Monday, Mar 30, 2026 6:30 PM

Location:
Auburn Avenue Research Library
101 Auburn Avenue NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30303

PLEASE NOTE: Due to ongoing travel disruptions and extended airport security delays, this event has been canceled.

The award-winning co-anchor of PBS NewsHour presents a sweeping and insightful retrospective on the history of Black comedy in America.


A Cappella Books and the Auburn Avenue Research Library welcome Geoff Bennett in honor of his new book, “Black Out Loud: The Revolutionary History of Black Comedy from Vaudeville to '90s Sitcoms.” Bennett will appear in conversation with Atlanta-based correspondent for NBC News, Blayne Alexander.

This event is free and open to the public; copies of “Black Out Loud” will be available for purchase.

About the Book

Black comedians have long played a pivotal role in shaping the American sense of humor. The 1990s showcased a golden era for Black comedy, highlighted by the surge of iconic sitcoms that redefined television and left a lasting cultural imprint. Shows like “In Living Color,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “Living Single,” “Martin,” and “A Different World” stood on the shoulders of decades of groundbreaking work by Black comedians, both on-screen and on-stage, to deliver nuanced portrayals of life, family, and culture. Yet, just decades earlier, the idea of Black artists dominating American airwaves with characters that were both hilarious and heartfelt would have been unimaginable. How did it come to be?


The journey begins with 19th-century minstrel shows – offensive by today’s standards but the first stage for Black performers to reach mainstream audiences. Over time, comedians challenged racial stereotypes, exploring race and identity through humor. Icons like Jackie “Moms” Mabley, Redd Foxx, Dick Gregory, Flip Wilson, Richard Pryor, Whoopi Goldberg, and Eddie Murphy shifted perceptions and changed how the nation understood itself. In this incisive history, Geoff Bennett tells the story of how they did it.


In “Black Out Loud,” Bennett chronicles the transformative history of Black comedy in America, drawing on research and interviews with the actors and executives behind some of the most impactful shows. This brilliant exploration traces the evolution of Black comics and provocateurs who reshaped the culture and ultimately became powerful agents of social change -- transforming the way America laughed along the way.


Includes interviews and insights from: Martin Lawrence, Robert Townsend, Debbie Allen, Tisha Campbell, Keenan Ivory Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Quinta Brunson, Arsenio Hall, and many more!

About the Author

Geoff Bennett is the co-anchor and co-managing editor of “PBS NewsHour” and serves as a contributor to NBC News. A Peabody Award-winning journalist, he has reported on national politics at the highest levels -- covering the White House and six presidential election cycles -- while conducting exclusive interviews with cultural icons, world leaders, and groundbreaking artists. His work bridges politics and culture, offering clear-eyed insight into the forces that shape American life.

He lives in the Washington, DC, area with his wife and their son.

About the Conversation Partner

Blayne Alexander is a correspondent for Dateline NBC and NBC News, based in Atlanta. She reports for Dateline as well as NBC Nightly News, and TODAY, covering major breaking news, investigations, and in-depth features. A four-time Emmy Award nominee, Blayne began her reporting career at WRDW-TV in Augusta, Georgia, before spending six years as a reporter and anchor with Atlanta’s WXIA-TV. Her work has been honored by the Atlanta and National Associations of Black Journalists and the Atlanta Press Club. She is a graduate of Duke University.