic masculinity; today’s kings primarily are performance artists. A+ observation of the difference. #LGBTQ #NYC

In an alcove bathed in the red light of a red lightbulb is a poster on a dark wall. The poster is a group photo of Club Casanova drag kings in the 1990s. The alcove is in the basement level of bar Club B. Oct 3, 2026.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 05/10/2026

Yesterday at bar Club B, 50 Ave. A, I attended the “OG Club Casanova Kings Panel.” Club Casanova was a weekly drag king party by Mo B. Dick in #90s #NYC. Mo and some of the original kings reunited on this panel and reminisced about those times in Giuliani’s New York. #LGBTQ #LGBTQIA #QueerHistory

On Saturday, Oct 3, 2026, the “OG Club Casanova Kings Panel” happened in the basement of bar Club B, 50 Ave A. Seated onstage in two rows, the original performers reminisce. Holding the microphone is Black king Mistah. Seated to the right of Mistah is Mo B. Dick, with a purple high pompadour.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 04/10/2026

Yesterday, it arrived: In hardcover, a used 1st edition of Deep Sightings and Rescue Missions: Fiction, Essays, and Conversations (1996), by Toni Cade Bambara. This book was edited by Toni Morrison, who also wrote its preface. Other used 1st editions: www.biblio.com/978067944250... #ReadBlackWomen

In hardcover, the book Deep Sightings & Rescue Missions Fiction, Essays, and Conversations (1996), by Toni Cade Bambara.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 03/10/2026

At that time, she had "a brief romantic liaison" with Small Faces' lead singer/guitarist Steve Marriott (because, yeah). In the '80s, she sang backup on Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer." Last year, she released an album. If she's written a memoir, I'd definitely read it. Still gorg. Still a badass. 🎤

A color photograph of P.P. Arnold, published in 2017. She is wearing head-to-toe black: black felt brimmed hat, black long-sleeved lace shirt with long ruffled bow down the front, and black patent leather pants with matching high-heeled black ankle boots. She is posing on a bed covered in a mix of bright fabrics and is touching the brim of her hat while smiling at the camera. Photo credit: Sandra Vijandi / Handel & Hendrix Museum.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 03/10/2026

Sometimes, I really love the algorithm. This precious photo of P.P. Arnold popped up in my Pinterest feed, and what a pretty woman. And what a life she's led! Yes, Arnold is still with us. In fact, today is her 80th birthday! 💐 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._P._A... #MusicHistory #BlackHistory #BlackWomen

A May 1967 color photograph of P.P. Arnold, taken by Tony Gale. Arnold is wearing a vibrant, multicolored, floral mini-dress with long sleeves. She is sitting on wood steps, and green heeled shoes are on her feet. She's smiling at the camera.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 03/10/2026

CALL FOR PROPOSALS (CFP): Archives and Resistance: A Virtual Symposium on Digital Preservation and Publication in the Context of African, African American, and Diaspora Studies, Feb 19-20, 2027. DEADLINE: Nov 20. documentaryediting.org/archives-and... #BlackStudies #BlackHistory #DigitalHumanities

White text against a purple background: "Archives and Resistance: A Virtual Symposium on Digital Preservation and Publication in the Context of African, African American, and Diaspora Studies"

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 02/10/2026

The Autobiography of Malcolm X ✊🏾📚 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Aut... #books #BlackHistory

Front cover of The Autobiography of Malcolm X, as Told to Alex Haley, showing a color illustration of Malcolm X’s face.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 29/09/2026

Every time I hear “Rock Steady,” I think of the scene in Crooklyn (1994) where the kids are dancing to the song, playing on the episode of Soul Train they’re sneaking to watch. #90s #movies #SoulMusic

The young cast of the 1994 Spike Lee movie “Crooklyn.”

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 29/09/2026

Someone is driving through Harlem blasting Aretha Franklin’s “Rock Steady” on their car stereo, just living their best life lol 😆 💃🏾 #NYC #SoulMusic #TuesdayVibes

Record cover for the 1972 Aretha Franklin single “Rock Steady,” featuring a color photograph of Aretha with an Afro and in a long-sleeved, floor-length red dress and standing on red-carpeted stairs.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 29/09/2026

The less some celebrities open their mouths, the better lol 😆 Well, at least there’s still my other #InsecureHBO crush, Langston Kerman (married, with him and his wife raising their two children).

