Selective Focus: Blackbird Revolt
Blackbird Revolt is a team of creatives and organizers who work to raise the voices and increase the visibilty of marginalized groups. They recently published APRÈS, an elegant, beautifully designed and written zine that started out as a way to honor Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson, and Isaac McGhie at the 100 year mark of their lynching. The recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and others caused them to change direction with the project. The zine now contains content to help people who want to make meaningful change happen, but may need some suggestions for next steps, and ways to sustain the energy. This week in Selective Focus, we take a look at the work of Blackbird Revolt, and hear how they use their skills as artists and organizers to support, challenge, engage and change.
Please tell us about yourself and your work, and how you came to work in your style.
Influenced by artists and activists, Blackbird Revolt was founded by Jordon and Terresa Moses who felt compelled to engage their community through art and design. The idea to form the company came about in Fall of 2016. We noticed the continued lack of representation and the intentional exclusion of diverse and intersectional voices from the dominant narrative. We are an alternative to that exclusion: A network of artists, designers, photographers, painters, writers, orators and more. Blackbird Revolt acts as a platform for these conscious creatives.
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The Slice: Dinner Music at 2104
Duluth’s Richard Narum has been hosting livestream concerts from his living room — a venue named after his house number, 2104. Shows happened weekly in May and June, but future plans are for shows on the third Thursday of July and August.
The concerts can be viewed at youtube.com/user/duluthiscool.
In its series The Slice, WDSE-TV presents short “slices of life” that capture the events and experiences that bring people together and speak to what it means to live up north.
Hayes Block Downtown Duluth Post Office
From 1870 to 1894, Duluth’s downtown post office was located in the Hayes Block, a building that still stands at 26 E. Superior St. as part of the Wieland Block apartments. (more…)
Rephotographing Duluth 2010/2020
In this video, photographer Kip Praslowicz revisits Duluth locations he shot photos of in 2010 in order to shoot 2020 versions.
One of the photos near the end of the video caught our eye at Perfect Duluth Day because Paul Lundgren shot a similar photo in 2010 from a different angle, showing a perspective that might have easily been forgotten. (more…)
Friday Night Meltdown Archives
https://soundcloud.com/9oclockmeltdown/women-of-the-forest-may-11-2013
As the pandemic seems to lose steam in Minnesota (if not the rest of the country — I’m looking at you, Superior) some of the live streaming music events have started to move back into real venues.
So looking for music, I was happy to discover that the 9:00 Meltdown, which used to be my background music on KUWS, is still available on Soundcloud, with new episodes. This one opens with a song whose refrain is “I’ll be your teenage bride,” which is not indicative of how cool the rest of the interview is.
Chester Creek Waterfalls
This video by Douglas Feltman showcases waterfalls on Duluth’s Chester Creek.
Selective Focus: Silver Bay
Select Instagram photos of scenes in Silver Bay, with particular emphasis on Black Beach. (more…)
Short story about PDD blog comments’ infinite recursion of self-referentiality
With regards to a recent sarcastic comment by Vicarious about me posting on PDD about an interview I did about a PDD post, I was reminded of this Richardson brothers story. It was inspired by a war in the PDD comments section back in the old days, but the gist is infinite recursion in blog comments.
Robin Washington interviews Jim Richardson about PDD Confederate essay
Robin Washington interviewed me on Wisconsin Public Radio about the essay I wrote for PDD denouncing my white Confederate heritage.
PDD Video Lab: Cruising the Duluth Harbor on the Flame
In this edition of the PDD Video Lab we take a cruise with Lorraine and the kids on the Flame excursion boat in 1964. At the midway point of the video, the scene switches to the Edgewater Motel. (more…)
Bear with cheeseballs container stuck on head rescued
KARE-TV out of Minneapolis reports a family fishing on Marshmiller Lake near Bloomer, Wis. — about 100 miles south of Duluth — pulled “a cheesy ball container” off the head of a black bear swimming on the lake.
The rescue was captured on video. The raw footage is below. (more…)
Happy 17th birthday to us
There are free birthday cupcakes at Wussow’s drive-through from 5:10 to 6:30 p.m. (or until they are gone) tonight, June 29, in celebration of Perfect Duluth Day’s anniversary! (more…)
Coldsnap Photography Pro-Am Series with Christian Dalbec
John Gregor’s ColdSnap Photography is holding “pro-am” presentations. Last week’s session featured Christian Dalbec. Dalbec finds a way to make a sleepy shore exotic and exciting. Check out the presentation on Zoom.
