A reminder: The upcoming Martin Luther King holiday includes 2 important local events.
The speaker for the 20th annual celebration is Jelani Cobb. The renowned journalist, scholar, and dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism will be in conversation this on Saturday (January 17, 1 p.m., Westport Library) with novelist, playwright, filmmaker — and Westport resident — Trey Ellis.
Cobb is a Peabody Award winner, Pulitzer Prize finalist, MSNow political analyst, and New Yorker staff writer. He has written books on Barack Obama and the hip hop aesthetic, in addition to editing other volumes and producing numerous documentaries.
The annual MLK celebration is a partnership between the Library, TEAM Westport, Westport Country Playhouse, Westport Museum for History & Culture, and the Westport/Weston Clergy Association. The event is free; click here to register.
Jelani Cobb
On Monday (January 19), the Westport Country Playhouse hosts a free screening of the Emmy-winning 2019 documentary “True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality.”
The film focuses on Stevenson’s life and career — particularly his indictment of the US criminal justice system for its role in codifying modern systemic racism — and tracks the intertwined histories of slavery, lynching, segregation and mass incarceration.
The film also documents the monumental opening of the Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice, dedicated to the more than 4,400 lynching victims.
The screening is followed by a discussion with Ellis — one of the film’s executive producers — and TEAM Westport chair Harold Bailey Jr., along with questions from the audience. Click here for more information.
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The New York Times ran a photo of Lyman, Ukraine yesterday.
There were 2 connections to Westport — and an ominous caption.
The image — illustrating a story about Russian President Putin’s silence in the wake of President Trump’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro — showed a Ukrainian artillery brigade near Lyman. The town, in the Donetsk region has been a sister city of Westport since shortly after the Russian invasion.
The caption in the online version said simply, “A Ukrainian soldier from the 63rd Mechanized Brigade firing toward a Russian target in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday.”
The print version was much more ominous. It added: “Capturing Lyman is currently a top Russian priority.”
The other connection: The shot was taken by Tyler Hicks. The Pulitzer Prize-winning Times photographer is a 1988 Staples High School graduate.
(Photo/Tyler Hicks for the New York Times)
Hicks had another Ukraine photo yesterday too — on page 1.
There is actually a third Westport connection. Ukraine Aid International — the boots-on-the-ground non-profit, founded by Westporters Marshall and Brian Mayer — continues to collect funds for our sister city.
To donate monthly or one time, just click here. Click the “I want to support” box; then select “Support for the City of Lyman.” Scroll down on that page for other donation options (mail, wire transfer and Venmo.) (Hat tip: Bob Mitchell)
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Christmas — even all 12 days of it — are in the rearview mirror.
Also in the rearview mirror (if you’re parking a certain way at the Imperial Avenue lot): dozens of Christmas trees.
Hundreds are stacked neatly in the back.
Toni Simonetti — who sends this photo, with Max waiting patiently in front — wonders if this is where they’re stored, after being picked up by local Scouts.
However they got there, she says: “They smell glorious!”
(Photo/Toni Simonetti)
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Looking for an advanced astro-photography workflow tutorial?
The Westport Astronomical Society’s free lecture series has exactly that.
On February 10 (7 p.m.), veteran WAS astro-photographer Michael Southam offers tips on taking images from the planning stage, through data acquisition, subframe selection, stacking and processing. Attendees should bring a laptop. Click here to register. Click here to become a WAS member.
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Our daily “Westport … Naturally” feature looks for beauty, wherever our readers find it in town.
Ellen Wentworth spotted this arrangement the other day, at a Senior Center luncheon.
(Photo/Ellen Wentworth)
It’s a little touch, sure. But it sure goes a long way to brighten up this winter.
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And finally … Bob Weir — a founding member who helped catapult the laid-back Grateful Dead into the music stratosphere — died last week. He was 78.
Click here for a full obituary.
BONUS FEATURE: Back in the day, in his Westport studio, filmmaker/animator Jeff Scher made this video for the “Ace of Cups.” The all-female 1960s San Francisco band got reunited after 50 years. Bob Weir was one of several musicians who joined in.
The video is mostly abstract, but includes a portrait of Weir near the beginning.
(Another week, another Monday with a Roundup that roams from our sister city to outer space. And another reminder: “06880” relies on support from readers like you. Please click here to help. Thanks!)
Dan,
I hate to nitpick, but your last article has pictures of Jerry Garcia, Brent Mydland, and Phil Lesh. But there is no picture of Bob Weir!
Adam Starr
I hate to nitpick too, but they were not photos. They were the images that are generated by YouTube, in links to three Grateful Dead songs. YouTube controls what images are shown. But click on the links, and you’ll hear the songs (and see Bob Weir).
If you hate it then why do you do it?
Asking for a friend
Same reason Adam did it. We can’t help ourselves.
Many thanks for your reply. I will listen, thanks. Last night we played much of the Sunshine Daydream/Ventana, Oregon concert from August 1972 which features a number of Bob Weir song and some fine interactions between the band members. A sad time.
Hate to nitpick but that is Veneta, Oregon.
I don’t want to be negative, but I will be honest.I never liked any songs from the Grateful Dead.
Jack, let me be honest: That’s being negative, and there’s no need to dump on the recently deceased, especially one who expressed only love and peace throughout a blessed life. You don’t need to comment on every damn 06880 post. Give it a rest, please.
A few years ago I had the opportunity to visit The National Memorial For Peace and Justice that Bryan Stevenson had helped to create in Montgomery , Ala. One of the most powerful memorial and museum that one can visit to truly understand what happened in the south during the Jim Crow Era. The memorial is this incredibly imposing building with all these metal crosses in which names of the over 4000 people who were lynched over that time period in various counties throughout the south.
Bryan Stevenson the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative did ground breaking work in trying to free unjustly incarcerated people. The movie about a famous case he worked on called Just Mercy is well worth watching. /Users/Tom/Desktop/ps_DSC1316 copy.jpg/Users/Tom/Desktop/ps_DSC1227.psd
Well, Looks Like Rain was a great song…also a controversial view. Some hate the song and I don’t get why. It emotes much.I loved Bob Weir. Was saddened to read about Bob. I always thought Grateful Dead was an acquired taste. I did love Sugar Magnolia and Brown Eyed Women…since I am a Brown eyed woman. Lol. RIP Bob.. we loved you.
Box od Rain was also worth the listen. Not my favorite 70s music but iconic and memory creating.