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 29/09/2026

Catching up on the discourse, and let’s just say that my #InsecureHBO crush is effectively ruined 😭

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 29/09/2026

What made ep7 worth it was getting some backstory on Hal Jordan. In previous episodes, we see John Stewart’s origins and what his motivations are, with Hal initially presented as an obstacle. In ep7, we see why Hal is the way he is. I wonder how ep8 will wrap things up… 🤔 #Lanterns #LanternsHBO

Hal Jordan as a boy, dressed in a Little League/baseball uniform, in episode 7 of the HBO/DC Comics series Lanterns.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 29/09/2026

For me, much of #Lanterns ep7 felt like a detour. I’d hesitate to call it a “filler episode” because it may all come together in ep8, the season finale. Hopefully. At least the show’s creators got to play around with a different set of cool-looking special effects. #LanternsHBO

A scene from episode 7 of the HBO/DC Comics series Lanterns.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 28/09/2026

During today's virtual talk, which was recorded, Zoe mentioned the Toni Cade Bambara #archives at Spelman College and gave a special shout-out to Holly Smith, College Archivist at Spelman. www.spelman.edu/about/archiv... #feminism #BlackWomen #ReadBlackWomen

Screenshot of the Toni Cade Bambara Papers page of Spelman College's archives website.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 28/09/2026

THURS, OCT 15: Welcome reception for the Ms. Foundation for Women's new president and CEO, Tracy Sturdivant, at Dear Irving on Broadway, 1717C Broadway, 6-8PM. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres served. FREE to attend. RSVP required. my.onecause.com/event/organi... #feminism #BlackWomen #MsFoundation #NYC

Ms. Foundation for Women's new president and CEO, Tracy Sturdivant, standing in front of a red banner that says Ms. Foundation for Women.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 28/09/2026

MONDAY, OCT 5: Thinking from Black book launch at St. Mark’s Church, 131 E 10th St, at 8PM. Opening remarks by Kaiama Glover. Readings from contributors Dionne Brand, Rachel Eliza Griffiths, Zakiyyah Iman Jackson, Tavia Nyong'o, and more. Entry: $10. www.poetryproject.org/events/i-thi... #books #NYC

Red cover of book Thinking from Black, with topics listed in white lettering and editors listed in black lettering.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 27/09/2026

In the doc, assorted people make digs at Kitt, including the interviewer (and the filmmaker, who zooms in on the dirty soles of her feet). But Kitt remains the consummate performer throughout. Brief appearances: Geoffrey Holder, Carmen de Lavallade, Ed Koch, and gossip columnist Cindy Adams. #movies

Eartha Kitt performing in All by Myself: The Eartha Kitt Story.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 27/09/2026

Though the #documentary is meant to be revelatory, every bit of it feels like a performance by Kitt, who seemed concerned about appearances above everything else. Tenseness underlies all interactions, including between her and daughter, Kitt, making me wonder about the quality of their relationship.

Eartha Kitt (left) with daughter, Kitt McDonald, in the documentary All by Myself: The Eartha Kitt Story (1982).

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 27/09/2026

Today, I watched All by Myself: The Eartha Kitt Story (1982), directed by Christian Blackwood. Now I know where this meme came from lol 😆 #movies #documentary #BlackWomen #BlackHistory #80s

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 26/09/2026

#Caturday throwback to Iggy and Bowie snuggling together in the basket of their cat tree for an afternoon nap. 😴🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛ #cats #BlackCats #CatSky #IggyAndBowie

Two young black cats, nearly one year old, snuggle together in a round woven basket, their fur shining in the afternoon sunlight. Both are looking up at the camera. May 2021.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 26/09/2026

At home in #Queens, I noticed a strange light coming through my windows and looked outside.* I saw a purple sky and a beautiful rainbow! Leaned out the window above the fire escape and took this pic. To my knowledge, it hadn’t rained. I didn’t even know you could have a rainbow without rain 🤯🌈 #NYC

A beautiful rainbow arching across a purple evening sky spotted with sparse white clouds. Rooftops and fire escapes frame the rainbow. Sept 25, 2026.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 25/09/2026

In high school English class, we read Shange's choreopoem "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf," first published in 1975, and we dedicated a week to discussing it. Years later, in #NYC, I saw her speak and am so thankful for that. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ntozake...