Duluth You & Me: Summertime Racers
Use the link below for a printable PDF for your drawing and coloring pleasure.
Duluth You & Me: Summer Time Racers
Follow the Duluth You & Me subject tag to see additional pages. For background on the book see the original post on the topic.
Floaty Flotilla event canceled due to small craft advisory
Hi all. I am canceling the Floaty Flotilla at the last minute because the wind has kicked up enough for a small-craft advisory. Will reschedule for when the water is like glass. Thank you~
https://www.perfectduluthday.com/the-event/floaty-flotilla/
PDD Quiz: June 2020 in Review
See how much you remember about the events that made headlines this month!
The next PDD quiz will explore area swimming spots; it will be published on July 12. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by July 8. (more…)
Steve Solkela jumps a bike while holding an accordion
Iron Range musician/stuntman Steve Solkela straps on the squeezebox and leaps over a moving bicycle … because … fun.
Postcard from Franklin School in 1910
This postcard was mailed 110 years ago today — June 27, 1910. It shows Franklin Elementary School at 411 E. Seventh St., and the surrounding neighborhood. Franklin School was demolished in 1979 and is today the site of Hillside Sport Court Park. More on the history of Franklin School can be found on zenithcity.com. (more…)
Ripped at JT’s Bar in 2000
[Editor’s note: Set your Gayback Machine to the last few months of the Clinton administration. For this week’s essay we’ve once again pulled out a relic from the archive of Slim Goodbuzz, who visited JT’s Bar at 1506 N. Third St. in Superior and penned this report for the June 28, 2000 issue of the Ripsaw newspaper. Additional historical notes: JT’s closed in the summer of 2011 and was replaced by Shenanigan’s Bar. In late 2012 it became the Whiskey Ward, which closed in 2013. Izzy’s BBQ Lounge & Grill opened in August 2014 and remains there today.]
The first time I went to JT’s, I was young and foolish. I didn’t know it was a gay bar. “This place looks like a gay bar,” I exclaimed to the room, provoking a barrage of turned heads and strange looks. But despite embarrassing myself in public, I actually ended up having a pretty good time that night.
Then, a few weeks ago, a press release from the White House showed up at the RipSaw office reading, “I, William J. Clinton, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2000 as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. I encourage all Americans to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that celebrate our diversity and recognize the gay and lesbian Americans whose many and varied contributions have enriched our national life.” So, I decided to get drunk at JT’s. I simply could not pass up an invitation like that. (more…)
Selective Focus: LampsnTime – Rob and Teresa Reese
When you walk through the Duluth Antique Marketplace on Grand Avenue, like most antique malls, each booth has its own specialty and feel. But when you approach the LampsnTime booth, even from a distance, it’s clear there’s another layer of personality to it. Rob and Teresa Reese transform old discarded items into reimagined pieces of functional and decorative art.
LNT: With Teresa’s fascination with the Borg technology portrayed in Star Trek and Rob’s interest in all that is “haunted” naturally we fell in love with the Steampunk alternate history of the “Past that never was.” We repurpose all sorts of odd pieces we happen upon into industrial lamps, clocks, steampunk accessories and Assemblage art.
Six years ago, Rob made a lamp and friends expressed a desire to purchase one if he made more. That was the start to what we have become, Lampsntime. (more…)
Interview with Artist/Activist Votan
Artist and activist Votan visited Duluth’s American Indian Community Housing Organization with his family to show support and bring supplies during COVID-19. Video produced by Jeremy “JayGee” Gardner.
Kitchi Gammi Club improves its Lake Superior view
Work has started on a new entrance and east lawn improvements at the Kitchi Gammi Club on Superior Street. (Photos by Mark Nicklawske)
The historic Kitchi Gammi Club is improving its front yard.
The 106-year-old landmark clubhouse at 831 E. Superior St. is undergoing an entrance upgrade that includes plans to improve an east lawn overlooking Lake Superior. The two-phase, $500,000 project broke ground in May. (more…)
Postcard from George A. Gray Company of Duluth
The George A. Gray Company was located at 117 W. Superior St. The building became a Wahl’s department store in 1936 and is still standing today, though it looks quite different. (more…)
This Town
This new documentary from WDSE-TV presents four small towns with big stories — Grand Portage, Ball Club, Kettle River and Sandstone. The one-hour feature is narrated by storyteller Kevin Kling, with music by Grammy winner Jon Vezner. This Town looks at the stories behind these towns and the people who are carrying those stories into the future.