Remembering the Rainbow Sign: The Short But Powerful Reign of Berkeley’s 1970s Black Cultural Center - Publication Date |
- Aug 05, 2022
- Episode Duration |
- 00:29:46
Today, it’s an unassuming beige building on a busy Berkeley street. But in the 1970s, the Rainbow Sign was a groundbreaking center for Black culture, politics, and art. It hosted dozens of high-profile Black thought leaders and performers, including James Baldwin, Nina Simone, Maya Angelou, and Shirley Chisholm. The Rainbow Sign was open to all – as a performance venue, political organizing space, and cafe. It lasted just a few short years, from 1971-1977. But it left profound mark on the young people who attended concerts and performances there, including Vice President Kamala Harris.
This episode first aired on January 7, 2022.