Front cover of the 1981 Bantam Books edition of "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf," a choreopoem by Ntzoake Shange. The cover features an illustration of Shange wearing a gold-colored headscarf and dangling, feathery earrings.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 25/09/2026

Probably my favorite portrait series of playwright and poet Ntozake Shange, taken in 1977 by photographer Jack Mitchell. That year, Shange's play "A Photograph: Lovers in Motion" opened at The Public Theater in #NYC. Love her facial expression and outfit (those shoes 😍). #poetry #theater #BlackWomen

Photographic portrait of playwright and poet Ntozake Shange, taken in 1977 by Jack Mitchell. Shange is sitting in the foreground, her arms in front of her right leg, the ankle of which is resting on her left knew. She is wearing a red felt hat, multicolored top, indigo velvet pants, yellow socks, and silver/brass-toned platform shoes with thin black laces. In the background, two women dance, one in front of the other.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 25/09/2026

Tonight, I learned there's an Eartha Kitt #documentary on Criterion, titled "All by Myself: The Eartha Kitt Story" (1982). Hadn't heard of it before... and I must say, I'm intrigued. Maybe I'll check it out this weekend. www.criterionchannel.com/films/D3umvO... #movies #BlackWomen #BlackHistory

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 24/09/2026

Castro was originally in a hotel in Midtown Manhattan but was forced out due to prejudice against the Cuban delegation and wild rumors about them. So, he went uptown, staying instead at the Hotel Theresa, where he met with Malcolm X, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Nikita Khrushchev, and more. #60s #NYC

Fidel Castro and Malcolm X meeting in a room at the Hotel Theresa in Harlem in September 1960.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 24/09/2026

There’s a great book about this: Ten Days in Harlem: Fidel Castro and the Making of the 1960s, by Simon Hall. It covers Castro’s time in #NYC during the convening of the UN General Assembly in September 1960, including the meetings he took at the Hotel Theresa. www.faber.co.uk/product/9780... #books

Front cover of the hardcover edition of Ten Days in Harlem: Fidel Castro and the Making of the 1960s, by Simon Hall, featuring an illustration of a young Castro
by Sindiso Nyoni.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 24/09/2026

According to Wikipedia, this day (Sept 23) in 1979 was his last as US Ambassador to the United Nations, a position he was appointed to by then president Jimmy Carter. Last year, “Young delivered the homily at the state funeral service for Carter at Washington National Cathedral.” #BlackHistory

Andrew Young as the 14th United States Ambassador to the United Nations.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 24/09/2026

I just finished watching a two-part documentary on JFK on PBS in which Andrew Young was featured and wondered if Young was still alive. He is, and he’s 94 years old. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_... #activism #CivilRights #BlackHistory

Black and white photo of Andrew Young, taken in 2022, the year he turned 90. He’s sitting, hands folded, in an armchair and smiling, his gaze of to the side. Photo source: https://www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/as-he-turns-90-andrew-young-reflects-on-his-life-in-atlanta/

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 23/09/2026

Through a slide presentation, Dr. Lopez talked about "how ordinary people, labor activists, journalists, filmmakers, and theater managers and owners shaped Black film culture." One slide included a 1926 newspaper ad by the Colored Motion Picture Projectionist Association, which I didn't know about.

Ad in the newspaper New York Age, May 1926: "Notice to the Public. The following theatres in Harlem employ all colored motion picture operators: Lafayette Theatere, 7th Ave. & 132nd St; Renaissance Theatre, 7th Ave. & 138th St., Gem Theatre, 135th St., Bet. 5th & Lenox Aves. Members of the Colored Motion Picture Projectionist Assoc."

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 23/09/2026

Today, I attended a fascinating (virtual) lunchtime talk in which Dr. Alyssa Lopez discussed her book Reel Freedom: Black Film Culture in Early 20th Century New York City, published by Temple University Press (code 25REEL for 25% off). tupress.temple.edu/books/reel-f... #books #movies #BlackHistory

Front cover of book Reel Freedom: Black Film Culture in Early Twentieth Century New York City, authored by Alyssa Lopez. On the front cover is a black-and-white photograph of Black children lined up outside of a movie theater.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 21/09/2026

For instance, in #Lanterns ep 6, they finally addressed John being a Black man in a small town in rural Nebraska. (In earlier eps, I tensed when he entered the dive bar and diner.) IMO, ep 5 is still the best ep, but now I'm locked in. Also, Jason Ritter looks SO MUCH like his father. #LanternsHBO

In episode 6 of HBO/DC Comics series Lanterns, Aaron Pierre as John Stewart stands next to the beacons, which he's switched on.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 21/09/2026

#Lanterns ep 6 also had a Black director: Stephen Williams, whose credits include "Watchmen" and "The Last of Us." Having Black writers and directors involved in the making of a show definitely makes a (noticeable) difference and can strengthen the authenticity of Black characters. #LanternsHBO

Director Stephen Williams, in attendance at the DGA Awards. Photo credit: Variety/Shutterstock.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 21/09/2026

I legit wondered about this because parts of #Lanterns ep 6 ("Bad Optics") felt very Black/written for a Black audience. Turns out, one of the episode's co-writers is Black: Justin Britt-Gibson. I'm curious if the Black actors on the show can ad-lib lines or tweak the script as well. #LanternsHBO

Damon Lindelof (left) and Justin Britt-Gibson (right).

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 20/09/2026

MON, SEPT 28: "Looking for Toni: A Conversation on Archiving Black Feminist Writers," via Zoom at 4PM EST. Channelle Russell, of Columbia Univ., will talk with Zoe Bambara, daughter of Toni Cade Bambara. Register at the link. columbiauniversity.zoom.us/webinar/regi... #archives #feminism #BlackWomen

Promo for virtual event, via Zoom: "Looking for Toni: A Conversation on Archiving Black Feminist Writers," Monday, 9/28, 4-5PM EST. There is a color photograph of Toni Cade Bambara and two inset photographs of Zoe Bambara (top) and Channell Russell (bottom). Image via channellerussell on Instagram.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 20/09/2026

The Moody Bastards provided #LiveMusic at the block party. The band, with members Phil Dunn, Ari Martin, Dominick Mitchell, and RK Watkin, sounded pretty good. Saturday saw perfect weather for the 9th Street Block Party. I enjoyed dropping by my old nabe to check it out. #community #EastVillage #NYC

The Moody Bastards, a band of four grey-haired Boomer-aged white men, playing live music in the street at the 9th Street Block Party on Saturday, Sept 19, 2026.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 20/09/2026

The annual block party took place on E. 9th St, between 1st Ave. and Ave. A. The block was lined with vendors selling everything from used books to baked goods to clothing to vintage housewares. Most vendors had brick-and-mortar businesses on the block. A steady stream of people flowed through. #NYC

Attendees strolling through the 9th Street Block Party. Racks of clothing for sale are on the right. Sept 19, 2026.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 20/09/2026

On my way to “Praise Day for David Henderson” at St. Mark’s Church on E. 10th St, I stopped by the 9th Street Block Party. When I first moved to #NYC in 1997, I lived on E. 9th St, where I rented a room in a five-floor walk-up with a bathtub in the kitchen. evgrieve.com/2026/09/the-... #EastVillage

Flyer promoting the 9th Street Block Party, taped to a utility pole. Sept 19, 2026.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 20/09/2026

Tongo Eisen-Martin at the podium. (Shortly before I moved from the Bay Area and returned east in 2021, Eisen-Martin had just become poet laureate of San Francisco.) Today’s memorial gathering was emotional, cathartic, and celebratory—and a great tribute to David Henderson. #poetry #BlackPoets #NYC

Tongo Eisen-Martin at the church podium, reciting a powerful work at “Praise Day for David Henderson.” Sept 19, 2026.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 20/09/2026

Poets and performers read David Henderson’s words, and family and friends of Henderson shared their memories of him. Throughout, a slideshow of photographs of Henderson with friends, family members, and colleagues played continuously above the stage, serving as a backdrop. #poetry #BlackPoets #NYC

A friend of David Henderson stands at the church podium and shares her memories of him as a slideshow of photos of Henderson plays in the background. Sept 19, 2026.

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Gina Murrell @ginamurrell1.blacksky.app · 20/09/2026

This memorial gathering celebrating David Henderson (Sept 19, 1942-May 14, 2026) was free and open to the general public. Entering St. Mark’s, I saw a sizable number of people were present. Judging from the schedule, I arrived midway through the program, with Conor Tomàs (Coco) Reed at the podium.

Conor Tomàs (Coco) Reed standing at the podium at the front of St. Mark’s Church, reading to people gathered for “Praise Day for David Henderson.” Sept 19, 2026.

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